{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/davids-introduces-bipartisan-bill-expand-savings-options-workers-disabilities", "Davids Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Expand Savings Options for Workers with Disabilities", "2024-12-05", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "House", "KS", "Sharice Davids", "D000629", "davids.house.gov", "davids", "https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, Representative Sharice Davids, alongside Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), introduced the ABLE Employment Flexibility Act, a bill designed to help workers with disabilities build financial security without risking essential federal benefits. ABLE accounts \u2014 special savings accounts for people with disabilities \u2014 allow individuals to save money without affecting their eligibility for federal assistance programs. This bill would allow employers to make tax-free contributions to these accounts, offering greater flexibility in hiring and retaining employees with disabilities while helping these workers achieve greater financial independence.\n\n\u201cWorkers with disabilities should have the same access to employer benefits as anyone else, including the ability to save for their future,\u201d said Davids. \u201cAfter speaking with Kansans like Rachel Mast, a person with Down syndrome, I introduced this bill to ensure that workers with disabilities can build financial security without sacrificing the federal benefits that help them succeed. It\u2019s a commonsense fix that promotes equity, independence, and economic opportunity for millions of Americans.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt makes my heart happy that Rep. Davids is introducing this bill,\u201d said Rachel Mast, Kansan with Down syndrome and disability advocate. \u201cThis will help me save more money in my ABLE account for my future, and I won\u2019t lose any of my supports.\u201d\n\nCurrently, many employers offer 401(k) matching contributions as a benefit of employment. However, workers with disabilities are often excluded from taking advantage of this option due to strict federal asset limits tied to programs like Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Contributions to retirement accounts can unintentionally disqualify individuals from these benefits, leaving workers with disabilities at a financial disadvantage compared to their peers.\n\nThe ABLE Employment Flexibility Act addresses this disparity by allowing employers to make tax-exempt contributions to employees\u2019 ABLE accounts instead of traditional 401(k) accounts. This change ensures workers with disabilities can save for their future without jeopardizing the federal support they rely on to thrive in their communities.\n\n\"Individuals with disabilities deserve the freedom to access employee benefits and save for retirement without risking their eligibility for critical federal programs,\u201d said Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01). \u201cBy eliminating unnecessary barriers, our bipartisan legislation takes a bold step in protecting essential supports like the ABLE program while empowering employees with disabilities to achieve financial security and thrive in the workplace. This is about breaking down barriers and ensuring equal opportunity for all.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve been honored to lead the national advocacy movement behind the ABLE Act for almost two decades; it\u2019s incredible to see the bipartisan commitment continue through the introduction of the ABLE Employment Flexibility Act in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congresswoman Davids,\u201d said Sara Hart Weir, Executive Director, Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities. \u201cAt the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities, we are proud to not only employ individuals with disabilities in our organization but also support our colleagues in utilizing their ABLE accounts as a workplace inclusion tool - we encourage employers across Kansas and the country to follow our lead.\"\n\n\"NDSC is thrilled about the introduction of this bill. People with Down syndrome and other disabilities who work should be entitled to the same employee retirement benefits as their colleagues without jeopardizing their public supports,\u201d said Jim Hudson, Executive Director, National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC). \u201cThis bill will enable the payment of retirement benefits directly into their ABLE account.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/davids-introduces-bipartisan-bill-expand-savings-options-workers-disabilities"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.6573570426553488, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}