Mark Riccobono:
This item is meaningful Social Security for Blind Americans. We call this a new era of opportunity, and we call it that because we have a new commissioner at the Social Security Administration. We earlier talked about the new podcast, Walking Alone and Marching Together.
You can hear in chapter one that at the organizing of the National Federation of the Blind, we were talking about the Social Security Administration and the program of Social Security in this nation. So we've been in this game a long time and we are always pleased to invite leaders to this platform who share our values in terms of creating opportunities, creating incentives for people to go back into the workforce.
And this commissioner was sworn in on May 7th, 2025, as the 18th commissioner of the Social Security Administration. So you observe he's only two months in. So I think it's a statement about the power of this organization and his commitment to our shared values that he has made this a priority in his first two months. So yes, please welcome the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, Frank Bisignano.
Music:
Equal work for equal pay. The blind desire an honest wage. Educate and advocate. NFB will get you pay. M-O-N-E-Y.
Frank Bisignano:
Thank you. What Mark did, I'm not really sure how to follow. So it is my fault because I asked for the earlier times slot, but I didn't realize he was going to have his own chant for his last name. So first of all, I'm honored to be here and I think I am going to come at this job as the Commissioner of Social Security in a way it's never been come at before. And I'll explain why.
And then I'm going to come at the relationship with the National Federation of the Blind in a completely different way and I'll explain why. So you have a belief and a purpose and your members, and you're driving with a passion and a purpose to make a better life for each other.
And I can honestly say that I not only can believe and support the effort of the National Federation of Blind, but from birth in the multi-generational immigrant household I grew up in, I lived with my blind grandfather until his death.
So I think there's never been a commissioner that could come here and say, I understand what it means to live in a household with a blind and more importantly have a role model as a grandfather who was blind. So it wasn't hard.
It wasn't hard to say. Yes, it was actually all my honor and pleasure. And I'm not really sure how long it's been since a commissioner was here, but I suppose it has not been an annual event. You have my commitment that I'm accessible, I'm available, and I will work on any issue that resembles Social Security for the National Federation of the Blind.
My commitment goes deep, only two years ago at Guiding Eyes for the Blind, which is in Yorktown Heights, New York. Yeah. Did we build a wing in memory of my grandfather there. So I think there's much more to talk about though. I want to make a commitment. The commitments around social security, and you've heard a lot.
You've heard a lot. You've probably read a lot. But I'm going to set the record straight over what's occurred over the past two months. I like to tell people I'm the fifth, in May when I took the job, I was the fifth commissioner in five months, so that's not a very good place to settle into. And there was lots of things that went on. But I will share with you that the ship is being righted in a very, very quick fashion.
Now, one of the things I know you're worried about is will there be the staff to serve the public? Right? Is that true?
Audience:
Yes.
Frank Bisignano:
And I think I want to share some information with you. I read yesterday in the Washington Post from an ex-Social Security Administration executive that in 1967 there were one employee for every 480 beneficiaries.
And today there's one employee for 1400 beneficiaries. So that could scare you, right? That could scare you. Although I'll tell you the following, in 1967, all there were checks. Today, we pay 71 million Americans electronically and 600,000 with checks. In 1967, there wasn't the internet.
Today, 500 million transactions are done over the internet. In 1967, there wasn't phone technology. As a matter of fact, in the beginning of 1924, 2024, I take that back, sorry, 2024, we did not have phone technology. Today of the 80 million phone calls, 90% of them are technologically served with 40% getting instantaneous satisfaction, half of them.
So I want you to think about the technology revolution we're driving. And so you adjusted all of that, you would conclude we actually have more transactions being done technologically and thus more labor to solve the problems. Now let's get to the grueling facts. The phones are answered quicker right now than they were three months ago by 50% and even greater today.
So the field offices have lost 4% of its personnel, but in fact, are scheduling appointments online for you and serving those appointments in a six-minute wait time, I commit to you that we will have the staff to do the job and we are going to do a better job than ever before. We're a technology organization, we're a services organization.
I came from a company that served every American household. I was the CEO. I've been a two-time public company CEO, in the largest financial institutions. I've been a two-time public company, COO. But this is the most important job I've ever had in my life.
And to be able to work closely with the National Federation of the Blind is why I'm here. And that means many things. That means going and calling Pete's Sessions next week to talk about the act on disability that he has right in front of him and see how we can be helpful to him.
That means we've already completed the kiosks. And yes, I appreciate you all bringing it to us and making sure you held us accountable. And I always want to have a relationship where we could do it face to face and support you. This is an unbelievable, powerful group. What I saw before me, I could not have envisioned without being here.
I say showing up matters and being there and understanding the reality is cannot happen over the phone. So I decided this was the most important thing in the world for me to do today, right? And that would be on most any other day.
Also, we are here to serve you social securities coming up on its 90th birthday, August 14th. My objective is that we have the next 90 years of social security. It being a digital first, it being a people services organization. And we should deliver for the public where they want to be served. If you want to be served in a field office, it should be the same as over the phone or on the web. And that's my commitment to you. The same experience for all.
I am tremendously grateful for what has been created here by the National Federation of the Blind. I see fabulous leadership here, committed and moving the needle forward. And so in any manner that I can be helpful to the National Federation of the Blind, I will be there in a minute. Mark has my number. John knows where to find me.
They have a hundred percent commitment from me. Come to the office in Maryland and see them also, and we will go work on everything we can to integrate your life in a manner better for the rest of time. Thank you.