Reps. Emilia Sykes, D-Ohio, and Rob Bresnahan, D-Pa., have introduced legislation, the Guaranteed Uninterrupted Access to Retiree Disbursements, or GUARD, Act to fund the Social Security Administration for fiscal 2026 and require it to continue responding to congressional casework inquiries during any funding lapse, including the current government shutdown.
“Social Security is a lifeline for millions of Americans, and its services should never be held hostage to partisan gridlock,” Sykes said in a statement. “During this shutdown, my office has been unable to help constituents with their Social Security cases — something no member of Congress should have to tell the people they serve. The GUARD Act will protect seniors, families, and workers by keeping these essential services running and accessible.”
In response to the ongoing government shutdown, SSA updated its contingency plan, which resulted in the furlough of 6,197 out of 51,825 employees.
The measure "will prevent the furlough of more than 6,000 SSA employees and ensure that seniors, individuals with disabilities, and families continue receiving timely help with their Social Security benefits," Sykes said.
"While the agency continues to issue benefits and conduct limited operations, it has halted all responses to congressional inquiries, preventing congressional offices from assisting constituents with ongoing Social Security cases," Sykes said.
Since the shutdown began on Oct. 1, Sykes said her district office "has been unable to advance 51 open Social Security casework requests, leaving many Ohioans without help as they attempt to resolve issues such as delayed or incorrect benefit payments."
While not having officially endorsed the bill, "we support the goal of maintaining adequate customer service at the Social Security Administration as the shutdown drags on," Max Richtman, president and CEO of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, told ThinkAdvisor Monday in a statement. "This legislation is urgently needed due to the staff and funding reductions at the Social Security Administration. We commend bipartisan efforts in Congress to bolster service at SSA.”
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