H.R. 1876: Keeping Our Field Offices Open Act

H.R. 1876, the Keeping Our Field Offices Open Act, starts with a freeze. From the day it becomes law, the Social Security Administration could not close or merge field offices, hearing offices, or resident stations, or add new limits on public access to them. Temporary closures for emergencies, like a flood or storm, are still allowed.

The freeze ends 180 days after the Social Security commissioner sends Congress a report justifying how offices get picked for closure. The bill bars that report before January 21, 2029. Count forward 180 days and the earliest a non-emergency closure could take effect is around July 20, 2029.

After the freeze, closing an office becomes a public process. The agency would need to give at least 120 days' notice by mail, local newspapers, and postings in busy public spaces. That notice has to say how lost service will be replaced within 30 days of the closure and who to contact if your case gets delayed.

Before any office closes, the agency would have to defend the decision at 2 or more public hearings where you can speak. The hearings must run at least 10 days apart, starting no sooner than 30 days after notice and finishing at least 45 days before the closure date. The agency has to present its selection criteria, a cost-benefit analysis, and how it weighed travel and communication burdens on older and disabled people.

If you think a closure is arbitrary or skipped required steps, you could request a hearing with the commissioner up to 30 days before the closure date. The findings go to the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance committees and to the local members of Congress.

Even with every step followed, the total number of offices and stations could never fall below the count operating on January 20, 2025. In practice, closing one office would mean opening or keeping another somewhere in the system.