Congress pledges to make disability access a priority in all future infrastructure
S.Con.Res. 19 — A 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. · Filed by Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) · 5 cosponsors · Introduced Jul 23, 2025 · Referred to committee
Your members of Congress
Enter a ZIP to see where your representative and both senators stood on this bill.
Looked up on this device — your ZIP is never stored on our servers.
What it does
This is a symbolic congressional resolution affirming support for disability accessibility in federally funded facilities. It recognizes that 1 in 4 American adults have disabilities, endorses existing accessibility laws (the Architectural Barriers Act and Americans with Disabilities Act), and pledges that Congress will make universal design a guiding principle in future infrastructure bills. The resolution itself creates no new law or funding—it is a statement of intent.
Why we flagged it
This is a concurrent resolution—a non-binding statement of congressional sentiment. It affirms existing disability-access law and pledges future infrastructure will prioritize universal design, but creates no new statutory authority or appropriation.
What the text implies
- While non-binding, the resolution may signal to federal agencies (DOJ, DOT) that Congress expects aggressive enforcement and adoption of the 2023 US Access Board pedestrian accessibility guidelines.
- The pledge to make universal design 'a guiding principle for all infrastructure bills' could influence future appropriations and authorization language, potentially increasing compliance costs for federal construction projects.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
construction and engineering firms specializing in accessibility retrofits; assistive technology manufacturers; architectural design firms