Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Democrats in Congress are pushing federal policies to make gyms and fitness centers in the US accessible to Americans with disabilities.
Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Calif., introduced a bill “to promote the provision of exercise machines and equipment, and exercise and fitness classes and instruction, that are accessible to people with disabilities” earlier this week, Congress shows.
It appears to be a companion bill to the “Exercise and Fitness for All Act” introduced in the upper house by Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Mal., earlier this year.
JOHNSON DESCRIBES DEM’S ACCUSATIONS THAT HE BROUGHT TO END OBAMACARE AS ‘DISHONEST’
Rep. Mark DeSaulnier introduced the bill on Christmas Eve. (Getty Images)
The legislation would direct the US Access Boarda federal agency that regulates accessibility for people with disabilities, to create new rules for fitness facilities across the country.
It would mandate that “the exercise or fitness instruction provided by the exercise or fitness service provider be accessible to persons with disabilities,” and that at least one employee trained to work with persons with disabilities be on hand during all hours of operation
If enacted, it would be a major step for accessibility advocates in the US and a significant change for potentially hundreds of US businesses.
DANIEL PENNY TO BE UP FOR CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL FOR HOUSE GOP LEGISLATOR
The bill would be a major step for accessibility advocates and a potentially major change for gym businesses across the country. (iStock)
Duckworth he told Forbes in July of this year, that part of his inspiration for the bill came from his own struggles to find the right gym gear. Duckworth, a retired lieutenant colonel, lost both legs when a rocket-propelled grenade hit the helicopter she was co-piloting in Iraq in 2004.
She and DeSaulnier were part of a pre-117th Congress push to introduce the bill, along with the late Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska.
“(F)omany Americans are still excluded from basic access to exercise equipment and fitness classes due to outdated equipment and services, inaccessible to people with disabilities,” DeSaulnier said in a statement at the time.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth introduced a similar bill in the Senate earlier this year.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“It is unacceptable that these barriers still exist which make it difficult for people with disabilities to get the exercise they need to live a healthy life.”
His reintroduction of the bill on Tuesday appears to be largely symbolic, given that there are no more legislative days on the calendar for the 118th Congress.
Fox News Digital has reached out to DeSaulnier’s office for further comment.
