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Representative Bradley Byrne

Representing the 1st District of Alabama

Byrne Supports Bipartisan Bill to Aid Disabled Americans

Dec 3, 2014
Press Release

Congressman Bradley Byrne (AL-1) today voted in support of legislation to give disabled Americans a new option for handling financial struggles.

H.R. 647, the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, allows for disabled Americans to have tax-free savings accounts to cover certain qualified expenses including education, housing and transportation.

The bill is widely seen as “first major piece of legislation affecting Americans with disabilities in nearly 25 years.” The legislation is co-sponsored by 380 of the 435 members of the House of Representatives, including Congressman Byrne. A companion bill in the Senate is co-sponsored by 74 of the 100 Senators.

Byrne said: “Too often here in Washington we let politics get in the way of finding bipartisan, commonsense solutions. The ABLE Act is just that: a solution that I am pleased to have cosponsored and voted for.

“What the ABLE Act does is allow people with disabilities to have certain savings accounts that they can use to help take care of themselves. Just as we have tax-free savings accounts for our children’s education, the ABLE Act sets up similar savings-accounts for disabled individuals to allow them to save for qualified expenses without jeopardizing their eligibility for disability benefits.

“This type of bipartisan bill, which was co-sponsored by 380 of the 435 members of the House of Representatives, demonstrates what happens when Washington puts politics aside and focuses on making a real difference in the lives of Americans. I look forward to continuing to advance commonsense solutions, just like the ABLE Act, in the 114th Congress.”

The ABLE Act passed by a vote of 404 to 17. More information on the ABLE Act can be found here.