John Koskinen's reply to Congressional Republicans concerned about whether the public would receive Social Security checks in 2000 is, "It's clear to the federal regulators, of all the industries in the United States, that the financial institutions are in the best shape."

The link and the article...

"a href=" http://detnews.com/1999/technology/9901/17/01170176.htm"> http://detnews.com/1999/technology/9901/17/01170176.htm

Washington -- Four congressional Republicans have written President Clinton to challenge his December assertion that the Year 2000 computer problem will not delay payment of Social Security checks next January.

"While we are encouraged that the Social Security Administration has been deemed compliant -- we understand that some financial institutions that are essential to recipients receiving payments may not be," the Republicans wrote. "We will not consider the Social Security program safe until we are certain that every senior will get their Social Security payments on time."

The letter, released Friday, was signed by House Majority Leader Richard K. Armey, R-Tex., Reps. Stephen Horn, R-Calif., and Constance A. Morella, R-Md., and Sen. Robert F. Bennett, R-Utah. Horn, Morella and Bennett lead congressional panels that have held hearings on whether computers with two-digit date systems will malfunction, responding as if it is 1900 when their internal calendars show "00."

Clinton's special adviser for Y2K issues, John A. Koskinen, said the administration thinks the Social Security program and the banks that distribute benefits "are in very good shape."

"It's clear to the federal regulators, of all the industries in the United States, that the financial institutions are in the best shape," Koskinen said.

He quipped that Republicans "seem to be disappointed that we're making as much progress as we are."

But the Republicans said they were concerned that government agencies will not conduct enough wide-scale tests to check the data exchange links that transmit benefit payments. Monthly Social Security checks are calculated at the Social Security Administration, paid by the Treasury Department and transferred through the Federal Reserve system to banks.

"The administration should establish targeted deadlines for end-to-end testing that will give Americans an accurate picture of what to expect," the Republicans said.

-- Kevin (mixesmusic@worldnet.att.net), January 17, 1999

Answers

Typo in the link. Here it is again.

http://detnews.com/1999/technology/9901/17/01170176.htm

-- Kevin (mixesmusic@worldnet.att.net), January 17, 1999.

Earlier this weekend I saw on a different URL (no longer available) that the letter also requested that Clinton make Y2K a national priority in the next budget. Encouraging to see Dick Armey so involved (I hadn't seen his name before in this context). Discouraging to think that the 10/1/99 budget is so crucial - sounds like resignation for fix-on failure.

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), January 17, 1999.

Gee, others in high places -- some actually serving on the U.S. Senate's Year 2000 Technology Committee -- questioning Koskinen?

Could one surmise that, perhaps, they are in enough of a "need to know" position, seeing secret and classified things, that even they may have back-up evidence of John boy's lack of public "truthfulness?"

Hummm. I wonder? (Not! Or potential checkmate?)

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), January 17, 1999.

Here we go again!

(R) NO

(D) YES

(R) DID TOO

(D) DID NOT

(R) NOT READY

(D) READY

(R) IMPEACH

(D) RETAIN

is it any wonder that I'm puking?

-- Uncle Deedah (oncebitten@twiceshy.com), January 17, 1999.

Brooks, here is a link to the article you were talking about:

http://www.sltrib.com/1999/jan/01151999/nation%5Fw/75011.htm

"Bennett's committee also issued a statement Thursday to accompany the letter out of concern 'that rosy public predictions may be masking serious Y2K compliance problems in the federal government."

No DUH!

-- Gayla Dunbar (privacy@please.com), January 17, 1999.

Hey Unc',

Me too... got an extra bag I can borrow?

c

-- c (c@c.c), January 17, 1999.

I can't believe that these people can still view Y2K as political. With Koskinen and Clinton around, who needs to look to Y2K for impending doom?

-- d (d@dgi.com), January 17, 1999.

Gayla, gotta make that "%5F" into an "_" in the URL.

The article is Benn ett Urges President To Make Y2K a Priority at http://www.sltrib.com/1999/jan/01151999/nation_w/75011.htm

-- No Spam Please (anon@ymous.com), January 18, 1999.

No Spam, my link works for me. Is it not working for you?

-- Gayla Dunbar (privacy@please.com), January 18, 1999.

Well I'll be ... _Now_ your link with the "%5F" in the URL _does_ work for me. Before, I tried it twice and got the same error message indicating that something did not exist. When I finally found the article, I figured that the single difference in the URL was causing the problem, because when I tried your link the third time it still did not work for me.

-- No Spam Please (anon@ymous.com), January 18, 1999.