Number:  114-11
Date:  July 22, 2016

House Committee on Ways and Means Reports Out
H.R. 5320, the Social Security Must Avert Identity Loss (MAIL) Act of 2016

 

On July 13, 2016, the House Committee on Ways and Means reported H.R. 5320, the Social Security Must Avert Identity Loss (MAIL) Act of 2016, with amendments, by voice vote. Representative Sam Johnson (R-TX) introduced the bill on May 25, 2016.  The bill would amend the Social Security Act to restrict the inclusion of full Social Security Numbers (SSNs) on documents sent by mail by the Social Security Administration (SSA) unless necessary.  The bill now moves to the full House for consideration. 

H.R. 5320, as reported by the House Committee on Ways and Means, includes the following provisions of interest to SSA:

Restriction on Inclusion of SSNs on Documents Sent by Mail

• Would require the Commissioner of Social Security (Commissioner) to ensure that no document sent by mail includes a full SSN unless the Commissioner determines that inclusion of the full number is necessary.

• Would require the Commissioner to report to Congress on implementation.  The first report would be due 30 days after enactment.  Subsequent reports would be due March 31 and September 30 in each of the first 6 years following the year of enactment.  The report would include:
  
  
  • the title and identification number of each document with the full SSN that SSA used in the previous year;   
  • the most recent date the document was updated; and
  • the projected date for removal of the full SSN from each document, or if the Commissioner determines that inclusion of the full number is necessary, the rationale for such determination.

Effective Date

• Would require the Commissioner to implement these provisions as soon as practicable after the date of enactment.