The departure of Michael Astrue Feb. 14 resulted in Carolyn W. Colvin becoming the acting commissioner of the Social Security Administration.
Astrue’s stint as commissioner ended last month after a six-year term. Colvin, the previous deputy commissioner since being confirmed by the U.S. Senate Dec. 22, 2010, is said to blend compassion with toughness in her role, according to a FedInsider.com article. The article highlighted Colvin’s appointment by President Barack Obama and confirmation by the Senate as deputy commissioner.
It remains unclear how long Colvin will serve as acting commissioner because Obama has yet to name a permanent successor to Astrue. Any potential nominee must be confirmed by the Senate before taking over as the new commissioner.
Colvin said she is focused on fairness in making sure the “most vulnerable and most at-risk” receive the benefits they are entitled to, but has also worked on retrieving Social Security overpayments to recipients, something the Obama Administration has focused on.
Colvin said her ultimate goal is the preservation of Social Security now and in the future.
“I’m passionate about protecting this program so it will be there for all of us,” she said.
It appears that Colvin is now taking over a thankless job. Last year the Social Security Board of Trustees announced that if nothing changes, Social Security will only be able to make partial payments to recipients beginning in 2033.
To make matters worse, the chances of congress taking action at the 11th hour to avoid automatic federal spending cuts, a process known as sequestration, were slim to none as the deadline approached. The mandated cuts include a reduction of 5,000 Social Security employees. These equates to an 8.3 percent reduction of the 65,000 current employees working for Social Security, according to a U.S. Senate report. Social Security would also be forced to put all staff members on an un-paid six-week furlough while budget cuts are absorbed.
Colvin has a tough task ahead of her holding down the fort until the next commissioner is named and confirmed.
