The Blinded Veterans Association (BVA) today recognized the bipartisan effort to pass legislation that will facilitate access to and navigation of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) online resources and forms by disabled veterans.
The new law, approved by the full House of Representatives on November 16, will assist veterans in better understanding the benefits they have earned and how to complete the relevant online forms as they apply for them. The bill has already passed the full Senate and now moves to the White House for Presidential signature.
“An area of ongoing serious concern to BVA, online accessibility of VA websites and mobile apps, has now been laid to rest with the passage of S. 3587,” said BVA Executive Director Donald Overton. “We express our thanks for the bipartisan support that was afforded in both the House and the Senate, and especially to Senator Robert Casey (D-PA) who introduced the bill last year.”
S. 3587, The Department of Veterans Affairs Website Accessibility Act of 2019, ensures that existing VA websites comply with current federal regulations in their accessibility for all individuals with disabilities, including blindness. It requires VA to inspect its websites for accessibility and report to Congress on the findings.
“Our blinded veterans are often unable to utilize VA websites, hampering their ability to learn about critically important earned benefits or receive much needed care,” said Overton. “We are very pleased with the passage of S. 3587 as we seriously examine the potential positive impact of its enactment and implementation.”
The Blinded Veterans Association is the only congressionally chartered Veterans Service Organization serving veterans with vision loss. The organization promotes opportunities for individual blinded veterans and their service providers to view and try out the latest adaptive technology and tools. The organization has successfully advocated for their needs since World War II. For more information about BVA and its services, call toll-free 800-669-7079 or visit https://bva.org.
