President Joe Biden on Wednesday said he intends to nominate former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley as commissioner of the Social Security Administration, elevating a once-prominent Democrat who’s had a low profile since his failed 2016 presidential bid.
Mr. Biden cited Mr. O’Malley’s embrace of data-driven technology during his time as governor and Baltimore mayor.
“I saw the results firsthand when we worked together during my time as vice president,” Mr. Biden said. “As governor, he made government work more effectively across his administration and enhanced the way millions of people accessed critical services.”
Mr. Biden also pledged to preserve Social Security for millions of beneficiaries amid lingering questions about management and the program’s ability to remain solvent. The defense of entitlement programs might be a key issue in the 2024 presidential campaign.
“I know that Governor O’Malley will continue to be a strong partner who works tirelessly to protect Social Security for generations to come,” Mr. Biden said.
Mr. Biden fired Andrew Saul as Social Security commissioner in 2021. Mr. Saul was a holdover from the Trump administration who refused to resign.
Mr. Biden appointed Kilolo Kijakazi as acting commissioner.
The Social Security Administration processes and doles out retirement, disability, survivor and family benefits, and it enrolls people in Medicare. It also provides Social Security numbers, a key government identifier for people.
It pays out over $1 trillion in benefits per year and is headquartered near Baltimore.
Mr. O’Malley served two terms as Baltimore mayor before his governorship from 2007 to 2015.
He leveraged that resume into a White House bid in 2016 but was overshadowed by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her main foe, Sen. Bernard Sanders.
Mrs. Clinton lost in the general election to Republican Donald Trump.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.