The Social Security Administration estimated its recent staff cuts and reorganization have added up to savings of more than $1 billion, but several Democratic U.S. senators have asked for transparency on the administration’s future plans for the agency and a watchdog review on whether these cuts have hurt customer service and the delivery of benefits.

"We have to go through this long process to resurrect them, to get them back as alive," an SSA staff member said.

What might be called Day of the Dead Living is being continually played out at a Social Security Administration (SSA) office in upstate New York, and likely across the country. “We have people who did not receive benefits come in every day with their ID and say,