ADVISORY
FROM THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS

Subcommittee on Social Security

Shaw Announces Hearing on the Preventing
 Identity Theft by Terrorist and Criminals

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 joint hearing with the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the Committee on Financial Services  on preventing identity theft by terrorists and criminals. The hearing will take place on Thursday, November 8, 2001, in room 2128 Rayburn House Office Building, beginning at 10:00 a.m.

Oral testimony at this hearing will be from invited witnesses only. However, any individual or organization not scheduled for an oral appearance may submit a written statement for consideration by the Subcommittee or for inclusion in the printed record of the hearing.

BACKGROUND:

Although Social Security numbers (SSNs) were created in 1936 for the sole purpose of tracking workers' Social Security earnings, today the SSN is commonly used as a personal identifier. In fact, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA), the SSN is the single-most widely used record identifier in the public and private sectors.

Failure to protect the integrity of SSNs may have severe consequences because of their potential use in abetting unscrupulous individuals in stealing identities and obtaining false identification documents. As we learn more about the terrorists' methods, investigators have found that some of the terrorists used SSNs to assume false identities when executing their plans. A Washington Post article on Saturday, September 29, 2001, reported that a man held in Great Britain, and suspected of training four of the terrorists who hijacked the airliners on September 11, 2001, used the SSN of a New Jersey woman who died in 1991. The Associated Press reported on October 31, 2001, that an individual from North Carolina had been indicted on charges he tried to steal the identity of someone killed in the terrorist attack at the World Trade Center.

Because the financial services industry relies fundamentally on SSNs as the common identifier to assemble accurate financial information, they are in a unique position to assist in prevention of SSN fraud and abuse. The industry's timely receipt of death information and prompt updating of financial data is key to preventing identity theft.

In announcing the hearing, Chairman Shaw stated: "Social Security numbers have become the most frequently used personal identifier, and are far too easily used by criminals or terrorists to steal identities and obtain false documents. We must act to protect the privacy of Americans' Social Security numbers. It is a necessary step in our nation's response to terrorism."

FOCUS OF THE HEARING:

During the hearing, witnesses will provide information on how the SSA gathers and distributes death information, how such information is used by the financial services industry, and explore the steps needed to better protect the SSNs of those who have died.

DETAILS FOR SUBMISSION OF WRITTEN COMMENTS:

Please Note: Due to the change in House mail policy, any person or organization wishing to submit a written statement for the printed record of the hearing should send it electronically to "hearingclerks.waysandmeans@mail.house.gov", along with a fax copy to 202/225-2610 by the close of business, Monday, November 26, 2001. Those filing written statements who wish to have their statements distributed to the press and interested public at the hearing should deliver their 200 copies to the Subcommittee on Social Security in room B-316 Rayburn House Office Building, in an open and searchable package 48 hours before the hearing. The U.S. Capitol Police will refuse messenger deliveries to all House Office buildings.

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. Due to the change in House mail policy, all statements and any accompanying exhibits for printing must be submitted electronically to "hearingclerks.waysandmeans@mail.house.gov", along with a fax copy to 202/225-2610, in WordPerfect or MS Word format and MUST 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.

Note: All Committee advisories and news releases are available on the World Wide Web at "http://waysandmeans.house.gov".

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.