[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 129 (Thursday, September 23, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1729]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  WIPA AND PABSS EXTENSION ACT OF 2010

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                           HON. EARL POMEROY

                            of north dakota

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 23, 2010

  Mr. POMEROY. Madam Speaker, today I join with my colleagues, Sam 
Johnson, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Social Security, and Jim 
McDermott, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Income Security and Family 
Support, to introduce legislation to reauthorize the Work Incentives 
Planning and Assistance program (WIPA) and the Protection and Advocacy 
for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS) program. This bill will 
ensure that two programs which provide critical assistance for Social 
Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability 
beneficiaries who are seeking to return to work continue for another 
year.
  WIPA and PABSS were both originally established in the bipartisan 
Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999. WIPA 
provides $23 million for community-based organizations to provide 
personalized assistance to help SSI and Social Security Disability 
Insurance (DI) recipients understand Social Security's complex work 
incentive policies and the effect that working will have on their 
benefits. In 2009, WIPA assisted over 37,000 SSI and DI beneficiaries 
who wanted to return to work. The PABSS program provides $7 million in 
grants to designated Protection and Advocacy Systems to provide legal 
advocacy services that beneficiaries need to secure, maintain, or 
regain employment. In 2009, PABSS served nearly 9,000 beneficiaries.
  This bill will extend the WIPA and PABSS programs for one year. It 
also includes two commonsense technical changes to conform the 
treatment of WIPA and PABSS grantees. The bill would require WIPA 
grantees to report annually on their services to the Commissioner of 
Social Security, as PABSS grantees do. Although there have been 
problems in the past with maintaining an electronic reporting system 
for this data, we believe those problems are resolved and expect the 
Social Security Administration to maintain its commitment to an 
effective system during this extension. The bill would also allow WIPA 
grantees, like PABSS grantees, to carry over some unspent funding for 
one year, which will allow for smoother and faster staffing 
transitions.
  This bill does not increase government spending, since the funds will 
continue to come out of the Social Security Administration's existing 
administrative budget.
  By extending WIPA and PABSS for a year, we reaffirm our commitment to 
these important work support programs, while also acknowledging the 
need to consider policy and funding changes in the near future. For 
example, in 2008, the Social Security Administration made important 
regulatory changes to address the disappointingly low participation in 
the early years of the Ticket program. If those changes are successful, 
they will increase the number of people who are able to transition to 
work, but they may also increase the number of people who need help 
from WIPA and PABSS or change the kind of help they need. Funding for 
WIPA and PABSS has not grown since they were created in 1999.
  I urge your support for extending these important programs.

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