Social Security Child Protection Act of 2025
Summary
The Social Security Child Protection Act of 2025 aims to amend Title II of the Social Security Act. It focuses on reissuing Social Security account numbers to children under 14 when their confidentiality has been compromised due to loss or theft of their Social Security card. The bill directs the Commissioner of Social Security to issue a new number upon receiving evidence from a parent or guardian, submitted under penalty of perjury.
Expected Effects
This act will allow for the reissuance of social security numbers to children under 14. It will add a new clause to Section 205(c)(2)(B) of the Social Security Act. The changes will take effect 180 days after the enactment of the Act.
Potential Benefits
- Provides a mechanism to protect children's identities if their Social Security number is compromised.
- Reduces the risk of identity theft and potential financial harm to children.
- Offers parents and guardians a recourse to address security breaches related to their children's Social Security numbers.
- Enhances the security of personal information for a vulnerable population.
- Clarifies the process for requesting and obtaining a new Social Security number in specific cases.
Potential Disadvantages
- Potential administrative burden on the Social Security Administration to process reissuance requests.
- Risk of fraudulent claims if the evidence provided by parents or guardians is not thoroughly verified.
- Possible confusion or complications for children as they grow older and need to reconcile their old and new Social Security numbers.
- The 180-day delay before the effective date could leave children vulnerable in the interim.
- Limited scope, as it only addresses loss or theft of the physical card and not other forms of data breaches.
Constitutional Alignment
The Social Security Child Protection Act of 2025 aligns with the Constitution's general welfare clause, as it seeks to protect a vulnerable segment of the population from potential harm. Article 1, Section 8 grants Congress the power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States. This act falls under the umbrella of providing for the general welfare by safeguarding children's identities and preventing potential misuse of their Social Security numbers.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).