[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 52 (Wednesday, May 4, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[Congressional Record: May 4, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
EXCESSIVE BONUS PAYMENTS TO SOCIAL SECURITY PERSONNEL UNFAIR TO
TAXPAYERS, SENIOR CITIZENS
(Mr. ROTH asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. ROTH. Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the Social Security Task Force,
which was set up to watch over Social Security and protect our senior
citizens, I want to tell the Members how outraged I am that the Social
Security Administration paid $32 million in bonuses last year, with one
bonus of $9,256 to a person who was on the job only 2\1/2\ months. He
got more in bonuses than most Social Security recipients receive in a
year.
Last year Social Security asked for and received from this Congress
an additional $200 million to pay for benefits to Social Security
recipients. We now know that millions of these dollars went right into
bonuses. This is not fair to our senior citizens. This is not fair to
the taxpayers. The Social Security agency is the same entity that
seniors tell me does not even answer their tollfree hot line.
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to Social Security, I say that Social
Security money must be used for Social Security purposes only. And no
more bonuses, especially as long as we have these lingering problems in
the Social Security agency.
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