[Ohio-Communities-of-Faith] 2025 National Resolutions

[smturner.234 at gmail.com]

Ohio,

 

Here are the 2025 Resolutions that were passed at the convention.

 

The text is below the links.

 

Suzanne

 

2025 Resolutions

The following resolutions were passed were during the national convention <https://nfb.org/get-involved/national-convention>  on Saturday, July 12, 2025.

Table of Contents

Choose a link below to navigate to the respective resolution section.

*	RESOLUTION 2025-01 Regarding Standards for Braille Signage <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#1> 
*	RESOLUTION 2025-02 Regarding Traffic Signs that Warn Drivers about Blind Pedestrians <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#2> 
*	RESOLUTION 2025-03 Regarding the American Council on Education and Their Letter to the Office of Management and Budget on the Americans with Disabilities Act Title II Website Regulations <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#3> 
*	RESOLUTION 2025-04 Regarding the Lack of DeafBlind Leadership at Helen Keller Services and the Helen Keller National Center for DeafBlind Youths and Adults <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#4> 
*	RESOLUTION 2025-05 Regarding Equal Access to High-Quality Audio Formats for Blind Viewers Who Use Audio Description <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#5> 
*	RESOLUTION 2025-06 <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#6>   Regarding Internet Service Providers
*	RESOLUTION 2025-07 Regarding Medicare Telehealth Benefits <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#7> 
*	RESOLUTION 2025-08 Regarding Recent Changes in the Operation of the Social Security Administration <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#8> 
*	RESOLUTION 2025-09 Regarding Improving Accessibility of Enterprise Software Tools <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#9> 
*	RESOLUTION 2025-10 <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#10>  Regarding the Accessibility of Human Research Protection Program Processes
*	RESOLUTION 2025-11 Regarding the Coverage of Continuous Glucose Monitoring Devices by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#11> 
*	RESOLUTION 2025-12 Regarding the Demand for Accountable and Inclusive Lawmaking <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#12> 
*	RESOLUTION 2025-13 Regarding the Improper Classification of Braille Notetaking Technology by the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#13> 
*	RESOLUTION 2025-14 Regarding the Institute of Museum and Library Services <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#14> 
*	RESOLUTION 2025-16 <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#16>  Regarding Universal Availability of PDF Remediation Tools
*	RESOLUTION 2025-17 Regarding the Implementation of Voluntary SelfID Systems for Uber and Lyft Riders who use Guide Dogs <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#17> 
*	RESOLUTION 2025-18 Regarding Tandem’s Mobi Insulin Delivery System, the First Accessible Insulin Pump Application for Apple iOS Users <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#18> 
*	RESOLUTION 2025-19 Regarding the Executive Order to Eliminate the United States Department of Education <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#19> 
*	RESOLUTION 2025-20 Regarding an Immediate Motion to Dismiss <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#20>  Texas v. Kennedy
*	RESOLUTION 2025-21 Regarding Urging the American Civil Liberties Union to Support Accessible Electronic Ballot Return for Voters with Disabilities <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#21> 
*	Resolution 2025-22 Regarding the Consolidation of Blindness Services Under a General Disability Services Agency <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#22> 

RESOLUTION 2025-01 Regarding Standards for Braille Signage

WHEREAS, public signage that is intended to provide regulatory information or to facilitate wayfinding, identification, or safety requires accuracy for clear and effective communication; and

WHEREAS, because of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility standards and other related technical guidance on public spaces and facilities, Braille is now commonly found on signs for elevators, doors, stairways, accessible pedestrian signals (APS), and the like; and

WHEREAS, the ADA standards and related guidance have no specific provisions on verifying that Braille signs are error-free, but they do require that Braille on signage be in “Grade 2 Braille” (more commonly called contracted Braille), meaning that the Braille is to include contractions used according to specific rules; and

WHEREAS, Unified English Braille (UEB), adopted by the Braille Authority of North America to replace the older rules of English Braille American Edition in the United States, uses most of the same symbols, contractions, and rules for Grade 2 Braille as before but includes several important revisions that increase the reliability of digital communication between print and Braille users; and

WHEREAS, although nearly ten years have passed since the implementation of UEB in the United States in 2016, many sign manufacturers have still not updated their software or processes to the current UEB standard for Grade 2 (contracted) Braille, with the result that even some of the newest public signs include outdated Braille with discontinued contractions and other ambiguous usage; and

WHEREAS, one example of outdated Braille is commonly found on signage for APS, where the ordinal street numbers such as “7th Street” are Brailled using the contraction for the letters “th”, in violation of the rule against using contractions immediately following digits in Braille (⠼⠛⠹ should be ⠼⠛⠞⠓); and 

WHEREAS, although a Braille reader, especially one who learned Braille more than ten years ago, may be able to infer the intent of the sign in this particularly common example, a higher standard should apply for public signage than “the reader can figure it out”; and

WHEREAS, aside from the confusion and potential safety risks of ambiguous or inaccurate Braille on public signs, outdated Braille (even when correct according to pre-UEB rules) fosters uncertainty about the rules, undermining Braille’s reliability for communication—If a Braille user assumes the Braille is correct on the public sign and copies the outdated usage when Brailling for communication with print readers, the conversion to print will not say what the writer intended to say: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this twelfth day of July, 2025, in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, that this organization demand that all purveyors of signage in public spaces ensure immediately that their transcription and quality assurance processes are up-to-date so that their signs are Brailled according to the current standard of Unified English Braille; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call upon all entities contracting with sign manufacturers to require in their contracts proofreading of the Braille on signs by a certified transcriber or proofreader, and to require verification that the signs are Brailled in Unified English Braille; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call upon all governmental and other entities responsible for public signage to update existing signs that contain outdated or inaccurate Braille.

