March 18, 2026
Mr. Kaine (for himself, Ms. Duckworth, Mrs. Shaheen, and Ms. Rosen) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
To provide for an international disability rights strategy, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the State Department Disability Policy and Accommodations Act
.
Sec. 2. Disability rights in foreign policy
(a) Sense of Congress
It is the sense of Congress that international disability rights are foundational to achieving global peace, stability, and prosperity, and should be fully championed as a focus of United States diplomacy and development efforts.
(b) Formal policy guidance on disability policy
(1) In general
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, through the Ambassador-at-Large for International Disability Rights and in consultation with relevant foreign affairs agencies, shall develop and adopt a formal policy for advancing disability rights through United States diplomacy and foreign assistance.
(2) Matters to be included
The policy required under paragraph (1) should direct the Department of State’s approach to championing disability rights through the conduct of United States diplomacy and development.
(3) Consultation
In developing and adopting the policy, the Secretary shall consult with—
(A)
United States missions and regional and functional bureaus;
(B)
individuals with disabilities, civil society organizations, international nongovernmental organizations, and international organizations;
(C)
women, indigenous persons, youth, and survivors of violence living with disabilities; and
(D)
combat-injured persons living with disabilities, including United States security partners and allies, in countries and regions receiving United States security assistance.
(4) Policy implementation
The Secretary shall update the Foreign Affairs Manual to reflect the policy required under paragraph (1).
(5) Public availability
The Secretary shall publish such policy on a publicly available website of the Department.
Sec. 3. Office of International Disability Rights
(a) In general
Section 5104 of the Department of State Authorization Act of 2021 (division D of Public Law 117–81; 135 Stat. 2345) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a), by striking should be established
and inserting shall be established
;
(2)
by redesignating subsections (b) through (d) as subsections (c) through (e), respectively;
(3)
by inserting after subsection (a) the following new subsection:
(b) Purpose
The Office shall coordinate and elevate United States global engagement on disability rights policy, ensuring that the Department of State and relevant Federal agencies promote accessibility, equality of opportunity, and the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities globally.;
(4)
in subsection (c), as redesignated by paragraph (2)—
(A)
by striking The Office should
and inserting The Office shall
;
(B)
by redesignating paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), and (8) as paragraphs (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), and (12), respectively;
(C)
by inserting before paragraph (2), as redesignated by subparagraph (B), the following new paragraph:
(1)
coordinate all international disability policy and international assistance provided by the United States Government, in consultation with relevant and appropriate regional and functional bureaus of the Department and Chiefs of Mission, to support efforts abroad to promote and strengthen respect for the rights of persons with disabilities;; and
(D)
in paragraph (8), as so redesignated, by striking disabilities; and
and inserting the following: “disabilities;
(9)
coordinate disaggregated data collection regarding the United States Government’s foreign assistance and diplomatic activities promoting the rights of persons with disabilities, in coordination with the Secretary of State and the heads of other relevant Federal agencies, including to the extent feasible—
(A)
a detailed accounting of spending by Federal departments and agencies, including, for each Federal department and agency, the statutory source of spending;
(B)
the amounts spent; and
(C)
activities supported to the extent practicable and appropriate;
(10)
establish interagency details or rotation opportunities for relevant Federal agencies to be housed within the Office for the purposes of—
(A)
augmenting the Office’s ability to share best practices on advancing disability rights policy with United States missions and with international partners; and
(B)
strengthening the Office’s United States interagency coordination efforts;
(11)
work with relevant bureaus to promote the use of existing educational and cultural exchanges with international disability policymakers and advocates; and;
(5)
by amending subsection (d), as so redesignated, to read as follows:
(d) Ambassador-at-Large for International Disability Rights
The Office shall be headed by an Ambassador-at-Large for International Disability Rights, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to advise the Secretary of State on matters related to disability rights. The Ambassador-at-Large should be a person of recognized distinction in the field of disability rights. The Ambassador-at-Large shall be provided with appropriate funding and staff consistent with the duties of the Office and with Department of State guidance on the status of an Office.; and
(6)
by adding at the end the following new sub-section:
(f) International Disability Rights strategy
(1) Strategy
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this subsection, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Ambassador-at-Large appointed under subsection (d), and in consultation with the heads of other relevant Federal agencies and nongovernmental organizations, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a strategy to—
(A)
achieve the purposes described in subsection (b);
(B)
identify target countries and regions for prioritization of the Department’s international assistance efforts related to the rights of persons with disabilities;
(C)
identify United States foreign assistance resources to be used to implement the strategy;
(D)
establish country action plans to advance the rights of persons with disabilities; and
(E)
develop partnerships with the private sector, nongovernmental organizations, international organizations, and research and academic institutions.
