Rep. Ryan leads bipartisan rally to protect Poughkeepsie Social Security office from DOGE
"The relative good news is that we've gotten reassurance form the national Social Security Administration that it is not on a permanent closure list, thankfully," Rep. Pat Ryan said. "I'm in a 'trust but verify' mode on that."
More Stories
Dutchess County officials are joining Rep. Pat Ryan's fight to keep Poughkeepsie's Social Security office open, despite word from some officials that the office is going to fully reopen this summer.
They are continuing to rally with Social Security clients and employees in the face of the reassurances from the New York field office and Washington, D.C. office because they do not fully trust an unpredictable federal government.
"It's a need," Poughkeepsie resident Charles Nichols said. "A major, major need here."
The ongoing restructuring of social security has Nichols a bit nervous.
He said a disruption in services or payments at the Poughkeepsie Social Security office could immediately cause hardship for people with few — or zero — resources aside from their regular payments.
"Some people are starving with that 'chicken change,'" he said of many seniors' reserves. "It would get worse."
During a rally Monday at the Dutchess County Department of Aging, Rep. Ryan told a room full of Social Security clients and employees to keep fighting.
Social Security officials from both the field and federal offices said the Poughkeepsie office is being renovated, is currently offering limited services, and will fully reopen by July.
That is not enough for Ryan.
"The relative good news is that we've gotten reassurance form the national Social Security Administration that it is not on a permanent closure list, thankfully," he said. "I'm in a 'trust but verify' mode on that."
Ryan, no fan of Elon Musk, pointed out that Musk's Department of Government Efficiency still has the office on a list of 'savings' on its website.
Claims specialist and union representative Amanda Bracco said the Poughkeepsie office's staff has received buyout offers, as the government tries to cut 7,000 Social Security employees nationwide and consolidate regional offices.
Bracco said emails from higher-ups have indicated the Social Security Administration plans to downsize its nationwide staff from 57,000 employees to 50,000, and consolidate the number of regional offices from 10 to four.
Bracco is also concerned that overall staff levels may lead to challenges in providing services.
Currently, there are about 18 employees at the office, she said. A fully staffed office would have about 30 people working.
"With still being on the [DOGE] list, all the components shifting, and having an acting commissioner that very clearly wants to reduce staff, I'm still concerned," Bracco said.
Rep. Ryan is also concerned about abrupt changes in several other safety net programs including veterans' affairs and Medicaid.
Ryan's staff is planning a town hall event with the congressman this Wednesday evening in Poughkeepsie, where they expect much discussion on Social Security and veterans' services.
In a statement on the White House website, President Donald Trump again said his administration has no plans to cut social security payments, only that it plans to decrease fraud and improve efficiency.
