AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
                        RESOLUTION 84-01 

     WHEREAS, the Randolph-Sheppard Blind Vending Facilities
Program has provided important employment opportunities to
thousands of blind and visually impaired Americans for many years;
and 

     WHEREAS, recent actions by the General Services Administration
and the Department of Defense relative to the operation of fast
food enterprises by the armed services and/or the provision of food
service by franchise holders on federal property violate the
Randolph-Sheppard Act; and 

     WHEREAS, it appears that other departments or agencies may
similarly attempt to violate the Randolph-Sheppard Act by
encouraging or permitting encroachment of the priority afforded to
blind vendors under the Act; 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind in convention assembled on this 5th day of July, 1984, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that this organization urges Congress
to conduct an oversight hearing relative to the administration of,
and compliance with, the Randolph-Sheppard Act by departments and
agencies of the federal government, and that such oversight hearing
should also address issues including funding requirements and other
needed improvements in the Program; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the officers and staff of this
organization are hereby directed to communicate this request to the
appropriate members of Congress with the hope that an oversight
hearing will be scheduled without delay. 

Adopted July 5, 1984                   AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
                        RESOLUTION 84-02 

     WHEREAS, the American Council of the Blind and its affiliates,
including the Council of Citizens with Low Vision, have repeatedly
called attention to the problems of its members in locating
facilities in public buildings; and 

     WHEREAS, the Architectural and Transportation Barriers
Compliance Board (ATBCB) is conducting research to develop national
guidelines for signage and for detectable tactile surface
treatments to facilitate access to public buildings by blind and
visually impaired persons; 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind in convention assembled on this 6th day of July, 1984, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that this organization expresses its
appreciation to ATBCB for addressing these concerns; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this organization encourages the
ATBCB to proceed with adopting federal guidelines and requirements
to make public buildings safe and accessible for blind and visually
persons; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we request that the ATBCB
continue to give top priority to the concerns of blind and visually
impaired persons; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the American Council of the Blind
is directed to instruct its national staff and encourage its
membership to continue to participate in necessary research and
communicate to the ATBCB committees, members, and staff the
concerns of blind and visually impaired persons. 

Adopted July 6, 1984.                   AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
                        RESOLUTION 84-03 

     WHEREAS, significant improvements in the Supplemental Security
Income (SSI) program have not been made since the program began in
1974; and 

     WHEREAS, eligibility requirements for the SSI program have not
kept pace with inflation; and 

     WHEREAS, the Social Security Administration's practices with
respect to the collection of overpayments from SSI checks,
inclusion of emergency or energy assistance as income, and
attribution of income earned by other family members have resulted
in great hardship to SSI recipients; 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind in convention assembled on this 5th day of July, 1984, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that this organization supports
H.R.5341, introduced in the 98th Congress, which makes several
program improvements including raising the countable resource limit
to $2,000 for individuals ($3,000 for a couple), limits the amount
of an overpayment which can be recovered from a monthly SSI check,
and excludes from income emergency and low income energy assistance
when calculating the SSI benefit amount; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the officers and staff of this
organization are hereby directed to communicate our support of this
legislation to the appropriate members of Congress and to work
toward its prompt enactment into law. 

Adopted July 5, 1984.                   AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
                        RESOLUTION 84-04 

     WHEREAS, many blind and visually impaired persons have
experienced discrimination or inappropriate treatment by airlines,
hotels, restaurants, cruise ship lines, and other service providers
in the travel industry; and 

     WHEREAS, the legal protections against discrimination on the
basis of handicap by service providers in the travel industry are
limited and may lack adequate, consistent enforcement; and 

     WHEREAS, many of the problems and difficulties faced by blind
or other handicapped travelers can be prevented or resolved through
awareness training of industry personnel, but in some instances,
actual or threatened litigation under a statutory guarantee of
nondiscrimination or public accommodation is necessary to resolve
particular cases of discrimination; 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind in convention assembled on this 5th day of July, 1984, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that this organization supports uniform
standards of public accommodation and nondiscrimination in the
travel industry and further supports this organization's continual
efforts to educate industry personnel regarding the treatment of
blind and visually impaired travelers; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the officers and staff of this
organization are hereby directed to develop comprehensive
antidiscrimination legislation and/or regulations and should work
toward prompt enactment or promulgation of same; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the officers and staff of this
organization are directed to commend travel providers who offer
special or effective services to blind, visually impaired, and
other disabled persons. 

