Ashley DeRamus
On a recent trip to Washington D.C., Ashley DeRamus met with Alabama Rep. Spencer Bacchus.
Ashley DeRamus of The Ashley DeRamus Foundation is an active supporter of the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, legislation passed by the House of Representatives in December. On a recent trip to Washington D.C., she met with and gained the full support of Alabama Rep. Spencer Bacchus as well as Sen. Richard Shelby and Sen. Jeff Sessions.
The ABLE Act would allow people with disabilities to set up savings accounts with no tax on earnings, and to cover housing, transportation and other expenses. Beneficiaries of the ABLE Act would be able to build up a financial cushion in their ABLE accounts without jeopardizing their eligibility for Medicaid and Social Security disability benefits. Under current law, to qualify for these benefits, people with disabilities cannot have more than $2,000 in assets and cannot earn more than $680 per month.
The U.S. House’s vote in favor of the bill was the culmination of a year-long campaign, spearheaded by hundreds of families with disabled children and numerous advocacy groups, from Autism Speaks to the National Federation of the Blind.
The Ashley DeRamus Foundation is an organization founded for and dedicated to the education, advancement and quality of lifestyle for those with Down syndrome. For more, visit ashleyderamusfoundation.org.
