Social Security Child Protection Act of 2025
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Would require the Social Security Administration to issue a replacement Social Security number to any child under 14 whose Social Security card was lost or stolen while being mailed to them, provided a parent or guardian submits supporting evidence under penalty of perjury.
What this bill would do
What it would do
The bill would amend the Social Security Act to create a specific remedy for a narrow circumstance: when a Social Security card mailed to a child under age 14 is lost or stolen in transit, the Social Security Administration (SSA) would be required to issue that child an entirely new Social Security number. A parent or guardian would need to submit evidence of the loss or theft, under penalty of perjury, to the SSA Commissioner. The SSA would also be required to note the circumstances of the loss or theft in the child's records.
The bill would not cover situations where a card was lost or compromised in other ways — only loss or theft during mailing qualifies. It applies only to children under 14 whose numbers were originally issued through the standard birth registration or application process.
Key provisions
- 1Would require the SSA Commissioner to issue a new Social Security number to a child under 14 when a parent or guardian submits sworn evidence that the child's card was lost or stolen during mailing.
- 2Would require the SSA to record in the child's file the pertinent information about the loss or theft of the Social Security card.
- 3Would make the amendment effective 180 days after enactment.
Who would be affected
Children under age 14 whose Social Security cards were lost or stolen in the mail, and their parents or guardians who would need to submit sworn evidence to the SSA. The Social Security Administration would be directed to process these replacement-number requests and update its records accordingly.
Why it matters
A child whose Social Security number is exposed during mailing faces a long window of vulnerability to identity theft, since that number could be misused for years before the child reaches adulthood. A replacement number would help shield the child's financial and administrative identity going forward, and the sworn-evidence requirement is designed to limit abuse of the replacement process.
What would change
Changes to existing law
Amends Social Security Act, Section 205(c)(2)(B) (42 U.S.C. § 405(c)(2)(B)) (Sec. 2)
Adds a new clause requiring the SSA to issue replacement Social Security numbers to children under 14 whose cards were lost or stolen in transit, upon sworn parental or guardian submission.
Agencies directed to act
Effective dates
- Amendment requiring SSA to reissue Social Security numbers to qualifying children
How implementation would work
The SSA Commissioner would determine the evidentiary standard for demonstrating that a card was lost or stolen in transit. Parents or guardians would submit that evidence under penalty of perjury. Upon verification, the Commissioner would issue a new Social Security number and record the circumstances of the loss or theft. No rulemaking timeline is specified beyond the 180-day effective date, leaving the Commissioner to develop internal procedures within that window.
Legislative status & sources
Latest action
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Official CRS summary
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This bill directs the Social Security Administration to issue a new Social Security number to a child under the age of 14 if the child's Social Security card was lost or stolen while being mailed to the child.
Legislative subjects
Child safety and welfare; Computer security and identity theft; Social Welfare; Social security and elderly assistance
Committee report
H. Rept. 119-329