H.R. 8884 · Where this bill is now
In the Senate
Passed the House Jul 23, 2026. Received Jul 23, 2026; no Senate vote yet
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryExtends disability work incentive demonstration projects
The Social Security Administration ran test programs to help people with disabilities stay connected to work while receiving disability benefits, but the authority to run these tests expired in 2022. This bill extends that authority through 2031 and adds new rules: participants can't lose total income because of the program, the government must give Congress 120 days' notice before starting a new test, and all project costs come from administration funding rather than benefit payments.
How it affects you
If you receive Social Security Disability Insurance, this primarily affects people who might volunteer to try out new work-related policies through these test programs. The bill guarantees that your total income won't drop because you're in a demonstration project. The rest of the public doesn't experience direct changes, though it reflects an effort to help disabled people balance work and financial support.
Read the official summary (Reported to House, Jun 25, 2026)
Removing Barriers to Work for Disabled Americans Act
This bill reauthorizes through 2031 the Social Security Administration’s (SSA’s) authority to carry out demonstration projects within the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program. The bill also imposes requirements related to beneficiary income, project funding, and SSA reporting.
SSDI demonstration projects must be designed to promote attachment to the workforce and generally involve temporary changes to SSDI policies tested on a subset of beneficiaries. Participation in a demonstration project must be voluntary. SSA’s authority to carry out these projects expired on December 31, 2022.
Under the bill, SSA must ensure that an individual’s participation in a demonstration project does not reduce their total income. Further, the bill specifies that administrative expenses related to demonstration projects must be paid from funds appropriated for administration.
Finally, the bill requires SSA to report to Congress 120 days before initiating a demonstration project. This is an increase from 90 days under current law. This advance notification must include evaluation metrics for the relevant project.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
2nd SessionH. R. 8884
AN ACT
Removing Barriers to Work for Disabled Americans Act
Sponsor: Rep. Austin Scott (R-GA-8) · Introduced May 19, 2026 · Social Welfare · 4 versions of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Jul 23, 2026: “Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.”
How Congress voted
Official roll callsHouse · On Passage · Jul 23, 2026
Passage Passed 232–188
| Party | Yes | No | Didn’t vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 19 | 188 | 5 |
| Independents | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Republicans | 212 | 0 | 6 |
19 members voted against most of their party: 19 Democrats voted Yes.
Congress votes on whole bills and amendments, not on single sections.