The U.S. House Appropriations Committee released a report on future funding for Social Security which includes administrative funding, but also recommendations that the Committee is issuing to Social Security. This report indicates the Committee has all intentions of providing Social Security with crucial funding, but it is important to note that the full committee has not yet voted on approving the report and even after it does the recommendations would have to pass on the House floor. Below is a portion of the report that addresses some of Social Security’s major initiatives. If you are interested in see the entire report that deals with Social Security click here.
Information Technology —The Committee continues to monitor the Information Technology (IT) Modernization Plan and encourages SSA to focus on improvements to customer service and efficiency improvements for customers and employees as it makes updates to the plan. In addition, SSA should take steps to automate manual processes to reduce human error and improve processing time. The Committee requests an update of the plan referenced under this heading in House Report 114–699.
Legal Assistants —The Committee understands that the Office of Hearings Operations (OHO) relies on legal assistants to conduct a broad range of work supporting hearings and reviewing work of its administrative law judges, and is concerned about reports that OHO recently consolidated duties from several specialized legal assistants, causing affected employees to perform more duties without increased compensation. The Committee strongly urges SSA to examine the position descriptions of legal assistants, pay and actual work conducted since the consolidation, to ensure that job classifications, and compensation, are commensurate with current duties.
Pilot Program Metrics —The Committee expects SSA to continue to follow the guidance and directives under this heading in House Report 116–450 for fiscal year 2022, and to include descriptions of pilots and associated pilot program metrics in its fiscal year 2023 Congressional Budget Justification.
Professional Representatives —The Committee believes that quality representation in matters with SSA assists claimants and beneficiaries, and can also help SSA work more accurately and efficiently. The Committee continues to support direct payment of fees to representatives, encourages the Commissioner to raise and index the cap on fees payable via fee agreement, and requests that the Commissioner add a Performance Measure on timely and accurate payment of representative fees to the Fiscal Year 2022 and subsequent Annual Performance Plans.
Report on LAE Expenditures —The Committee continues to request that the data referenced under this heading in House Report 114-699 be included in future budget justifications. In addition, the Committee requests the fiscal year 2023 Congressional Budget Justification include a historical table of costs and fiscal year 2023 requests for personnel and benefits, by major SSA component to include Operations (field offices, teleservice centers, processing centers, and regional offices); Office of Hearings Operations; Systems; Office of Analytics, Review, and Oversight; and Headquarters.
Service to the Public —SSA uses Public Service Indicators to measure the agency’s progress in meeting the needs of the public in local field offices and teleservice centers. The Committee understands that SSA has modified Public Service Indicators to reflect challenges due to the COVID–19 pandemic. The Committee directs SSA to submit to the Committee within 90 days of enactment of this Act a report on Public Service Indicators for field offices and teleservice centers, providing the indicators and performance for Fiscal Years 2016 to 2021 and describing how the agency sets and modifies indicators, any changes made by the agency due the pandemic, and any staffing needs and resources necessary in its field offices and teleservice centers to restore previous levels of public service.
Telework – The Committee reiterates its support for well-managed telework programs in the Federal workplace, which have demonstrated benefits for human capital as well as continuity of operations. The Committee expects SSA to implement telework policies that support these goals while also strengthening service to the American public, including in-person service in community-based field offices. The Committee directs SSA to submit a report within 90 days of enactment of this Act detailing the agency’s telework policies and identifying any positions for which telework has not been provided or has been reduced from pre-October 2019 levels, along with the reasons for any telework reductions.
Video Hearings – The Committee understands that during the COVID–19 pandemic, SSA is providing claimants with the option of a video hearing, a telephone hearing, or a postponement if the individual would prefer to wait until an in-person hearing is available. The Committee expects that once the COVID–19 pandemic ends, SSA will resume in-person hearings. The Committee continues to encourage SSA to work with claimants who need additional flexibility by allowing a claimant to choose to use video and telephone hearings on a voluntary basis or to have an in-person hearing or proceeding if the party chooses to do so.
Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) and Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS) —The recommendation includes $23,000,000 for WIPA grants and $10,000,000 for PABSS. The Committee notes that Federal Protection and Advocacy (P&A) systems provide legal representation to people with disabilities in civil matters to protect and enforce their legal, civil, and human rights. The Committee understands that SSA recently changed security clearance requirements for staff that charge time to PABSS programs. Given the Federal and State laws required for P&A staff, the Committee urges SSA to reconsider changes that would require P&A staff to undergo any unnecessary SSA security clearances, so that they may be treated like any other attorney representing a person on SSA benefits.
