April 19, 2021

News: White House Budget Includes Increased Funding for SSA, Alzheimer’s Research

President Biden unveiled his first budget request last Friday, and it calls for $14.2 billion in funding for the Social Security Administration (SSA), an increase of 11% over the current budget.

The budget includes $895 million in additional funding to strengthen SSA customer service by processing applications more quickly and responding to requests for assistance; and $75 million in additional funding for outreach to ensure that SSA benefits reach the most vulnerable individuals.

The budget also asks Congress for increases to other programs that benefit seniors: $1 billion more than in FY 2021 for nutritional programs from the Department of Agriculture; a 15% increase for the Department of Housing and Urban Development; and an 8.2% increase for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Overall, the President requested a 23% increase for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. That includes a $9 billion increase for the National Institutes of Health, with $6.5 billion proposed for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health to pursue research in diseases such as cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s. He is seeking a $1.6 billion increase for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

“Through his COVID-relief bill, the American Jobs Act, and his first budget, President Biden is making older Americans a priority,” said Robert Roach, Jr., President of the Alliance. “We welcome this, but still have a lot of work ahead to get Congress to pass these important bills and help seniors have a healthier and more secure retirement.”