ACB Advocacy Update

Accessible At-Home Testing Revisit this Legislative Seminar session with Clark, Swatha ACB Interim Executive Director Dan Spoone, and Dr. Jill Heemskerk from the National Institutes on Health as we get an update on NIH’s progress in making at-home diagnostic test kits fully accessible for individuals with disabilities. Find out more at https://acb-advocacy-update.pinecast.co

Episode Description It is time for Congress to update the accessible video and communications requirements of the CVAA. In the 117th Congress, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Representative Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA-18) introduced the Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility (CVTA) Act of 2022 (S. 5121 & H.R. 9333). The CVTA reaffirms our nation’s commitment … Read more

Episode Description In the fall of 2022, Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) introduced The Websites and Software Applications Accessibility Act in the Senate. Representative John Sarbanes (D-MD-03) introduced a version of the bill in the House of Representatives. This bill would establish clear and enforceable accessibility standards for websites and software applications. The bill uses a … Read more

Episode Description On March 1, 2023, Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) introduced the Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act  in the House of Representatives. The goal of this act is to make home use medical equipment and devices accessible to blind and visually impaired individuals in the United States. If passed, this legislation would amend the federal … Read more

Episode Description Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), introduced the Exercise and Fitness for All Act (S. 2504) in the 117th Congress in 2021. The goal of this bill was to make exercise equipment and fitness instruction fully accessible to people with disabilities. A … Read more

DeafBlind Advocacy Description Advocacy for the DeafBlind Community: What Should ACB Leaders Understand to Include the Needs of DeafBlind Individuals in Our Advocacy Efforts: Moderator: Kim Charlson, ACB Past President, Watertown, MA; Carl Richardson, ADA Coordinator, Massachusetts State House, Boston, MA; Koni Sims, ACB Board of Directors, Sioux Falls, SD; and Megan Conway, PH.D., Director, … Read more

Episode Description During this session at the ACB Legislative Seminar, Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06( joins Clark and Swatha to share her priorities for the 118th Congress as the new Co-chair of the Bipartisan Congressional Disabilities Caucus. Find out more at https://acb-advocacy-update.pinecast.co

Learn more about the Transportation Research Board at Transportation Research Board | National Academies On this episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, Swatha is joined by Sarah Malaier (Senior Advisor for Public Policy and Research at the American Foundation for the Blind) and Chris Bell (ACB Board Member) to recap their experiences at the Transportation … Read more

Episode Description On this episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, Clark and Swatha bring ACB Executive Director Eric Bridges and ACB President Dan Spoone back to map out the year ahead at the American Council of the Blind. Topics we cover include the Leadership Conference and Legislative Seminar in March, the Annual Conference and Convention … Read more

Episode Description On this episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, Clark is joined by Greg Stilson, Head of Global Technology Innovation, American Printing House for the Blind, regarding his and APH’s experience at the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show. We discuss Greg’s impression of CES and experience as an exhibiter showcasing technology for APH. Also, they … Read more