Senator Carper Applauds the Confirmation of Martin O’Malley to Serve as Commissioner of the Social Security Administration

Today, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) spoke on the Senate Floor in support of Governor Martin O’Malley’s nomination to be Commissioner of the Social Security Administration. In his speech, Senator Carper praised O’Malley’s experience as the Governor of Maryland and emphasized how O’Malley is uniquely positioned to be successful as Commissioner given his past experience. Following Senator Carper’s remarks, O’Malley was confirmed by the Senate with a vote of 50-11.

Senator Carper has highlighted the need for strong leadership within the Social Security Administration to continue modernizing service delivery and providing critical benefits to individuals across the country.

Read Senator Carper’s remarks as prepared below and watch the full floor speech here.

M. President. I rise today to voice my support for the nomination of Governor Martin O’Malley to serve as the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration.

I was pleased that President Biden nominated Governor O’Malley in July of this year and that the Senate Finance Committee sent his nomination to the Senate Floor with a bipartisan vote of 17 to 10.

Social Security is one of the very first issues I worked on as a new member of the House of Representatives. In 1983, on the day I was sworn into the House of Representatives, I was told the Social Security Trust Fund was running out of money and that if Congress failed to act, we would be forced to pay reduced benefits by the end of the year. With strong, bipartisan leadership from President Ronald Reagan and House Speaker Tip O’Neill, we worked together to enact reforms that would save the Social Security Trust Fund.

Today, the Social Security Administration’s programs are an important safety net that provides financial support for people across the country.

I’ve known Governor O’Malley for long time and his leadership experience as Governor of Maryland, Mayor of Baltimore, and other state and local positions make him exceptionally well-suited to lead the Administration in its mission.

As Governor, O’Malley gained experience working on issues related to Social Security and retirement benefits, including handling large pension operations and providing health care to pension recipients. He also spearheaded efforts to use performance management technologies to strengthen government operations and efficiency throughout his time in public service.

And through this confirmation process, Governor O’Malley has received support from a large range of groups, including the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Social Security Works, and the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare.

From one recovering governor to another, I want to thank Governor O’Malley for his service to our country, and I urge my colleagues to join me in confirming him today. 

Thank you, and with that I yield back the remainder of my time.

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