Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is calling on residents to reach out to their elected officials to oppose proposed cuts to Social Security. Schumer warned that the reductions, driven by the Trump administration and the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency, would severely impact the 4 million New Yorkers who depend on these payments.
According to Schumer, President Trump and Elon Musk, aware that direct cuts to Social Security would face backlash, are instead employing indirect strategies. These include shuttering Social Security offices and planning to eliminate over 7,000 staff positions. At the same time, Schumer noted, the administration has introduced a new rule requiring recipients to verify their identities in person at field offices—a process previously handled by phone—despite the ongoing closures. He also pointed out that the Social Security Administration’s website has crashed four times in the past 10 days this month.
In Chautauqua County alone, 38,255 residents receive Social Security payments amounting to $60,350,000 monthly. Schumer cautioned that if these cuts persist, wait times for services could surge dramatically. Social Security experts estimate that processing disability claims could take nine months, benefit appeals eight months, and benefit hearings up to 11 months.
Former Social Security Administrator Martin O’Malley warned of dire consequences, stating, “Ultimately, you’re going to see the system collapse and an interruption of benefits… I believe you will see that within the next 30 to 90 days.”
Schumer encouraged residents, particularly those in Republican-led districts, to contact their House representatives and urge them to intervene and halt these cuts.
