WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, and U.S. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Chairman of the Special Committee on Aging, sent a letter to the Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA), Leland Dudek, asking for detailed information on the total amount of fraudulent or wasteful spending by the SSA, as well as what steps are being taken to address these issues to ensure tax dollars are protected and Social Security benefits are preserved for those who rely on this critical program.

This letter follows a February 2025 report by the SSA Office of Inspector General (OIG) showing more than $32 billion in improper overpayments between 2020 and 2023, many of which were made due to beneficiaries failing to report critical information, or benefits being paid to deceased individuals. In addition, a July 2024 OIG report also revealed more than $71 billion in improper payments from SSA between 2015 and 2022, showing a concerning pattern in the agency making wasteful payments that warrants immediate action.  

Read the full letter here.

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