Now, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden are sounding the alarm on the Social Security Administration’s future. Agency insiders are anxious about how new leadership might change the agency’s current course. They are concerned that the incoming nominee may propose privatizing Social Security. On top of that, they’re worried about possible rollbacks of what’s been newly established. These sweeping changes place “burdensome” administrative requirements on beneficiaries. That translates into the loss of thousands of jobs and the closing of dozens of Social Security offices.
Frank Bisignano President Donald Trump’s nominee to serve as commissioner of the Social Security Administration. Senators Warren and Wyden followed up their comment with a letter to Bisignano, expressing alarm over the agency’s apparent planned pivot toward prioritizing enforcement over access and equity. They expressed skepticism about whether he would actually reverse the policies that they argue will further erode the agency’s core mission.
The SSA has had to defend itself against this kind of misguided scrutiny. A temporary restraining order sought by EPIC has kept the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing Americans’ private data. This same temporary leadership of the SSA recently raised eyebrows when they threatened to close down the agency.
Warren and Wyden's letter highlights their worries that the Trump administration, in cooperation with DOGE, may implement changes that will "hollow out" the agency and "deprive Americans of Social Security benefits they earned and need."
deprive Americans of Social Security benefits they earned and need - Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden
The idea of privatizing Social Security is not a new one. This is the same thing that President George W. Bush tried to do in 2005. Right now, the SSA takes all the payroll taxes it gets and invests them in Treasury bonds. Every penny of these taxes is first counted against the actuarial cost of paying for the benefits and administrative expenses of the program.
The senators directly questioned Bisignano about his willingness to stand firm against the closure of Social Security offices. In doing so, they raised alarms that any shutdown would severely disrupt the traveling public. They asked whether he would reverse agency layoffs if they contribute to longer wait times or otherwise affect beneficiaries' receipt of benefits.
Another problematic proposal mentioned in the letter is a new policy that would make beneficiaries prove their identity in person. The senators did not get a clear answer from Bisignano about whether he would be open to changing this policy.
In fact, over the last few months, Warren and Wyden have both been publicly hammering the SSA for their recent changes. They further contend that these changes will hurt beneficiaries and erode the agency’s capacity to deliver critical services.
The senators’ letter reaffirms their commitment to defending Social Security from harmful cuts. They’re looking to make sure it continues to be a good and efficient safety net for American workers and retirees. Now, they are demanding assurances from Bisignano. To do so, they need him to fight for the interests of beneficiaries and protect the agency from anti-transit policies that would threaten its long-term survival.
