Political Quotes

“I would just note, Mr. President, a couple of the headlines. One of them in one of my home State newspapers in Jackson, MS, says, ``Ailing Social Security pays $32 million in Bonuses.'' Another headline, ``Agency Shells Out Cash.'' And it notes in the first paragraph, ``The largest single award--$9,258--actually went to an executive who had been on the job for less than three months.'' I have been personally working with high-level Social Security Administration directors to resolve backlogs and other serious problems they have in their Offices of Hearings and Appeals. Some disability cases have been pending for more than 1 year and are at critical stages; some of them as long as almost 2 years. In my own State of Mississippi, to assist claimants who desperately need help--some of whom are losing their homes and cannot pay their bills--I have asked Social Security officials to expedite these cases. And, I must say, to their credit, they have sent in a team to evaluate the situation, and they have acknowledged that some of them are actually emergencies. Those cases are being dealt with, and some of them are being sent to other offices so that they can be adjudicated. But I have received a pledge that these claims will be processed quickly. The problem is not just one office or just in my State, it is all over the country where there is a tremendous backlog. Now, as I am trying to help disabled claimants, here come these bonuses.”