SCHUMER SAYS: HANDS OFF SOUTHERN TIER SENIORS’ & FAMILIES’ SOCIAL SECURITY; SENATOR DEMANDS ANSWERS ON POTENTIAL CLOSURE OF CHEMUNG COUNTY SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE

Big Flats Social Security Office Is Only Office In Chemung County, And It Was Just Listed On ‘DOGE’s Wall Of Receipts For Chopping Block, Senator Says Staff & Thousands Of Southern Tier Seniors & Families Who Rely On Office To Help With Social Security Checks Need Answers Now

Senator Says Taking Away The Only In-Person Social Security Office For Miles Would Hurt Our Seniors And Others Who Need In Person Services, And Will Make It More Difficult For New Yorkers To Access Their Hard-Earned Social Security Benefits

Schumer: Closing Big Flats Social Security Office Will Hurt Southern Tier Seniors And Families – So Don’t Do It!

After ‘DOGE’ placed the Big Flats Social Security Administration office on a list of leases to be terminated, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today demanded answers for the thousands of Southern Tier seniors and families who rely on this office for their hard-earned Social Security checks and administrative assistance. This comes as the new administration has proposed massive cuts —more than 7,000 people— in the Social Security Administration across the country, which would radically diminish service, responsiveness and timeliness of benefit delivery and processing.

“The Big Flats Social Security office is the only location in Chemung County, and with no clarity about the future of the office’s over a dozen employees or assurances about continuity of operations for the Southern Tier local residents deserve answers and – above all – they deserve an open office that continues to provide vital in-person services,” said Schumer.

“Social Security allows seniors in New York and across the country to retire in dignity and provides vital support for those who become disabled, and tens of millions of seniors, families, and children depend on these hard-earned benefits. Closing the Big Flats Social Security office could result in untenable reductions in local staff, and will make it harder for New Yorkers to get the benefits they are owed and deserve,” said Senator Schumer. “Social Security is a lifeline and we can’t have it cut. That’s why I’m demanding answers on why this office was listed for closure and to ensure Southern Tier residents can access their hard-earned Social Security benefits uninterrupted.”

“The potential closure of our local Social Security office would have a significant impact on Chemung County’s older and most vulnerable adults, many of whom rely on in-person services and have limited access to transportation,” said Chemung County Dept. of Aging & Long Term Care Director Beth Stranges. “This decision would create unnecessary barriers, increasing the already lengthy wait times and reducing access to the vital resources that our most vulnerable residents, which include our friends, neighbors, parents, grandparents, and many children, depend on. We must continue to advocate to keep access to these essential services within our county to ensure all older adults receive the access to support they need without added hardship.”

“The lack of information from this Administration on the closing of the Big Flats Office is frightening. Our employees show up to work each day looking to help their community and provide these much-needed services, now they have been left in the dark,” said Shawn Halloran AFGE Local President 3342. “Closing this office can have devasting impacts on the workforce and the ability to provide assistance to local residents. This entire situation has been cruel and stressful.”

Schumer said this follows the alarming pattern of abrupt SSA office closures across New York State. Last month, the White Plains office was placed on a list of office spaces for potential sale, and earlier this week, the Poughkeepsie office was placed on a similar list as well. Local Social Security offices offer a full range of Social Security services, including applying for new or replacement Social Security cards, applying for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits, making changes to your benefits information and more. In rural communities like Chemung County, having local access to their hard earned benefits is crucial for Southern Tier seniors and their families.

Social Security has been a crucial piece of the social safety net since President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the law creating it in 1935, and it was designed to be self-sufficient. It has a dedicated revenue source from payroll taxes, which workers split with their employers. In a letter to Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration LeLand Dudek, Schumer demanded answers about the sudden closures across New York State and the future of the SSA office in Big Flats. Schumer expressed concerns that these sudden closures mean tens of millions of Americans who depend on Social Security could be in serious trouble.

Amid Elon Musk’s comments that Social Security is a scam and a “ponzi scheme,” Schumer warned that Americans’ social security payments are under attack by ’ Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. DOGE’s online “wall of receipts” lists office leases that it plans to cancel, including Social Security Administration offices in New York. This is the second federal office in the Southern Tier affected after job cuts were issued by DOGE at the Bath Veterans Affairs facility.

Schumer’s letter to Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration LeLand Dudek below:

Dear Acting Commissioner Dudek,

I write with deep concerns about the potential closure of the Social Security Administration office in Big Flats, NY. Social Security offices in New York and across the country are essential to ensuring that Americans can access their hard-earned benefits. The Big Flats office is the only office in Chemung County and serves New Yorkers across New York’s Southern Tier, and its closure will make it more difficult for New Yorkers to access the benefits they have earned and depend on.

People in New York and across the country depend on local Social Security offices. Social Security field offices offer a full range of Social Security services, including applying for new or replacement Social Security cards, applying for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits, making changes to benefits information and more. 

Your plans for the future of the Big Flats Social Security office remain unclear, jeopardizing the payments for New Yorkers across the Southern Tier. The office was placed on a list of leased offices that will no longer have leases renewed. There has been no communication from ‘DOGE’ about how New Yorkers can receive help with their Social Security benefits if this office closes.

I am also concerned about the office’s 14 staff members. They deserve clarity about the future of their work and where they should go if this building is sold.

In an effort to cut through this chaos and get answers for New Yorkers, I seek answers on the following:

1. What factors led to the Big Flats Social Security office’s placement on this list of properties not to have leases reviewed?
2. Who is making the decisions on this lease, and what involvement does DOGE have in that process?
3. Where should this office’s 14 employees report to work if this building is sold?
4. Is there an alternative plan for this office’s operations to ensure New Yorkers across the Southern Tier can access Social Security services?

Tens of millions of seniors, families, and children depend on hard-earned Social Security benefits. Closing the Big Flats office will make it more difficult for New Yorkers across the Southern Tier to access their hard-earned Social Security benefits, and that is unacceptable.

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