If you read my last post — the angry one about Section 504 and the Trump administration’s coordinated rollback of disability rights — thank you. You felt the heat. You shared it. Some of you even took action. And that matters.
But I owe you something: a correction.
Several of the links in that post didn’t go where they were supposed to. Blame rushed publishing, fragmented sources, or maybe just the chaos of trying to respond in real time to a government that keeps coming at us sideways. Either way — I’m fixing it now, because this moment is too important to screw up.
Here’s What’s Happening (For Real, With Working Links)
The Department of Energy has issued a “direct final rule” — which is legalese for “we’re doing this unless a whole lot of people yell.” This rule removes enforceable accessibility requirements from new federal buildings that are funded by federal dollars.
That’s right: they want to stop requiring ramps, elevators, accessible bathrooms, and all the other physical design elements that make public buildings usable by disabled people.
They’re calling it “unnecessary.” They’re calling it a “burden.”
They’re hoping you won’t notice.
But we noticed. And now it’s your turn.
This Is the Link You Actually Need
There are two dockets and one email address you need to hit:
Submit a public comment on Docket #1 – DOE-HQ-2025-0015: https://bit.ly/4kuX2R2
Submit a public comment on Docket #2 – DOE-HQ-2025-0024: https://bit.ly/4mGKgjY
Email your comments to: DOEGeneralCounsel@hq.doe.gov
Deadline: Sunday, June 16. After that? The rule becomes law on July 15 unless they get overwhelmed with opposition.
This Isn’t Just About Wheelchairs — It Affects You Too
Think this rule doesn’t apply to you because you’re not disabled? Think again.
You know that curb cut you use to roll your baby stroller across the street? The one you push your suitcase over on the way to the airport? The ramp you take when you’re hauling a dolly full of Costco boxes to your car? That elevator that saves you from three flights of stairs with a sleeping kid in your arms?
All of that exists because of accessibility requirements under Section 504.
And it goes deeper than just ramps and restrooms:
Audible crosswalk signals
Automatic door openers
Visual fire alarms
Braille signage in elevators
Adapted gym equipment in public schools
Accessible emergency exits in public buildings
Service animals being allowed in federal spaces
Reserved seating and event access for those who need it
Every one of these things came from the fight for disability access. And now that they’re standard? Most people use them without realizing where they came from — or what happens if they disappear.
So maybe it’s time for a new group: Mothers Against Taking Away My Ability to Push My Mercedes-Benz Stroller Wherever the Hell I Want.
Because accessibility isn’t just about wheelchairs. It’s about building a world that works for everyone. The moment you lose access to it, you’ll care. You’ll care when you’re stuck bumping a thousand-dollar stroller down a crumbling curb. Or when your elderly parent can’t get into a building for a medical appointment. Or when your kid breaks their leg and suddenly the stairs feel like a cliff.
If we let them rip out these protections now, it won’t just be disabled people who suffer — it’ll be everyone.
Why This Feels Personal
Section 504 is the reason I can live the life I live. It’s the reason there are ramps and elevators. It’s the reason I can get into a building, use the bathroom, attend a meeting, or participate in public life without having to plan a goddamn military campaign.
They’re not just tweaking some obscure federal code. They’re pulling the foundation out from under us.
And if we let them do it quietly, they’ll do it again. And again. Until one day you realize your rights are gone — not in a fiery explosion, but chipped away one rule at a time.
This Is Bigger Than Just One Rule
This is part of something bigger — something coordinated. We’ve already seen:
A lawsuit trying to declare Section 504 unconstitutional
The Department of Justice quietly withdrawing ADA guidance documents
Agencies walking back accessibility rules with no fanfare — hoping no one makes noise
This is noise.
This is where we draw the line. This is where we say: not today. Not again.
Disabled Veterans: They’re Coming for You Too
If you’re a disabled vet, don’t think for a second this isn’t your fight. They might paint your bucket with “VA” on the side, but the insides are the same. This administration talks a big game about veterans — then guts the systems that serve you when no one’s looking.
You earned more than a handshake on a stage. You earned dignity, access, and legal protection. And they’re trying to take it.
So Here’s What You Do
Right now:
Submit your public comments before Sunday, June 16
DOE-HQ-2025-0015 – Comment: https://bit.ly/4kuX2R2
DOE-HQ-2025-0024 – Comment: https://bit.ly/4mGKgjY
Email: DOEGeneralCounsel@hq.doe.gov
Contact your representatives
Find your House rep: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
Capitol switchboard: (202) 224-3121
Share this post. Loudly. Widely. Repeatedly.
Don’t assume people know. The fewer who act, the easier it is for them to roll this through.
Say you’re ready for direct action.
Because if this stands, that’s the next step. And I mean that literally.
Final Thought
We’ve crawled before. We’ve rolled before. We’ve chained ourselves to doors and dragged our bodies up Capitol steps to make a point.
And I’m not saying we want to do that again.
But I’m saying we will — if we have to.
Have something to say? We welcome your comments below — this is where the real conversation happens.
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