Americans Demand Full Funding of the Social Security Administration
Last week, Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Bob Casey (D-PA), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) joined activists, seniors, and Americans with disabilities to call for full funding of the Social Security Administration (SSA.)
Congressional Republicans are proposing a $492 million cut to the SSA’s budget. The agency’s budget has already been cut by 11 percent since 2011, even as the population that it serves grows larger due to the retirement of the baby boom generation.
In recent years, SSA has had to close 64 field offices due to budget constraints. The average wait time for a disability hearing decision is a record high 627 days. We need to fully fund the Social Security Administration, not subject it to cuts that make it increasingly difficult for Americans to access their earned benefits.
Following the press conference, activists delivered over 250,000 petition signatures demanding full funding of SSA to the office of Sen. Mitch McConnell (D-KY.) The signatures were collected by CREDO Action, Social Security Works, the Economic Policy Institute, the American Federation of Government Employees, the Alliance for Retired Americans, and the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare. Add your name here.
“Since 2010, Congress has cut Social Security’s operating budget by 16 percent, and now Republicans want to cut another $492 million. According to a recent Washington Post article, 10,000 people died in the past year waiting for a decision on Social Security disability benefits. This is a national disgrace. We need to provide adequate funding for the Social Security Administration to provide services to seniors and persons with disabilities in a timely manner.” — Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ranking Member, Senate Budget Committee
“Without enough funding, it becomes harder and harder for the Social Security Administration to make sure that seniors and people with disabilities receive the Social Security benefits that they are legally entitled to. This country made a promise to every hardworking American: Social Security will be there when you need it. America must honor its promise and that means no cuts to the Social Security budget.” — Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
“This arbitrary across the board obsession with cutting often leads to dire consequences for real people. If you think the Social Security Administration isn’t critically important to delivering Social Security benefits, you probably haven’t been paying attention. When you refuse to support increases to the Social Security Administration, you’re cutting Social Security. And you’re making this country a lesser country than it should be. “ Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Ranking Member, Senate Aging Committee
“My grandson’s father passed. My daughter almost gave up because she could not get his survivor benefits in a timely manner. I have a brother that worked 34 years and became disabled. It took him two and a half years to get a claim processed. What happens in that two and a half years? Savings gone, unemployment gone. This effects real people. That’s why I’m here.” — Julian Blair, Grassroots activist and veteran receiving Social Security benefits
“The Senate Appropriation proposes cuts of $492 million from the current spending levels. This does not take into account the $400 million in COLA that must be absorbed for increases in employee wages, leases, contractors and building costs. This will result in almost $1 billion less to administer the Social Security programs. More offices will close, lines will be longer, 1–800 number wait times will grow to hours. Backlogs will grow. This is not fair to the SSA workers, but it is a broken promise to the public we serve who spent years investing in Social Security.” — Dana Duggins, Executive Vice-President of the SSA Council, American Federation of Government Employees
“Like their fellow Americans, Veterans need a responsive Social Security Administration when they have questions about their benefits…further cuts in Social Security will only deepen the problems that these veterans and other American with disabilities encounter.” — Susan Prokop, Senior Associate Advocacy Director, Paralyzed Veterans of America
“We demand that Congress fully fund the Social Security Administration in the upcoming federal budget and stop this attack on seniors and the disabled community. By reducing services, Republicans are just coming at us from a different direction.” — Robert Roach, Jr., President, Alliance for Retired Americans
“For more than 82 years, the Social Security program’s system of protections for American workers have served as a vital lifeline for beneficiaries and their families. But what good is a lifeline when there’s no one there to toss you the rope?” — Max Richtman, President & CEO, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
