To design policies that ensure justice for all, we need tools for estimating not just a proposal's price tag but its fairness. While several attempts at such equity analyses have focused on mandatory legislation, discretionary appropriations also play a key role in determining people's access to benefits and services and the exercise of certain rights.
Authors
Jack Smalligan, Chantel Boyens, Karishma Furtado, Rekha Balu
- Pages
- 38
- Published in
- United States of America
Table of Contents
- Contents 3
- Foreword Equity Scoring and Equal Protection 4
- Note 6
- Acknowledgments 7
- Executive Summary 8
- While many equity analyses of the potential outcomes of federal proposals have 8
- In the case of Social Security benefits payments under the Old-Age Survivors and 8
- Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income programs are fully funded to 8
- How Does Funding of Administrative Expenses Affect Equity 9
- Why We Focus on Financial Insecurity among Older and Disabled Adults and Evaluate Federal Efforts to Combat It 9
- Policies Targeting Economic Security among Older and Disabled Adults 11
- The Equity Scoring Initiative 13
- Scoring Mandatory versus Discretionary Legislation 13
- Applying Equity Scoring to the Discretionary Appropriations Process 14
- Programs and Activities Funded by Discretionary Appropriations 16
- The Case of the Social Security Administration 16
- Social Security Administrations Administrative Budget 17
- Implications for SSAs Service to the Public 19
- The Disproportionate Effects of Low Funding on Disability Applicants and Beneficiaries 22
- Evidence of Impact of Disability Programs on Applicants and Beneficiaries 23
- Impacts for Applicants and Beneficiaries 24
- Impacts for Applicants Awaiting an Eligibility Determination 24
- Impacts for Denied Applicants 25
- Impacts for Applicants Ultimately Awarded Benefits 25
- Impact of Wait Times and Reduced Service Levels on Program Participation 26
- Participants in Social Security Programs Have Different Racial and Ethnic Backgrounds from Those Receiving Retirement Benefits 27
- What Does the SSA Discretionary Funding Illustrate about Equity Scoring 27
- Implications for Equity Scoring of Appropriations Bills 28
- Implications for Future Funding of SSAs Operations 29
- Appendix A. The Federal Pell Grant Program 30
- Notes 31
- References 33
- About the Authors 36
