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Sarbanes Leads Colleagues in Urging Department of Justice to Advance Website Accessibility for Americans with Disabilities

September 8, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today led a group of 32 House Democrats in calling on the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to promulgate regulations and take other administrative actions that will promote equity for Americans with disabilities by addressing longstanding digital accessibility issues.

In their letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, the lawmakers applauded the Department for issuing guidance on web accessibility under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) earlier this year. Pointing to the continued lack of meaningful digital access among people with disabilities, the letter urged the Department to promulgate new regulations that provide clear and enforceable standards and will assist businesses and state and local governments in complying with their obligations to create equitable and inclusive websites, mobile applications and other forms of technology.

The lawmakers wrote, "Accessibility of these technologies is vital to fostering independence, economic self-sufficiency and active, meaningful participation in civic life for every individual in our society."

In addition to Congressman Sarbanes, the letter signed by Representatives David J. Trone (D-Md.), Jim Costa (D-Calif.), C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.), Darren Soto (D-Fla.), James R. Langevin (D-R.I.), Dina Titus (D-Nev.), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.), James P. McGovern (D-Mass.), Suzan K. DelBene (D-Wash.), Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), André Carson (D-Ind.), Troy Carter (D-La.), Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.), Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Donald M. Payne Jr. (D-N.J.), Deborah K. Ross (D-N.C.), Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), Tom O'Halleran (D-Ariz.), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.), Jesús G. "Chuy" García (D-Ill.), John B. Larson (D-Conn.), Gerald E. Connolly (D-Va.), Anthony G. Brown (D-Md.), Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) and Bill Foster (D-Ill.).

Click here for full text of the letter.