Return to the Table of Contents <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#index> 

RESOLUTION 2025-02 Regarding Traffic Signs that Warn Drivers about Blind Pedestrians

WHEREAS, with proper training, blind people can learn how to cross streets safely and independently; and

WHEREAS, to avoid collisions, drivers must be aware of pedestrians, regardless of whether the pedestrians are blind or sighted; and

WHEREAS, some cities and states have installed traffic signs to warn drivers of the presence of blind pedestrians, especially near vocational rehabilitation agencies, schools, and libraries for the blind; and,

WHEREAS, such signs exist to alert drivers to the potential street crossings of wildlife or children, which have limited capacity to obey traffic laws; and

WHEREAS, the messages sent by these signs about the ineptitude of blind pedestrians are inaccurate and contribute to the systemic marginalization of blind people; and

WHEREAS, other types of signs that are inclusive to sighted pedestrians are equally useful in warning drivers about our presence, such as school zone signs near schools for the blind and children at play signs near homes of blind children; and

WHEREAS, the Federal Highway Administration issues guidelines regarding the wording of traffic signs, including those related to pedestrians, in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD); and

WHEREAS, city and state officials often consult the MUTCD when making decisions about traffic signs: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this twelfth day of July, 2025, in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, that this organization urge the Federal Highway Administration to include guidance in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices to discourage the use of traffic signs that specifically warn drivers of the potential presence of blind pedestrians because of how these signs perpetuate low expectations and inaccurate ideas about blindness and instead encourage the use of traffic signs that are inclusive to both blind and sighted pedestrians.  

Return to the Table of Contents <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#index> 

RESOLUTION 2025-03 Regarding the American Council on Education and Their Letter to the Office of Management and Budget on the Americans with Disabilities Act Title II Website Regulations

WHEREAS, on July 26, 1990, the landmark disability legislation known as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law; and

WHEREAS, Title II of the ADA requires state and local governments, including publicly funded educational institutions, to ensure their communications with individuals with disabilities are “as effective as” communications with nondisabled individuals; and

WHEREAS, since 1996, the United States Department of Justice has made clear that this obligation includes its communications via the internet and mobile applications; and 

WHEREAS, educational institutions and other state and local government entities have claimed to be unclear exactly how they should comply with the “equally effective communication” obligation; and

WHEREAS, over the course of the last decade and a half, the Department of Justice has repeatedly made clear that ADA Title II website accessibility regulations were being promulgated, including an advance notice of proposed rulemaking in 2010, a supplementary advance notice of proposed rulemaking in 2016, and a notice of proposed rulemaking in 2023; and 

WHEREAS, each of the above rulemaking procedures allowed for the required period of public comment submission, and received nearly one thousand comments combined; and

WHEREAS, in April 2024, the Department of Justice released the final rule regarding ADA Title II website and mobile application accessibility; and 

WHEREAS, this final rule definitively clarified what was required to meet Title II’s equally effective communication requirement in the context of state and local government websites and mobile applications by providing a clear technical standard based on an internationally recognized and widely adopted consensus standard, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG); and 

WHEREAS, the final rule established the clarity that educational institutions had been requesting for years and ensured that access to state and local government websites, including those of educational institutions, would be accessible following the rule’s effective date; and

WHEREAS, on May 12, 2025, the American Council on Education, on behalf of thirteen other educational consumer and advocacy organizations, sent a letter to the Office of Management and Budget calling on the administration to “delay or provide additional information” regarding the ADA Title II website and mobile application accessibility final rule; and 

WHEREAS, the reason given for this requested delay is “a lack of clarity as to what compliance may necessitate,” even though clarity is exactly what the final rule provides: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this twelfth day of July, 2025, in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, that this organization condemn and deplore the American Council on Education for its brazen and shameless attempt to evade the requirement that education be accessible to Americans with disabilities by asking the Department of Justice to delay the ADA Title II website and mobile application accessibility final rule; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization condemn and deplore American Association of Community Colleges, American Association of State Colleges and Universities, American Indian Higher Education Consortium, Association of American Universities, Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities Council of Graduate Schools, EDUCAUSE, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, National Association of College and University Business Officers, National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, and National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators for being complicit in this scheme to undermine website and mobile application accessibility; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand that the United States Department of Justice maintain the current implementation schedule for the final rule; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand that the United States Department of Justice maintain all of the current requirements of the final rule, as there is no basis for reconsidering a rule that has already gone through more than a decade of consideration, public input, and adjustment. 

Return to the Table of Contents <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#index> 

RESOLUTION 2025-04 Regarding the Lack of DeafBlind Leadership at Helen Keller Services and the Helen Keller National Center for DeafBlind Youths and Adults

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind issued a letter in support of the DeafBlind Leadership Now coalition’s condemnation of the announcement in August 2024 regarding the Helen Keller Services board of directors not choosing a qualified deafblind individual to run Helen Keller Services and the Helen Keller National Center for DeafBlind Youths and Adults; and 

WHEREAS, Helen Keller Services, in the same announcement, asked the community for input on creating a working group, with one of the stated goals being to develop a leadership training program; and 

WHEREAS, Helen Keller Services apparently has a working group of hand-picked non-consumer representative deafblind persons; and 

WHEREAS, the organization has not included consumer groups or organizations of and for the deafblind in this working group; and

WHEREAS, Helen Keller Services has given no timeline for when this group might meet, how the group might function, or even whether it will address the goals of the petition circulated within the deafblind community and the blindness community in general: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this twelfth day of July, 2025, in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, that this organization demand that Helen Keller Services include consumer organization representatives in this working group; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand that Helen Keller Services appoint a deafblind head of its agency as soon as practicable; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call upon Helen Keller Services to work with the National Federation of the Blind to ensure that there is a greater role for consumer groups of and for the deafblind.

