Dear Friends, 

Last week, reports came out that the Trump Administration had imminent plans to close Social Security field and hearing offices and significantly reduce staff at the Social Security Administration (SSA). Since then, Elon Musk has called Social Security a ‘Ponzi scheme,’ and President Trump spread wildly false claims about the program during his Joint Address to Congress. 

Social Security is not a scam, it is an earned benefit that you pay into with each and every paycheck. The Trump-Musk plan could mean the disruption, delay, and denial of your earned benefits, a backdoor cut. After the news of these cuts broke, I took to the East Hartford Social Security Field Office with workers, retirees, and advocates to call out their plan. 

Connecticut Alliance for Retired Americans President Bette Marafino, East Hartford Mayor Connor Martin, Rep. Larson, CSEA SEIU Local 2001 President Travis Woodward, and Connecticut Education Association Vice President Joslyn DeLancey 

I sent a letter with 152 House Democrats urging Acting SSA Commissioner Leland Dudek to halt the Administration’s plans to gut Social Security. Since then, Acting Commissioner Dudek himself acknowledged that Elon Musk’s ‘DOGE’ is making decisions about SSA’s future without an understanding of how the agency works.  

Their plan has nothing to do with ‘efficiency’ and everything to do with finding $2 trillion in cuts to programs like Social Security to pay for another round of tax breaks for the wealthy. In Congress, my Democratic colleagues and I introduced three bills to protect Americans from these attacks on Social Security. You can view our press conference HERE.   

• The Keeping Our Field Offices Open Act will put a moratorium on the closure of Social Security Field Offices. 

• The Protecting Americans’ Social Security Data Act will block Musk and ‘DOGE’s access to sensitive beneficiary data, including names, addresses, Social Security numbers, earning records, and medical records. 

• Our Resolution of Inquiry will compel President Trump to disclose to Congress information about ‘DOGE’ activity at SSA and any plans to close field offices or cut staff. 

I stand united with the 70 million Americans who rely on Social Security to make ends meet and the civil servants who work tirelessly to deliver benefits in full and on time every month. It will only take three House Republicans to join us and stop these cuts. I want to hear from you. Would you or a loved one be impacted by cuts to the Social Security Administration? Share your story HERE. 

If you have questions or need assistance, please reach out to my office at 860-278-8888. To follow what I’m working on both in Washington and in Connecticut, visit my Facebook page, follow me on Twitter, or follow me on Instagram.     

Regards,

John B. Larson
Member of Congress