[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 124 (Tuesday, July 24, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H7113-H7115]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
IMPROVING SOCIAL SECURITY'S SERVICE TO VICTIMS OF IDENTITY THEFT ACT
Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 6084) to amend title VII of the Social Security Act
to provide for a single point of contact at the Social Security
Administration for individuals who are victims of identity theft, as
amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 6084
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Improving Social Security's
Service to Victims of Identity Theft Act''.
SEC. 2. SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT FOR IDENTITY THEFT VICTIMS.
(a) In General.--Title VII of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 901 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``SECTION 714. SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT FOR IDENTITY THEFT
VICTIMS.
``(a) In General.--The Commissioner of Social Security
shall establish and implement procedures to ensure that any
individual whose social security account number has been
misused (such as to fraudulently obtain benefits under title
II, VIII, or XVI of this Act, in a manner that affects an
individual's records at the Social Security Administration,
or in a manner that prompts the individual to request a new
social security account number) has a single point of contact
at the Social Security Administration throughout the
resolution of the individual's case. The single point of
contact shall track the individual's case to completion and
coordinate with other units to resolve issues as quickly as
possible.
``(b) Single Point of Contact.--
``(1) In general.--For purposes of subsection (a), the
single point of contact shall consist of a team or subset of
specially trained employees who--
``(A) have the ability to coordinate with other units to
resolve the issues involved in the individual's case, and
``(B) shall be accountable for the case until its
resolution.
``(2) Team or subset.--The employees included within the
team or subset described in paragraph (1) may change as
required to meet the needs of the Social Security
Administration, provided that procedures have been
established to--
``(A) ensure continuity of records and case history, and
``(B) notify the individual when appropriate.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a)
shall take effect 180 days after the date of enactment of
this Act.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Michigan (Mr. Bishop) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Neal)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan.
General Leave
Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous materials on H.R. 6084, currently under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Michigan?
There was no objection.
Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
[[Page H7114]]
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be here today and pleased that we are
considering this bipartisan legislation that I introduced with a friend
of mine from Connecticut, Ranking Member Larson, H.R. 6084, the
Improving Social Security's Service to Victims of Identity Theft Act.
This is an issue that is important to all of us in all of our
districts. As you well know, Mr. Speaker, identity theft is a crime
that is growing at very alarming rates around the country. Supporting
victims of identity theft is something I have long championed. As a
former local prosecutor and advocate for victims, I gained a real
understanding of the plight of many Americans and what they face in
recovering from identity theft and from other forms of exploitation.
In response, I spent a large part of my legislative career working on
victim's rights and ensuring justice. I am pleased that we are
considering H.R. 6084 today.
Mr. Speaker, Americans who are victims of identity theft often face
an uphill battle when they contact the Social Security Administration
for help. All too often, these individuals find themselves being
bounced around in phone trees from recording to recording, person to
person, only to start all over again with each new person with whom
they speak.
In many cases, an individual will speak to multiple people at the
Social Security Administration by phone, only then to be told that they
need to go to a field office to resolve the situation.
Mr. Speaker, I just think that is wrong. These are victims of
identity theft who urgently need assistance from the Social Security
Administration so that they can get their lives back on track. But too
many of these victims are being revictimized by the Social Security
Administration's cumbersome and disorganized system. It is high time
that the Social Security Administration improves its customer service
to victims of identity theft.
That is why I introduced H.R. 6084, the bipartisan legislation which
will require the Social Security Administration to provide a single
point of contact at the agency to an individual who needs to resolve a
problem with the Social Security Administration because of the misuse
of his or her Social Security number.
This important bill will help Americans get the assistance they need
from the Social Security Administration by implementing a customer-
focused process. I am pleased to have the support of AARP, the National
Council of Social Security Management Associations, and the Association
of Mature American Citizens.
Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record statements of support for my
bill from those groups.
AARP,
Washington, DC, June 21, 2018.
Hon. Kevin Brady,
Chairman, House Committee on Ways and Means, Washington, DC.
