House Approves Legislation Empowering Americans with Disabilities to Achieve the Dignity of Work

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Americans living with disabilities will face fewer barriers to employment thanks to legislation approved by the U.S. House of Representatives. The Removing Barriers to Work for Disabled Americans Act (H.R. 8884), passed by a bipartisan majority, renews the Social Security Administration's (SSA) authority to test drive new approaches to connecting Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries to work. Under the legislation, the SSA will conduct demonstration projects to discern what changes in program rules would make it easier for SSDI beneficiaries to join or rejoin the workforce. The SSA's previous authority to conduct demonstration projects expired in 2022.

Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08) issued the following statement on the House's approval of the Removing Barriers to Work for Disabled Americans Act:

"With over 60 percent of Social Security Disability Insurance recipients expressing an interest in returning to the workforce but less than one percent leaving the program because of a successful return to work each year, the Social Security Administration's complex rules and regulations are clearly failing to deliver for too many Americans. Giving the SSA the authority to test innovative ways to better help disabled Americans pursue gainful employment is pure common sense, and this legislation goes a step further to ensure participation in any new system is both voluntary and will not lead to a reduction in income for disability beneficiaries. We must continue to work to slash the bureaucratic red tape and empower more individuals with disabilities to achieve the dignity of work."

Removing Barriers to Work for Disabled Americans Act (H.R. 8884)

• Fewer than 1 percent of Social Security Disability Insurance (DI) beneficiaries leave the program each year due to work activity, despite 60 percent of beneficiaries reporting they are "work-oriented."
• Fear of overpayments, benefit cliffs, and confusing program eligibility rules are major hurdles for beneficiaries looking to return to the workforce.
• The Social Security Administration's authority to conduct demonstration projects, which provides flexibility to test different program rules designed to promote attachment to the labor force and improve work outcomes, expired in 2022.
• The bill reauthorizes demonstration authority for five years to allow SSA to test alternative policies to help promote work for those who are able.

Read a fact sheet on the bill here.