Washington, DC – The Office of Compliance (OOC) submitted for Congressional approval its adopted Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations that would place the Legislative Branch in line with other public entities in promoting accessibility for individuals with disabilities in its public buildings and programs. The OOC’s adopted ADA regulations are available on the agency’s website and appeared in the Congressional Record dated February 3, 2016.
“Our goal in adopting these ADA regulations is to provide clarity for Legislative Branch agencies and Congressional leaders on their responsibility to provide access for individuals with disabilities who visit Capitol Hill or the district offices,” said OOC Board Chair, Barbara L. Camens. “We continue to work with our partners at the Office of the Architect of the Capitol, U.S. Capitol Police, and House and Senate to advance the rights and protections of the ADA every day, and we look forward to Congress approving these regulations.”
The Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (CAA) established the Office of Compliance and tasked the small, independent federal agency with adopting workplace regulations to cover Capitol Hill and district offices that mirror those currently applied to public entities including Executive Branch agencies. Although adopted by the Board of Directors, the OOC regulations must still be approved by Congress to be effective. Without Congressional approval, the CAA requires that the current Department of Justice and Department of Transportation ADA regulations regarding public access remain in effect.
As part of its mandate, the OOC currently educates offices and promotes accessibility throughout the Legislative Branch. The OOC distributes its ADA Office Checklist to employing offices, and biennially inspects Capitol Hill buildings and workplaces for ADA public access compliance.
The OOC serves 30,000 employees of the Legislative Branch and countless visitors to Capitol Hill and the districts. For more information on the history of the pending regulations, visit OOC’s website, or contact OOC Deputy Executive Director Paula Sumberg at 202-724-9250.