Adopted July 5, 1984.                   AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
                        RESOLUTION 84-05 

     WHEREAS, there are many persons who are blind or visually
impaired; and 

     WHEREAS, continued growth in the programs and activities of
the American Council of the Blind is dependent upon ongoing,
adequate funding; and 

     WHEREAS, affiliates have needs that are similar; 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind in convention assembled on this 6th day of July, 1984, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that the American Council of the Blind
board of directors be responsible for hiring a person or firm to
plan and implement a national fundraising campaign; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this be done as soon as possible.


Defeated July 6, 1984.                   AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
                        RESOLUTION 84-06 

     WHEREAS, a number of blind and sighted persons have been
seriously injured or killed as a result of falling from subway
platforms; and 

     WHEREAS, the likelihood of injury or death resulting from such
accidents can be reduced or avoided through the installation of
appropriate safety equipment such as mesh enclosures between cars
and warning strips on the platform edges; and 

     WHEREAS, subway safety is of concern not only to blind and
visually impaired persons but also to the public generally; 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind in convention assembled on this 5th day of July, 1984, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that this organization believes: (1)
that installation of platform warning strips, enclosures, or
similar devices is in no way demeaning to blind and visually
impaired persons and does not reflect negatively on the ability of
blind and visually impaired persons to travel independently and (2)
that such safety equipment or design features should be constructed
or marked, after consultation with representatives of consumer
organizations such as the American Council of the Blind, in such a
manner as to make them apparent to both blind and visually impaired
persons; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the officers and staff of this
organization are hereby directed to communicate this position to
appropriate officials of the Department of Transportation and the
Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board and
should otherwise assist individuals and transit operators with
respect to the implementation of recommendations contained herein;
and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution shall apply to
monorails, elevated trains, railway cars, and all other mass
transit vehicles where such problems as are described in this
resolution may occur. 

Adopted July 5, 1984.                   AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
                        RESOLUTION 84-07 

     WHEREAS, many blind and visually impaired persons have
experienced discrimination in the sale, rating, or terms and
conditions of insurance coverage; and 

     WHEREAS, such discrimination has occurred most frequently with
respect to life, health, and disability income replacement
coverages; and 

     WHEREAS, such discrimination often is based solely on the
applicant's blindness or degree of blindness without any sound
actuarial evidence of increased risk to the insurer; and 

     WHEREAS, many states do not have adequate laws or regulations
protecting blind and visually impaired persons from discriminatory
treatment based solely on blindness or degree of blindness; 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind in convention assembled on this 6th day of July, 1984, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that this organization supports passage
of the Fair Insurance Coverage Act, introduced in the 98th Congress
as H.R. 4642 and S. 2775, with appropriate amendments which
prohibits discrimination in the sale, rating, terms and conditions
of insurance to blind and visually impaired persons, unless sound
actuarial evidence demonstrates increased risk to the insurer; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the officers and staff of this
organization are further directed to work with groups such as the
National Association of Insurance Commissioners to implement to the
maximum extent possible protections against discrimination
available under state laws. 

Adopted July 6, 1984.                   AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
                        RESOLUTION 84-08 

     WHEREAS, the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act (JWOD) has for the past
50 years provided valuable employment opportunities to many blind
and other severely handicapped individuals; and 

     WHEREAS, the Committee for Purchase from the Blind and Other
Severely Handicapped administers the JWOD program through two
central nonprofit agencies; namely, National Industries for the
Blind and National Industries for the Severely Handicapped, which
provides services to member workshops; and 

     WHEREAS, National Industries for the Blind assists its member
workshops in such areas as new product development, quality
control, and contract administration which helps workshops to
provide employment for blind workers; and 

     WHEREAS, the U.S. General Accounting Office has published a
report in which it found, among other things, that National
Industries for the Blind serves as "an effective link between
public and private resources" in the administration of the JWOD
program; and 

     WHEREAS, the Committee for Purchase from the Blind and Other
Severely Handicapped has urged National Industries for the Blind to
cooperate more fully with National Industries for the Severely
Handicapped; and 

     WHEREAS, questions have arisen concerning the need for a
separate, central nonprofit agency serving blind workshops; 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind in convention assembled on this 6th day of July, 1984, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that this organization recognizes that
the separate, identifiable status of the National Industries for
the Blind should be preserved and that any services which it
chooses to render to National Industries for the Severely
Handicapped should be considered secondary to its primary
responsibility to serve workshops employing blind and visually
impaired persons; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution should not be
construed as a blanket endorsement of the policies and practices of
National Industries for the Blind, but rather a recognition that
the interests of blind and visually impaired persons are best
served by a central nonprofit agency devoted to serving workshops
for the blind; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the officers and staff of this
organization are hereby directed to communicate this position to
the Committee for Purchase from the Blind and Other Severely
Handicapped, National Industries for the Blind, National Industries
for the Severely Handicapped, and to appropriate members of
Congress. 

