Removing Barriers to Work for Disabled Americans Act

Bill Number

H.R. 8884

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Policy Area

Social Welfare

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-06-30: Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1398 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 8800, H.R. 8595, H.R. 8884 and H. Res. 1383. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 8800 and H.R. 8595 under a structured rule, and H.R. 8884 and H. Res. 1383 under a closed rule. The resolution provides for one hour of general debate on each measure and one motion to recommit on H.R. 8800, H.R. 8595, and H.R. 8884.

Last Updated

2026-07-06T22:06:15Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

This legislation reauthorizes the Social Security Administration's (SSA) authority to conduct demonstration projects under the disability insurance program. These projects test ways to reduce barriers to employment for individuals receiving disability benefits.

Key Provisions

• Extends the termination date for demonstration projects from December 31, 2022, to December 31, 2031.
• Requires project proposals to include specific evaluation metrics for assessing outcomes.
• Increases the advance notice period for project approvals from 90 days to 120 days.
• Adds a requirement that participants' total income will not decrease as a result of involvement in any experiment or project.
• Updates administrative expenditure rules to clarify that costs are drawn from the appropriate trust funds.
• Includes technical corrections to existing language and removes an outdated subsection.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• The bill extends the sunset date for demonstration authority by nearly a decade, from 2022 to 2031.
• It introduces a new statutory protection against income reduction for participants.
• It mandates the inclusion of evaluation metrics in project planning, which was not previously required.
• The effective date of all amendments is set for January 1, 2027.

Potential Impacts

• Government agencies: The SSA gains extended flexibility to test and implement work-incentive programs, with updated funding and reporting requirements.
• Citizens: Disabled individuals may benefit from continued experiments aimed at increasing employment opportunities without financial penalty.
• International relations: No direct effects identified.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Individuals receiving Social Security Disability Insurance benefits.
• The Social Security Administration, responsible for administering and funding the projects.
• Members of Congress, who oversee the program's scope and funding.
• State and local partners potentially involved in demonstration projects.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• The changes remain within the existing framework of the Social Security Act and do not alter core eligibility or benefit structures.
• The new income-protection rule strengthens participant safeguards but may limit the design of certain experiments.
• The extension reflects ongoing congressional support for testing employment strategies in the disability program.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Scott, Austin [R-GA-8]

Cosponsors (1)

Rep. Wittman, Robert J. [R-VA-1]

Recent Actions

• 2026-06-30: Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1398 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 8800, H.R. 8595, H.R. 8884 and H. Res. 1383. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 8800 and H.R. 8595 under a structured rule, and H.R. 8884 and H. Res. 1383 under a closed rule. The resolution provides for one hour of general debate on each measure and one motion to recommit on H.R. 8800, H.R. 8595, and H.R. 8884.
• 2026-06-25: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 620.
• 2026-06-25: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Ways and Means. H. Rept. 119-714.
• 2026-06-25: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Ways and Means. H. Rept. 119-714.
• 2026-05-21: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 27 - 16.
• 2026-05-21: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
• 2026-05-19: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
• 2026-05-19: Introduced in House
• 2026-05-19: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Removing Barriers to Work for Disabled Americans Act — issued 2026-05-19 — PDF (3 pages)
• Removing Barriers to Work for Disabled Americans Act — issued 2026-06-25 — PDF (6 pages)

Related Bills

• H.Res. 1398 (119th Congress)