Hon. Richard Neal,
Ranking Member, House Committee on Ways and Means,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Brady and Ranking Member Neal: On behalf of
AARP's 38 million members, we are writing in support of the
H.R. 6084, the Improving Social Security's Service to Victims
of Identity Theft Act of 2018. The bill directs the Social
Security Administration (SSA) to provide a single point of
contact and a team of SSA staff to help redress any problems
faced by Social Security ID theft victims. AARP is strongly
committed to protecting consumers from identity theft and
supports your efforts to improve the assistance offered to
individuals whose Social Security number has been
compromised.
An individual's Social Security number is critical
financial information and integral to everyone's personal
identity. The range of fraud that can be committed when an
individual's Social Security number has been compromised is
truly staggering, and the time and effort required to
reassert one's financial identity can be daunting.
Streamlining and simplifying the assistance that the SSA
offers an identity theft victim will be welcomed by
individuals who are caught in an often overwhelming
situation.
We look forward to continuing to work with you to promote
the integrity of the Social Security program, and to protect
the identities of American workers and their families.
Sincerely,
Joyce A. Rogers,
Senior Vice President,
Government Affairs.
____
AMAC,
June 18, 2018.
Hon. Mike Bishop,
8th Congressional District, Michigan, Washington, DC.
Dear Congressman Bishop: On behalf of the 1.3 million
members of AMAC, the Association of Mature American Citizens,
I am writing in support of H.R. 6084, the Improving Social
Security's Service to Victims of Identity Theft Act. This
important piece of legislation will make it easier for
seniors to track the status of their identity theft claims at
the Social Security Administration (SSA). By establishing a
single point of contact for an identity theft case, H.R. 6084
is a smart, senior-focused solution to a growing problem.
Every year, millions of Americans, and particularly
seniors, fall victim to identity theft. While being
victimized is bad enough, the process of restoring financial
security and recovering peace of mind can be a long, arduous,
and convoluted process. For seniors, these problems are
particularly acute as they primarily work with SSA--one of
the nation's largest federal bureaucracies--to restore their
financial security.
H.R. 6084 seeks to improve customer service to identity
theft victims in a way that is both smart and practical.
Under this proposal, when an identity theft victim requests a
new Social Security number, they will be assigned a single
point of contact at SSA to manage their case until it is
resolved. For seniors, this will prove invaluable as they
will no longer have to navigate SSA's massive federal
structure to resolve their identity theft case. Seniors can
have a singular, reliable, and approachable case manager who
can answer their questions, monitor the status of their
claim, and help seniors in need of assistance.
As an organization committed to representing mature
Americans and seniors, AMAC is dedicated to ensuring senior
citizens' interests are protected. We applaud Congressman
Bishop for his practical and timely solution to help identity
theft victims in their most vulnerable time. AMAC is pleased
to offer our organization's full support to the Improving
Social Security's Service to Victims of Identity Theft Act.
Sincerely,
Dan Weber,
President and Founder of AMAC.
____
National Council of Social Security Management
Associations, Inc.,
Arlington, VA, July 16, 2018.
Hon. Mike Bishop,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Sam Johnson,
Chairman, House of Representatives, Subcommittee on Social
Security, Washington, DC.
Hon. John B. Larson,
Ranking Member, House of Representatives, Subcommittee on
Social Security, Washington, DC.
Dear Congressman Bishop, Chairman Johnson and Ranking
Member Larson: On behalf of the National Council of Social
Security Management Associations (NCSSMA) and our members
throughout the nation, I would like to thank you for your
introduction and original cosponsorship of H.R. 6084, the
Improving Social Security's Service to Victims of Identity
Theft Act. We very much appreciate your leadership on this
important legislation to ensure a measure that will not only
benefit and protect the American public, but also ease the
administrative burden on the hardworking employees of the
Social Security Administration (SSA) by establishing a single
point of contact for an identity theft case. H.R. 6084 is a
commonsense solution to a growing problem.