(2) Annual report
(A) In general
Not later than one year after submission of the strategy required under paragraph (1), and annually thereafter, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Ambassador-at-Large for International Disability Rights and relevant Federal agencies, should provide the appropriate congressional committees with a written description of results achieved, including—
(i)
progress on implementation of the strategy;
(ii)
an assessment of efforts to coordinate United States international disability rights activities and initiatives with foreign governments, international organizations, nongovernmental organizations, and other key stakeholders related to the rights of persons with disabilities;
(iii)
a detailed accounting of spending by the Department of State, the United States Agency for International Development, and other relevant Federal agencies on United States international disability rights assistance to foreign governments or international organizations related to the rights of persons with disabilities; and
(iv)
the number of educational and cultural exchanges focused on advancing international disability rights.
(B) Disaggregation of data
The data submitted under subparagraph (A) should, where feasible, be disaggregated by country, gender of recipients of assistance, funding account, funding levels, and fiscal year of funding.
(3) Appropriate congressional committees defined
In this subsection, the term appropriate congressional committees means—
(A)
the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and
(B)
the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
(b) Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Department of State $6,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030, to achieve the purposes described in subsection (b) of section 5104 of the Department of State Authorization Act of 2021, as amended by subsection (a) of this section.
Sec. 4. Departmental hiring and facilities accessibility
(a) In general
The Under Secretary of State for Management shall, in consultation with the Office of International Disability Rights, ensure equal access to hiring and recruitment and overseas assignments, for the Civil Service and Foreign Service officers and locally employed staff with disabilities and their family members with chronic medical conditions or disabilities, consistent with the provision of a veterans’ preference in accordance with section 2108 of title 5, United States Code, and related sections and with due consideration for locally employed staff who sustained service-related disabilities while serving as security partners or allies in support of United States military or intelligence operations.
(b) Duties
The Under Secretary shall—
(1)
ensure that United States embassies, consulates, and leased facilities abroad are in compliance with United States Access Board standards, including accessibility to people with disabilities, including by—
(A)
making websites and other forms of communication accessible to people with disabilities and providing reasonable accommodations to program participants;
(B)
ensuring accessibility of United States Government facilities by contracting with local contractors and subcontractors that meet the requirements of section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 793) to affirmatively hire workers with disabilities, including combat-injured persons with disabilities who served alongside United States forces or in United States-backed conflicts; and
(C)
consulting with the Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contracts Compliance to ensure all Department of State contractors are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.) and section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 793);
(2)
ensure that the policies and practices for the recruitment and placement of Foreign Service officers and their families encourage the hiring and placement of people with disabilities in compliance with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 701 et seq.);
(3)
consult with the Disability Rights Section of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice to ensure that Department of State hiring is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.) and section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 791); and
(4)
ensure that policies are in place for hiring locally employed staff in embassies and consulates outside the United States to ensure that accommodations are offered, provided, and funded from the Department’s centralized reasonable accommodation fund, including specialized accommodations for injuries sustained in support of United States national security interests.
(c) Facility accessibility
The Under Secretary for Management shall, in consultation with the Office of International Disability Rights—
(1)
ensure that embassies and consulates and their services are accessible to people with disabilities, including with respect to—
(A)
the physical accessibility of facilities housing embassies and consulates;
(B)
websites of United States embassies and consulates;
(C)
public internet and telecommunications; and
(D)
other means of communication with United States residents and the general public; and
(2)
ensure diplomatic residences meet the adaptable standards set by the Director of the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations.
Sec. 5. Training
(a) In general
The Secretary of State shall require online or in-person disability policy training for all civil service and Foreign Service personnel of the Department of State and chiefs of mission, including on—
(1)
how to develop policies and programs that reflect United States disability policy priorities;
(2)
how to help ensure a work environment in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973;
(3)
how to conduct analyses of relevant laws and programming;
(4)
how to engage local organizations led by and focused on people with disabilities;
(5)
how to help remove barriers to seeking and accessing United States foreign assistance for organizations serving people with disabilities; and
(6)
ensuring United States humanitarian response incorporates and elevates the needs of people with disabilities, in line with established international frameworks, including the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) guidelines and the Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action.
(b) Country-Specific and cultural considerations
The Secretary shall ensure that training for Foreign Service officers under subsection (a) includes country-specific and cultural considerations.
