Do the Feds Need to Deter Identity Theft by Not Mailing Documents With Social Security Numbers? (H.R. 624)

What is H.R. 624?

(Updated March 22, 2018)

This bill was enacted on September 15, 2017

This bill would prevent the federal government from putting Social Security numbers on documents sent by mail, and whenever possible partially redact or completely remove the SSN from the document. Each federal department or agency would issue regulations specifying when the inclusion of an SSN is necessary, include instructions for redactions when possible, and ensure an SSN isn’t displayed on the outside of any package sent by mail. This requirement would take effect one year from this legislation’s enactment.

Argument in favor

As a common sense way of preventing identity theft and Social Security fraud, federal agencies should avoid mailing documents with full Social Security numbers to the greatest extent possible.

Argument opposed

The federal government should continue to mail documents with full Social Security numbers and not spend time framing regulations aimed at reducing the use of full SSNs.

Impact

People who receive documents from the federal government with their Social Security number on them; and all federal agencies.

Cost of H.R. 624

The CBO estimates that enacting this bill would have no significant cost.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Sponsoring Rep. David Valadao (R-CA) introduced this bill to prevent the federal government from unnecessarily mailing documents with people’s full Social Security number on them:

“Our federal government should be working to protect our nation's veterans and children, not actively contributing to the occurrence of this crime." He went on, "I am proud to introduce this commonsense legislation to remove Social Security Numbers from government documents when they aren't necessary.”

This legislation passed the House Oversight Committee on a voice vote, and has the support of 31 bipartisan cosponsors including 17 Republicans and 14 Democrats.

Media:

• Sponsoring Rep. David Valadao (R-CA) Press Release
  
• CBO Cost Estimate