,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #cije ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,july #bc1 #bjai,mr4 ,higgins of ,new ,york 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,grijalva1 ,ms4 ,moore1 ,mrs4 ,demings1 ,ms4 ,garcia of ,texas1 ,mr4 ,thompson of ,mississippi1 ,mr4 ,cohen1 ,ms4 ,velzquez1 ,ms4 ,wild1 ,mr4 ,espaillat1 ,ms4 ,norton1 and ,mr4 ,rose of ,new ,york7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,ways and ,means ,a ,,bill ,to amend title ,,vii of the ,social ,security ,act to require the ,president to transmit the annual budget of the ,social ,security ,administration without revisions to ,congress1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,social ,security ,administration ,accountability ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,amending ,social ,security ,administration budgetary matters 7a7 ,annual ,budget ,section #gjd7;b77#a77;,a7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ijd7;b77#a77;,a77 is amended to read as follows3 7b7 7#a7 7,a7 ,the ,commissioner shall prepare and submit an annual budget estimate for the ,administration directly to the ,president and ,congress4 4 7b7 ,contents of ,budget ,section #gjd7;b77#a77;,b7 of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ijd7;b77#a77;,b77 is amended to read as follows3 7,b7 ,the ,commissioner shall include in the annual budget prepared pursuant to subparagraph 7,a7 the following3 7i7 ,the total number of cases pending at each hearing office1 listed by hearing office1 and an aggregate total of all cases pending at all hearing offices4 7ii7 ,the total number of cases pending for over the preceding year at each hearing office1 listed by both hearing office and presiding administrative law judge1 and an aggregate total of all cases pending for over such year at all hearing offices4 7iii7 ,the average duration of time to process each case at each hearing office1 listed by hearing office4 7iv7 ,the staffing levels at each hearing office and field office1 including a listing of job titles1 classifications1 and the number of staff within each title and classification4 4 7c7 ,comprehensive ,work ,force ,plan ,section #gjd7;b77#b77;,a7 of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ijd7;b77#b77;,a77 is amended by striking the ,commissioner and inserting the following3 the ,commissioner1 in consultation with relevant stakeholders including employee organizations representing employees of the ,social ,security ,administration4 ,not later than #ij days before a revision of the comprehensive work force plan1 the ,commissioner shall submit the document setting forth the revision to the ,committee on ,ways and ,means of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,finance of the ,senate44 #c4 ,closure of field or hearing offices 7a7 ,moratorium on closure or consolidation of field or hearing offices or new limitations on access to such offices 7#a7 ,in general ,except as provided in paragraph 7#b71 the ,commissioner of ,social ,security shall take no action on or after the date of the enactment of this ,act to close or consolidate field or hearing offices of the ,social ,security ,administration or to otherwise impose any new limitation on access to such offices4 7#b7 ,cessation of moratorium upon report to ,congress ,paragraph 7#a7 shall cease to be effective #ahj days after the ,commissioner submits to the ,committee on ,ways and ,means of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,finance of the ,senate a detailed report outlining and justifying the process for selecting field or hearing offices to be closed or consolidated or otherwise to have limited access4 ,such report shall include-- 7,a7 an analysis of the criteria used for selecting field or hearing offices for closure1 consolidation1 or limited access2 7,b7 a description of how the ,commissioner has analyzed and considered relevant factors1 including but not limited to transportation and communication burdens faced by individuals serviced by the offices1 including elderly and disabled citizens2 and 7,c7 a description of any method of cost-benefit analysis applied by the ,commissioner in connection with closures and consolidations of field or hearing offices1 and other limitations on access to field or hearing offices1 including any analysis that takes into account-- 7i7 the anticipated savings resulting from the closure1 consolidation1 or limitation on access2 7ii7 the anticipated costs associated with replacing services lost by the closure1 consolidation1 or limitation on access2 7iii7 the anticipated effects on employees of the offices affected2 and 7iv7 such other relevant factors as may be determined by the ,commissioner1 including but not limited to transportation and communication burdens faced by individuals serviced by the offices1 including elderly and disabled citizens4 7b7 ,requirements for future closures1 consolidations1 and new limitations on access 7#a7 ,in general ,section #gjd of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ijd7 is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection3 7f7 ,field and ,hearing ,offices 7#a7 ,the ,commissioner may not close a field or hearing office of the ,administration1 consolidate two or more such offices1 or otherwise impose any new limitation on public access to any such office1 unless the ,commissioner complies with the requirements of paragraphs 7#b71 7#c71 and 7#d7 in connection with the closure1 consolidation1 or limitation on public access4 7#b7 7,a7 ,the requirements of this paragraph are met in connection with a closure1 consolidation1 or new limitation on access referred to in paragraph 7#a7 only if-- 7i7 not later than #abj days before the date of the closure1 consolidation1 or limitation on access1 the ,commissioner provides effective public notice of the proposed closure1 consolidation1 or limitation on access 7including1 to the extent