Leader Schumer Floor Remarks Warning Frank Bisignano If Confirmed Will Dismantle The Social Security Administration

Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor ahead of Senate Republicans’ vote to advance Frank Bisignano to lead the Social Security Administration, warning he could dismantle Social Security altogether. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

Today, Senate Republicans will vote to advance Frank Bisignano to lead the Social Security Administration.

Frank Bisignano has an ominous reputation: he is Mr. Slash and Burn. Bisignano equals slash and burn when it comes to companies, and now when it comes to the Social Security Administration.

Everywhere he goes – every company he has been part of – he slashes and burns. 

So, I can’t think of a worse agency for Mr. Slash-and-Burn Bisignano to lead, than the Social Security Administration.

Every single Senate Republican who votes yes on Mr. Bisignano is voting yes to axe Social Security.

Knowing how popular it is, the Trump administration doesn't say outright they want to kill it. Instead, they want to strangle it. Fewer offices, fewer people in the offices, trying to take away phone lines, trying to take away e-mail, strangle it.

Because they know it's unpopular to say they're going to kill it directly. But already, because of their actions, because of the Trump administration, DOGE, Musk, the Social Security Administration is already in chaos.

People’s benefits are already in danger of being delayed.

Wait times over the phones are getting longer. 

Field offices are shutting down.

Employees are getting fired, and staffing is at a 50-year low. 

Chaos at the last place you need it: the Social Security Administration.

DOGE and Musk say they want to get rid of waste? There's no waste here. Social Security is one of the leanest operations there is. But they just want to kill it, and probably eventually privatize it. The hard-right wing, which hates all government, wants to take this crown jewel that Americans have and love, Social Security, and privatize it.

That's what some of them want to do, if you read some of these academic papers. No way. We're going to fight back tooth and nail.

Republicans have a choice when it comes to this nominee: to confirm him is to be complicit in dismantling Social Security. They should vote against moving forward today.

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