Strengthening Social Security’s Customer Service
Washington, D.C. - Today, House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee Chairman John B. Larson (CT-01) held a hearing entitled "Strengthening Social Security’s Customer Service."
“We’re holding this hearing to spotlight and underscore the challenges the Social Security Administration (SSA) has in providing Americans the benefits they’ve earned,” said Larson. “I recently visited the field offices in my district. The SSA employees I met are extremely dedicated and hard-working public servants doing an almost impossible job with the resources they have. We must ensure our country’s largest, most efficient federal agency has the additional resources and funding it needs to serve The People! I’m proud Social Security 2100: A Sacred Trust would help address some of these customer service shortcomings.”
“Greater Hartford Legal Aid supports the Social Security 2100: A Sacred Trust bill. Our SSI and SSDI clients are disabled and living in poverty and rely on their SSI and SSDI benefits for their basic needs. It will greatly benefit our clients by reducing the wait time between eligibility determination and receiving the benefits. It will also help those of our clients who work for decades in low-wage work obtain retirement benefits that will not confine them to poverty. By safeguarding field offices, it will also preserve our clients’ primary point of contact with the Social Security Administration,” said Alison Weir, Policy Advocate/Staff Attorney at Greater Hartford Legal Aid.
“The Social Security Administration provides many fundamental services for millions of people with disabilities and their families,” said Bethany Lilly, Senior Director of Public Policy at The Arc of the United States. “That is why The Arc is so glad to be a part of this Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee hearing to ensure that people with disabilities have a seat at the table when it comes crucial discussions about necessary funding and the steps the Social Security Administration can take to improve their customer service.”
"We, at the National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA) have heard firsthand from older adults who have struggled to navigate Social Security’s systems during difficult moments. NHCOA encourages the Committee to move and vote on HR 5723, Social Security 2100: A Sacred Trust to provide retirement income and protection for older adults and persons with disabilities," said Dr. Yanira Cruz, President and CEO of NHCOA.
“Millions of older adults and people with disabilities depend on benefits from Social Security and Supplemental Security Income to stay out of poverty. The Social Security Administration should take the necessary steps to ensure that people can access and keep benefits for which they are eligible. We hope Congress will provide the agency with the necessary funding and support it needs to effectively accomplish these goals,” said Tracey Gronniger, Directing Attorney for the Economic Security Team at Justice in Aging.
“Delivering on Social Security’s promises will require a bipartisan commitment by Congress to finally provide SSA with adequate administrative resources to operate its critical programs after a decade-plus of disinvestment that has only been further compounded by the pandemic," said Rebecca Vallas, a senior fellow at The Century Foundation. "The cost of inaction is steep and shameful," Vallas continued. "SSA’s 1-800 line is in abysmal shape due to outdated technology and understaffing, and people with disabilities are dying by the thousands waiting for benefits every year due to unconscionable backlogs. Now is the time for Congress and SSA to make a collective and bipartisan commitment to prioritizing SSA’s customer service and to taking the steps necessary to ensure all eligible Americans are able to access SSA’s critical programs and services when they need them most."
“With every paycheck, working families pay for their earned Social Security benefits — and for all of the associated administrative costs. SSA should provide these families with the first-class service they have earned. That requires expanding, not reducing, the number of field offices and the size of the workforce. There is plenty of money to do so; Social Security has a $2.9 trillion surplus. It's time for Congress to allow the agency to spend slightly more of that surplus on administering the program. Then, SSA can once again provide the first-rate customer service it was once well known for," said Nancy Altman, President of Social Security Works.
“SSA has done an admirable job re-opening its field offices after two years of pandemic-related closures. But the Agency remains critically underfunded and cannot continue to do its job indefinitely without adequate resources. Backlogs that existed before the pandemic have grown exponentially, staff levels have dropped precipitously, and the Agency will need the strong support of Congress if it is to continue fulfilling its mission. SSA’s customer service operations must be fully-funded in order to ensure that Americans receive all of the benefits they have earned over a lifetime of work --- and to maintain strong public support for this essential program,” said Max Richtman, President and CEO, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare.