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SSA will get call wait times down to ‘single digits’ using AI, commissioner tells employees

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2 months ago

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The new head of the Social Security Administration is looking to get call wait times down to “single digits,” as part of this strategy to make the agency a “digital-first organization.”

An SSA official told Federal News Network that the agency’s monthly average call wait time dropped from 30 minutes in January to just about 12 minutes in May, when including callers who were given a “callback” option and didn’t have to remain on hold. SSA counts callbacks as a zero-minute wait time on its customer service metrics.

SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano told employees in an all-hands meeting on Thursday that this has been the agency’s “best performance” since it started tracking these metrics. But said he plans to cut call wait times to a fraction of that using artificial intelligence tools.

“We’re going to get that thing down to single digits,” he said.

According to its 800 number performance dashboard, SSA’s average speed to answer calls, so far in fiscal 2025, is about 20 minutes, and less than half of all calls are answered. SSA answers about 390,000 calls each day.

An SSA employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media, said about 70% of the agency’s callers are handled by callbacks.

At the time of reporting, the current wait time for a caller to reach an SSA representative is an hour and 38 minutes, if the caller chooses to remain on the line and doesn’t request a callback. For callers who do request a callback, the wait time is an hour and 36 minutes. More than 3,259 callers who didn’t opt for a callback are waiting on hold, and more than 22,000 callers are waiting for a callback.

Bisignano, a former Wall Street executive who led a financial tech company before joining the Trump administration, told employees he was “using AI before it was AI,” and oversaw financial organizations that processed a higher volume of payments than SSA does.

“Much bigger orgs, much bigger problems — but not as important. Can you see the difference? Here we do $1.5 trillion a year. In my last job, we did $2.5 trillion a day. This is more important than that, though,” he said.

“I understand the work you do. I may have not done it in the federal government, but it’s the same work,” he added.

Bisignano said he’s also focused on driving down a backlog of more than 6 million pending actions, and will tour a processing center in Queens, New York, on Friday.

An SSA official said these tasks at SSA processing centers “require further manual development and cannot be automated.”

“I’m going to go look at why we have 6.1 million items in backlog. That’s going away. We’ll use tools, we’ll keep rolling it out,” Bisignano said. “We’re going to win at field offices, we’re going to win at call centers. We’re going to win at processing centers. And I promise I will roll up my sleeves and work, because I actually know how to do this.”

Bisignano said SSA will be able to implement new tools and provide better customer service to beneficiaries within his first year on the job.

“This is a six-year term, but it’s going to be less than a one-year job. I’m not saying we’re going to be done with this in a year. Doesn’t mean I’m leaving in a year, but that’s my time frame for this. We’ve waited too long. There’s too many items in the backlog. There’s too many people waiting,” he said.

SSA’s monthly average call wait time dropped from 30 minutes in January to just about 12 minutes in May. SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano says the agency will get that wait time down to “single digits” through automation (Source: Social Security Administration)

SSA faces a growing workload. Former President Joe Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law before leaving office in January, which gives larger monthly Social Security payments to 3 million public sector employees, retirees, spouses and surviving spouses.

The legislation eliminated the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset — two longstanding provisions of Social Security that reduce or eliminate benefits for certain government retirees, including Civil Service Retirement System annuitants, as well as teachers, firefighters, police officers and others who have worked in a public sector position.

An SSA official said delivering benefits to eligible individuals under the Social Security Fairness Act is a “priority workload,” and that the agency has used automation to expedite over $15.1 billion in “long-delayed retroactive payments” to more than 2.3 million individuals affected by WEP and GPO.

The official said SSA is “working to exceed” its estimate that this workload will be completed by early November, and is prioritizing 360,000 “more complex cases” that could not be processed through automation.

“These cases require additional time to manually update the records and pay both retroactive benefits and the new benefits amount,” the official said.

An SSA employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media, told Federal News Network that the agency has started a “massive push” to process these 360,000 cases, “at the expense of other workloads.”

The agency official, however, said “SSA is not setting aside or deferring work as it prioritizes the SSFA cases.”

