{"id":1052789,"date":"2025-05-06T15:15:36","date_gmt":"2025-05-06T19:15:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/democrats.org\/?p=1052789"},"modified":"2025-05-06T15:15:36","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T19:15:36","slug":"republicans-confirm-wall-street-lackey-to-help-trump-and-musk-gut-americans-social-security","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/democrats.org\/news\/republicans-confirm-wall-street-lackey-to-help-trump-and-musk-gut-americans-social-security\/","title":{"rendered":"Republicans Confirm Wall Street Lackey to Help Trump and Musk Gut Americans\u2019 Social Security\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In response to Senate Republicans confirming Frank Bisignano\u2019s nomination to lead the Social Security Administration, <\/em>DNC Chair Ken Martin released the following statement:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRepublicans just handed over the future of Americans\u2019 Social Security to Frank Bisignano, a Wall Street stooge and self-proclaimed \u2018DOGE person\u2019 who wants to help Donald Trump and his shadow president Elon Musk gut the program. In a little over 100 days, Trump\u2019s administration has already shuttered field offices and put benefits for 73 million<\/a> Americans at risk \u2014 including seniors who have spent their whole lives paying into Social Security. Just like Trump and Musk, Bisignano will gladly put Social Security on the chopping block to line the pockets of billionaires and special interests.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

NEW: Senate Republicans confirmed self-proclaimed \u201cDOGE person\u201d Frank Bisignano to lead the Social Security Administration, after he dodged questions on protecting Americans\u2019 hard-earned benefits during his disastrous confirmation hearing. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Senate Press Gallery<\/a>: \u201cBy a vote of 53-47, the #Senate confirmed the nomination of Frank Bisignano to be Commissioner of the Social Security Administration. Party line vote.\u201d<\/strong>  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sen. Bernie Sanders<\/a>: \u201cWhy do you think the Social Security Administration is now closing down offices and laying off 7,000 employees? \u2026 Do you think it makes sense to lay off half the staff?\u201d<\/strong> \u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Frank Bisignano: *Dodges*<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sen. Sanders: \u201cWhen you have a system that is not working out, do you think it\u2019s a great idea to lay off half the employees?\u201d \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bisignano: \u201cProbably no.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sen. Ron Wyden<\/a>: \u201cWill you lock DOGE out of Social Security databases?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bisignano: *Refuses to answer<\/strong>*<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sen. Wyden: \u201cI would like that in writing that you will lock DOGE out of the Social Security databases.\u201d \u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bisignano: \u201cI don\u2019t know what \u2018lock DOGE out of the Social Security\u2019\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sen. Wyden: \u201cStop them. It\u2019s got a pretty simple concept when you lock somebody out. You stop them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Associated Press<\/a>: \u201cFrank Bisignano, a self-professed \u2018DOGE person,\u2019<\/strong> was called to account for recent upheaval at the Social Security Administration, which provides benefits to roughly 72.5 million people, including retirees and children.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shadow President Elon Musk and Donald Trump are breaking down Social Security brick by brick and throwing the program into chaos, risking hard-earned benefits for <\/strong>73 million<\/strong><\/a> Americans and hitting rural folks especially hard. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Axios<\/a>: \u201c[M]any Americans will no longer be able to apply for Social Security benefits over the phone<\/strong>, setting the stage for disruptions and upheaval for millions of seniors. \u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe abrupt change<\/strong>, implemented at breakneck speed at White House request, increases the likelihood that some eligible people will miss out on benefits; others could simply not get them at all. <\/strong>\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMore than 4 in 10 retirees apply for benefits by phone<\/strong>, per agency data cited by the Center. \u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNearly 6 million seniors live more than 46.6 miles, roundtrip, from a field office<\/strong>, per the analysis of agency and Census Bureau data. \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThose in rural areas face the longest journeys \u2026 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is no way right now to apply for Social Security survivors\u2019 benefits online. <\/strong>That means \u2018grieving family members must visit offices soon after the deaths of their loved ones to apply,\u2019 CBPP points out in their analysis.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Axios<\/a>: \u201cThe draft of the memo viewed by Axios says the proposed limitations [on phone access] will be \u2018significant\u2019 for those living in rural areas in particular.\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Washington Post<\/a>: \u201cLong waits, waves of calls, website crashes: Social Security is breaking down\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe turmoil is leaving many retirees, disabled claimants and legal immigrants who need Social Security cards with less access or shut out of the system altogether<\/strong>, according to those familiar with the problems.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NPR<\/a>: \u201cThe Social Security Administration (SSA) has laid out plans to slash about 12% of its overall workforce, or 7,000 jobs. \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSSA workers and advocates for older and disabled Americans say these staff cuts \u2014 as well as controversial agency moves under Dudek’s leadership \u2014 amount to a cut to services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018The cut to the program is the deterioration of staff,\u2019 LaPointe said. \u2018That is the backdoor cut to the program because benefits delayed are benefits denied.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Business Insider<\/a>: \u201cSocial Security is telling its staff that customer service is about to get a lot worse\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLines at your local Social Security office are about to get a lot longer <\/strong>\u2014 if it survives a wave of closures brought on by funding cuts under the Trump administration.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prospect<\/a>: \u201cThe decision could target one of the government\u2019s most prominent public-facing initiatives: SSA field offices, where seniors, people with disabilities, and survivors whose parents have died can sign up for benefits and get information.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

