Political Quotes

“I'm pleased to rise in support of this very important legislation. It was in 1934 when the Communications Act was adopted that it set out that they would have the goal, in this country, of making available, so far as possible, to all people without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or sex, a rapid, efficient, nationwide, and worldwide wire and radio communications service. Well, this legislation before us today furthers this core principle by ensuring that Americans with disabilities can access the latest communications technology. It's only fitting that we're taking this bill up today, the 20th anniversary of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act. Although the ADA remains a critical protection for Americans with disabilities, our communications laws have not been updated since 1996 when Congress required that plain old telephone service be accessible to individuals with disabilities. Fourteen years is more than a lifetime in technology policy, especially in the Internet age. The world of communications has been transformed, and we need to update relevant laws so that individuals with disabilities can share in the amazing benefits these products and services have to offer. {time} 1520 H.R. 3101 updates these laws in a number of important ways. Among other things, the bill requires that advanced communications services such as videoconferencing and text messaging be accessible to individuals with disabilities.…”