Policy Corner: August 4, 2023
Categories: Policy Corner Archives
Senators Introduce the Veterans Accessibility Act
On Wednesday, Senators Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) introduced the Veterans Accessibility Act to ensure that Veterans Administration (VA) complies with federal disability laws and makes its programs accessible for people with disabilities. The bill would establish a 15-person Advisory Committee on Equal Access, which would consist of veterans with disabilities, disability experts, and representatives of advocacy organizations. The purpose of the committee would be to evaluate and report on VA’s compliance with federal disability laws and to make recommendations for how VA can improve its accessibility for people with disabilities, including the physical accessibility of VA facilities, websites, and apps.
In December 2020, Senator Casey led the passage of the bipartisan VA Website Accessibility Act, which required VA to report to Congress on the accessibility of its kiosks and websites. The subsequent report indicated that fewer than ten percent of VA websites were fully compliant with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. In 2022, Senator Casey released the report, “Unlocking the Virtual Front Door,” which detailed an 11-month investigation into Section 508 compliance shortfalls across the federal government and found that VA has failed to make its technology accessible for people with disabilities.
Section 508 requires agencies to provide individuals with disabilities equal access to electronic information and data comparable to those who do not have disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency.
Senators Support Legislation to Expand the Family Violence Prevention and Services Law
Last week, Senators Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) introduced legislation, Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act, to enhance and expand support, protection, and prevention for Americans affected by family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence. The bill strengthens services for survivors of domestic violence nationwide and updates the National Domestic Violence Hotline to better serve underserved populations, such as people who are deaf or hard of hearing, people with disabilities, and racial and ethnic minorities, by expanding prevention efforts and resources for underserved populations.
The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA), was first signed into law in 1984 and was the government’s first response to the crisis of domestic violence by providing support via grants to domestic violence shelters and programs, including the National Domestic Violence Hotline, and domestic violence coalitions. The 2023 proposed legislation:
- Increases the funding to $270 million to expand victim services and provide access to FVPSA funds for programs not currently funded.
- Expands support for, and access, to culturally-specific programs to address these needs and incorporates related funding into the formula itself.
Congress Adjourns for August Recess
Both the House of Representatives and the Senate are on recess for six weeks. The Senate is expected to return on Sept. 5, while the House is not expected to return until Sept. 12. As members are in their home districts, your representative and senators may participate in state and county fairs, parades, and other local community activities. This is always a good time to let them know your concerns regarding brain injury. Feel free to access materials on the BIAA website which may help in advocating for your interests.