# Protecting Americans' Social Security Data Act

This bill creates new restrictions on who can access your Social Security information and establishes penalties if that information is improperly accessed or shared. Specifically, it prevents political appointees and temporary government employees from looking at Social Security Administration databases that contain sensitive personal information about beneficiaries.

The bill defines "beneficiary data systems" broadly to include all the major databases the Social Security Administration uses—everything from the systems that issue Social Security numbers to those that track earnings records and determine who qualifies for benefits. The key restriction is straightforward: people who are political appointees (like cabinet members or other officials appointed by the president) or special government employees (temporary workers hired for specific projects) cannot access these systems at all. This is meant to protect sensitive data from being accessed for political purposes or by people who aren't permanent civil service employees.

If someone—whether a government employee or a private citizen—negligently accesses or discloses your Social Security information in violation of these rules, you can sue them for damages. You'd be entitled to at least $5,000 per violation, or you could pursue actual damages you suffered plus attorney's fees. If the violation was willful or grossly negligent, you could also receive punitive damages meant to punish the wrongdoer. You'd have two years from when you discover the violation to file your lawsuit.

The bill also requires the Social Security Administration's Inspector General to investigate every violation and report it to Congress within 30 days, including details about what information was accessed and any risks to your privacy. Additionally, if you're criminally charged with improperly accessing Social Security data, the Social Security Administration must notify affected individuals about the breach. The bill requires government auditors to study how these new protections are working and report back to Congress within a year.

Protecting Americans’ Social Security Data Act

Larson, John B.

Protecting Americans’ Social Security Data ActThis bill prohibits political appointees and special government employees from accessing Social Security data systems that contain personally identifiable information about Social Security beneficiaries.Specifically, political appointees and special government employees may not access systems maintained by the Social Security Administration (SSA) that issue or record Social Security account numbers, that are used to determine eligibility for or to pay Social Security benefits, or that otherwise contain personally identifiable information about individuals receiving or applying for benefits.&nbsp;The bill also establishes a civil right of action for an individual whose information was negligently accessed or disclosed in violation of these provisions. The individual may bring suit against the United States if the violator was a U.S. employee or officer, or against the violator if they were not a U.S. employee or officer. Such a claim must be brought within two years of the affected individual’s discovery of the violation. Upon a finding of liability, defendants are liable for specified monetary damages.&nbsp;If an individual is criminally charged or subject to proposed disciplinary or adverse action by a federal or state agency for having accessed or disclosed information in violation of these provisions, SSA must notify the individual whose information was accessed or disclosed of the violation as soon as practicable.&nbsp;Finally, the bill requires the SSA Office of the Inspector General to investigate and report to Congress on any unauthorized access to or disclosure of information in a beneficiary data system.&nbsp;