obviously it paints a disaster in terms of acquisition, inventory management, attitudes, I mean, it is just a total indictment.

I just don't know what to say.

You must release data of certain profile, unless Congress has provided you with an exception.

Since 1980, Social Security has been required to publicly make available Americans' personal information through the so-called Death Master File.

Identity theft affects swindled businesses, American taxpayers and grieving families.

No, I kind of agree with you on that.

Yes. So each State is different, is it not?

Thank you, ma'am. You know, Mr. Pratt recommended we change the law to codify certain business access to the Death Master File, including State records.

It seems to me if Commerce is selling it, they ought to be responsible for it, or the States, not Social Security.

Thank you, sir. I appreciate your testimony.

It is a continuous problem that can't be solved right now, but needs to be addressed, certainly.

Fixing the death data system to protect both the living and dead from identity theft, and to allow the agency to go on with its important business, is Congress's responsibility, in my view.

With the amount of fraud going on in the country today, I mean the amount of fraud going on in this system, and with trillion-dollar deficits, I, as a Congressman, feel like I owe it to my constituents and the American public to make sure…

Americans deserve better so I introduced H.R. 3475, the 'Keeping IDs Safe Act of 2011,' a bill that would stop Social Security from making this information public.

U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson (R-TX), Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security announced today that the Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the accuracy and uses of the Social Security…

You know that it is a problem now, and you know that we need action.

I appreciate you bringing this issue to the forefront, and committed to help you with it.

I do believe that Congress should start with the proposition that we should not be releasing this information, except for very specific purposes that the Congress has thought hard about, with protections for the public so that the Federal…