SUSAN M. COLLINS, MAINE, CHAIRMAN

ORRIN G. HATCH, UTAH

JEFF FLAKE, ARIZONA

TIM SCOTT, SOUTH CAROLINA
THOM TILLIS, NORTH CAROLINA
BOB CORKER, TENNESSEE
RICHARD BURR, NORTH CAROLINA
MARCO RUBIO, FLORIDA

DEB FISCHER, NEBRASKA

itlnitrd Status Smart

SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON AGING

ROBERT CASEY, JR RANKING MEMBER

BILL NELSON, FLORIDA

KIRSTEN E. GILLIBRAND, NEW YORK
RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, CONNECTICUT
JOE DONNELLY, INDIANA

ELIZABETH WARREN, MASSACHUSETTS
CATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO, NEVADA
DOUG JONES, ALABAMA

WASHINGTON, DC 20510?6400
(202) 224?5364

May 14, 2018

Ms. Nancy A. Berryhill

Deputy Commissioner of Operations
Social Security Administration

6401 Security Boulevard

Baltimore, MD 21235

Ms. Emily W. Murphy

Administrator

U.S. General Services Administration
1800 Street NW

Washington, DC 20405

Dear Deputy Commissioner Berryhill and Administrator Murphy,

Since the inception of Social Security in 1935, a key element in the administration of the
program has been the network of local ?eld of?ces where Americans go for help in
understanding their rights and bene?ts under the program. We write to express our deep concern
that the recently announced closures of multiple ?eld of?ces continues a trend that will
signi?cantly affect the quality of service that the Social Security Administration (SSA) provides
and to request a joint brie?ng from SSA and the General Services Administration (GSA) on the
agencies? plans to continue to meet the needs of individuals and families.

It is our view that the availability of conveniently located and adequately staffed Social
Security ?eld of?ces is crucial to providing good service to America?s seniors, people with
disabilities, and their families, and to maintaining the public?s trust in Social Security, Medicare,
and other programs that SSA administers. Within these local of?ces are help?Jl and
knowledgeable staff who are available to assist the public in ?ling claims for bene?ts. Whether
it?s time to ?le a claim or whether something has gone wrong regarding a person?s Social
Security bene?ts, the availability of a convenient network of nearby of?ces is an essential
element in system of delivering services to the American people.

Alongside SSA, GSA plays the important role of real estate agent, assisting the
agency in locating and leasing of?ce space in which to house its local ?eld of?ces. Finding real
estate that meets needs while also being conveniently located along major transit arteries
is a dif?cult and demanding task in and of itself.

Unfortunately, since 2000, SSA has embarked on a program that has led to the closure of
nearly 125 ?eld of?ces, or roughly one in ten ?eld of?ces nationwide. Service hours at ?eld

Web Site: 

of?ce locations have also been cut while wait times have risen and hearing backlogs have grown.
Most recently, SSA has targeted of?ces in Chicago, Milwaukee, Baltimore, and Arlington, VA
for closure or consolidation. Closing of?ces such as these causes extreme dif?culty for seniors
and individuals with disabilities who often rely on public transportation and for whom traveling
long distances can be dif?cult.

Particularly concerning are reports that in at least some of the locations where of?ces
were closed, the reason cited for the closure was the inability of GSA to locate acceptable real
estate within the geographical area served by the closed or consolidated of?ces. This is
reportedly the case even in areas where there were signi?cant vacancy rates in commercial real
estate.

As some 10,000 seniors turn 65 each day and ?le for Social Security and Medicare, we
should be expanding access to services, not reducing access. For that reason, we ask that both
SSA and GSA brief the Senate Special Committee on Aging staff on the issues relevant to both
agencies as they work together to ensure the continued presence of a strong and vibrant network
of local Social Security ?eld of?ces throughout our country. We would appreciate receiving this
brie?ng by no later than June 15, 2018.

 

 

SincerelySusan M. Collins Robert P. Casey, Jr.
Chairman Ranking Member

US. Senate Special Committee on Aging US. Senate Special Committee on Aging