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Maritime/Jones Act

• Virginia Port Authority Magazine Wins Top Award
  Jul 08, 2008

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• Newport News Marine Terminal Opens a New Warehouse
  Jul 02, 2008

  The Virginia Port Authority (VPA) is scheduled to open a new warehouse at the Newport News Marine Terminal in July of 08'. This will reduce the breakbulk cargo handling in the Norfolk International Terminals, which will allow for the demolition of outdated warehouses, creating space for more containers on the 672-acre terminal. The new 200,000 square foot warehouse will hopefully attract more breakbulk business to the Newport News Marine Terminal.  - 52 - 60

Social Security Disabilty

• Social Security Board of Trustees: Long-Range Financing Outlook Remain
  Aug 06, 2010

  "The Social Security Board of Trustees today released its annual report on the financial health of the Social Security Trust Funds and the long-range outlook remains unchanged.  The combined assets of the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) Trust Funds will be exhausted in 2037, the same as projected last year.  The Trustees also project that program costs will exceed tax revenues in 2010 and 2011, be less than tax revenues in 2012 through 2014, and then permanently exceed tax revenues beginning 2015, one year earlier than estimated in last year’s report.  The worsening of the short-range outlook for the Social Security Trust Funds is due in large part to the recent economic downturn. 

  In the 2010 Annual Report to Congress, the Trustees announced:

  • The projected point at which the combined Trust Funds will be exhausted comes in 2037 – the same as the estimate in last year’s report. At that time, there will be sufficient tax revenue coming in to pay about 78 percent of benefits.
  • The projected point at which tax revenues will fall below program costs comes in 2010.  Tax revenues will again exceed program costs in 2012 through 2014 before permanently falling below program costs in 2015 -- one year sooner than the estimate in last year’s report.
  • The projected actuarial deficit over the 75-year long-range period is 1.92 percent of taxable payroll -- 0.08 percentage point smaller than in last year’s report.
  • Over the 75-year period, the Trust Funds would require additional revenue equivalent to $5.4 trillion in present value dollars to pay all scheduled benefits. "

  For more infomation on the Report visit the Social Security Administration Website.

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• Spike in disability claims clogs overloaded system
  May 11, 2010

  Currently around 2 million people are waiting to find out if they qualify for Social Security Disability and it will be a long wait for most, even if they eventually win their cases because the Social Security system is so overwhelmed by applications for disability benefits that many people are waiting more than two years for their first payment.

  The Social Security Administration has been swamped with applications due to the economic recession. Claims typically increase in a bad economy because many people who worked despite their disabilities get laid off and apply for benefits.

  About 3.3 million people are expected to apply for benefits this year. That's 300,000 more than last year and 700,000 more than in 2008. Nearly two-thirds of those claims will be denied by state agencies overseen by the Social Security Administration. Most of these people will drop their claims. But for those willing go through an appeals process that can take two years or more, chances are good they eventually will get benefits.

  In order to qualify for disability benefits a doctor must determine that a disability is severe enough to interfere with an applicant's ability to work. If applicants can't perform their old jobs, officials see if they can adapt to new ones. The system is designed to weed out malingerers.

  If you have been denied Social Security Disability Benefits contact a social security attorney. The disability attorney at Rutter Mills has years of practice and will help get you the social security benefits you deserve.

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• Social Security Releases Open Government Plan
  Apr 23, 2010

  The Commissioner of Social Security announced today that the agency has released its Open Government plan.  The plan, available at www.socialsecurity.gov/open, reflects the agency’s commitment to increase transparency, expand opportunities for citizen participation and collaboration, and make open government sustainable at Social Security.   

  “I applaud President Obama’s commitment to opening the federal government to the people it serves and I am especially proud of the three flagship initiatives we have chosen to implement by the end of this year,” said Commissioner Astrue. “These initiatives signify Social Security’s ongoing commitment to transparency, citizen participation, and collaboration as we improve the services we provide to the public.”

  “Social Security’s flagship initiatives will improve our services and further break down barriers between the American people and their government.”

  
  

  Wednesday, April 7, 2010	Mark Lassiter, Press Officer
  For Immediate Release	410-965-8904

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• Social Security Helps States with Mounting Disability
  Apr 21, 2010

  Social Security
  News Release
  Monday, March 15, 2010
  Mark Lassiter, Press Officer

  Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, today announced that the agency’s first Extended Service Team (EST) is open for business in Little Rock, Arkansas. The Little Rock EST will make disability decisions for state Disability Determinations Services (DDSs) that are most adversely affected by the flood of new initial disability claims resulting from the economic downturn and from counterproductive furloughs of employees at the state level. Later this year, Social Security will open additional ESTs in Madison, Mississippi; Roanoke, Virginia; and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The ESTs are in states that have a history of high quality and productivity, as well as the capacity to hire and train significant numbers of additional employees.
  
  “The strategy behind ESTs builds on our success with National Hearing Centers, where cases are handled electronically from all over the country,” Commissioner Astrue said. “These centralized units have reduced the hearings backlog and improved processing times at some of the hardest-hit hearing offices. This approach clearly works and extending it in this way can help us meet the challenge of unprecedented growth in our disability workloads.”

  Social Security expects to receive more than 3.3 million applications for disability benefits this fiscal year (FY), about 700,000 more than in FY 2008. In addition, more than a dozen states are furloughing federally-funded state workers who make disability decisions for Social Security. The combination of increased workloads and state furloughs has resulted in a growing backlog of initial disability applications in state DDSs.   

  “More Americans than ever are turning to us for help,” said Commissioner Astrue. “I am grateful that Governor Beebe bucked the trend and recognized the value of more of our federally-funded jobs in his state. The opening of the Arkansas EST and our other planned expansions in Mississippi, Virginia, and Oklahoma will significantly benefit disabled workers and their families as well as create new job opportunities to these states during difficult economic times.”

  For more information about Social Security’s strategy to address the unprecedented increase in disability benefit applications, go to www.socialsecurity.gov/legislation/testimony_111909.htm.

  SSA Press Office  440 Altmeyer Building  6401 Security Blvd.  Baltimore, MD 21235
  410-965-8904  FAX 410-966-9973

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• No Social Security hike, could boost new payments
  Oct 16, 2009

  For the first time in more than a third of a century, social security receipients will not be receiving a cost-of-living increase for next year which could give seniors another round of $250 payments before the congressional elections. The cost-of-living adjustments are pegged to inflation which has been negative this year because of lower energy costs.
  
  "Democratic leaders in Congress have signed onto the plan, greatly improving its chances, even as some budget hawks say the payments are unwarranted and could add to the federal budget deficit. Republican leaders said they, too, favor the payments but don't want to increase the deficit to pay for them. The White House said the stimulus payments would cost $13 billion, though a congressional estimate put the cost at $14 billion. Obama didn't say how the payments should be financed, leaving that up to Congress. The president is open to borrowing the money, increasing the federal deficit, just as Congress did with the first round of stimulus payments." - 57 - 60

• Good News for Americans Awaiting a Social Security Disability Hearing
  Oct 08, 2009

  Congressman John Tanner praised the Social Security Administration for the success of its efforts to reduce the unprecedented backlog in disability appeals hearings. Over the course of the 2009 fiscal year, the number of pending disability hearings declined for the first time in a year. The average waiting time also declined, from 514 days in 2008 to 491 days in 2009.

  From 2000 to 2008, the number of people awaiting a hearing on their disability claim more than doubled due to severe underfunding as SSA’s workloads continued to climb. In 2007, Congress committed to providing the resources needed to address this urgent problem. 
  
  If you have been denied social security you need the help of a social security lawyer. The attorneys at Rutter Mills are willing and able to help guide you through the social security filing process and fight for your benefits.

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• Working to Speed Up the Disability Process
  Oct 05, 2009

  This year the President's budget request for fiscal 2010, appropriations bills currently moving through both the Senate and the House of Repre­sentatives include $11.4 billion for administrative expenses at the Social Security Administration—this represents a $984 million increase over current funding. The funding increase will help reduce the backlog with social security disability cases and improving services to the public. A sustained level of administrative funding would enable the agency to 'build the infrastructure necessary to manage the significant workload challenges presented by serving the aging baby boomers filing disability and retirement claims,' stated the letter.

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• Social Security Struggles With Disability Backlog
  Aug 31, 2009

  When a person becomes disabled and can no longer work, they can turn to Social Security and ask for disability benefits. The problem for most people is that it can take over a year to go through the hearing process and get the benefits. Social Security Administration and Congress are working to reduce the backlog, however these efforts are being threatened by the poor economy. "The Social Security Administration has struggled with growing waiting lists of people seeking disability benefits. As the baby boom generation got older, more people got sick and disabled — and applied for benefits."

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