Carl Levin

When I joined the agency in 2007, I reversed the trend in declining program integrity work.

Yes, Senator, that is a Federal requirement.

I think that may be part of the difference between the agencies.

Send us recommendations.

We thank you very much, and if you can, also give us your oral testimony in no more than 7 minutes.

It cannot be that you just send some money and get a driver's license renewed without a physical exam.

I think the issue is whether or not--we will wait to hear from them, but whether or not there is an overstatement.

And you recommended that the Social Security Administration investigate all of those 1,500 cases?

Do you recommend that the Social Security Administration investigate these 20 cases?

I come from a State with a 14-percent unemployment rate, and I have known of very few people who are not desperately looking for work who are unemployed.

And if not, tell us if there needs to be a change in the law.

Shouldn't we allow you to forward those to the Social Security Administration?

Does that sound about right?

I think the reason we find this study--and you mentioned it--is because we have failed to do our job.

The purpose of today's hearing, which was initiated at the request of Senator Coburn, is to strengthen stewardship of our disability programs.

There is an obligation to notify the Social Security Administration if somebody gets employment.

OK, that is what I want to get to, the definition of fraud.

I think when you go as far as you have gone with the matching--I do not see any reason why you should not be able to share that information.

This is not Social Security's problem. This is Congress' problem because we created a program that has been difficult, if not impossible, for them in many ways to manage effectively.

I do not think overpayments are unavoidable in the Federal Government.

What conclusions in the report are flat wrong?

In other words, you must in all the States, have a doctor look at you every 2 years.

Nor do they purport to be.

You sponsored a bill called the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act of 2010.

The greatest responsibility does not lie at the Social Security Administration for the problems that we see. They lie right here with Congress.