Return to the Table of Contents <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#index> 

RESOLUTION 2025-05 Regarding Equal Access to High-Quality Audio Formats for Blind Viewers Who Use Audio Description

WHEREAS, blind people have the same right to enjoy entertainment content as their sighted peers, including full access to the high-quality audio formats made possible by modern production techniques and available on popular streaming services; and

WHEREAS, audio description is a critical accessibility feature that provides blind viewers with essential narrative and contextual information about visual elements in film and television content; and

WHEREAS, many streaming platforms now produce and distribute content with immersive, high-quality audio formats such as Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and other spatial audio technologies to enhance the viewing and listening experience for viewers who have the equipment to process such formats and who subscribe to the service tiers that include them; and

WHEREAS, despite this technological advancement, most streaming services—including Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and Peacock—appear to offer most of the audio described versions of their programs only in stereo or mono audio tracks, effectively requiring blind viewers to choose between accessibility and audio quality; and

WHEREAS, the experience of blind consumers and available information indicate that only Apple TV+ currently includes full immersive audio across all its programming when a user switches to the audio-described track, and Max indicates that it has done so for a limited selection of titles; and

WHEREAS, there is no technical barrier preventing the inclusion of audio description in Dolby Atmos or comparable formats, and doing so would ensure that blind viewers receive an equivalent entertainment experience; and

WHEREAS, blind subscribers who have the viewing/listening equipment to process Dolby Atmos and other high-quality audio and who pay for the service tiers that include high-quality audio formats should receive the same high-quality audio content that other subscribers paying the same rate are receiving: Now, therefore, 

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this twelfth day of July, 2025, in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, that this organization demand that all streaming platforms, including but not limited to Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and Peacock, include high-quality, immersive audio of the program when audio description is enabled, to adopt the standard set by Apple TV+ across all its titles and Max for select titles.

Return to the Table of Contents <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#index> 

RESOLUTION 2025-06 Regarding Internet Service Providers

WHEREAS, many Americans rely on the internet to access information; and

WHEREAS, internet service providers are necessary for connection to the internet; and

WHEREAS, many blind people rely on access technology to connect to the internet; and 

WHEREAS, many blind people own access technology they cannot use because they cannot connect it to the internet (e.g. according to the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, only 20 percent of BARD users are able to connect directly to BARD) despite free and low-cost equipment that would enable them to do so; and 

WHEREAS, most internet service providers either do not have or do not readily make available to local representatives of their companies any employees with knowledge of screen access technology or any technology used by the blind; and 

WHEREAS, internet service providers often utilize tax dollars to participate in federal, state, and local programs to provide free or low-cost internet service to low-income users: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this twelfth day of July, 2025, in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, that this organization demand internet service providers hire qualified blind people to make sure that their services are accessible to the blind; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand that internet service providers provide specialized assistance to help blind people connect to the internet, including in-person services where necessary; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization urge internet service providers to consider screen access technology users in any electronic or printed instructions or training materials, and that diagnostic indicators such as lights available to sighted users have a nonvisually accessible substitute; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization urge any government agency administering grants to internet service providers for programs that provide free and low-cost service to low-income users also ensure that those programs are accessible to people with disabilities, including the blind.

Return to the Table of Contents <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#index> 

RESOLUTION 2025-07 Regarding Medicare Telehealth Benefits

WHEREAS, in March 2020, Medicare telehealth benefits were expanded to help mitigate the risk of exposure to COVID-19 by allowing Medicare beneficiaries to conduct virtual checkups with their physicians; and 

WHEREAS, the expansion of these benefits was of great value to blind and low-vision Americans, particularly those who live in rural areas, who may have difficulty securing reliable transportation for regular physician visits; and 

WHEREAS, since that initial expansion, the expiration date for these expanded telehealth benefits has been extended by Congress numerous times via continuing resolutions; and

WHEREAS, these extensions, while providing more time for blind and other Americans who may have difficulty traveling to their physician’s offices, have not made the expanded telehealth benefits permanent; and

WHEREAS, on March 5, 2025, President Riccobono sent a letter to all members of Congress urging them to make these telehealth benefits permanent through legislation; and

WHEREAS, in the most recent continuing resolution that was passed in late March, Congress included another extension to the Medicare telehealth benefits which, though helpful, once again sets an expiration date; and

WHEREAS, if Congress does not act, the expanded Medicare telehealth benefits that were extended with March’s continuing resolution will expire on September 30, 2025: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this twelfth day of July, 2025, in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, that this organization call upon the United States Congress to make permanent the Medicare telehealth services that are currently scheduled to expire on September 30, 2025.

