Democrats in the U.S. House and Senate drafted and sent a letter to Nancy Berryhill, Social Security’s acting commissioner, opposing a proposed rule that would remove the inability to communicate in English as an education category in consideration for disability benefits. The press release issued by the legislators is below.
Top Democrat Committee leaders in the House and Senate today called on the Social Security Administration (SSA) to withdraw a proposed rule, “Removing Inability to Communicate in English as an Education Category.” House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA), House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee Chairman John B. Larson (D-CT), House Ways and Means Worker & Family Support Subcommittee Chairman Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Senate Finance Social Security Subcommittee Ranking Member Sherrod Brown (D-OH) sent the letter to Acting SSA Commissioner Nancy Berryhill.
“In [the proposed rule], SSA makes a harmful and unjustified attempt to deny Social Security and Supplemental Security Income disability benefits to older workers with long-term or fatal medical impairments who are severely limited in their functional capacity and who cannot communicate in English. We request that SSA withdraw this proposed rule,” the members wrote.
The conclusion of the legislators stated “for the reasons outlined above, and in light of the specific and detailed concerns expressed in the public comments, we urge SSA to withdraw this proposed rule. Any changes to SSA policies and processes must be evidence-based. Rather than making uninformed changes that deny vital benefits to older workers with severe disabilities that prevent them from returning to work, SSA should focus on making timely and accurate decisions as early in the disability application process as possible.”
It was reported that more than 200 comments have come in signed by 312 individuals and organizations opposing this rule.
