New legislation, the Protecting Seniors’ Data Act of 2025, would require performance and security audits of the computer systems of the Social Security Administration.
One of the bill's sponsors, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., requested Thursday on the Senate floor unanimous passage of the bill, S.1943, to ensure Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency have not infiltrated private social security data.
GOP senators blocked the vote.
The bill, also sponsored by Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., calls on the Comptroller General to conduct an audit of the Social Security Administration computer systems and networks accessed by DOGE, or any employees or volunteers affiliated with those agencies, as well as associated agency DOGE teams, "to identify security vulnerabilities or bugs in software installed, created, or modified by such individuals or entities, and whether such individuals or entities violated Federal privacy laws."
Not later than one year after the bill is enacted, the comptroller would be required to submit to lawmakers and the Social Security commissioner a report describing the results of the audits, including recommendations for legislation and administrative action.
The Social Security commissioner would be required to fix any vulnerabilities or bugs identified in the report within 90 days, and also submit a report on the status of those vulnerabilities or bugs to the Senate Finance and House Ways and Means Committees.
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