Return to the Table of Contents <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#index> 

RESOLUTION 2025-08 Regarding Recent Changes in the Operation of the Social Security Administration

WHEREAS, the United States Social Security Administration (SSA) was created in 1935, and for nearly ninety years has provided financial protection through retirement, disability, and survivors benefits; and 

WHEREAS, two critical programs that affect blind Americans and are operated by the SSA are Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI); and 

WHEREAS, the effective and efficient operation of SSI and SSDI ensures that blind Americans and other Americans with disabilities are able to afford basic monthly expenses such as their mortgage, rent, or groceries; and 

WHEREAS, in February 2025, the SSA announced that it plans to reduce the number of employees working in the administration by approximately seven thousand, or 12 percent, to historically low levels in spite of facing historically high demand; and 

WHEREAS, in March 2025, the SSA announced that it would be changing the overpayment withholding rate from 10 percent back to 100 percent of a beneficiary’s monthly SSDI payment; and

WHEREAS, in April 2025, following a letter from the National Federation of the Blind, the Social Security Administration announced that the maximum overpayment withholding rate for SSDI payments was being reduced from 100 percent to 50 percent, which is still outrageous; and

WHEREAS, the reduction in staffing of field offices and telephone services is a recipe for disaster that will result in crowded offices with overburdened staff and absurdly long wait times for people who need their problem to be addressed as soon as possible; and

WHEREAS, withholding 50 percent of a beneficiary’s monthly SSDI payment, which many recipients depend upon to pay their monthly bills, in order to reclaim an overpayment that was the error of the SSA and not the recipient is unconscionable: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this twelfth day of July, 2025, in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, that this organization urge the Social Security Administration to reconsider its approach to staffing reduction to facilitate effective and efficient processing of beneficiary claims and problems; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand that the Social Security Administration reinstate the 10 percent overpayment withholding rate for a beneficiary’s monthly SSDI payment. 

Return to the Table of Contents <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#index> 

RESOLUTION 2025-09 Regarding Improving Accessibility of Enterprise Software Tools

WHEREAS, blind employees routinely encounter inaccessible software tools when joining new employers, creating barriers to productivity and career advancement; and

WHEREAS, modern start-ups and enterprises rely heavily on cloud-based “software as a service” (SaaS) solutions for collaboration, project management, human resources, finance, and equity management; and

WHEREAS, blind entrepreneurs with the capacity to create jobs and bring innovative ideas to fruition are disadvantaged when packages commonly used at start-ups are not accessible; and 

WHEREAS, although some platforms (such as Slack and Microsoft 365) offer robust accessibility features, the vast majority of widely adopted tools—such as Monday.com, Smartsheet, Jira (including Atlassian’s Confluence and Product Discovery modules), and Carta have significant accessibility defects which make them difficult or impossible for blind people to use; and 

WHEREAS, even systems with partial accessibility often fail to meet a higher standard of being not only accessible and usable, but a “joy to use” for blind employees, thereby disadvantaging both employers seeking to hire blind talent and blind professionals striving for workplace equality; and 

WHEREAS, ensuring accessibility in enterprise tools requires no new legislation, only sustained spotlighting, advocacy, and collaboration with software providers: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this twelfth day of July, 2025, in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, that this organization call upon all providers of enterprise software to adopt and rigorously implement the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA and to engage in formal accessibility testing with blind users before general release; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we urge major SaaS companies—including but not limited to Atlassian, Monday.com, Smartsheet, Upwork, and Carta—to seek the advice of blind people when conducting audits, devising plans to remediate accessibility barriers, and publishing roadmaps toward full compliance; and
 
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we encourage employers to prioritize accessibility as a first-order criterion when selecting internal tools, thereby driving market demand for inclusive design.

Return to the Table of Contents <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#index> 

RESOLUTION 2025-10 Regarding the Accessibility of Human Research Protection Program Processes

WHEREAS, a Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) is a comprehensive system within a research institution designed to safeguard the rights, safety, and welfare of human research participants; and

WHEREAS, an Institutional Review Board (IRB) is a committee within an HRPP that reviews and monitors research involving human participants to ensure their rights, safety, and welfare are protected, and that research is conducted ethically and in compliance with federal regulations; and

WHEREAS, researchers inside and outside academia must gain approval from an IRB to conduct research, but accessibility barriers in the IRB approval processes make it more difficult for blind researchers to gain the necessary approval; and

WHEREAS, the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) is the primary federal agency responsible for protecting human research subjects and ensuring that HRPPs comply with federal regulations; and

WHEREAS, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also regulates HRPPs and provides guidance for their operation, particularly for clinical investigations involving FDA-regulated products such as biological products, drugs, and medical devices; and

WHEREAS, the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP) accredits HRPPs; and

WHEREAS, AAHRPP accreditation signifies that an organization adheres to rigorous standards for conducting ethical research and protecting participants; and 

WHEREAS, none of these entities—the OHRP, the FDA, nor the AAHRPP—explicitly require HRPPs to ensure that their processes are accessible to blind researchers; and

WHEREAS, blind people have a right to conduct research like our sighted peers; and

WHEREAS, blind researchers have important perspectives to offer in academic discourse on any topic because of their valuable lived experiences; and

WHEREAS, the medical model of blindness, ableism, and the vision industrial complex are systemic belief systems that promote low expectations like the idea that blind people can only be human subjects in research to be studied and never the people conducting the study; and

WHEREAS, inaccessible HRPP processes, including trainings, forms, and web portals that researchers must use to engage with HRPPs as they conduct research, create barriers to the full participation of blind researchers in HRPPs, marginalizing the blind researchers and also jeopardizing the ethical standards that the programs aim to uphold: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this twelfth day of July, 2025, in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, that this organization urge the Office for Human Research Protections, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs to explicitly require that Human Research Protection Programs make all processes, including trainings, forms, and web portals, fully accessible to blind researchers.

