Two members of the Florida congressional delegation reached across the aisle and teamed up last week to bring out a proposal to protect Americans’ privacy as they looked to safeguard Social Security data.
U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Fla., part of the congressional leadership as senior deputy majority whip, paired up with U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla., to bring out the “Safeguarding Social Security Numbers Act of 2016."
The proposal would ensure the Social Security Administration and other federal departments create a strategy to remove full Social Security Numbers (SSN) from documents and ensures government agencies at all levels do not share SSNs with the public. Ross and Castor noted their bill would help crackdown on the federal government using the Internet in communications containing SSNs in order to protect Americans’ data.
On Friday, as he showcased the proposal, Ross noted the Sunshine State had more identity thefts than other states.
"In 2014, Florida ranked number one in the nation for most recorded identity theft victims, with 200,392 complaints filed,” Ross noted. “This staggering amount of identity theft claims is largely due to the high percentage of Floridians that are older than 65 and receiving Social Security benefits. Truncating Social Security numbers will help eliminate the ability and vulnerability to steal someone's identity and commit fraud. The ‘Safeguarding Social Security Numbers Act’ will ensure that our personal information remains personal and safe."
Ross filed the bill on Thursday with Castor as an original co-sponsor. U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., jumped on the bill on Friday as a co-sponsor. The bill has been sent to the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee. So far, there is not a Senate counterpart.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
