59–006 

114TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 114–789 

TO RESTRICT THE INCLUSION OF SOCIAL SECURITY ACCOUNT NUMBERS 

ON DOCUMENTS SENT BY MAIL BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND 

FOR OTHER PURPOSES 

SEPTEMBER 26, 2016.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 

State of the Union and ordered to be printed 

Mr. CHAFFETZ, from the Committee on Oversight and Government 

Reform, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 3779] 

The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, to whom 

was referred the bill (H.R. 3779) to restrict the inclusion of social 

security account numbers on documents sent by mail by the Federal Government, and for other purposes, having considered the 

same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. 

CONTENTS 

Page 

Committee Statement and Views ........................................................................... 1 

Section-by-Section .................................................................................................... 3 

Explanation of Amendments ................................................................................... 3 

Committee Consideration ........................................................................................ 3 

Roll Call Votes ......................................................................................................... 3 

Application of Law to the Legislative Branch ....................................................... 3 

Statement of Oversight Findings and Recommendations of the Committee ...... 4 

Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives .................................... 4 

Duplication of Federal Programs ............................................................................ 4 

Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings ..................................................................... 4 

Federal Advisory Committee Act ............................................................................ 4 

Unfunded Mandate Statement ............................................................................... 4 

Earmark Identification ............................................................................................ 4 

Committee Estimate ................................................................................................ 5 

Budget Authority and Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate .................... 5 

COMMITTEE STATEMENT AND VIEWS

PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

H.R. 3779, to restrict the inclusion of Social Security account 

numbers on documents sent by mail from the Federal Government, 

would prevent federal agencies from sending an individual’s Social 


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1Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book for January–December 

2015, at 79 (February 2016). 2Social Security Administration, Your Social Security Number and Card, at 2 (January 

2016—Publication No. EN–05–10002). 3 Id., at 11. 4These agencies are Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, 

Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, the Interior, Justice, Labor, State, Transportation, the Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, in addition to 

the U.S. Agency for International Development, Environmental Protection Agency, General 

Services Administration, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Science 

Foundation, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of Personnel Management, Small Business 

Administration, and the Social Security Administration. 5 Briefing by John de Ferrari, et. al., Gov’t Accountability Office, to H. Comm. on Oversight 

& Gov’t Reform and H. Comm. on Ways & Means Majority Staff (Sept. 7, 2016). 6Memorandum from Clay Johnson III, Deputy Director for Management, Office of Management and Budget, to Heads of Executive Dep’ts and Agencies, Safeguarding Against and Responding to the Breach of Personally Identifiable Information (May 22, 2007). 7 H. Comm. of Oversight & Gov’t Reform, Staff Report: The OPM Data Breach: How the Gov’t 

Jeopardized Our National Security for More than a Generation at 21 (Sept. 7, 2016). 8 John de Ferrari, et. al., supra note 5. 

Security Number (SSN) through the mail unless the head of the 

agency determined the inclusion of the SSN is necessary. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

Identity theft is a major concern for all Americans. According to 

the Federal Trade Commission, instances of identity theft have 

steadily risen, increasing from 209,102 cases in 2013, to 490,220 

cases in 20151 A major driver of identity theft is the unauthorized 

acquisition and fraudulent use of Social Security Numbers (SSNs). 

SSNs are required not only of individuals seeking to collect Social 

Security benefits, but also those wishing to receive certain government services or apply for services in the private sector such as 

bank accounts or credit cards.2 The Social Security Administration 

counsels individuals to keep their SSNs confidential because of the 

risk of misuse should they fall into the wrong hands.3 The misuse 

of a SSN risks causing significant disruptions for its rightful holder. 

Many federal agencies, including all 24 agencies subject to the 

Chief Financial Officers Act,4 require SSNs in order to verify the 

identity of individuals requesting services or for other purposes.5 In 

2007, the Office of Management and Budget sent a memorandum 

to federal agencies ordering them to review and eliminate the unnecessary use of SSNs.6 A recent report by the House Committee 

on Oversight and Government Reform (Committee) on data 

breaches at the Office of Personnel Management further recommended that all agencies reduce the use of SSNs to mitigate the 

risk of identity theft.7 Notably, the U.S. Government Accountability 

Office (GAO) is in the midst of a study to ascertain the extent to 

which agencies have complied with the memorandum, but GAO’s 

preliminary review revealed that plans to reduce the use of SSNs 

vary widely across the government.8

Currently, agencies are not banned from including SSNs on correspondence sent to individuals via the U.S. Postal Service. The inclusion of a SSN on correspondence increases the risk that the SSN 

may be stolen. Given the extent to which federal departments and 

agencies collect SSNs, it is important that all departments and 

agencies take measures to ensure that SSNs are appropriately protected. To achieve this end, H.R. 3779 would prohibit sending a 

SSN via mail unless the agency determines doing so is necessary. 


