August 14, 2025 • 9 mins
Chris Van Hollen says Elon Musk's DOGE Cuts Delayed Social Security Payments And Harmed Customer Service
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Episode Transcript
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(00:01):
Hey everybody. Welcome back to the Elon Musk
Podcast. This is a show where we discuss
the critical crossroads, the Shape, SpaceX, Tesla X, The
Boring Company, and Neurolink. I'm your host, Will Walden.
Are there further in there, Senator Van Holland?
Thank you, Madam Chair, It is. I have an amendment that I think
will be distributed on the Social Security Administration
(00:25):
as it's handed out. I just want to thank Senator
Baldwin for her efforts to provide funding in this bill for
public radio and the Corporationof Public Grad Class
Broadcasting. I was glad to see there may be
an effort to put something in before the bill gets to the
floor that I think would be veryimportant.
(00:46):
This is an amendment that deals with the challenge which is
identified in the the bipartisancommittee report regarding
service delivery at the Social Security Administration and the.
I'm just going to read what the committee found.
The committee notes that there are significant service delivery
challenges at SSA that are impacting critical services that
(01:08):
millions of Americans rely on. This amendment would help
address that issue by providing $90,000,000 to help strengthen
our customer service. It's very clear that this
function has been under resourced for a long time.
That's been the testimony we've received from folks at the
(01:31):
Social Security Administration. The situation was made much
worse. I think we all recognize during
the early days of the Elon Musk Doge effort and there were
efforts to essentially take a chainsaw at Elon Musk's
metaphor, not mine. 2 important services there and the results
(01:55):
were a denial of important customer service to millions of
our constituents who were seeking answers regarding Social
Security and other benefits. There was a huge drop in the
number of calls even answered. Those that were answered had
very long wait times. Then you may remember they had a
(02:17):
issue with the website crashing.Then they tried to assign people
from different regional officersto fill the gap.
So there's a real need to make sure our constituents can get
answers regarding their benefits.
The $90,000,000 comes from OMB and I want to take one second
(02:39):
just to explain this. As part of the fiscal year 26
request that we're reviewing here, Fische will review Russ
both the director of OMB, while he's calling for cuts to all the
other agencies, is asking for a 13% increase in his budget.
While he's calling for people tobe fired from other agencies,
(03:01):
he's asking for more people at OMB.
That will be a decision this committee reaches with respect
to fiscal year 26. But on top of that, on top of
that, in the reconciliation bill, there was something we'd
never done before. There was a mandatory spending
of $100 million to OMB, which isalmost double its current
(03:25):
budget, almost double its current budget.
No explanation for what this wasgoing to be used for, why it was
needed. We all ask questions.
So what this amendment does is in order to help our
constituents get better service delivery through the Social
Security Administration, which took a big hit because of the
(03:45):
Elon Musk operation, that we take monies from this
unaccountable fund at OMB to make sure that we address that
purpose. And I asked my colleagues for
their support and I asked for a roll call though.
Senator Capito. Thank you.
And I want to thank Senator Van Holland.
I know I've heard him speak on Social Security more than a few
(04:07):
times, and I know he is offeringthis out of his great concern.
And so I think Senator Baldwin and I reflect that concern in
our bill, in our fiscal 2026 labor age bill, in its current
form, it provides adequate funding.
We believe, I believe Social Security for administrative
expenses, it's $100 million morethan it was last year.
(04:30):
This the report also includes language to note that the PERT
in the in the language part of the bill to note that the
purpose of this funding is to support staffing needs at the
agency. In other words, we don't want to
see it diverted even though it is a big question over there
diverted to to exclusively IT. So I think this amendment
basically duplicates steps that we are taking in the in the base
(04:52):
bill. And so I would urge my
colleagues to vote against the amendment.
Are there other comments? Just very.
Very briefly, this is an accountI think we've all paid attention
to for a while. It is chronically underfunded.
All you have to do is talk to former Social Security
Administration O'Malley administrator.
(05:12):
So I, I do appreciate the steps the committee's taking, but
given the hit that this functionand mission took early on,
there's a lot of damage to be repaired.
And I think that they need the $90,000,000 a lot more than the
OMB needs an additional slush fund outside their normal fiscal
year budget. So I would ask for the vote.
(05:35):
Are there any other comments? I will just make one quick one
and that is said very much appreciate the additional
funding that has been put into the bill to improve customer
service at SSA. This has been a terrible problem
in the state of Maine and the additional funding in the
(05:56):
subcommittee bill clearly is needed.
