Senate Democrats launched a “Social Security War Room” on April 1 to fight back against changes to the program initiated by Elon Musk and his “Department of Government Efficiency” team.
The war room will serve as a hub for oversight work, social media posts and town halls, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said at a news conference alongside other Democrats. He credited Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., with the idea.
The Social Security Administration has announced a series of changes in recent weeks, including reducing staff by 7,000 employees, reducing regional offices from 10 to four and instituting new identity proofing procedures. The new procedures require in-person visits if beneficiaries can’t use the agency’s online service for identity verification when applying for Retirement, Survivors or Auxiliary (Spouse or Child) benefits, with exceptions for “dire-need cases,” the agency said in a March 26 news release.
The changes, which are part of DOGE’s larger effort to cut costs throughout the federal government, are viewed by Democrats and advocacy groups as a way to effectively decimate Social Security.
“(President Donald) Trump and Musk know that they don't have the votes in Congress to cut Social Security, so instead, they're trying backdoor cuts by dismantling the agency that makes sure that Americans get the benefits they are legally entitled to,” Warren said at the news conference.
The president has promised to protect Social Security, and members of the DOGE team have said they’re trying to help people get their benefits and improve beneficiaries’ experience.
However, Senate Democrats contend those statements are not true, and they plan to “use this war room as an opportunity to focus the energy around saving our Social Security,” Warren said.
“President Trump said he wouldn't cut Social Security, but I'll tell you this: if even one American is denied from getting benefits that they've earned, they are breaking the promise,” said Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., at the news conference.
