Congress Passes ABLE Act! Bill Promotes Economic Self-Sufficiency for People with Disabilities 10 Things to Know about the Act: realeconomicimpact.org/News.aspx?id=460 WASHINGTON, DC (December 17, 2014) — The Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) applauds the House and Senate for passing the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act. The Senate passed the bill last night on an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 76-16. The House passed the bill on December 3 on a similarly bipartisan vote of 404 to 17. The President is expected to sign the bill into law soon. “The bipartisan votes for the ABLE Act, coupled with similar votes for the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), are a good reminder that Republicans and Democrats in Congress want to see improvements in policy and practice that will result in more Americans realizing the vision of the Americans with Disabilities Act and become full participants in the lives of their communities,” said Andrew J. Imparato, AUCD Executive Director. “We look forward to working with bipartisan leaders in the next Congress to build on these two legislative milestones and to continue to expand opportunities for people with significant disabilities to obtain a quality education, have a fulfilling career, and move into the middle class,” Imparato continued. Currently, individuals with disabilities who depend on federal health or income benefits (such as Medicaid or SSI) are not permitted to have more than $2,000 in cash savings or assets, which essentially, forces individuals to remain poor and unable to save money for emergencies or investments in the future. Much like existing “529” college savings plans, the ABLE Act will allow individuals and families of children with disabilities to save money for many disability related expenses such as education, transportation, or employment without jeopardizing important health or income supports.
Posted on: Thu, 18 Dec 2014 17:08:41 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015