Congressman Sorensen Leads Dozens of Lawmakers in Effort to Improve Social Security Amidst Trump Administration Cuts to Essential Services

With the 90th anniversary of Social Security approaching, Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17) led a group of more than 30 House Democrats demanding answers from Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Frank Bisignano about concerns from constituents who are struggling to access benefits. The Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) changes at the agency have created excessive claim processing wait times and inaccessible field office appointments.

In their letter, they call onCommissioner Bisignano to take concrete steps to improve customer service by rolling back the Trump Administration’s aggressive cuts and changes to the SSA.

“The millions of Americans who have paid into Social Security their entire lives should be able to access their hard-earned benefits without politicians getting in the way,” said Congressman Sorensen. “By threatening to cut thousands of staff at the agency and causing the departure of career civil servants, the Trump Administration has done nothing but increase claim processing wait times, reduce the number of in-person appointments, and threaten the closure of field offices across the country. True government efficiency comes from improvements to Social Security that make it easier and faster for our constituents to access their benefits.”

“Everyone who supports Social Security should applaud Representative Sorensen for leading this important letter to Social Security Administration Commissioner Frank Bisignano,” said Nancy Altman, President of Social Security Works. “The Congressman and his colleagues are doing the crucial job of overseeing the Trump administration, which is causing chaos, inefficiency, and waste at SSA. The Trump sabotage is making it harder for working families to claim the Social Security benefits they have earned — effectively cutting those benefits. Not only have the American people earned their benefits, they have also paid, throughout their working lives, for Social Security’s related administrative expenses. By taking a wrecking ball to SSA, the Trump administration is destroying the first-class customer service Americans have paid for.”

“The root cause of all SSA's failures is chronic understaffing, yet they plan to cut 7,000-10,000 more workers in FY 2025 with no hiring planned for FY 2026.” said Jessica LaPointe, President AFGE Council 220. “Their solution is to replace human workers with AI chatbots and centralize operations so workers in California serve customers in Wisconsin, abandoning SSA's 90-year legacy as a community-based institution. If you destroy SSA at the community level, you destroy the healthy fabric of communities, leading to higher homelessness, food insecurity, drug use, crime, and fewer opportunities for education and quality of life advancement, billions more in overpaid FICA dollars that people can’t afford to repay.”

Congressman Sorensen has been fighting to make Social Security work for his neighbors in the face of massive cuts to the agency by the Trump Administration and years of neglect. Earlier this year, he helped introduce the Keeping Our Field Offices Open Act, which aims to prevent the closure of Social Security field and hearing offices. He also helped introduce the Protecting Americans’ Social Security Data Act, which would block unelected bureaucrats at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing sensitive Social Security information. Last year, he helped pass the bipartisan Social Security Fairness Act, which expanded Social Security benefits to workers, spouses, and others with eligible pensions.

You can read the full letter HERE.