{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.donnelly.senate.gov/newsroom/press/donnelly-applauds-senate-passage-of-able-act", "Donnelly Applauds Senate Passage of ABLE Act", "2014-12-16", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "IN", "Joe Donnelly", "D000607", "www.donnelly.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Donnelly Applauds Senate Passage of ABLE Act\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tBipartisan bill creates tax-free savings accounts for disabled Americans\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, December 16, 2014\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C.\u00a0\u2014 U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly praised Senate passage of the\u00a0Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, a bill to create tax-free savings accounts for individuals with disabilities that he co-sponsored and helped pass. The bill passed tonight in the Senate by a vote of 76 to 16 as part of a larger bill, H.R. 5771, the Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014, after passing the House last week, and now goes to the President to be signed into law.\r\n\u201cIn Indiana, we know that disabilities shouldn\u2019t be a roadblock to pursuing your dreams,\u201d said Donnelly. \u201cThe savings accounts this legislation creates will help Americans with disabilities save for things like education, transportation, and even housing. I have been proud to support the ABLE Act, and I am glad to see it pass with bipartisan support.\u201d\r\nMore than 100 organizations support the legislation, including Arc of Indiana, the National Down Syndrome Society, and Autism Speaks.\r\nJohn Dickerson, Executive Director of The Arc of Indiana, said, \u201cThe ABLE Act provides families and people with disabilities an important option in saving for the future.\u00a0 People with disabilities want the opportunity to be as independent as possible whether that means continuing their education or owning their own home.\u00a0 The ABLE Act will provide them with those options.\u00a0 We appreciate the perseverance of the sponsors of this legislation in not giving up and creating this opportunity.\u201d\r\nCurrently, U.S. law prohibits those claiming disability from having more than $2,000 in assets in order to continue receiving Social Security, Medicaid, and other benefits; making it difficult for disabled individuals to save for the future. By giving disabled Americans access to tax-free savings accounts, the\u00a0ABLE Act\u00a0would provide eligible individuals the same types of flexible savings options that other Americans have through college savings accounts, health savings accounts, and individual retirement accounts.\r\nThese savings accounts will supplement, but not replace, benefits provided through Medicaid, Social Security, private insurance, and other sources. The money saved in these accounts must be used for qualified disability expenses, including: education, housing, transportation, employment training and support, assistive technology and personal support services, health, prevention and wellness, and other approved expenses.\r\nDonnelly co-sponsored similar legislation in the 112th\u00a0Congress while serving in the House of Representatives.\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\t\tDonnelly_Press@Donnelly.Senate.Gov", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "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://www.donnelly.senate.gov/newsroom/press/donnelly-applauds-senate-passage-of-able-act"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.2385360896587372, "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"}