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If it is determined that the inclusion of the SSN is necessary, the 

agency would be required to consider the use of partial redactions. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

H.R. 3779 was introduced on October 21, 2015 by Representative 

David Valadao (R–CA) and referred to the Committee on Oversight 

and Government Reform. On September 15, 2016, the Committee 

ordered H.R. 3779 favorably reported by unanimous consent, without amendment. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION

Section 1. Restriction of SSNs on documents sent by mail 

Prohibits any department or agency of the federal government 

from including the SSN of any individual on any document sent by 

mail unless the head of the department or agency determines that 

the inclusion of the SSN is necessary. 

Orders the head of each federal department or agency to issue 

regulations within one year of the bill’s enactment that specify the 

circumstances under which SSNs are necessary to be sent by mail. 

The regulations must provide instructions for the partial redaction of SSNs whenever feasible and include a ban on sending any 

package by mail with a visible SSN. 

Provides an effective date that is one year after the date of enactment of the bill. 

EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS

No amendments to H.R. 3779 were offered or adopted during 

Full Committee consideration of the bill. 

COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

On September 15, 2016, the Committee met in open session and 

ordered the bill, H.R. 3779, favorably reported by unanimous consent, a quorum being present. 

ROLL CALL VOTES

No roll call votes were requested or conducted during Full Committee consideration of H.R. 3779. 

APPLICATION OF LAW TO THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

Section 102(b)(3) of Public Law 104–1 requires a description of 

the application of this bill to the legislative branch where the bill 

relates to the terms and conditions of employment or access to public services and accommodations. H.R. 3779 would prevent federal 

agencies from sending an individual’s Social Security Number 

(SSN) through the mail unless the head of the agency determined 

the inclusion of the SSN is necessary. As such, this bill does not 

relate to employment or access to public services and accommodations. 


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STATEMENT OF OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF

THE COMMITTEE

In compliance with clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII and clause (2)(b)(1) 

of rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee’s oversight findings and recommendations are reflected in the 

descriptive portions of this report. 

STATEMENT OF GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

In accordance with clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, the Committee’s performance goal and 

objective of the bill is to restrict the inclusion of social security account numbers on documents sent by mail by the Federal Government. 

DUPLICATION OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS

No provision of this bill establishes or reauthorizes a program of 

the federal government known to be duplicative of another federal 

program, a program that was included in any report from GAO to 

Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111–139, or a program related to a program identified in the most recent Catalog of 

Federal Domestic Assistance. 

DISCLOSURE OF DIRECTED RULE MAKINGS

The Committee estimates that enacting this bill does direct the 

completion of a specific rule making within the meaning of 5 U.S.C. 

551. H.R. 3779 directs all federal agencies and departments to 

issue regulations within one year of the enacting date specifying 

the circumstances under which inclusion of a Social Security Number (SSN) on a document sent by mail is necessary. Such regulations must include instructions for the partial redaction of SSNs 

whenever feasible and a requirement that SSNs be not visible on 

the outside of any package sent by mail. 

FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT

The Committee finds that the legislation does not establish or 

authorize the establishment of an advisory committee within the 

definition of 5 U.S.C. App., Section 5(b). 

UNFUNDED MANDATE STATEMENT

Section 423 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act (as amended by Section 101(a)(2) of the Unfunded Mandate 

Reform Act, P.L. 104–4) requires a statement as to whether the 

provisions of the reported bill include unfunded mandates. In compliance with this requirement, the Committee has received a letter 

from the Congressional Budget Office included herein. 

EARMARK IDENTIFICATION

This bill does not include any congressional earmarks, limited 

tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in clause 9 of rule 

XXI. 


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COMMITTEE ESTIMATE

At the time of this writing, the Committee had yet to receive a 

formal cost estimate from the Congressional Budget Office for H.R. 

3779. However, preliminary analysis by committee staff suggests 

that the bill would provide for no significant budgetary effects. 

BUDGET AUTHORITY AND CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST

ESTIMATE

With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of 

the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 308(a) of the 

Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and with respect to requirements 

of clause (3)(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 

1974, the Committee has not received a cost estimate for this bill 

from the Director of Congressional Budget Office, and instead has 

included a committee estimate in the section prior to this one. 

Æ 


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