The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed Frank Bisignano as the next commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA) in a closely watched 53-47 vote.
Bisignano, a seasoned Wall Street executive and current chairman and CEO of financial technology firm Fiserv Inc., was nominated in December by then President-elect Donald Trump, Associated Press reported.
His appointment comes on the heels of widespread organizational changes within the SSA, including large-scale federal worker layoffs, program cuts, and office closures — reforms driven largely by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by tech billionaire Elon Musk. Musk has since announced plans to step away from his role in the administration.
Bisignano’s confirmation vote followed sharp partisan divides. While Republicans supported Trump’s nominee, Democrats expressed skepticism over his qualifications and ties to DOGE. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) was particularly vocal, calling Bisignano “unfit” to oversee Americans’ Social Security benefits during the final roll call.
The SSA, which issues monthly benefit checks to over 73 million Americans, has been operating under interim leadership. Leland Dudek assumed the role of acting commissioner in February following the resignation of Michelle King, who stepped down citing concerns about DOGE’s access to sensitive data.
A federal judge has since issued a preliminary injunction blocking DOGE from accessing personally identifiable information, including Social Security numbers.
Bisignano’s term as commissioner is set to run through January 2031.
Who is Frank Bisignano?
A self-described “DOGE person,” Bisignano has led Fiserv since 2020 and is known for his background in financial technology and corporate governance.
Before leading Fiserv, Bisignano served as chairman and CEO of First Data Corp., which went public in 2015 and merged with Fiserv in 2019. He previously held top roles at JPMorgan Chase, including co-COO and CEO of its mortgage banking unit, and held various positions at Citigroup, CNBC reported.
In his Senate testimony, Bisignano reflected on his upbringing in a working-class, multigenerational immigrant household in Brooklyn, New York. His father spent 46 years working in customs enforcement for the Department of the Treasury.
Bisignano has also supported corporate efforts to protect LGBTQ+ employees from discrimination.
Bisignano’s vision for SSA
In his March confirmation hearing, Bisignano pledged to prioritize the agency’s beneficiaries and to restore public trust in its operations. He cited plans to reduce SSA’s error rate — currently around 1%, according to the Office of the Inspector General — and emphasized a commitment to transparency and accountability.
“That’s a very high payment processing error rate,” Bisignano said, calling it “five decimal places too high,” Bisignano pointed out.
Bisignano stated in his Senate testimony that he has no intention of privatizing the agency.
“I’ve never heard a word of it, and I’ve never thought about it,” he stated.
In response to concerns about data privacy and DOGE’s involvement, he vowed to protect personally identifiable information. However, in a February interview with CNBC, Bisignano reiterated his identification as “fundamentally a DOGE person.”