Adopted July 6, 1984.                   AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
                        RESOLUTION 84-09 

     WHEREAS, telethons are a proven method of distributing
information and for raising funds; and 

     WHEREAS, Friends of Eye Research is a national voluntary
organization interested in saving the vision of those who otherwise
might become blind; and 

     WHEREAS, the American Council of the Blind is interested in
sight saving; 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind in convention assembled on this 6th day of July, 1984, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that this organization is supportive of
Friends of Eye Research in the development of such a national
telethon project and urges all members and affiliates of the
American Council of the Blind to add their names to this national
effort. 

Defeated July 6, 1984.                   AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
                        RESOLUTION 84-10 

     WHEREAS, workshops employing blind workers are afforded a
statutory priority second only to the Federal Prison Industries
relative to the manufacture and sale of products used by the
federal government as listed on the federal procurement list; and 
     WHEREAS, the blind priority was established by Congress when
the Wagner-O'Day Act was expanded to include workshops employing
other severely handicapped individuals; and 

     WHEREAS, the blind priority was established in recognition of
such factors as the production capabilities of blind and visually
impaired workers and the disproportionately large number of
workshops employing other severely handicapped individuals; 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind in convention assembled on this 6th day of July, 1984, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that this organization recommends that
the blind priority assists workshops for the blind to provide
employment opportunities for blind and visually impaired persons
and is fair relative to workshops employing other severely
handicapped workers by reason of the number of such workshops and
the greater ability of such workshops to render off-premises
services required by the federal government; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the officers and staff of this
organization are hereby directed to communicate our support of the
blind priority to appropriate officials of the National Industries
for the Blind, National Industries for the Severely Handicapped,
the Committee for Purchase from the Blind and Other Severely
Handicapped, and to appropriate members of Congress. 

Adopted July 6, 1984.                   AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
                        RESOLUTION 84-11 

     WHEREAS, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits
paid to a blind beneficiary are terminated if the individual earns
more than the substantial gainful activity (SGA) amount (currently
$580 per month); and 

     WHEREAS, earnings in excess of the SGA amount result, after 24
months, in loss of Medicare coverage for those SSDI beneficiaries
otherwise eligible for the Medicare program; and 

     WHEREAS, many blind SSDI beneficiaries find it necessary to
artificially limit their earned income in order to avoid the loss
of SSDI benefits including Medicare where applicable; and 

     WHEREAS, these factors result in the creation of a substantial
disincentive to work; 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind in convention assembled on this 6th day of July, 1984, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that this organization believes that
the present SGA earnings limit applied to blind SSDI beneficiaries
should be changed to match the earnings test currently applied to
retirees; whereby, a reduction of $1.00 in benefits is made for
every $2.00 earned above the earnings limit, and that Medicare
coverage, if applicable, should continue until the benefit amount
reaches zero; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the officers and staff of this
organization are hereby directed to communicate this recommendation
to the Social Security Administration and to appropriate members of
Congress. 

Adopted July 6, 1984.                   AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
                        RESOLUTION 84-12 

     WHEREAS, resolutions adopted by the membership of the American
Council of the Blind are the official opinion of the organization;
and 

     WHEREAS, the opinion of the membership of the organization is
important and should be carried out; and 

     WHEREAS, some resolutions are too quickly forgotten and not
implemented; 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind in convention assembled on this 6th day of July, 1984, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that the president of the American
Council of the Blind appoint a "whip" for each resolution adopted
and publish the said "whip's" name, address, and telephone number
along with the resolution he or she is responsible for, in the
Braille Forum. It shall be the duty of the ''whip" to stimulate
activity concerning the resolution he or she is responsible for by
the officers, staff, and membership of the American Council of the
Blind. 

