Gillibrand Slams Trump Policy That Would Gut Social Security Administration, Make It Harder For Seniors To Receive Benefits

Jan 31, 2025
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, ranking member of the Senate Aging Committee, is leading 11 of her Senate colleagues in a letter warning that President Trump’s plan to “buy out” federal workers would make it harder for older Americans to get their Social Security benefits. Earlier this week, Trump offered federal workers the option to resign and continue to receive full pay and benefits until September 30th, 2025, even though many federal agencies – including the Social Security Administration, which processes Social Security applications – are facing staffing shortages. Further reducing staffing through the buyout programscould force seniors to wait longer to receive assistance and benefits.
“Trump’s buyout offer would have devastating consequences for the tens of millions of Americans who rely on Social Security,”said Senator Gillibrand. “Since the first Trump administration, the Social Security Administration has struggled to retain staff, and the agency is in desperate need of more personnel to process applications and serve beneficiaries. This policy would only exacerbate staffing shortages and long service wait times. Forcing seniors to wait indefinitely to get their benefits is unacceptable, and I am demanding answers from the administration about its plan to keep SSA functioning.”
Gillibrand’s letter to the United States Office of Personnel Management, which sent the email earlier this week offering the buyout, was cosigned by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), and Jack Reed (D-RI).
The full text of Senator Gillibrand’s letter is availablehereor below:
Dear Mr. Ezell,
We are writing today to express concern regarding the consequences of an email sent to federal employees from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on January 28, 2025.iAs you are aware, the email offered two million federal employeesiia “deferred resignation program” allowing employees to resign and continue to receive pay and benefits until September 30, 2025. It is clear that the Administration is seeking to undermine federal programs by eliminating career public servants. We have grave concerns for how these personnel decisions will affect the programs that serve the American people, especially those served by the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Social Security is the nation’s most effective anti-poverty program, without which, four in 10 older adults would have incomes below the poverty line.iiiIn 2025, SSA will serve approximately 72.5 million beneficiaries, including retirees and their families, individuals with disabilities, and low-income older adults.ivAs our Nation’s population continues to age, the number of beneficiaries served by Social Security, and the demand placed on SSA field offices, will increase.vWhile the agency should be prepared to meet this surge in beneficiaries, with limited resources and personnel, SSA has historically struggled to provide essential services in a timely manner. In 2024, the average wait time for service via phone was 45 minutes;viin 2023 the average wait time for disability determinations was 230 days,viiand SSA staffing was at a 25-year low.viii
The origin of these challenges can be traced back to the previous Trump Administration; under the leadership of then-SSA Commissioner Andrew Saul, SSA imposed harsh union contracts and undermined employees’ workplace rights, failed to prioritize training and retention of SSA staff, and failed to deploy modernization efforts to improve delivery of benefits to eligible Americans, resulting in a notable decline in employee morale and an increase in staff departures. Surveys have shown that more than half of SSA employees considered leaving the agency due to burnout and poor compensation.ixUnder the Biden Administration, SSA Commissioner Martin O’Malley worked to invest in the workforce, improve morale, and reverse failing policies imposed by President Trump— in six months, he successfully lowered the average phone wait time to under 13 minutesxand succeeded in reducing the number of pending disability determination hearings to the lowest number in 30 years.xi
But—years of decline cannot be fixed overnight, and challenges remain at SSA. Recent Executive Orders issued by President Trump, including the return-to-work mandate, the hiring freeze, and others, threaten to reverse improvements in SSA staff morale and staff retention. On top of these Executive Orders, your January 28themail could result in a staffing crisis at SSA. Workers who were already burned out and underpaid will likely be tempted by the resignation program, as will the one in four SSA employees who are eligible for retirement.xiiThis will have a tangible impact on beneficiaries, who will experience longer wait times and declining service quality. Given the significant impacts this proposal could have on one the Nation’s most valuable programs and the Nation’s most vulnerable individuals, we ask that you respond to the following questions:
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. We ask that you reply no later than Friday, February 7, 2025.
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