Lauren Boebert's Funding Dispute: A Math Problem or Claims Backlog Tussle?
During a hearing on post-pandemic telework policies, Rep. Lauren Boebert clashed with Oren "Hank" McKnelly, an executive counselor at the Social Security Administration, over funding and work-from-home policies. Boebert accused employees of being "delinquent" and not doing their jobs, to which McKnelly defended their efficiency and explained the monitoring systems in place. When Boebert questioned the increase in backlogs for Social Security applicants, McKnelly attributed it to historical underfunding and a lack of staff to handle the increasing workloads.