1. United States
2. Mo.
3. Letter

I am writing as a concerned constituent regarding recent reports about policies that could lead to the closure of Social Security field offices under the so called building occupancy requirements. According to recent reporting, the federal government is now relying on office occupancy rates to determine whether facilities should remain open. Under the current framework, buildings that fail to meet a 60 percent occupancy threshold could be downsized or eliminated. However, this metric is fundamentally flawed when applied to the Social Security Administration. Social Security field offices are not traditional office spaces. They are lifelines. These locations serve millions of Americans who rely on in person assistance for retirement benefits, disability claims, and essential identity services. Judging their value based solely on how many employees are physically present ignores the very people these offices exist to serve. Union officials have already warned that understaffed but high demand offices could be mistakenly targeted for closure simply because there are not enough workers to meet arbitrary occupancy benchmarks. In other words, offices that are already struggling to serve the public could be punished and shut down for being understaffed. This is not efficiency. It is a blueprint for service collapse. We are already seeing troubling trends. Field offices across the country have faced staffing shortages, temporary closures, and increasing workloads, even as millions of Americans continue to rely on in person services. In some cases, offices have closed not because demand disappeared, but because staffing levels became unsustainable. If these occupancy based policies move forward without reform, the result will be predictable and devastating. Seniors, people with disabilities, and those without reliable internet access will be forced to travel farther, wait longer, or go without critical assistance altogether. I urge you to take immediate action to oppose any policy that uses incomplete or misleading data to justify closing Social Security field offices. Congress must ensure that decisions about these facilities are based on public need and service demand, not arbitrary occupancy formulas. The American people deserve a Social Security system that is accessible, responsive, and humane. These policies move us in the opposite direction. I ask that you stand firmly against them and protect the essential services your constituents rely on.