21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act Signing Ceremony

By Cheryl Heppner

October 2010

Friday, October 8, 2010 was a beautiful sunny day in Washington, D.C. where I shared the high spirits of many advocates for the rights of individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind, blind, and visually impaired. It was a day of joy as we witnessed the President of the United States make official a landmark new law with his signature.

This law requires certain 21st century technology to become accessible to us. The deaf, hard of hearing and deaf-blind community can look forward to the law's requirement that new television programs that are being shown online have closed captions. Television remote controls will have to allow easy access to closed captioning on both broadcast and pay television. Telephones that are used to make calls over the Internet must be hearing aid compatible. Individuals who are both deaf and blind and who have low incomes will benefit from a fund of up to $10 million per year for purchasing communication equipment that gives access to the telephone system and Internet.

Those of us invited to the signing had the pleasure of sharing the day with advocates celebrating the passage of "Rosa's Law" which had been signed by the President earlier in the week. This law amends the language in all federal health, education and labor laws to remove the word "mentally retarded" and use "intellectual disability" in its place.

After working in the office Friday morning, I arrived in D.C. before noon. Hearing dog Galaxy and I walked from a parking garage across the city's lovely streets to join the queue of invitees at the entrance to the White House grounds. As the line slowly moved along, I mingled with a charming group of people with intellectual disabilities and their family members, and then spoke briefly with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Julius Genachowski, who followed me in line. I'd seen Chairman Genachowski receive the prestigious Metcalfe Digital Opportunity Award the previous evening at the One Economy 10th anniversary gala at the Newseum. I was pleased that One Economy also gave framed awards to recognize the contributions of a large number of individuals on the outstanding FCC team that crafted the National Broadband Plan.

Sigrid Cerf, a long-time NVRC supporter, was a good two dozen people ahead of me line, standing out in her gorgeous blouse of cobalt blue. I was thrilled that she left her place in line to come back and trade news with me as I crept along.

The White House takes security very seriously. We passed through at least six and possibly seven security checkpoints. At each we were required to show a driver's license, and as we were reaching the White House a security checkpoint also had a belt scanner for screening possessions and a gate for checking bodies. Everything went smoothly for me until the scanner part, where the officer screening possessions asked if I had a knife in my purse. You could have knocked me over with a feather! A check of the contents of my purse put that to rest, but I am still puzzled by how that knife-like shape showed up on the screen. I give an enthusiastic A+ to the security team on duty at the White House that day. They were the perfect mix of both professional and gracious, and I hope the TSA will emulate them.

After entering the White House, Sigrid, a woman who knows her way around, led me to the ladies' room. When we emerged to resume our walk forward, I recognized the familiar build, hair and dark glasses of the man walking ahead of us, Stevie Wonder, and thought "how cool is this?"

We entered a hall full of fellow advocates waiting to enter the room where the President would make his remarks and sign our document. What a din there was! The people who could sign were fortunate. Everyone else had to shout over each other and the lovely music being played on the hall's grand piano. I spotted organization representatives Claude Stout and Jim House of Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc., Rosaline Crawford and Nancy Bloch of National Association of the Deaf, Al Sonnenstrahl, and Barbara Raimondo.

Also in the crowd were Ken Harrenstien of Google, Larry Goldberg of WGBH, Heather York of VITAC, Mark Golden of National Court Reporters Association, Ann West Bobeck of National Association of Broadcasters, and several individuals on the staff of the Consumer Electronics Association or representing industry supporters. Yvette Mattiello was smiling broadly while multitasking by interpreting while taking photos. In the extended hug fest as I worked my way around the hall, I somehow lost Sigrid.

Eventually I entered the room that was our final destination and found seating where I could watch the captions on a flat screen TV at the front of the room while the President made his remarks. I was in the seat at the far left of the front row, center section, with just enough empty space for Galaxy on the floor next to me. I happily parked there with Joe Gordon of New York, and Hearing Loss Association of America's Brenda Battat and Lise Hamlin. Jamie Berke, who worked hard on passage of the bill with our Virginia legislators and others, came to sit next to me in her bright red suit, making us Team Virginia.

When President Obama strode to the podium, his first order of business was to recognize the legislators who guided the laws - Senators Pryor, Markey, Rockefeller, Mikulski, Conrad and Dorgan, and Representative Henry Waxman. He also recognized FCC Chairman Genachowski, a former classmate and long time friend, as well as Stevie Wonder.

Next the President talked about Rosa's Law and recognized Rosa and her family. He quoted her brother Nick's words - "What you call people is how you treat them. If we change the words, maybe it will be the start of a new attitude toward people with disabilities."

Moving on to the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act, President Obama said the law would make it easier "to do what many of us take for granted, from navigating a TV or DVD menu to sending an email on a smart phone."

"Together we put in place one of the most important updates to the ADA in 20 years by prohibiting disability-based discrimination by government entities and private businesses and by updating accessibility standards."

Jamie and I were seated directly in front of the table where President Obama signed the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act. I enjoyed watching him do it with several different pens. He is extremely skilled at that part of his job.

Following the ceremony, President Obama spent a little time posing for official photos and he also came off the podium to shake the hands of a number of people. I enjoyed being one of them.

Rosa Marcellino and her sister asked if they could pet Galaxy, and I gave Galaxy a command so she could go to them for some TLC. I wish I had a video to capture the kind and gentle way they petted her and how she leaned toward them with a look of complete bliss.

As Jamie and I worked our way back through the White House, I had a chance to take a closer look at the surroundings. Something new was the display of White House photos that graced the wall along one hallway. Within large frames, several photos on a common theme were grouped, such as Presidents with their dogs. One photo that caught my attention was in a group with a dance theme. It showed an exuberant John Travolta and Princess Diana taking a spin together on the dance floor. You can find a similar photo on Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:John_Travolta_and_Princess_Diana.jpg.

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