Bisignano told employees that SSA will overhaul its “MySSA” website, so that more beneficiaries — primarily retirees and Americans with disabilities — can get their questions answered online, instead of over the phone or in person at field offices.

“I want to know every transaction that’s done on the phone or in a field office that actually can be done on the web,” he said.

Before Bisignano took office, SSA under the Trump administration proposed and walked back several plans to limit the agency’s level of phone support to beneficiaries — forcing them to either seek help in-person at field offices or online.

Recent analysis from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities finds that more than a quarter of senior citizens in the United States live more than an hour’s drive away from their nearest SSA field office, and more than half live 30 minutes away from the closest facility.

SSA in mid-April launched an AI “anti-fraud” check on all claims filed over the phone, which added an extra three days to processing.

SSA currently has its lowest level of staffing in 50 years, but Bisignano said the agency will increase its IT modernization spending to acquire tools that will make employees more productive.

“I’m glad that we’re in business together — and yes, it’s okay to call government business. We need to modernize everything we do. And yes, we’ll spend the money on it, and I can guarantee you that your job will become better,” he said.

SSA received the lowest employee satisfaction scores among large agencies last year, according to data compiled by the Partnership for Public Service’s Best Places to Work in the Federal Government scorecard.

Bisignano said SSA’s upcoming IT investments will give employees the tools they need to do their jobs effectively and will improve morale.

“We’re going to invest in you, we’re going to invest in your work. We’re going to invest in a client experience, if I may call it that. And when the employee experience improves and the client experience improves, you’re winning, right? We could be the model agency,” he said.

The Trump administration is proposing a $12.7 billion budget for SSA in fiscal 2026 — a flat budget, compared to its current spending levels. But Bisignano said SSA will secure the funding for IT modernization, because these improvements are a priority for President Donald Trump.

“It is very important to the President that Social Security performs great,” he said.

The post SSA will get call wait times down to ‘single digits’ using AI, commissioner tells employees first appeared on Federal News Network.

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Judge Subramanian DENIES Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Bail for the Fifth Time – Disgraced Rapper Will Remain in Prison Pending His October 3rd Sentencing

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12 hours ago

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August 5, 2025

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Judge Subramanian: no “exceptional reasons” to release Diddy before sentencing.

Recent Judge Subramanian’s decisions may indicate hard times for Diddy come sentencing.

We have been following the pre-sentencing motions in the high-profile criminal trial of rap mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs.

The defense: ‘Sean Diddy’s Combs’ Conviction Is Racist and Sexist’, Say Disgraced Rapper’s Lawyers on Yet Another Legal Filing Trying to Release Him on Bail Pending Sentencing

The Prosecution: Prosecutors Oppose Sean Diddy Combs’ 50M Bail Package, Ask for ‘Substantially Higher’ Sentence Than Before

Look who appeared: Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Trial: Ex-girlfirend Who Disappeared and Did Not Testify Against Rapper as ‘Victim 3’ Now Writes Letter to Judge to Grant Him Pre-sentencing Bail

Diddy has had his request for bail denied for the 5th time.

Today, we learn that federal judge Subramanian has yet again declined to grant Sean “Diddy” Combs bail, saying he found no ‘exceptional reasons’ to release him pending his October sentencing.

ABC News reported:

“Combs was convicted of transportation to engage in prostitution, which the judge said mandates incarceration. His sentencing is set for Oct. 3.

Judge Arun Subramanian said Combs remains a risk of flight and a danger to the community, pointing to the violence exhibited on 2016 hotel surveillance footage that shows him kicking and dragging Cassie Ventura.”

Combs remains a risk of flight and a danger to the community: Judge.

The judge ruled that the ‘swinger lifestyle’ argument does not fly in a case that includes ‘evidence of violence, coercion or subjugation in connection with the prostitution’. And the record, he wrote, contains evidence of all three.

