The federal fiscal year ends on September 30. Without Congressional action there will be a government shutdown. It's clear that individual appropriation bills will not be passed before the end of the month. A Continuing Resolution (CR), which permits the continuation of spending at the previous rate, will be needed. Every time there's a CR, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) submits a list of "anomalies" -- government functions that require something beyond the prior rate of spending. The OMB anomalies list this time includes a request that the Social Security Administration be funded at the full rate of the President's budget request for FY 2025 -- $15.4 billion instead of the $14.2 billion in the FY 2024 appropriation, warning that:
... Without the anomaly, SSA would be required to reduce funding for core information technology operations including SSA's network support. In addition, SSA would likely reduce the hours field offices are open to the public and would need to close field offices over time, extending wait times or seniors and individuals with disabilities. ...
Government Executive calls the OMB request for Social Security an "unusual step."
It's unlikely that Social Security will receive anything like what is requested. The House funding bill doesn't include an increase for Social Security. In fact, it cuts Social Security's appropriation below the current FY.
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WASHINGTON — Donald Trump is pressuring Republicans to shut down the government at the end of this month if Congress doesn’t pass a GOP-backed proposal to establish new election rules nationwide.
Trump has called on Republicans in Congress to link funding the government with the SAVE Act, which would require proof of citizenship to vote — in a bid to target non-citizen voting, which is already illegal. And House Republican leaders are considering adopting the strategy and picking a fight with Democrats.
Well, reducing FO hours would be a welcome relief to FO staff who are overworked. This would give us time to clear backlogs and adjudicate claims. Perhaps it could be made permanent similar to the pre-2019 FO hours of operation on Wednesdays (9am-12pm). But the work won't stop just because offices close... seniors and claimants can still do their business by phone or internet.
Former President Trump on Thursday pledged that, if elected, he will set up a new task force aimed at cutting federal programs and eliminating “trillions” in improper payments.
FY 25 and FY 26 are big system and update years. The agency will also start rolling out workstation/laptop devices which are very expensive with the needed security credentials. This might be why the request involves Core Technology services. Some of it was delayed in FY24, but the long-term technology plan already runs through FY25. Some of which involves the complete transition of the current claim system off the mainframe.
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