October 28, 2025

Warren, Schumer, Wyden Question Trump’s Creation of IRS “CEO” Role, Warn that Dual Role for Social Security Commissioner Will Hurt Both IRS and Social Security

Text of Letter to Secretary Bessent (PDF) | Text of Letter to Commissioner Bisignano (PDF)

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, wrote to the Trump administration questioning whether Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Frank Bisignano’s appointment to lead both the SSA and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) was legal, and sounding the alarm that his dual role may threaten Social Security and IRS service for millions of Americans who count on those agencies to run smoothly.

After President Trump fired Billy Long, his first IRS Commissioner, he appointed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent as acting commissioner of the IRS and announced that Bisignano would oversee day-to-day operations as “Chief Executive Officer,” a fake job that sidesteps the Senate’s role in the confirmation of the IRS commissioner.

The senators noted that Bisignano’s tenure at SSA has been a disaster for beneficiaries, with him forcing out 10% of the agency’s staff, among many issues.

“[Y]ou have spent the majority of your time throwing up bureaucratic roadblocks to make it even harder for Americans to access their earned benefits. As a result, Americans continue to experience long wait times on the phone and weeks to get an appointment in the field office,” wrote the senators.

In their letter to Secretary Bessent, the senators noted that the administration lacks any authority to create an IRS CEO, pointing to federal law that names the head of the IRS a Senate-confirmed “Commissioner.”

SSA is responsible for financially ensuring that millions of Americans receive their earned benefits every month. Meanwhile, the IRS is not only responsible for overseeing major tax relief programs like the Child Tax Credit (CTC) but also collecting nearly $5 trillion in federal revenue every year. SSA and the IRS require Bisignano to be in-person to manage employees in effectively running these vital public institutions.

“This split role will only exacerbate the customer service crisis at the SSA, and the IRS needs a full-time Commissioner just months before the 2026 filing season. We have serious concerns and questions about the arrangement,” said the senators.

“Americans deserve a full-time commissioner at each agency who is wholly dedicated to its mission, not someone who is simply mailing it in. Given the vital nature of these agencies, the American people deserve to know how you plan to handle this challenge,” the senators concluded.

The senators asked Secretary Bessent to justify the creation of the “CEO” role and asked Commissioner Bisignano to explain how he intends to manage the dual appointment.

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