History of SSA During the Johnson Administration 1963-1968

THE APPOINTMENT OF AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON NON-PROGRAM USE OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACCOUNT NUMBER

The social security number has been issued to a large segment of the adult population in the United States, and is, therefore, a natural candidate for adoption by many organizations as a personal identifier for individuals. Its use for this purpose is growing rapidly, and already it is being considered as an American standard for personal identification. Under present law, regulation and policy, the Social Security Administration cannot prohibit the use of the account number for non-program related purposes.

Because of the ever-increasing demands by organizations outside of Government to use the number for purposes not related to the social security or Federal tax program, the Commissioner of Social Security is in the process of appointing a blue ribbon advisory council to deliberate the policy issues involved. Specifically, the council will be asked to make findings and recommendations to aid in the formulation of the Social Security Administration's future posture in respect to this sensitive issue.{1}

Membership on the council will include knowledgeable individuals from business, labor, law, education, civil liberties and other professional fields that are concerned with numerical identification.

Footnotes (Footnote numbers not same as in the printed version)

{1} See letter from Commissioner Ball to Congressman Cornelius E. Gallagher, March 21, 1968; memorandum and attached papers from Commissioner Ball to the Secretary of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, November 24, 1967.