(26 Mar 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Washington, DC – 26 March 2025
1. Wide of Sen. Chuck Schumer and other Senate Democrats entering briefing room
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Chuck Schumer, Minority Leader:
"To confirm Mr. Bisignano as head of Social Security, is hiring an arsonist to run the fire station. I’ve known this guy for 20 years. He’s a cutter. Companies bring him in to slash benefits. Or rather, companies bring him in to slash workers. His claim to fame is cutting and shrinking. The last person we need to run the Social Security office. President Trump, if he cares at all about Social Security, should withdraw his nomination immediately. This man should not be running Social Security. Trump said in his campaign he wanted to preserve Social Security. He’s already dismantling it. And with Bisignano, he’s likely to destroy it. President Trump, withdraw his name now."
+BLACK FRAMES++
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Chuck Schumer, Minority Leader:
"Now their goal is clear. Destroy Social Security from within. Make it so unworkable. So inefficient that Donald Trump has the pretext to slash benefits, to kill it, and then privatize the program. Because it’s very clear what’s happening right now. What they’re doing is, in effect, a benefit cut."
++BLACK FRAMES++
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Ron Wyden, (D) Oregon, Ranking Member of Senate Finance Committee:
"Social Security is effectively the Fort Knox of Americans’ private information, banking information, medical records, home addresses, children’s names, and more. It is still not completely clear what information DOGE has access to and what they are doing with it. So under this cloud of deception, as the ranking Democrat in the Finance Committee, working very closely with my colleague is a private privacy expert, among other things. I’m of the view the Finance Committee must not proceed with the vote on this nominee."
++BLACK FRAMES++
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Chris Van Hollen, (D) Maryland:
"So this has nothing to do with government efficiency. This has everything to do with the most corrupt bargain in American history. Elon Musk spent $280 million to elect Donald Trump. And Donald Trump has installed Elon Musk in the cockpit of our government to rig the government for people like Elon Musk. People who are already rich and already powerful. And to do that at everybody else’s expense."
6. Wide of Senate Democrats exiting briefing room
STORYLINE:
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is calling on President Donald Trump to withdraw his pick to head the Social Security Administration one day afer the nominee, Frank Bisignano, testified at his confirmation hearing on Capital Hill.
Bisignano faced questions Tuesday about efforts by the Department of Government Efficiency to close field offices and cut back on phone service at the beleaguered agency.
A self-professed “DOGE person,” Bisignano was called to account for recent upheaval at the Social Security Administration, which provides benefits to roughly 72.5 million people, including retirees and children. The agency has taken center stage in the debate over the usefulness of DOGE cuts to taxpayer services and their effect on Social Security, the social welfare program long regarded as the third rail of national politics — touch it and you get shocked.
The hearing follows a series of announcements of mass federal worker layoffs, cuts to programs, office closures and a planned cut to nationwide Social Security phone services.
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