Congressional Democrats Talking Omnibus

The Hill reports that despite the failed effort to tack together the Labor-HHS, Military Construction and VA appropriations bills into one bill, that Congressional Democrats are looking at an omnibus appropriations bill joining together most of the federal budget in one bill after the anticipated veto of the Labor-HHS appropriations bill. Social Security's administrative budget will be part of this omnibus bill.

This all sounds like an inside game of little importance to anyone other than a congressman, but the success or failure of such strategies will determine how many employees the Social Security Administration can hire between now and September 30, 2008 as well as how much overtime the agency can authorize. If you are a prospective Administrative Law Judge, this may determine whether you get a job. If you are a current Social Security employees, this is what determines how much overtime pay you will draw and how frustrating your job will be. If you are an attorney representing Social Security claimants, this is what determines whether your stream of income accelerates or slows down and how frustrating your job will be. If you are a Social Security claimant, this is what determines how quickly you get a decision or a hearing.