Larson Demands Chairman Smith Hold an Immediate Markup on Larson-led Social Security Data Privacy Legislation
East Hartford, CT – Today, Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee Ranking Member John B. Larson (CT-01) wrote to Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08) demanding an immediate markup for Ranking Member Larson’s Protecting Americans’ Social Security Data Act.
“There is no reason why unqualified outside individuals need immediate and urgent access to non-anonymized SSA data, which includes Social Security numbers, income history, and personal medical records. The American people deserve to have their private information kept confidential,” Larson wrote.
“The Committee must immediately take action to protect Americans’ private and confidential information,” Larson concluded. “Failure to act to protect this information would be a dereliction of our oversight responsibility and an endorsement of the Trump Administration’s illegal, irresponsible, and reckless disregard for Americans’ privacy and liberty.”
Last Friday, the Supreme Court issued an unsigned order overturning a district court’s order blocking ‘DOGE’ personnel from accessing the Social Security Administration’s systems while a lawsuit challenging their access makes its way through the courts. Rep. Larson’s Protecting Americans’ Social Security Data Act would block political appointees and ‘special government employees,’ like Elon Musk and his ‘DOGE,’ from accessing these sensitive data systems at the Social Security Administration. It would also codify existing privacy requirements in law for beneficiary data, ensuring that only Congress can change them, and strengthen oversight and civil penalties for any privacy and disclosure violations of Social Security beneficiaries’ personal information.
Larson’s full letter to Chairman Smith is available HERE and below:
Dear Chairman Smith,
In light of last Friday’s Supreme Court ruling that DOGE should be granted access to Americans’ private and confidential Social Security information, I urge you to immediately convene a markup on H.R. 1877 – the Protecting Americans’ Social Security Data Act.
On Friday, the Supreme Court issued an unsigned order overturning a district court’s order that barred DOGE personnel from accessing the Social Security Administration’s systems until a lawsuit challenging their access makes its way through the courts. This decision should alarm everyone. There is no reason why unqualified outside individuals need immediate and urgent access to non-anonymized SSA data, which includes Social Security numbers, income history, and personal medical records. The American people deserve to have their private information kept confidential.
The Protecting Americans’ Social Security Data Act would stop DOGE, political appointees, and ‘special government employees’ like Elon Musk from accessing sensitive data systems at SSA. It would also codify SSA data privacy requirements into law, ensuring that only Congress can change them, and strengthen oversight and civil penalties for any privacy and disclosure violations of Social Security beneficiaries’ personal information.
The Committee must immediately take action to protect Americans’ private and confidential information. Failure to act to protect this information would be a dereliction of our oversight responsibility and an endorsement of the Trump Administration’s illegal, irresponsible, and reckless disregard for Americans’ privacy and liberty.