I agree that it is long past due to offer people with disablilites alternatives to allow easier use of the internet. Maybe the Justice Department will extend it as the last paragraph hopes for.

And it sounds like O'Reilly needs to get his head out of the sand. This article mentions how it may not be a necessity in the way water, food, and shelter but it is essential to other needs:

But the Internet is increasingly about essential life needs, especially when it comes to access to employment, government services, health care, and education. Try applying for a job or enrolling at a local college or university without a broadband connection, and you’ll run into trouble.