Accessibility for Americans with Disabilities

October 8, 2010, President Barack Obama signed into law sweeping new legislation authored by Representative Edward J. Markey. The 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act, which Rep. Markey introduced in June 2009, will enable Americans with disabilities to use a wide range of devices and services needed in the digital era, including smart phones for accessing the Internet, closed captioning foronline video, audio descriptions of television programming, audible emergency alerts and other technologies.