Social Security

• On September 11, 2012, the House passed H.R. 4631, Government Spending Accountability Act (GSA) of 2012, by voice vote.  The bill sets new limits for Federal agency spending on travel and conferences, and requires quarterly reports on agency conferences and meetings. 

• On September 11, 2012, the House passed H.R. 538, the Government Customer Service Improvement Act, by voice vote. The bill requires the Office of Management and Budget to develop performance measures and standards to determine whether Federal agencies are providing high-quality customer service and improving service delivery to agency customers.

• On August 7, 2012, the President signed H.R. 5872, the Sequestration Transparency Act of 2012, which became P.L. 112-155.  The bill passed the Senate by unanimous consent on July 25, 2012.  It had passed the House of Representatives (on a motion to suspend the rules) by a vote of 414-2. 

• On August 2, 2012, the Senate passed S. 3245, to extend by 3 years the authorization of the EB-5 Regional Center Program, the E-Verify Program, the Special Immigrant Nonminister Religious Worker Program, and the Conrad State 30 J-1 Visa Waiver Program by unanimous consent. The bill would temporarily reauthorize the E-Verify program and the Special Immigrant Non-Minister Religious Worker Program through September 30, 2015.

• On August 1, 2012, the Senate passed S. 1409, the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Improvement Act of 2012, by unanimous consent.  The bill would require agencies to identify and stop erroneous payments to contractors and program beneficiaries.

• On July 6, 2012, President Obama signed into law H.R. 4348, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act or MAP-21, which became Public Law 112-141. Although, the Act is primarily known for authorizing funding for the nation’s highways and for extending low interest rates for Federal student loans, it also includes numerous changes related to the governance of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation and a package of pension provisions, which were largely included in the bill as revenue raisers. The bill also includes a provision for the phased retirement of Federal employees.

• On April 26, 2012, the Senate passed S. 1789, the 21st Century Postal Service Act of 2012, by a vote of 62 – 37. The bill is intended to improve, sustain, and transform the United States Postal Service.
  
  
• On April 18, 2012, the House Ways and Means Committee approved three legislative proposals that would make changes to subsidized health care and child tax credit programs, and repeal the Social Services Block Grant.



• On April 4, 2012, the President signed S. 2038, the "Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act of 2012 or Stock Act".  This enactment has been designated as Public Law 112-105.6.
  Previous action 03/23/12
  
  
• On February 22, 2012, President Obama signed H.R. 3630, the “Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012,” which became Public Law 112-96. The bill passed the House  on February 17, 2012 by a vote of 293-132. Later in the day it passed the Senate by a vote of 60-36.
  Previous action 12/14/11
  
  
• On February 1, 2012, the House passed H.R. 1173, the “Fiscal Responsibility and Retirement Security Act of 2012,” by a vote of 267-159.  The bill would repeal the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act created under Title VIII of the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.”  Under the law, benefits paid under the CLASS Act would be excluded from being used to determine eligibility under any Federal, State, or locally funded assistance program.  The bill now goes to the Senate for its action.
  
  

• On February 7, 2012, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1734, the "Civilian Property Realignment Act", by a vote of 259-164.  The bill was sent to the Senate where it was received and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

• On December 23, 2011, President Obama signed H.R. 3765, the “Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act of 2011,” which became Public Law 112-78.  The law extends the current payroll tax cut for two months and is similar to H.R. 3630, the “Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act of 2011,” as passed by the Senate on December 17.

• On December 7, 2011, the House passed H.R. 10, the "Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2011", by a vote of 241-184. It is the third of three bills approved by the House in recent days that would revise the Federal rulemaking process.

• On December 2, 2011, the House passed H.R. 3010, the "Regulatory Accountability  Act of 2011", by a vote of 253-167. It is the second of two bills approved by the House in the last week that would revise the Federal rulemaking process.

• On December 1, 2011, the House passed H.R. 527, the "Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act of 2011", by a vote of 263-159.  The bill would amend the process that Federal agencies use to analyze and develop new regulations.  It would also require agencies to periodically determine whether existing regulations are necessary.
  
  
• On October 17, 2011, the Senate passed by voice vote S. 1721, the "SSI Extension for Elderly and Disabled Refugees Act of 2011".  The bill would extend for only one year the refugee eligibility policy that was previously authorized for a three year period (FY 2009 through FY 2011).
  
  
• On August 2, 2011 the President signed S. 365, the "Budget Control Act of 2011" into law shortly after the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 74-26.  The House passed the bill on August 1, 2011 by a vote of 269-161.The enacted bill has been designated Public Law 112-25.


