Disability Futures

I wish I had happier news to share. Over the weekend, Congress came to an agreement that will fund the government through September, and it does not include funding for Assets for Independence (AFI), the federal program that has, since 1998, been the largest source of funding for Individual Development Accounts. Simply put, AFI has been “zeroed out.”
Together, we fought long and hard to defend AFI over the past year, and you responded to our calls to action time and time again:

• Last June, when we first heard AFI was defunded in the Senate funding bill, you stepped up. Thanks to you, funding was restored in the House version of the bill.
• In September, an army of asset builders descended on Capitol Hill and asked Congress to fund AFI in more than 500 separate Hill meetings.
• Last fall and again earlier this year, you answered our call to sign onto a letter to key members of Congress in support of AFI.
• This spring, a number of you contacted key members in a final, targeted push for FY17 support.

In the end, though, the deck was stacked against us. Ultimately, the bill that funds AFI was cut by more than $900 million; legislators were looking to reduce spending everywhere they could, and despite its long history of bipartisan support, AFI was one of the unfortunate targets.

Like many of you, I’m deeply saddened by today’s news. For nearly 20 years, AFI has been a central element of the asset-building landscape. Many of us have had the honor of witnessing firsthand the dedication and determination of the savers AFI has supported – and the incredible transformation of their lives. This is a disheartening loss of opportunity.