[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 13, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E179]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCING LEGISLATION TO UPGRADE THE SECURITY OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY 
                                  CARD

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MARK STEVEN KIRK

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 13, 2008

  Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, today, along with my colleague Mr. Roskam, I 
am introducing legislation requiring the Social Security Administration 
to develop secure Social Security cards to combat the rising problem of 
identity theft and immigration fraud.
  Since Social Security started in 1935, more than 450 million Social 
Security cards have been issued. Over the years, we've had 50 card 
variations, but all have one common element--they are too easy to 
counterfeit.
  According to a 2005 Government Accountability Office report, 
employers reported the use of 1.4 million Social Security numbers that 
don't exist. Additionally, nearly 1.7 million numbers have been used by 
multiple individuals, some as many as 500 times or more.
  In 2006, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials 
made 1,272 arrests for identity and benefit fraud. While there is no 
central database for confiscated fraudulent Social Security card 
statistics, regional illegal document rings illustrate a systemic 
problem.
  Last April, Federal agents arrested 23 individuals and broke up an 
illegal document ring in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago. 
Officials estimated that up to 100 fake Social Security cards were 
issued each day at the location. According to the Northern Illinois 
U.S. Attorney's Office, the enterprise netted $3 million per year for a 
violent Mexico-based crime syndicate.
  ICE broke up a similar ring in the same neighborhood in December 
2005. Last October, Cook County Sheriff's detectives arrested two 
individuals for manufacturing hundreds of fake identification documents 
in Chicago's West Lawn neighborhood. Outside of the Chicago area, one 
ICE raid in Washington, DC, netted 880 fake Social Security cards.
  In Waukegan, police raids discovered numerous crimes of identity 
theft, including criminals purchasing homes and cars with stolen Social 
Security numbers. For as little as $100, an individual in Waukegan can 
purchase a fake Social Security card.
  It's time we upgrade Social Security cards with photos and biometric 
data like a fingerprint to protect seniors from identity theft and 
prevent draining of Social Security trust funds.
  Many government agencies already use secure IDs, including the 
Department of Defense. An ID with a bar code embedded with biometric 
data, as well as a picture, will help prevent counterfeiting. We have 
the technology now--there is no excuse to use a document that anyone 
can forge at a Kinkos.
  To protect seniors, fight identity theft and defend our homeland, I 
urge my colleagues to join this effort.

                          ____________________