In the letter, 15 House Republicans emphasized the importance of social security and advised against cuts.
Older people face Trump tariffs, leaving concerns are increasing, stock sales
Vicky Knight, a retired educator and part-time yoga instructor, says she feels she’s thinning. “I’m semi-retired,” Marietta, Georgia says her Social Security income is not enough to live, and recent stock market sales driven by tariff uncertainty have complicated her plans.
A group of House Republicans have warned the committee of new Social Security Commissioner Frank Vignano to create more staffing delivery and close local offices at agencies that are seeing an increase in customer service wait times.
“The plea to curb further agency cuts that could further exacerbate customer service, which has been inferior in recent years, entered a letter from 15 House Republicans shortly after the Senate confirmed Visignano on May 6th.
The Social Security Administration did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Social Security has already been the target of Elon Musk’s Ministry of Government Efficiency attempt to reduce the federal government, a move that has already led many older people to the advantage.
Leland Dudek, acting director of the agency, has announced plans to cut 7,000 of its 57,000 staff, but the staff is already a record low, marking the highest number of recipients ever. An estimated 3,000 people had obtained buyouts as of March.
The administration is also pushing for Doge to provide access to Social Security Bureau data for millions of Americans. The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on May 2 to allow Doge to use the data after a federal judge in Maryland blocked a mask’s team from accessing it. The court’s ruling found that Trump officials are likely to violate privacy laws by giving mask aides “unlimited access” to personal information.
New identification rules added to the benefits application process, policies to limit phone support, and rumors that local field offices would be shut down caused panic in March, causing rumors that some Social Security offices had crammed website crashes and lobbies.
The result was a flood of complaints to the Congressional office from constituents worried about the social security benefits being at risk. A new letter led by New York Senator Nicole Mariotokis stressed that efforts to make government more efficient are important, but that it cannot be at the expense of Americans who rely on profits.
“We must be careful and consider the impact of any change, so there is no disruption in the services of seniors and disabled people who rely on the Social Security Administration to receive retirement benefits and supplementary security income.”
Democrats take advantage of concerns
Democrats have criticised Trump’s decision to place a Vignano, a proven private sector “cutter” to Americans interact with and rely on in cases of disabilities and pay retirement benefits.
Democrats seized public concern that Trump would target Social Security and deceive its personnel to a level that could not properly serve Americans. They have held press conferences at local social security offices across the country and have launched a “war room” to hold a message focused on what was once known as the “third railway in American politics.”
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