HR 498
107th Congress
House
Blind Empowerment Act of 2001
Official title: To amend title II of the Social Security Act to increase the level of earnings under which no individual who is blind is determined to have demonstrated an abi… Show full official titleShow less
Official title: To amend title II of the Social Security Act to increase the level of earnings under which no individual who is blind is determined to have demonstrated an ability to engage in substantial gainful activity for purposes of determining disability.
Social Welfare
BlindCost of living adjustmentsDisability evaluationDisabled
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
EarningsEconomics and Public FinanceEmployment of the disabledIndexing (Economic policy)Labor and EmploymentOld age, survivors and disability insuranceSocial security eligibility
Everywhere this bill has been
3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Feb 14, 2001
Referred to the Subcommittee on Social Security.
Feb 7, 2001
Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Feb 7, 2001
Introduced in House
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Latest action
Referred to the Subcommittee on Social Security.
Plain-English summary
Blind Empowerment Act of 2001 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to increase, by specified increments over five years, the level of earnings demonstrating the ability of a blind person to engage in substantial gainful activity for purposes of determining disability insurance benefit payments.
Bill text
1 version
- Introduced in House Formatted Text PDF
Committees of jurisdiction
2
Cosponsors
33
R
Rogers, Harold
R
Wilson, Joe
Watson, Diane
R
Smith, Christopher H.
R
Wicker, Roger F.
D
Markey, Edward J.
D
Thompson, Mike
D
Larson, John B.
R
Calvert, Ken
D
DeGette, Diana
D
McGovern, James P.
D
Bishop, Sanford D.
D
Clyburn, James E.
D
Davis, Danny K.
D
DeLauro, Rosa L.
R
Graham, Lindsey
D
Hoyer, Steny H.
R
Lucas, Frank D.
D
McCollum, Betty
D
Nadler, Jerrold
D
Neal, Richard E.
I
Sanders, Bernard
D
Scott, Robert C. "Bobby"
R
Sessions, Pete
R
Simpson, Michael K.
D
Thompson, Bennie G.
D
Baldwin, Tammy
D
Kaptur, Marcy
D
Lofgren, Zoe
D
Pelosi, Nancy
D
Schakowsky, Janice D.
D
Schiff, Adam B.
D
Velázquez, Nydia M.
Cite this page
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 498: Blind Empowerment Act of 2001. 107th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/107-HR-498/
"H.R. 498: Blind Empowerment Act of 2001." 107th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/107-HR-498/.
H.R. 498, 107th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/107-HR-498/.
[H.R. 498: Blind Empowerment Act of 2001](https://openamerica.io/bill/107-HR-498/)