Congress.govcongress.gov
Accessibility Score
Issues Found
Issues Found
CriticalDelayed refresh under 20 hours must not be used1 element
Automatic page refreshes using <meta> elements are unexpected and disorienting. They move keyboard focus back to the top of the page, frustrating users who were interacting with content elsewhere. Users need control over when refreshes occur, and server-side redirects should be used instead of problematic client-side refreshes.
Failing Elements
<meta http-equiv="refresh" content="360">
Fix any of the following:
- <meta> tag forces timed refresh of page (less than 20 hours)
Passed Audits
<html> element must have a lang attribute1 element
Screen readers need language information to switch between pronunciation libraries. Without a specified language, screen readers default to the user's preferred language, resulting in incorrect pronunciation that sounds like a strange accent and makes content difficult or impossible to understand.
Audit Elements
<html lang="en-US" dir="ltr">
<html> element must have a valid value for the lang attribute1 element
Screen readers use language-specific sound libraries for proper pronunciation. Invalid language attributes cause screen readers to use the wrong library, making text sound like a confusing accent or completely unintelligible, especially for multilingual users who access content in multiple languages.
Audit Elements
<html lang="en-US" dir="ltr">
All page content should be contained by landmarks21 elements
Content should be organized within high-level landmark regions like <header>, <navigation>, <main>, and <footer>. Content outside these sections is difficult to find and its purpose may be unclear, making navigation inefficient for screen reader users who rely on landmarks to understand page structure.
Audit Elements
<div class="main-wrapper lang-en-us" role="main">
<div class="main-content">
<div class="ch-title-zone"><img src="/favicon.ico" class="heading-favicon" alt="Icon for www.congress.gov"><h1>www.congress.gov</h1></div>
<img src="/favicon.ico" class="heading-favicon" alt="Icon for www.congress.gov">
<h1>www.congress.gov</h1>
<h2 id="FbRG5" class="ch-title spacer-bottom">Performing security verification</h2>
<p id="jpqrL2" class="ch-description spacer-top">This website uses a security service to protect against malicious bots. This page is displayed while the website verifies you are not a bot.</p>
<div id="BbLB6" style="display: grid;"><div><div><input type="hidden" name="cf-turnstile-response" id="cf-chl-widget-2bqgr_response"></div></div></div>
<div><div><input type="hidden" name="cf-turnstile-response" id="cf-chl-widget-2bqgr_response"></div></div>
<div><input type="hidden" name="cf-turnstile-response" id="cf-chl-widget-2bqgr_response"></div>
Showing first 10 of 21 audited elements.
Alternative text of images should not be repeated as text1 element
Duplicating alternative text adjacent to an image or link forces screen readers to announce the same information twice. This redundancy is unnecessary and confusing, especially when image buttons repeat their labels in nearby text.
Audit Elements
<img src="/favicon.ico" class="heading-favicon" alt="Icon for www.congress.gov">
ARIA role should be appropriate for the element2 elements
Invalid ARIA role and HTML element combinations can break accessibility for entire sections of your application. When roles are used incorrectly, assistive technologies may report confusing or nonsensical information to users, making it impossible for them to understand and interact with the interface properly.
Audit Elements
<div class="main-wrapper lang-en-us" role="main">
<div class="footer" role="contentinfo">
ARIA roles used must conform to valid values2 elements
Invalid ARIA role values prevent assistive technologies from understanding and communicating the element's purpose to users. Without valid roles, screen readers cannot provide information about the element's features, properties, or how users should interact with it.
Audit Elements
<div class="main-wrapper lang-en-us" role="main">
<div class="footer" role="contentinfo">
aria-hidden="true" must not be present on the document body1 element
Setting <body aria-hidden="true" hides all page content from assistive technologies while leaving it visible on screen. This creates a confusing experience where keyboard users can still tab to elements, but screen readers remain completely silent, providing no information about what's focused.
