Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., is questioning President Donald Trump's decision to nominate Gordon Hartogensis for director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp.
Ms. Murray, ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee that will consider the nomination, noted that the current director, W. Thomas Reeder Jr., is just halfway through a five-year term that began in 2015.
"It's not clear why President Trump thinks it makes sense to replace the leader of the agency protecting our retirees and workers in the middle of the current crisis facing the multiemployer pension system — this sudden change demands a clear explanation," Ms. Murray said in a statement. She promised to carefully vet Mr. Hartogensis "to make sure he has the experience to address the complicated challenges facing our retirement system and is committed to fighting for our workers."
Ms. Murray also thanked Mr. Reeder for his leadership and his "tireless efforts."
Mr. Hartogensis' nomination hearing has not been scheduled.