(c) Foreign Service officers
Section 708(a)(1) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 4028(a)(1)) is amended—
(1)
in subparagraph (C), by striking ; and
and inserting a semicolon;
(2)
by redesignating subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (E); and
(3)
by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following new subparagraph:
(D)
instruction on recognizing risks and vulnerabilities of individuals with disabilities in specific country contexts, addressing needs of people with disabilities in policymaking and outreach at United States embassies and analysis of disability-inclusive laws and programming in local country contexts; and
Sec. 6. Report and briefing requirements
(a) In general
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of State shall provide to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives a report and briefing on the steps taken to implement this Act.
(b) Matters To be included
The report and briefing required under subsection (a) shall include—
(1)
an explanation of policies and programs to fulfill—
(A)
the duties of the Office of International Disability Rights established under section 4; and
(B)
the training requirements under section 6;
(2)
a description of the status of efforts to mainstream disability policy through the conduct of United States diplomatic outreach and programming without regard to whether such programming is specifically directed toward people with disabilities;
(3)
an explanation of disability-specific programming across the Department;
(4)
a description of the status of accessible facilities in all foreign missions, as required under section 5(c);
(5)
a description of any policy, programming, or human resources gaps to mainstreaming disability rights policy throughout the Department, and plans to address gaps through appropriate mechanisms;
(6)
a description of progress made on the realization of the rights of people with disabilities as a result of Department policies and programming;
(7)
an explanation of the current status of the Department’s evidence gathering and improved systematic disability data collection, including the use of disaggregated data, in order to ensure that programming, monitoring, and reporting reflect and address the risks and needs of people with disabilities; and
(8)
recommendations for legislative actions to fully implement the matters described in paragraphs (1) through (7).
Sec. 7. Judy Heumann Foreign and Civil Service Disability Fellowship program
(a) Sense of Congress
It is the sense of Congress that—
(1)
disability rights are foundational to human rights, national security, and positive economic growth and development; and
(2)
the Department of State shall seek to expand professional development opportunities for civil service and Foreign Service personnel to become better equipped to advance disability rights abroad and to ensure an accessible and inclusive workplace at the Department and United States missions abroad.
(b) Definitions
In this section:
(1) Department
The term Department means the Department of State.
(2) Organization of persons with disabilities
The term organization of persons with disabilities means a nongovernmental civil society organization, including a think tank, nonprofit, nongovernmental organization, academic institution, or other organization, that—
(A)
includes staff leadership and a board of directors the majority of which consists of people with disabilities; and
(B)
serves people with disabilities.
(c) Establishment
The Secretary of State shall establish and administer the Judy Heumann Foreign Service Disability Fellowship (referred in this section as the Fellowship
) to expand Department expertise on disability rights policy formulation, execution, negotiation, and advocacy. The Secretary shall be responsible for designing, implementing, and operating the Fellowship program, including setting standards for successful completion of each fellowship.
(d) Selection of fellows
(1) In general
The Secretary of State shall establish criteria for selecting the fellows and shall play a central role in selecting at least 2 fellows for the Fellowship each year.
(2) Selection and placement
The Secretary of State shall—
(A)
make efforts to recruit fellowship candidates who reflect the diversity of the United States;
(B)
select fellows from among entry-, mid-, and senior-level Foreign Service and civil service personnel;
(C)
approve fellowship placements between 6 months to one year in duration;
(D)
facilitate fellowship placement with an organization of persons with disabilities;
(E)
for each fellow, establish performance goals and performance indicators as part of fellows’ annual review process; and
(F)
reimburse one international trip and one domestic trip per fellow.
(e) Fellowship activities
Fellows participating in the Fellowship program shall—
(1)
study the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, done at New York December 12, 2006;
(2)
attend the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP) along with one member of the hosting organization of persons with disabilities; and
(3)
carry out such other activities as the Ambassador-at-Large for International Disability Rights determines appropriate.
(f) Annual report
Not later than one year after the date of the completion of the Fellowship by the initial cohort of fellows selected under subsection (d), and annually thereafter, the Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the implementation of the Fellowship, including—
(1)
a summary of the cohort of fellows who completed a fellowship during the preceding one-year period;
(2)
a description of the fellowships and placements, including feedback on implementation and lessons learned; and
(3)
an analysis of trends relating to the diversity of each cohort of fellows since the establishment of the Fellowship program.
(g) Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026 and each subsequent fiscal year to carry out this Act.