[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 32 (Wednesday, February 26, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E248]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        COMMENDING SOCIAL SECURITY EMPLOYEES FOR FIGHTING FRAUD

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. XAVIER BECERRA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 26, 2014

  Mr. BECERRA. Mr. Speaker, millions of Americans pay into Social 
Security every week, knowing that when they need Social Security, it 
will be there for them. Without Social Security's dedicated, highly-
trained workforce, we would not be able to stop fraud and errors and 
guard those contributions until they are needed.
  The Social Security Administration (SSA) recently stopped two large 
fraud conspiracies, one in Puerto Rico and one in New York. I want to 
commend the hundreds of Social Security employees, investigators, and 
state disability determination services employees, as well as state, 
local, and federal prosecutors and law enforcement officers who worked 
tirelessly to detect, investigate, and prosecute these crimes. I would 
also like to particularly acknowledge some of the hard-working public 
servants who played especially key roles.
  DDS Medical Consultant Dr. Ascisclo Marxuach; DDS Medical Consultant 
Dr. Vicente Sanchez; DDS Systems Manager Juan Ocasio; DDS Systems 
Manager Javier Ortiz; District Manager and former Disability Processing 
Unit Manager Diane Maldonado; Disability Program Administrator Annie 
Malave; Program Analyst Susan Palais; and Program Analyst Maria Lora.
  Area Office Supervisor Awilda Montalvo; Assistant Regional 
Administrator Yvonne Bastide; Lead Disability Processing Specialist 
Kathleen Fitzpatrick; Lead Disability Processing Specialist Michael 
Warner; Deputy Assistant Regional Commissioner Frank Barry; Center for 
Disability Deputy Director Jose Colon; Special Agent-in-Charge Edward 
Ryan; Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge John Grasso; Assistant Special 
Agent-in-Charge Anthony Piazza; Resident Agent-in-Charge Sharon 
McDermott; Special Agent Peter Dowd; Special Agent Manuel Rivera; CDI 
Team Leader Angel Rodriguez; Management Support Specialist Jaimie Arce; 
CDI Specialist Amanda Rios; and CDI Specialist Karen Velez.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend these patriotic Americans for their work to 
protect Social Security for American families.

                          ____________________