U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., wants to get Social Security numbers off of tax documents, including W-2s. The Florida congressman showcased a bill on Monday to allow Americans to use numbers issued by employers instead of Social Security numbers when they file their taxes. Buchanan, who sites on the Ways and Means Committee, said his “Taxpayer Identity Protection Act” would help protect Americans’ data.
“This bipartisan, common-sense measure will protect Americans from identity fraud by limiting the use of Social Security Numbers on the most popular tax forms, including the W-2,” said Buchanan. “We must be doing all we can to end this growing problem, which hits seniors especially hard.”
Buchanan noted a recent U.S. Department of Justice report which showed more than 17.5 Americans--including 2.6 million senior citizens--were victims of identity theft last year with Florida leading the nation on this front.
The issue of protecting Social Security numbers is not a new one for the Florida Republican. Earlier this year, Buchanan spearheaded a bill to pass veterans’ ID cards which did not contains Social Security numbers on them.
Buchanan brought out his bill earlier this month and it was sent to the Ways and Means Committee.
U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash., is co-sponsoring the bill. Like Buchanan, McDermott is an advocate of getting Social Security numbers off of documentation and identifications. In recent years, McDermott has been one of the leaders in Congress to get Social Security numbers off of Medicare cards.
Earlier this year, McDermott teamed up with U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, to once again propose a bill to remove Social Security numbers off Medicare cards. The Washington Democrat called for more action from Congress to protect Americans’ data and identities.
“The American people deserve additional reforms that modernize outdated laws and advance the ball further in the fight against wrongdoers who engage in fraud, waste, and abuse,” McDermott said.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
