CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN AND STATE SENATOR ROB ROLISON SLAM SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FOR ABANDONING NEWBURGH RESIDENTS, DEMAND INCREASED SERVICES FOR ORANGE COUNTY FAMILIES
Congressman Pat Ryan and State Senator Rob Rolison Slam Social Security Administration for Abandoning Newburgh Residents, Demand Increased Services for Orange County Families
Last Thursday, the Social Security Administration announced the relocation of their Newburgh field office to Wallkill
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Pat Ryan and State Senator Rob Rolison slammed the Social Security Administration (SSA) for moving its Newburgh field office, and demanded increased services for Orange County families. Last Thursday, the Social Security Administration announced they were relocating the Newburgh field office to Wallkill, Orange County with insufficient public information and limited advance warning for those impacted. A full copy of Ryan and Rolison’s letter to Social Security Administration Commissioner Martin O’Malley is included below.
“Newburgh seniors have depended on this Social Security office for decades – to pull out now, when the economic pressure is so high, is a slap in the face,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “Our seniors have more than earned these benefits, and I’m going to fight with everything I have to make sure they can continue to access these much-needed services. ”
"The SSA's rash and unilateral decision to relocate its offices almost 30 miles west of Newburgh will leave hundreds of our residents without a local access point to essential benefits. It's simply unacceptable and a major inconvenience to those without access to reliable transportation, a legitimate concern in eastern Orange County which SSA failed to take into account,” said State Senator Rob Rolison. “Congressman Ryan and I are therefore asking the federal government to develop a plan to fill the gap in services they created. In the meantime, our office will continue to assist Newburgh residents with necessary casework and certain benefits claims, as our staff has done since day one."
A full copy of Ryan and Rolison’s letter to Social Security Administration Commissioner Martin O’Malley is copied below:
Dear Commissioner O’Malley,
We write to express concern over the closure of the Newburgh, NY Social Security office. The Social Security Administration (SSA) administers retirement, disability, and survivor benefits for millions of Americans, including many of our constituents. It is absolutely critical that Social Security beneficiaries in Newburgh maintain access to the SSA resources and personnel on which they rely.
These Americans have paid into the Social Security program throughout their lives and rely on timely and accessible services. Some of the resources that field offices offer include applications for new or replacement Social Security cards, information and applications for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits, and support for limited-income Medicare beneficiaries who may qualify for help with the cost of their prescription drugs under the Medicare Prescription Drug Program. While many of these services can also be found online, that is not a practical way for all beneficiaries to receive help, especially our seniors who are used to conducting business and interacting with government agencies in person. We are particularly concerned that this closure occurred with insufficient public information and limited advance warning for those impacted.
While we understand that the Newburgh SSA office will be moved to the Town of Wallkill, we believe further information and action is necessary to keep beneficiaries updated and ensure no one’s benefits are disrupted. Specifically, we request answers to the following questions:
- Why did SSA move this office from Newburgh to Wallkill? Can you confirm the Wallkill office is fully open for all beneficiaries?
- What is SSA’s plan to inform beneficiaries of this move?
- Will SSA commit to providing the same hours, number of staff, and scope of service at the new Wallkill office as the Newburgh office?
- Is SSA considering offering satellite office hours, travel vouchers, or other actions to ensure complete access to the Wallkill office for beneficiaries who currently rely on the Newburgh location? If so, please outline those resources.
As this transition continues, we respectfully request that you keep us informed, communicate with beneficiaries in the area, and prioritize maintaining access to the critical SSA services on which so many of our constituents rely. Thank you for your attention to this matter, and we look forward to hearing from you soon.
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