Senator Chuck Schumer is pushing back against a proposed closure of the Big Flats Social Security Administration office, warning that shutting down the only SSA office in Chemung County would hurt Southern Tier seniors and families who rely on in-person services to access their benefits.
Schumer called on federal officials to provide immediate clarity on the fate of the office after it was placed on a list of leases that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is reportedly planning to cancel. The move comes amid broader federal cuts to the Social Security Administration, with more than 7,000 jobs expected to be eliminated nationwide.
Seniors, workers fear loss of critical services
The Big Flats SSA office serves thousands of Chemung County residents, providing services such as Social Security card replacements, benefit applications, and administrative support. Without it, Schumer warned, local seniors and individuals with disabilities could face serious barriers to accessing their hard-earned benefits.
“The Big Flats Social Security office is the only location in Chemung County,” Schumer said. “Closing it could result in untenable reductions in local staff and will make it harder for New Yorkers to get the benefits they are owed and deserve.”
Beth Stranges, Director of Chemung County’s Department of Aging & Long Term Care, echoed those concerns, warning that eliminating the office would leave many older residents without a convenient way to manage their benefits. “This decision would create unnecessary barriers, increasing the already lengthy wait times and reducing access to the vital resources that our most vulnerable residents depend on,” she said.
Shawn Halloran, president of the local SSA employee union, described the lack of information surrounding the potential closure as “frightening” for workers. “Our employees show up to work each day looking to help their community and provide these much-needed services, now they have been left in the dark,” he said.
Schumer demands transparency from federal officials
Schumer also raised concerns about a pattern of abrupt SSA office closures across New York, citing recent threats to SSA offices in White Plains and Poughkeepsie. He warned that a broader push to cut Social Security funding could leave millions of Americans struggling to access their benefits.
In a letter to Acting SSA Commissioner LeLand Dudek, Schumer demanded answers about the decision-making process behind the potential closure of the Big Flats office and how affected employees and beneficiaries would be accommodated. He also called for full transparency regarding DOGE’s role in the cuts, particularly after its online “wall of receipts” listed the Big Flats lease as slated for termination.
Schumer vowed to continue fighting to keep the office open, emphasizing that Social Security is a critical safety net for working families. “We can’t have it cut,” he said. “Southern Tier residents deserve access to their benefits without disruption.”
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