Posted on January 22, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Scott Thornhill
Executive Director
(202) 467-5081
sthornhill@acb.org
American Council of the Blind Opens Registration for the 2026 D.C. Leadership Conference
Alexandria, Va., January 22, 2026 — The American Council of the Blind (ACB) has opened registration for the 2026 D.C. Leadership Conference. The conference will be a hybrid event, with in-person activities scheduled for March 6–10 at the Sheraton Pentagon City Hotel in Arlington, Virginia. Registration closes on February 28, 2026, at 11:59 pm CT.
During the D.C. Leadership Conference, participants will take part in educational sessions, hear from keynote speakers within the disability community, and meet directly with members of Congress and their staffs on Capitol Hill.
The conference focuses on advancing key legislative priorities that promote independence and equal access for people who are blind or have low vision. When meeting with lawmakers, ACB and its members will highlight the following legislative imperatives:
- Support and passage of the Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act to ensure that home-use medical devices with digital interfaces are accessible to individuals who are blind or have low vision;
- Support and passage of the Websites and Software Applications Accessibility Act to establish clear enforcement standards requiring websites, applications, and online services to be accessible to people with disabilities; and
- Updates to existing requirements for accessible media, video user interfaces, and video conferencing services under the Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act.
“The D.C. Leadership Conference is where advocacy turns into action,” said ACB Executive Director Scott Thornhill. “Our members bring real-world experiences to Capitol Hill, showing lawmakers how accessibility gaps affect daily life and why these legislative imperatives are essential to ensuring people who are blind or have low vision can participate fully in our communities.”
The conference will also include keynote presentations and panel discussions featuring leaders from the disability community and government. These sessions will explore both persistent barriers and emerging opportunities to advance accessibility and equal access.
Hotel reservations are available, with a room block cutoff of February 6, 2026. For more information, visit https://www.acb.org/2026-acb-dc-leadership-conference.
About the American Council of the Blind
The American Council of the Blind is a national member-driven consumer organization representing Americans who are blind and visually impaired. With 65 affiliates, ACB strives to increase independence, security, equality of opportunity, and to improve the quality of life for all people who are blind or have low vision. For more information, visit www.acb.org.
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