The longstanding challenges facing the Social Security Administration (SSA), such as disconnected phone calls and long wait times, underscore the need to modernize how the agency operates and improve customer service, while ensuring the American public retains secure access to vital services, write Ways and Means Republicans in a letter to the newly confirmed Commissioner of Social Security, Frank Bisignano.

“The SSA touches the lives of virtually every American and provides critical benefits to tens of millions of seniors, disabled workers, and their families each year. However, for years, these same Americans have been subjected to long wait times, disconnected phone calls, and general difficulty contacting the SSA.

“Unfortunately, long wait times, systems outages, and difficulty scheduling appointments at the SSA are neither new nor unique to the current Administration. After decades of inconsistent service and failed efforts to update its outdated systems, it is clear that the SSA can no longer operate the same way it has for the past 50 years. It is past time that agency leadership focuses on long overdue organizational, policy, and systems improvements to modernize how the agency operates and refocus the agency’s mission on direct service delivery,” wrote the Committee members.  

In the letter, Ways and Means Republicans invite Commissioner Bisignano to testify on the President’s budget request and share his plans to improve the SSA’s service to the level that Americans expect and deserve:

“Our constituents are understandably concerned and frustrated by long wait times, difficulty accessing online and telephone services, and operational and workforce decisions made by your predecessors. These concerns are further exacerbated by conflicting, and often erroneous or misleading, reports of systems outages, office consolidations, and policy changes.

“To help address our constituents’ concerns, we invite you to come before the Ways and Means Committee following the release of the President’s full budget request to provide your plan to ensure the SSA provides secure, accurate, and timely service to all Americans…”

Read the letter to Commissioner Bisignano here.