Feb 4, 2008

Demonstrating My Lack Of Budget Knowledge

A reader who knows more about budget matters than than I has pointed out while the Commissioner of Social Security has not released his budget statement, the President's budget does include Commissioner Astrue's budget request for the Social Security Administration for fiscal year 2009. Here it is:
As directed by Section 104 of P.L. 103–296, the Social Security Independence and Program Improvements Act of 1994, the Commissioner of Social Security shall prepare an annual budget for SSA, which shall be submitted by the President to the Congress without revision, together with the President’s request for SSA.

The Commissioner’s budget includes $10,529 million for total administrative discretionary resources in 2009. This represents $10,427 million for SSA administrative expenses and $102 million for the Office of the Inspector General.
This total of $10.529 billion compares to $10.386 billion in the President's budget, a difference of $143 million or 1.4%.

Even though Michael Astrue knew that Congress is ready, indeed eager, to give the Social Security Administration more money than the President, he could hardly bring himself to ask for more than the President. Astrue is certainly not asking for enough money to make a significant difference in the backlogs at Social Security. It is not clear whether he is asking for enough to prevent a further decline in employment at Social Security.

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