The 2025 NIB/NAEPB Public Policy Forum (PPF) took place May 19-21. The event, which has taken place annually for more than 15 years, was held at the Westin Old Town Alexandria and, on its final day, the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
This year’s advocacy goals include a continued effort to ask Congress to formalize the Department of Defense’s (DOD) voluntary pledge to increase its utilization of the AbilityOne Program to 1%. Increasing the DOD’s utilization of the program would expand U.S.-based manufacturing capabilities, strengthen the nation’s defense industrial base, and advance our mission to employ more Americans who are blind.
Advocates also sought legislative support for the Blind Americans Return to Work Act (H.R. 1175), which proposes a 10-year demonstration program that gradually phases out Social Security Disablity Insurance (SSDI)benefits. Under this model, benefits are reduced at a two-for-one rate: for every two dollars a worker who is blind earns above the SGA threshold, their SSDI benefits are reduced by one dollar.
Nearly 200 people attended this year’s PPF, including 31 Advocates for Leadership and Employment – 11 of them new members of the class of 2025 – and representatives from 32 associated nonprofit agencies. There are now more than 70 active Advocates in NIB’s program, which was launched in 2012 to help people who are blind, low vision, or visually impaired represent their communities to their elected officials.
The first day was filled with Advocate training sessions, as well as the NAEPB board meeting. Day two included morning and afternoon general sessions, which kicked off with remarks from NIB President and CEO Soraya Correa and NAEPB President Jeff Mittman.
“We have a great lineup of speakers. It’s a great opportunity to be here. I hope you will take advantage of our Forum, ask questions, and engage with everyone,” Correa said.
Next up was a Compliance Council Panel featuring Matt Wieseler, NIB senior vice president, strategic programs; Bruce Patterson, president and CEO of ServiceSource; and Jeff Mittman, NAEPB president and president and CEO of Bosma Enterprises, sharing insights on compliance strategies.
Later in the morning, keynote remarks were delivered by Larry Allen, associate administrator of the Office of Government-Wide Policy at GSA, who highlighted the strategic priorities shaping the future of government acquisition policy, an arena in which he said GSA does a lot of work. Allen said he strongly believes in NIB’s mission to increase life-changing job and career opportunities for people who are blind, low vision, or visually impaired. He also stressed that despite talk of budget cuts and reducing rules and regulation in Washington, there was one thing that was not on the table.
“One of the things we’re not talking about is changing the status of AbilityOne. This administration supports – and my administrative team in GSA has been very clear that they like – the AbilityOne Program,” he said, adding that he believes the program “plays a critical part in the supply chain.”
In the afternoon on Tuesday, a panel on Leadership in Action brought together Correa; Robert Hogue, chairperson of the U.S. AbilityOne Commission; and Kim Zeich, executive director of the U.S. AbilityOne Commission. They talked about recent Executive Orders and the strengths and challenges within the AbilityOne Program. Hogue, who only recently joined the Commission, said that he is committed to the work and in giving “people the means to take care of themselves and their families.”
Zeich thanked the Advocates for their dedication and work, saying: “You are the AbilityOne Program.”
The afternoon general session closed with a discussion on the current congressional environment and 2025 policy goals, featuring Rick Webster, NIB vice president, public policy; Charles Cooper, founder and managing partner of the Brumidi Group; and Vivian Fridas, NIB public policy specialist.
On the final day of the Forum, Advocates went to Capitol Hill, where nearly 120 meetings were held with legislators and their staffs about the two 2025 goals. Advocates visited the NIB “rally room” in the foyer of the Rayburn House Office Building before and after their visits. Many were positive about the reception they received from elected officials.
The 2026 Public Policy Forum will be combined with the annual NIB/NAEPB Training Conference and Expo, and is scheduled to take place February 24-27 in Washington, D.C.