{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://neal.house.gov/2026/09/18/neal-larson-davis-demand-bisignano-answer-for-social-security-staffing-crisis/", "Neal, Larson, Davis Demand Bisignano Answer for Social Security Staffing Crisis", "2026-09-18", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "MA", "Richard E. Neal", "N000015", "neal.house.gov", "neal", "https://neal.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC\u2014 Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard E. Neal (D-MA), alongside Social Security Subcommittee Ranking Member John B. Larson (D-CT) and Worker and Family Support Subcommittee Ranking Member Danny K. Davis (D-IL), wrote today to Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano, to demand he answer for the staffing crisis taking hold at SSA after delivering seemingly contradictory testimony before the Ways and Means Committee earlier this year.\n\nDuring his testimony, Commissioner Bisignano asserted that SSA has \u201cthe right amount of staff in the right places,\u201d that they\u2019ve \u201creduced workload in field offices by the equivalent of 600 work years,\u201d and that \u201cwe committed to never close a field office.\u201d However, reports by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Council 220, representing approximately 25,000 SSA employees, contradict him. The union told Congress that severely understaffed field offices are operating as \u201cghost offices\u201d and record-low morale have created the worst staffing crisis in SSA\u2019s history. The union noted that the Administration has forced out roughly one in seven SSA employees nationwide.\n\n\u201cDuring the hearing, you testified that you are delivering \u2018the best all-around performance ever at the Social Security Administration,\u2019\u201d the Democratic lawmakers wrote. \u201cUnfortunately, the experience on the ground as reported by our constituents and as highlighted by AFGE Council 220 in its statement contradicts this testimony.\u201d\n\nThe lawmakers requested Commissioner Bisignano answer by October 2, 2026, for the crisis afoot amidst an effort to \u201ctrample on the rights of unionized employees.\u201d The questions probe the changes in SSA\u2019s workplace policy, criteria used to reassign employees and its effect on customer service, and canceling of previously agreed upon employee accommodations. The Democrats demanded to know what notice is given to SSA employees regarding changes to their employment, and what steps are taken to ensure reasonable accommodation and Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requests.\n\nRead the full letter to Commissioner Bisignano HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-26T09:43:57Z", "2026-09-26T09:44:55Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://neal.house.gov/2026/09/18/neal-larson-davis-demand-bisignano-answer-for-social-security-staffing-crisis/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7181698456406593, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}