John B. Larson

09/18/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/18/2025 17:03

ICYMI: Ways and Means Committee Republicans Reject Larson Amendments to Protect Social Security from Trump and ‘DOGE’ Attacks

Washington, D.C. - Yesterday, during a markup on Social Security, Republicans on the Ways and Committee voted down four of Social Security Subcommittee Ranking Member John B. Larson's (CT-01) amendments to protect Social Security from Donald Trump and 'DOGE' meddling.

Ranking Member Larson has been sounding the alarm for months about 'DOGE' plans to rummage through private data and introduced legislation in Marchto block access to sensitive data, including Social Security numbers, income history, and medical records.

Larson wrote in June to Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith demanding an urgent hearingon his data privacy bill. Last week, Larson demanded a hearing with Social Security Administration whistleblower Charles Borges, something Social Security Subcommittee Chair Ron Estes would not commit to. In response, Larson introduced a Resolution of Inquirywith Ranking Member Neal and every Ways and Means Democrat to compel information from the Trump Administration about why the vulnerable cloud at Social Security was built and what information has been accessed.

During yesterday's markup:

  • Ranking Member Larson introduced an amendment to establish a publicly available resource to debunk misinformation at Social Security.

View Rep. Larson's full remarks here.

"What we're asking for is very simple - a publicly available resource that debunks misinformation about Social Security, including any that even comes from the President himself," said Larson. "I urge everyone to support my amendment as we continue to push for the answers and transparency from Social Security. I believe the administration has said that it's the most transparent administration ever, and so, I think that it's vitally important that if that's the case, that we make that happen. Is that not important enough when a whistleblower comes forward and is seeking information, who has validly presented a case and substantiated it, that he ought to be questioned? Or do we just take the administration's word for it? Because God only knows they've been honest and straightforward about Social Security."

  • Ranking Member Larson introduced an amendment to compel information from the Trump Administration about 'DOGE' copying 300 million Americans' data on to a vulnerable cloud.

View Rep. Larson's full remarks here.

"If you are against protecting your constituents' privacy, then you better be able to explain why. I'm not just going to sit idly by and let them continue to invade my constituents' privacy, or any Americans' privacy for that matter," said Larson. "Everyone watching at home ought to be outraged that Congress is just willing to sit here and let 'DOGE' and all their minions do as they please, so they don't upset President Trump. This is a democracy, and in a democracy, you have the right to stand up and say when you don't agree, and as elected Members, we actually have the responsibility to act on behalf of our constituents. So rise up, Republicans. Where is your responsibility to [protect] privacy, to the constituents that you serve?"

  • Ranking Member Larson introduced an amendment to restore staffing at the Social Security Administration. Under the Trump Administration, 7,000 workers are being cut, exacerbating the customer service crisis at the agency.

View Rep. Larson's full remarks here.

"This is a blatant attempt by the Trump Administration to privatize Social Security that stops, as was pointed out before, by my colleague, by dealing with the brand, by trying to dismantle Social Security from within," said Larson. "That's why they laid off 7,000 employees. What other agency in the federal government has an administrative cost of under 1%? There's no one in the private sector, let alone the public sector, that even remotely comes close to that and also insures over 70 million Americans. It's your citizens. It's your fellow Americans that are at risk here."

  • Ranking Member Larson introduced an amendment to block 'DOGE' and other political appointees from accessing Americans' private information at Social Security.

"And a committee can't even call before it the very people that have been placed there by this administration to steal information and place it in an unsecure cloud. Now, if you've got information on that, if you've got facts that dispute that, well, then let's have them here under oath and tell us," said Larson. "That's what I'm upset about, and I think needs and deserves to be addressed. Now, if you guys don't agree with that, fine, but that's what upsets me to the core. And that's why even on something as important as this and a bill that I supported, why [I] can't support it now. Not only are those children's identities at risk, but 300 million Americans' identities are at risk. And if we don't ask the tough questions, if we don't have them before this committee, who will?"

John B. Larson published this content on September 18, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on September 18, 2025 at 23:03 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]