Return to the Table of Contents <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#index> 

RESOLUTION 2025-11 Regarding the Coverage of Continuous Glucose Monitoring Devices by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

WHEREAS, blindness is a common complication for people with diabetes; and

WHEREAS, the incidence of blindness increases as life expectancy increases and more people are diagnosed with diabetes; and

WHEREAS, the traditional monitoring system requires the use of a lancing device to place a tiny blood sample on a test strip, a procedure that is difficult for blind or low-vision people to perform; and

WHEREAS, continuous 24/7 glucose monitoring (CGM) now provides users with glucose readings using a smartphone app through an exterior adhesive skin sensor; and

WHEREAS, real-time glucose monitoring is a major component of effective diabetes management; and

WHEREAS, CGM offers a more practical and accessible way for blind and low-vision people to monitor their glucose levels; and

WHEREAS, Medicare Part D, administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), provides coverage for lancing devices to all people with diabetes who qualify for CMS services, but only covers CGM devices for those who take insulin by injection or pill; and

WHEREAS, CMS does not recognize the additional benefits CGM devices provide, such as helping users identify problematic foods or triggers for blood sugar fluctuations; and

WHEREAS, the CMS policy of denying CGM device coverage to blind and low-vision people who do not take insulin is discriminatory, inequitable, and detrimental to their health; and

WHEREAS, when Medicare is available, it demands to be considered as the primary insurance provider, and private insurance providers, such as Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies, have discontinued prescription benefits and transferred them automatically to Medicare Part D; and 

WHEREAS, the cost of CGM devices is prohibitive for many people compared to the cost of lancing devices; and

WHEREAS, CMS and private insurers appear to be denying CGM devices primarily to reduce costs: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this twelfth day of July, 2025, in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, that this organization demand that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services end its discriminatory practice of denying continuous glucose monitoring coverage to blind and low-vision people who do not take insulin; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we urge the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to actively engage in partnership with the National Federation of the Blind to include coverage of all continuous glucose monitoring devices for blind and low-vision people with diabetes who qualify for Medicare Part D services, thereby ensuring better diabetes management and healthcare outcomes.

Return to the Table of Contents <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#index> 

RESOLUTION 2025-12 Regarding the Demand for Accountable and Inclusive Lawmaking

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind, the transformative organization that advances the lives of its members and all blind people in the United States, recognizes that blindness crosses all boundaries of race, class, gender, and geography, and therefore our movement reflects the full diversity of the American experience; and

WHEREAS, blind people continue to face deeply entrenched barriers that limit our full participation in society—not due to our blindness, but because of systemic inaccessibility, outdated perceptions, and exclusion from the policymaking process; and

WHEREAS, the members of the National Federation of the Blind organize, advocate, and mobilize to build a society where blind people live independently, work competitively, access education equitably, and are full participants in community and civic life—not as recipients of charity, but as equal members of society; and

WHEREAS, we fight for the nonvisual accessibility of technology, infrastructure, and services, because accessibility is not a luxury—it is a civil right, and its implementation benefits everyone through inclusive, forward-thinking design; and

WHEREAS, our independence and dignity are protected by civil rights laws that we have fought to win—and which we must now fight to preserve; and

WHEREAS, across the country, we are witnessing a disturbing trend of executive orders, legislative rollbacks, and regulatory changes—often carried out without consultation, transparency, or understanding—that threaten the civil and human rights of blind people; and 

WHEREAS, these actions, whether driven by cost-cutting, misinformation, or political expediency, disregard the lived experiences of disabled Americans and risk reversing decades of hard-won progress; and

WHEREAS, in 2025 alone, our movement has issued powerful, timely, and evidence-based statements to confront misguided policies and demand justice, including:

*	Comments supporting the FTC's consent order with accessiBe and opposing the promotion of ineffective overlay solutions (January 27)
*	Objection to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s position in Texas v. Kennedy (March 4)
*	Defense of access to Medicare telehealth options (March 5)
*	Opposition to proposed rule changes weakening the Randolph-Sheppard Program (March 10)
*	Advocacy for full funding of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (March 19)
*	Protest of the Executive Order seeking to dismantle the Department of Education (March 25)
*	A forceful response to the Social Security Administration’s harmful policy proposals (March 26)
*	Testimony to Congress defending the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (April 9)
*	Opposition to proposed rule changes by the Department of Energy that would roll back accessibility rules for new construction (June 6); and

WHEREAS, blind Americans demand—not request—a seat at every table where decisions are being made that affect our lives, our rights, and our futures; and

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind, a nonpartisan organization, will not remain silent while the rights and futures of blind Americans are being debated without our voices present: Now, therefore, 

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this twelfth day of July, 2025, in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, that this organization demand all publicly elected officials reject reactive, exclusionary, and uninformed policymaking, and instead commit to transparent, accountable, and inclusive decision-making that centers the voices of those directly affected; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand that elected officials consult and partner with the National Federation of the Blind and other national disability-led organizations when proposing, revising, or dismantling laws and policies that affect blind people, recognizing our expertise, leadership, and right to shape the systems that govern our lives.

