Dear Chairman Lewis, Rep. Obey, & Chairman Regula:

On behalf of the 4.6 million members and supporters of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, I am writing to ask for your support in accepting a Senate provision which appropriates $38 million in supplemental funds to the Social Security Administration.

As you know, the Social Security Administration began 2006 with a funding level $300 million below the President's request. This reduction was imposed despite the additional burden faced by SSA of processing millions of applications for the low-income subsidy in Medicare's Part D program, helping contribute to an extensive backlog in processing these applications. Although Hurricane Katrina further taxed the agency's resources, SSA was able to quickly provide assistance to hundreds of thousands of displaced people, making it a shining example of effective and efficient government service on behalf of its citizens.

In order to fulfill this mission, SSA redirected $38 million from funding for its normal operations, funds which are desperately needed today to allow the agency to meet its day-to-day obligations throughout the country, and alleviate at least some of the delays caused by the diversion of funds to the victims of the 2005 hurricane season. We understand the Senate-passed version of the FY 2006 War-Hurricane Supplemental Appropriations bill includes reimbursement to a number of agencies for hurricane related costs. These reimbursements include $38 million to the Social Security Administration to cover its hurricane-related expenditures, an amount which is fully paid for. We urge the House Conferees to accept this provision, directing much needed funding to an agency which provides essential services to millions of our nation's seniors and the disabled.

Thank you for any support you can provide to secure this important funding.

Cordially,