Pay Attention To What The House Republicans Are Trying To Do

The Republican controlled House Budget Committee announced yesterday that it wants dramatic cut in appropriations for the remainder of the fiscal year. These cuts would amount to a 12.7% reduction in appropriations for the Labor/HHS/Education portion of the budget. This is the portion that includes Social Security. The House Budget Committee has not yet made any allocations within the Labor/HHS/Education appropriation so one cannot say yet what this would amount to for the Social Security Administration. The House Appropriations Committee would certainly have a big say in this as well but more importantly the Senate and the White House would have a say.

If the Social Security Administration were subjected to a 12.7% reduction -- and I do not think that is going to happen -- I would expect large scale reductions in force at Social Security.