Martin O'Malley Will Fight to Protect and Expand Social Security

Today, President Joe Biden announced the nomination of Governor Martin O'Malley to be the next Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA). The following is a statement on the nomination from Nancy Altman, President of Social Security Works:

“Social Security Works applauds the nomination of Governor O’Malley, a longtime Social Security champion. Like President Biden, O’Malley supports expanding Social Security’s modest benefits, not cutting them. At a time when Social Security is under attack from Republicans in Congress, O’Malley is the fighter that the American people need at SSA’s helm.

Americans contact SSA at times of change, uncertainty, and often vulnerability — when they have become too disabled to work, when a loved one has died, or when they have reached retirement age. They deserve the first-class service they have earned and paid for through their hard work and contributions. The Senate should swiftly confirm O’Malley so he can work to provide the American people with that first-class service and fight for increasing, not cutting, their benefits.

Notably, SSA has not had a Senate-confirmed commissioner nominated by a Democratic president since 2001. During that time, Congressional Republicans have starved SSA of resources, resulting in backlogs and long waits. With staffing the lowest it has been in a quarter of a century, SSA’s hardworking and dedicated public servants are overworked and underpaid.

Governor O’Malley is a proven champion and fighter. As commissioner, he will be in prime position to persuade Congress to allow SSA to spend just a few percentage points more of Social Security’s $2.8 trillion surplus on administrative expenses, as President Biden has requested.

We are confident that O’Malley, working closely with President Biden, will fight not only for expanded benefits and against cuts, but also for opening new field offices and against closing existing ones. Social Security Works looks forward to fighting for O’Malley’s rapid confirmation and then working with him to protect and expand our Social Security system.”