WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to ensure that applicants for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability programs get the help they need to navigate the complex appeals process. H.R. 4532, the Social Security Disability Applicants’ Access to Professional Representation Act of 2010, will improve access to quality, professional representation for disability applicants. It was adopted today by a vote of 412 - 6.
The bipartisan bill was introduced by Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee Chairman John Tanner (D-TN) and Income Security and Family Support Subcommittee Chairman Jim McDermott (D-WA), along with their respective Ranking Members, Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX) and Rep. John Linder (R-GA). It would make permanent a temporary provision to expand access to professional representation that is due to expire on March 1, 2010.
“One of the top priorities of this Subcommittee has been helping the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have been waiting years for a hearing on their disability case due to large claims backlogs," said Rep. John Tanner (D-TN), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Social Security. “It is important that people have the help they need to navigate the complicated disability appeals process. That is why I, along with my colleagues from both sides of the aisle, introduced this bill. This bipartisan legislation makes sure that everyone continues to have access to professional representation when they need it most."
“Filing for disability benefits isn’t easy, but this bipartisan legislation will continue to ensure that applicants get the support they need in order to get their Social Security benefits," Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Social Security. “This is an important first step, but more than ever we need to simplify the complicated bureaucratic process so that our constituents don’t have to hire representatives in the first place."
"The disability claims process is too complex, time-consuming and cumbersome for many people to negotiate on their own, and it's particularly difficult for those who are suffering from a severe disability," said Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support. “Ensuring that a claimant's representative will be paid for their successful work on a claimant's behalf will provide disability applicants access to a larger pool of highly qualified representatives to assist them, in those instances where they seek such help. The passage of this important legislation allows our most vulnerable citizens to continue to receive help with navigating the disability process and getting the benefits that they need and deserve."
“It is rare when we can come together to reform our entitlement system while providing better service to Americans and saving the government money," said Rep. John Linder (R-GA), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support. “Fortunately, this is one of those times. While I understand that our entitlement programs pose many more and significant challenges; this is a good first step in our reform efforts. I hope that my colleagues and I can continue to work together in the future to make more common sense reforms like this one."
