Murray-Backed Bill to Increase Access to Assistive Technology for People with Disabilities Heads to Biden’s Desk
Senator Murray secures inclusion of bipartisan 21st Century Assistive Technology (AT) Act in NDAA
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), issued the following statement on the Senate’s passage Thursday night of the 21st Century Assistive Technology (AT) Act as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The AT Act will increase access to assistive technology devices like wheelchairs, wheelchair ramps, hearing aids, screen readers, closed captioning systems, and more for people with disabilities.
“Assistive technology like wheelchairs, screen readers, hearing aids, and so much more help our friends, neighbors, and loved ones with disabilities live fully in their own communities,” said Senator Murray. “It’s so important that people with disabilities can get the support and technology they need, and that’s why I’m so glad to see the 21st Century Assistive Technology Act make its way to President Biden’s desk. This bipartisan legislation is an important forward step and will increase access to assistive technology for people across the country.”
Senator Murray worked to clear the bipartisan legislation—which was led by Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Kevin Cramer (R-ND)—out of Committee earlier this Congress, and she fought to include it in the FY23 NDAA in order to get it to President Biden’s desk by the year’s end. The legislation reauthorizes state assistive technology grant programs for the first time since 2004 to improve access to assistive technology for people across the country with disabilities.
Read full text of the legislation HERE.
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