CONGRESSMAN DREW FERGUSON REPORTS

 

Ferguson Requests Review of IT Investment Practices at the Social Security Administration   WASHINGTON, DC – House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee Chairman Drew Ferguson (GA-03) today sent a letter to Comptroller General Gene Dodaro, head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), requesting a review on how the Social Security Administration (SSA) manages and oversees billions of dollars in information technology (IT) investments. The letter follows an audit report of the SSA released on July 21, 2023, by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) that determined a lack of monitoring nation-wide data on automation enhancements   In part, Chairman Ferguson wrote, “The need for these systems to maintain operations and stay up to date is not only critical for Social Security beneficiaries, but for every worker and business in America. Over the past decade, the SSA has spent over $16 billion on IT and cybersecurity and has budgeted an additional $2.1 billion for IT in fiscal year 2023.  Despite these sizable IT investments, upgrades to the SSA’s systems continue to be delayed to the detriment of Americans seeking services from the agency.”   “The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that IT investments by the federal government, including the SSA, have too frequently failed to deliver capabilities in a timely manner. They also incur cost overruns or schedule slippages while contributing little to mission-related outcomes. These investments often lack disciplined and effective management in such areas as project planning, investment management, and program oversight and governance.