Georgia’s senior senator said Tuesday he will demand that the Trump administration abandon plans to close the Gainesville Social Security office and several others in the state.
“I am demanding that the Trump Administration reverse course and abandon these cuts to access the Social Security for seniors in Georgia,” Jon Ossoff, D-Georgia, said during a media conference Tuesday from his office in Washington, according to the Brunswick News.
“These are cuts to access Social Security for Georgia seniors,” he added. “Seniors in Georgia rely on Social Security offices to apply for benefits, to get a new Social Security card, to appeal a denial of benefits, to apply for Medicare eligibility,” and it will “deeply damage” them.
A spokesman for the Social Security Administration in Baltimore said the agency was reviewing its field offices with the General Services Administration to ensure they are used efficiently. He said most of the leases that are not being renewed are for small remote hearing sites that are co-located with other federal space. He also said the majority of hearings on problems with Social Security are held virtually and the SSA is no longer in need of as many in-person hearing locations.
But, Ossoff countered “Not every senior is able to do all of this on the internet,” Ossoff said. “Not every senior can travel across the state in order to meet with someone at Social Security to claim their benefits.”
In addition to Gainesville, offices in Brunswick, Columbus, Thomasville, and Vidalia are slated for closing. EARLIER STORY. POSTED SATURDAY: Gainesville Social Security Office closing