Congressional negotiators worked to cut hundreds of federal programs, big and small, as they fashioned a $500 billion-plus catchall government funding bill Thursday. ...
In the meantime, the House passed a bill to keep the federal government open for another week to give negotiators time to fashion the omnibus spending bill, pass it in both the House and Senate and then adjourn for the year.
Democrats hoped to make an exception for a $3.7 billion increase for veterans health care, calculating that Bush and his GOP allies on Capitol Hill would relent in the case of that politically sacrosanct program. ...
The White House does not believe the additional veterans money is needed and previously has issued veto threats if the money for veterans is not accompanied by cuts elsewhere in the budget. That approach has been widely seen as unrealistic, even by top Republicans like House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio.
But with the White House playing such a strong hand in the negotiations, Boehner now insists Democrats stick within the president's $933 billion figure, with exceptions for border security and a few other "emergencies."
Dec 14, 2007
Social Security An Emergency?
From CNN (emphasis added):
Backlog Report
The National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives (NOSSCR) has obtained from Social Security a December 2007 report on the hearing backlog. You can read it on the Social Security Perspectives blog. Just click on a page to enlarge it for easier reading.
Encouraging People To Work Longer
An announcement from the Social Security Advisory Board:
The Social Security
Invites You
To Attend a Public Forum
Working Toward Retirement Security:
Policies to Help Extend the Working Life of Older Americans
Friday, January 18, 2008
9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Top of the
Reserve Officer's Association, (5th Floor)
As the nation faces the challenges of an aging population, the
Keith Brainard, NASRA John Martin, OECD
Alicia Munnell,
John Shoven, Stanford
Additional Speakers – To Be Announced
LUNCHEON SPEAKER
Edward P. Lazear
Chairman, Council of Economic Advisors
Please share this invitation with interested colleagues.
Lunch will be provided.
Due to limited seating, please RSVP by January 9, 2008:
202-475-7700
This event is being co-sponsored by
St. Louis Post Dispatch On Backlogs
From the St. Louis Post Dispatch:
Mark Denny's disability hearing took place Monday at the Social Security Administration office in Creve Coeur. An administrative judge was there, as were lawyers and Mr. Denny's mother and sister.
Mark Denny himself wasn't there. He died on Jan. 24, 2006 — two weeks after being told he wasn't sick enough to collect federal disability insurance, and shortly after he decided to appeal.
His case isn't unusual, though most clients don't die during the average 486 days it takes from the time a disability appeal is filed with the Social Security Administration in St. Louis until a hearing can be held. It takes even longer in Kansas City: 684 days.
The problem isn't caused by lazy civil servants. The judges who preside over disability appeals face a crushing caseload, as do the Social Security employees who process the paperwork. Federal funding for their agency hasn't kept pace with demographics. Aging baby boomers have now reached their 50s and 60s. That's the age range of most people who file federal disability claims.
DDS Administrators Letter On I-Appeals
A letter that went out recently to Disability Determination Service administrators:
Policy Instruction
Identification Number DDSAL 750 Effective Date: 12/12/2007
Intended Audience: State Disability Determination Services Administrators 
Originating Office: DCO ODD
Title: iAppeals Notice Language- ACTION
Type: DDS Administrators' Letters
Program: Disability
Link To Reference:
The purpose of this Disability Determination Services (DDS) Administrators’ Letter is to announce national rollout of Internet Appeals (iAppeals) on 12/22/07. DDSs need to modify certain disability determination denial notices to explain that appeals can now be requested on the Internet. The Disability Processing Branches (DPB) and Flexible Disability Unit (FDU) in the Processing Centers will be notified via an e-mail to the MIDAS User Group (MUG). It will indicate the implementation date that the notices will be modified with the necessary language found in this DDS Administrators letter. No additional action is necessary for the DPB/FDU components.
Background:
Since 12/1/03, some members of the public have been able to complete and submit the SSA-3441 Disability Report – Appeal online (i3441). Effective 12/22/07, members of the public will also be able to complete and electronically submit the Request for Reconsideration (i561) and the Request for Review by Administrative Law Judge online. Additionally, on 12/22/07, the URL currently reflected on the notices will redirect users to the Welcome page of iAppeals. The Welcome page will solicit information to determine if a SSA-561 or SSA-501 applies and will link the user to the appropriate form.
Instructions for modifying notices
Beginning no earlier than 12/22/07, all DDSs should include the revised language for iAppeals in the Notice of Disapproved Claim and Notice of Reconsideration for disability determination denials. Notices should be revised no later than 12/19/07. The notices that need revision are:...
Please advise your regional office of your completed actions by COB December 19, 2007. If you have any questions, please direct them to your regional office.
/s/
Ruby Burrell
Associate Commissioner
for Disability Determinations
cc:
All Regional Commissioners
Directors, Centers for Disability
Dec 13, 2007
Status Of Appropriations
From The Hill:
Democratic leaders hope to finish the 11 annual spending bills over the weekend and vote on an omnibus package early next week.
At a press conference Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) sketched a tentative schedule for legislation funding the government next year.
“Right now we’re engaged in a four-way negotiation on what the bill will be,” said Pelosi, in reference to talks between Senate Democrats, Senate Republicans, House Democrats and House Republicans. “And we will wait and see what emerges from that, and I hope it would be soon.”“We would love to have it up on the Internet over the weekend and in the Rules Committee on Monday and on the floor on Tuesday,” said Pelosi of the omnibus. “That is our hope.” ...
Democrats have also floated the possibility of adding $3.7 billion in emergency spending for veterans’ healthcare.
“I think there’s a lot of rumors and a lot of discussion out there,” said Perino, when asked whether the president might accept added funding for veterans. “And the president has said his number is $933 billion, and we’ll see what they come up with.”
Obama On Disability Backlogs
From a press release issued by the Obama campaign, containing promises on what Barack Obama will do for the disabled if he is elected president:
Streamline the current application and appeals processes to reduce the unacceptable delays experienced by individuals applying for Social Security disability benefits, and ensure that the SSA has the funding it needs to hire additional judges and staff and to invest in technology to expedite final decisions ...
I am sorry, but the word "streamline" in the same sentence with the words "Social Security disability" gives me hives.
Bomb Threat In Florida
From NBC-2 in Fort Myers:
The sheriff's office is investigating a bomb threat at the Social Security Office on US 41 East.
According to authorities, a woman called in the threat at 9:49 a.m. Thursday.
She reportedly said she was not happy with the service she received at the office so she was going to blow it up.
The sheriff's office is investigating the incident, but managers at the Social Security Office have decided to go forward with business as usual.
No evacuations have been ordered and the office is open.
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