Social Security Number Protection Act of 2010

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 3789) to limit access to social security account numbers.

Mr. Speaker, earlier this year, I introduced a bill with my friend, the ranking member on the Social Security Subcommittee, Sam Johnson, to protect the accuracy of Social Security records and help shield individuals from identity theft. Our bill prohibited Federal, State, and local governments from employing prisoners in any capacity that would allow inmates access to the full or partial Social Security numbers of other individuals, such as through prison labor contracts. The bipartisan Senate bill before us today does the same thing and also prohibits Federal, State, and local governments from displaying Social Security numbers on paper checks, which will also help protect the Social Security program and protect fraud. Both are obvious changes that would protect millions of Americans from identity theft.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Houston, Texas (Mr. Gene Green).

(Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman 1 additional minute.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio).

Mr. Speaker, by way of close, let me say that the legislation before us is important and reflects what has been a pattern of bipartisan work between the ranking member and myself as I have chaired the Social Security Subcommittee. I have enjoyed working with Sam Johnson. It is a pretty thrilling thing for a kid from North Dakota to get to work with an American hero, and I have appreciated his conscientious service as ranking member of the Social Security Subcommittee.

I also, to colleagues, have deeply appreciated the opportunity to chair the committee. I received a Social Security check in my own life when my dad died as I was a teenager. To have the opportunity to chair the subcommittee, protecting the United States' most important domestic program, Social Security, was a deep honor and a responsibility that I'll always treasure, having had that chance.

I want to thank the staff members who helped throughout, keeping this subcommittee superbly supported with the important policy work before it. Kathryn Olson, Joel Najar, Morna Miller, Jennifer Beeler on the majority. We have certainly appreciated working with Kim Hildreth on the minority. It has been a terrific experience.

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on S. 3789, the bill now under consideration.

I encourage my colleagues to support this bill.

I yield back the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I concur with all that's been said so far.

You know, Americans worry about the security of their personal information, including their Social Security number, and I don't blame them. Even though Social Security numbers were

created to track wages for determining Social Security benefits, these numbers are widely used as personal identifiers. In fact, in their April, 2007 report, the President's Identity Task Force identified the Social Security number as the ``most valuable commodity for an identity thief.'' And these thieves are working overtime. Identity theft is the fastest growing fraud in America--last year there were over 11 million victims.

The Federal Trade Commission says identity theft costs consumers about $50 billion per year. Today, we are taking a step forward--albeit a small step--to protect Social Security numbers by preventing prisoner access to these numbers and prohibiting Social Security numbers from appearing on government checks.

Believe it or not, the Social Security Inspector General found that eight States currently allow prisoners to work on jobs that give them access to Social Security numbers. With today's vote we will be one step closer to putting an end to that practice.

I am glad to report that over the years the Ways and Means Committee has been working on a bipartisan basis to stem the tide of identity theft through restricting the sale, use, and public display of Social Security numbers, and I thank my colleague for that.

Most recently, these provisions are part of the Social Security Number Privacy and Identify Theft Prevention Act introduced in this Congress by then Subcommittee Chairman John Tanner and myself. I was also pleased to join Chairman Pomeroy when he introduced H.R. 5854, the No Prisoner Access to Social Security Numbers Act of 2010. This is a great bill. I urge my colleagues to support this important first step by voting ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, we are digressing from the business at hand to something that has already happened. He needs to know that the people out there do understand the cost-of-living adjustment. It is fixed under Social Security rules, and they don't need it this year.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation. It is good for America.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Let me first say I want to thank my colleague for bringing both these bills up, H.R. 5987 and also S. 3789.

First let me talk about Congressman Pomeroy. He and I came to the Congress together in 1993, and we worked together on a lot of issues, he coming from a very rural area. But we found out about 3 or 4 years ago that--and you can tell my Texas accent--his State has grown dramatically in the production of natural gas and oil, and also they have a refinery in North Dakota. I have five refineries, but I'm glad they have one up in his State.

We have worked together for the last few years on energy issues for our country, and I want to thank him for his service to our country. Earl, we will miss you. And I will miss your friendship and your leadership on the Ways and Means Committee.

I am proud to be here today to support not only S. 3789, the Social Security Number Protection Act, but also H.R. 5987, the Seniors Protection Act of 2010. For the second year in a row our Nation's seniors and veterans and people with disabilities have been denied a cost of living adjustment, their COLA. The Seniors Protection Act would provide 54 million Social Security beneficiaries with a one-time $250 payment in lieu of a COLA.

This bill would provide targeted economic relief for our Nation's most vulnerable citizens. I have seniors in our district who get Social Security, they're married, and some of them are in terrible shape because of their circumstances--I have one who, her husband is disabled, she takes care of him, but because of a family situation she is taking care of three of her grandchildren. This is the second year she would not get any assistance or any increase in her Social Security. That is why this bill is so important.

Almost two out of three seniors and 70 percent of people with disabilities rely on Social Security for half or more of their income. One-third of seniors get more than 90 percent of their income from Social Security. It's important that our Nation continue the promise that Americans should be allowed to retire with dignity, which has lasted for 75 years.

Thank you. And I just urge my colleagues to vote for H.R. 5987, but also for S. 3789.

I thank the gentleman for the time and thank him for his leadership on both the issues before us regarding Social Security.

The protection of our Social Security numbers is vital. I once had a reporter come to my office and say, I have something to show you. She pulled out a piece of paper, and she said, Here's your Social Security number. I bought it for $15 online. That should not be allowed. That should be an illegal activity in this country.

But the other issue that just preceded this is equally important to 40 million people who collect Social Security and a number of people who collect veterans benefits, and that is a meaningful and well- deserved cost-of-living adjustment for real increases in the costs of living for seniors in America.

Now, yeah, the pointy heads down at the Department of Labor have this jiggered up kind of cost-of-living index which puts heavy weight on buying a 4G iPhone and the reductions in costs, and second generation or third generation of expensive computers and things like that. But it doesn't go to basics. It doesn't go to the cost of pharmaceuticals, which unfortunately many seniors have to consume to maintain their health. It doesn't go to the cost of, you know, hospital care or physicians visits. It doesn't go meaningfully to basics, like utility costs or rent or taxes on your property. None of those things are given heavy weight or any weight, in some cases, in the cost-of-living index that they are using to say to seniors, Your costs didn't go up last year, so you'll get no cost-of-living adjustment.

I have introduced legislation over a number of years to have a specific cost-of-living index for seniors called a CPI-E, elderly, because they consume from a different so-called market basket than do young consumers in this country. You'd get laughed out of the room if you went to any senior center in this country or any coffee klatch in some little coffee shop in your district with retirees and said, Hey, your costs didn't go up this last year. You don't need a cost-of-living adjustment on Social Security. Give me a break. Seniors need a cost-of- living adjustment, and we need to protect our Social Security numbers.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Finance Committee be discharged from S. 3789 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read three times and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate; and any statements relating to the measure be printed in the Record.