Defeated July 6, 1984.                   AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
                        RESOLUTION 84-13 

     WHEREAS, the Decade of Disabled Persons extends to 1992 and is
being ignored by the media; and 

     WHEREAS, there is much need for publicity concerning the needs
and abilities of the disabled; and 

     WHEREAS, the last White House conference on the handicapped
was held in 1977; and 

     WHEREAS, a second White House conference on the handicapped
could serve to develop policy, gain publicity, and promote
concerted action by the disabled community; 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind in convention assembled on this 6th day of July, 1984, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that this organization should initiate
with other organizations of disabled persons the steps necessary to
accomplish a White House conference on disabled persons; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the mandate of this conference
should include consideration of the report of the National Council
on the Handicapped concerning federal programs benefiting disabled
people, due to Congress by 1986; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this organization encourages
other organizations of disabled people to take cognizance of the
Decade of Disabled Persons in publicizing and planning such a
conference. 

Adopted July 6, 1984.                   AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
                       RESOLUTION 84-14   

     WHEREAS, the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America (RSVA) is a
national organization of blind men and women managing vending
facilities under the Randolph-Sheppard Act; and   

     WHEREAS, the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America is an
affiliate of the American Council of the Blind; and   

     WHEREAS, the Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired
under the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) has been
represented at national conventions of the Randolph-Sheppard
Vendors of America in the past; and   

     WHEREAS, the Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired
under the Rehabilitation Services Administration is the federal
office responsible for administering the Randolph-Sheppard Act; and 
 

     WHEREAS, attendance by representatives of the Division for the
Blind and Visually Impaired at the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of
America conventions is both beneficial to us as consumers and to
the federal office's administrators;   

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind in convention assembled on this 6th day of July, 1984, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that this organization vigorously
expresses our displeasure with the Rehabilitation Services
Administration at its refusal to send the Director of the Division
for the Blind and Visually Impaired to the 1984 national convention
of the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America under the pretext of
lack of funds; and   

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the American Council of the Blind
requests that the U.S. Department of Education give the
Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America assurances that
representatives of RSA's Washington office will be permitted to
attend national conventions of the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of
America/American Council of the Blind as a part of its
responsibility in the administration of this federal/state program;
and   

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the officers and directors of the
American Council of the Blind are hereby directed to communicate
this resolution to the President of the United States and to the
Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. 

Adopted July 6, 1984.                   AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
                       RESOLUTION 84-15   

     WHEREAS, items mailed "free matter for the blind and
physically handicapped" often arrive late, damaged, or not at all;
and 

     WHEREAS, there are no congressional regulations dealing
specifically with "free matter" mail; and 

     WHEREAS, congressional appropriations subsidizing the mailing
of personal braille, large print, recorded material, and
specialized equipment to improve the lives of blind and physically
handicapped persons constitute an important service; 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind in convention assembled on this 6th day of July, 1984, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that we urge the American Council of
the Blind and all the affiliates thereof to gather together
detailed reports of "free matter" mail mishaps which have occurred
within the last year. The results of such information gathering
shall be communicated to appropriate legislators and federal
officials; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this organization directs its
officers and staff to make recommendations to appropriate agencies
and committees based on the results of this investigation; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution shall
be sent to appropriate congressional committees, federal agencies,
and other appropriate persons. 

Adopted July 6, 1984.                   AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
                       RESOLUTION 84-16   

     WHEREAS, federal funding for stipends and fellowships for
students at personnel training programs for teachers of visually
impaired children, orientation and mobility instructors,
rehabilitation teachers, and counselors for the blind have been
reduced each year since 1976; and   

     WHEREAS, this reduction in funding has caused many programs to
close and to reduce the number of faculty positions, and has
impeded the recruitment and development of high quality teaching
personnel; and   

     WHEREAS, this reduction in funding has forced such programs to
reduce the number of teachers accepted for training; and   

     WHEREAS, reduction of stipends has made it difficult to
recruit applicants for study in numbers equal to program capacity;
and   

     WHEREAS, the incidence of blindness is increasing while the
number of qualified graduates of such programs continues to
decrease; and   

     WHEREAS, the Rehabilitation Services Administration has been
advised of shortages in qualified graduates from professional
preparation programs for the blind and visually impaired; and   

     WHEREAS, case loads and class sizes are increasing up to four
times their previous levels; and   

     WHEREAS, this shortage of qualified graduates has resulted in
the utilization of graduates who lack the ability to deal
effectively with the unique problems of visually impaired children
and adults;   

