SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — A new law establishing standards for Amtrak stations, which will allow passengers to access the service without disadvantages, was a win for Americans with disabilities on Friday. The legislation will make the remaining 20% of transit stations accessible over the next 5 years to the tune of $1.75 billion.
President Biden signed the All-Stations Accessibility Program Act into law on Friday. The bipartisan legislation is supposed to make accessing the train for the disabled easier nationwide. The Think Differently Transportation Act, spearheaded by U.S. Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-NY-19) and cosponsored by U.S. Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (D-NJ-10), is also making Amtrak rail stations ADA-compliant.
State Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Representative Shelley Moore Capito of (R-WV) spearheaded the legislation. They are both members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (CST).
“When the ADA was signed into law, it promised that intercity passenger rail would become accessible within 20 years, yet—more than 30 years later—too many Amtrak stations still fail to live up to that promise,” said Senator Duckworth. “After unanimously passing the Senate earlier this month, I’m proud that our bipartisan bill—which builds on the progress that my ASAP Act in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is already making toward improving transit accessibility—is heading to the President’s desk. This bill sends the message that it’s long past time to ensure our rail stations are accessible for everyone. Whether on transit, rail or a plane, all Americans with disabilities should be able to safely and easily access the transportation systems they need to get around—and I’m proud that this legislation will help make that goal a reality for more Americans.”
Sen. Capito added that those wanting to use the rail should be able to do so no matter their ability.
“Disabled passengers should not be a disadvantage when wanting to use passenger rail, which is why Senator Duckworth and I introduced the Think DIFFERENTLY Transportation Act, which was spearheaded in the House by Rep. Molinaro,” said Sen. Capito. “I am glad to see our legislation pass the House and look forward to this being signed into law so every Amtrak station across the country is equally accessible to passengers.”
This new law builds on the Think Differently Act. The ADA requires intercity passenger rail to be accessible to everyone within 20 years. From 2017 until 2021, Amtrak received $275 million in federal funding to make upgrades.
Over 28 million people ride the Amtrak train per year. There are 385 stations throughout the country.
Sen. Duckworth also authored legislation Sen. Duckworth also authored legislation with the FAA re-authorization along with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to improve travel for those with disabilities, expanding the rights of passengers with disabilities. The legislation was finalized on Friday, with a rule mandating airlines meet more stringent standards for passengers with mobility devices and requiring staff to undergo training and report when something goes amiss.
The bipartisan 2024 FAA Reauthorization legislation according to the U.S Dept. of Transportation (DOT) will help millions of Americans. DOT said over 14% of wheelchair users said their disabilities limit their travel.
“Too often, airlines treat passengers with disabilities as though our mobility, our independence and our dignity doesn’t matter and get away with it—but with this new rule, we say no more,” said Duckworth. “Today, I’m proud to have joined Secretary Buttigieg to underscore the importance of this new rule, which builds on and helps implement my accessibility provision from this year’s FAA Reauthorization, to ensure that every passenger with a disability is treated with the respect and care they deserve while holding airlines accountable. While we still have a long way to go in our work to make air travel truly accessible for all, this newly finalized rule got us closer to that better, fairer future, and I am so grateful to Secretary Buttigieg for his advocacy and leadership in helping make this a reality.”
To read more about those provisions, click here.
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