HR 647 · 113th Congress 2013–2015, ended

ABLE Act of 2014

Fact sheet

Latest action · Jan 2, 2015 LAID ON THE TABLE - Without objection, the Chair announced that H.R. 647 is laid on the table.

Progress

Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.

  1. IntroducedFeb 13, 2013
  2. Passed HouseDec 3, 2014
  3. Passed SenateNot reached
  4. To the PresidentNot reached
  5. Became lawNot reached

Summary

Achieving a Better Life Experience Act of 2014 or the ABLE Act of 2014 - Title I: Qualified ABLE Programs - (Sec. 101) States as the purposes of this title to: (1) encourage and assist individuals and families in saving private funds for the purpose of supporting individuals with disabilities to maintain health, independence, and quality of life; and (2) provide secure funding for disability-related expenses of beneficiaries with disabilities that will supplement, but not supplant, benefits provided through private insurance, title XVI (Supplemental Security Income) and title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act, the beneficiary's employment, and other sources.

(Sec. 102) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from taxation a qualified ABLE program established and maintained by a state, or by an agency or instrumentality of the state, to pay the qualified disability expenses related to the blindness or disability of a program beneficiary, including expenses for education, housing, transportation, employment training and support, assistive technology and personal support services, health, prevention and wellness, financial management and administrative services, legal fees, and expenses for oversight and monitoring, funeral and burial expenses.

Requires officers and employees who have control of the qualified ABLE program to make reports as required by the Secretary of the Treasury. Imposes an additional 10% tax on individuals who do not use distributions from an ABLE account for disability expenses. Subjects ABLE accounts to the penalty tax for excess contributions and for failure to file required reports.

(Sec. 103) Requires amounts in ABLE accounts to be disregarded in determining eligibility for means-tested federal programs, except distributions for housing expenses under the supplemental security income program and for amounts in an ABLE account exceeding $100,000. Suspends the payment of supplemental security income benefits to an individual during any period in which such individual has excess resources in an ABLE account, but does not suspend or affect the Medicaid eligibility of such individual.

(Sec. 104) Amends the bankruptcy code to exclude funds placed in an account of a qualified ABLE program from a bankruptcy estate, but only if: (1) the designated beneficiary of such account was a child, stepchild, grandchild, or step grandchild of the debtor; (2) such funds are not pledged or promised to any entity in connection with any extension of credit and are not excess contributions to an ABLE account; and (3) such funds do not exceed $6,225 during a specified time period.

(Sec. 105) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit contributors to or beneficiaries of a qualified tuition program (529 program) to direct the investment of contributions to a 529 program (or any earnings thereon) up to two times in any calendar year (currently, no investment direction is allowed).

Title II: Offsets- (Sec. 201) Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance Benefits) of the Social Security Act to change the age at which disability benefits are no longer subject to reductions from 65 to the normal retirement age range as set forth in such Act.

(Sec. 202) Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to: (1) accelerate the beginning date for adjustments of relative value targets for misvalued services in Medicare physician fee schedules from 2017 to 2016; and (2) treat items and services for vacuum erection systems furnished on and after July 1, 2015, in the same manner as erectile dysfunction drugs for purposes of defining covered drugs under Medicare part D.

(Sec. 204) Amends the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 to delay to January 1, 2025, the implementation of oral-only end stage renal disease (ESRD)-related drugs in the ESRD prospective payment system.

(Sec. 205) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the Inland Waterways Trust Fund financing rate to 29 cents per gallon for fuel used after March 31, 2015.

(Sec. 206) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to treat Internal Revenue Service (IRS)-certified professional employer organizations (PEOs) as employers for employment tax purposes (thus allowing such PEOs to pay wages and collect and remit payroll taxes on behalf of an employer).

Sets forth IRS certification requirements for PEOs, including independent financial review and reporting requirements. Requires a PEO, each year, to post a bond equal to the greater of 5% of the PEO's liability during the preceding calendar year (not exceeding $1 million) or $50,000.

(Sec. 207) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude dividends received by a U.S. shareholder from a controlled foreign corporation from the definition of "personal holding company income" for purposes of personal holding company taxation.

(Sec. 208) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require an annual inflation adjustment to tax penalty amounts for: (1) failure to file a tax return or pay tax, (2) failure to file certain information returns or registration statements, (3) noncompliance of tax return preparers, (4) failure to file partnership or S corporation returns, and (5) failure to file correct information returns or correct payee statements.

(Sec. 209) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase from 15 to 30% the rate of the continuous levy on payments due to a Medicare provider or supplier for overdue taxes.

Recorded votes 1

Newest first. Open one to see how every member voted.

Roll callQuestionResultDate
House 545Passed404–17Dec 3, 2014

Cosponsors 380

Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Feb 13, 2013 to Sep 10, 2014, with 58 there on the day it was introduced.

SeatCosponsorSigned on
R-MSAlan NunneleeOriginalFeb 13, 2013
D-INAndré CarsonOriginalFeb 13, 2013
R-OHBill JohnsonOriginalFeb 13, 2013
R-FLC. W. Bill YoungOriginalFeb 13, 2013
R-WACathy McMorris RodgersOriginalFeb 13, 2013
D-MDChris Van HollenOriginalFeb 13, 2013
R-NJChristopher H. SmithOriginalFeb 13, 2013
R-MIDan BenishekOriginalFeb 13, 2013
R-WVDavid B. McKinleyOriginalFeb 13, 2013
D-RIDavid N. CicillineOriginalFeb 13, 2013
R-TNDavid P. RoeOriginalFeb 13, 2013
D-DCEleanor Holmes NortonOriginalFeb 13, 2013
D-TXFilemon VelaOriginalFeb 13, 2013
R-VAFrank R. WolfOriginalFeb 13, 2013
D-VAGerald E. ConnollyOriginalFeb 13, 2013

Actions 20

Everything that happened, newest first.

  1. Jan 2, 2015LAID ON THE TABLE - Without objection, the Chair announced that H.R. 647 is laid on the table.
  2. Dec 3, 2014Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H8343-8344)
  3. Dec 3, 2014Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 766. (consideration: CR H8312-8322)
  4. Dec 3, 2014DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 647.
  5. Dec 3, 2014Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Related bills 3

Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.

Subjects

Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Taxation.

Text 2

Each version as it was printed, newest first.

  1. Nov 12, 2014Reported in House
  2. Feb 13, 2013Introduced in House

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