H.R. 10659House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Removing Access Barriers to Running for Elected Office for People with Disabilities Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated October 2, 2026 at 8:38 AM UTC

The Removing Access Barriers to Running for Elected Office for People with Disabilities Act would let people who receive disability benefits run for federal, state, or local office without risking loss of those benefits. It ensures that any campaign work they do, and any pay they receive for that work, does not count toward eligibility or benefit amounts under any federal, state, or locally funded program. The bill mainly affects disabled individuals who are currently receiving Social Security disability benefits and want to become elected officials.

Key Provisions

Any campaign work performed by a qualified individual, and any compensation for that work, will be ignored when determining eligibility for or the amount of benefits under any federal, state, or local program that receives federal funding.
Defines “campaign work” as work done by a person acting as a candidate for an elected federal, state, or local office.
Defines a “qualified individual” as someone who receives disability benefits under Title II or XVI of the Social Security Act.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Oversight and Government Reform Committee

October 1, 2026

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

October 1, 2026

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Oversight and Government Reform Committee

October 1, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued October 1, 2026

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 10659

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

October 1, 2026

Ms. Dean of Pennsylvania (for herself, Ms. Scanlon, and Ms. Norton) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

A BILL

To allow individuals with disabilities to campaign for elected office without losing access to federally supported benefits.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Removing Access Barriers to Running for Elected Office for People with Disabilities Act.

Disregarding campaign work performed by individuals with disabilities for purposes of Federally supported benefits

(a)

In general

Any campaign work performed by a qualified individual, and any compensation received by such individual for such work, shall be disregarded for the purpose of determining such individual's eligibility for, and amount of, benefits or assistance under any Federal program or under any State or local program financed in whole or in part with Federal funds.

(b)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Campaign work

The term campaign work means work performed by an individual as a candidate for an elected Federal, State, or local office.

(2)

Qualified individual

The term qualified individual means an individual who is entitled to a benefit under title II or XVI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401 et seq., 1381 et seq.) by reason of a disability.