AFGE applauds the 16 senators who are urging President Biden to fill leadership posts at the Social Security Administration (SSA) that have been vacant for more than a year.
The senators, led by Sens. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, wrote a letter to Biden saying a lack of permanent leadership at SSA makes it difficult to address issues at the agency whose services 179 million workers rely on.
“The Social Security Commissioner is directly responsible for all programs administered by the agency, including state-administered programs directed by SSA. Nominating and confirming a permanent Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner would provide accountable leadership to the agency and reassure the public of SSA’s commitment to supporting the vulnerable populations that rely on its programs,” said the senators.
They also noted that SSA’s labor-management problems worsened under the previous administration.
“Under prior leadership, SSA was among the most hostile agencies in the federal government in the way it chose to implement the since-repealed anti-union executive orders from 2018,” they continued. “Employee satisfaction is falling at SSA, and SSA employees report feelings of exhaustion at among the highest rates of any federal agency. Permanent, Senate-confirmed leadership at the agency will help improve this longstanding challenge for the agency and its employees.”
Besides Van Hollen and Brown, the letter was signed by Sens. 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.
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