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Assistive Technology Act of 2004

Public Law 108-364 · H.R. 4278 · 108th Congress · began in the House

Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Oct 25, 2004 · Health

Sponsor: Rep. Buck McKeon (R-CA-25)

Cosponsors (25): Rep. John Boehner,

Passage votes

  • HouseUnanimous consent
  • SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Assistive Technology Act of 2004 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Assistive Technology Act of 1998 (ATA) to reauthorize and revise ATA programs.

Revises ATA State grant programs to direct the Secretary of Education to make assistive technology (AT) grants to States to maintain comprehensive statewide programs designed to: (1) maximize the ability of individuals with disabilities, and their family members, guardians, advocates, and authorized representatives, to obtain AT; and (2) increase access to AT. (This grants program, which emphasizes addressing the AT needs of individuals with disabilities, revises and renames the current program of continuity grants for States that received funding for a limited period for technology-related assistance through establishing State administrative systems.)

Increases the minimum grant allotment amount for each State AT program.

Requires States to use portions of AT grant funds for: (1) State-level activities, including State financing system activities (which may include loan programs) to increase access to and funding for AT devices and services, as well as for programs for device reutilization, device loan, and device demonstration and information; and (2) State leadership activities (not more than 40 percent of the AT grant), including training and technical assistance (with at least five percent of the leadership portion to be used for transition assistance to individuals with disabilities), public-awareness activities, and coordination and collaboration.

Provides a flexibility option under which a State may opt to use AT grant funds to carry out any two or more of the otherwise required State-level activities. Requires a State, if it exercises such flexibility option with respect to State-level activities, to: (1) carry out each of the required State leadership activities; and (2) use not more than 30 percent of the AT grant funds to carry out State leadership activities.

Caps at ten percent the portion of AT grant funds that may be used for indirect costs.

Prohibits AT grant funds from being used as direct payment for an AT device for an individual with a disability.

Revises the ATA program of grants to States for protection and advocacy related to AT, through systems established under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act. Includes the American Indian Consortium as a recipient of such program grants. Allows such systems to carry over program income generated from the grant amount for two additional fiscal years. Requires such funds to be used for activities that enhance AT accessibility awareness among individuals with disabilities and help such individuals acquire, use, or maintain AT devices or services.

Revises ATA national activities to direct the Secretary of Education to: (1) provide funds to establish and maintain a National Public Internet Site to provide individuals with disabilities and the general public with technical assistance and information on increased access to AT devices, AT services, and other disability-related resources; and (2) make competitive grants to provide various forms of technical assistance.

Revises ATA national activities. Authorizes the Secretary to award competitive grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements for: (1) a national public-awareness toolkit developed through a training and technical assistance program that expands public-awareness efforts, uses appropriate accessible multimedia materials, and coordinates with State AT programs in informing targeted individuals and entities about the availability of AT devices and services; and (2) AT research and development. Directs the Secretary to award competitive grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements for: (1) a training and technical assistance program to address State-specific information requests concerning AT from entities funded under ATA and public entities not funded under ATA, disseminate certain information to targeted individuals and entities, and provide training and technical assistance to various public and private entities; (2) renovation, updating, and maintenance of the National Public Internet Site under ATA, with certain required features; and (3) data-collection and reporting assistance.

Revises ATA administrative requirements. Directs the Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services of the Department of Education, acting through the Rehabilitation Services Administration, to administer this Act.

Extends through FY 2010 the authorization of appropriations under ATA for: (1) State grants for AT and for national activities; and (2) State grants for AT-related protection and advocacy services.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

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Related bills

The record lists no related bills.

Data notes

Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 28 actions.

  1. Oct 25, 2004Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 108-364.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Oct 13, 2004FloorFloor · Presented to President.
  4. Oct 8, 2004Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection.
  6. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. McKeon asked unanimous consent that the House agree to the Senate amendment.
  7. OtherOther · Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection.
  8. Oct 4, 2004FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  9. Sep 30, 2004FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  10. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  11. CommitteeCommittee · Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions discharged by Unanimous Consent.
  12. Jun 25, 2004CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  13. Jun 15, 2004CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate.
  14. Jun 14, 2004FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  15. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
  16. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4278.
  17. FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
  18. FloorFloor · Mr. Castle moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  19. Jun 1, 2004CalendarCalendar · Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 294.
  20. CommitteeCommittee · Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and the Workforce. H. Rept. 108-514.
  21. May 19, 2004CommitteeCommittee · Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
  22. CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
  23. May 13, 2004CommitteeCommittee · Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.
  24. CommitteeCommittee · Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
  25. May 12, 2004CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness.
  26. May 5, 2004CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
  27. CommitteeCommittee · Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E757)
  28. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
Data notes

Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.

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Amendments

1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.

  • S.Amdt. 3943SenateSen. Judd GreggR-NH· offered Sep 30, 2004Agreed to

    To provide a substitute amendment.

    Sep 30, 2004: Amendment SA 3943 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

    Agreed to
Data notes

Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.

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Official record

The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.