PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.
H.R.647 / 113th Congress

ABLE Act of 2014

LAID ON THE TABLE - Without objection, the Chair announced that H.R. 647 is laid on the table.

Official summary

Version 36 · Passed House amended · Dec 3, 2014

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.

Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.

Read full official summaryShow less

(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.

Read the summary on Congress.gov
PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

Who introduced it

Rep. Crenshaw, Ander [R-FL-4] · R–FL

Committees

  • Energy and Commerce Committee
  • Ways and Means Committee
380 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

  1. LAID ON THE TABLE - Without objection, the Chair announced that H.R. 647 is laid on the table.

  2. Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

  3. On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 404 - 17 (Roll no. 545). (text: CR H8312-8317)

    House roll call 545 · Individual votes
  4. Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 404 - 17 (Roll no. 545).(text: CR H8312-8317)

    House roll call 545 · Individual votes
  5. Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H8343-8344)

  6. POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on H.R. 647, the Chair put the question on passage, and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Reichert demanded a the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of passage until a time to be announced.

  7. The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule. (consideration: CR H8322)

  8. DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 647.

  9. The rule provides for a closed rule for H.R. 5771 and H.R. 647.

  10. Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 766. (consideration: CR H8312-8322)

  11. Rule H. Res. 766 passed House.

  12. Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 766 Reported to House. The rule provides for a closed rule for H.R. 5771 and H.R. 647.

  13. Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 456.

  14. Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged.

  15. Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged.

  16. Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Ways and Means. H. Rept. 113-614, Part I.

  17. Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Ways and Means. H. Rept. 113-614, Part I.

  18. Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

  19. Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

  20. Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

  21. Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

  22. Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

  23. Introduced in House

  24. Introduced in House

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

Source last updated: Dec 9, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.R.647 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources
Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.R.647 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources
Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.R.647 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources
Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.R.647 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources