The Capitol complex is more accessible with ADA transit zones.
Why This Matters
The Capitol campus was designed by architect Frederick Law Olmsted in the 1870s and, unsurprisingly, accessibility issues have arisen ever since. The Office of Congressional Workplace Rights (OCWR) has played a leading role in raising awareness of where improvements are needed across campus, particularly by conducting biennial inspections of the Legislative branch’s compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In addition, Members advocated for very specific improvements that are needed to improve access for their constituents. The most notable in recent years is the Member-driven initiative to improve the Capitol campus to have designated ADA pick-up and drop-off zones.
How It Happened
Due to discussions and research undertaken by ModCom (resulting in recommendation #114), the Office of Congressional Accessibility Services and the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) partnered to choose a location and undertake plans to establish a designated ADA pick-up and drop-off zone for constituents visiting both the House and Senate.
The Impact
With a campus that was first designed nearly 200 years ago, upgrades to ensure accessibility are essential but have often been deprioritized due to funding issues. However, the recent drive by Members to gain a comprehensive understanding of all campus-related upgrades and how to address them has demonstrated progress and a renewed commitment to ensure Congress remains accessible for all individuals who wish to visit, work, and serve in the House.
Next Steps
In addition to inventorying the full list of ADA improvements to be made across campus, Members should continue to advocate for the Architect of the Capitol to prioritize the installation of automatic ADA accessible doors (recommendation #116) and advance hearing room renovation plans to create ADA accessible daises to benefit future elected officials with disabilities.
Glossary
ADA = Americans with Disabilities Act
AOC = Architect of the Capitol
CHA = Committee on House Administration
CAO = House Chief Administrative Officer
CDTF = Congressional Data Task Force
COLA = Cost-of-Living Adjustment
CPF = Community Project Funding
CR = Continuing Resolution
GAO = Government Accountability Office
GAO STAA = The Government Accountability Office’s Science, Technology Assessment, and Analytics team
GenAI = Generative Artificial Intelligence
HIRO = House Intern Resource Office
HDS = House Digital Service
LIS = Legislative Information Service
LLM = Large Language Model
MIA = Modernization Initiatives Account
ModCom = The House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress
ModSub = Subcommittee on Modernization (ModSub) within the Committee on House Administration
MOU = Memorandum of Understanding
NMO = New Member Orientation
OCWR = Office of Congressional Workplace Rights
