[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 59 (Wednesday, March 25, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2158-S2159]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS WEBSITE ACCESSIBILITY ACT OF 2019

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 3587, introduced earlier 
today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 3587) to require the Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs to conduct a study on the accessibility of websites 
     of the Department of the Veterans Affairs to individuals with 
     disabilities, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill 
be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider 
be considered made and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (S. 3587) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, 
was read the third time, and passed as follows

                                S. 3587

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Department of Veterans 
     Affairs Website Accessibility Act of 2019''.

     SEC. 2. STUDY ON THE ACCESSIBILITY OF WEBSITES OF THE 
                   DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO INDIVIDUALS 
                   WITH DISABILITIES.

       (a) Study.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
     shall conduct a study of all websites of the Department of 
     Veterans Affairs to determine whether such websites are 
     accessible to individuals with disabilities in accordance 
     with section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 
     794d).
       (b) Report.--Not later than 90 days after completing the 
     study under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the 
     Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the 
     Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives a report on such study.
       (c) Elements.--The report required by subsection (b) shall 
     include the following:
       (1) A list of each website described in subsection (a) that 
     is not accessible to individuals with disabilities in 
     accordance with section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 
     (29 U.S.C. 794d).
       (2) For each website identified in the list under paragraph 
     (1)--

[[Page S2159]]

       (A) the plan of the Secretary to bring the website into 
     compliance with the requirements of section 508 of the 
     Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d); and
       (B) a description of the barriers to bringing the website 
     into compliance with the requirements of such section, 
     including any barriers relating to vacant positions at the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs.
       (d) Website Defined.--In this section, the term ``website'' 
     includes the following:
       (1) A file attached to a website.
       (2) A web-based application.
       (3) A kiosk at a medical facility of the Department of 
     Veterans Affairs, the use of which is required to check in 
     for scheduled appointments.

  Passed the Senate March 26 (legislative day, March 25), 2020.

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