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I welcome agreement by members of the House-Senate Conference Committee considering the fiscal 2008 Labor and Health and Human Services Appropriations bill to add $275 million to funding for the Social Security Administration (SSA).

The additional resources will allow the agency to address a dangerous increase in the time in takes for applicants to receive a decision on their disability claims. The higher figure for SSA was included in the Senate version of the measure. Along with a host of other keenly interested parties, NTEU sent a letter to conference leaders requesting such an increase.

As the letter noted, the number of pending Social Security disability hearings has risen, since the start of this decade, from 311,000 to an all-time high of 753,000—including some 84,000 hearings for veterans. Over that period, the average time to receive a decision has risen from about 275 days to 512 days. This is completely unacceptable; during such lengthy delays, claimants lose their homes, go without medical help and face other severe consequences.

Along with the other signers of the letter, I am confident the increased investment in SSA will benefit our entire nation.

I am, however, deeply saddened by reports President Bush is considering vetoing this legislation, which also funds so many important SSA programs. I urge the president to reconsider, and, if not, for Congress to override his veto.