In response to Senate Republicans advancing Frank Bisignano’s nomination to lead the Social Security Administration, DNC Chair Ken Martin released the following statement:

“Donald Trump and shadow President Elon Musk are taking Social Security apart brick by brick — shuttering field offices, cutting phone lines, and forcing seniors to wait hours, if not days, for assistance. Now, they’ve brought in Wall Street lackey and self-proclaimed DOGE ally Frank Bisignano to help them put critical benefits for 73 million people on the chopping block while they push through another round of tax handouts for billionaires. Make no mistake: Americans’ hard-earned benefits are not safe in the hands of Trump, Musk, and Bisignano.” 

NEW: Senate Republicans voted to advance Frank Bisignano — Trump’s Wall Street backer and self-proclaimed DOGE ally — to lead the Social Security Administration after he refused to protect Americans’ hard-earned benefits during his disastrous confirmation hearing. 

[HOLD FOR VOTE] 

Sen. Bernie Sanders: “Why do you think the Social Security Administration is now closing down offices and laying off 7,000 employees? … Do you think it makes sense to lay off half the staff?” … 

Frank Bisignano: *Dodges*

Sen. Sanders: “When you have a system that is not working out, do you think it’s a great idea to lay off half the employees?” …

Bisignano: “Probably no.”

Sen. Ron Wyden: “Will you lock DOGE out of Social Security databases?”

Bisignano: *Refuses to answer question*

Sen. Wyden: “I would like that in writing that you will lock DOGE out of the Social Security databases.” … 

Bisignano: “I don’t know what ‘lock DOGE out of the Social Security’…”

Sen. Wyden: “Stop them. It’s got a pretty simple concept when you lock somebody out. You stop them.”

Associated Press: “Frank Bisignano, a self-professed ‘DOGE person,’ 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.”

REMINDER: Trump and shadow President Elon Musk are breaking down Social Security brick by brick and risking hard-earned benefits for 73 million Americans. 

Washington Post: “Long waits, waves of calls, website crashes: Social Security is breaking down”

“The 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, according to those familiar with the problems. …

Washington Post: “Social Security Administration leadership is under instruction to swiftly produce plans to cut its staff by half, according to two employees at the agency who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.”

Axios: “An internal memo from the Social Security Administration proposes changes to its phone service that could derail the benefits application process for many Americans. …

“The draft of the memo viewed by Axios says the proposed limitations will be ‘significant’ for those living in rural areas in particular.” …

Business Insider: “Social Security is telling its staff that customer service is about to get a lot worse” 

“Lines at your local Social Security office are about to get a lot longer — if it survives a wave of closures brought on by funding cuts under the Trump administration. …

Prospect: “The decision could target one of the government’s 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.”

Trump has a record of trying to gut Social Security every year during his first term in office and is pledging cuts in a second term. 

Washington Post: “Trump proposals could drain Social Security in 6 years, budget group says”

Washington Post: “His avowed stance, however, is at odds with Trump’s own record as president: Each of his White House budget proposals included cuts to Social Security and Medicare programs.”

Vox: “Trump said he wouldn’t cut Medicaid, Social Security, and Medicare. His 2020 budget cuts all 3.”

National Review: “Speaking with CNBC at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump was asked whether he would cut entitlements at some point. ‘Will entitlements ever be on your plate?’ asked interviewer Joe Kernen. ‘At some point they will be,’ Trump responded. ‘At the right time, we will take a look at that. You know, that’s the easiest of all things [to cut].’”

Mediaite: “During 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. … ‘But if you don’t cut something in entitlements, you will never really deal with the debt,’ town hall co-moderator Martha MacCallum interjected, alluding to social safety programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. ‘Oh, we’ll be cutting,’ Trump rushed to confirm.”

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