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The Washington Connection 8-21-25

Welcome to the Washington Connection, the legislative and information service of the American Council of the Blind. The Washington Connection is brought to you by the ACB national office. If you have any questions or comments on the information provided, don’t hesitate to contact us and ask to speak with Claire Stanley.

The Washington Connection is updated any time we have new information to share with you. The following articles are available as of August 21, 2025. Messages 1, 2, 6 and 7 are new.

Thank you for calling the Washington Connection.

Send In Your Stories about Inaccessible Websites and Apps

 

As we participate in an increasing number of meetings on Capitol Hill to talk about the Websites and Software Applications Accessibility Act, we continually hear Congressional staffers asking for stories on how the issue directly impacts their constituents. This is a common question when we talk about any legislation; they want to directly tie it to the people they represent.

That is where you come in. Please share your stories about inaccessible websites and apps. We can then share them with Congress as we do more Hill visits. Specifically, if you can share stories about district-based websites, that would be helpful. Is the county’s website inaccessible? Is a local business’ website inaccessible? What about the school system’s website – is it accessible? Do not hesitate to share about nationwide websites as well. In order for us to share your stories with your members of Congress, email them to advocacy@acb.org. And be sure to include your city, state, and zip code.

 

Be My Eyes, Amtrak Partner to Pilot Innovative Visual Interpretation Technology for Blind and Low Vision Passengers

 

SAN FRANCISCO, CA and WASHINGTON, D.C. — August 6, 2025 — Be My Eyes, the world’s leading Customer Accessibility Management platform for people who are blind or have low vision, today announced a partnership with Amtrak to launch a pilot program that brings on-demand visual interpretation to blind and low vision passengers at key Amtrak stations.

The initiative will allow passengers to access live, real-time assistance from trained visual interpreters via the Be My Eyes mobile app, providing support with navigating station environments, finding gates, reading signs, and more — all through the user’s smartphone camera.

The three-month pilot, launching this summer, will deploy the service at 16 stations in the Northeast Corridor, including high-traffic hubs such as New York Penn Station, Philadelphia 30th Street Station, Boston South Station, and Washington Union Station. These locations were selected to provide data across a range of environments.

To read the full press release, go to https://www.bemyeyes.com/business/news/be-my-eyes-and-amtrak-partnership/.

 

Department of Energy’s Direct Final Rule Postponed for 60 Days

 

The U.S. Department of Energy has placed a 60-day postponement on the Direct Final Rule for building Section 504. This Direct Final Rule would remove accessibility requirements and standards for new DOE-funded buildings, weakening protections for those with disabilities. 

The Direct Final Rule was due to take effect on July 15, 2025. However, the rule has been postponed for 60 days for further review. Its postponement is a direct result of many disability rights organizations and members of the public voicing their opposition to this rule. More than 20,000 comments were submitted against the rule. Because of the public opposition and the postponement, the Department is now required to review the comments submitted, which may prompt further evaluation or revision of the rule. 

While the postponement is not a final withdrawal of this rule, it is important progress in protecting accessibility rights.

 

Ask Your Representative to Co-Sponsor the Disaster Relief Medicaid Act

 

ACB urges members to contact their representatives and ask them to co-sponsor H.R. 3990, the Disaster Relief Medicaid Act.

The Disaster Relief Medicaid Act (DRMA) has been reintroduced into the House of Representatives by Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.) to provide assistance and relief for survivors of natural disasters, emergencies, and other events. H.R. 3990 will provide essential resources, medical care, and employment coverage for survivors.

The bill will enable Medicaid services to easily move across state or county borders without the complicated and time-consuming burden of applying for coverage that keeps Medicaid recipients from the services they need. Follow the link below to tell Congress to pass this important bill.

https://speak4.app/lp/ju011nuo/?ts=1753193980

 

Bipartisan, Bicameral Group of Lawmakers Introduce Bill to End Subminimum Wages for Workers with Disabilities

 

WASHINGTON, July 24, 2025 – Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, Representative Pete Sessions (R-TX-17), Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) introduced the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act. This is a bipartisan, bicameral proposal, which would phase out the use of subminimum wages for workers with disabilities and help transition them into fully integrated, competitive employment.

Under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act, workers with disabilities can legally be paid far below the federal minimum wage, sometimes less than $1 an hour. This bill ends that practice over five years, invests $300 million in state and local transition efforts, and ensures all workers with disabilities can earn fair wages and work alongside their peers.

Currently, nearly 40,000 people with disabilities are still employed under this policy. This legislation ensures they are no longer left behind in our workforce and brings federal labor law into alignment with the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

“It is long past time for Congress to phase out the subminimum wage for workers with disabilities and expand access to fulfilling employment and economic self-sufficiency. By fostering collaboration between employers and services providers, this bipartisan legislation makes clear that it is not only possible, but beneficial, to invest in fully integrated and competitive jobs for people with disabilities. We must take this next step to ensure that every worker can succeed in the workplace and earn a fair wage,” said Ranking Member Scott.

"Disabled Americans deserve the opportunity to compete and succeed in today's workforce. Unfortunately, subminimum wage practices continue to unfairly prevent many individuals from earning the full value of their contributions and prevent disabled individuals from retaining necessary benefits should they receive a promotion. I am proud to be an original co-sponsor of the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act, which ends these practices and encourages disabled Americans to fully participate in our workforce without constraints. While this is an important step, there is still much work to be done to build a competitive and fair workforce. I remain committed to continuing in this fight,” said Representative Sessions.

“Americans with disabilities deserve fair pay for their work. But the subminimum wage has denied far too many people with disabilities that promise for far too long. This bipartisan legislation puts an end to that unjust practice nationwide and invests in opportunities for workers with disabilities to strengthen their economic independence,” said Senator Van Hollen.

