FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, Contact (202) 225-9263
July 22, 1999
No. SS-7
Congressman E. Clay Shaw, Jr., (R-FL), Chairman, Subcommittee on Social Security of the Committee on Ways and Means, today announced that the Subcommittee will hold a hearing on Year 2000 (Y2K) and other Social Security information technology issues. The hearing will take place on Thursday, July 29, 1999, in room B-318 of the Rayburn House Office Building, beginning at 10:00 a.m.
Oral testimony at this hearing will be from invited witnesses only. Witnesses will include experts from the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO), which has examined Social Security information technology systems, and the Social Security Administration (SSA). However, any individual or organization not scheduled for an oral appearance may submit a written statement for consideration by the Committee and for inclusion in the printed record of the hearing.
BACKGROUND:
The effective use of information technology is essential to Social Security's mission of providing timely and accurate benefits to more than 44 million Americans. As with other government programs, computers have come to play a critical part in Social Security's ability to process benefit applications, screen for errors and possible fraud, and provide timely benefits. Given the importance of information technology to SSA's mission and the program challenges presented by the Baby Boom generation as it approaches retirement age, the Subcommittee has asked GAO to review SSA progress in several areas, including readiness for Y2K, implementation of its Intelligent Workstation/Local Area Network (IWS/LAN) initiative, and development of a Reengineered Disability System (RDS). This hearing will explore the results of that review.
In announcing the hearing, Chairman Shaw stated: "Computer systems are vital to ensuring that Americans receive the Social Security benefits they have come to expect in a timely and affordable manner. This hearing will be a final check to ensure that Social Security is fully ready for Y2K. Beyond Y2K, it is vital that we ensure that Social Security's computer systems are up to the task now, well before the Baby Boom approaches retirement age and begins drawing disability and retirement benefits in large numbers."
FOCUS OF THE HEARING:
The hearing will focus on SSA progress in implementing key information technology initiatives, including readiness for Y2K, implementation of its IWS/LAN initiative, and development of a RDS.
DETAILS FOR SUBMISSION OF WRITTEN COMMENTS:
Any person or organization wishing to submit a written statement for the printed record of the hearing should submit six (6) single-spaced copies of their statement, along with an IBM compatible 3.5-inch diskette in WordPerfect 5.1 format, with their name, address, and hearing date noted on a label, by the close of business, Thursday, August 12, 1999, to A.L. Singleton, Chief of Staff, Committee on Ways and Means, U.S. House of Representatives, 1102 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515. If those filing written statements wish to have their statements distributed to the press and interested public at the hearing, they may deliver 200 additional copies for this purpose to the Subcommittee on Social Security office, room B-316 Rayburn House Office Building, by close of business the day before the hearing.
FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS:
Each statement presented for printing to the Committee by a witness, any written statement or exhibit submitted for the printed record or any written comments in response to a request for written comments must conform to the guidelines listed below. Any statement or exhibit not in compliance with these guidelines will not be printed, but will be maintained in the Committee files for review and use by the Committee.
1. All statements and any accompanying exhibits for printing must be submitted on an IBM compatible 3.5-inch diskette in WordPerfect 5.1 format, typed in single space and may not exceed a total of 10 pages including attachments. Witnesses are advised that the Committee will rely on electronic submissions for printing the official hearing record.
2. Copies of whole documents submitted as exhibit material will not be accepted for printing. Instead, exhibit material should be referenced and quoted or paraphrased. All exhibit material not meeting these specifications will be maintained in the Committee files for review and use by the Committee.
3. A witness appearing at a public hearing, or submitting a statement for the record of a public hearing, or submitting written comments in response to a published request for comments by the Committee, must include on his statement or submission a list of all clients, persons, or organizations on whose behalf the witness appears.
4. A supplemental sheet must accompany each statement listing the name, company, address, telephone and fax numbers where the witness or the designated representative may be reached. This supplemental sheet will not be included in the printed record.
The above restrictions and limitations apply only to material being submitted for printing. Statements and exhibits or supplementary material submitted solely for distribution to the Members, the press, and the public during the course of a public hearing may be submitted in other forms.
The
Committee seeks to make its facilities accessible to persons with
disabilities. If you are in need of special accommodations, please
call 202-225-1721 or 202-226-3411 TTD/TTY in advance of the event
(four business days notice is requested). Questions with regard to
special accommodation needs in general (including availability of
Committee materials in alternative formats) may be directed to the
Committee as noted above.