Latest news with #DOGEInitiative
The Independent
5 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Calls to Social Security may be rerouted to other field offices that have no jurisdiction over person's case
Phone calls to Social Security are being rerouted to other field offices where workers don't have jurisdiction over some claims, according to staffers, as the beleaguered agency struggles to cut down on wait times amid thousands of staff losses and high demand. Amber Westbrook, a union chapter president and field office employee serving the Chicago region, said the system means that when certain calls come in, she can't 'actually take care of the issue.' "Our system is very specific to the office that we can do things in," she told NPR, which reported on the phone routing plan. "So I, physically, if another claim is open in another office, I cannot clear their case. It's just kind of the way that they retain that to make sure that things are accurate and complete." The agency confirmed the phone routing plan, but said, 'All [Social Security Administration] field offices are equipped to handle inquiries and resolve issues for callers, irrespective of where a caller lives or where their case originated.' Social Security has been in turmoil throughout the Trump administration. By April, it had lost about 7,000 employees or about 12 percent of its workforce, through resignations, retirements, and firings under the Trump administration's DOGE initiative. At the same time, retirees flooded the system with calls, waiting an average of 93 minutes for a response during the first five months of the Trump administration. In July, the agency pulled some workers from its field offices to provide support on the Social Security 1-800 number. The beginning of that month was also the last time the government updated a site showing call wait times, dismaying observers. 'The 1-800 number — they do offer a critical role at the agency, but it's triage, whereas customer service representatives actually clear work for the agency,' Jessica LaPointe, president of Council 220 of the American Federation of Government Employees, told The Washington Post at the time. The move created what she called a 'vicious cycle of work not getting cleared, people calling for status on work that's sitting because the claims specialists now are going to have to pick up the slack of the customer service representatives that are redeployed to the tele-service centers.' Benefit recipients have complained of declining service. "Whatever cuts they're making or whatever they're doing — I've dealt with Social Security before, and I never had these long wait times," 72-year-old Robert Zeidler previously told Business Insider. "You have to go through some major hoops to get anything done." The administration has already abandoned some Trump-era initiatives. In July, it announced it was rolling back a plan to limit telephone-based service for four routine processes like reporting a change in address or getting tax documents, after an outcry that moving to more online-based systems could hinder access for less technologically savvy seniors on Social Security. That month, Social Security also backed off a plan to ' as a means to pressure them out of the country.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
White House denies a military parade is scheduled for Trump's birthday
The White House is denying reports that it plans to hold a military parade in Washington on President Donald Trump's birthday in June — though local officials have been in contact with the administration about a celebration. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser and Takis Karantonis, the chair of Virginia's Arlington County Board, on Monday confirmed discussions with administration officials about plans for a military parade this summer. A local newspaper, Washington City Paper, reported that the parade would be held on June 14, which happens to be the birthday of both the U.S. Army and Trump. Bowser said the plans appeared to be calling for a 'military' parade that would stretch from the Pentagon to the White House, and noted that the use of heavy equipment would likely cause millions in damage to Washington's streets — a concern that emerged when Trump floated the idea in his first term. But the administration says any concerns are premature. 'No military parade has been scheduled,' the White House said in an email response to questions from POLITICO. Both Bowser and Karantonis said the parade plans appeared to be in the preliminary stages. The mayor told reporters that administration officials had contacted Washington's special events task force while Karantonis said in a statement that the Secret Service had reached out to the county to begin discussions of security for a parade. Trump directed the Pentagon to explore staging a military parade in the nation's capital in his first term, after witnessing Bastille Day celebrations in Paris alongside French President Emmanuel Macron in July 2017. 'I don't know. We're gonna have to try and top it,' he said later, 'but we had a lot of planes going over and a lot of military might, and it was really a beautiful thing to see.' The reaction in Congress and around Washington was frosty. Louisiana Republican Sen. John Kennedy criticized the plan, saying 'insecurity is loud.' Also critical were prominent Democrats, including Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Army combat veteran, and Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, a West Point graduate who now serves as ranking member of the Armed Services Committee. When Trump canceled the planned parade in August 2018, accusing city officials of price gouging, Bowser responded on Twitter, 'Yup, I'm Muriel Bowser, mayor of Washington DC, the local politician who finally got thru to the reality star in the White House with the realities ($21.6M) of parades/events/demonstrations in Trump America (sad).' Bowser is again warning about costs for a parade this June. 'Military tanks on our streets would not be good,' she said. 'If military tanks were used, they should be accompanied with many millions of dollars to repair the roads.' Karantonis urged the White House to balance the pomp of any public event against the uncertainty many families in Arlington County are dealing with as a result of broad cuts to the federal workforce instituted by the DOGE Initiative. 'At this time, it is not clear to me what the scope of the parade would be,' Karantonis said. 'But I would hope the Federal Government remains sensitive to the pain and concerns of numerous active military and veteran residents, who have lost or might lose their jobs in recent federal decisions, as they reflect on how best to celebrate the Army's anniversary.'
Politico
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Politico
White House denies a military parade is scheduled for Trump's birthday
The White House is denying reports that it plans to hold a military parade in Washington on President Donald Trump's birthday in June — though local officials have been in contact with the administration about a celebration. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser and Takis Karantonis, the chair of Virginia's Arlington County Board, on Monday confirmed discussions with administration officials about plans for a military parade this summer. A local newspaper, Washington City Paper, reported that the parade would be held on June 14, which happens to be the birthday of both the U.S. Army and Trump. Bowser said the plans appeared to be calling for a 'military' parade that would stretch from the Pentagon to the White House, and noted that the use of heavy equipment would likely cause millions in damage to Washington's streets — a concern that emerged when Trump floated the idea in his first term. But the administration says any concerns are premature. 'No military parade has been scheduled,' the White House said in an email response to questions from POLITICO. Both Bowser and Karantonis said the parade plans appeared to be in the preliminary stages. The mayor told reporters that administration officials had contacted Washington's special events task force while Karantonis said in a statement that the Secret Service had reached out to the county to begin discussions of security for a parade. Trump directed the Pentagon to explore staging a military parade in the nation's capital in his first term, after witnessing Bastille Day celebrations in Paris alongside French President Emmanuel Macron in July 2017. 'I don't know. We're gonna have to try and top it,' he said later, 'but we had a lot of planes going over and a lot of military might, and it was really a beautiful thing to see.' The reaction in Congress and around Washington was frosty. Louisiana Republican Sen. John Kennedy criticized the plan , saying 'insecurity is loud.' Also critical were prominent Democrats, including Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Army combat veteran, and Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, a West Point graduate who now serves as ranking member of the Armed Services Committee. When Trump canceled the planned parade in August 2018 , accusing city officials of price gouging, Bowser responded on Twitter , 'Yup, I'm Muriel Bowser, mayor of Washington DC, the local politician who finally got thru to the reality star in the White House with the realities ($21.6M) of parades/events/demonstrations in Trump America (sad).' Bowser is again warning about costs for a parade this June. 'Military tanks on our streets would not be good,' she said. 'If military tanks were used, they should be accompanied with many millions of dollars to repair the roads.' Karantonis urged the White House to balance the pomp of any public event against the uncertainty many families in Arlington County are dealing with as a result of broad cuts to the federal workforce instituted by the DOGE Initiative. 'At this time, it is not clear to me what the scope of the parade would be,' Karantonis said. 'But I would hope the Federal Government remains sensitive to the pain and concerns of numerous active military and veteran residents, who have lost or might lose their jobs in recent federal decisions, as they reflect on how best to celebrate the Army's anniversary.'
