House Minority Memorandum on Social Security Administration (SSA) Integrity Hearing

Prior to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee’s two-part hearing on June 11th, the Minority Staff released a memorandum for Democratic Committee Members.

Whereas the Majority’s report focused largely on major improvements that still need to be made regarding the integrity of the appeals process, the Minority’s focus provides a contrasting perspective. It highlights improvements made over the last decade in the issue area of ALJ oversight, data collection, decision analysis, enhanced training designed to improve ALJ performance, harsher disciplinary procedures for noncompliant ALJs, and greater fraud detection and investigative measures.

The Minority’s memorandum also emphasizes just how profoundly underfunding by Congress has prevented the SSA from fully implementing quality control measures. Furthermore, it notes that the solvency of the Disability Insurance Trust Fund, a major concern for all, is due primarily to changing demographics, and not, as the Majority alleges, to any fault of the SSA’s (i.e. fraud, administrative inefficiency, improperly awarded benefits).