Virginia Beach, VA – This weekend, former Governor of Maryland, Martin O’Malley, joined over 100 Virginia Beach residents to discuss the impacts of the recent budget cuts, and what’s next for Virginia families. As the former Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, O’Malley was able to speak to the importance of this moment in bracing for the next round of attacks on social programs – after seeing some Republicans in Congress, including Rep. Jen Kiggans, write letters claiming to support Medicaid then vote to cut it, we know that Social Security will be next. Participants had the opportunity to ask the former commissioner questions and share concerns, with many sharing their experience with Social Security.

“We’ve seen the massive firing of 30 to 40 percent of the IT department at the SSA just in the last 90 days,” said Martin O’Malley. “Those are the people processing applications and making sure checks are in the mail. We’re starting to see interruptions in processing, and I’m hearing from folks still there that we are past due for interruptions in payments based on every other action this administration has taken to make the Social Security Administration inefficient. Social Security is the most popular program in the country. Over 150,000 recipients in Virginia Beach are going to be very unhappy when those interruptions in checks start, and when that happens, this administration will certainly hear from them.”

“I don’t see a healthy job market in the United States for awhile, but that’s just me,” said Carlos Torres, 30 year Navy Veteran. “I want to hear your thoughts on it because those people who work pay into Social Security and add to the money that beneficiaries get. How is that going to impact the future, especially if you don’t have numbers you cannot rely on?”

Kay Ashby of Virginia Beach shared her story about her daughter, “My daughter lives with Social Security Disability [Insurance], she works and she got a letter soon after DOGE got involved saying that she was going to be thrown off disability because she earned too much. We challenged it, she’s giving her weekly checks to the Social Security office to be filed through them. My concern is that she’s going to be dropped again.”

“We hear stories all the time about how people are struggling, and on top of that, now they’re bracing for rock bottom,” said Emily Yeatts, Affordable Virginia Campaigns Director. “These are people juggling multiple jobs, even in so-called retirement. They are on Medicaid and Medicare, disabled veterans, and if they aren’t worried about losing their Social Security, they’re worried that it might not be there when they’re 65. After seeing what Rep. Jen Kiggans has done with her vote to cut Medicaid and SNAP, we are calling on her to do the right thing and protect Social Security.”

The full town hall can be found here.

Martin O’Malley Joined Over 100 Virginians to Call on Rep. Kiggans to Save Social Security

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