February 28, 2002 -- The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the American Council of the Blind (ACB), the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and TDI (formerly Telecommunications for the Deaf, Inc.) commended the House of Representatives for its passage of the Tauzin-Dingell bill.

"I commend the bipartisan coalition that has come together to expand access to broadband services," said Andrew J. Imparato, President and CEO of AAPD. "Today's vote represents an important victory for people with disabilities, who will benefit in numerous ways from increased access to broadband technologies. Widespread availability of affordable broadband will mean more employment opportunities, increased access to health care and distance learning, and a higher quality of life for millions of Americans with disabilities."

"The bill represents a powerful combination of making broadband available at an affordable price while ensuring accessibility for blind and otherwise disabled people," said Charles Crawford, Executive Director of ACB.

According to Nancy Bloch, Executive Director of the NAD, Tauzin-Dingell will accelerate the widespread deployment of affordable broadband services. "For people who are deaf or hard of hearing, this means greater access to life-enhancing applications that are made possible through this technology," said Bloch.

"Advanced technologies can significantly enhance the lives of people with disabilities," said Claude Stout, executive director of TDI. "The passage of Tauzin-Dingell is a great step towards making broadband technologies accessible and affordable to all Americans."

The organizations are particularly pleased by the inclusion of the Buyer-Towns amendment, which preserves Section 255 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. This provision requires that telecommunications products and services be designed and made accessible to and useable by Americans with disabilities, if readily achievable.

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