Audit Elements
<body>
Contentinfo landmark should not be contained in another landmark1 element
The contentinfo landmark must be at the top level to help screen reader users quickly navigate to footer information. When nested inside another landmark, it becomes harder to find, defeating its purpose of providing quick access to content information.
Audit Elements
<div class="footer" role="contentinfo">
Deprecated ARIA roles must not be used2 elements
Deprecated ARIA roles are not recognized by modern screen readers and assistive technologies. Using outdated roles means some users cannot access essential information or functionality on your site.
Audit Elements
<div class="main-wrapper lang-en-us" role="main">
<div class="footer" role="contentinfo">
Document should have one main landmark1 element
Every page should have exactly one main landmark that identifies the primary content. Without a main landmark, screen reader users must navigate through all content linearly to find what they're looking for, making page navigation difficult and time-consuming.
Audit Elements
<html lang="en-US" dir="ltr">
Document should not have more than one contentinfo landmark1 element
Multiple contentinfo landmarks force screen reader users to sort through extra options to find footer information. Each page should have only one content info landmark to enable quick, predictable navigation without overwhelming users with duplicate structural markers.
Audit Elements
<div class="footer" role="contentinfo">
Document should not have more than one main landmark1 element
Multiple main landmarks confuse screen reader users about where the primary content is located. Each page should have only one main landmark so users can quickly and predictably navigate to the primary content area.
Audit Elements
<div class="main-wrapper lang-en-us" role="main">
Documents must have <title> element to aid in navigation1 element
The page title is the first thing screen reader users hear when loading a page. Without a descriptive, unique title, users must read through the entire page to understand its contents and purpose, wasting valuable time on every page visit.
Audit Elements
<html lang="en-US" dir="ltr">
Elements must meet minimum color contrast ratio thresholds8 elements
People with low vision or color blindness cannot read text that lacks sufficient contrast with its background. With nearly three times more people having low vision than total blindness, and 8% of men and 0.4% of women having color deficiencies, adequate contrast is essential for making text readable to millions of users.
Audit Elements
<h1>www.congress.gov</h1>
<h2 id="FbRG5" class="ch-title spacer-bottom">Performing security verification</h2>
<p id="jpqrL2" class="ch-description spacer-top">This website uses a security service to protect against malicious bots. This page is displayed while the website verifies you are not a bot.</p>
<div class="ray-id">Ray ID: <code>a09c0768984c1687</code></div>
<code>a09c0768984c1687</code>
<span class="footer-text">Performance and Security by <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.cloudflare.com?utm_source=challenge&utm_campaign=m" target="_blank">Cloudflare</a></span>
<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.cloudflare.com?utm_source=challenge&utm_campaign=m" target="_blank">Cloudflare</a>
<a id="privacy-link" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.cloudflare.com/privacypolicy/" class="footer-text">Privacy</a>
Heading levels should only increase by one2 elements
Headings convey page structure for screen reader users the same way text size does for sighted users. Properly ordered headings (h1 through h6) allow screen reader users to quickly navigate and understand content structure, saving significant time and frustration while also improving search engine optimization.
Audit Elements
<h1>www.congress.gov</h1>
<h2 id="FbRG5" class="ch-title spacer-bottom">Performing security verification</h2>
Headings should not be empty2 elements
Screen readers announce headings to help users navigate page structure. Empty headings confuse users and prevent them from understanding the page's organization. Headings should only be used to convey structure, not for visual styling, and must contain accessible text that screen readers can announce.
Audit Elements
<h1>www.congress.gov</h1>
<h2 id="FbRG5" class="ch-title spacer-bottom">Performing security verification</h2>
Images must have alternative text1 element
Screen readers cannot translate images into text without alt attributes. Alternative text is essential for blind users and beneficial for users with low vision or color blindness, providing the same information that sighted users get from viewing the image.
