Hi!  My name is Kelly L.  I have Down syndrome.  I want to tell you about something called the ABLE Act.  ABLE stands for Achieving a Better Life Experience.  The ABLE Act allows people like me, with disabilities, to have a savings account to help them with a lot of things as they get older. 

The ABLE Act allows people with disabilities and families to set up a saving account for disability related expenses.  “For the first time in public politics the ABLE Act recognizes the extra and significant costs of living with a disability.”  Current law makes savings for disability-related expenses difficult.  “The ABLE accounts will not affect their eligibility for SSI (Social Security), Medicaid and other public benefits.” 

The ABLE Act provides people with disabilities the same types of flexible savings tools that all other Americans have through college savings accounts, health savings and retirement accounts.   “These include education, housing, transportation, employment training and support, assistive technology, personal support services, health care expenses, financial management and administrative services.” 

In conclusion, I would like all people to support the ABLE Act in their state.  This will not only help me, but others with disabilities.