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Oversight Democrats Condemn Republican Attacks on Federal Workers at the Social Security Administration and Other Federal Agencies

January 16, 2025

Washington, D.C. (January 16, 2025)—Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, led Committee Democrats in highlighting the need to properly fund and support the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) and other federal agencies’ efforts to provide essential services to the American people amid Committee Republican attacks.  

“Telework used to be something we could genuinely call a bipartisan issue.  But some have chosen to demagogue the issue to score cheap political points and to carry out the directives of billionaire oligarchs like Elon Musk, who have called for an end to all telework and remote work.  No matter who that hurts.  No matter, including the military and their spouses and people who need workplace accommodations ... The nonpartisan Government Accountability Office found that telework is a vital tool for agencies to fill high need positions and that when positions aren’t eligible for telework, it can be very difficult to find people willing to do the job,” said Ranking Member Connolly in his opening statement.  

The hearing included testimony from Martin O’Malley, former Commissioner of the Social Security Administration; Mika Cross, workplace transformation strategist and federal workplace expert; the Honorable Tom Davis, President of Federal City Council; and Rachel Greszler, Visiting Fellow in Workforce at the Economic Policy Innovation Center. 

Committee Democrats explained that SSA and all other federal agencies rely on their workers to provide essential services to the American people, but Republicans want to make the federal workplace an inhospitable environment. 

  • In response to Rep. Wesley Bell’s question about why SSA—which serves older Americans, people with disabilities, and others—may have to close field offices or reduce customer services amid Congressional Republicans’ attack on SSA funding, Governor O’Malley responded, “Congressman it’s staffing, it’s all staffing ...We are funded now on less than 1% [of the overall SSA budget], and that, and you can see it’s the reduction of staffing to a 50-year low while the number of beneficiaries has doubled since what it was back around 2000.” 
     
  • When asked by Rep. Maxwell Frost whether the Republican push to end telework is part of a broader attack on federal workers, Ms. Cross agreed that “[t]he reason behind Republicans push to end telework at federal agencies is connected to maybe something a little bigger.”  Mr. Frost pointed out that anti-federal worker sentiments permeated Republicans’ Project 2025 plan, and that many of its authors “are now going to be running the federal government ... to push a massive amount of federal employees to quit.” 
     
  • Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton criticized Republican attacks on federal workers, including legislation introduced by Republicans to relocate employees who have dedicated their lives to public service.  She brought to light the real purpose of the hearing and summed up the intent of Republicans’ anti-federal worker legislation, which is “about getting experts to quit the federal workforce.  These bills would deprive the federal government of expertise and experience.  This will harm the services the federal government provides to all Americans ... federal employees should be applauded for their tireless work and extensive efforts on behalf of the American people.  Thousands of civil federal servants have given their lives in the line of duty to their country.  Republicans have made it clear they want to gut the federal workforce and the civil service.” 

Committee Democrats highlighted Republican efforts to use telework as a scapegoat for the negative effects of their cuts on SSA’s ability to serve the nation effectively. 

  • Rep. Lateefah Simon passionately explained the importance of SSA’s mission:  “For me, this conversation actually transcends any partisan rhetoric.  I mean, I think we can all agree.  We can all agree that our widows, that the children of dead parents, that disabled folks—when they call the Social Security office, they want someone to answer.  We can all agree that when an elderly person goes to the Social Security office, that they want to be able to talk to someone.  We can also hopefully agree that efficiency and efficacy within the federal government—it’s the floor.”  She continued, “Let’s figure it out.  Folks deserve the support to live and thrive.  Particularly the widow.  Particularly the disabled worker and children who need every single opportunity to live and thrive.” 
     
  • Ranking Member Connolly pointed out that “the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office found that telework is a vital tool for agencies to fill high need positions and that when positions aren’t eligible for telework, it can be very difficult to find people willing to do the job.” 
     
  • Rep. Melanie Stansbury called out Oversight Republicans for using attacks on telework as a way to help Trump and his acolytes accomplish their goals of gutting the federal workforce, noting that “the co-chairs of the DOGE Task Force, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, have been very open about telework ending as a way to get thousands of federal employees to leave.”

Committee Democrats emphasized their support for working with federal employees to get the best deal for the American people, including reasonable, structured telework policies.  

  • Rep. Suhas Subramanyam emphasized, “As someone who represents 34,000 federal workers, many of whom are my friends and neighbors, I can promise you that these federal workers are smart and dedicated professionals who would probably get paid more working in the private sector but choose to serve their country.”  When he asked if there was any evidence of a decline in productivity at SSA due to telework policies, Governor O’Malley explained, “We actually increased productivity this year by more on a year-over-year basis than we have any time since 2012.”  He continued, “I am deeply concerned that some would like to break this fragile agency.  And that would be really, really bad for the 72 million Americans—seniors, people with disabilities, people with SSI.”  
     
  • When asked about work flexibilities that benefit both the federal workforce and the American people, Ms. Cross explained that the “ability to have a hyper suite of different kinds of flexibilities—not just geographic location, flexibility, but ones that include flexible work, remote work, telework, and different kinds of work opportunities—allow us to really get the best talent from wherever they are.  That includes older workers, people with disabilities, caregivers, working mothers, spouses, foreign spouses, and really great, by the way, tech talent who can solve this nation’s innovation problems.” 
     
  • Rep. Summer Lee highlighted that “allowing telework attracts diverse, higher quality candidates and talent” and “makes it easier for our veterans and our military spouses and mothers, and those with disabilities to work.  We have already determined over and over and over and over again that these policies are better, not worse.” 

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