“Those with disabilities contribute in valuable ways to our communities. There is dignity and hope in work, and they should never be underpaid simply because they live with a disability. I’m proud to work with my colleagues to end this discriminatory practice and ensure fair pay to those with disabilities in the workforce,” said Senator Daines.

The Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act will:

  • Create a competitive state grant program to assist states with transitioning all 14(c) certificate holders to models that support competitive, integrated employment for individuals with disabilities and ensuring the availability of wraparound services needed to support individuals as they move into competitive integrated employment. States will be able to apply for these transformation grants and must establish an advisory committee that includes key stakeholders (including employers, organizations specializing in employment for individuals with disabilities, Medicaid agencies, AbilityOne contractors, individuals with disabilities and their families, and vocational rehabilitation agencies). States that successfully complete a grant will be eligible to receive a 25 percent increase in the allotment for supported employment for individuals with the most significant disabilities.
  • Create a competitive grant program for current 14(c) certificate holders, which are located in states that do not apply for the state grant, to transition their business models to support individuals with disabilities in competitive, integrated employment.
  • Immediately freeze the issuance of any new 14(c) certificates by the DOL and phase out the use of existing 14(c) certificates over five years until employees are paid at least the federal minimum wage.
  • Establish a technical assistance (TA) center to support all entities — even those not receiving the transformation grants — to transition to competitive, integrated employment. The TA center, which will be funded by DOL, is tasked with disseminating information about best practices, lessons learned, and models for transition to all entities transitioning to competitive, integrated employment.
  • Require reporting and evaluation on the progress of creating and expanding the service delivery structure to support workers with disabilities in competitive, integrated settings and the inclusive wraparound services they receive when not working. States and 14(c) certificate holders will also be required to report on their grant activities, evaluate changes in employment for individuals with disabilities, report average wage information, and evaluate employer actions taken to comply with the phase out of 14(c) and transformation grants.

The Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act is supported by: Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN), Melwood, The Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE), National Federation of the Blind (NFB), Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), Microsoft, Alliance for Expanding America’s Workforce, National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS), Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF), Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR), CEO Commission for Disability Employment, Applied Self-Direction, Spina Bifida Association, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), National Organization on Disability, CommunicationFIRST, United Spinal Association, ANCOR, National Employment Law Project (NELP), American Association of People with Disabilities, American Council of the Blind (ACB), Allies for Independence, National Association of Councils of Developmental Disabilities (NACDD), SourceAmerica, National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC), Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), National Association of the Deaf (NAD), Autism Society of America, Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL), National Industries for the Blind, and American Association of Retired Persons (AARP).

For the bill text of the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act, visit https://democrats-edworkforce.house.gov/imo/media/doc/transformation_to_competitive_integrated_employment_act_of_2025_bill_text.pdf.

For a fact sheet on the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act, go to https://democrats-edworkforce.house.gov/imo/media/doc/transformation_to_competitive_integrated_employment_act_of_2025_fact_sheet.pdf.

For a section-by-section of the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act, visit https://democrats-edworkforce.house.gov/imo/media/doc/transformation_to_competitive_integrated_employment_act_of_2025_section_by_section.pdf.

 

Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act

 

Congress has reintroduced the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act (TCIEA). This bill works to ensure that people with disabilities are not paid subminimum wage under an almost 100-year-old piece of legislation that allows certain businesses with a specific certificate to do so. The bill will work to eliminate such working environments and help transition people currently in such settings into a more integrated work situation. To ask your member of Congress to support the bill, go to https://speak4.app/lp/9801enwx/?ts=1754485747.

 

DOJ’s Civil Rights Division Launches Investigation into FlixBus and Greyhound

 

The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced today that it has launched an investigation into FlixBus and Greyhound bus lines to determine compliance with the ADA.

The Department opened this investigation after receiving complaints that FlixBus and Greyhound violated the ADA rights of people with disabilities. Complaints alleged that FlixBus and Greyhound failed to properly maintain lifts on buses, refused to assist passengers with disabilities with using lifts, refused to allow service animals to accompany passengers with disabilities or improperly asked for documentation, abandoned customers with disabilities between legs of their journey, and failed to allow and assist passengers with disabilities to leave and return to the bus at rest stops, among other allegations.

If you believe you have been a victim of disability discrimination by FlixBus or Greyhound, please file a complaint with the Civil Rights Division online at https://www.ada.gov/file-a-complaint/, or by calling the Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (1-833-610-1264 (TTY)).

 

Urge Congress to Pass the Disability Access to Transportation Act (DATA)

 

People with disabilities have long faced access problems when utilizing paratransit services. For instance, paratransit users must wait significant periods of time between trips, making it difficult to carry out regular appointments and errands in one day. Additionally, most states do not provide on-demand ride requests for paratransit users. As a result, they often have to schedule rides multiple days in advance, limiting their options to carry out responsibilities and participate in their communities freely.

The Disability Access to Transportation Act (DATA) calls for the development of a pilot program to combat these issues. The pilot program will allow paratransit passengers an additional, quick stop on their way to their final destination. For instance, if a person is taking paratransit home from work, they can make a quick stop at the pharmacy to pick up their medication, or at a day care center to pick up their child(ren). The bill has bipartisan support. In addition to this important service, the bill also includes language to prioritize projects that utilize real-time tracking and on-demand scheduling technology. The pilot program will also streamline the accessibility complaint reporting process with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), and collect data to identify gaps in paratransit services.

Please follow the link below to ask your Congressmember to support the bill.

https://speak4.app/lp/n1013sp1/?ts=1754056480