Washington, DC - Congressman John D. Dingell (D-MI15) thanked fellow House members for passage of his amendment to suspend the salary of the Deputy Commissioner of Social Security until he goes through a proper Senate confirmation. A longtime advocate of Social Security privatization, Dr. Andrew Biggs was made the Deputy Commissioner in a recess appointment by President Bush in April. A Senate confirmation would assure that the Deputy Commission make clear his views on how he would treat Social Security during his tenure in office.

“The amendment is simple. It's about protecting Social Security. It is about the fox guarding the hen roost,” Dingell said. “The fox is the new appointee who has been made Deputy Commissioner of Social Security, but who is unconfirmed by the United States Senate. The hen roost is Social Security and the care and concern of millions of Americans, retirees, orphans, widows, and persons who are disabled. What we want to do is to see to it that those people who are in charge of Social Security and guard Social Security are friends to the system and not enemies.”

As a researcher at the libertarian Cato Institute, Biggs authored dozens of papers and articles advocating for the privatization of Social Security. In a 1999 paper for the Congressional Institute, Biggs argued, “Social Security reform featuring Personal Retirement Accounts doesn't send just one liberal sacred cow to the slaughterhouse. It sends the whole herd.”

Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, which confirms Social Security appointees, opposed Biggs’ nomination “because his support for the failed idea of privatization would reopen a settled debate about the future of Social Security reform.”

“The American people have made it plain; they want Social Security protected,” Dingell said. “With this amendment, Congress has affirmed its commitment to ensuring the retirement security of all Americans.”

Thursday afternoon, the House passed HR 3043, the FY08 Labor, HHS and Education Appropriations bill by a 276-140 vote. To see the Congressman’s statement on that bill, please click here. 

# # #