FMA LAUDS APPROPRIATORS FOR PROVIDING ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION - July 17, 2009

Increase in funding crucial to eliminating the backlog of hearing disability cases

Alexandria, VA - The Federal Managers Association (FMA), which represents the managers and supervisors in the Social Security Administration's (SSA) Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR), praises the House Appropriations Committee for approving $11.4 billion for the Social Security Administration's Limitation on Administrative Expenses (LAE) for fiscal year 2010. This funding, which goes directly to SSA's administrative expenses, would allow the agency to tackle its backlog of hearing disability cases.

"There are currently 747,000 pending requests for a hearing in the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review, and it now takes an average of 500 days to process a typical hearing request. These delays continue to tarnish SSA's otherwise strong record of service to the American public," commented FMA National President Darryl Perkinson.

The Committee-approved funding level for SSA's Limitation on Administrative Expenses constitutes a ten percent increase over FY09 levels and is designed to provide the agency with adequate staffing levels and sufficient resources to increase productivity in several key areas.

"The budget allows for the hiring of 1,645 new employees, boosting SSA staff levels to a total of 65,114, a mark that is vital to meet in order to reduce the backlog and tackle increased workloads stemming from the current recession and aging population," continued Perkinson.

Between 2001 and 2007, Congress appropriated, on average, $150 million less than the President requested each year. The value of this differential is equivalent to processing an additional 177,000 initial claims and 454,000 hearings. In the ten years prior to fiscal year 2008, Congress appropriated nearly $1.3 billion less than the President's request. Without a doubt, this has had a devastating effect on the services provided to the American public, as evidenced by the situation we are in today.

"The Social Security Administration is under severe constraints - a baby boomer population applying for benefits in record numbers, a workforce where a third of employees will be eligible for retirement in the next few years, and an economic recession which is causing a stark increase in disability applications. Under this budget, the agency would be able to hire additional support staff and process tens of thousands of more hearings in FY10 than in FY09," Perkinson said.

"On behalf of the managers and supervisors who work diligently to serve the American people, I thank the Committee for approving the President's recommended budget for SSA. We urge the Senate Appropriations Committee to follow suit when it considers the bill in the coming weeks," concluded Perkinson.