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind in convention assembled on this 5th day of July, 1984, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that this organization work closely
with the Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the
Blind and Visually Impaired to seek categorical funding to increase
the availability of fellowships and stipends for such programs; and 
 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the officers and staff of this
organization are requested to communicate to state agencies serving
the blind and visually impaired that the recruitment of qualified,
trained professionals should be considered a high priority given
the need to provide effective, specialized training services for
blind persons of all ages; and   

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Association for the Education
and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired be urged to
promulgate and enforce standards which should be communicated to
programs providing training in these fields with a view to
maintaining and improving the quality of such programs which train
teachers of the visually impaired; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Commissioner of the
Rehabilitation Services Administration be urged to designate the
use of discretionary funds for the alleviation of this serious
shortage of personnel; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution shall
be sent to the Rehabilitation Services Administration, the National
Council of State Agencies for the Blind and the Council of State
Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation. 

Adopted July 5, 1984.                   AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
                        RESOLUTION 84-17 

     WHEREAS, diabetes is one of the leading causes of blindness;
and 

     WHEREAS, blind diabetics comprise a very high percentage of
the readership of the Diabetes Forecast, the official publication
of the American Diabetes Association; and 

     WHEREAS, blind diabetics need access to the total information
available in the Diabetic Forecast including advertising; 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind in convention assembled on this 6th day of July, 1984, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that the officers and staff of this
organization are hereby directed to make every effort to insure
that such information is accessible to blind and visually impaired
diabetics; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the American Council of the Blind
shall work cooperatively with the American Diabetes Association
toward the achievement of this goal 

Adopted July 6, 1984.                   AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
                        RESOLUTION 84-18 

     WHEREAS, the American Council of the Blind constitution and
bylaws mandate the size and composition of standing committees and
prescribe the date by which the members of such committees shall be
appointed; and 

     WHEREAS, in many instances members of standing committees have
not been appointed in a timely fashion; and 

     WHEREAS, due to limited time members of the American Council
of the Blind have not had ample opportunity to communicate with
members of such standing committees; and 

     WHEREAS, late appointment of standing committee members has
significantly impaired the ability of committee chairpersons to
conduct effectively the business of their respective committees; 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind in convention assembled on this 6th day of July, 1984, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that the membership of the American
Council of the Blind regards the timely appointment of standing
committee members as a high priority in the functioning and
governance of this organization. 

Adopted July 6, 1984.                   AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
                        RESOLUTION 84-19 

     WHEREAS, over the last several years the American Council of
the Blind's board of directors has provided financial assistance to
the National Association of the Deaf/Blind to help support its
national convention and newsletter; and 

     WHEREAS, the board of directors of the American Council of the
Blind has authorized funds for, but has not yet purchased, a
telephone communication device for the national office to interact
with deaf and deaf/blind persons; and 

     WHEREAS, involvement by deaf/blind persons has been restricted
by the fact that interpreter services have not been provided at
national conventions; and 

     WHEREAS, the American Council of the Blind's purpose is to
provide an open forum for all blind persons; 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind in convention assembled on this 6th day of July, 1984, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that the American Council of the Blind
national staff be directed to purchase immediately an appropriate
telecommunications device which will facilitate communications with
both deaf and the deaf/blind; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the American Council of the Blind
initiate an outreach program to encourage deaf/blind membership in
the American Council of the Blind; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the funds be allocated for
interpreter services to be provided at the next American Council of
the Blind national convention. 

Referred to board of directors July 6, 1984.                   AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
                        RESOLUTION 84-20 

     WHEREAS, the American Council of the Blind of California is
concerned with the future of the American Council of the Blind; and


     WHEREAS, it has been a recognized policy of the American
Council of the Blind not to encourage multiple affiliates in each
state and the Council has not previously deviated from this policy
except where there are very special circumstances, and then not
until sufficient time has elapsed to exhaust all possibility of
merger within the state; and 

     WHEREAS, there are other state affiliates in several states
that may be faced with the prospect of a second affiliate being
proposed from their state; and 

     WHEREAS, there are states who have large affiliates who may
deem it wise and necessary to form new affiliates in order to
equalize or exceed the voting power of those states who now have
more than one affiliate; and 

     WHEREAS, multiple affiliates in any state increases the chance
and opportunity for conflicting policies within the American
Council of the Blind and confuses the various governmental bodies
and agencies within the state as well as the blind population of
the state; and 

