# Transportation Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act

Millions of Americans with disabilities struggle to get around. According to the bill, about 3.6 million people with disabilities don't leave their homes because they can't access reliable transportation. People with disabilities are twice as likely as others to have trouble getting rides to doctor's appointments, jobs, and everyday activities. This bill creates a new federal funding program to help fix that problem.

The bill directs the Department of Transportation to give grants to organizations called "protection and advocacy systems" that already exist in every state. These organizations are designed to fight for the rights of people with disabilities. Under this bill, ten of these organizations across the country would receive $110,000 per year for five years to specifically focus on transportation access issues. They would investigate complaints about broken-down paratransit services (the special buses for people with disabilities), help people understand their rights, and push back when local transportation systems aren't following disability laws. The bill prioritizes selecting organizations in poorer areas and in states with older populations or higher rates of disability.

The bill also sets aside $100,000 per year to train and support these advocacy organizations so they can do their jobs effectively. The total cost is $1.2 million annually for six years. This is a pilot program—the grants would only last five years, after which Congress would need to decide whether to continue it. Each organization that receives funding would have to report back on what barriers they've found and what they've accomplished in helping people with disabilities access transportation.

Transportation Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act

Wilson, Frederica S.

Transportation Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities ActThis bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish a grant program for protection and advocacy (P&amp;A)&nbsp;systems to advocate for individuals with disabilities to access transportation. (Each state has a designated P&amp;A system that protects and advocates for the rights of individuals with disabilities.)&nbsp;The bill directs DOT to select 10 P&amp;A systems to receive five-year grants.&nbsp;Grant recipients must submit an annual report documenting the work they have done to address the barriers to accessing transportation for individuals with disabilities.Further, DOT must award one grant annually to a national organization with extensive knowledge of P&amp;A systems to provide training and technical assistance to the systems.