{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.manchin.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/op-eds?ContentRecord_id=f4a32531-dfc4-4778-a9cc-4c99c757fa8d", "Congress, don't kill Social Security Disability Insurance, fix it and save it | Fox News", "2015-09-30", "2015", "2015-09", "Democrat", "House", "WV", "Joe Manchin", "M001183", "www.manchin.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "September 30, 2015\n\t\t\t Congress, don't kill Social Security Disability Insurance, fix it and save it | Fox News \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tNearly 11 million Americans rely on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), a program intended to provide a safety net to workers who develop a serious, long-term disability.\r\nMost American workers pay into SSDI through their payroll taxes, but payments to beneficiaries have exceeded these taxes in recent years. Indeed, since 2009, SSDI has paid out $155 billion more than it has taken in.\r\nAccording to the 2015 annual report from the Social Security systems trustees, the SSDI trust fund will run out in late 2016. Unless Congress acts, every one of those 11 million people will see a 19 percent cut in benefits. This will mean the average beneficiary will receive $230 less per month -- moving from barely above to below the poverty line.\r\nSSDI was established as an insurance program for the totally and permanently disabled. In 1980, SSDI cost about $25 billion per year, but today, annual program costs have skyrocketed to more than $140 billion.\r\nWe aneed to shift SSDI from a one-size-fits-all mindset to a smarter approach that differentiates between the permanently disabled and those who, with medical treatment and rehabilitation services, can recover.\r\nThe growth of the program has been driven by a number of factors, including population growth and demographic changes, but also by changes that Congress made in 1984 to make it easier to qualify for the program.\r\nToday, nearly 300,000 Arkansans and West Virginians rely on SSDI. In some of our counties, nearly 20% of working-age people receive SSDI benefits.\r\nMany of these individuals are permanently disabled, and were committed to protecting this vulnerable population. But we must also dramatically improve the program for the temporarily disabled to help them recover and return to work.\r\nWe are not currently accomplishing this goal.\r\nLast year, the Social Security Administration helped fewer than 600 Arkansans and West Virginians on SSDI return to work, or about 1 in 500 of the people on the program. Nationwide, the program helps less than 1 in 200 return to work each year.\r\nHelping those who can work get back to work will not only help those people reach their full potential through dignity of work, it will also improve the solvency of the program.\r\nHow can we accomplish this goal?\r\nWe must intervene early. On average, applicants wait more than a year before getting an SSDI eligibility decision. We can use this time to help applicants who are disabled, but have the potential for work activity stay connected to the workforce by providing support services. This can be done through vocational training, supportive employment, health services, incentives for employers, and more. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has already begun to experiment to discover the best approach to help these beneficiaries. Congress should support and strengthen these efforts.\r\nWe also need to shift SSDI from a one-size-fits-all mindset to a smarter approach that differentiates between the permanently disabled and those who, with medical treatment and rehabilitation services, can recover.\r\nWhile SSA categorizes beneficiaries based on likelihood of medical improvement, theres no requirement to pursue rehabilitation or medical services to prepare for a return to work. We need to help individuals with temporary disabilities gain access to rehabilitation and recovery services and offer a timeline to re-enter the workforce.\r\nSimilarly, we must ensure that the Social Security Administration is regularly reviewing the health and rehabilitation status of SSDI beneficiaries. This will ensure that SSDI benefits continue for those who need them while those who have recovered can transition back to the workforce. For these individuals SSDI can be a temporary program and a way to recover  not a permanent status.\r\nThese are just a few ideas for protecting the integrity of this important program. Were committed to working with our colleagues in the Congress, the Social Security Administration, and beneficiaries to ensure the long-term solvency of the program.\r\nOur goal should be to help the temporarily disabled return to work and preserve SSDI benefits for our most vulnerable citizens.\r\nRepublican Tom Cotton represents Arkansas in the United States Senate.\r\nDemocrat Joe Manchin represents West Virginia in the United States Senate.\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t    By:\n\t\t\t\t    Senators Joe Manchin and Tom Cotton", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.manchin.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/op-eds?ContentRecord_id=f4a32531-dfc4-4778-a9cc-4c99c757fa8d"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8368571288883686, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}