Recently, the U.S. Department of Commerce has expunged three committees involved in the U.S. census process. The National Advisory Committee on Racial, Ethnic, and Other Populations (NAC), the 2030 Census Advisory Committee (CAC), and the Census Scientific Committee have been dismissed. Many advocates worry that such committees are still greatly needed with the next census being five years away.
In addition to our three legislative imperatives, ACB has developed a handout to highlight several laws and programs that ensure the rights of and access to services to people who are blind or low vision. The handout, which can be shared with congressional offices, explains how the protection of these services enable our community to contribute to our community as employees, tax payers, homeowners, seniors, and so much more. You can find the document and download the handout right below "Legislative Imperatives" on our D.C.
On Friday, February 28, a notice was published in the Federal Register brought by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP). According to the notice, BEP desires to use a variety of new information collection activities as it explores ways to make paper currency accessible for blind and low-vision individuals. The mandate to make paper currency accessible is the result of a lawsuit brought by ACB numerous years ago and decided in 2008.
On Tuesday, February 18, President Trump put out a new executive order related to the authority of independent agencies in the federal government. Such agencies work differently from other mainstream agencies; they do not have leadership as part of the president’s cabinet. This difference makes governance of its agency less influenced by the leading political party. The new executive order requires these independent agencies to work more closely with the White House.
The American Council of the Blind (ACB) is disappointed by the recent statement made by Elon Musk regarding a blind topic expert who spoke before Congress. The speaker from a government watchdog organization testified before Congress about the potential wastefulness of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). In response, Elon Musk made a juvenile comment that the blind gentleman could not “see waste” because of his visual impairment. Such a statement is uninformed; Mr. Musk should be held accountable for such a tasteless remark.
Members have requested sample letters that they can use to reach out to their attorneys general concerning the Texas v. Becerra lawsuit. ACB will soon share more detailed example letters that members can utilize. But in the meantime, please look at the link below for resources from another disability advocacy organization for helpful outlines.
DREDF and partners presented a webinar to 3,000 people about Texas v. Becerra, with more unable to join. You can watch the webinar and see the slide deck here, https://dredf.org/disability-community-briefing-what-you-can-do-to-stop-the-attack-on-section-504/
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a pivotal law to uphold the rights of people with disabilities. The law says that all programs receiving federal funding, which is a substantial portion of programs, must provide accommodations for persons with disabilities. We believe that the law is extremely vulnerable at this time. In September of 2024, a lawsuit was brought by 17 states against the U.S.