Opinion ID: 281354
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Statute and the Regulations.

Text: 31 When Flake filed his application, and when the hearing was had and the decision was rendered, including that of the Appeals Board, section 223(c)(2) of the Act, as amended, defined 'disability' as: 'inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or to be of long-continued and indefinite duration. An individual shall not be considered to be under a disability unless he furnishes such proof of the existence thereof as may be required.' (See 42 U.S.C. 423(c)(2) (1964).) 32 On July 20, 1965, this language was amended by Pub.L. 89-97, 303(a)(2) (79 Stat. 286, at 367) by substituting for the phrase 'to be of long-continued and indefinite duration' the phrase 'which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.' 2 This amendment is applicable to this case under section 303(f)(1) of Pub.L. 89-97 (79 Stat. at 368). Dean v. Gardner, 9 Cir., 1968, 393 F.2d 327, 328 n. 2. But it is by no means clear that such applicability can do Flake any good. 3 33 The Act was again amended by Pub.L. 90-248, Jan. 2, 1968, 81 Stat. 821. See 1 U.S.Code Cong. and Ad. News, 1967, pp. 923ff. The pertinent section is section 158. It shifts the definition of disability that we have quoted, without change, from section 223(c) to 223(d)(1)(A) and adds a new subdivision (3) to the new section 223(d) reading as follows: 34 '(3) For purposes of this subsection, a 'physical or mental impairment' is an impairment that results from anatomical, physiological, or psychological abnormalities which are demonstrable by medically acceptable clinical and laboratory diagnostic techniques.' (Id. at 983.) 35 It also shifts the second sentence of former section 223(c), quoted above in the body of this opinion, to section 223(d)(5), with only minor changes. Subsection (e) of section 158 of the amending Act makes these amendments also applicable to this case. Dean v. Gardner, supra. 36 Throughout the pendency of these proceedings, there were two other provisions of the Act that appear to be applicable. One is section 205(a) (42 U.S.C. 405(a)), which reads: 37 '(a) The Secretary shall    adopt reasonable and proper rules and regulations to regulate and provide for the nature and extent of the proofs and evidence and the method of taking and furnishing the same in order to establish the right to benefits hereunder.' 38 The other is a part of section 205(g), dealing with judicial review. It provides: 39 '   where a claim has been denied by the Secretary or a decision is rendered under subsection (b) of this section which is adverse to an individual who was a party to the hearing before the Secretary, because of failure of the claimant or such individual to submit proof in conformity with any regulation prescribed under subsection (a) of this section, the court shall review only the question of conformity with such regulations and the validity of such regulations.' 40 Pursuant to the authority thus conferred by section 205(a) the Secretary has adopted rather elaborate regulations relating to proof of disability. Those in effect during these proceedings appear at 20 C.F.R. 404.1501-404.1539 (revised as of January 1, 1967). Particularly pertinent are sections 404.1502(a), 4 404.1510(a) 5 as well as the remaining subdivisions of that section, 404.1511(a) and (c) 6 relating to arthritis, and 404.1514 relating to impairment of the cardiovascular system. These sections specify in considerable detail the proof required. They are buttressed by section 404,1530. 7 Several of these sections were amended in late 1967 (33 Fed.Reg. 15-18). In general the changes tighten the former requirements. 8 41 There is legislative history of new subsection 223(d)(3), quoted above, indicating that the Congress was concerned that the Secretary and the courts, particularly the latter, were being too liberal in finding disability, thereby jeopardizing the financial stability of the system. The Senate Report (Finance Committee) No. 744, Nov. 14, 1967, to accompany H.R. 12,080 (2 U.S.Code Cong. & Admin. News, 1967, pp. 2834ff) discusses the problem (id. at 2880-2883). 9 We find it significant that, in adopting section 223(d)(3) the Congress used the language that the Secretary had long had in his regulations, 20 C.F.R. 404.1510, note 5, supra. It would appear that Congress felt that neither the Secretary nor the courts were following the regulations. 42