The Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act of 2013 (S. 313/H.R.647) was introduced in the 113th Congress by a bipartisan, bicameral set of Congressional Champions including Sens. Robert Casey, Jr., (D-PA) and Richard Burr (R-NC), and Reps. Ander Crenshaw (R-FL), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), and Pete Sessions (R-TX).
The ABLE Act would amend Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Service Code of 1986 to create tax-free savings accounts for individuals with disabilities. The bill aims to ease financial strains faced by individuals with disabilities by making tax-free savings accounts available to cover qualified expenses such as education, housing, and transportation. The bill would supplement, but not supplant, benefits provided through private insurances, the Medicaid program, the supplemental security income program, the beneficiary’s employment, and other sources.
An ABLE account could fund a variety of essential expenses for individuals, including medical and dental care, education, community based supports, employment training, assistive technology, housing, and transportation. The ABLE Act provides individuals with disabilities the same types of flexible savings tools that all other Americans have through college savings accounts, health savings accounts, and individual retirement accounts. The legislation also contains Medicaid fraud protection against abuse and a Medicaid pay-back provision when the beneficiary passes away. It will eliminate barriers to work and saving by preventing dollars saved through ABLE accounts from counting against an individual’s eligibility for any federal benefits program.
You can do your part to advocate for the ABLE Act and other key Down syndrome legislative priorities at the 2013 Buddy Walk® on Washington!
ABLE Act Status
The ABLE Act was introduced in the US Senate and US House of Representatives on Feb. 13, 2013. You can find out if your two senators and representative are cosponsoring the ABLE Act of 2013 by clicking the links below:Senate ABLE Act Cosponsors
House ABLE Act Cosponsors
You can find out if your two senators and representative cosponsored the ABLE Act of 2011 by clicking the links below:
Senate ABLE Act Cosponsors
House ABLE Act Cosponsors
Take Action
NDSS offers you different ways of contacting your Representative and Senators.NDSS Resources
- 113th Congress ABLE Act FAQ
- 113th Congress ABLE Act One-pager
- 113th Congress Letter of Support
- ABLE Act Press Conference Photo Gallery (November 2011)
- The ABLE Act: Full Steam Ahead in the US Congress
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