Crapo Statement at SSA Commissioner Nomination Hearing
Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) delivered the following remarks at a hearing to consider the nomination of Frank Bisignano to be Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA).
As prepared for delivery:
“Today, we will consider the nomination of Frank Bisignano to be the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration.
“Mr. Bisignano, congratulations on your nomination, and welcome to you and your family. Thank you for your willingness to serve and for your cooperation with this Committee throughout our rigorous vetting process.
“Both sides have generally agreed the Social Security Administration needs a confirmed Commissioner to address the ongoing challenges at the agency. I commend President Trump for putting forward a Commissioner nominee so early in his Administration.
“Mr. Bisignano has more than 30 years of executive leadership experience at leading financial institutions. He has brought a focus on innovation and operational excellence to his current role as Chief Executive Officer of Fiserv, a leader in payments and financial technology that is responsible for processing more than $2.5 trillion in payments daily.
“Mr. Bisignano, if confirmed, you will be responsible for leading an agency with a critical mission, and numerous operational and customer service challenges, as you will hear this morning. Based on your background, I am confident you are up to the task.
“It is hard to overstate the importance of Social Security, which provides monthly benefits to millions of seniors, individuals with disabilities and their families. The Social Security Administration has the responsibility of overseeing this important program, as well as the Supplemental Security Income program, assigning Social Security numbers and issuing Social Security cards, among other workloads.
“In carrying out these significant responsibilities, the Social Security Administration interacts with millions of customers each year, whether in-person, by phone or online. The public expects the agency to provide responsive service and timely decisions on their claims. However, the SSA faces many challenges in meeting these expectations.
“After years of implementation delays and the ultimate failure of its Next Generation Telephony Project, SSA has made some progress with its National 800 Number, including introducing a call back option. However, much more is needed. Callers to the National 800 Number who want to wait for a representative are still spending too long on hold and many still struggle to actually get through to a representative when they call.
“Americans also continue to wait too long for an initial disability decision, particularly in certain parts of the country. SSA’s shift to an appointment-focused approach for field office visits underscores the need for SSA to make it easier for customers to schedule appointments online.
“The Trump Administration has been clear that it is focused on addressing waste, fraud and abuse across government agencies, and I applaud its efforts to maximize government productivity. A Senate-confirmed Commissioner should be leading these efficiency efforts.
“Mr. Bisignano, if confirmed to serve as the next Commissioner of Social Security, this responsibility will fall to you. I urge you take a thoughtful, measured and data-driven approach to evaluating policy and operational changes aimed at improving SSA’s efficiency and productivity. If you need additional tools that require statutory changes, I urge you to bring those changes to this Committee and our House counterparts.
“Today’s hearing will provide an opportunity to hear more about your vision for the Social Security Administration and how we can work together to help ensure the SSA fulfills its critical mission.
“Thank you for your willingness to serve and congratulations again on your nomination, which I intend to support.”
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