Senate Finance Committee approves PBGC director nominee

Gordon Hartogensis was approved Thursday by the Senate Finance Committee to serve as director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. by a bipartisan 25-2 vote.

During a brief confirmation hearing that led to an off-the-floor vote, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, noted that Mr. Hartogensis' nomination "comes during a precarious time for the PBGC," as it faces a crisis with many multiemployer pension plans and its own insurance program for them.

Ranking member Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., voted for the nominee, saying "it is important that the agency have a confirmed leader to help navigate" the multiemployer crisis.

Only two Democrats on the committee, Sens. Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, opposed the confirmation.

The committee also advanced the nominations of Andrew Saul to be commissioner of the Social Security Administration and Gail Ennis to be SSA inspector general by a unanimous vote. All three await final Senate confirmation.