Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On Republican Attacks On Social Security And Elon Musk’s Call To Eliminate Entitlement Programs

Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor to call out Republicans and Elon Musk for their alarming attacks on Social Security and Medicare, warning that their efforts to gut the programs would harm millions of seniors, people with disabilities, and hardworking Americans who rely on these vital benefits. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

Donald Trump and Republicans have wanted to take away Americans’ hard-earned entitlement benefits for a long time.

This week, Elon Musk said the quiet part out loud, and every single American should be alarmed.

He said, “Most of the federal spending is entitlements…so that’s the big one to eliminate,” of course referring to Social Security.

Elon Musk is saying it plainly: Republicans’ big goal is to “eliminate,” his words, Social Security and Medicare benefits.

The American people deserve to know where Senators stand on protecting Social Security. The American people deserve to know that.

Are Senate Republicans fine with the terrible things Elon Musk and DOGE are doing to Social Security?

Do they agree with Mr. Musk that it’s one giant scam?

We've seen the Social Security offices slashed, so that people get less services. Is that the first step to eliminate Social Security? It seems to be.

And when Donald Trump ridiculed Social Security by just lying about people who have been on the books for 200 years and making people think they got benefits, which of course they didn't, it seems he's in on the plan. It's not just Mr. Musk. It's President Trump too.

Well, all of these are simple questions, and Americans deserve to know the truth.

If Republicans truly support Social Security, they need to break their silence and condemn Elon Musk’s attacks.

DOGE has already taken over the Social Security Administration and accessed the private data and benefits of tens of millions of Americans. My guess is so they can hurt the program, close the program, eliminate the program. Republicans and President Trump and DOGE are gutting the agency.

They’re firing thousands of staff, they’re leading to office closures, longer wait times, and deteriorating service. In my state, they've already announced a few offices being closed. I’m sure that’s true in every other state.

If Mr. Musk and DOGE are allowed to keep going at the moment, then seniors will have to wait longer for their benefits, but in the future they may not get them.

People with disabilities will face longer wait times for their claims to be processed, but they may not get them.

Americans will spend more time waiting to talk to someone on the phone to get help with benefits, but seems where they're headed there will be no one on the phone to talk to, and no benefits to be received.

Social Security is one of the most popular programs. Why the heck would any president, any vice president, Mr. Musk – maybe he's president – want to eliminate Social Security? Why would they want to cut Social Security, one of the most popular federal programs we have?

I'll tell you why. They're frenetic on tax breaks for the billionaires, and they're taking away things from Americans.

This is not what the American people want. This is not efficiency.

And for Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, to not understand how a senior citizen depends on the $1,100 a month to buy food, to purchase vitally needed medicines? What arrogance.

And for him to not even deign to understand it?

He says, we'll cut the government! Social Security is not the government. It is people. It's the money they put in, it's the money they now get back, it helps them live a decent life.

If Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Republicans continue to go after benefits like Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid – and I have no reason to think they won't – Democrats will fight it, but most importantly, the American people will not stand for it.

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