RPAC Prevented From Presenting Information to Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security

There will be a hearing on Thursday, 2 February 2012 at 9:00 a.m. of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security. The hearing will focus on the history, accuracy, use, and impacts of the Death Master File.

RPAC worked for several days on preparing information for the subcommittee and lining up noted genealogists who could be available to testify. Yesterday we received the news that no one from the genealogical community is being invited to testify. Congressman Sam Johnson from Texas is the person who has proposed bill H.R. 3475 "Keeping ID's Safe Act of 2011" which would close the SSDI to genealogists.

Anyone can present written testimony which we are preparing on behalf of RPAC and several of the genealogical organizations which is due by 16 February 2012. We encourage genealogists in the Washington, DC area to attend the hearing. For details on the proposed legislation see http://www.fgs.org/RPAC.


RPAC is in the process of organizing an initiative throughout the genealogical community which will be announced on 14 February 2012.  Watch for further information.  In the meantime, read about the issues on the RPAC website.

Editor’s Note: You can access the details of the proposed bill and its progress via govtrack.us

Editor’s Note: Do check out the RPAC document “RPAC Talking Points on Why Genealogists Need the Social Security Death Index (SSDI)”

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