ACB is fortunate to have the privilege to meet with Amtrak leadership on a quarterly basis to talk about accommodations for passengers with disabilities. ACB has been part of a small group of disability advocacy groups who have done this for many, many years now. Additionally, once a year, that same disability advocacy cohort gets to meet in person with the full Amtrak Board of Directors. On Thursday, May 22, Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs Claire Stanley attended that annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

The advocacy department is sharing below a press release. Congresswoman Simon provided a video clip for ACB's DC Leadership Conference this past March. ACB will follow this bill closely.

Congresswomen Simon and Hayes Introduce Legislation to Ensure Every Student Can Access Free Mobile Vision Services

The advocacy team continues to receive questions about the status of the National Library Service (NLS) and other library services. With so many changes taking place, Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs Claire Stanley understands the anxiety surrounding funding cuts and other changes. To better understand the current state of such services, Claire reached out to a friend and colleague at NLS. Below is an explanation from him on the current state of things.

The advocacy team thanks our ACB members who participated on our Hill Day back on March 18. After reviewing your Hill surveys, we reached back out to several of the offices you reported to have had positive meetings with; we want to continue to foster those relationships. On Tuesday, May 20 and Wednesday, May 21, Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs Claire Stanley participated in six Hill meetings to talk more about the imperatives in hopes of gaining more support for the bills.

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.

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.

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.

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

Dear Advocates: 

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.