WASHINGTON, DC – On a strong bipartisan vote, the U.S. House of Representatives today passed H.R. 647, the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, which allows individuals with disabilities to set up tax-free savings accounts for qualified expenses.  House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) issued the following statement:

“The ABLE Act is a simple but powerful idea: give individuals with disabilities the same opportunity to put away money tax-free for things like school, retirement, and job training that any American has.  This won’t just make it easier for individuals with disabilities to save – it will help build a stronger economy and secure a better future for our country.  After all, the principle that anyone can succeed no matter where they start is what gives the American Dream its staying power.  The problem is, we’re letting outdated laws place arbitrary limits on the very people who show us what can be done with perseverance.  The ABLE Act will help many families, and I hope we’ll be talking about it as the law of the land soon.  On behalf of the whole House, I thank Ander Crenshaw, who first introduced this legislation in 2006, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Pete Sessions, and all those who have devoted so much to this effort.”