ACB is currently working as a part of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) to try and get appropriate funding for the Social Security Administration (SSA). SSA’s funding level of $9.093 billion, included in the Senate Committee Report of the FY 2007 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, is $401 million less than the President’s request ($9.494 billion).
If the current cut is passed, Commissioner Jo Anne Barnhart has indicated that SSA will be forced to take a number of significant actions including:
- Closing of local SSA offices nationwide. Ten days of SSA agency-wide furloughs would be required. SSA field offices, processing centers, and telephone service centers throughout the country would be closed. Beneficiaries and claimants would be unable to file new applications or appeals or report non-receipt of monthly benefit checks.
- Increasing serious delays for individuals. Processing times would continue to grow, especially at the hearing level where the delays have reached intolerable levels. In some hearing offices, claimants wait more than two years just to receive a hearing. In fiscal year 2006, the Commissioner was able to hire only 43 of the planned 100 new Administrative Law Judges.
- Reducing the number of continuing disability reviews (CDRs). The processing of CDRs is necessary to protect program integrity and avert improper payments. CDRs result in $10 of program savings for each $1 spent in administrative costs for the reviews. The number of CDRs is directly related to whether SSA receives the funds needed conduct these reviews. The number of reviews in 2006 was reduced by more than one-half due to the lower level of appropriations.
Due to the serious consequences expected if the Senate Committee Report level is enacted, ACB encourages you to contact Senator Frist, Majority Leader; Senator Reid, Minority Leader, Senator Cochran, Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations and Senator Byrd, the Ranking Minority Member on the Committee and strongly recommend the following: · Appropriate the additional $401 million. At the very least urge the provision of the
President’s budget request of $9.494 billion for the Social Security Administration’s Limitation on Administrative Expenses (LAE).
· Remove SSA’s budget authority from discretionary spending caps. The size of SSA’s expenses is driven by the number of administrative functions it conducts to serve beneficiaries and applicants. The funds for Title II expenses are ultimately paid out of the Social Security Trust Funds and general revenues reimburse the Trust Funds for those costs associated with the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. Because of that SSA’s expenses budget authority should be separated from the regular Section 302(a) and (b) allocations for discretionary spending.
You can contact the Senators at the following numbers:
Senator Frist: 202-224-3344
Senator Reid: 202-224-3542
Senator Cochran: 202-224-5054
Senator Byrd: 202-224-3954
Day Al-Mohamed
Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs
American Council of the Blind
1155 15th St. NW
Washington DC 20005
Tel. 202-467-5081
dalmohamed@acb.org