     WHEREAS, the board of directors of the American Council of the
Blind at its preconvention board meeting saw fit to admit a second
affiliate from California regardless of the strong opposition from
the American Council of the Blind of California and without
allowing sufficient time for the two organizations to explore and
perhaps achieve merger; and 

     WHEREAS, the constitution of the American Council of the Blind
must provide a consistent, authoritative framework for our
organization; 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the membership of this
organization in convention assembled on this 6th day of July, 1984,
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, directs the board of directors to
authorize funds to enable the Constitution and Bylaws Committee to
undertake a detailed and complete review of the constitution and
bylaws of the American Council of the Blind; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that such a review shall include, but
not be limited to, constitution and bylaw provisions governing
credentials, voting, affiliation, and general organizational
structure; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that such consideration should aim to
create a governing document for this organization that will prevent
insofar as is possible the confusion and uncertainty that currently
surrounds many elements of the constitution; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that adequate time be allowed at the
next convention for a full discussion of the document that is to be
presented; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that no other dual state affiliation
be granted until the report of said committee has been fully
presented before the convention and the recommendations contained
therein, if any, have been acted upon by the membership of this
organization. 

Defeated July 6, 1984.                   AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
                       RESOLUTION 84-21   

     WHEREAS, the Association for the Education of the Visually
Handicapped (AEVH), representing services to visually impaired
children and youth, and the American Association of Workers for the
Blind (AAWB), representing rehabilitation, social, independent
living, and other service providers to blind and visually impaired
adults, maintained independent professional organizations
throughout the 20th century; and   

     WHEREAS, these two organizations have unified in 1984 to
combine their knowledge, expertise, and interests by establishing
the Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of Blind and
Visually Impaired (AERBVI);   

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind in convention assembled on this 7th day of July, 1984, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that the American Council of the Blind
commends the officers, board of directors, and members of AEVH and
AAWB for their progressive action, and extends its congratulations
to the new Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the
Blind and Visually Impaired; and   

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the American Council of the Blind
exhorts AERBVI to actively continue to seek input from consumers
and consumer organizations such as the American Council of the
Blind; and   

     BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the officers and directors of the
American Council of the Blind convey copies of this resolution to
the officers and board of directors of the Association for the
Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired. 

Adopted July 7, 1984.                   AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
                        RESOLUTION 84-22 

     WHEREAS, the American Council of the Blind is the fastest
growing national organization of blind and visually impaired
persons; and 

     WHEREAS, a significant number of American Council of the Blind
members have useful residual vision; and 

     WHEREAS, these partially sighted members have difficulty
visually negotiating unmarked steps, landings, and elevators; and 

     WHEREAS, they also have difficulty locating the restrooms in
public buildings; and 

     WHEREAS, appropriate markings would assist these individuals
in making identification of such hazards and facilities; 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind in convention assembled on this 7th day of July, 1984, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that this organization urges the host
committees of conventions of the American Council of the Blind and
its affiliates to make every effort to provide such necessary
markings. 

Adopted July 7, 1984.                   AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
                        RESOLUTION 84-23 

     WHEREAS, the American Council of the Blind has historically
dedicated itself to increasing the quality of life for blind
persons; and 

     WHEREAS, in arranging for its annual convention the American
Council of the Blind gives great attention to creating an
environment where attendees have clean, healthy, and comfortable
accommodations; and 

     WHEREAS, the American Council of the Blind is dedicated to
improving the quality of life for society at large by example; 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind in convention assembled on this 7th day of July, 1984, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that future plenary and programmatic
sessions of the annual convention be designated as times when
smoking will not be permitted in the hall where business is being
conducted. 

Adopted July 7, 1984.                   AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
                        RESOLUTION 84-24 

     WHEREAS, decreasing vision is often a result of aging; and 

     WHEREAS, people are living longer and the majority of legally
blind people are over 55; and 

     WHEREAS, many elderly people have contributed significantly to
society and could continue to do so if they could receive
information, counseling, and instructional services which would
help them cope with failing eyesight in a dignified manner; and 

     WHEREAS, appropriate independent living instruction and
adequate support services would enable many elderly visually
impaired persons to continue to live in their homes and
communities, and 

     WHEREAS, such an arrangement would be more cost-effective than
institutionalization; and 

     WHEREAS, Title VII, Part C of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973,as amended in 1978, authorized funding for programs for the
elderly; and 

     WHEREAS, the Older Americans Act provides funding for
demonstration projects under Section 421 which may be of value to
elderly blind persons; 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind in convention assembled on this 7th day of July, 1984, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that the officers, directors, and
affiliates of the American Council of the Blind should encourage
Congress to appropriate funds under Title VII, Part C; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this organization urges the
Commissioner on Aging to fund a demonstration project relative to
services which will help older blind Americans to maximize their
independence. 

