Washington Seminar

At our Washington Seminar, members of the National Federation of the Blind convene to learn about and advocate for legislative initiatives that will improve the lives of blind Americans.

President Riccobono stands and smiles with Diane McGeorge and Buna Dahal during 2019 Washington Seminar reception Approximately three legislative initiatives are chosen for priority attention each year. These initiatives, which form the Washington Seminar priorities, are based on the official positions of the NFB adopted at the national convention and can address concerns related to civil rights, educational programs and services, rehabilitation of the blind for competitive employment, the operation of vending facilities by blind persons on public property, specialized library services for the blind, the organization and funding of federal programs, Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income programs, and other timely topics.

The first Washington Seminar took place in 1973. Today, more than five hundred people from the fifty states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico typically attend.

Dates and Location

Monday, February 3 through Thursday, February 6, 2025
Holiday Inn Washington Capitol – National Mall
550 C Street, SW
Washington, DC 20024

To book a room for the 2025 Washington Seminar please use our dedicated booking link, or call 877-834-3613 and provide our group code, NF5. The room rate for 2025 is 194.00 dollars per night, plus taxes and fees, and the deadline to make a reservation is Sunday, December 31, 2024.

Registration

Please confirm your attendance at the Washington Seminar by completing the Washington Seminar Registration form. We will be sharing important updates and more.

Schedule

Great Gathering-In—Monday, February 3, 2025

The Great Gathering-In is the very exciting opening session of the Washington Seminar. 

Congressional Appointments—Tuesday, February 4 through Thursday, February 6, 2025

Congressional appointments should be made for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

Holiday Inn Washington Capitol – National Mall Description

For a brief description of the Holiday Inn Washington Capitol – National Mall, the long-time host hotel for the Washington Seminar, please see the Holiday Inn Washington Capitol National Mall Description HTML page or Word document below:

United States Capitol Complex

The United States Capitol Complex is a large grouping of multiple buildings. If you are attending the Washington Seminar, knowing how to navigate these buildings in advance will make finding your meetings easier and quicker. For a brief description of the United States Capitol Complex, including all six of the Congressional Office Buildings, please see the United States Capitol Complex Description HTML page or Word document below:

More Information

For more information, please contact Kyle Walls at 410-659-9314, extension 2223, or [email protected].