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Amid Attacks On Social Security Administration Services and Workforce, Kennedy Defends This Vital Social Safety Net

WASHINGTON, DC — In a speech delivered on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman Tim Kennedy (NY-26) defended Social Security amid attacks from the Trump Administration, including actions taken by Elon Musk to access private beneficiary data, the Social Security Administration (SSA) wrongfully clawing back benefit payments after falsely claiming recipients were deceased, slashing the SSA workforce, and gutting customer service. 

(Congressman Kennedy defends Social Security on the House floor.) 

Congressman Kennedy highlighted the importance of protecting Social Security, saying, “Hardworking Americans rely on the promise of a secure and dignified retirement. That promise is called Social Security. And it is a solemn promise we must keep.”

Kennedy continued by outlining the Trump Administration’s attacks on the Social Security Administration that stand to harm people who rely on it, saying, “From Elon Musk accessing private beneficiary data to Trump’s hand-picked Acting Commissioner declaring living recipients to be deceased in order to claw back their benefits, Social Security is under fire….These reckless actions are robbing the hardworking men and women that I represent in Western New York. It’s a slap in the face to every American citizen who has spent decades paying into this system and every widow, person with a disability, and child who lost a parent too soon – who deserves and needs the benefits that allow them to survive.”

To conclude, Kennedy reaffirmed his commitment to defending Social Security, saying, “Congress must reject the administration’s attempts to weaken Social Security. We need to fight tooth and nail against those who want to raise the retirement age, reduce benefits, or privatize this program for the benefit of corporations and the ultra-rich. Instead, we should be strengthening Social Security to protect this vital safety net and fighting for an America where working people get to retire with dignity.”

The Social Security Administration (SSA) new rules requiring beneficiaries to verify their identity in-person, after eliminating over-the-phone service, are set to take effect on March 31. To view Kennedy’s statement, click here. 

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