Davis Opening Statement at Social Security and Worker and Family Support Joint Subcommittee Hearing with Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano
(As prepared for delivery)
Commissioner, thank you for being here today. The benefits overseen by the Social Security Administration are life-giving for millions of seniors, children, and people with disabilities and serious illnesses. Social Security provides dignity and independence for seniors. It provides a future for children whose parents die young and basic essentials for people who can’t work anymore because of illness or disability. Your position comes with a profound responsibility to serve every American and do no harm.
And Social Security’s partner, Supplemental Security Income - or SSI - works with Social Security to bolster income for our poorest seniors, helps families care for children with serious illnesses like Sickle Cell Disease, and provides for adults who can’t work because of severe illnesses and intellectual or physical disabilities. In my Congressional district, more than one-fourth of Social Security recipients have their benefits supplemented by SSI, and nearly 10,000 children rely on Social Security or SSI.
Despite the essential role that Social Security plays in protecting Americans, Republicans have repeatedly tried to cut Social Security benefits, raise the retirement age, rip benefits away from sick and disabled children, and privatize Social Security – all steps to undermine beneficiaries’ well-being. It has been my honor to fight to protect Social Security benefits for my constituents and to join with my Democratic colleagues to defend them for every American.
President Trump promised Americans that he would not cut Social Security. But one of his FIRST acts was to allow inexperienced and aggressive DOGE staffers to hack into SSA’s most confidential beneficiary data, cut thousands of experienced staff, and disrupt customer service so much that seniors and those close to retirement age are justifiably worried that they will not receive the benefits they’d worked for all their lives.
I strongly support your stated goal to restore SSA customer service while also preventing fraud and errors, and I want to give you some advice. Learn from DOGE’s mistakes. First, take the time to ask questions and listen to the answers. You are not an expert on Social Security. One of the BEST fraud prevention tools you have is a skilled workforce. Firing experienced staff means no one is there to manage contractors, spot fraud, and prevent errors. I was shocked that the Budget proposal only sought increases in technology rather than recognizing the importance of your staff at the height of Baby Boomer retirements.
Second, technology is a tool, not a magic wand. If staff are not trained to use it, if beneficiaries can’t access it or don’t understand it, or the ancient agency computers won’t run it, technology will not improve service, fight fraud, strengthen the SSA workforce, or modernize SSA. Elevating technology as an elixir reminds me of the H.L. Mencken quote – “There is always an easy solution to every problem - neat, plausible, and wrong.” Further, forcing seniors or people who are sick, struggling, or dealing with physical and mental impairments to navigate an obstacle course of complicated rules and technology without help is a cruel, back-door benefit cut.
Commissioner, you have been entrusted with one of the crown jewels of the federal government that protects tens of millions of Americans. I hope we can work together to keep it strong for current beneficiaries and future generations.
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