(CNS News) -- In a letter to her Democratic colleagues in Congress about President Trump's alleged manipulation of the U.S. Postal Service, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) falsely claims that "Social Security benefits" are delivered by mail.
This is not true because, as the Social Security Administration states in its own literature, "If you get Social Security benefits, you must receive your payments electronically."
In her Aug. 16 letter, which is posted as a press release on her website, Pelosi states, "The Postal Service is a pillar of our democracy, enshrined in the Constitution and essential for providing critical services: delivering prescriptions, Social Security benefits, paychecks, tax returns and absentee ballots to millions of Americans, including in our most remote communities."
"Alarmingly, across the nation, we see the devastating effects of the President’s campaign to sabotage the election by manipulating the Postal Service to disenfranchise voters," claims Pelosi. "These delays also threaten the health and economic security of the American people by delaying delivery of life-saving medicines and payments."
"Lives, livelihoods and the life of our American Democracy are under threat from the President," she asserts.
However, the Social Security Administration (SSA) stopped mailing benefit checks to retired Americans many years ago.
In its brochure on receiving Social Security benefits, the agency states: "If you get Social Security benefits, you must receive your payments electronically. You can do so by signing up for direct deposit, which sends payments directly into your bank account. Or, you can have your benefits automatically deposited into your Direct Express® Debit MasterCard® account."
The SSA then goes on to explain how you can set up a direct deposit account with your bank or credit union online or by telephone.
As for the Direct Express Card, the SSA says, "The Direct Express® card is a prepaid debit card you can use to access your benefit payments. And you don’t need a bank account. With the Direct Express® card program, we deposit your federal payment directly into your card account. Your monthly funds will be available on your payment day — on time, every time. You can use the card to make purchases, pay bills, or get cash at thousands of locations."
The SSA also says, "The Direct Express® card is both safer and more convenient than paper checks. Anyone receiving Social Security or Supplemental Security Income payments can enroll, even if they don’t have a bank account. You no longer have to wait for the mail or worry about lost or stolen checks." (Emphasis added.)
The agency brochure also provides the contacts for the means to receive benefits electronically, such as Treasury Electronic Payment Solution Contact Center at 1-800-333-1795, www.GoDirect.gov, www.socialsecurity.gov, and www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.
"If you don’t have access to the internet, we offer many automated services by telephone, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week," states the SSA. "Call us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 or at our TTY number, 1-800-325-0778, if you’re deaf or hard of hearing. If you need to speak to a person, we can answer your calls from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday."