Biggs May Be Defunded

Andrew Biggs has now been nominated three times for a six year term as Deputy Commissioner of Social Security. The first time President Bush sent Biggs' name up was in November or December of last year. The lame duck Congress never considered the nomination. The second nomination was in January after the new Congress convened. Max Baucus, the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, refused to have his committee even consider the nomination. President Bush then gave Biggs a recess appointment, good until the end of this Congress, but rather pointlessly also nominated Biggs for a third time.

Why is the Senate so averse to Biggs? He is a big proponent of privatizing Social Security. He campaigned with Bush for privatization in 2005.

The Labor-HHS Appropriations bill is currently being considered by Congress. When the bill came up on the floor of the House of Representatives, Representative John Dingell proposed the following amendment:

None of the funds made available in this Act may be used to pay the basic pay of any individual serving as Deputy Commissioner of Social Security, Social Security Administration, whose appointment to such position has not been confirmed by a vote of the Senate pursuant to section 702(b)(1) of the Social Security Act

The amendment was adopted by a mostly party line vote of 231 - 199. The matter still has to be considered by the Senate and the President has already promised to veto the bill for other reasons.