From a press release:
Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today joined his colleagues led by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) in a letter to President Biden, urging him to nominate a Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner to serve at the Social Security Administration. The Social Security Administration has been without permanent leadership for over a year, making it difficult to address longstanding challenges that the agency faces in providing service to Americans who rely on these benefits. …
Joining Senator Markey in signing the letter led by Senators Van Hollen and Brown were Senators Carper (D-Del.), Padilla (D-Calif.), Baldwin (D-Wis.), Casey (D-Pa.), Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Markey (D-Mass.), Cardin (D-Md.), Murray (D-Wash.), Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Sanders (I-Vt.), Warren (D-Mass.), Schatz (D-Hawaii), Feinstein (D-Calif.), and Blumenthal (D-Conn.). …
I’ve never heard why Biden is delaying the nomination. My guess is that Republican Senators have vowed to delay any nomination because they’re still miffed that Biden fired Andrew Saul. They can’t prevent confirmation but they can slow down the Senate at a time when Biden wants to get other things accomplished. Anybody else have a theory?
7 comments:
Biden hasn't exactly been stellar at picking nominees. Hopefully, he'll appoint someone competent that will good for the agency! I am betting on someone who "checks boxes" and is "historic," not necessarily the "best qualified." Then again, that last part didn't apply to some of Trump's nominees, either.
The President has exactly what he wants, and who he wants occupying the seat. The ACOSS is a strong ally of various advocate groups. She is beholden to the demands, needs, and priorities of the President and OMB. She is not an SSA insider, a great plus for the various Union issues. She can be removed with ease, at a moment notice. Blame can be placed , if required by political optics. Oh, the full duties of a confirmed COSS, reside with the ACOSS.
Biden figured out a way to have his cake, and eat it too.
Nobody wants the job, it is a no win position.
@ 12:10 AM
IF this is the case, then POTUS is just following in the footsteps of his predecessor: "I like acting...."
Previous administrations have treated SSA with what they viewed as salutary neglect. The Biden administration is no different. "Let the career people do their thing" is the general idea.
The problem is they were wrong. This neglect created a cadre of senior agency leadership that believes it is unaccountable because nobody is paying attention. Accordingly, their chief concern is their next SES performance bonus, not the agency's mission. And sadly, they are not wrong.
What SSA needs is cabinet-level representation. As long as it remains an independent agency, it will remain neglected and deprived of the resources or talent it needs to succeed.
Also, let's take a minute to note how unusual it is for 17 Senators from the Admin's party to write a letter requesting a nomination to replace the admin's appointee. You will also note that there was no "while ACOSS is doing a good job" anywhere in that letter. That speaks volumes.
I have heard rumors that ACOSS doesn't want this job and I know it for a fact that the W&M SS subcommittee is dissatisfied with the lack of action to fix the agency's myriad problems.
@12:10 is right. ACoSS in a Social Justice Warrior who is pandering to every group that checks a box. She is worse than Berryhill and Colvin, and I didn't think it could get any worse.
The ACOSS is a lot better than the last SSA Commissioner Andrew Saul, who was a disaster both for the agency and the public we serve.
We don't need a permanent commissioner who can abuse power and mistreat employees again.
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