ACB is excited to announce that the Website and Software Applications Accessibility Act has once again been introduced in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, May 14. This was a wonderful way to usher in Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) on Thursday, May 15. The bill was introduced by Republican Congressman Pete Sessions from Texas. We are elated to once again see bipartisan support for this important bill. The bill, which has been introduced in the previous two congressional sessions, will work to ensure that website and applications are accessible…

Alexandria, Va., May 15, 2025 — The American Council of the Blind (ACB) proudly celebrates Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD)—a worldwide day of recognition and action to promote inclusive design and equal access for people with disabilities.

GAAD is a powerful reminder that for millions of Americans who are blind, DeafBlind, or have low vision, full inclusion in society depends on accessibility in all aspects of life. ACB calls on industry leaders, developers, and policymakers to prioritize inclusive design—not just today, but every day.

“Global…

On Tuesday, May 13, disability advocates protested at the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce meeting, where the new budget was being discussed. The newly proposed budget included language to significantly lessen the resources for Medicaid services. Many disability advocates have spoken out about the services that will be cut if such funding is reduced or eliminated. For instance, many fear that coverage of services will force people with disabilities into nursing homes. At Tuesday’s event, 26 people with disabilities were arrested as they protested.

On Tuesday, April 29, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the LabCorp v. Davis case. ACB has been intimately involved with this case from the beginning. The case was brought to ensure that LabCorp provide accessible check-in systems for blind and low vision customers. The company, and other phlebotomy laboratory companies like it, have in recent years eliminated receptionists and now require patients to sign in on inaccessible tablets.

The appeal addresses a complex legal issue related to certification of class…

ACB received this message from our contact at the FAA On April 24.

Dear Advocates: 

I am pleased to announce that the Department’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection will launch the first phase of the “Aviation Complaint, Enforcement, and Reporting System” (ACERS) at 9 am EST on Friday, August 1, 2025.  

The first phase of ACERS will focus solely on the complaint submission and handling process.  ACERS will make it easy for consumers to file air travel service complaints.…

On April 11, the Texas court stayed, or in other words, paused, the challenge to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The case previously known as Texas v. Becerra, now Texas v. Kennedy, stated that it will no longer challenge the constitutionality of Section 504. This is a big win after countless hours of advocacy by the disability community. The court will now more narrowly address questions of the coverage of gender dysphoria.

However, there remain challenges to the newly promulgated regulations for Section 504. ACB played a…

It is rumored that several disability and aging programs in Washington DC are facing funding cuts. The programs include the Protection and Advocacy programs, Councils on Developmental Disabilities, and long term care ombudsmen.

The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) has created a call to action to enable constituents to reach out to their Congressmembers and ask them to protect the necessary funding. To reach out to your representatives and senators, please follow the link below.

ACB remains in the window of a settlement agreement it has with the three major credit bureaus: Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. Through the agreement, the providers must make your credit review in an accessible format: braille, large print, or audio. You can make a request for the credit report by calling 1-877-322-8228.

While we remain in this window, ACB hopes to learn from our members about the experiences you are all having with the credit companies. Please share your experiences at…

ACB is greatly alarmed by a bill that went before the Tennessee legislature on Thursday, April 17. An amendment was added to a Tennessee House bill that would have greatly weakened the state version of the Randolph-Sheppard Act. The Randolph-Sheppard Act gives priority to blind applicants for vending contracts for federal facilities. The Tennessee equivalent does the same for state and local facilities. These programs provide wonderful opportunities for blind and low vision people to run their own business, make a good income, and push back against the high level…

On March 25, President Trump issued another executive order related to how people receive money from the federal government. The executive order calls for the distribution of all benefits, such as Social Security benefits and tax refunds, to be issued electronically; paper checks will no longer be issued. As a result, recipients will have to have a bank account, debit card, or digital wallet. The order goes into effect on September 30, 2025. There is some nervousness about the quick six-month turn-around. There have been many employee cuts to both the SSA and IRS…