1 month ago
Cuts to nan Social Security Administration person caused “customer work chaos” for millions of older Americans and those pinch disabilities who trust connected nan agency’s services, according to a new study from a group of Democratic senators.
An investigation recovered that telephone hold times were much than 10 times higher than what nan agency claimed connected its website, if nan calls were moreover answered astatine all.
The longer hold times travel aft nan Trump management laid disconnected more than 7,000 employees astatine nan Social Security Administration, which nan study said has led to devastating cuts to work for beneficiaries.
“The results of these cuts person been catastrophic – driving up hold times for telephone services and in-person section agency appointments,” nan study said. “Some agrarian section offices person reportedly been near pinch specified constricted capacity that [they] are efficaciously closed – incapable to transportation retired nan in-person services millions of older Americans and group pinch disabilities trust on.”
The study from Elizabeth Warren provides updates from nan first twelvemonth of nan “Social Security War Room” that was created to conflict nan Trump administration’s efforts to undermine societal security. Warren formed nan group pinch different senators successful nan chamber’s finance committee, including ranking personnel Ron Wyden, Mark Kelly and Raphael Warnock.
The senators factchecked billionaire Elon Musk who, arsenic caput of Doge, said that location was fraud, discarded and maltreatment wrong nan Social Security Administration.
Musk falsely claimed that dormant group and undocumented immigrations were receiving societal information benefits, which he called a “ponzi scheme”.
Doge said past twelvemonth that 40% of calls made to nan societal information agency to alteration nonstop deposit accusation were fraudulent. But data from nan Social Security Administration (SSA) recovered that only 2 cases of fraud were recovered retired of 110,000 caller claims that were made complete nan phone.
“Since Day One, Donald Trump’s attacks connected Social Security person made it harder for Americans to get their benefits,” said Senator Elizabeth Warren successful a connection connected rhe report. “We launched our Social Security War Room a twelvemonth agone to conflict backmost and extremity Trump’s damage, and that’s precisely what we’ve done.”
The study noted that alternatively of moving to reside its customer work crisis, “Doge was engaged pilfering SSA beneficiaries’ delicate and individual information”, citing ongoing investigations by members of Congress and an soul authorities watchdog complete allegations that a staffer misused delicate societal information data.
The study besides criticized activity astatine nan agency for pushing misleading information and claims, on pinch mismanaging its staffing situation and proposing cuts to services.
In October, Trump appointed arsenic caput of nan Social Security Administration finance banker Frank Bisignano, who admitted during a municipality hallway that he had to Google hunt nan position erstwhile he was offered it.
Bisignano planned to limit disablement benefits done societal information and raise nan status property for eligibility past fall, nan study noted, but yet scrapped nan scheme aft important backlash.
“Commissioner Bisignano’s disastrous activity continues to put Americans’ benefits astatine risk,” nan study concluded. “He is haphazardly shifting labor and limiting section agency services to screen complete nan administration’s catastrophic unit cuts and has indicated SSA is considering alarming solutions to reside nan insolvency of Social Security – including raising nan status age.
A Social Security Administration spokesperson refuted Senator Warren’s claims astir wait times, citing an inspector wide report.
“The baseless claims made by Senator Warren and perpetuated done her alleged ‘War Room’ only service nan intent of scaring America’s seniors and astir susceptible who trust connected Social Security,” they said. “Senator Warren refuses to admit nan important customer work improvements occurring astatine SSA nether Commissioner Bisignano’s leadership.”
“President Trump has fought and delivered for America’s seniors much than immoderate of his predecessors,” claimed Liz Huston, a White House spokesperson, successful an email.
They did not remark connected nan allegations by Warren astir misinformation and cuts to nan Social Security Administration, but cited a temporary taxation deduction connected benefits.
“President Trump will ever protect and fortify Social Security, which is why he signed historical authorities removing taxes connected Social Security benefits for astir each beneficiaries. While President Trump fought to put much money backmost successful seniors’ pockets pinch historical taxation relief, extremist Democrat Elizabeth Warren voted to artifact these important taxation cuts.”
