[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 177 (Friday, November 18, 2011)]
[House]
[Page H7834]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                     SOCIAL SECURITY IDENTITY THEFT

  (Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, since 1980 Social Security has 
been required to publicly put deceased Americans' personal information 
into a so-called death master file which was meant to help prevent 
payment and benefit fraud. Nearly anyone can get this information, 
including identity thieves.
  Identity theft affects not only swindled businesses and American 
taxpayers, but grieving families whose suffering is made worse when 
they learn that someone has been preying on the death of their loved 
ones. Criminals are exploiting this information in order to profit off 
deceased children by applying for tax refunds. That's just wrong.
  Every year, Social Security puts about 14,000 Americans in this death 
file who aren't even dead. Any of us could be put on that list by 
mistake--a mistake that can result in severe financial hardship and 
emotional heartache.
  Americans deserve better. So today I'm introducing the Keeping IDs 
Safe Act to stop the sale of the death master file immediately. I urge 
my colleagues to support this legislation.

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