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Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security Chairman Drew Ferguson (R-GA) and Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Chairman Robert Aderholt (R-AL) recently sent a letter to Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Martin O’Malley raising major concerns about how thousands of SSA beneficiaries would have difficulty accessing benefit services following a decision to close SSA offices nationwide during business hours.

In part, Ferguson and Aderholt write:

“With less than 48 hours advance notice, Congress was informed that you made the decision to provide all Social Security employees with administrative leave and shutter all SSA offices on the afternoons of Friday, May 10, and Friday, May 24. As a result, the public will be turned away from offices, telephones will go unanswered, claims will not be processed, and the more than 7,500 Americans who had appointments at SSA field offices scheduled for those afternoons - some of whom have already waited months - will have to wait longer. Most importantly, service for all Americans who need to conduct business with the SSA will be delayed as a result.”

SSA Commissioner O’Malley failed to answer the following questions before the noon deadline on May 24, 2024:

1)    What has the SSA done to ensure that the public is aware of this decision on such short notice?

2)    How many appointments with the SSA (whether field office, hearing, or other) were scheduled for the afternoons of May 10 and May 24?

3)    How many incoming calls, field office walk-ins, field office appointments, and hearings was the SSA expecting on the afternoons of May 10 and May 24 that will now go unanswered or be delayed?

4)    How will you treat those whose appointments will be rescheduled to ensure that they are not disadvantaged by this decision?

5)    Under what specific legal authority are you exercising this decision?

6)    How many hours of administrative leave will be used on those two afternoons and what is the dollar value of that leave to the American taxpayer?

Read the full letter here.