PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1916-1917)
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jul 23, 2009
Social Security Number Privacy and Identity Theft Prevention Act of 2009 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to: (1) specify restrictions on the sale and display to the general public of Social Security account numbers (SSNs) by governmental entities; (2) prohibit the display of SSNs (or any derivatives) on checks issued for payment by such entities; (3) prohibit governmental entity display of SSNs (or any derivatives) on employee identification cards or tags (IDs); (4) prohibit access to the SSNs of other individuals by prisoners employed by governmental entities; (5) prohibit the selling, purchasing, or displaying of SSNs (with certain exceptions) to the general public, or the acquisition or use of any individual's SSN to locate or identify such individual with the intent to physically injure or harm him or her, or to use the individual's ID for any illegal purpose by any person; (6) provide for uniform standards for truncation of an SSN; and (7) establish new criminal penalties for the misuse of SSNs.
Amends SSA title XI to provide for the imposition of civil monetary penalties for specified offenses involving SSNs or Social Security cards.
Establishes: (1) new criminal penalties upon Social Security Administration employees who knowingly and fraudulently issue Social Security cards or SSNs; and (2) enhanced penalties in cases of terrorism, drug trafficking, crimes of violence, or prior offenses.
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Amends SSA title XI with respect to regulatory and enforcement authority with respect to misuse of SSNs.
Directs the Commissioner of Social Security to enter into an arrangement with the National Research Council to study and report to the Commissioner and Congress on: (1) the extent of the use of SSNs as a primary means of authenticating identity or for verification in commercial transactions; and (2) the feasibility of a prohibition on such use. Requires the study also to examine possible alternatives to SSNs for such uses.
People & committees
Rep. Tanner, John S. [D-TN-8] · D–TN
Legislative record
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Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1916-1917)
Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 14, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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