Jacobs pleased Social Security returning to in-person services

Press Release, Congressman Chris Jacobs

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) released the following statement after it was reported the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) reached a deal to resume in-person services at Social Security field offices. Jacobs has been advocating consistently for this outcome.

“For months my office has heard from concerned constituents who have been in desperate need of in person services, and for months I have been calling for the Social Security Commissioner and the head of the AFGE to come to a workable arrangement to restore in-person services at SSA field offices.

“Now, I am glad to finally say those efforts were successful. While we wait for final details on reopening plans, this is welcome and long overdue news. The fact of the matter is this shouldn’t have taken this long, and the administration has no excuse for denying in-person services to thousands of seniors for months, especially those in NY-27 and other rural communities who have very limited access to the internet.

“I am proud to have led the charge to get these services returned to in-person availability, and I will keep fighting to ensure the needs of my constituents are met.”

In October, Jacobs led 50 of his House colleagues in sending a letter to Acting SSA Commissioner Kijakazi urging the SSA to work with the AFGE to reopen in-person services as soon as possible.

In November, Jacobs introduced the Having Employees Return to Duty (HERD) Act to require government workers to return to work at pre-pandemic staffing levels to provide in-person services for constituents.