Lawmaker is author of 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. –Congressman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee and former chairman of the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, today applauded the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for its progress in implementing the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA), which was signed into law by President Obama on October 8, 2010. Rep. Markey is the House author of the law.  Today the FCC released its two-year progress report required under the law.
 
“Two years since we passed the law that is bringing the latest communications and video devices and services to Americans with disabilities, I commend the FCC for its work to implement important provisions of the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act. Since enactment of this historic legislation, the Commission has displayed thoughtfulness and vigilance when implementing this sweeping law. I look forward to working with the Commission as it continues to implement additional provisions of the law, including meeting next year’s deadline to ensure that live content available online, if also shown on TV, is closed captioned.”
 
The CVAA mandates accessibility of devices and services for the 54 million Americans with disabilities, enabling use a wide range of devices and services needed in the digital era, including smart phones for accessing the Internet, closed captioning for online video, audio descriptions of television programming, audible emergency alerts and other technologies.
 
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