Senators led by Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. demanded answers by Feb. 25 from Acting Social Security Commissioner Leland Dudek on what types of information Dudek has allowed Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, to access.
"We write to express deep concern regarding disturbing reports" that President Donald Trump replaced SSA Acting Commissioner Michelle King "for refusing to provide Elon Musk and the so-called 'Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) access to the agency’s most sensitive data without proper documentation, and that you have provided DOGE unfettered access," the senators told Dudek Friday in a letter.
“Providing access to personally identifiable information on hundreds of millions of Americans stored by SSA to DOGE employees without a legitimate reason, and in apparent disregard for privacy laws, regulations, and procedures, raises serious concerns about the security of that data and what DOGE plans to do with it,” the senators wrote.
Stringent privacy laws, regulations and administrative procedures are in place to protect this data, "stored and used for legitimate purposes by government agencies. Maybe nowhere is that more important than SSA," the senators continued.
For example, the Privacy Act of 1974 "protects Americans against an unwarranted invasion of their privacy related to the disclosure of their personal information," the senators told Dudek. "And, in so doing, it requires each federal agency to publish in the Federal Register information related to how and why it is accessing a specific system of records—data that are collected, maintained, used, or disseminated that contain personally identifiable information. To date, no justification has been published related to DOGE actions at SSA or otherwise."
The senators asked Dudek to provide answers by Feb. 25 on whether, among other actions:
- He has disclosed any sensitive personal or financial information to any unauthorized persons outside SSA;
- DOGE has requested or received access to any SSA system that is used in determining eligibility or benefit amount of Social Security or SSI benefits
- DOGE has gained access to SSA databases that include personally identifiable information, wage or tax information, or personal health information.
The senators also expressed concerns that "DOGE’s access to these systems has been provided under false pretenses claiming rampant fraud to cut benefits to Americans." They noted comments made recently by Musk, in which he "repeatedly posted and reposted a false claim that millions of individuals over age 150 are receiving Social Security benefits. These claims are so easily disproven, and have been repeatedly, that this cannot be a justifiable reason to need complete access to all data housed at SSA."
Dudek said Wednesday in a statement that people older than 100 "are not necessarily receiving" Social Security benefits, despite comments made by Musk and Trump on social media and in press briefings about dead centenarians receiving monthly payouts.
© Arc, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to TMSalesOperations@arc-network.com. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.