Congress Should Appropriate the President’s Full Request For the Social Security Administration’s Costs

Publication Date: July 2004

Publisher: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (Washington, D.C.)

Author(s): Eileen Sweeney

Research Area: Banking and finance

Keywords: Federal budget; Fiscal future; Economic projections

Type: Report

Abstract:

In his fiscal year 2005 budget, President Bush has requested $8.878 billion for the Social Security Administration’s administrative expenses. (Technically, this is known as the Limitation on Administrative Expenses, or LAE.) Funding for SSA’s administrative costs is provided each year in the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill and is considered discretionary spending. The level of funding that the Administration has requested is necessary if SSA is to make critical improvements in program operations.

This analysis examines two examples of important work that SSA will not be able to conduct adequately if the funding level is reduced significantly below the President’s request. Specifically, without sufficient funding, two key Congressional goals for administration of the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income disability programs will not be able to be met.