Audit Elements
<img src="/favicon.ico" class="heading-favicon" alt="Icon for www.congress.gov">
Inline text spacing must be adjustable with custom stylesheets1 element
Single-spaced text makes it difficult for people with cognitive disabilities to track lines while reading. Providing line spacing between 1.5 to 2 helps these users start a new line more easily after finishing the previous one.
Audit Elements
<div id="BbLB6" style="display: grid;"><div><div><input type="hidden" name="cf-turnstile-response" id="cf-chl-widget-2bqgr_response"></div></div></div>
Interactive controls must not be nested1 element
Nested interactive elements create empty tab stops where screen readers remain silent. When users tab to a focusable element inside another interactive control, they receive no information about its name, role, or state, creating a confusing and broken navigation experience.
Audit Elements
<img src="/favicon.ico" class="heading-favicon" alt="Icon for www.congress.gov">
Interactive elements must have a visible focus indicator1 element
Sighted keyboard users rely on a visible focus indicator to know where they are on the page. When focus styles are missing, too subtle, or have insufficient contrast against the surrounding colors, users cannot tell which element will respond when they press Enter or Space, making keyboard navigation slow and error-prone. This especially affects people with motor impairments who cannot use a mouse and people with low vision who need clear, high-contrast indicators.
Audit Elements
<div>
Landmarks should have a unique role or role/label/title (i.e. accessible name) combination2 elements
Each landmark on a page must have either a unique role or a unique accessible name. Duplicate landmarks confuse screen reader users about which section they're navigating to, making it difficult to efficiently move through the page structure.
Audit Elements
<div class="main-wrapper lang-en-us" role="main">
<div class="footer" role="contentinfo">
Links must have discernible text2 elements
Keyboard users and screen reader users can only interact with links that have accessible names and can receive focus. Without proper names, users don't know where links lead. Without keyboard focus, users who cannot use a mouse cannot activate the links at all.
Audit Elements
<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.cloudflare.com?utm_source=challenge&utm_campaign=m" target="_blank">Cloudflare</a>
<a id="privacy-link" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.cloudflare.com/privacypolicy/" class="footer-text">Privacy</a>
Main landmark should not be contained in another landmark1 element
The main landmark must be at the top level and not nested inside other landmarks. This ensures screen reader users can quickly navigate to the primary content without searching through complex hierarchy, making page navigation simpler and more predictable.
Audit Elements
<div class="main-wrapper lang-en-us" role="main">
Page must have means to bypass repeated blocks1 element
Keyboard-only users must tab through all navigation and header content before reaching the main content, which can take several minutes and cause physical pain for users with motor limitations. Bypass mechanisms like skip links allow these users to jump directly to main content, saving time and reducing fatigue.
Audit Elements
<html lang="en-US" dir="ltr">
Page should contain a level-one heading1 element
Screen reader users use keyboard shortcuts to jump directly to the first h1, expecting to land at the main content. Without an h1 or with a misplaced one, users must listen to more of the page to understand its structure, wasting valuable time on every page visit.
Audit Elements
<html lang="en-US" dir="ltr">
Required ARIA attributes must be provided2 elements
ARIA widget roles need required attributes to describe their current state. Without these attributes, screen readers cannot communicate essential information like whether a checkbox is checked or a slider's current value, leaving users unable to interact effectively with the widget.
Audit Elements
<div class="main-wrapper lang-en-us" role="main">
<div class="footer" role="contentinfo">
Users should be able to zoom and scale the text up to 500%1 element
The user-scalable="no" and restrictive maximum-scale parameters prevent people with low vision from zooming to read content. Users who rely on browser zoom to enlarge text are blocked from accessing content at a readable size, violating their need to scale pages up to 5x zoom.
Audit Elements
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width,initial-scale=1">
Zooming and scaling must not be disabled1 element
Setting user-scalable="no" or maximum-scale less than 2 prevents people with low vision from zooming to read content. Users who enlarge text in their browsers are blocked from making content readable, violating accessibility guidelines that require supporting at least 200% zoom.
Audit Elements
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width,initial-scale=1">