Return to the Table of Contents <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#index> 

RESOLUTION 2025-13 Regarding the Improper Classification of Braille Notetaking Technology by the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program

WHEREAS, the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP), better known as iCanConnect, regularly publishes and updates the equipment that can be distributed to qualified program participants; and 

WHEREAS, it has come to the attention of the National Federation of the Blind DeafBlind Division’s Technology Committee that the BrailleSense 6, a blindness-specific piece of notetaking technology, was classified by the NDBEDP as a personal computer; and 

WHEREAS, in discussions with the program administrator via email on this subject, it became clear to the DeafBlind Division that this classification was solely done for expediency; and 

WHEREAS, in discussions with the vendor of this technology regarding this classification, the vendor indicated that it had no clue that the notetaker was being classified as a “computer”; and 

WHEREAS, the DeafBlind Division’s Technology Committee, while consulting with National Federation of the Blind access technology specialists who manage the International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind and other stakeholders, determined that the BrailleSense 6 was likely classified as a computer due to the cost of the item, nearly 6,000 dollars; and 

WHEREAS, the current rules of the program specifically state that clients may only have one computer; and

WHEREAS, since the BrailleSense 6 notetaker is classified as a computer, if a client needs or requests a notetaker to go along with a computer, the client runs the distinct risk of being asked to return a computer that they have been assigned in order to be awarded the use of a notetaker: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this twelfth day of July, 2025, in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, that this organization urge the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program and its network partner, the Perkins School for the Blind, to work with the National Federation of the Blind to find an appropriate notetaker classification so as to clarify with clients and other interested persons that Braille-based notetaking technology is a notetaker and not a personal computer; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand that iCanConnect and its network partners refrain from classifying notetaking technology as a personal computer simply because of the cost of notetaking technology; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand that the iCanConnect program administrator and their network partners educate trainers and state-authorized agencies to inform clients about the differences between a personal computer and a notetaking device intended for the blind.

Return to the Table of Contents <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#index> 

RESOLUTION 2025-14 Regarding the Institute of Museum and Library Services

WHEREAS, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) was established in 1996 with the mission to "advance, support, and empower America's museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development"; and

WHEREAS, the IMLS is the largest source of federal funding for libraries in the United States, distributing hundreds of millions of dollars to institutions in all fifty states and the District of Columbia each year; and 

WHEREAS, there are more than 120,000 libraries across the country, which serve as important centers for community engagement, the furtherance of literacy, extended research, and internet access for Americans; and 

WHEREAS, state libraries for the blind and print disabled in states across the country depend upon funding from the IMLS in order to provide a critical source of Braille and other specialized audio books for blind and low-vision Americans; and 

WHEREAS, on March 14, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14238 that directed the elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, as well as several other agencies; and

WHEREAS, without funding from the IMLS, blind and low-vision Americans across the country will lose access to critical services provided by state libraries for the blind and print disabled: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this twelfth day of July, 2025, in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, that this organization demand that President Trump rescind the directive to eliminate the Institute of Museum and Library Services in Executive Order 14238; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call upon the United States Congress to ensure that state libraries for the blind and print disabled remain fully funded via the IMLS Grants to States program for the 2025 Fiscal Year and beyond. 

Return to the Table of Contents <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#index> 

RESOLUTION 2025-16 Regarding Universal Availability of PDF Remediation Tools

WHEREAS, the Portable Document Format (PDF) is commonly used for the dissemination of a wide range of electronic documents; and

WHEREAS, Adobe, the creator of PDF, has developed a method of tagging a PDF document to ensure that it is accessible to blind people using screen readers; and

WHEREAS, failure on the part of a PDF creator to tag a file correctly may render the document inaccessible; and

WHEREAS, Acrobat Pro includes comprehensive accessibility checking and remediation tools to identify issues like missing tags, alt text, document reading order, forms, tables, lists, and headings; and

WHEREAS, those wishing to use such tools must purchase Adobe Pro at a minimum of 19.99 dollars per month; and

WHEREAS, no such remediation tools are available in the free Adobe Reader; and

WHEREAS, verifying the accessibility of a document is so fundamental that it should not be dependent on a user’s ability or willingness to pay: Now, therefore, 

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this twelfth day of July, 2025, in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, that this organization call upon Adobe to implement accessibility remediation tools in Adobe Reader, thus ensuring that accessibility checking and remediation tools are available to all.

Return to the Table of Contents <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#index> 

RESOLUTION 2025-17 Regarding the Implementation of Voluntary SelfID Systems for Uber and Lyft Riders who use Guide Dogs

WHEREAS, for more than a decade the National Federation of the Blind has sought to address discrimination against guide dog users by rideshare drivers; and 

WHEREAS, multiple lawsuits and settlements with rideshare companies did not result in hoped-for reductions in denials; and 

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind has continued to engage with rideshare companies, including via protests outside their offices on October 15, 2024; and 

WHEREAS, Federation members expressed additional frustration over the cumbersome and time-consuming process of reporting denials to rideshare companies; and 

WHEREAS, National Federation of the Blind leaders conceived of and proposed voluntary SelfID Opt-In systems by which rideshare companies themselves could automatically detect, deter, and deactivate drivers for such denials, greatly reducing the reporting burden on riders; and 

WHEREAS, those systems would also provide companies with data confirming our assertions that riders with service animals suffer denials at a much higher rate than other riders; and 

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind demanded that those systems be voluntary for riders and that investigations of all denial complaints be given the highest priority and weight, whether coming from those systems or not; and 

WHEREAS, the Federation insisted that rideshare companies ask no more than whether a service animal was required due to a disability and what service it is trained to perform when riders register to use those SelfID systems, as those are the only permissible inquiries under the Americans with Disabilities Act; and 

