AFGE Calls on Congress to Invest in Social Security as Program Marks 91 Years

Marking the 91st anniversary of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s signing of the Social Security Act, AFGE is calling on Congress to protect these hard-earned benefits and address the Social Security Administration’s (SSA’s) urgent staffing crisis.

Social Security is widely considered the most successful anti-poverty program in U.S. history. However, the agency’s staffing levels are at a 59-year low, and funding cuts have caused service delays as AFGE members are stretched to capacity.

“Social Security has been a promise to working Americans for 91 years, and the people who administer that promise deserve the resources and support necessary to deliver it,” AFGE National President Everett Kelley said. “Congress should not allow staffing cuts, inadequate funding, office closures, or poorly implemented automation to undermine a program that millions of Americans depend on. Our members are proud to serve the public, but they cannot do more with less forever. Congress must invest in the SSA workforce, protect local field offices, demand transparency in the agency’s service data, and ensure that artificial intelligence and automated adjudication are subject to meaningful oversight.”

“We will not stand by while chronic understaffing is used to drive experienced workers out, privatize our public mission, or replace dedicated federal employees with AI,” said AFGE Council 220 President Jessica LaPointe. “Lawmakers must act now to protect Social Security, its workforce, and the income and retirement security Americans have earned.” Read more here.