In the past eight years, the number of Americans who rely on Social Security benefits has risen by 8 million, to a total of almost 72 million people. At the same time, staffing levels at the Social Security Administration have dropped to a 25-year low, despite repeated appeals for adequate funding from the agency itself, its employee union, and even the President. Why has this happened? A bloc of hardcore, anti-labor politicians in Congress have resisted attempts to maintain staffing at levels which can support the services required by growth in the retirement-age population. 

The result? "A 'record-breaking backlog'.. of pending actions has led to an estimated $1.1 billion in improper beneficiary payments...," according to a new report from SSA's Office of the Inspector General, which goes on to  state that the backlog of unprocessed actions has reached an all-time high of 5.2 million as of February, with an average processing time of 698 days.

Sign this petition now, before the next budget battle begins, to show Congress that they need to stop being penny-wise and pound-foolish, by providing adequate funding to staff Social Security so they can do their job and reduce improper payments, which are a huge waste of taxpayer money.