Commissioner Astrue's testimony before the House Appropriations Committee has now been posted online. The testimony is about what one would expect: well justified pride about what has been accomplished with higher appropriations in fiscal years (FYs) 2009 and 2010 and a plea for quick passage of the President's recommended appropriation for Social Security for FY 2011.
To the left is a chart from that testimony setting forth the projections being used to prepare the current and future budgets for Social Security. It assumes much higher new claims than was the case when last year's budget was prepared.
There is one ever so tiny appropriation in the bill for one person. The special age 72 benefit that began in 1968 has dwindled down to the point that an appropriation of only $4,000 is sought for FY 2011 which is for the last person on those benefits. I wonder how old that person is. Social Security's role in the Black Lung program is also rapidly coming to an end. No appropriation is sought for FY 2011 since there is adequate money left over from prior years.
There is one item mentioned in Commissioner Astrue's written statement that I hope Committee staff will be exploring and that is the work of the Occupational Information Development Advisory Panel (OIDAP). Exactly what Social Security is up to with this is unclear. This makes me and a number of other people nervous.
To the left is a chart from that testimony setting forth the projections being used to prepare the current and future budgets for Social Security. It assumes much higher new claims than was the case when last year's budget was prepared.
There is one ever so tiny appropriation in the bill for one person. The special age 72 benefit that began in 1968 has dwindled down to the point that an appropriation of only $4,000 is sought for FY 2011 which is for the last person on those benefits. I wonder how old that person is. Social Security's role in the Black Lung program is also rapidly coming to an end. No appropriation is sought for FY 2011 since there is adequate money left over from prior years.
There is one item mentioned in Commissioner Astrue's written statement that I hope Committee staff will be exploring and that is the work of the Occupational Information Development Advisory Panel (OIDAP). Exactly what Social Security is up to with this is unclear. This makes me and a number of other people nervous.
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