Adopted July 7, 1984.                   AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
                       RESOLUTION 84-25   

     WHEREAS, manufacturers are incorporating touch sensitive
controls on common electrical devices including, but not limited
to, washers, dryers, microwave ovens, and television sets; and   

     WHEREAS, the operation of such devices has become an integral
and necessary part of daily independent living for blind people;
and   

     WHEREAS, the inclusion of touch sensitive controls makes
operation of these devices difficult or impossible for blind
people;   

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind in convention assembled on this 7th day of July, 1984, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that the American Council of the Blind
actively encourages and offers assistance to manufacturers in
making available modifications to these devices at reasonable cost
to enable blind people to operate this equipment independently. 

Adopted July 7, 1984.                   AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
                        RESOLUTION 84-26 

     WHEREAS, the state of Hawaii Animal Quarantine Statute as
currently written effectively restricts the right of users of guide
dogs to travel freely into that state; and 

     WHEREAS, the Aloha Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired,
Guide Dog Users, Inc. and the American Council of the Blind have
joined in a concerted, cooperative effort to seek modification of
the statute so as to enable users of guide dogs to exercise this
right; and 

     WHEREAS, the overwhelming burden of this effort has fallen
upon the Aloha Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired, being
the one organization capable of a sustained, maximum program
designed to achieve this end; and 

     WHEREAS, the Aloha Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired
and its individual members have expended much time, effort, and
many resources toward this end; 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind in convention assembled on this 7th day of July, 1984, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that this organization hereby extends
its deepest appreciation and pledges the fullest material and moral
support to the Aloha Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired as
that organization continues to press for the right of free and
independent access to the beautiful State of Hawaii by all visually
handicapped persons; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be
transmitted to the Aloha Council of the Blind and Visually
Impaired. 

Adopted July 7, 1984.                   AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
                        RESOLUTION 84-27 

     WHEREAS, the Council of Citizens with Low Vision is a major
affiliate of the American Council of the Blind; and 

     WHEREAS, the American Council of the Blind has a long history
of support for accreditation of agencies serving blind and visually
impaired persons; and 

     WHEREAS, such accreditation fosters development of and
implementation of high quality services; and 

     WHEREAS, the National Accreditation Council for Agencies
Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped (NAC) publishes
standards and accredits low vision services; 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind in convention assembled on this 7th day of July, 1984, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that this organization supports the
Council of Citizens with Low Vision in encouraging low vision
services to seek accreditation from NAC as a means of increasing
the quantity and quality of services throughout the United States. 

Adopted July 7, 1984.                   AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
                        RESOLUTION 84-28 

     WHEREAS, many blind and visually impaired persons have been
denied access to intracity paratransit service on the ground that
blind persons can utilize fixed-route, mass transit vehicles; and 
     WHEREAS, in many instances blind and visually impaired persons
are effectively excluded from public transportation when they are
not permitted to use paratransit services; 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind in convention assembled on this 7th day of July, 1984, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that this organization should develop
a comprehensive recommendation relative to the use of paratransit
services by blind and visually impaired persons; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the officers and staff of this
organization are hereby directed to take such steps as may be
necessary to implement and publicize these recommendations. 

Adopted July 7, 1984.                   AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
                        RESOLUTION 84-31 

     WHEREAS, colleges and universities have often been unwilling
to afford equal opportunities and access to educational programs to
blind and visually impaired students; and 

     WHEREAS, the American Council of the Blind ought to commend
programs and activities which are prepared to allow blind and
visually impaired people of this country to maximize their
potential; and 

     WHEREAS, Temple University has shown a willingness to extend
equal opportunity and access to its educational programs to blind
and visually impaired persons by accepting David Hartman into its
medical school; 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind in convention assembled on this 7th day of July, 1984, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that this organization commends the
administration, faculty, and staff of Temple University for its
courage, foresight, and openness in allowing Dr. David Hartman to
enter its medical school; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution should
be transmitted to Temple University and to Dr. David Hartman. 

Adopted July 7, 1984.