social Security Celebrates 90 Years of Service to the American People

President Donald Trump today signed a proclamation recognizing the enduring strength and importance of Social Security, as the program celebrates its 90th anniversary. The signing took place in the Oval Office, where the President reaffirmed his commitment to protecting the program, which was originally signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on August 14, 1935.


SSA Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano, who was sworn in on May 7, 2025, praised the President’s vision for the agency, stating that it is guiding a "digital-first transformation" to deliver extraordinary customer service.

Bisignano's agenda, implemented in his first 100 days, has already yielded significant improvements, including:

Online Access: The my Social Security account is now available 24/7, enabling over half a million transactions in its first three weeks. The website was previously offline for 29 hours a week.

Reduced Wait Times: Average wait times on the National 800 Number have dropped from 30 minutes to single digits. Field office wait times have been cut by 30%.

Claim Processing: The initial disability claims backlog has been reduced by 26% (from 1.2 million to 940,000 cases), and disability hearing wait times are down by 60 days.

Early Payments: Over 3.1 million payments totaling $17 billion were sent to beneficiaries five months ahead of schedule under the Social Security Fairness Act.

A Lifeline for Generations
With 72 million beneficiaries set to receive over $1.6 trillion in payments this year, Social Security remains a crucial lifeline for retired workers, survivors, and people with disabilities.

"For 90 years, Social Security has stood as a promise kept," said Commissioner Bisignano. "As we honor this legacy, we are also building a future where service is faster, smarter, and more accessible than ever before."

The agency's modernization strategy, led by Bisignano, focuses on integrating technology, strengthening data security to prevent fraud, and optimizing its workforce to maintain service excellence. According to Bisignano, the goal is to "serve customer needs quickly and completely, no matter how they contact us."