President Trump Social Security Bureau candidate to run Frank Vignanoduring a Senate hearing Tuesday morning, he was asked about improvements in customer service, false payments and possible privatization of the agency.
Some senators also sought to identify Vignano’s attitude towards the efforts made by Elon Musk Helmedo. Government Efficiency BureauEfforts to reduce agency costs by firing workers and closing offices. They also asked him point blank if he would block Doge workers from accessing Americans’ personal identifiable information.
The Social Security Administration provides benefits of more than $1.6 trillion per year to 70 million seniors, disabled people and children, and monthly benefit checks provide a major source of retirement income for many older Americans. At the same time, Social Security is facing a potential financial crunch, and its program is set to cut benefits in 2035 as spending exceeds revenue.
This is what Vignano said at the hearing.
Who is Frank Vignano?
Bisignano has been the CEO of Fiserv, a financial technology company since July 2020. Under his leadership, Fiserv’s share price has more than doubled, reporting revenues of around $20.5 billion for the year ended December 31, 2024, from approximately $15 billion in 2020.
Prior to serving as CEO of Fiserv, he was Chairman and CEO of First Data Corp., overseeing the merger of First Data and Fiserv in 2019. Early in his career, Bisignano was JPMorgan Chase & Co. He worked as co-director of the company.
What does Bisignano say about Social Security?
In an interview with CNBC in February, Bisignano said it deems Social Security as a technology and service organization and pledges not to make changes that affect the level of profit.
“The purpose is not to touch on profit,” Vignano told CNBC. “The purpose is that there is fraud, waste and abuse there,” he added that he sees himself as “fundamental dog people.”
At a hearing Tuesday, the executive also said they plan to use artificial intelligence to identify and remove fraud, waste, or abuse within the system. He repeatedly mentioned the current 1% payment error rate, saying he thinks “the five-figure location is too high.” He added that he plans to “focus on what we need to do to reduce the 1% error rate.”
Bisignano said that part of the effort would start with what he described as a labor of dissatisfaction at the agency.
“My goal is to motivate the workforce we have… to make sure that our work can be right for the first time for the American people,” Vignano said in response to a question.
Trump and Musk have argued on social media and press conferences that people from over 100 years old are inappropriate and routinely drawing profits from Social Security. Rebuttal By the Commissioner of Social Security.
The program will also automatically suspend payments to people over the age of 115, an agency rule that has been in effect since September 2015.
About protecting American data
An important concern among some Social Security Beneficiaries and lawmakers is the potential exposure of personal data for millions of Americans after DOGE employees access the agency’s system. Bisignano claimed he was committed to protecting the data.
When Sen. Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, asked Bisignano if he would “lock out Doge from the database” that workers accessed, the candidate said that personally identifiable information would not be publicly disclosed.
“I’m going to do whatever it takes to protect the information,” he said.
About privatization and agency reduction
In response to a proposal from Sen. Sheldon White House, a Democrat from Rhode Island, Vignanno repeatedly said that the Trump administration’s purpose was to trust the system and not repeatedly thought that it was to send “to save” the “tech brothers and private equity people.”
Although Vignano did not expressly commit to opposing such a scheme, he replied, “My job is to ensure that the claims are handled in the way they should be.”
“I was given one order, and this is to run the agency the right way,” Bisignano said.
Regarding enhancing customer service, Bisignano emphasized the importance of meeting beneficiaries, including providing customer service over the phone and providing it in person and online. He also touted the company’s experience in processing 400 million calls a year, compared to an estimated 80 million calls each year.
