Take Action Today to Protect Accessibility Tomorrow

Updated: Jun 13

The Trump administration is hoping to quickly and quietly destroy one

of the main pillars of legal protections for people with disabilities,

but we still have time to stop them if we all act now. Section 504 of

the Rehabilitation Act ensures that federal, state, and private

organizations which receive federal funding must follow the Uniform

Federal Accessibility Standards in order to ensure that buildings

built after 1980 are accessible for people with disabilities. The

Trump administration is using the Department of Energy’s regulatory

power to try and make the accessibility of new buildings optional

instead of mandatory.

Section 504 is one of the main reasons that everyone benefits from

automatic doors, elevators, and more spacious public bathrooms etc.

For the general able-bodied public these elements of accessible

architecture are conveniences that are taken for granted. For people

with disabilities, however, accessible architecture is the difference

between being an active member of society or being shut out.

Disability advocates shared their concerns with the respected

publication “Disability Scoops.” Claudia Center, legal director for

the Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund explained that major

changes to regulations like this are normally crafted over years with

feedback from many different stakeholders. By contrast, the Department

of Energy is trying to do it in one month with proposed implementation

within the year. Center and other advocates also fear that this is a

test case. They worried that the Trump administration will try to fast

track regulation changes so that people with disabilities and other

marginalized groups will lose more rights and protections before

anyone is the wiser.

Fortunately, we can still act to stop these changes to section 504 and

put the administration on notice that we won’t lose our rights and

protections in silence. If their proposed changes get enough negative

comments from the public then the Department of Energy will be forced

to change their harmful regulatory language. Comments must be

submitted by June 16. The Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund

has created a step-by-step guide on how to submit comments to protect

disability rights and protections. Click on the link below. Write a

comment and keep the world accessible.