Some More Points From Senate Finance Committee Hearing

• Testimony was taken from the witnesses as a single panel. Over the years, the Commissioners' testimony was taken first. The Commissioners and their entourages then left before other witnesses testified -- removing about half of the audience and greatly annoying the other witnesses. The method used today must have been far more satisfactory to everyone other than Commissioner Astrue.
• Astrue is trying to get video equipment in all hearing rooms.
• Astrue called "e-pulling" of exhibits "exciting. [My opinion is that it is a good way to waste a lot of money on something that will never work.]
  
• The Findings Integrated Template (FIT) method of drafting decisions will now be mandatory.
• Astrue is working with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on legislation concerning agency authority over Adminisatrative Law Judges (ALJs).
• Rick Warsinskey of the National Council of Social Security Management Associations (NCSSMA) testified that Social Security's Voice Over Internet (VOIP) transition will cost $1 billion and that it is urgently needed. [No doubt it is needed, but $1 billion spent on VOIP is $1 billion less spent on personnel to reduce backlogs.] Update: I have been told that Warsinskey said "up to" $1 billion, rather than $1 billion.
  
• Astrue seemed to talk more about getting tools that would allow the agency to get more productivity out of ALJs than about hiring more ALJs, although he certainly talked about hiring more ALJs.
• Astrue was asked twice what he would need to make a quick dramatic reduction in the hearing backlogs. He talked a lot, but never gave any answer to the questions. I would not go so far as to say he was deliberately trying to avoid answering the questions, but he certainly was not trying hard to give responsive answers.
• The tone of the hearing was friendly. No noticeable tension or flashes of anger.
• The video technology did not work. I was able to hear the hearing, but not view it.