ADVISORY
FROM THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS

Subcommittee on Social Security

Shaw Announces Hearing on the
Social Security Administration's Response
to the September 11 Terrorist Attacks

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 on the Social Security Administration's response to the September 11 terrorist attacks. The hearing will take place on Thursday, October 18, 2001, in room B-318 Rayburn House Office Building, beginning at 10:00 a.m.

In view of the limited time available to hear witnesses, 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 and for inclusion in the printed record of the hearing.

BACKGROUND:

Social Security survivor and disability benefits are available for the families of those who lost their lives and to those who suffered severe injuries as a result of the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001. The Social Security Administration (SSA) established special emergency handling procedures for all claims in response to these incidents. The number of related claims continues to grow with over 3,150 claims received through October 1^st. The SSA personnel continue to staff family assistance centers at the site of the Pentagon attack and in both Manhattan and New Jersey. In order to facilitate claims-taking, and to educate victims and their families about Social Security's benefits, SSA is continuing its outreach efforts to area hospitals and employers.

Along with helping victims and their families, SSA has faced certain operational impacts in the greater Manhattan area. Most affected offices have resumed operations, and those disability hearings which were postponed are being rescheduled. The New York Disability Determination Service Director is awaiting permission to recover an estimated 15,000 case folders from their office located a quarter-block from the World Trade Center.

Beyond responsive service delivery, ensuring the integrity of Social Security's programs can play a role in the prevention of any future terrorism. Identification documents are critically important to terrorists, and the key to such documents is the Social Security number (SSN). The integrity of the SSN application process must be ensured to the maximum degree possible because of the fundamental role it can play in helping unscrupulous individuals steal identities and obtain false identification documents. In addition, SSA's Office of the Inspector General must have the support it needs to effectively investigate fraud and SSN misuse, quickly and accurately identify suspects - including those who may be suspected of terrorism, and share needed information with other law enforcement.

In announcing the hearing, Chairman Shaw stated: "SSA employees are to be commended for their responsiveness to the victims of the terrorist attacks of September 11^th and for their ongoing assistance in the resulting Federal investigations of these heinous crimes. We must focus now on what we can do to protect the integrity of the Social Security programs and deter future incidents. Early reports that the hijackers have stolen others' identities to evade and frustrate law enforcement officials highlight our challenge to prevent identity theft, that often centers around the stealing of SSNs. The bipartisan 'Social Security Number Privacy and Identity Theft Prevention Act' (H.R. 2036), introduced earlier this year, restricts the sale and public display (including internet) of SSNs by both the public and private sector and enforces such restrictions through civil and criminal penalties. Through this hearing, we will hear whether we need to do more."

FOCUS OF THE HEARING:

During the hearing, witnesses will provide information on how the SSA has served the victims and families of the terrorist acts, how operations have been impacted, and how the agency has supported resulting Federal investigations. In addition, witnesses will discuss the degree to which changes may be needed within the agency and the law to ensure the integrity of Social Security programs.

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, November 1, 2001, to Allison Giles, 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.

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.