Leader of Social Security Union to Testify Before House Ways and Means Committee

Union Concerned Proposed Agency Changes Could Leave System "At Risk"

WHO:Witold Skwierczynski, president of Council 220 of the American Federation
of Government Employees, which represents employees at the Social Security
Administration.

WHAT: Full House Ways and Means Hearing on the State of Social Security.

WHEN:Wednesday, April 23, 200810:00 a.m.

WHERE: 1100 Longworth House Office Building.

(Washington)- The president of the AFGE National Council of Social Security
Field Operations Locals (AFL-CIO) will testify before the full House Ways and
Means Committee about the union's concerns that new changes to Social Security
would not only leave the system vulnerable to fraud but limit services to
taxpayers.

"Many of these changes present a radical departure from the checks and
balances that are have been in place to protect taxpayers. For example in the
vast majority of cases, Americans now filing for retirement benefits will no
longer need proof of age or citizenship - even though that evidence has never
been provided before. This opens up the program to widespread fraud and
abuse," said Witold Skwierczynski, president of AFGE Council 220.

Within the next two years, the agency will stop reviewing retirement claims
filed over the internet. "The expected result is that millions of Americans
will not receive all of the benefits they're entitled to because the
application may not be filled-out correctly," Skweirczynski added.

/PRNewswire-USNewswire -- April 17/
SOURCE American Federation of Government Employees

Enid Doggett of American Federation of Government Employees, +1-202-639-6422,
+1-202-445-3028 (mobile)