Social Security Chief to Visit Tampa Bay

Thu, February 05, 2009 - 4:34 PM

U.S. Social Security Commissioner Michael Astrue is to be in the Tampa Bay area of Florida Friday to tour Social Security offices alongside U.S. Rep Ginny Brown-Waite.

Brown-Waite, of Brooksvill, Fla., is newly appointed to the powerful House Ways & Means Committee, and is a member of its Social Security subcommittee.

According to a schedule sent out by Brown-Waite’s office, she and Astrue will visit the hearing office in Tampa, a district office in Dade City, and speak at a computer training class in The Villages.

“Given my new position on the Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee, I want to make every effort to see that the workflows and case management at hearing and district offices are being handled in a timely manner and done correctly,” said Brown-Waite in a statement.”

She added: “The staff at these facilities is so overburdened with the enormous caseload that I take it as a personal challenge to bring more money and new offices to Florida to alleviate the burden and speed appeals.”

Astrue and Rep. Brown-Waite will also travel to The Villages to take part in their weekly computer training class, which this week will be focused on learning more about Social Security’s website.