I look forward to reviewing verycarefully OM BS budget as part
of the FSGG subcommittee bill that is produced for many of the
reasons that the Senator from Maryland has said the 13 percent
(06:17):
increase at a time when other budgets are being cut in on top
of the money that was in the reconciliation bill.
But I do think that the chair and.
Ranking Member have. Have invested in customer
service by adding the $100 million.
(06:39):
I believe it is in the underlying bill.
Any other comments if not Senator Murkowski?
Just for point of information, how much is this increase that
you that is included in the billis what what are we above the
President's budget on this? President's budget was level and
(07:04):
so we are 100 million above the President's budget.
So substantial. With that, the clerk will call
the roll. Senator McConnell.
No. By proxy.
Senator Murkowski, Senator. Graham No by proxy.
Senator Moran? No by proxy.
Senator. Hogan No by proxy.
(07:25):
Senator. Bose No by proxy.
Senator Capito. Senator.
Kennedy. No by proxy.
Senator Hyde Smith, Senator. Haggerty, No by proxy.
Senator Briggs. No by proxy.
Senator. Mullen No by proxy.
Senator. Fisher No by proxy.
Senator Round No by proxy. Senator Murray.
(07:45):
Aye. Senator Durbin?
Aye, Senator Reid. Aye.
Senator Shaheen. I about proxy.
Senator Merkley. I about proxy.
Senator Coons. I about proxy.
Senator Schatz, I about. Proxy.
Senator Baldwin, Senator Murphy.Senator Van Holland.
(08:06):
Senator Heinrich. Senator Peters.
Hi by proxy. Senator Gillibrand.
Hi by proxy. Senator Assad, Chair Collins.
No. On this vote, the ayes are 14,
(08:33):
the nays are 15. The amendment is not agreed to.
Hey, thank you so much for listening today.
I really do appreciate your support.
If you could take a second and hit this subscribe or the follow
button on whatever podcast platform that you're listening
on right now, I greatly appreciate it.
(08:54):
It helps out the show tremendously and you'll never
miss an episode. And each episode is about 10
minutes or less to get you caught up quickly.
And please, if you want to support the show even more, go
to patreon.com/stage Zero. And please take care of
yourselves and each other, and I'll see you tomorrow.
Hey everybody. Welcome back to the Elon Musk
Podcast. This is a show where we discuss
the critical crossroads, the Shape, SpaceX, Tesla X, The
Boring Company, and Neurolink. I'm your host, Will Walden.
Are there further in there, Senator Van Holland?
Thank you, Madam Chair, It is. I have an amendment that I think
will be distributed on the Social Security Administration
(00:25):
as it's handed out. I just want to thank Senator
Baldwin for her efforts to provide funding in this bill for
public radio and the Corporationof Public Grad Class
Broadcasting. I was glad to see there may be
an effort to put something in before the bill gets to the
floor that I think would be veryimportant.
(00:46):
This is an amendment that deals with the challenge which is
identified in the the bipartisancommittee report regarding
service delivery at the Social Security Administration and the.
I'm just going to read what the committee found.
The committee notes that there are significant service delivery
challenges at SSA that are impacting critical services that
(01:08):
millions of Americans rely on. This amendment would help
address that issue by providing $90,000,000 to help strengthen
our customer service. It's very clear that this
function has been under resourced for a long time.
That's been the testimony we've received from folks at the
(01:31):
Social Security Administration. The situation was made much
worse. I think we all recognize during
the early days of the Elon Musk Doge effort and there were
efforts to essentially take a chainsaw at Elon Musk's
metaphor, not mine. 2 important services there and the results
(01:55):
were a denial of important customer service to millions of
our constituents who were seeking answers regarding Social
Security and other benefits. There was a huge drop in the
number of calls even answered. Those that were answered had
very long wait times. Then you may remember they had a
(02:17):
issue with the website crashing.Then they tried to assign people
from different regional officersto fill the gap.
So there's a real need to make sure our constituents can get
answers regarding their benefits.
The $90,000,000 comes from OMB and I want to take one second
(02:39):
just to explain this. As part of the fiscal year 26
request that we're reviewing here, Fische will review Russ
both the director of OMB, while he's calling for cuts to all the
other agencies, is asking for a 13% increase in his budget.
While he's calling for people tobe fired from other agencies,
(03:01):
he's asking for more people at OMB.
