Social Security Board Nominee's Plans for Program Raise Alarm Bells

Senator Sherrod Brown criticized Andrew Biggs, a nominee for the Social Security Advisory Board (SSAB), over his views on program reforms during a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Wednesday.

The renomination of Biggs, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, has sparked alarm among Democrats because of his history of advocating for Social Security privatization and raising the retirement age. Biggs' confirmation could signal shifts in the direction of the program, affecting millions of Americans who rely on it.

Brown, an Ohio Democrat, raised concerns, interpreting a comment Biggs previously made that "Congress should keep all options on the table" as an indication that he is open to privatizing Social Security and raising the retirement age, which could affect workers in physically demanding jobs.

"Maybe if you spent more time talking [to] people that work at the McDonald's drive thru, or people that are steelworkers, or people that are on their feet all day, people who work hard," Brown told Biggs in the video he posted on X, formerly Twitter. "Social Security matters to them. And if you think about raising the retirement age as you've advocated, and others have advocated, it's that much longer those people have to wait."

Newsweek has reached out to the Senate Finance Committee and Brown for comment by email.

Brown's questioning suggested that Biggs' views could lead to changes in Social Security that might disproportionately impact certain groups of workers.

President Biden renominated Biggs to the SSAB in mid-January, reflecting the procedural norm that board appointments, while typically spanning four years, can be shorter because of Senate rules on nomination renewals.

If confirmed, Biggs' term, set to conclude on September 30 of this year, aligns with the practices, ensuring oversight continuity while allowing for administrative flexibility.

What is Biggs advocating for?

In a Wall Street Journal opinion piece published in mid-December, Biggs expressed views that challenge the common perception of Social Security as an "earned" benefit. He argued that most Americans receive more in Social Security and Medicare benefits than the taxes they've paid into the programs, suggesting the benefits are neither fully earned nor self-funded.

Biggs highlighted the financial disparity that future retirees will face, with the projected insolvency of Social Security trust funds necessitating a 25 percent cut in benefits. He indicated a need for reform, suggesting that benefits for wealthier retirees could be reduced while protecting those who rely heavily on the programs.

He suggested during a previous Social Security, Pensions, and Family Policy Subcommittee hearing that the retirement age can be raised, pointing to historic trends.

"Go back to 1950, when we had a highly industrialized economy," Biggs said. "The average age of initial Social Security claiming then was 68. Today, when your biggest on-the-job risk is, you know, carpal tunnel syndrome from your mouse or something like that, it's 63."

Biggs added that the "idea that we can't have a higher retirement age, I think it just flies in the face of the fact that people did, in fact, retire later in the past."