Over the past years, Social Security disability claims have risen across the Nation.

I think it is very important for the Congress to keep an eye on that so it makes a very important choice to dedicate those resources to program integrity work when the paradigm shifts.

I think that we can do better.

I would like to be more specific and ask you to describe how SSA is handling the challenge of training.

I commend Director Berry for doing that because I think it is a step in the right direction.

thanks to the Recovery Act and increased funding, your agency was able to hire thousands of new employees.

Some of the credit for this work, I want to tell you, is due to Senator Voinovich's sustained focus on the issue.

Average Ohioans must wait 479 days for their disability claims to be processed.

At the end of fiscal year 2010, the Social Security Administration (SSA) had a backlog of almost 850,000 initial claims.

It would put ALJs on equal footing with other senior-level Federal employees and would be a valuable tool for recruiting talented attorneys from the private sector to government service.

Aloha and good morning. Let me tell you what I meant when I said, 'Aloha' and begin by saying we share such a deep Aloha between Senator Voinovich and me.