[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 131 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 131

   Recognizing the need to improve physical access to many federally 
  funded facilities for all people of the United States, particularly 
                       people with disabilities.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 26, 2018

 Ms. Esty of Connecticut (for herself, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Ms. 
    DeLauro, Mr. Courtney, Mr. Himes, Mr. Langevin, and Mr. Payne) 
 submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to 
 the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the 
Committees on the Judiciary, Transportation and Infrastructure, Energy 
 and Commerce, and Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
   Recognizing the need to improve physical access to many federally 
  funded facilities for all people of the United States, particularly 
                       people with disabilities.

Whereas the First Amendment to the Constitution prevents Congress from making 
        any law respecting an establishment of religion, prohibiting the free 
        exercise of religion, or abridging the freedom of speech, the freedom of 
        the press, the right to peaceably assemble, or to petition for a 
        governmental redress of grievances, and was adopted on December 15, 
        1791, as 1 of the 10 amendments that constitute the Bill of Rights;
Whereas the Bill of Rights, specifically the First Amendment to the 
        Constitution, calls for the right of all persons to peaceably assemble, 
        and to this end, all persons, regardless of their physical ability, 
        shall be offered equal opportunity to access all federally funded, in 
        whole or part, amenities, with the exception of certain sites of 
        historical importance approved by the United States Access Board or a 
        nonpartisan commission convened by said United States Access Board;
Whereas in the 28 years since the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act 
        of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.) (ADA), there have been unprecedented 
        advances in all forms of technology, typified by automatic doors;
Whereas in 2012, nearly 20 percent of the civilian population in the United 
        States reported having a disability as defined by the ADA;
Whereas in the 2010 census, more than 38,000,000 people were reported as having 
        a severe disability;
Whereas disability is a universal concern, as an aging population increases the 
        incidence of frailty and disability;
Whereas, as significant advances in medical treatment result in increased 
        survival rates, the incidence of disability increases;
Whereas in 2012, 16 percent of veterans, amounting to more than 3,500,000 
        people, received service-related disability benefits;
Whereas in 2011, the percentage of working-age people in the United States who 
        reported having a work limitation due to a disability was 7 percent, 
        which is a 20-year high;
Whereas the Act entitled ``An Act to insure that certain buildings financed with 
        Federal funds are so designed and constructed as to be accessible to the 
        physically handicapped'', approved August 12, 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4151 et 
        seq.) (commonly known as the ``Architectural Barriers Act of 1968''), 
        was enacted to ensure that certain federally funded facilities are 
        designed and constructed to be accessible to people with disabilities;
Whereas the United States Access Board (the Board) has developed new guidelines 
        for public rights-of-way that will address various issues, including 
        access for blind pedestrians at street crossings, wheelchair access to 
        on-street parking, and various constraints posed by space limitations, 
        roadway design practices, slope, and terrain;
Whereas the Board's new guidelines will cover pedestrian access to sidewalks and 
        streets, including crosswalks, curb ramps, street furnishings, 
        pedestrian signals, parking, and other components of public rights-of-
        way;
Whereas the Board's aim in developing these guidelines is to ensure that access 
        for persons with disabilities is provided wherever a pedestrian way is 
        newly built or altered, and that the same degree of convenience, 
        connection, and safety afforded the public generally is available to 
        pedestrians with disabilities;
Whereas once these guidelines are adopted by the Department of Justice, they 
        will become enforceable standards under title II of the ADA; and
Whereas the United States was founded on principles of equality and freedom, and 
        these principles require that all people, including people with 
        disabilities, are able to engage as equal members of society: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) recognizes the immense hardships that people with 
        disabilities in the United States must overcome every day;
            (2) reaffirms its support of the Act entitled ``An Act to 
        insure that certain buildings financed with Federal funds are 
        so designed and constructed as to be accessible to the 
        physically handicapped'', approved August 12, 1968 (42 U.S.C. 
        4151 et seq.), commonly known as the ``Architectural Barriers 
        Act of 1968'', and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 
        (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.), and encourages full compliance with 
        such Acts; and
            (3) pledges to make universal and inclusive design a 
        guiding principle for all infrastructure bills and projects and 
        will continue working to identify and remove the barriers that 
        prevent all people of the United States from having equal 
        access to the services provided by the Federal Government.
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