H.R. 3101 Goes To House Floor for Vote
U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee Gives Nod to the 21st Century
Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010
TDI is pleased to announce that the Energy and Commerce Committee of the
U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of the “Twenty-First Century
Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010” (H.R. 3101) on July 20,
2010. The next step for H.R. 3101 will be a floor vote by all the members
of the U.S. House.
H.R. 3101 will modernize the nation’s communications laws to ensure that new
telephone and television technologies are accessible. TDI expresses deep
appreciation and thanks to Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), the author of H.R. 3101;
to the leadership of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Chairman Rep.
Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Ranking Member Rep. Barton (R-TX); and to Chairman
Rick Boucher (D-VA) and Ranking Member Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL) of the
Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet.
When signed into law, this legislation will greatly improve the lives of
millions of people who are deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind by ensuring
expanded accessibility to today’s digital technologies, including, among
other things:
Require new video programming that is captioned on television to be
captioned when shown on the Internet.
Provide up to $10 million each year for specialized telecommunications
equipment for low income individuals who are deaf-blind;
Require telephones that use the Internet to be hearing aid compatible;
Enable users of different equipment to communicate with each other through
relay services, such as between captioned telephone users and videophone
users; and
Require all video display devices including those with smaller screens to
display closed captions;
TDI looks forward to the full U.S. House of Representatives taking up and
passing H.R. 3101, which could be as early as next week to commemorate the
20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
About TDI:
TDI is a consumer advocacy organization that provides leadership in
achieving equal access to telecommunications, media, and information
technologies for 36 million Americans who are deaf and hard of hearing. TDI
publishes the TDI World quarterly magazine and the annual TDI National
Directory & Resource Guide, also known as the Blue Book. For more
information on supporting TDI’s work or to become a member, please go to
http://www.TDIforAccess.org.