REMINDER: Trump has a record of trying to gut Social Security every year during his first term in office and pledged cuts in a second term. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Washington Post<\/a>: \u201cTrump proposals could drain Social Security in 6 years, budget group says\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Washington Post<\/a>: \u201cHis avowed stance, however, is at odds with Trump\u2019s own record as president: Each of his White House budget proposals included cuts to Social Security and Medicare programs.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vox<\/a>: \u201cTrump said he wouldn\u2019t cut Medicaid, Social Security, and Medicare. His 2020 budget cuts all 3.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

National Review<\/a>: \u201cSpeaking with CNBC at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump was asked whether he would cut entitlements at some point. \u2018Will entitlements ever be on your plate?\u2019 asked interviewer Joe Kernen. \u2018At some point they will be,\u2019 Trump responded. \u2018At the right time, we will take a look at that. You know, that\u2019s the easiest of all things [to cut].\u2019\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mediaite<\/a>: \u201cDuring a Fox News town hall, President Donald Trump promised to cut entitlements like Medicare and Social Security if he were to win a second term<\/strong>. \u2026 \u2018But if you don\u2019t cut something in entitlements, you will never really deal with the debt,\u2019 town hall co-moderator Martha MacCallum interjected, alluding to social safety programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. \u2018Oh, we\u2019ll be cutting,\u2019 Trump rushed to confirm<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

###<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In response to Senate Republicans confirming Frank Bisignano\u2019s nomination to lead the Social Security Administration, DNC Chair Ken Martin released the following statement: \u201cRepublicans just handed over the future of Americans\u2019 Social Security to Frank Bisignano, a Wall Street stooge and self-proclaimed \u2018DOGE person\u2019 who wants to help Donald Trump and his shadow president Elon […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":293,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1052789","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-press-release"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nRepublicans Confirm Wall Street Lackey to Help Trump and Musk Gut Americans\u2019 Social Security\u00a0 - Democrats<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/democrats.org\/news\/republicans-confirm-wall-street-lackey-to-help-trump-and-musk-gut-americans-social-security\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Democrats\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-05-06T19:15:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/democrats.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Black-Logo-White-Fill-For-Email.png?w=1024\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Shelby Reese\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Shelby Reese\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/democrats.org\/news\/republicans-confirm-wall-street-lackey-to-help-trump-and-musk-gut-americans-social-security\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/democrats.org\/news\/republicans-confirm-wall-street-lackey-to-help-trump-and-musk-gut-americans-social-security\/\",\"name\":\"Republicans Confirm Wall Street Lackey to Help Trump and Musk Gut Americans\u2019 Social Security\u00a0 - 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