Subramanian: “’While Combs may contend at sentencing that this evidence should be discounted and that what happened was nothing more than a case of willing ‘swingers’ utilizing the voluntary services of escorts for their mutual pleasure, the Government takes the opposite view: that Cassie Ventura and Jane were beaten, coerced, threatened, lied to, and victimized by Combs as part of their participation in these’.”

Read more:

As He Awaits Sentencing in Prison, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Joins ‘Self-Improvement’ Program To Curb Drug Use and Violence Against Women

The post Judge Subramanian DENIES Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Bail for the Fifth Time – Disgraced Rapper Will Remain in Prison Pending His October 3rd Sentencing appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Nearly 78,000 New Applicants Flood ICE Recruitment to Help Crack Down on Illegal Immigration (VIDEO)

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12 hours ago

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August 5, 2025

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In a scorching new development under the Trump-backed ICE reign, Acting Director Todd Lyons confidently announced that “we have almost 78,000 applicants since we opened up,” referring to the agency’s massive recruitment surge launched just one week prior.

This seismic surge in interest aligns with ICE’s newly launched “Defend the Homeland” recruitment blitz, unveiled by the Department of Homeland Security on July 29, 2025.

ICE is budgeting for 10,000 new agents, dangling $50,000 signing bonuses, student‑loan forgiveness, enhanced overtime pay, and upgraded retirement plans to attract recruits.

According to the press release:

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today launched a new U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) campaign to recruit brave and heroic Americans to join ICE as federal law enforcement agents and remove the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens from America’s streets.

“Your country is calling you to serve at ICE. In the wake of the Biden administration’s failed immigration policies, your country needs dedicated men and women of ICE to get the worst of the worst criminals out of our country,” said Secretary Kristi Noem. “This is a defining moment in our nation’s history. Your skills, your experience, and your courage have never been more essential. Together, we must defend the homeland.”

To support this effort, ICE is offering a robust package of federal law enforcement incentives, including: 

  • A maximum $50,000 signing bonus
  • Student loan repayment and forgiveness options
  • 25% Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP) for HSI Special Agents
  • Administratively Uncontrollable Overtime (AUI) for Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) Deportation Officers
  • Enhanced retirement benefits

Backed by significant new funding through the recently signed One Big Beautiful Bill, ICE is rolling out patriotic recruitment posters and benefits to attract the next generation of law enforcement professionals to find, arrest, and remove criminal illegal aliens.

During the Fox interview, Todd Lyons delivered the incredible news.

“We have almost 78,000 applicants since we opened up. We’re going through and finding those people who really want to serve the country and truly be in law enforcement. I think it’s a great way to recruit now.

We’re taking back our re-hired annuitants — people who left the job early because they weren’t allowed to do the law enforcement mission.

But we have so many people who are now interested in working with ICE because, under Secretary Nome’s leadership, they’re seeing that we have a viable law enforcement partner in the community. You’re actually out making a difference. We’re really ecstatic about seeing the increase in new recruits who are applying.”

WATCH:

The post Nearly 78,000 New Applicants Flood ICE Recruitment to Help Crack Down on Illegal Immigration (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Calls on Trump to Commute George Santos’ Excessive 7-Year-Sentence: ‘Some Members of Congress Who’ve Done Far Worse Still Walk Free’

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13 hours ago

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August 5, 2025

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Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R‑GA) has formally thrown down the gauntlet.

On Monday, she submitted a letter to the Office of the Pardon Attorney pleading for President Trump to commute the 87-month federal sentence of ex‑Congressman George Santos (NY‑03)—a punishment she calls “a grave injustice” and emblematic of a justice system fractured by politically selective persecution.

Greene wrote on X:

“BREAKING: I just sent a letter to the Office of the Pardon Attorney urging President Trump to commute the sentence of former Congressman @MrSantosNY.

A 7‑year prison sentence for campaign‑related charges is excessive, especially when Members of Congress who’ve done far worse still walk free.

George Santos has taken responsibility. He’s shown remorse. It’s time to correct this injustice. We must demand equal justice under the law!”

Greene signed her letter Aug. 4 to Pardon Attorney Edward Martin Jr. at the Justice Department, demanding Trump use his executive power to undo what she calls a “grave injustice.”

