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No: 108-25
Date: October 27, 2004
Senate Passes S. 2845, the National Intelligence
Reform Act of 2004
On October 6, 2004 , the Senate passed and sent to the House, S. 2845,
The National Intelligence Reform Act of 2004. This bill would reform the
intelligence community and the intelligence-related activities of the United
States Government. Included in the legislation are the following provisions
of interest to SSA:
Title X, 9/11 Commission Implementation Act of 2004
Section 1026. Minimum Standards for Birth Certificates
- Beginning 2 years after promulgation of regulations, would
prohibit Federal agencies from accepting, for any official purpose, a birth
certificate that does not conform to requirements of this section.
- Would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services
(HHS) to promulgate standards for such birth certificates in consultation
with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Commissioner of Social
Security, among others.
- The standards would include, among other things, a requirement
for proof and verification of identity as a condition of issuance of a
birth certificate.
- Would require the Secretary of HHS, in coordination with
SSA and others, to award grants to states to assist States in computerizing
their birth and death records; developing the capability to match birth
and death records within and among States, and noting the fact of death
on birth certificates of deceased persons.
Section 1027. Drivers Licenses and Personal Identification Cards
- Beginning 2 years after promulgation of regulations, would
prohibit Federal agencies from accepting, for any official purpose, a driver's
license or identification card newly issued by a State to any person unless
the driver's license or personal identification card conforms to such minimum
standards required by this section.
- The standards would include, among other things, a requirement
for documentation of proof of identity of an applicant for such license/card
and a standard for the verifiability of documents used to obtain such license/card.
- Would require the Secretary of Transportation to award grants
to States to meet such standards.
- Would require final rules to be issued by Department of Transportation,
in consultation with the States and DHS not later than 18 months after
enactment.
Section 1028. Social Security Cards
- Would require SSA to issue regulations to restrict the issuance
of multiple replacement cards not later than 180 days after enactment.
- Would require SSA to verify records provided by an applicant
for an original Social Security card, other than for purposes of enumeration
at birth, within one year after enactment.
- Would require SSA to add death, fraud and work authorization
indicators to the Social Security number verification system within 18
months after enactment.
- Would require SSA, in consultation with the DHS, to form
an interagency task force for the purpose of further improving the security
of Social Security cards and numbers. Not later than one year after the
date of enactment, would require the task force to establish security requirements,
including standards for safeguarding cards from counterfeiting, tampering,
alteration, and theft; for verifying documents submitted for the issuance
of replacement cards; and actions to increase enforcement against the fraudulent
use or issuance of Social Security numbers and cards.
- Would authorize, for each fiscal year 2005-2009, appropriations
to the Commissioner of Social Security of such sums as may be necessary
to carry out the requirements of this section.
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