IV 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 73 

Recognizing the need to improve physical access to many federally funded 

facilities for all people of the United States, particularly people with 

disabilities. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 18, 2022 

Mrs. HAYES (for herself, Mrs. LEE of Nevada, Mr. LANGEVIN, Mr. HIMES, 

Mr. COURTNEY, Mr. PAYNE, and Mr. YOUNG) submitted the following 

concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education 

and Labor, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Transportation and Infrastructure, Energy and Commerce, and Oversight and 

Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 

each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the need to improve physical access to many 

federally funded facilities for all people of the United 

States, particularly people with disabilities. 

Whereas the First Amendment to the Constitution prevents 

Congress from making any law respecting an establishment of religion, prohibiting the free exercise of religion, 

or abridging the freedom of speech, the freedom of the 

press, the right to peaceably assemble, or to petition for 

a governmental redress of grievances, and was adopted 

on December 15, 1791, as 1 of the 10 amendments that 

constitute the Bill of Rights; 


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•HCON 73 IH 

Whereas the Bill of Rights, specifically the First Amendment 

to the Constitution, calls for the right of all persons to 

peaceably assemble, and to this end, all persons, regardless of their physical ability, shall be offered equal opportunity to access all federally funded, in whole or part, 

amenities; 

Whereas, in the 32 years since the signing of the Americans 

with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.) 

(in this preamble referred to as the ‘‘ADA’’), there have 

been unprecedented advances in all forms of technology, 

typified by automatic doors; 

Whereas, in 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 1 in 4 adults, or 61,000,000 people, 

have a disability; 

Whereas disability is a universal concern, as an aging population increases the incidence of frailty and disability; 

Whereas, as significant advances in medical treatment result 

in increased survival rates, the incidence of disability increases; 

Whereas, in 2020, the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that 

4,700,000 veterans received service-related disability benefits; 

Whereas, in 2019, the percentage of people in the United 

States who reported having a work limitation due to a 

disability was 10.1 percent; 

Whereas the Act entitled ‘‘An Act to insure that certain 

buildings financed with Federal funds are so designed 

and constructed as to be accessible to the physically 

handicapped’’, approved August 12, 1968 (42 U.S.C. 

4151 et seq.) (commonly known as the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968), was enacted to ensure that certain 


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federally funded facilities are designed and constructed to 

be accessible to people with disabilities; 

Whereas the United States Access Board (in this preamble 

referred to as the ‘‘Board’’) is in the process of developing new guidelines for public rights-of-way that will address various issues, including access for blind pedestrians at street crossings, wheelchair access to on-street 

parking, and various constraints posed by space limitations, roadway design practices, slope, and terrain; 

Whereas the Board’s new guidelines, when finalized, will 

cover pedestrian access to sidewalks and streets, including crosswalks, curb ramps, street furnishings, pedestrian 

signals, parking, and other components of public rightsof-way; 

Whereas the Board’s aim in developing these guidelines is to 

ensure that access for persons with disabilities is provided wherever a pedestrian way is newly built or altered, 

and that the same degree of convenience, connection, and 

safety afforded the public generally is available to pedestrians with disabilities; 

Whereas, once these guidelines are adopted by the Department of Justice, they will become enforceable standards 

under title II of the ADA; and 

Whereas the United States was founded on principles of 

equality and freedom, and these principles require that 

all people, including people with disabilities, are able to 

engage as equal members of society: Now, therefore, be 

it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That Congress— 


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1 (1) recognizes that people with disabilities in 

2 the United States experience barriers to access on a 

3 daily basis; 

4 (2) reaffirms its support of the Architectural 

5 Barriers Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4151 et seq.) and 

6 the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 

7 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.), and encourages full compli8 ance with such Acts; and 

9 (3) pledges to make universal and inclusive de10 sign a guiding principle for all infrastructure bills 

11 and projects and will continue working to identify 

12 and remove the barriers that prevent all people of 

13 the United States from having equal access to the 

14 services provided by the Federal Government. 

Æ 


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