MAUREEN MCCLOSKEY: I AM THE ADVOCACY DIRECTOR FOR PARALYZED VETERANS HERE IN WASHINGTON AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS TODAY.
PROBABLY NONE OF WHICH HAVEN'T ALREADY BEEN SAID. I DO WANT TO THANK THE ACCESS BOARD FOR GETTING THESE OUT IN A RELATIVELY TIMELY FASHION PARTICULARLY CONSIDERING WHAT SOME FEDERAL AGENCIES -- WELL IT IS NICE TO HAVE THESE COMING OUT AND BEING SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY LOOK TO THAT IS MORE THAN JUST MERE GUIDANCE AND IT HAS BEEN VERY HEARTENING TO HEAR TODAY FROM THE AGENCIES THAT HAVE ALREADY USED THE GUIDELINES THAT HAVE BEEN PRODUCED. AND I COME FROM A PURELY CONSUMER USER POINT OF VIEW, PARTICULARLY WITH OUR MEMBERS WHO ARE PRETTY MUCH ALL VIRTUALLY ALL USE WHEELCHAIRS, BUT I THINK THAT THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF PEOPLE WHO ARE BUILDING THESE TRAILS, BUILDING ANY FACILITIES, HOW EVER MINOR OR CRUDE THEY MAY BE, ARE COMMITTED TO THE ACCESSIBILITY FOR ABSOLUTELY EVERYBODY.
AND I'M ESPECIALLY THRILLED TO HEAR PEOPLE FROM THE AGENCIES, REQUIRING OR SAYING THAT WE MUST REQUIRE DOCUMENTATION. THAT IS USUALLY OUR BEAT TO BE SAYING YOU HAVE GOT TO WRITE IT DOWN, YOU HAVE TO TELL US WHY EXACTLY WHEN, WHERE. IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THAT IS A PART OF THIS ALREADY THAT WHETHER IT HAS JUST BEEN ASSUMED THAT YOU HAVE TO DO THAT WHATEVER, I THINK IT IS FABULOUS. NEVER HURTS TO STRESS THAT IN THE REGULATIONS THEMSELVES WHICH I THINK THE ACCESS BOARD HAS DONE ADEQUATELY PRIOR TO THIS.
I DO WANT TO SAY THAT -- AND AGAIN, ENFORCING OR REINFORCING WHAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SAID ABOUT ACCESS BEYOND WHAT ONE WOULD ASSUME WOULD BE NECESSARY. I BELIEVE IT WAS TIP THAT RAISED THE ISSUE OF HIKING THAT IN MANY INSTANCES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND A VARIETY OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY THERE IS A CERTAIN LOSS OF INDEPENDENCE BECAUSE OF THE ASSISTANCE THAT YOU REQUIRE. AND I THINK THAT THAT IS JUST A FACT THAT HAS TO BE. AND MANY PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO GIVE UP THEIR INDEPENDENCE IN A LIMITED FASHION FOR THE EXPERIENCE AND THE VIEW AND THE POSSIBILITY TO BE PLACES THAT THEY COULD NOT BE OTHERWISE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY AS YOU ALL WELL KNOW, THAT WITH TECHNOLOGY, AND MEDICAL TREATMENT AND SUCH, WHAT PEOPLE CAN DO WITH ASSISTANCE TODAY THEY CAN PROBABLY DO WITHOUT ASSISTANCE IN A FEW MORE YEARS. WE HAVE CERTAINLY SEEN THAT SINCE WE ALL WERE ON THIS COMMITTEE. AND LOOKING AT HOW PEOPLE WOULD BE USING TRAILS, AND I THINK THAT THERE ARE SOME NEW THINGS OUT THERE THAT HAVE CHANGED HOW MANY PEOPLE WITH MOBILITY IMPAIRMENT ALSO BE ABLE TO USE TRAILS.
MY ONLY OTHER RECOMMENDATION TO YOU, AND IT HAS BEEN RAISED ALREADY, IS TO GET READY FOR TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, THAT IS GOING TO BE THE BIG KEY FOR THE SUCCESS OF THIS. THERE IS ALREADY A TERRIFIC START HERE WITH ALL OF THE AGENCIES THAT ARE ALREADY PUT THIS TOGETHER. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE CREATED ANEW BUT IT CERTAINLY IS THE ACCESS BOARD THAT PEOPLE WILL BE LOOKING TO FOR THE SAFE HARBOR, OR JUST THE BASIC ABCS ON HOW TO DO THIS. AND AGAIN, IT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE WITH MANY PEOPLE HERE, WHO HAVE RAISED ISSUES, NOT TOO MANY, AND IT IS WONDERFUL TO HEAR THAT THERE REALLY AREN'T TOO MANY PROBLEMS OUT THERE. THE PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN AMAZING AND I'M JUST LOOKING BACK 10 YEARS WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT FLOATING TENT PADS, AND YERTS AND ACCESSIBILITY TO PIT TOILETS, AND I'M THINKING LOOK AT THIS IT IS ACTUALLY BEING DONE AND WONDERFUL AND ON BEHALF OF PVA I THANK YOU FOR HAVING THIS HEARING AND GETTING THIS PUBLISHED, AND PUTTING IT INTO EFFECT. THANK YOU.