Schumer: We Must Protect & Invest Social Security For Southern Tier Seniors

Standing with Social Security workers from across the Southern Tier, as ‘DOGE’ continues damaging cuts to the Social Security Administration (SSA), creating chaos & confusion as thousands of employees are laid off and threatening office closures, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer today announced new legislation to counter Trump’s cuts to Social Security.

The new bill The Keep Billionaires out of Social Security Act would invest in preventing Social Security field office closures, hire new staff, protect beneficiaries’ data, and make long-needed modernizations & upgrades to reduce wait times and improve access for the vital service that over 203,000 Southern Tier seniors rely on.

“Southern Tier seniors worked hard their whole lives, paying into Social Security and deserve easy access to the benefits they earned, but right now Trump & ‘DOGE’ are breaking Social Security. ‘DOGE’ has already fired thousands of Social Security workers, and seniors are stuck with long wait times, overwhelmed phone lines, and websites that keep crashing. It’s hitting local Social Security offices in the Southern Tier and Upstate NY, too, where we have seen nearly all local offices lose workers, with some losing more than a quarter of staff. If no one can take your call, if the website keeps crashing, if they fire the staff that processes your claims, if they make it impossible for you to get the help you need, that’s a cut to your Social Security benefits, and I won’t stand for it,” said Senator Schumer. “We need to invest and protect Social Security. That is why I am announcing that I will be pushing new legislation with Senate Democrats to reverse these Trump cuts, hire more workers, stop local offices from closing, and make Social Security more efficient for our seniors. We need to fix Social Security and make it easier for seniors in the Southern Tier to get their benefits, not cut the system down to the bone. Our seniors worked hard their whole lives for their Social Security benefits, and we are going to make sure it is protected, not cut.”

Schumer said that Social Security is one of the most successful government programs in our nation’s history—without Social Security, nearly 40 percent of people over age 65 would be living in poverty. In the Southern Tier, more than 203,000 beneficiaries receive more than $330 million in Social Security payments every month. In Broome County, nearly 55,000 beneficiaries receive more than $88 million in Social Security payments every month.

Schumer explained that for too long, the SSA has been underfunded, but now, amid ‘DOGE’ cuts, the Social Security system is breaking, with former Social Security Administrators and experts saying these cuts could collapse the system. Already, beneficiaries have seen repeated website crashes, overwhelmed phone lines, long wait times for appointments, and even mass confusion as ‘DOGE’ listed local Southern Tier offices near Elmira for closure and then seemingly backed off weeks later after public pressure.

In response to Trump, Schumer said that, in September, Senate Democrats will introduce legislation to increase investment in Social Security & reverse these cuts. Specifically, the bill will:

• Stop field offices from closure and increase staffing, reversing previous cuts and prohibiting closures without congressional approval. It would boost staffing levels to help reduce wait times and ensure beneficiaries can continue to make appointments in person and speak with live representatives on the phone, not robotic call services.
• Boost funding for Social Security to $5 billion annually to create the modern Social Security Administration our seniors deserve, making long-needed upgrades and providing grants to improve technology, reduce claim backlogs, and enhance customer service.
• Improve access for beneficiaries by reversing Trump cuts, increasing support to protect beneficiaries, and restoring limits on benefit clawbacks that could otherwise drastically reduce benefits for seniors who have done nothing wrong.
• Protect your Social Security data. The bill imposes civil and criminal penalties for improper access to sensitive Social Security records and blocks unauthorized access from groups like ‘DOGE’ or other political interference in people’s Social Security.

At Social Security Administration offices across the Southern Tier, short staffing has already impacted services. Every local office has lost at least one employee, with some losing more than a quarter of their staff. Since January, career civil servants have been fleeing federal service due to the uncertainty and chaos caused by Donald Trump and DOGE. The Binghamton Office has seen two of its nineteen employees walk out rather than be fired by this Administration. This had led to delayed benefits, longer wait times, and wait lists. Most people receive help in person, but wait times over the phone have also skyrocketed, with some seniors waiting hours on the phone only to be disconnected before speaking to a live person.

“Our seniors built this country—on farms, in factories, and behind desks in places like Endicott. They paid into Social Security every week and earned every dime of it,” said Congressman Josh Riley. “Now they’re stuck with jammed phone lines, glitchy websites, and threats of office closures—while billionaires try to privatize what should never be weakened. I introduced the Social Security Access Act and co-sponsored the You Earned It, You Keep It Act to make sure folks can get help when they need it and keep the benefits they’ve earned. I’m thankful for Senator Schumer’s work on these issues and for bringing this legislation to Endwell. Social Security is a promise we made real right here in Upstate New York—and we’re going to fight like hell to protect it.”

Shawn Halloran, Claims Specialist, Syracuse Field office and AFGE President Local 3342 said, “When 2025 began, SSA was already in the midst of a 50 year staffing low. As a result of DOGE’s efforts, SSA has lost several thousand more employees which weakened our ability to serve the public. Our seniors, disabled community members and those that have lost loved ones have been left to suffer the consequences. SSA has pulled over 1,000 employees from local field offices to answer the national 800# calls with no plan in place for the work they left behind. Employee morale is at a record low and senseless SSA policy changes have led to less productivity at a higher cost to the Agency-the antithesis of “government efficiency”. In order to improve service, you must speak to the folks who provide that service directly to the public yet SSA has failed at every step of the way to include employees and the Union in the process. Senator Schumer’s legislation is a crucial step in providing the public with the first class service that they have already paid for and deserve.”

Jason Garnar, Broome County Executive said, “Social Security is a lifeline for thousands of Broome County residents, especially our seniors. We have a responsibility to protect and strengthen this critical program so it can continue serving those who rely on it most Thanks to Senator Schumer for his leadership and standing up for our seniors here in Broome County and across the state.”

Mary Turbush, Broome County Office for Aging Director said, “Most older adults have contributed their entire lives to Social Security. When they are ready to retire or unable to work, Social Security allows older adults to remain vibrant and active in our communities. Social Security is a necessary tool and not a political party issue.”

This comes as Trump officials refer to Social Security as a “Ponzi scheme.” Last week, Trump’s Treasury Secretary said they had created a “backdoor for privatizing Social Security.” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik said his mother wouldn’t call and complain if she didn’t receive her Social Security benefits. Schumer said these cuts will inevitably make it more difficult for Social Security beneficiaries to receive their hard-earned benefits, and that we need to be investing more not less to make Social Security to make it more efficient and easier for seniors.

A county-by-county breakdown of Social Security beneficiaries in the Southern Tier can be found here for SSI and Old Age, Survivors, and Disability benefits:

Social Security has been a crucial piece of the social safety net since President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the law creating it in 1935, and it was designed to be self-sufficient. It has a dedicated revenue source from payroll taxes, which workers split with their employers.