Washington, DC -- July 14, 2000 -- Congressman Jerry Kleczka, long a leader in the movement to protect the privacy rights of consumers and recently dubbed one of the House's "Four Horsemen of Privacy," joined Congressmen Clay Shaw (R-FL), Mark Foley (R-FL), and Robert Matsui (D-CA) at a press conference yesterday to introduce legislation designed to curb the rampant sale of Social Security numbers.

The bill aims to cut down on identity theft by prohibiting the commercial sale of Social Security numbers.  In addition, businesses would be penalized for refusing service to customers who choose not to disclose their Social Security numbers.  That provision, and another to prevent credit reporting agencies from selling credit header information that includes Social Security numbers, were heavily drawn from the Personal Information Privacy Act, legislation which Kleczka has introduced in the last two sessions of Congress.

"Social Security numbers have become default identifiers, the key to our most personal information" Kleczka said.   "We must act aggresively to prevent them from falling into the hands of unsavory individuals who would use them fraudulently."

The bill is expected to pass through the Ways and Means Committee next week, with the hope that the full House will take it under consideration before the August recess.