The White House announced on Monday that as of today they would be adding an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter to future daily press briefings.
The announcement from White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki signifies the first time that an ASL interpreter will be present at the White House’s daily press briefings on a regular basis, according to The Hill.
NEW: Press sec. Psaki announces there will be an ASL interpreter at daily White House press briefings. https://t.co/lUV4RYPGMO
“The president is committed to building an America that is more inclusive, more just and more accessible for every American.” pic.twitter.com/rEb7OsC1e0
— ABC News (@ABC) January 25, 2021
“As a part of this administration’s accessibility and inclusion efforts, starting today, we will have an ASL – an American Sign Language interpreter – for our daily press briefings,” Psaki stated. (RELATED: Psaki Says Treasury Department Is Proceeding To Place Harriet Tubman On $20 Bill)
“The president is committed to building an America that is more inclusive, more just and more accessible for every American, including Americans with disabilities and their families,” she continued.
In the past, ASL interpreters have been present at the White House press briefings, though not regularly. In Sept. 2020 a judge ruled that the White House needed to have an ASL interpreter at future coronavirus press briefings. The ruling from the judge stated that “closed captioning and transcripts may constitute a reasonable accommodation under some circumstances, but not here.”