As the 90th anniversary of Social Security draws near, Illinois Congressman Eric Sorensen is leading over 30 House Democrats in demanding action from Social Security Administration Commissioner Frank Bisignano. Lawmakers are raising alarms over extended claim processing times and reduced access to in-person appointments, which they attribute to staffing cuts and policy changes under the Trump administration. Sorensen’s letter urges reversal of these changes and highlights legislative efforts to keep field offices open and protect Americans’ Social Security data. Advocates warn that continued understaffing and office closures could harm communities nationwide and undermine the program’s original purpose.
“The millions of Americans who have paid into Social Security their entire lives should be able to access their hard-earned benefits without politicians getting in the way,” said Congressman Sorensen. “By threatening to cut thousands of staff at the agency and causing the departure of career civil servants, the Trump Administration has done nothing but increase claim processing wait times, reduce the number of in-person appointments, and threaten the closure of field offices across the country. True government efficiency comes from improvements to Social Security that make it easier and faster for our constituents to access their benefits.”
“Everyone who supports Social Security should applaud Representative Sorensen for leading this important letter to Social Security Administration Commissioner Frank Bisignano,” said Nancy Altman, President of Social Security Works. “The Congressman and his colleagues are doing the crucial job of overseeing the Trump administration, which is causing chaos, inefficiency, and waste at SSA. The Trump sabotage is making it harder for working families to claim the Social Security benefits they have earned — effectively cutting those benefits. Not only have the American people earned their benefits, they have also paid, throughout their working lives, for Social Security’s related administrative expenses. By taking a wrecking ball to SSA, the Trump administration is destroying the first-class customer service Americans have paid for.”
“The root cause of all SSA’s failures is chronic understaffing, yet they plan to cut 7,000-10,000 more workers in FY 2025 with no hiring planned for FY 2026.” said Jessica LaPointe, President AFGE Council 220. “Their solution is to replace human workers with AI chatbots and centralize operations so workers in California serve customers in Wisconsin, abandoning SSA’s 90-year legacy as a community-based institution. If you destroy SSA at the community level, you destroy the healthy fabric of communities, leading to higher homelessness, food insecurity, drug use, crime, and fewer opportunities for education and quality of life advancement, billions more in overpaid FICA dollars that people can’t afford to repay.”
