A group of Republican lawmakers have warned against changes and cuts being made at the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Newsweek has contacted the SSA for comment via email outside of regular working hours.
Why It Matters
The SSA pays out billions of dollars in benefits every month to some 70 million Americans. The agency has faced numerous changes in recent months at the behest of the Trump administration and its Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has been cracking down on spending across numerous federal departments.
What To Know
In a letter addressed to newly anointed SSA commissioner Frank Bisignano, 15 Republican representatives expressed their concern over staffing cuts and ending office leases, which they say could impact beneficiaries in their constituencies.
Citing America’s aging population and high levels of benefit recipients in their areas, the lawmakers said that while “efforts to make our bloated bureaucracy more efficient” are welcome, reforms should not disrupt services for those who rely on benefits.
The letter, led by New York Representative Nicole Malliotakis, urged Bisignano to hold off on further agency cuts that could “further deteriorate customer service that has been subpar in recent years.”
Earlier this year, the SSA confirmed it plans to slash its workforce by 7,000. Acting commissioner Leland Dudek announced in April that more than 3,000 staff members have already left the agency, with a further 2,000 being reassigned to offices where more staff are required.
It also intends to close some regional offices, but has denied any field offices – which provide customer services to beneficiaries—will be shuttered.
The following Representatives signed the letter:
- Nicole Malliotakis– New York
- Jeff Hurd – Colorado
- Ryan Mackenzie – Pennsylvania
- Brian Fitzpatrick – Pennsylvania
- Don Bacon – Nebraska
- Jeff Van Drew – New Jersey
- Gabe Evans – Colorado
- David Valadao – California
- Juan Ciscomani – Arizona
- Jen Kiggans – Virginia
- Mike Ezell – Mississippi
- Michael Turner – Ohio
- Rob Bresnahan, Jr. – Pennsylvania
- Zach Nunn – Iowa
- Mike Lawler – New York
The sweeping changes already enacted have faced significant criticism.
Martin O’Malley, who served as the agency’s commissioner under President Joe Biden, has repeatedly warned that staffing reductions and DOGE efforts could disrupt benefit distribution. Most recently, he cautioned that personnel reductions could “cascade into a collapse of the entire system and an interruption for some time of benefits.”
Democratic lawmakers, including former President Biden, have voiced similar concerns. In his first major address since leaving office in January, Biden stated that the current administration has “taken a hatchet” to the SSA.
In recent weeks, there have been reports of SSA website outages, extended delays for phone and in-person services, and instances of beneficiaries being wrongly declared deceased.
The agency also recently abandoned highly criticized plans to nix over-the-phone benefit claims. The SSA will now only require in person appointments for those with anomalies flagged on their Social Security account.
The SSA is also facing legal challenges. In April, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction preventing DOGE from accessing sensitive personal data maintained by the federal agency. The ruling bars DOGE, along with its agents and employees, from accessing systems that store personally identifiable information, including Social Security numbers, medical records, addresses, and bank and tax records.
What People Are Saying
The lawmakers, in the May 6 letter to Bisignano: “We commend and support the continued efforts to make our bloated bureaucracy more efficient for the American people. However, we must use caution and consider the impact any changes would have so there are no disruptions in services for our seniors and disabled who depend on the Social Security Administration to receive retirement benefits and supplemental security income.”
The SSA said in a April 29 press release regarding the first 100 days of the Trump administration: “Working with the Department of Government Efficiency, SSA has charted a new course for the agency that prioritizes enhancing customer service, reducing waste, fraud, and abuse, and optimizing its workforce toward direct public service.”
What Happens Next
Further changes to staffing and customer services have not been announced by the SSA.
The post Republicans Break Ranks on Social Security, Worry About DOGE Cuts appeared first on Newsweek.
