Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) on Thursday slammed a New York Social Safety workplace closure plan.
“The decision to close the only Social Security Hearing Office in the Hudson Valley is a slap in the face to thousands of my constituents who rely on these services,” Lawler stated in a put up on social platform X, referencing the upcoming closure of an workplace in White Plains, N.Y.
A number of Social Safety Administration places of work across the U.S. are anticipated to shut this yr as a result of Division of Authorities Effectivity’s (DOGE) cuts to the federal authorities.
“This workplace handles over 2,000 backlogged instances and conducts lots of of in-person hearings yearly. Telling my constituents that they now need to journey hours to Decrease Manhattan, New Haven, the Bronx, or Goshen is totally unacceptable,” Lawler stated Thursday.
President Trump’s administration has moved to dramatically reshape the federal authorities in his first few months in workplace, leading to drastic modifications at federal companies and departments throughout the federal government.
On Monday, the Social Safety Administration (SSA) stated it could not enable people to confirm their id through telephone. As a substitute, it could require on-line authentication or in-person visits for these on the lookout for profit claims and direct deposit modifications.
“SSA will permit individuals who do not or cannot use the agency’s online my Social Security services to start their claim for benefits on the telephone. However, the claim cannot be completed until the individual’s identity is verified in person,” an SSA weblog put up stated.
“The agency therefore recommends calling to request an in-person appointment to begin and complete the claim in one interaction,” it continued.
Adjustments are set to enter impact on the finish of the month, affecting greater than 72 million People.
The Hill has reached out to the White Home and the SSA for remark.
