The Senate Finance Committee nomination hearing for Andrew Saul to become Commissioner of Social Security begins at 10:30 today. You can watch online.
There may be fireworks. Social Security Works has put out a press release strongly opposing the nomination.
Social Security Commissioners have fixed six year terms. The nomination being considered today is only for a term ending in a little more than three months. Why bother confirming him? The Social Security Act says that once confirmed a Commissioner can stay in office after his or her term has ended until a successor is confirmed. Confirm Saul now and he can stay in office as long as President Trump stays in office. Perhaps they'll try later to confirm him for the full six year term beginning in January 2019. Perhaps not.
2 comments:
He didn't seem to know much about the operations at SSA.
Hatch explains at 36:30 the 2nd term Saul is nominated for will not be considered as it would set a precedent the sitting senate could bind the subsequent senate's action. Also states the subsequent nomination will be taken up as "promptly as possible" next year.
At least that explains how the senate will handle the 2nd nomination. As to why they are even bothering with the first nomination; 1, I imagine it will shorten the next nomination process; 2, technically the president was obligated to make the nomination regardless of the limited remaining time in the current term under the vacancies act. 3, they could be worried about the midterm. It is not outside the realm of possibility the republicans lose the senate (unlikely, but possible), or at least their hold on the senate may be weakened by the incoming class of senators. If that were to happen, the president could decline to nominate another commissioner and let Saul remain as acting commissioner well into the next senate's term.
Post a Comment