[Page H5164]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS OF DECEASED CHILDREN

  (Ms. JACKSON LEE asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, earlier today I was very pleased to 
have had one of my amendments passed in the Financial Services 
appropriations legislation that really many people are not aware of. 
That is the utilization of deceased children's Social Security numbers.
  Fraudulent individuals add more insult and hurt to those families who 
have lost their precious children by stealing their Social Security 
numbers and utilizing them in the public arena. It is important to note 
that these Social Security numbers are very valuable because, 
obviously, children have no long record of any credit improprieties or 
bad credit, and, therefore, it seems as if you have a perfect number to 
do all manner of havoc and to create a trail of responsibility for 
these mourning parents and guardians.
  So we have asked for an investigation into the use of these Social 
Security numbers and a method in which to stop these fraudulent 
individuals from using the Social Security numbers of deceased 
children, but more importantly, adding to the absolute devastation of 
these families that their little, precious loved one is now being 
abused and misused in their death.
  I thank my colleague, the Honorable Barbara Lee, who offered the 
amendment on my behalf on the floor, but I am grateful to the Financial 
Services and General Government Subcommittee appropriations chair, 
ranking member, and the full committee chair and ranking member. This 
is an important amendment that will stop these tragic incidences from 
impacting these mourning families on the loss of their little ones

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