Wyden, Schumer, Warren Press Trump Administration on Fake IRS “CEO” Role, Warn That Bisignano Appointment Will Hurt Both IRS and Social Security

Wyden, Schumer, Warren Press Trump Administration on Fake IRS "CEO" Role, Warn That Bisignano Appointment Will Hurt Both IRS and Social Security

Washington, D.C. - Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) demanded answers today from the Trump administration on whether embattled Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Frank Bisignano can legally and capably lead both the SSA and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) without violating laws or further degrading service for the millions of Americans who count on those agencies to run smoothly. After the first Trump appointee to lead the IRS was fired after only a handful of weeks on the job, Trump declared earlier this month that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent would remain the acting commissioner of the IRS and slotted Bisignano in to oversee day-to-day operations as "chief executive officer," a fake job that sidesteps the Senate's role in the confirmation of the IRS commissioner.

In a pair of new letters, one to Bisignano and another to Bessent, the Senators noted that Bisignano's tenure at SSA has been a disaster for beneficiaries, and the administration lacks any authority to create an IRS CEO. In their letter to Bisignano, the Senators wrote that he has "spent the majority of [his] time throwing up bureaucratic roadblocks to make it even harder for Americans to access their earned benefits. As a result, Americans continue to experience long wait times on the phone and weeks to get an appointment in the field office."

A proper functioning SSA and the IRS are responsible for overseeing the wellbeing of tens of millions of Americans. SSA is responsible for financially ensuring that millions of Americans annually receive their earned benefits. Meanwhile, the IRS is not only responsible for overseeing major tax relief programs like the Child Tax Credit (CTC) but also collecting nearly $5 trillion in federal revenue every year. SSA and the IRS require Bisignano to be in-person to manage employees in effectively running these vital public institutions. However, Bisignano would be forced to work remotely for one of his jobs at any given time because Trump handpicked him to simultaneously lead SSA and the IRS.

"Americans deserve a full-time commissioner at each agency who is wholly dedicated to its

mission, not someone who is simply mailing it in. Given the vital nature of these agencies, the American people deserve to know how you plan to handle this challenge," the senators continued.

The complete text of the senators' letter to Bisignano is here. The text of the letter to Bessent is here.

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