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<b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br>
</b> <br>
Contact:<br>
Chris Danielsen<br>
Director of Public Relations<br>
National Federation of the Blind <br>
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330<br>
(410) 262-1281 (cell)<br>
<a href="mailto:cdanielsen@nfb.org">cdanielsen@nfb.org</a><br>
<br>
<b>National Federation of the Blind Condemns Delay of Web Accessibility
Regulations<br>
</b> <br>
Baltimore, Maryland (April 29, 2016): The
<a href="http://www.nfb.org/">National Federation of the Blind</a>, the
nation's leading advocate for equal access by the blind to information
and technology, today condemned the
<a href="http://www.ada.gov/regs2016/sanprm_statement.html">
announcement</a> by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) that it
will further delay issuing regulations under Title II of the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA) and instead seek further comments from the
public on what those regulations should contain. The original Advanced
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking expressing the intent to issue regulations
was published on July 26, 2010. At that time, President Obama said that
the regulations would be “the most important updates to the ADA since its
original enactment.” This is the DOJ's
<a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/civil-rights/266943-inequality-and-indifference">
second recent announcement</a> of a delay relating to the issuance of ADA
regulations on internet access.<br>
<br>
<a href="https://nfb.org/mark-riccobono-bio">Mark A. Riccobono</a>,
President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: "This
deplorable announcement by the Department of Justice is another example
of inexcusable foot-dragging on the issue of web accessibility, which is
critical to the education, employment, and daily life of blind Americans.
Delaying the equal access of the blind to American society by failing to
provide clarity in technology accessibility is inconsistent with the
administration’s goal of full participation by people with disabilities.
This failure also puts public entities seeking clear guidance on how to
meet their obligations to consumers and constituents with disabilities at
a severe disadvantage, with no direction on how to comply with the
Americans with Disabilities Act in the provision of information and
services over the internet. The questions that DOJ raises in the
Supplemental Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking did not newly arise
in the six years since the original Advanced Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking, nor is the continuing evolution of technology an excuse for
revisiting them. The National Federation of the Blind unequivocally
condemns today's action and urges the administration to issue proposed
rules with regard to equal access under Titles II and III of the
Americans with Disabilities Act without further delay. We further urge
all political and civic leaders to join with us in calling on this
administration to fulfill the promise made and bring clarity to the
accessibility of public information, commerce, and education in the
twenty-first century. Let’s
<a href="https://nfb.org/blog/vonb-blog/time-white-house-upload-internet-regs">
#UploadTheRegs</a>.”<br>
<br>
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<br>
About the National Federation of the Blind<br>
<br>
<i>The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.<br>
</i> <br>
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