Larson, Davis Call for Increased Social Security Administration Funding to Improve Customer Service

Hartford, CT – This week, House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee Chairman John B. Larson (D-CT) and Worker and Family Support Subcommittee Chairman Danny K. Davis (D-IL) sent a letter to House Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, and Related Agencies Subcommittee Chair Rosa L. DeLauro and Ranking Member Tom Cole sharing testimony from a recent hearing on SSA customer service and calling for increased funding for the Social Security Administration's (SSA) operational expenses to improve customer service.

“We write to share testimony from a recent hearing at which we heard about the urgent need for SSA to strengthen services and reduce excessive delays, which requires adequate administrative funding in order to hire staff, allow overtime for existing staff, and invest in information technology to improve productivity and reduce errors and delays,” wrote the chairmen.

The letter included key highlights from the hearing, including the following testimony from SSA Deputy Commissioner Grace Kim: “We are at a crossroads. The cumulative impact [of inadequate funding] will increase our customers’ wait times for in-person and phone service, increase claims processing times, and lead to increases in pending workloads,” said Kim. “We know people need our help, and Congress recognizes the importance of our local offices to communities. None of us think it is okay for applicants to wait six months for a decision on their disability application, but that is the level of service Congress and the public should expect absent sufficient resources. It will take a multi- year effort and adequate funding to restore pre-pandemic initial claim wait times. We hope we can work with you to resolve these funding challenges and restore the level of service the public requires.” 

Chairmen Larson and Davis concluded, “We appreciate that under the leadership of Chair DeLauro the House-passed FY 2022 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies appropriations bill would have provided SSA with $14.1 billion, a significant increase of $1.1 billion above the FY 2021 enacted level. We encourage you to continue your invaluable leadership on behalf of SSA’s beneficiaries and customers by including highest amount possible for the agency’s operating budget in FY 2023, no less than President Biden’s request of $14.8 billion.” 

You can find a PDF of the full letter here.

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