Statement of Rep. McCrery
(Remarks as Prepared)

For more than seventy years, Social Security has provided essential income support for literally hundreds of millions of workers and families.  In 2007 alone, nearly $613 billion was provided to more than 53 millions Americans in the form of retirement, survivors, disability, and Supplemental Security Income benefits. 

Through a national network of Social Security field and hearing offices, and State disability determination offices, over 74,000 staff serve the public every day through work that includes processing claims, issuing Social Security number cards, crediting earnings records, and educating the public. 

We recognize the hard work of these dedicated professionals.  Regrettably, the agency’s service to the public has suffered in recent years.  This is due in large part to limited funding at a time of increasing workloads -- due primarily to the aging of the baby boomers.  There are longer lines at local offices, more busy signals received by callers to Social Security’s 800 number, and a hearing backlog so deep the average waiting time for a decision is over 16 months. 

Commissioner Astrue has said, “It is a moral imperative to reduce the disability backlogs.”  I couldn’t agree more.  Since his arrival, Commissioner Astrue has made addressing disability backlogs his number one priority.  As he will tell us today, he has accelerated or implemented multiple initiatives to decrease the backlog and improve public service. 

Congress has begun stepping up to the plate as well.  This year, for the first time in 15 years, Congress has appropriated more than the President’s budget request for the SSA, exceeding that request by close to $150 million.  For this we can thank the bipartisan work of Social Security Subcommittee Chairman Mike McNulty and Ranking Member Sam Johnson, among others. 

Unfortunately, administrative funding alone cannot solve Social Security’s service delivery and fiscal challenges.  We already face a fiscal train wreck in coming decades when the projected costs of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security impose unbearable burdens on future generations.  Those projections are reality today for the Social Security disability program.  Its costs have exceeded its income for the last three years.  If unchanged, the program will be unable to pay full disability benefits by the time children born today are entering the workforce.      

Solving these challenges will require Members from both parties to come together to conduct a fundamental examination of the challenges and opportunities facing Social Security programs.  Every day of delay means fewer choices and greater burdens on future generations.  Our children and grandchildren deserve better.

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 Statement of Rep. Johnson
(Remarks as Prepared)

Thank you, Chairman Rangel, for holding this important hearing.

Last year Subcommittee Chairman McNulty and I successfully worked together to send the Social Security administration some additional funding it needs to better serve the American people.  This funding won’t solve all of Social Security’s challenges, but it’s a good first step.

Many of those trying to receive benefits are angry.  They want a process they can understand, that’s fair, and that gives them answers in a reasonable amount of time.  That’s not happening today. 

Commissioner Michael Astrue knows this and he and his staff have been working hard to put into action needed change. 

As we will hear today, these efforts not only include adding staff, but also streamlining the application process, expanding the use of technology, and developing new decision-making tools to help reduce processing time and ensure the right decision is made as soon as possible.

Implementing needed change over the short-term is necessary.  However, as Ranking Member McCrery rightly points out, we cannot continue to ignore the greater challenges facing Social Security programs. 

As we were recently reminded by the Social Security Trustees, long term program costs cannot be sustained without change.  Even more pressing are the immediate fiscal challenges facing the disability program.  We must take action.  The sooner we get to work, the better.

 We should begin by finding ways to make disability determinations less complex, less costly, and easier for the public to understand.  I believe we can achieve this goal while still ensuring accuracy and fairness. 

It won’t be easy to find answers to these complex issues, but it has got to be done.  Those who are unable to work are counting on us to secure Social Security’s vital safety net.  And all Americans are counting on us to ensure their hard earned tax dollars are not wasted through fraud and abuse, or needless red tape.

To that end I look forward to working with all my colleagues and with Commissioner Astrue.

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