United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) has issued a statement in response to the lingering accessibility issues reported to exist within the House Office Buildings and spotlighted by the Office of Compliance’s Biennial Report on the 111th Congress, “Americans with Disabilities Act Inspections Relating to Public Services and Accommodations.” 

In the statement, Stephen Bennett, UCP president and CEO, calls the report a reminder, “that 22 years after the passage of the ADA, the fight for basic civil rights is not over…We urge Congress to act immediately to correct the safety issues, and work to ensure that all of the problems are fixed,” Bennett says.

According to a recent UCP news release, the Congressional Accountability Act and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) require the report, which investigated the accessibility of the House Office Buildings and bathrooms throughout the Capitol complex.

UCP notes that the report’s findings reveal that in spite of progress made in making the buildings more accessible, challenges still exist. The report suggests that 93% of curb ramps on the sidewalks are not in compliance with ADA Accessibility Standards and 54% of the total exterior pathway barriers are a safety risk for individuals with disabilities. The findings also indicate that none of the bathrooms inspected met ADA standards.

Bennet calls the findings disappointing and indicative of the progress that remains to be made in order to ensure equal rights and opportunities for all Americans.

Source: UCP