July 23, 2014 

Yesterday Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada’s First District introduced H.R. 5166, the Travel and Tourism for All Act to make travel and tourism more accessible for disabled Americans. This legislation would require the National Council on Disability to conduct a review and submit a report to Congress on the implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the 2010 Department of Justice ADA Standards for Acceptable Design within the travel, tourism, and hospitality industries.  The report will include recommendations for improvement that will enable Congress to ensure that every American with a disability is able to enjoy travel throughout the United States.  

“Every American deserves to have the opportunity to travel and explore the many exciting places in this great country,” said Congresswoman Titus. “Americans with disabilities, however, face much greater difficulties when they arrange travel. The United States has long been a leader in the world in ensuring that individuals with disabilities can participate fully in travel and tourism.  This legislation would ensure that, as a country, we continue to stay at the forefront of disability accommodation in the hospitality industry and attract international tourists from parts of the world where accommodations are less welcoming.” 

In 2010, the Department of Justice released the ADA Standards for Acceptable Design, which set updated minimum accessibility standards for public and commercial buildings for individuals with disabilities. Many of these new regulations were intended to make travel and tourism significantly more accessible for disabled Americans, including creating stronger standards for guest rooms, hotel facilities, and reservation processes. These standards were implemented in 2011 and 2012.