practicable1 notice by direct mailing and through community outlets such as newspapers and posting in heavily frequented public spaces7 to individuals residing in the area serviced by the affected office or offices2 and 7ii7 not earlier than #cj days after the issuance of public notice pursuant to clause 7i7 and not later than #de days before the date of the proposed closure1 consolidation1 or limitation on access1 the ,commissioner conducts at least #b public hearings 7scheduled so that the first and last such hearings are separated by at least #aj days71 at which the ,commissioner presents the justifications for the closure1 consolidation1 or limitation on access described in subparagraph 7,b7 and provides for attendees an opportunity to present their views regarding the proposed closure1 consolidation1 or limitation on access4 7,b7 ,the justifications referred to in subparagraph 7,a77ii7 shall consist of the following3 7i7 an analysis of the criteria used for selecting the field or hearing office or offices for closure1 consolidation1 or limited access2 7ii7 a description of how the ,commissioner has analyzed and considered relevant factors1 including but not limited to transportation and communication burdens faced by individuals serviced by the offices1 including elderly and disabled citizens2 and 7iii7 a description of a method of cost-benefit analysis which shall be applied by the ,commissioner in connection with the closure1 consolidation1 or limitation on access1 and which shall take into account-- 7,i7 the anticipated savings resulting from the closure1 consolidation1 or limitation on access2 7,,ii7 the anticipated costs associated with replacing services lost by the closure1 consolidation1 or limitation on access2 7,,iii7 the anticipated effects on employees of the offices affected2 and 7,,iv7 such other relevant factors as may be determined by the ,commissioner1 including but not limited to transportation and communication burdens faced by individuals serviced by the offices1 including elderly and disabled citizens4 7,c7 ,the notice provided pursuant to subparagraph 7,a77i7 shall include notice of the time and place of the public hearings to be conducted pursuant to clause 7,a77ii7 and of the right of aggrieved individuals to appeal to the ,commissioner regarding the proposed closure1 consolidation1 or limitation on access pursuant to paragraph 7#d74 7#c7 ,the requirements of this paragraph are met in connection with a closure1 consolidation1 or limitation on access referred to in paragraph 7#a7 only if1 not later than #cj days before the date of the proposed closure1 consolidation1 or limitation on access1 the ,commissioner submits to the ,committee on ,ways and ,means of the ,house of ,representatives1 the ,committee on ,finance of the ,senate1 and each ,member of the ,congress representing a ,state or congressional district in which the affected office or offices are located a detailed final report in support of the closure1 consolidation1 or limitation on access4 ,such report shall include-- 7,a7 the justifications described in paragraph 7#b77;,b71 7including any amendments made to such justifications after the public hearings conducted pursuant to paragraph 7#b77;,a772 7,b7 any findings made by the ,commissioner pursuant to the public hearings2 7,c7 the status of any appeals regarding the closure1 consolidation1 or new limitation on access which were commenced pursuant to paragraph 7#d7 before the date of the report2 7,d7 the final decision of the ,commissioner regarding the closure1 consolidation1 or new limitation on access2 and 7,e7 such other information as the ,commissioner considers relevant4 7#d7 7,a7 ,upon timely request by any individual who makes a showing in writing described in subparagraph 7,b7 in connection with a proposed closure1 consolidation1 or limitation on access referred to in subparagraph 7,a71 the ,commissioner shall give such individual an opportunity for a hearing with respect to the closure1 consolidation1 or limitation on access4 ,the request for the hearing shall be considered timely only if it is made not later than #cj days before the proposed date of the closure1 consolidation1 or limitation on access4 ,the ,commissioner shall submit to the ,committee on ,ways and ,means of the ,house of ,representatives1 the ,committee on ,finance of the ,senate1 and each ,member of the ,congress representing a ,state or congressional district in which the affected office or offices are located the ,commissioner's findings based on the hearing and a description of any action taken or to be taken by the ,commissioner on the basis of such findings4 7,b7 ,a showing described in subparagraph 7,a7 shall consist of a showing that-- 7i7 the determination of the ,commissioner to close a field or hearing office1 consolidate field or hearing offices1 or impose a new limitation on access to a field or hearing office is arbitrary1 capricious1 an abuse of discretion1 not in accordance with law1 or not based on substantial evidence2 or 7ii7 the ,commissioner has failed to observe procedures required by law in connection with the closure1 consolidation1 or new limitation on access4 4 7#b7 ,effective date ,the amendment made by paragraph 7#a7 of this subsection shall apply with respect to closures and consolidations of field or hearing offices and impositions of new limitations on access to such offices occurring after the cessation of the moratorium under subsection 7a7 of this section4 #d4 ,,gao study on disability hearings ,not later than one year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall submit to ,congress a report that describes the average length of time after a request for review of an initial adverse determination with respect to an application for a disability insurance benefit under title ,,ii of the ,social ,security ,act has been made until a final decision is issued with respect to such application4