ALBANY, N.Y. (WENY) -- Senator Kirsten Gillibrand joined New York Governor Kathy Hochul along with several Albany officials to discuss the looming cuts to social security and their impacts on New Yorkers.

In today's press conference, both Senator Gillibrand and Governor Hochul delivered comments regarding the federal efforts to cut social security programs and services, slated to have impacts nationwide.

Statistics from the Social Security Administration dating back to December 2023 shows that 3.7 million people receive benefit payments either due to retirement, survivorship, or disability.

"In New York, our priorities are different. We think it's wrong to say seniors and people with disabilities have to travel a great distance to secure their benefits. We say it's wrong to describe Social Security as a 'Ponzi scheme,' and we say it's wrong to jeopardize a safety net that has been there to make sure that our citizens never slip into poverty," Hochul said this morning.

The lawmakers present criticized the Trump administration for cutting phone services to social security and threatening to close some of its offices amid SSA layoffs.

Governor Hochul also called upon the seven house republicans that represent New York congressional districts to demand changes moving forward that will prevent New Yorkers from losing their safety net.

“There's also seven other people in the State who need to hear about this, and those are your Republican members of Congress … If seven members of the delegation from New York State — starting with Elise Stefanik all the way on down — go into the Speaker's office, demand that there would be changes or you'll hold up President Trump's agenda. You have the power, and if you don't use that power, then you are complicit in this attack on the American people.”

The Social Security Act was originally passed back in 1935, serving as a means for Americans to lift themselves out of poverty great the Great Depression.