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Press Release  (En español)

Friday, February 21, 2025
For Immediate Release
Mark Hinkle, Press Officer
press.office@ssa.gov
News Release SOCIAL SECURITY

Social Security Slashes Cooperative Agreements
Effort Supports President's Executive Order

The Social Security Administration today announced the termination of their Retirement and Disability Research Consortium (RDRC) cooperative agreements. This action supports the President's Executive Order, Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing.

“Terminating our RDRC cooperative agreements aligns with President Trump's priorities to end fraudulent and wasteful initiatives and contracts,” said Social Security's Acting Commissioner Lee Dudek. “We will continue to root out waste and abuse to earn back America's trust and confidence in our agency.”

Social Security previously entered into RDRC cooperative agreements with research centers that included a focus on research addressing DEI in Social Security, retirement, and disability policy. Terminating these cooperative agreements results in about $15 million dollars in cost savings for hardworking Americans in fiscal year 2025.

For more information on the President's Executive Order, see Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing - The White House.

To learn more about Acting Commissioner Dudek's commitment to agency transparency and protecting benefits and information, see his statement.

To get more Social Security news, follow the Press Office on X @SSAPress.

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