|
November 19, 2001
Dear Colleague:
It is my pleasure to announce that Jo
Anne B. Barnhart is the new Commissioner of Social
Security. Ms. Barnhart was nominated by President George
W. Bush on July 17, confirmed by the United States Senate
on November 2, 2001, and sworn in last week at a ceremony
at Social Security headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland.
As head of the Social Security
Administration (SSA), she has responsibility for
administering Social Security programs (retirement,
survivors and disability), as well as the Supplemental
Security Income (SSI) program. The 65,000-person
independent federal agency has offices in 1,500 locations
nationwide.
Social Security provides financial
protection to more than 152 million workers and their
families, and more than 45 million Americans receive
monthly Social Security retirement, disability or
survivors benefits. The SSI program pays monthly benefits
to more than 6.6 million Americans who have little or no
income and resources and who are aged, blind or disabled.
Before her appointment by President
Bush, Commissioner Barnhart served for more than four
years as a member of the Social Security Advisory Board,
an independent body created to advise the Congress on
Social Security issues and policies.
A former SSA employee, Ms. Barnhart
worked in the Office of Family Assistance from 1981-1986,
first as Deputy Associate Commissioner and then as
Associate Commissioner. She served as minority staff
director for the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs
from 1986-1990. From 1990-1993, she served as Assistant
Secretary for Children and Families at the Department of
Health and Human Services, overseeing more than 65
programs, including Aid to Families with Dependent
Children.
During her career, Ms. Barnhart has
served as Senator William V. Roth, Jr.'s legislative
assistant (1977-1981) and as his campaign manager (1988,
1994 and 2000), and managed her own political and public
policy consulting firm.
A graduate of the University of
Delaware, Commissioner Barnhart was born in Memphis,
Tennessee. She lives in Arlington, Virginia, with her
husband, David, and her 13-year-old son, Niles.
More information concerning Ms.
Barnhart's appointment, and Social Security programs, can
be found on the Social Security Administration's website
at
www.ssa.gov.
Sincerely,
Terry Abbott
Deputy Commissioner for Communications
|
