The commitment of the Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division, in the U.S. Department of Justice, to the enforcement of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is described. Recent federal initiatives under this act to advance the rights of disabled people in terms of employment, the rights of handicapped infants, and the enforcement of regulations for Section 504 (which prevents discrimination in federal programs or activities) are noted. Also revealed is the controversy with the disabled community over regulations for Section 504, including the department's efforts to conform this regulation with the Supreme Court's interpretation in Southeastern Community College v. Davis and high-lighting the regulation's complaint procedure. A summary of the Civil Rights Division's activities in monitoring other agencies' issuance of 504 regulations concludes the paper. (CL)