NCSSMA is pleased to support H.R. 6084 as it reinforces
NCSSMA's own efforts and initiatives to provide the best
service to the American people, through the effective and
efficient administration of SSA's programs. Millions of
Americans fall victim to identity theft every year. We
believe this legislation will help identity theft victims
work with a single point of contact at SSA to assist in
resolving their identity theft case.
As an organization that is committed to improving
management and program administration in SSA while advocating
for an agency that remains customer focused with an emphasis
on excellent public service, we commend you for your
practical and timely solution to help identity theft victims.
NCSSMA is pleased to offer our organization's support to the
Improving Social Security's Service to Victims of Identity
Theft Act.
Thank you again for your leadership. Please do not hesitate
to contact me if you have any questions or if we can provide
additional assistance.
Sincerely,
Christopher Detzler,
NCSSMA President.
Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6084, which will provide
needed assistance to victims of identity theft. The Committee on Ways
and Means has been engaged for some time on the issue of identity
theft. In particular, we are stewards of the Social Security
[[Page H7115]]
number which is a target for identity thieves because it is the key to
unlocking a stolen identity.
Identity theft is a growing problem and online hacking has led to
major security breaches in both government, and extensively in the
private sector. Americans of all ages, even children, are vulnerable to
having their identity stolen. This can wreak havoc in people's lives.
One thing we can do, which we are doing today, is to make sure that
individuals can get the assistance they need from the Social Security
Administration, SSA, when identity theft has caused problems with their
benefits, or if their number has been severely compromised.
For example, fraudsters have been able to steal a Social Security
number and use it to file a fraudulent benefit application or to file a
false tax return and claim a refund. For some individuals, the theft of
their identity creates such damage that they are forced to request a
new Social Security number.
Right now, identity theft victims trying to resolve an issue related
to the misuse of their Social Security numbers may have to contact SSA
multiple times, speaking to several different people, before the issue
can be fully resolved.
This legislation provides individuals with a single point of contact
in the Social Security Administration that will be responsible for
resolving all Social Security-related issues in connection with a
theft. This unit will be accountable to identity theft victims until
completion, and will track the individual's case and coordinate with
other units to resolve all of these issues as quickly as possible.
I certainly support this legislation, which was reported out of the
Ways and Means Committee by a unanimous vote. I urge support for H.R.
6084, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sam Johnson), one of the great leaders of
this body.
Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my good
friends, Representative Bishop, and Ranking Member Larson, for their
work on this commonsense bill.
I have heard firsthand how hard it can be for victims of identity
theft to work with the Social Security Administration.
{time} 1530
Recently, a man told me about his experience of someone trying to
claim his benefit. First, he got a letter from Social Security telling
him to call them about his claim. He hadn't made a claim, so he called
Social Security at the number they gave him, and he never heard back.
Later, when he tried to file a claim of his own, he ended up having to
make four separate calls. Then, Social Security told him they couldn't
help him over the phone. Because of the fraudulent claim, they said he
had to go to a field office. As a result of all this hassling, he
decided to just put off filing his claim.
If this bill had been in place, he would have had someone in Social
Security to help him. Instead, he got the runaround. Having a single
point of contact at Social Security for victims of identity theft just
makes sense.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I yield myself the
balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the sponsors for their hard work, and I
urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this
legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my
time.
Mr. Speaker, as today's debate on this legislation has shown, victims
of identity theft in this country are facing an uphill battle in
getting assistance from the Social Security Administration. Simply put,
the current disconnected structure at the Social Security
Administration isn't working for the American people. In response, my
bill would require the Social Security Administration to assign a
single point of contact at the agency to those who need to solve a
problem with the Social Security Administration because of the misuse
of his or her Social Security number.
This simply put but important reform will bring an added level of
comfort to victims of identity theft and will ensure that they are
receiving the quality care that they deserve.
In closing, I thank Ranking Member Larson for assisting in this bill
and joining me in offering the bill. I also thank Chairman Brady,
Ranking Member Neal, and my fellow Ways and Means members for their
support.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in supporting this
important bipartisan legislation, and I yield back the balance of my
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bishop) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 6084, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________