• On June 29, 2011, by a vote of 89-8, the Senate adopted S. Res. 116, a resolution to provide for expedited Senate consideration of certain nominations.  No further action is needed on this change to the Rules of the Senate.

• September 13, 2012 -- Statements of Judge  Patricia A. Jonas, Appellate Operations Executive Director, Deputy Chair, Appeals Council, Judge  Debra Bice, Chief Administrative Law Judge, Judge  Douglas S. Stults, Hearing Office Chief Administrative Law Judge, Judge Thomas W. Erwin, Hearing Office Chief Administrative Law Judge, Judge Ollie L. Garmon, III, Regional Chief Administrative Law Judge, before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations on improving the quality of disability benefit award decisions.

• September 12, 2012 -- Statement of Theresa Gruber, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security on the Direct Deposit of Social Security Benefits.

• July 25, 2012 --  Statement of LaTina Burse Greene, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Office of Retirement and Disability Policy, before the Senate Special Committee on Aging, on the importance of the Social Security retirement decision and how it affects women.

• July 25, 2012 -- Statement of Carolyn W. Colvin, Deputy Commissioner, before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Resources, on management of the SSI program.

• June 27, 2012--Statement of Commissioner Michael J. Astrue, before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security, on the appeals process.

• May 17, 2012—Statement of Commissioner Michael J. Astrue, before the Senate Finance Committee, on SSA’s ability to provide quality service and value to the American public.

• May 9, 2012--Statement of Kelly Croft, Deputy Commissioner for Systems and Chief Information Officer, before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security, concerning Information Technology.

• May 8, 2012--Statement of David Black, General Counsel, before the House Ways and Means Subcommittees on Oversight and Social Security, concerning the Death Master File.

• March 20, 2012--Statement of Commissioner Michael J. Astrue, before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security on how Disability decisions are made.

• February 28, 2012--Statement of Stephen C. Goss, SSA Chief Actuary, before the House Committee on the Budget, concerning health and retirement systems in the United States.  

• February 2, 2012--Statement of Commissioner Michael J. Astrue, before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security on the accuracy and uses of SSA’s Death Master File.

• January 24, 2012 -- Statement of Carolyn W. Colvin, Deputy Commissioner, before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security, on combating disability waste, fraud, and abuse.
  
  
• December 2, 2011 -- Statement of Steve Goss, Chief Actuary, before the Committee On Ways and Means Subcommittee On Social Security, concerning the Social Security Disability program.

• September 23, 2011--Statement of Robert W. Williams, Associate Commissioner, Office of Employment Support Programs, before the House Ways and Means Subcommittees on Social Security and Human Resources, on agency efforts to help beneficiaries with disabilities to return to work.

• July 11, 2011--Statement of Commissioner Michael J. Astrue, before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security and the House Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Courts, Commercial, and Administrative Law, on ALJ performance.

• June 14, 2011--Statement of Carolyn W. Colvin, Deputy Commissioner, before the House Ways and Means Subcommittees on Social Security and Oversight, on SSA’s  efforts to ensure the accuracy of our benefit payments.

• May 25, 2011 -- Statement of Kelly Croft, Deputy Commissioner, Office of Systems, before the Senate Committee On Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security, on SSA’s collection and distribution of death information.

• April 14, 2011 -- Statement of Marianna LaCanfora, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Office of Retirement and Disability Policy, before the Committee On Ways And Means Subcommittee On Social Security, on SSA’s role in verifying employment eligibility.

• April 13, 2011 -- Statement of Theresa Gruber, Assistant Deputy Commissioner of Operations, before the Committee On Ways And Means Subcommittee On Social Security, on SSN Protection and ID Theft.

• March 17, 2011 -- Statement of Deputy Commissioner Carolyn Colvin,  before the House Committee On Appropriations, Subcommittee On Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, on agency initiatives to prevent improper payments.

• March 9, 2011 -- Statement of Commissioner Michael J. Astrue,  before the Senate Committee On Appropriations, Subcommittee On Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, concerning the President’s fiscal year (FY) 2012 budget request for the Social Security Administration.

• February 11, 2011 -- Statement of Kelly Croft, Deputy Commissioner for Systems, before the Committee On Ways And Means Subcommittee On Social Security, and the Committee On Transportation And Infrastructure Subcommittee On Economic Development, Public Buildings, And Emergency Management, on SSA’s data center replacement project.

• February 5, 2011 -- Statement of Jerry Nelson, Manager for the Waterloo, Iowa, Social Security Office before the Senate Appropriations Committee, on the importance of fully funding Social Security’s administrative budget for fiscal year 2011. 
  

 

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