Social Security: Proposed Cuts Would Hurt People with Disabilities
People with disabilities have long complained about inadequate service from the Social Security Administration (SSA): lengthy delays in applying for disability benefits, poor administration of work incentive programs, and, of course, the ever-present long lines and wait times on the 800 number. Now these problems threaten to get even worse.
The proposed funding for SSA’s administrative costs in this year’s Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriation bills is even lower than the already inadequate figure proposed by the President. The current House bill would reduce SSA’s budget to $200 million below the President’s request; the Senate bill would reduce the funding even further, to $400 million below the President’s request.
The cuts in the Senate bill, in particular, would cause so much hardship that the Social Security Commissioner sent a letter to the Senate in July in which she stated that these reductions “will result in major service disruptions across all workloads” and would require “employee furloughs of approximately 10 days Agency-wide.”
We need to let Congress know that cuts like these do not just hurt federal employees. They also hurt people with disabilities, the elderly, and everyone else who relies on these critical programs. You can take action now to stop these cuts. For more information and a sample letter to send to your Senators and Representative, please go to the United Spinal Web site at www.unitedspinal.org/2006/11/09/help-prevent-social-security-budget-cuts/.
The ADA at 16: A Congressional Hearing
On September 13, 2006, the House Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on the Constitution, held an oversight hearing to gather testimony on the effect of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on small businesses. This was the first Congressional oversight hearing on the ADA since it was passed 16 years ago.
Witnesses provided testimony objecting to the Supreme Court’s narrow interpretation of the definition of “disability” under the ADA, excluding many people who take medicine or use assistive devices for their disabilities. United Spinal argued that the ADA was intended to cover people whose disabilities are alleviated by assistive devices or medications. We requested that corrective legislation be passed by Congress to define “disability” along the lines intended by the ADA.
The Subcommittee also heard testimony from a small business owner who said that information regarding the ADA for people like him was lacking. United Spinal submitted testimony stating that the Department of Justice and other credible advocacy organizations have provided significant resource material for businesses to understand their obligations under the ADA. United Spinal Association will continue to work with Congress to ensure that the provisions of the ADA are enforced with a result that provides equal opportunities for persons with disabilities.