That will be a decision this committee reaches with respect
to fiscal year 26. But on top of that, on top of
that, in the reconciliation bill, there was something we'd
never done before. There was a mandatory spending
of $100 million to OMB, which isalmost double its current
(03:25):
budget, almost double its current budget.
No explanation for what this wasgoing to be used for, why it was
needed. We all ask questions.
So what this amendment does is in order to help our
constituents get better service delivery through the Social
Security Administration, which took a big hit because of the
(03:45):
Elon Musk operation, that we take monies from this
unaccountable fund at OMB to make sure that we address that
purpose. And I asked my colleagues for
their support and I asked for a roll call though.
Senator Capito. Thank you.
And I want to thank Senator Van Holland.
I know I've heard him speak on Social Security more than a few
(04:07):
times, and I know he is offeringthis out of his great concern.
And so I think Senator Baldwin and I reflect that concern in
our bill, in our fiscal 2026 labor age bill, in its current
form, it provides adequate funding.
We believe, I believe Social Security for administrative
expenses, it's $100 million morethan it was last year.
(04:30):
This the report also includes language to note that the PERT
in the in the language part of the bill to note that the
purpose of this funding is to support staffing needs at the
agency. In other words, we don't want to
see it diverted even though it is a big question over there
diverted to to exclusively IT. So I think this amendment
basically duplicates steps that we are taking in the in the base
(04:52):
bill. And so I would urge my
colleagues to vote against the amendment.
Are there other comments? Just very.
Very briefly, this is an accountI think we've all paid attention
to for a while. It is chronically underfunded.
All you have to do is talk to former Social Security
Administration O'Malley administrator.
(05:12):
So I, I do appreciate the steps the committee's taking, but
given the hit that this functionand mission took early on,
there's a lot of damage to be repaired.
And I think that they need the $90,000,000 a lot more than the
OMB needs an additional slush fund outside their normal fiscal
year budget. So I would ask for the vote.
(05:35):
Are there any other comments? I will just make one quick one
and that is said very much appreciate the additional
funding that has been put into the bill to improve customer
service at SSA. This has been a terrible problem
in the state of Maine and the additional funding in the
(05:56):
subcommittee bill clearly is needed.
I look forward to reviewing verycarefully OM BS budget as part
of the FSGG subcommittee bill that is produced for many of the
reasons that the Senator from Maryland has said the 13 percent
(06:17):
increase at a time when other budgets are being cut in on top
of the money that was in the reconciliation bill.
But I do think that the chair and.
Ranking Member have. Have invested in customer
service by adding the $100 million.
(06:39):
I believe it is in the underlying bill.
Any other comments if not Senator Murkowski?
Just for point of information, how much is this increase that
you that is included in the billis what what are we above the
President's budget on this? President's budget was level and
(07:04):
so we are 100 million above the President's budget.
So substantial. With that, the clerk will call
the roll. Senator McConnell.
No. By proxy.
Senator Murkowski, Senator. Graham No by proxy.
Senator Moran? No by proxy.
Senator. Hogan No by proxy.
(07:25):
Senator. Bose No by proxy.
Senator Capito. Senator.
Kennedy. No by proxy.
Senator Hyde Smith, Senator. Haggerty, No by proxy.
Senator Briggs. No by proxy.
Senator. Mullen No by proxy.
Senator. Fisher No by proxy.
Senator Round No by proxy. Senator Murray.
(07:45):
Aye. Senator Durbin?
Aye, Senator Reid. Aye.
Senator Shaheen. I about proxy.
Senator Merkley. I about proxy.
Senator Coons. I about proxy.
Senator Schatz, I about. Proxy.
Senator Baldwin, Senator Murphy.Senator Van Holland.
(08:06):
Senator Heinrich. Senator Peters.
Hi by proxy. Senator Gillibrand.
Hi by proxy. Senator Assad, Chair Collins.
No. On this vote, the ayes are 14,
(08:33):
the nays are 15. The amendment is not agreed to.
Hey, thank you so much for listening today.
I really do appreciate your support.
If you could take a second and hit this subscribe or the follow
button on whatever podcast platform that you're listening
on right now, I greatly appreciate it.
(08:54):
It helps out the show tremendously and you'll never
miss an episode. And each episode is about 10
minutes or less to get you caught up quickly.
And please, if you want to support the show even more, go
to patreon.com/stage Zero. And please take care of
yourselves and each other, and I'll see you tomorrow.
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