[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 132 (Tuesday, September 28, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H7063-H7064]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1700
                  WIPA AND PABSS EXTENSION ACT OF 2010

  Mr. TANNER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 6200) to amend part A of title XI of the Social Security Act 
to provide for a 1-year extension of the authorizations for the Work 
Incentives Planning and Assistance program and the Protection and 
Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security program.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 6200

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``WIPA and PABSS Extension Act 
     of 2010''.

     SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATIONS FOR THE WORK INCENTIVES 
                   PLANNING AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND THE 
                   PROTECTION AND ADVOCACY FOR BENEFICIARIES OF 
                   SOCIAL SECURITY PROGRAM.

       (a) Work Incentives Planning and Assistance.--Section 
     1149(d) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b-20(d)) is 
     amended by striking ``2010'' and inserting ``2011''.
       (b) Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social 
     Security.--Section 1150(h) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b-
     21(h)) is amended by striking ``2010'' and inserting 
     ``2011''.

     SEC. 3. CONFORMING CHANGES TO THE WORK INCENTIVES PLANNING 
                   AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

       (a) Annual Reports.--Section 1149 of the Social Security 
     Act (as amended by section 2(a)) is further amended by 
     redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as subsections (d) and 
     (e), respectively, and by inserting after subsection (b) the 
     following new subsection:
       ``(c) Annual Report.--Each entity awarded a grant, 
     cooperative agreement, or contract under this section shall 
     submit an annual report to the Commissioner on the benefits 
     planning and assistance provided to individuals under such 
     grant, agreement, or contract.''.
       (b) One-Year Carryover.--
       (1) In general.--Section 1149(b)(4) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1320b-20(b)(4)) is amended--
       (A) by striking ``(4) Allocation of costs.--The costs'' and 
     inserting the following:
       ``(4) Funding.--
       ``(A) Allocation of costs.--The costs''; and
       (B) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(B) Carryover.--An amount not in excess of 10 percent of 
     the total amount obligated through a grant, cooperative 
     agreement, or contract awarded under this section for a 
     fiscal year to a State or a private agency or organization 
     shall remain available for obligation to such State or 
     private agency or organization until the end of the 
     succeeding fiscal year. Any such amount remaining available 
     for obligation during such succeeding fiscal year shall be 
     available for providing benefits planning and assistance only 
     for individuals who are within the caseload of the recipient 
     of the grant, agreement, or contract as of immediately before 
     the beginning of such fiscal year.''.

[[Page H7064]]

       (2) Effective date.--The amendments made by paragraph (1) 
     shall apply with respect to amounts allotted under section 
     1149 of the Social Security Act for payment for a fiscal year 
     after fiscal year 2010.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Tanner) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sam Johnson) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.


                             General Leave

  Mr. TANNER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on 
the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Tennessee?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TANNER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  This bill is an extension of two very important provisions of the 
Ticket to Work Act of 1999 which basically helps disabled Americans 
return to work when, and if, they can. This has been a bipartisan team 
effort I was pleased to work on with Mr. Johnson some time ago. The 
bill has no direct spending and complies with pay-as-you-go rules.
  I am pleased to support this important extension of two programs from 
the bipartisan Ticket to Work Act of 1999, which was introduced by my 
colleagues Earl Pomeroy, Jim McDermott, and Sam Johnson.
  This has been a bipartisan, collaborative effort to ensure that two 
important programs that help disabled Americans return to work continue 
for another year, and I thank my colleagues for their good work on this 
issue.
  The Work Incentives Planning and Assistance program (WIPA) provides 
$23 million for community-based organizations to provide personalized 
assistance to help Supplemental Security Income (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 Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security 
(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.
  If Congress does not extend these programs by the end of October, the 
Social Security Administration has told us there may be a lapse in 
service to beneficiaries, so it's important that we act now.
  The bill also includes two commonsense, good-government changes to 
increase accountability and make the WIPA program more efficient.
  First, we add a requirement that all WIPA grantees report data to the 
Social Security Administration about the beneficiaries they serve and 
the kinds of help they provided, the same requirement that current 
PABSS grantees have.
  Good data is critical to our efforts to make sure that taxpayer funds 
to WIPAs are well-spent.
  It also helps us learn more about what kind of help disabled 
beneficiaries may need if they are able to return to work, which will 
allow us to make other improvements in future legislation.
  Second, this legislation would allow all WIPA grantees to carry over 
10 percent of their funding into the next year, a change originally 
proposed by the Obama Administration. This change will allow for better 
and more consistent budgeting instead of encouraging end-of-year 
spending.
  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.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan, commonsense 
legislation.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  I rise today in support of the passage of this legislation, and I 
think the Supplemental Security Income and Social Security disability 
benefit programs provide an essential income safety net for people with 
disabilities.
  Yet these programs face a real fiscal challenge. Waste, fraud and 
abuse continues to threaten public confidence. Most importantly the 
disability program will not be able to pay full benefits beginning just 
eight years from now in 2018.
  Those who depend on these critical benefits are counting on us to 
act. They want answers and we must turn to these issues without delay.
  With respect to the legislation we are considering today, just over 
10 years ago Congress passed The Ticket to Work and Work Incentives 
Improvement Act to help those with disabilities get back to work.
  The two grant programs we would reauthorize today were created as 
part of that landmark legislation.
  One of the grant programs, The Work Incentives Planning Assistance 
Program funds community-based organizations to assist those receiving 
benefits to find work as well as understand Social Security's complex 
rules and the effect of working on their benefits, their health care 
and on other public benefits they may receive.
  Today there are a total of 103 community-based cooperative agreements 
in all 50 States. Last year these programs served over 37,000 people.
  One example is The Work Incentive Planning Assistance Program of 
Easter Seals North Texas which serves 19 counties in the north Texas 
area, including my district. Thanks to their hard work, so far this 
year over 20 percent of their caseload has jobs.
  The other grant program, The Protection and Advocacy Program for 
Beneficiaries of Social Security Program funds 57 grant programs 
covering all 50 States. These programs served almost 9,000 people last 
year, helping those working or trying to work by assisting in the 
resolution of potential disputes, including those with their employer.
  The authorized funding level included in the bill for these two 
programs is $30 million. This funding level has remained constant since 
these programs were created.
  While I support a one-year extension of these two important programs, 
I am disappointed that our Subcommittee has not continued the work it 
began in May of last year when we learned that Social Security's Ticket 
to Work Program wasn't working as we would like.
  Despite some signs of improvement since new rules were issued, now 
more than ever, we need to look at how every taxpayer dollar is spent. 
No matter how well intended these programs are, at the end of the day 
taxpayers deserve to know if they are getting their money's worth. 
Programs that don't work must be changed or must end.
  I urge all my colleagues to vote yes.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TANNER. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Tanner) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 6200.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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