‘I Will Hold You To That’: Warren Pressures Nominee To Reverse Social Security Staff Cuts
Senator wants to ensure Americans get all the “benefits they’re legally entitled to”
Among Democratic senators sharply questioning Donald Trump’s pick to run the Social Security Administration, Sen Elizabeth Warren, of Massachusetts, pressed the nominee to reverse recent staff cuts to ensure beneficiaries receive all benefits they’re eligible for.
Trump nominated businessman Frank Bisignano as his permanent choice to administer Social Security amid recent efforts by Trump’s billionaire advisor, Elon Musk, to fire thousands of Social Security workers and disrupt the agency’s operations.
Musk recently referred to Social Security as a “Ponzi scheme,” although the agency has been delivering benefits to eligible retired and disabled Americans for nearly a century.
More than 70 million Americans receive Social Security benefits, and it keeps an estimated 18 million out of poverty. (Full disclosure: The author of this article receives Social Security income.)
Warren called Musk’s plan to cut staff and close Social Security offices across the country as a “back door” attempt to cut Social Security benefits.
Warren described a hypothetical situation in which an elderly Social Security recipient has an issue with benefits but has to wait months to resolve the matter because there are no longer enough workers to answer his phone calls and he has to wait to reach a Social Security office far away because Musk’s staff cuts have closed the offices near him.
In the end, the man loses $5,000.
“Only Congress can cut Social Security,” Warren said. “Elon Musk is trying a backdoor way.”
Warren pressed Bisignano to ensure enough staff to meet the needs of Social Security recipients.
“Are you willing to commit — right now — that you will put enough people back to work to do the job of delivering the benefits that Americans earned?” she asked.
“I commit to enough staff to get the job done,” Bisignano replied.
Not allowing any wiggle room, Warren added, “Delivering the benefits people are entitled to? I will hold you to that.”
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