WHEREAS, the Federation also demanded that drivers only be told about service animals after accepting a ride so that denials would not escape detection; and 

WHEREAS, both Uber and Lyft acceded to our demands and agreed to develop and pilot such systems based on our proposals; and 

WHEREAS, members of the National Federation of the Blind participated in both Uber and Lyft’s pilots of those systems; and 

WHEREAS, Uber and Lyft made changes to the way their respective systems work in response to the feedback of Federation members; and 

WHEREAS, Federation members, and other participants in the pilots, indicated that those systems greatly reduced the burden of reporting denials; and 

WHEREAS, both Uber and Lyft have now made those systems available to all riders in the United States who wish to use them: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this twelfth day of July, 2025, in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, that this organization commend Uber and Lyft for implementing National Federation of the Blind-proposed voluntary SelfID Opt-In systems for riders with service animals; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization encourage Uber and Lyft to continue working with the National Federation of the Blind to improve the experience of their platforms and services for blind riders.

Return to the Table of Contents <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#index> 

RESOLUTION 2025-18 Regarding Tandem’s Mobi Insulin Delivery System, the First Accessible Insulin Pump Application for Apple iOS Users

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind is the transformative membership and advocacy organization of blind people, advancing the lives of its members and all blind people in the United States, and

WHEREAS, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, diabetes is the leading cause of blindness among working-age adults in the United States; and

WHEREAS, advances in medical technology have made it increasingly possible for people with diabetes to manage their condition effectively, particularly using insulin pumps and automated insulin delivery systems; and

WHEREAS, despite these advancements, most medical devices, including insulin pumps, remain inaccessible to blind and low-vision users; and

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind is committed to ensuring nonvisual access to all medical devices, as defined in our Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act legislation, and celebrates those manufacturers dedicated to this same goal; and

WHEREAS, Tandem Diabetes Care has developed the Mobi Automated Insulin Delivery System, a device controlled through a nonvisually accessible Apple iOS iPhone app, thereby allowing blind individuals with diabetes to manage their condition independently and effectively; and

WHEREAS, through this interface, the user can perform such functions as independently deliver a bolus dose, enter the number of carbohydrates consumed, check the remaining insulin in the cartridge, and monitor the battery level; and

WHEREAS, the app provides auditory guidance throughout the process, including step-by-step instructions for cartridge changes and speech output notifications with alarms for critical alerts such as low blood sugar, high blood sugar, and low insulin levels; and

WHEREAS, ensuring accessibility in the design of medical technology not only empowers blind and low-vision individuals but also enhances usability for all users through multimodal interfaces, thereby increasing overall adoption and return on investment: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this twelfth day of July, 2025, in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, that this organization commend Tandem Diabetes Care for its leadership in developing the Mobi Automated Insulin Delivery System with full consideration of nonvisual accessibility; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization urge all manufacturers of innovative medical technology to prioritize nonvisual accessibility from the earliest stages of design and development, thereby ensuring equal access to essential health management tools for blind and low-vision individuals.

Return to the Table of Contents <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#index> 

RESOLUTION 2025-19 Regarding the Executive Order to Eliminate the United States Department of Education

WHEREAS, the United States Department of Education administers programs essential to promote education, independence, and economic opportunity for millions of blind Americans; and

WHEREAS, contained within the Department of Education is the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, which houses the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) providing essential resources for blind people to obtain education and employment; and 

WHEREAS, these divisions are responsible for the enforcement and oversight of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq.), the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) federal quota program (20 U.S.C. § 101 et seq.), vocational rehabilitation services (29 U.S.C. § 701 et seq.), the Randolph-Sheppard program (20 U.S.C. § 107 et seq.), and the Independent Living Services for Older Individuals who are Blind (OIB) program (29 U.S.C. 796j-796l); and

WHEREAS, on March 20, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14242, which directed the closure of the United States Department of Education; and 

WHEREAS, the executive order did not outline a plan to continue and maintain the above services administered by the Department of Education; and 

WHEREAS, without clear plans for how these statutorily established programs will be maintained, blind Americans and their families have no information on future plans, no clear lines of advocacy for due process, and an abundance of uncertainty regarding their current educational and rehabilitation services; and

WHEREAS, the loss of the Office for Civil Rights, including its Digital Accessibility Team, will mean schools can discriminate against blind and other disabled students without recourse; and

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind is greatly concerned that the drastic reduction in workforce, and the ultimate closure of the Department of Education, will result in diminished service for millions of students, employees, entrepreneurs, and older Americans with disabilities across the country who utilize the above programs: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this twelfth day of July, 2025, in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, that this organization demand that the Secretary of Education stop any plans to eliminate the Department of Education and the services that affect blind Americans that it administers; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand that the United States Congress perform its oversight function to ensure that the vital programs outlined above are protected in order to accomplish their statutory goals. 

