Newly Confirmed Social Security Commissioner Faces Bipartisan Pressure Over DOGE Cuts | EUROtoday

WASHINGTON — Fresh off his affirmation by the Senate on Tuesday to be the brand new commissioner of Social Security, Frank Bisignano faces a pile of oversight calls for from Democrats and Republicans alike.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led a bunch of Democrats on a Wednesday letter to Bisignano noting his predecessor answerable for the Social Security Administration ignored their queries whereas overseeing dramatic upheavals on the company.

“We are extraordinarily concerned about the future of the SSA under the Trump Administration, and Americans deserve information about the fate of their benefits under your watch,” the Senate Democrats wrote, attaching a stack of 17 different queries they’ve despatched to date this 12 months.

The Warren-led letter adopted a related message on Tuesday from a bunch of reasonable House Republicans led by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.).

“Our constituents heavily rely on the services provided by our local SSA offices, the SSA website, and the SSA 1-800 number,” the Republicans wrote. “Specifically, we are concerned about the SSA implementing staffing cuts and ending leases of customer service centers.”

Bisignano’s not-so-enthusiastic bipartisan welcome to his new job exhibits the recognition of Social Security — which gives retirement and incapacity advantages to greater than 70 million Americans — in addition to the political danger President Donald Trump has taken by permitting Elon Musk and his so-called Department of Government Efficiency to make speedy adjustments on the company.

Musk’s brokers barged into the Social Security Administration, demanding entry to delicate cost programs and databases containing non-public details about virtually everybody in America. The Trump administration picked Leland Dudek, a mid-level staffer and DOGE fanatic, to function the company’s appearing commissioner. Dudek and DOGE pursued employees cuts and introduced they might cancel a number of leases held by the company, prompting howls of protest from each Democrats and Republicans.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), who joined Warren on the Wednesday letter, accused Bisignano of mendacity throughout his affirmation listening to when he denied having contact with officers making choices at Social Security. A whistleblower advised Wyden in a written assertion that Bisignano “frequently spoke with senior SSA executives and was personally briefed on key SSA operations, personnel and management decisions.”

One of Dudek’s most controversial strikes was to disallow seniors and disabled folks from submitting claims over the cellphone, as an alternative requiring them to journey to area places of work to confirm their identities. The Social Security Administration wound up backing off the adjustments in response to public stress.

Democrats have made further efforts to focus on the turmoil on the company, together with by an internet “war room” and frequent press conferences and different public occasions.

The Social Security Administration didn’t reply to a request for remark.