FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, Contact: (202) 225-9263
May 2, 2000
No. SS-17
Congressman E. Clay Shaw, Jr., (R-FL), Chairman, Subcommittee on Social Security of the Committee on Ways and Means, today announced that the Subcommittee will hold a hearing to examine the increasing use and misuse of Social Security numbers (SSNs). The hearing will begin on Tuesday, May 9, 2000, in the main Committee hearing room, 1100 Longworth House Office Building, beginning at 10:00 a.m. The hearing will be continued on Thursday, May 11, 2000, also in 1100 Longworth House Office Building, beginning at 2:00 p.m. The first day of the hearing will provide an overview of the issue and discuss current laws and proposals to protect SSNs from misuse. The second day will focus on the advantages and disadvantages of restricting the use of SSNs.
Oral testimony at this hearing will be from invited witnesses only. Witnesses will include representatives of the U.S. General Accounting Office, the Social Security Administration's Office of Inspector General, watchdog groups promoting privacy concerns, and affected industries. However, any individual or organization not scheduled for an oral appearance may submit a written statement for consideration by the Committee and for inclusion in the printed record of the hearing.
BACKGROUND:
The SSN was created in 1936 solely for the purpose of tracking workers' Social Security earnings records. Today, approximately 277 million individuals have SSNs. Because of its near universal coverage as a unique identifier of individuals in the Social Security system, the SSN is commonly used as a personal identifier in other settings. For example, use of the SSN is required, by law, for the administration of several Federal programs, such as the income tax, Food Stamp program, and Medicaid. SSNs are also commonly used in the private sector for record-keeping and data exchange systems. Consequently, use of the SSN has expanded significantly beyond its original purpose. According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), the SSN is the single-most widely used personal identifier in the public and private sectors.
Some believe that the expanded use of the SSN benefits the public by improving access to financial and credit services in a timely manner, reducing administrative costs, and improving record-keeping so consumers can be contacted and identified accurately. Others argue that the pervasive use of SSNs makes them a primary target for fraud and misuse. Allegations of fraudulent SSN use increased from 10,915 in fiscal year 1998 to 30,115 in fiscal year 1999 - a 175 percent increase. SSA and its Office of Inspector General have increased efforts to combat fraudulent use of SSNs through jointly-developed "zero tolerance for fraud" initiatives. In addition to concerns about SSN misuse, privacy concerns have also been raised as companies increasingly share and sell personal information without the customer's knowledge or consent.
There are two primary laws aimed at protecting privacy and reducing SSN misuse. The Privacy Act of 1974 prohibits Federal agencies from disclosing personal information, including the SSN, without the individual's consent. The Identity Theft Act, enacted in 1998, makes it a Federal crime to assume another person's means of identification. However, no Federal law regulates the overall use of SSNs and Federal laws neither require nor prohibit other public and private uses of the SSN. As a result, several legislative proposals have been introduced that would restrict SSN use. These proposals are aimed at protecting consumer privacy and curbing fraudulent use of SSNs. Some believe that proposals to restrict the use of SSNs would negatively impact many businesses and State and local governments which rely on SSNs to administer transactions and provide services.
In announcing the hearing, Chairman Shaw stated: "This hearing will explore how Social Security numbers are used and sometimes misused. We will consider ways to better protect Americans' privacy and security, and what ramifications - both positive and negative - such changes may have. Given the importance of this issue and how interwoven SSNs have become in the fabric of our information society, it is critical that changes are assessed with great care."
FOCUS OF THE HEARING:
The hearing will focus on the widespread use of SSNs in the public and private sectors. The growing misuse of SSNs and associated costs will also be discussed. The hearing will examine current laws which restrict or regulate SSNs and the adequacy of these laws. The hearing will also examine legislative proposals aimed at combating SSN misuse and protecting privacy. The ramification of these proposals on businesses, governments, and consumers will also be examined.
DETAILS FOR SUBMISSION OF WRITTEN COMMENTS:
Any person or organization wishing to submit a written statement for the printed record of the hearing should submit six (6) single-spaced copies of their statement, along with an IBM compatible 3.5-inch diskette in WordPerfect or MS Word format, with their name, address, and hearing date noted on a label, by the close of business, Thursday, May 25, 2000, to A.L. Singleton, Chief of Staff, Committee on Ways and Means, U.S. House of Representatives, 1102 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515. If those filing written statements wish to have their statements distributed to the press and interested public at the hearing, they may deliver 200 additional copies for this purpose to the Subcommittee on Social Security office, room B-316 Rayburn House Office Building, by close of business the day before the hearing.
FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS:
Each statement presented for printing to the Committee by a witness, any written statement or exhibit submitted for the printed record or any written comments in response to a request for written comments must conform to the guidelines listed below. Any statement or exhibit not in compliance with these guidelines will not be printed, but will be maintained in the Committee files for review and use by the Committee.
1. All statements and any accompanying exhibits for printing must be submitted on an IBM compatible 3.5-inch diskette in WordPerfect or MS Word format, typed in single space and may not exceed a total of 10 pages including attachments. Witnesses are advised that the Committee will rely on electronic submissions for printing the official hearing record.
2. Copies of whole documents submitted as exhibit material will not be accepted for printing. Instead, exhibit material should be referenced and quoted or paraphrased. All exhibit material not meeting these specifications will be maintained in the Committee files for review and use by the Committee.
3. A witness appearing at a public hearing, or submitting a statement for the record of a public hearing, or submitting written comments in response to a published request for comments by the Committee, must include on his statement or submission a list of all clients, persons, or organizations on whose behalf the witness appears.
4. A supplemental sheet must accompany each statement listing the name, company, address, telephone and fax numbers where the witness or the designated representative may be reached. This supplemental sheet will not be included in the printed record.
The above restrictions and limitations apply only to material being submitted for printing. Statements and exhibits or supplementary material submitted solely for distribution to the Members, the press, and the public during the course of a public hearing may be submitted in other forms.
The
Committee seeks to make its facilities accessible to persons with disabilities.
If you are in need of special accommodations, please call 202-225-1721 or
202-226-3411 TTD/TTY in advance of the event (four business days notice is
requested). Questions with regard to special accommodation needs in general
(including availability of Committee materials in alternative formats) may be
directed to the Committee as noted above.