Leader Schumer Floor Remarks Addressing Trump And DOGE’s Destructive Attacks On Social Security And Urging Senators To Vote Against Mr. Bisignano’s Nomination To Lead The Social Security Administration
Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor to address dangerous policies being implemented by the Trump administration to gut Social Security and why senators should vote against the Administrator nominee. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:
What is happening at the Social Security Administration is an utter travesty, and Senate Republicans are doing nothing, absolutely nothing at all to stop it.
As we all know, Social Security is among the most beloved programs that has ever existed in American history. But right now, Donald Trump and Elon Musk—two billionaires, one of them the richest man on earth—are taking a chainsaw at Social Security.
This is one of the darkest examples of Donald Trump’s attempts to erode away at the American dream. He and Musk are rigging the system more and more in favor of billionaires, while stealing from working people in order to cut taxes for the rich.
And let’s be very clear: what is happening right now to the Social Security Administration is already a benefit cut. They are shutting off phone lines. Closing down field offices. Firing staff by the thousands. Adding red tape—not reducing red tape—adding red tape with burdensome new rules.
Wait times to talk to someone over the phone are now two hours. In some cases, people wait for four or five hours. This is not efficiency, it is sabotage.
What Musk and DOGE are doing is a classic hostile takeover—they are swooping in, cannibalizing Social Security from within, and then they’ll sell what’s left for parts.
Make no mistake: if the American people don't believe this is coming directly from Donald Trump, just listen to his address to Congress, where he spent a full ten minutes spreading lie after lie after lie about fraud, about checks to people who are 150 years old. This is a lie that Trump’s own acting commissioner has said is false.
What Senate Republicans are allowing to happen to Social Security is deeply immoral. And their silence is an absolute disgrace.
Today, the Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing on the nomination of Frank Bisignano to lead the beleaguered Social Security Administration.
Someone with Mr. Bisignano’s background is the last person we need at the Social Security Administration. The agency is standing on a knife’s edge, and now Republicans want to appoint someone famous for shrinking the organizations he has led.
Mr. Bisignano’s nomination should go no further after today’s hearing. If Republicans care one bit about seniors and their benefits, they should immediately reject his nomination and stand up to DOGE. A yes vote on Bisignano is a vote to cut Social Security.
A yes vote on Mr. Bisignano is a vote to cut Social Security, plain and simple.
During today’s hearing, we need to hear the answers to some very important questions, not just from the nominee but also from our Republican colleagues themselves.
Do Senate Republicans and Mr. Bisignano agree, for one, that Social Security is a scam, like Elon Musk and Donald Trump say?
Do they agree with Secretary Lutnick that if seniors miss benefits for one month, they’ll be perfectly fine with it?
Do Senate Republicans and Mr. Bisignano plan to do anything, anything at all—to reverse the profound damage that is happening right now to the agency?
Time is short to stop permanent damage to the Social Security Administration. If Republicans continue to do nothing, the political backlash will be unprecedented.
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