[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 11087]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     CONGRESSIONAL WEB ACCESSIBILITY DAY: CELEBRATING THE ONE YEAR 
                       ANNIVERSARY OF SECTION 508

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                         HON. JAMES R. LANGEVIN

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 21, 2002

  Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the one-year 
anniversary of Section 508.
  Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires federal agencies' 
electronic and information technology (IT) to be accessible to 
individuals with disabilities. It specifically requires that when 
federal agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and 
information technology, they ensure that it is accessible, unless it 
would pose an undue burden to do so.
  But the regulations do not apply to the legislative and judicial 
branches, state and local governments, or the private sector. If we 
truly are a government of, for and by the people, then every American 
must have access to it. Today, the Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus and 
the Congressional Internet Caucus teamed up with the American 
Foundation for the Blind, HIR, Microsoft, Adobe and Freedom Scientific 
to demonstrate how easy it is to comply with Section 508 in making 
websites accessible.
  Today's ``Congressional Web Accessibility Day'' educated Members' 
staff and the American public on Section 508 and the importance of 
making government accessible. Through one-on-one sessions with HIR web 
experts and hands-on, interactive learning, this event was an important 
first step toward making government accessible.
  Web accessibility is not just for the 54 million individuals with 
disabilities or for the millions of elderly Americans with diminished 
vision, hearing and other senses, but for any one of us who might one 
day need this technology. It also provides more options for a typical 
user who may prefer text over fancy graphics. With 68 million American 
adults using government agency websites, this typical user is evolving 
into a powerful ``e-citizen.''
  I hope that today's event marks the beginning of some exciting, new 
changes in Congress.
  The time has come for us to make our websites accessible to our 
growing e-citizenry. The progress has begun in the federal agencies, 
and now Congress needs to follow suit.

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