[blind-democracy] Re: Senate Bill May Kick 200,000 Off Social Security If They Have Arrest Warrant

  • From: Frank Ventura <frank.ventura@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Thu, 23 Jul 2015 07:14:58 +0000

Worse still in a year and a half we will have a republican president as well.
Just think what his supreme court nominees will be like. Their first order may
well be to declare civil rights legislation to be a violation of the tenth
amendment. Sounds crazy? Well just think of the framework set out when the
voting rights law was recently gutted.
Frank

-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Miriam Vieni
Sent: Wednesday, July 22, 2015 10:43 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Senate Bill May Kick 200,000 Off Social Security If
They Have Arrest Warrant

You see where this scountry is going? This is related to having Republican
majorities in both houses of congress.

Published on Alternet (http://www.alternet.org) Home > Senate Bill May Kick
200,000 Off Social Security If They Have Arrest Warrant
________________________________________
Senate Bill May Kick 200,000 Off Social Security If They Have Arrest Warrant By
Steven Rosenfeld [1] / AlterNet [2] July 22, 2015 The large transportation
funding bill moving through the Senate would end Social Security benefits for
200,000 people who have an outstanding felony arrest warrant-but have never
been convicted by a court, or have a warrant for violating probation or parole,
according to disability rights advocates tracking the legislation.
The proposal, which surfaced late Tuesday, is at odds with recent Republican
statements [3] on the need to take up meaningful criminal justice reforms such
as less harsh sentencing. It also sets a precedent of raiding Social Security
funds for unrelated purposes, in this case transferring $2.3 billion for a
range of transportation expenses.
The Senate will be voting on the proposal as part of package of amendments
midday Wednesday, where 60 votes are needed to add it to the transportation
bill. It also takes [4] several billion from selling oil in the strategic
petroleum reserve, Treasury bond interest rates, and U.S. customs fees.
"There are two key issues here," said T.J. Sutcliffe, income and housing policy
director for The Arc, a national disability rights organization. "One is that
the Social Security Trust Fund should not be used for unrelated purposes, no
matter how important. And the other is Congress is considering cutting off
benefits to 200,000 people who rely on Social Security and SSI [disability]
benefits, who, in the case of arrest warrants have never been convicted."
The proposal surfaced in the Senate on Tuesday in a package of amendments [5]
(page 949, Section 52303) being added to a transportation bill. The House's
version of the bill only would have extended funds for several months, while
the Senate is looking at a six-year proposal-which becomes a vehicle for many
other languishing bills.
Slightly different versions of a bill to punish people with outstanding felony
warrants, or warrants for violating probation or parole, were introduced in
both chambers. Disability and low-income advocates were quick to criticize the
proposals, saying that they will punish people who rely on Social Security with
little law enforcement benefit.
"It would not help law enforcement secure the arrest of people they are seeking
for serious crimes," explained [6] Justice In Aging. "Law enforcement is
already notified of the whereabouts of every person with a warrant for a felony
or an alleged violation of probation or parole who turns up in the Social
Security Administration (SSA) databases."
The anti-poverty law group listed 10 reasons why the proposal was unduly
punitive and would have very draconian consequences:
. "Those most likely to lose benefits are generally those most in need.
. A significant number of people will become homeless when they lose their
benefits.
. Some people have had benefits cut off while residing in nursing homes.
. A very high percentage of those who will lose their benefits are people with
intellectual disabilities or mental illness.
. An unusually high percentage of those who lose benefits are African-Americans.
. Many will lose Medicare outpatient (Part B) coverage because of inability to
pay the quarterly premium.
. Eliminating what may be their only source of income does not help resolve
these issues.
. Many people never know that a warrant has been issued for them as warrants
are often not served on the individual.
. These warrants are often not easily resolved since many of those who lose
benefits live far from the issuing jurisdiction.
. SSA will have increased administrative costs for processing appeals and
requests for waiver of recovery of overpayments.
"A majority of those affected who are receiving benefits based on disability
fall into these categories," it said. "Large numbers of those who will lose
benefits had warrants routinely issued when they were unable to pay a fine or
court fee or probation supervision fee."
On Wednesday morning, Social Security and disability advocates were lobbying
[4] some Democrats to vote against cloture-or the 60 votes needed to adopt the
package of amendments-scheduled for Wednesday mid-afternoon. Those included
California's Sen. Barbara Boxer, who apparently signed off on the
proposal-saying that Social Security would still have discretion to preserve
benefits on a case-by-case basis.
However, talk of those "safeguards" and "good-case exemptions" was not
reassuring to Arc's Sutcliffe.
"It is pretty clear it is relying on cutting people off benefits in large
numbers to generate savings," she said.




Steven Rosenfeld covers national political issues for AlterNet, including
America's retirement crisis, democracy and voting rights, and campaigns and
elections. He is the author of "Count My Vote: A Citizen's Guide to Voting"
(AlterNet Books, 2008).
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Report typos and corrections to 'corrections@xxxxxxxxxxxx'. [7]
[8]
________________________________________
Source URL:
http://www.alternet.org/economy/senate-bill-may-kick-200000-social-security-
if-they-have-arrest-warrant
Links:
[1] http://www.alternet.org/authors/steven-rosenfeld
[2] http://alternet.org
[3] http://www.cut50.org/mission
[4]
http://thehill.com/policy/transportation/248751-senate-highway-bill-faces-ma
ny-obstacles#.Va-xw5bu1hg.twitter
[5]
http://www.epw.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/7311e4f6-04eb-43b1-a5c2-7586de
e4e805/edw15730.pdf
[6] http://www.justiceinaging.org/the-cuff-act/
[7] mailto:corrections@xxxxxxxxxxxx?Subject=Typo on Senate Bill May Kick
200,000 Off Social Security If They Have Arrest Warrant
[8] http://www.alternet.org/
[9] http://www.alternet.org/%2Bnew_src%2B

