President Joe Biden is nominating former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley to lead the Social Security Administration (SSA) as its next commissioner.
In a statement, Biden drew upon O’Malley’s past work as a public servant. O’Malley was previously mayor of Baltimore in the early 2000s before serving as Maryland’s governor from 2007 to 2015, and had ran as a presidential candidate on the Democratic ticket in 2016.
“Governor O’Malley is a lifelong public servant who has spent his career making government more accessible and transparent, while keeping the American people at the heart of his work,” Biden said in his statement. “As Mayor of Baltimore and Governor of Maryland, he adopted data and performance-driven technologies to tackle complex challenges facing the communities he served… I know that Governor O’Malley will continue to be a strong partner who works tirelessly to protect Social Security for generations to come.”
If confirmed, O’Malley will be replacing Kilolo Kijakazi, who is currently serving as acting commissioner after the Biden Administration fired previous commissioner Andrew Saul in 2021. Saul had been selected to lead the agency by former president Donald Trump, and reportedly refused to resign when the Biden Administration took over.
Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), wrote to Twitter after the news was announced on Wednesday in support of O’Malley, adding that, “Martin O’Malley never backs down from a challenge. I’m excited by the news that @POTUS has nominated my friend, and one of Maryland’s most successful governors, to be the next Commissioner of the Social Security Administration.”
Connecticut Rep. John Larson also issued a response to the news, noting that “Governor O’Malley has long supported protecting and expanding Social Security. How knows just how important this program is to our senior and that the modest payments they live on are simply not enough.”
The latest move by Biden comes at a time of when rumors swirl over Social Security’s potential future. Previous reports by the Social Security Board of Trustees show Social Security trust funds are expected to be depleted by 2034. As a result, more Americans today believe they won’t receive Social Security benefits by the time they retire.
If confirmed, O’Malley will face potential insolvency rumors, along with a continuing contention among Democratic and Republican lawmakers that argue whether Social Security benefits should or will be cut or reduced.
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Amanda Umpierrez is the Managing Editor of 401(k) Specialist magazine. She is a financial services reporter with over six years of experience and a passion for telling stories and reporting news. Amanda received her degree in journalism and government and politics at St. John’s University. She is originally from Queens, New York, but now resides in Denver, Colorado with her partner. In her free time, Amanda enjoys running, cooking, and watching the latest drama show.