Max Baucus: “I rise today to express my disappointment and frustration that the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance program also…”

“I rise today to express my disappointment and frustration that the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance program also known as WIPA run by the Social Security Administration is being shut down today. Congress has not acted to extend this important program and the Commissioner of Social Security does not believe he has the authority to continue the program. I disagree. I think he could continue this program under his broad authority to implement the Social Security Act. It is my belief that if he did that and that was contrary to congressional intent, Congress would express that disapproval through the appropriations process. Let me explain what the WIPA program does. Both the Social Security disability insurance, SSDI, program and the supplemental security income, SSI, program have many provisions to assist beneficiaries in attempting to return to work, but the rules and features of the work incentives are complex and can be intimidating. Through the WIPA program, SSA makes grants to community-based organizations to provide SSDI and SSI disability beneficiaries with assistance in navigating and using the return-to-work features. The total budget for the WIPA grant program is $23 million a year. Because it is such a large State, Montana has two WIPA grantees. The Montana Center for Inclusive Education at Montana State University in Billings is the WIPA specialist for residents of eastern Montana.…”