Ranking Members Larson and Davis Demand Answers on Trump Administration Decision to End Paper Checks for Social Security Beneficiaries

Washington, D.C. - Today, House Social Security Subcommittee Ranking Member John B. Larson (CT-01) and Worker and Family Support Subcommittee Ranking Member Danny K. Davis (IL-07) sent a letter to Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano demanding answers about how Social Security intends to rollout their plan ending paper checks, while still ensuring Americans without access to online banking can still receive their monthly benefits.

On March 25^th, President Trump issued an executive order ending paper checks for monthly benefits, giving beneficiaries until September 30^th to enroll in direct deposit or seek a waiver if they are currently receiving a paper check.

"While electronic payments can offer advantages over paper checks, many disadvantaged Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries have no option other than to rely on paper checks," the lawmakers wrote. "They may live in remote rural areas without banks or access to online banking, or they may face other barriers that would impose significant hardship if they attempted to switch to electronic payments. For these beneficiaries, paper checks are the only viable means of receiving their essential earned benefits that typically constitute all or most of their income."

"We also are concerned about the agency's ability to execute this transition while ensuring all beneficiaries continue to receive their monthly benefits at the same time when SSA has reduced staffing by 12% and reassigned staff internally," the lawmakers continued.

During the current government shutdown, 12% of Social Security's workforce is furloughed, while others remain on the job without pay. In addition, under the Trump Administration and Elon Musk's 'DOGE,' 7,000 employees are being cutfrom the Social Security Administration (SSA), worsening a critical staffing crisis at the agency.

Beneficiaries who do not enroll in direct deposit or complete a waiver are still entitled to their benefits and will receive checks - something SSA has failed to clarify, causing confusion.

View Larson and Davis's full letter HERE and below:

Dear Commissioner Bisignano,

We write to express concern about the agency's rollout of Executive Order 14247, Modernizing Payments to and From America's Bank Account, which aims to require all federal payees, including Social Security Administration (SSA) beneficiaries, to receive payments electronically.

While electronic payments can offer advantages over paper checks, many disadvantaged Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries have no option other than to rely on paper checks. They may live in remote rural areas without banks or access to online banking, or they may face other barriers that would impose significant hardship if they attempted to switch to electronic payments. For these beneficiaries, paper checks are the only viable means of receiving their essential earned benefits that typically constitute all or most of their income.

We are encouraged by SSA's assurances to Congress that no beneficiary will have payments cut off just because they did not respond promptly to a request to provide bank account information or enroll in Direct Express, and that SSA will issue paper checks to beneficiaries over age 90 and those that have no other viable option. We appreciate that statements on your web site have reiterated those assurances.

However, we are deeply concerned that the written notices provided to beneficiaries who currently receive paper checks lack either these reassurances or information on how to apply for a waiver, and the scripts followed by SSA's national 1-800 number agents and field office customer service staff may also lack this vital information. We also are concerned about the agency's ability to execute this transition while ensuring all beneficiaries continue to receive their monthly benefits at the same time when SSA has reduced staffing by 12% and reassigned staff internally.

To better understand the agency's strategy, please provide a written response to the following questions within two weeks: