S. 578: ALS Disability Insurance Access Act of 2019

116th Congress · introduced 2019-02-27 · Social Welfare · Latest: Became Public Law No: 116-250.

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Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2019-02-27 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: 2 recorded votes in our records. Latest: Senate vote 249 (2020): On the Amendment, S578 (2020-12-02), Amendment Rejected. See all
Where it stands now: Became Public Law No: 116-250. (final step reached)
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

ALS Disability Insurance Access Act of 2019

Plain summary

ALS Disability Insurance Access Act of 2019 This bill eliminates the five-month waiting period for disability benefits under the Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program for individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (a progressive neurodegenerative disease, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord). Under current law, individuals must wait five months after becoming disabled before their disability insurance benefit payments may begin.

Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

ALS Disability Insurance Access Act of 2019

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI] · 67 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Tom Cotton (R-AR), Michael F. Bennet (D-CO), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Jack Reed (D-RI), Angus S. King, Jr. (I-ME), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Christopher A. Coons (D-DE), Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Roger F. Wicker (R-MS), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), John Boozman (R-AR), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mike Rounds (R-SD), John Kennedy (R-LA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Susan M. Collins (R-ME), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Cory A. Booker (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), James Lankford (R-OK), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Margaret Wood Hassan (D-NH), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Patty Murray (D-WA), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), James E. Risch (R-ID), Christopher Murphy (D-CT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and 7 more.

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI] reported raising $652,856 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

Recorded votes

Senate vote 249 (2020): On the Amendment, S578 (2020-12-02): Amendment Rejected
Senate vote 250 (2020): On Passage of the Bill, S578 (2020-12-02): Bill Passed

Words on this page, explained (1)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116s578.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s578 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116