Pass the Able Act!

I would like to ask each of you to consider contacting your member in the US House of Representatives and ask him to help pass the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act. The ABLE Act will allow individuals with disabilities to create a disability savings account or 'ABLE Accounts' that would accrue interest tax-free. The account could fund a variety of essential expenses for the individual, including medical and dental care, education, community based supports, employment training, assistive technology, housing, and transportation. See the additional details below from the National Down Syndrome Society.

Congressman Ander Crenshaw sponsored this very important legislation. I could try and tell you all about it, but Congressman Crenshaw’s recent Op Ed piece in the Washington Times says it more eloquently than I could ever hope to. Please read about it here:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jun/25/able-act-is-a-step-worth-taking/

It is important to take action now! The ABLE Act enjoys strong bi-partisan support in the US House of Representative with 184 representative that have signed on as co-sponsors of this important legislation. As many of you know, the 111th Congress is quickly drawing to a close. If we do not pass this now, we will be starting all over again in the 112th Congress. Many disability advocacy groups have put in countless long hours walking the halls of congress to educate our representatives on the importance of the ABLE Act and the positive impacts it will have on families and individuals with disabilities. Let’s not lose the momentum.

Please call your congressman!. The good news is that most of our representatives in Indiana are already co-sponsors (Steve Buyer and Baron Hill are the only exceptions), so you will be asking them to help move this important legislation out of committee and to the floor of the house for a full vote. And to make it easy, the National Down Syndrome Society has provided a script that you can use when you call. To find your US House Member and the script click on the Take Action link below:
Take Action!

Thank you,
Tom Milvert
Down Syndrome Indiana
Governmental Affairs Committee Chair

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HELP US PASS THE ABLE ACT IN THIS CONGRESS!
Contact Your Representatives to Convene a Hearing and Vote on the ABLE Act Today

As you know, the National Down Syndrome Society endorsed the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE) of 2009 (S. 493/H.R. 1205). The ABLE Act will give individuals with disabilities and their families the ability to save for their child's future just like every other American family, and help people with disabilities live full, productive lives in their communities. The ABLE Act will allow individuals with disabilities to create a disability savings accounts or 'ABLE Accounts' that would accrue interest tax-free. The account could fund a variety of essential expenses for the individual, including medical and dental care, education, community based supports, employment training, assistive technology, housing, and transportation.

The legislation continues to have widespread, bipartisan support. Currently, H.R. 1205 has 184 cosponsors, including 19 members of the House Ways & Means Committee.

The time to pass this bill is now- Please contact your Representatives to encourage them to convene a hearing and vote on the ABLE Act today!