Congress Calls for Stronger ADA Action: Federal Agencies Must Boost Jobs, Accessibility for People with Disabilities

This resolution is Congress’s way of saying, “The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was great, but 35 years later, it’s not enough.” It’s a formal acknowledgment that despite the law, massive systemic barriers still exist, and it calls on federal agencies to step up their game.

The Lingering Gaps in the ADA Promise

Congress is pretty blunt about where things are failing. They note that nearly one-quarter of people with disabilities still live below the poverty line, facing high unemployment and workplace discrimination. Think about that: decades after a landmark civil rights law, economic independence is still out of reach for too many. The resolution also flags that women with disabilities still struggle to access equitable reproductive healthcare, and new technology, like websites and software, often isn’t built to be accessible from the start. This means if you rely on screen readers or other assistive technologies, you’re constantly hitting digital roadblocks just trying to do basic online tasks.

Direct Orders: Who Needs to Fix What

Because this is a resolution, it’s more of a powerful statement and a set of marching orders than a new law with mandatory funding. However, those marching orders are specific and target the agencies that impact your daily life the most. The goal is to move people with disabilities out of segregated institutions and into community life and competitive employment.

• For Job Seekers (Department of Labor): The DOL and its Office of Disability Employment Policy are tasked with creating policies to boost financial independence and working with employers to increase the quality and quantity of jobs available. If you have a disability and are looking for competitive work, this means the federal government is supposed to be actively pushing the job market to be more inclusive and less reliant on sub-minimum wage settings.
• For Home Life (HHS & HUD): The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is directed to provide resources for home- and community-based services. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) needs to focus on creating more accessible and inclusive housing. This is critical because accessible housing is often the biggest barrier to independent living.
• For Digital and Physical Access (FCC & DOT): The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) must ensure people with disabilities have full access to telecom services and technology. The Department of Transportation (DOT) is called on to make sure transit and airports are fully accessible. This means fewer broken elevators at the subway station and better interfaces on public transit apps.

The Real-World Impact (and the Catch)

This resolution is a clear sign that Congress recognizes the need for a second wave of disability rights enforcement. For the millions of Americans who acquired disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic (including those dealing with Long COVID), this is a vital push to ensure infrastructure and services catch up. By directing agencies like FEMA to use a “whole community” approach to emergency planning, it ensures that preparedness isn’t an afterthought—it’s built-in, which is crucial when disaster strikes.

The catch, as with any resolution, is that it’s non-binding. It sets a strong expectation and directs federal agencies to use their existing power and budgets to make these changes, but it doesn't create new laws or mandate specific spending. The real impact will depend on how aggressively these federal departments follow through on Congress’s call to action, turning these policy directives into tangible improvements in employment, housing, and technology access.