Executive Summary
The OOC ADA inspections during the 112th Congress focused on the exterior areas of the Library of Congress and Senate Office Buildings. Our inspections found a total of 398 barriers to access for people with disabilities to these buildings, and to the programs, services and activities provided within them. Of these 398 barriers, 201 barriers or approximately 50% raised safety concerns because of substantial deviations from the ADA Standards. These findings are slightly better than what was found during the 111th Congress when the OOC ADA inspections focused on the exterior areas of the primary House Office Buildings and found that 55% (84 out of 154) of the barriers raised safety concerns. Similar to what we found during the 111th Congress ADA inspections, most of the barriers to access are created by curb ramps that do not comply with the ADA Standards (38% of the barriers) and by abrupt vertical changes along the sidewalk routes caused by cracks, holes, raised or depressed slabs, and gaps in expansion joints (36% of the barriers). The existence of so many noncompliant curb ramps suggests the need for more vigilance in the design and construction of curb ramps that comply with the standards. Similarly, the existence of a large number of abrupt
vertical changes in the sidewalk surfaces suggests that need for better inspection and maintenance of the sidewalks themselves.
ADA Access under the Congressional Accountability Act
The Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (CAA), 2 U.S.C. § 1301, et seq., applies the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to the legislative branch. Under the CAA, the Office of Compliance (OOC), an independent legislative branch office, enforces the ADA. 2 U.S.C. §§ 1311 & 1331. The OOC’s General Counsel enforces Titles II and III of the ADA, providing for access to public services and accommodations by individuals with disabilities. See CAA, 2 U.S.C. § 1331. This right to access includes access to the buildings and facilities where these services and accommodations are provided and access to the representatives, committees, agencies, and staff who provide these services and accommodations. The General Counsel conducts biennial inspections of the legislative branch to ascertain compliance with the ADA and reports these findings to Congress. 2 U.S.C. § 1331(f)(1). This Report to Congress, and to the
entities responsible for correcting violations, presents the findings of the inspections conducted during the 112th Congress.
