Posted on March 27, 2026
Today, Senator Edward Markey, ranking member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, sent a letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon raising concerns about the U.S. Department of Education’s recent decision to remove the Randolph-Sheppard priority for blind entrepreneurs operating dining facilities on U.S. Army installations.
The letter calls on the Education Department to immediately rescind the December 2025 limitation notice and restore full application of the Randolph-Sheppard priority.
ACB played a key role in informing this effort, working closely with Senator Markey’s office to highlight the real-world impact of the decision. We emphasized that blind entrepreneurs have demonstrated their expertise for decades by delivering high-quality services on military installations, and that diminishing these opportunities undermines a longstanding bipartisan commitment to self-employment and independence for people who are blind or have low vision.
We will continue working with partners and policymakers to protect and strengthen the Randolph-Sheppard program.
Read the letter here.