[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 140 (Monday, September 28, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6976-S6977]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. WYDEN (for himself, Mr. Schumer, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. 
        Menendez, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Brown, Mr. Casey, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. 
        Blumenthal, Mrs. Boxer, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Franken, Mrs. 
        Gillibrand, Mr. Heinrich, Ms. Hirono, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Leahy, 
        Mr. Markey, Mr. Merkley, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Murphy, Mrs. Murray, 
        Mr. Peters, Mr. Reed, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Schatz, Ms. Warren, and 
        Mr. Whitehouse):
  S. 2090. A bill to ensure that Social Security contributions made by 
workers are available to pay all benefits which they have earned; to 
the Committee on Finance.
  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I want to take a few minutes today to 
discuss the enormous importance of America's most critical safety net 
program--Social Security. In particular, I want to talk about the 
Social Security Disability Insurance program and introduce a proposal 
to secure the financing of Social Security. Of all the strands woven 
together in America's safety net, disability insurance is one of the 
most successful at keeping vulnerable people in Oregon and across the 
country out of poverty. It is a vital lifeline for people who suffer 
from catastrophic illnesses or disabilities, including a million 
veterans. The time has come for Congress to take an expected but 
important step to preserve Social Security's strength into the future.
  The trust fund for the disability insurance portion of Social 
Security is set to be depleted in 2016. This doesn't mean the program 
will stop paying benefits but does mean that it will only have 
dedicated tax revenue to pay about 80 percent of benefits. This isn't a 
late-breaking crisis; this is something that Congress has anticipated 
for more than two decades. And it is a simple issue to resolve.
  For a defined-benefit system like Social Security, it is not unusual 
to adjust the dials of funding between the retirement program and the 
disability program as needed. That way, the entire program remains as 
strong as possible. Benefits go out in full and on time. Nobody in 
Oregon or elsewhere is stuck in limbo, worrying about suddenly being 
unable to make rent or pay the bills.
  Congress has adjusted resources within Social Security 11 times and 
has shifted funding both to and from the disability insurance program. 
The last time it did, in 1994, it set the disability insurance program 
on strong footing for about 20 years. That is the practical way to 
strengthen disability insurance for the future. I am introducing 
legislation today along with 27 colleagues that would do just that, and 
Ways and Means Ranking Member Levin is introducing a similar measure in 
the House of Representatives.
  This is a straightforward, commonsense proposal supported by a number 
of prominent advocates for Americans with disabilities, including the 
National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, the 
Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities Social Security Task Force, 
Social Security Works, and the Strengthen Social Security Coalition.
  Despite that, there are some members of Congress who are ringing 
false alarm bells and insisting on changes to the program that may be 
harmful to workers and beneficiaries. They make the misguided case that 
disability insurance is plagued by fraud or that it is a big giveaway. 
That is not the case--as I will explain in a moment.
  The reason I am introducing this legislation now is the House of 
Representatives has adopted a rule that prevents a clean reallocation 
of funding between the retirement and disability programs. I want to 
make sure that harmful changes to these programs are not included in 
end-of-year or other must-pass legislation.
  In my view, there are opportunities to further strengthen Social 
Security,

[[Page S6977]]

and I believe the Congress should be open to policies that would not 
harm workers and beneficiaries. However, it is important that Congress 
not take any action that would reduce protections for those who desire 
to attempt work, add more complexity in benefits or administration, or 
rig up another trust fund depletion scenario. There have been some 
ideas thrown around that don't pass those tests.
  As Congress debates the future of disability insurance, it is 
important to get the facts straight. First, the Social Security 
Administration makes stopping program fraud and abuse a top priority. 
Disability insurance payments are more than 99 percent accurate, due in 
no small part to the agency's robust efforts to combat waste, fraud, 
and abuse.
  For example, the agency uses a highly effective method of preventing 
improper payments called ``continuing disability reviews,'' which 
returns $9 in savings for every dollar invested. The agency has 
demonstrated that it can do this important work when we here in 
Congress provide it with sufficient resources.
  In addition, let me be clear: nobody is getting rich off of 
disability insurance. The benefits average just over $1,100 a month, 
which is slightly over the individual poverty level. If SSDI went away, 
half of the families receiving benefits would fall into poverty.
  And it is important to recognize that the qualifications for 
disability insurance are strict, which means only those who are so 
impaired they can't perform substantial work receive benefits. The 
program is not a giveaway. Workers earn coverage by paying into the 
program. Less than 40 percent of applications for disability insurance 
are approved, even after appeals. The people who qualify suffer from 
severe medical conditions that have derailed their lives and left them 
extremely vulnerable. In my view, it is deeply unfair to delay the 
simple changes that will keep the disability insurance program running 
for years to come.
  One year ago, the Finance Committee heard testimony from a woman 
named Stephanie Dempsey who suffered from debilitating chronic 
illnesses and received disability insurance benefits. Stephanie's long 
list of health problems began in her late twenties, when she was 
diagnosed with a hereditary heart disease. She had quadruple bypass 
surgery at age 30. Over the following years, she had 27 stents placed 
in her arteries over the course of several more operations. That 
enormous burden was compounded by Lupus, arthritis, and a seizure 
disorder. A mountain of prescription bottles was stacked on the witness 
table the day Stephanie came before the Finance Committee.
  As Stephanie told us, she wanted to work, but her illnesses made it 
impossible. Rather than sliding backward into poverty or having to rely 
entirely on others to stay afloat, disability insurance benefits helped 
cover the bills.
  I am sorry to say that Stephanie passed away in December. But there 
are vulnerable people across the country who rely on disability 
insurance in the same way Stephanie did. On the Social Security 
Administration's website is a page where many of these individuals have 
shared their stories.
  Let me tell you about three other individuals who rely on disability 
insurance: Charlotte, Christine, and Carrie.
  Charlotte was working three jobs and pursuing her degree in social 
work when she suffered two strokes in 2007. After the strokes, 
Charlotte now has trouble getting around and climbing steps. She gets 
help from her niece with day-to-day chores. She says disability 
insurance keeps her from becoming homeless and helps her pay her bills, 
afford her medications, and keep food on the table.
  Christine has a disorder of the nervous system that has left her in a 
wheelchair. Her disability insurance benefits give her independence. 
She said that without Social Security, she would be stuck in a nursing 
home, but instead, she is able to be a productive citizen.
  Carrie is a mother who suffers from multiple sclerosis, MS. She 
worked in the insurance industry and shrugged off the early symptoms of 
her MS. But the fatigue and forgetfulness grew, and she became unable 
to work. Carrie's Social Security benefits help her family pay for 
food, clothes, and school supplies.
  Mr. President, these individuals and millions more across the country 
have earned their benefits, and they are relying on Congress to keep 
both parts of Social Security running at full strength. I urge my 
colleagues to work on a bipartisan basis to ensure that benefits 
continue in full and as promised, to guarantee that millions of 
vulnerable Americans remain protected.

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