Published on Alternet (http://www.alternet.org)
Home > Senate Bill May Kick 200,000 Off Social Security If They Have Arrest
Warrant

Senate Bill May Kick 200,000 Off Social Security If They Have Arrest Warrant
By Steven Rosenfeld [1] / AlterNet [2]
July 22, 2015
The large transportation funding bill moving through the Senate would end
Social Security benefits for 200,000 people who have an outstanding felony
arrest warrant-but have never been convicted by a court, or have a warrant
for violating probation or parole, according to disability rights advocates
tracking the legislation.
The proposal, which surfaced late Tuesday, is at odds with recent Republican
statements [3] on the need to take up meaningful criminal justice reforms
such as less harsh sentencing. It also sets a precedent of raiding Social
Security funds for unrelated purposes, in this case transferring $2.3
billion for a range of transportation expenses.
The Senate will be voting on the proposal as part of package of amendments
midday Wednesday, where 60 votes are needed to add it to the transportation
bill. It also takes [4] several billion from selling oil in the strategic
petroleum reserve, Treasury bond interest rates, and U.S. customs fees.
"There are two key issues here," said T.J. Sutcliffe, income and housing
policy director for The Arc, a national disability rights organization. "One
is that the Social Security Trust Fund should not be used for unrelated
purposes, no matter how important. And the other is Congress is considering
cutting off benefits to 200,000 people who rely on Social Security and SSI
[disability] benefits, who, in the case of arrest warrants have never been
convicted."
The proposal surfaced in the Senate on Tuesday in a package of amendments
[5] (page 949, Section 52303) being added to a transportation bill. The
House's version of the bill only would have extended funds for several
months, while the Senate is looking at a six-year proposal-which becomes a
vehicle for many other languishing bills.
Slightly different versions of a bill to punish people with outstanding
felony warrants, or warrants for violating probation or parole, were
introduced in both chambers. Disability and low-income advocates were quick
to criticize the proposals, saying that they will punish people who rely on
Social Security with little law enforcement benefit.
"It would not help law enforcement secure the arrest of people they are
seeking for serious crimes," explained [6] Justice In Aging. "Law
enforcement is already notified of the whereabouts of every person with a
warrant for a felony or an alleged violation of probation or parole who
turns up in the Social Security Administration (SSA) databases."
The anti-poverty law group listed 10 reasons why the proposal was unduly
punitive and would have very draconian consequences:
. "Those most likely to lose benefits are generally those most in need.
. A significant number of people will become homeless when they lose their
benefits.
. Some people have had benefits cut off while residing in nursing homes.
. A very high percentage of those who will lose their benefits are people
with intellectual disabilities or mental illness.
. An unusually high percentage of those who lose benefits are
African-Americans.
. Many will lose Medicare outpatient (Part B) coverage because of inability
to pay the quarterly premium.
. Eliminating what may be their only source of income does not help resolve
these issues.
. Many people never know that a warrant has been issued for them as warrants
are often not served on the individual.
. These warrants are often not easily resolved since many of those who lose
benefits live far from the issuing jurisdiction.
. SSA will have increased administrative costs for processing appeals and
requests for waiver of recovery of overpayments.
"A majority of those affected who are receiving benefits based on disability
fall into these categories," it said. "Large numbers of those who will lose
benefits had warrants routinely issued when they were unable to pay a fine
or court fee or probation supervision fee."
On Wednesday morning, Social Security and disability advocates were lobbying
[4] some Democrats to vote against cloture-or the 60 votes needed to adopt
the package of amendments-scheduled for Wednesday mid-afternoon. Those
included California's Sen. Barbara Boxer, who apparently signed off on the
proposal-saying that Social Security would still have discretion to preserve
benefits on a case-by-case basis.
However, talk of those "safeguards" and "good-case exemptions" was not
reassuring to Arc's Sutcliffe.
"It is pretty clear it is relying on cutting people off benefits in large
numbers to generate savings," she said.
Steven Rosenfeld covers national political issues for AlterNet, including
America's retirement crisis, democracy and voting rights, and campaigns and
elections. He is the author of "Count My Vote: A Citizen's Guide to Voting"
(AlterNet Books, 2008).
Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.
Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.
Report typos and corrections to 'corrections@xxxxxxxxxxxx'. [7]
Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.[8]

Source URL:
http://www.alternet.org/economy/senate-bill-may-kick-200000-social-security-
if-they-have-arrest-warrant
Links:
[1] http://www.alternet.org/authors/steven-rosenfeld
[2] http://alternet.org
[3] http://www.cut50.org/mission
[4]
http://thehill.com/policy/transportation/248751-senate-highway-bill-faces-ma
ny-obstacles#.Va-xw5bu1hg.twitter
[5]
http://www.epw.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/7311e4f6-04eb-43b1-a5c2-7586de
e4e805/edw15730.pdf
[6] http://www.justiceinaging.org/the-cuff-act/
[7] mailto:corrections@xxxxxxxxxxxx?Subject=Typo on Senate Bill May Kick
200,000 Off Social Security If They Have Arrest Warrant
[8] http://www.alternet.org/
[9] http://www.alternet.org/%2Bnew_src%2B



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