Joint Social Security and Work & Welfare Subcommittee Hearing with the Commissioner of Social Security, Frank J. Bisignano
House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security
2025-06-25
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Source: Congress.gov
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Subcommittee will come to order. I'll welcome all our members, and I want to especially welcome Commissioner of Social Security Frank Bisognano. I'd also like to thank the Chairman of the Work and Welfare Subcommittee, my colleague Darren LaHood, and a ranking member of our two subcommittees, Mr. John Larson and Mr. Danny Davis, as well as our full committee chairman, Jason Smith, and Mr. Neal, our full committee ranking member. Today marks a first both for me and the Commissioner, as he was recently confirmed and is making his first appearance in the committee room, today's my first hearing as chair of the Social Security Subcommittee. However, neither of us is new or naive about the successes and challenges that the Social Security Administration faces, and I want to make sure that as we talk through what we do moving forward, that we address all of these issues. I look forward to working closely with the Commissioner to improve customer service, root out waste, fraud, and abuse, and strengthen the program for current, near, and future beneficiaries. Today, it seems like a lot of politicians look for viral moments and quick sound bites to appeal to their bases. And this can be particularly true when it comes to talking about Social Security, which can easily be demagogued for cheap political gains. However, I think it's safe to say that every member on this dais, whether Republican or Democrat, is concerned about this important program and wants to make sure that it remains available for those hardworking Americans and their families who have earned a right to its benefits. My Republican colleagues and I, along with President Trump, are committed to protecting Social Security and providing economic security to current and future beneficiaries. But in order to keep our commitments to our seniors, disabled workers, and their families, We need to have an honest dialogue with both American people and amongst ourselves. Last week's trustees report reaffirmed what we've known for some time now. Without congressional action, Social Security's Retirement Trust Fund will be exhausted in just over seven years, which would result in equivalent of a 23% across the board benefit cut.
These programs are too important to demagogue. As the chairman of Social Security Subcommittee, I will commit to maintain an honest dialogue about these vital programs and I invite all of my colleagues to do the same. Keeping our commitments includes ensuring that Americans have reliable access to the services provided by the Social Security Administration, which brings us to the topic of today's hearing on improving and modernizing the Social Security Administration and why I'm pleased to welcome the recently confirmed Commissioner of Social Security, Frank Bisognano. I've been in Congress for eight years and I've placed a high priority on constituent services in my home district. The men and women who are constituent services representatives in my office have helped countless Kansans navigate the complexities of the Social Security Administration. And while I'm grateful for their work, it shouldn't take a call from a congressman's office to simply get the benefits someone deserves. Commissioner, it's evident that you and President Trump share my concern. There's still room for improvement, but the average speed of answer on the 800 number hit a high of 42 minutes in November of 2023. it was 16.7 minutes in April of 2025. The average wait time in field offices has decreased by eight minutes since the start of the fiscal year and pending disability claims have dropped below 1 million after topping 1.2 million in the summer of 2024. Again, these are improvements, but we can and should do more to make the processes more efficient for beneficiaries. I look forward to a robust discussion today with my colleagues and the commissioner. I would now yield to the ranking member, Mr. Yelarson, for his opening statement.
I thank the chairman, and I certainly welcome the commissioner, and I especially thank commissioner for taking the time to meet with myself and Mr. Neal beforehand. As we discussed in meeting in my office, again, which I thank you for the courtesy, and noting that you're from a family of 15 and I'm from a family of eight, I know that there's compassion that exists in that heart of yours for the nation's number one anti-poverty program for the elderly and the number one anti-poverty program for children until the child tax cut becomes permanent. Democrats have a plan. We've had some, one for some time. Our focus is twofold. There's an immediate urgency as it deals with Doge and their access to the public's personal data, their medical data, their financial data, the concerns about their family. We discussed this when you came to my office. Our concerns remain deep and abiding. And as I said, Democrats have a plan. Because of the Supreme Court decision, it looks like legislation is required. Though the commissioner could deny them access to these, as Peter Finley Dunn would say, trust everyone, but cut the cards, and legislation is needed so that we can make sure that we protect people's personal data and information that is so vital and important to them.
Our overarching plan is to recognize, and we discussed this, that Social Security hasn't been enhanced in over 50 years. Pretty astounding when you think of it, but imagine Richard Nixon was President of the United States the last time there was an overall enhancement of Social Security. And when you couple that with unqualified, unvetted, unapproved 24-year-old doges who have unfettered access to people's records at Social Security, it creates an alarm.
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