Roger Marshall on Social Security: The Bisignano Confirmation, Field Office and Phone Service Votes, and Kansas Staff Cuts

Roger Marshall, the Republican U.S. senator from Kansas, voted on May 6, 2025 to confirm Frank Bisignano as commissioner of the Social Security Administration, in a 53 to 47 vote. Under the administration's personnel policies, SSA lost more than 8,000 workers in 15 months, the largest one-year staffing cut on record, and Kansas lost 13 percent of its SSA staff and 12 percent of its customer service staff between January 2025 and April 2026.

A month earlier, on April 4 and 5, 2025, Marshall voted against three budget amendments to reverse SSA cuts, to stop DOGE from closing Social Security offices, and to preserve Social Security's phone service. Thinner staffing means longer waits for Kansans filing for retirement, disability and survivor benefits, CBPP found.

Roger Marshall's Votes on Social Security Staffing and Service

• Marshall Voted to Confirm Frank Bisignano as Social Security Commissioner. On May 6, 2025, Roger Marshall voted to confirm Frank Bisignano as commissioner of the Social Security Administration, confirmed 53 to 47 along party lines. Social Security Works president Nancy Altman said at the time that "Bisignano describes himself as 'a DOGE person'." Under the administration SSA lost more than 8,000 workers, a 14 percent cut, leaving the agency with fewer employees by January 2026 than at any time since 1967.
• Marshall Voted Against Reversing Cuts to the Social Security Administration. On April 4, 2025, Marshall voted no on a reserve fund relating to reversing cuts to the Social Security Administration, which may include cuts ordered by the Department of Government Efficiency; it failed 49 to 50.
• Marshall Voted Against Stopping DOGE From Closing Social Security Offices. On April 5, 2025, Marshall voted no on an amendment to prevent DOGE from closing Social Security offices, preserving access to benefits for seniors and people with disabilities; it failed 48 to 51. CBPP reports that local SSA offices now often struggle to operate with shrinking staffs.
• Marshall Voted Against Preserving Social Security's Phone Service. On April 5, 2025, Marshall voted no on an amendment to preserve access to Social Security's phone service; it failed 48 to 51. SSA has since lost more than 3,800 customer service staff who answer the national 800 number and assist field office visitors, and phone wait times are much longer than advertised, CBPP found.
• Marshall Voted Against Prohibiting DOGE From Using Appropriated Funds. On March 14, 2025, Marshall voted no on an amendment to prohibit the use of appropriated amounts by DOGE, which failed 48 to 52. Two months later, Social Security Works president Nancy Altman said the acting SSA commissioner had "slashed staff and services at the direction of Elon Musk's DOGE," NPR reported.

What the Social Security Cuts Roger Marshall Enabled Mean for Kansas

• Kansas lost 13 percent of its Social Security staff. SSA staffing in Kansas fell by 31 employees, or 13 percent, including 22 customer service staff between January 2025 and April 2026, leaving fewer people to process benefit claims for Kansas retirees, people with disabilities and survivors.
• Widows and children wait longer for survivor benefits. Lengthy waits for appointments particularly harm widows and children who have lost parents, and SSA's processing backlogs reached record highs, CBPP reported in June 2026.
• The public can no longer see how long Social Security callers wait. SSA stopped releasing phone hold times, appointment waits and backlog counts, so Kansans and Congress cannot track how service has changed.

Frequently Asked Questions Roger Marshall on Social Security

Last updated: 2026-10-28

Senate Candidate Records