I have given summaries of what Commissioner Astrue said at last week's Senate Finance Committee hearing. It is worth listing some things he did not talk about, or at least did not talk much about.
- Any plan for quickly working off Social Security's enormous backlog in holding administrative hearings. Even though Astrue has apparently been told if he does not come up with a plan that Congress may enact statutory time limits on holding hearing and issuing decisions, the best that Astrue can come up with is a plan that maybe, possibly, hopefully would reduce the backlogs to a near acceptable level in five years, but no guarantee on that.
- The "brute force" approach to eliminating Social Security's backlogs that the Commissioner had talked about at his confirmation hearing. Astrue used this phrase once. He did talk about increasing Social Security's workforce. However, in general, Astrue concentrated upon management approaches to reducing backlogs, an approach which has failed miserably in recent years.
- Any modeling of what could be done at Social Security given various budget funding levels. Astrue seemed to be promising exactly this at his confirmation hearing, but stayed away from this subject last week.
- The Social Security Administration's own recommended budget for fiscal year (FY) 2008 of $10.44 billion.
- The Congressional budget for Social Security which will probably be about $10.1 billion for FY 2008. Astue wanted only to talk about President Bush's much lower proposed FY 2008 budget for Social Security, even though it is a dead letter. Astrue continued the, at best, unprovable line first advanced by his predecessor that there would be no backlog problem if Congress had just adopted President Bush's budgets for Social Security over the years. I think most knowledgeable people just roll their eyes at that one. Why is Astrue so concerned with deflecting responsibility away from President Bush? Astue is supposed to be independent, unconcerned with making Bush look good or bad.
- Social Security's budget for years beyond FY 2008. Should he not already be lobbying for the FY 2009 budget and beyond?
- Any plans for dealing with Social Security's staffing shortages at its Field Offices, Teleservice Centers and Payment Centers.
Regardless of the details involved in various aspects of the disability determination and payment of benefits, you have hit the nail on the head with your assertion regarding "brute force." Without enough bodies to do the work, it simply won't get done. Astrue was clear on what needed to be done, but is now expected to play the budget game. I am very surprised that what you have said about the budget differential was not brought up more strongly in the finance committee hearing. Is Congress willing to buck the President and pass a bill authorizing the higher amount for SSA staff?
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