Drawing on inside knowledge, she described Santos as “without a prior criminal record,” “sincerely remorseful,” and portrayed his case as campaign-related maleficence, nothing warranting “one of the most extreme sentences in recent history.”

Green also reminded officials of the roster of current or former lawmakers who actually broke laws or ethics rules yet never lost a day.

The letter reads:

“I am writing to request that your office urge the President to commute the sentence of former Congressman George Santos. In April 2025, Mr. Santos was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges. I wholeheartedly believe in justice and the rule of the law, and I understand the gravity of such actions. However, I believe a seven-year sentence for such campaign-related matters for an individual with no prior criminal record extends far beyond what is warranted.

As a Member of Congress, I worked with Mr. Santos on many issues and can attest to his willingness and dedication to serve the people of New York who elected him to office. He committed himself to serving his constituents and did whatever it took to represent their interests in Washington, D.C. He is sincerely remorseful and has accepted full responsibility for his actions. Furthermore, my office has spoken with a pastor of his who discussed the regret and remorse of Mr. Santos, agreeing that the sentence imposed is a grave injustice.

While his crimes warrant punishment, many of my colleagues who I serve with have committed far worse offenses than Mr. Santos yet have faced zero criminal charges. I strongly believe in accountability for one’s actions, but I believe the sentencing of Mr. Santos is an abusive overreach by the judicial system.

Commuting his sentence would acknowledge the severity of his actions and simultaneously provide a path forward in allowing him to make amends for his crimes and strive to better serve the people in his community.

I respectfully request you to urge the President to commute the sentence of Mr. George Santos.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

According to the Advocate, Trump can pardon Santos, but has not been asked about it.

The Advocate reported:

“He lied like hell, and I didn’t know him,” Trump told Newsmax host Rob Finnerty during an interview at the White House. “But he was 100 percent for Trump. I might’ve met him. Maybe, maybe not, but he was a congressman and his vote was solid.”

[…]

In the Newsmax interview, Trump seemed to question the severity of Santos’s sentence. “It sounds like a lot,” he said. “Is it seven years he just went away? It’s a long time.”

Trump went on to say that while he hadn’t been approached about pardoning Santos, the door remained open. “Nobody’s talked to me about it,” he said. “They really haven’t talked to me about [Santos]. They have talked to me about Sean [Combs], but they haven’t talked to me about [George]. But again, with him, I have the right to do it. Nobody’s asked me, but it’s interesting.”

In April, U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert sentenced Santos to 87 months in federal prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft after a guilty plea in August 2024.

Those charges stemmed from fabricating donor names, laundering campaign funds, misusing donor money, and claiming unemployment while campaigning.

Santos took to social media earlier this year to criticize the ruling and pleaded with President Trump for leniency.

He wrote:

This is the hardest statement I have ever written. I write this humbled, chastened, and fully accountable for choices that shattered the faith so many placed in me.

I betrayed the confidence entrusted to me by many. For that, I offer my deepest apology.

When I pled guilty, I did so without reservation. I said then, and I repeat now, that my conduct betrayed my supporters and diminished the institution I was privileged to serve. Those words have weighed on me every day since.

I cannot rewrite the past, but I can control the road ahead. I asked the Court for a sentence that balances accountability with the chance to prove through sustained, measurable action that I can still contribute positively to the community I wronged.

I believe that 7 years is an over the top politically influenced sentence and I implore that President Trump gives me a chance to prove I’m more than the mistakes I’ve made.

Before the sentencing, Santos had slammed federal prosecutors for going easy on violent criminals while trying to make an example out of him.

“I will however remind everyone that they want me to go to prison for 87 months while they let sex traffickers walk freely, they give drug lords slaps on the wrist and most importantly refuse to prosecute the cabal of pedophiles running around in every power structure in the world including the US Government,” he wrote on X.

The post Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Calls on Trump to Commute George Santos’ Excessive 7-Year-Sentence: ‘Some Members of Congress Who’ve Done Far Worse Still Walk Free’ appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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