Return to the Table of Contents <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#index> 

RESOLUTION 2025-20 Regarding an Immediate Motion to Dismiss Texas v. Kennedy

WHEREAS, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a landmark civil rights statute for people with disabilities, protecting us from discrimination by federal agencies and recipients of federal funding in public education, work readiness programs, healthcare, elections, the court system, and more; and

WHEREAS, seventeen states’ attorneys general have filed suit in Texas v. Kennedy alleging that Section 504 is unconstitutional and should be entirely or partially enjoined, limiting it only to those programs, services, and activities directly funded by and through the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and

WHEREAS, in a status report submitted on April 11, 2025, the seventeen states wrote that they “have no intention to seek any relief from this Court on Count 3 (Section 504 is Unconstitutional) of their Complaint . . .. And nothing in Plaintiffs’ Complaint seeks to restrain the disbursement of federal funds from the Department [of Health and Human Services] on the basis that Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act is unconstitutional”; and

WHEREAS, the Plaintiffs also seek for the Court to declare the Final Rule titled “Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance” released by the United States Department of Health and Human Services on May 9, 2024, and which contains valuable website accessibility rules pertaining to federal government websites, as illegal and unconstitutional; and

WHEREAS, if Plaintiffs’ demand is granted, it will have a devastating effect on blind Americans’ rights to effective communication and reasonable accommodation in connection with government programs, services, and activities, including but not limited to education, employment, housing, healthcare, and other forms of civic life: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this twelfth day of July, 2025, in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, that this organization immediately call upon Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to move to dismiss the Texas v. Kennedy lawsuit because of the far-reaching and harmful effects the lawsuit could have on Section 504 and the lives of blind and other disabled Americans; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call upon the attorneys general of Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, and West Virginia to immediately withdraw from the Texas v. Kennedy lawsuit. 

Return to the Table of Contents <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#index> 

RESOLUTION 2025-21 Regarding Urging the American Civil Liberties Union to Support Accessible Electronic Ballot Return for Voters with Disabilities

WHEREAS, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) presented at the National Coalition on Accessible Voting (NCAV) on April 15, 2025, to clarify its position against accessible electronic ballot return for blind voters and other voters with print disabilities; and

WHEREAS, the ACLU expressed concerns about electronic ballot return that it admitted were not based on existing evidence of breaches or security failures, but rather on the theoretical possibility of undetectable interference; and

WHEREAS, the ACLU’s chief technologist acknowledged that there is no evidence of current security breaches with modern accessible electronic ballot return technologies; and

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind and other NCAV members appropriately responded that such concerns do not justify the exclusion of voters with disabilities from the right to vote privately, independently, and accessibly; and

WHEREAS, the ACLU’s proposed alternatives—such as using hardcopy Braille ballots marked with a hole punch or relying on assistance from non-disabled individuals—are neither legal nor reliable given the limited availability of Braille literacy and the impracticality of such solutions in real-world voting contexts; and

WHEREAS, both federal law and moral imperatives mandate that no voter should be required to forfeit privacy, independence, or accessibility in order to cast a ballot; and

WHEREAS, the accessible electronic ballot-return technologies already in use offer a promising path forward that does not inherently compromise election security and must be given serious, solution-oriented consideration; and

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind remains committed to protecting both the integrity of elections and the civil rights of voters with disabilities: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this twelfth day of July, 2025, in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, that this organization urge the American Civil Liberties Union to reconsider its current position and to work in partnership with us and the larger disability rights community to develop, support, and promote accessible, secure, and independently verifiable ballot return options for all voters, including the blind and those with print disabilities.

Return to the Table of Contents <https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2025-resolutions#index> 

Resolution 2025-22 Regarding the Consolidation of Blindness Services Under a General Disability Services Agency

WHEREAS, each state in the United States is required to maintain a state rehabilitation agency to address the vocational, educational, and independent living needs of people with disabilities, including those who are blind or have low vision; and

WHEREAS, the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) currently supports vocational rehabilitation programs, supported employment, and the Independent Living Services for Older Individuals Who Are Blind (OIB) program in all fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and four United States territories; and

WHEREAS, RSA identifies 34 states and territories with combined vocational rehabilitation agencies that serve all people with disabilities, and 22 states and territories with separate agencies specifically serving those who are blind and have low vision; and

WHEREAS, Congress has long recognized the unique and specialized needs of blind people—including training methods, adaptive equipment, and communication tools—through legislation such as 29 U.S.C. § 701(a)(1)(A), as amended in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and

WHEREAS, a 2010 study conducted by the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind (NCSAB), through Mississippi State University’s Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Blindness and Low Vision, found that individuals served by separate blindness agencies were more likely to achieve competitive, integrated employment, earn wages above minimum wage, and participate more fully in the workforce compared to those served by combined agencies; and

WHEREAS, the study further concluded that blind and low-vision clients of separate agencies were more likely to receive the targeted, specialized services essential for acquiring independent living skills and achieving educational and employment success; and

WHEREAS, the specialized training blind people require—such as orientation and mobility, Braille literacy, access technology, and other tailored supports—are best delivered through a dedicated blindness agency; and

WHEREAS, consolidating services for the blind into general disability agencies may appear efficient, but in practice, it results in diminished service quality and poorer outcomes; and

WHEREAS, the diverse needs of people with disabilities—including those who are blind, deaf or hard of hearing, cognitively disabled, or who use wheelchairs—require different approaches and expertise that cannot be met through a “one-size-fits-all” model: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this twelfth day of July, 2025, in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, that this organization urge each state legislature and state rehabilitation agency in all fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the United States territories to maintain separate agencies serving the blind, independent of general disability service agencies; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization urge all currently combined agencies to develop a plan to establish separate blindness-specific agencies to ensure the provision of specialized services; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call upon legislatures and agencies serving the blind to collaborate with the National Federation of the Blind to build effective, responsive, and accountable services for blind Americans; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization urge all blindness service agencies to include substantial representation—at least 50 percent—of blind people on their governing boards. 

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