Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2012 6:17 pm
Post subject: Social Security Death Index - deadline March 8
Due to its importance for all of us, genealogists, I took the liberty to transcribe a post from GenPoland forum.
Gilberto
All of us who may use the SSDI should be already aware of this situation. There is a good chance access may be blocked. Read the info pasted here from Don Szumowski's Gendobry newsletter recently. Of special note is that there is a petition to be signed regarding the situation, and there are only three days remaining for that signing.
This subject was also mentioned recently on the Eastman Genealogy newsletter. http://blog.eogn.com/
I am not going to repeat waht these sources already have said.
If you are interested, it is important for you to read the info about the situation and sign the petition.
Subject: The SSDI Bill
Editor—It’s good to see Sandy Miarecki paid attention to various warnings about possible closing public access to the Social Security Death Index (SSDI). She has been posting notes with valuable information to various mailing lists. This is a note she sent me to pass along to all interested parties—which should include most of you.
More info on the SSDI bill. Now there is a petition on the White House Web site that people can sign. I’m forwarding it to many different people and blogs. It might be worth a special notice e-mail to the Polish e-mail groups.
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The U.S. House of Representatives has been holding hearings recently about closing public access to the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) because of concerns that the Social Security numbers of deceased individuals could be used to commit fraud. Closing access to the SSDI will not address the growing problem of identity theft. What is needed is for all government agencies and businesses to use the Social Security Death Index for what it was actually created for—to COMBAT fraud—by checking the Social Security numbers listed in it against the documents they’re receiving (such as tax returns).
The Records and Preservation Committee (RPAC), an international coalition of genealogy societies, has launched a campaign, Stop ID Theft NOW!, to keep the SSDI open to all who use it—not just genealogists, but forensic specialists, law offices, banks, and insurance companies. The White House petition needs 25,000 signatures before March 8th. Please share this information with anyone else who may be affected by this records closure.
Sandy
Editor—I know some of you have already signed this petition. But if you have not, please take a moment to do so. March 8th is approaching quickly, and I think genealogists will regret it if they don’t sign up—especially since when I just signed, I was signature # 4,671, with 20,329 more needed! You have to create a whitehouse.gov account to sign, and apparently some have had trouble doing so; but I had no trouble at all, and I have heard from quite a few people who succeeding in signing. I think they have the kinks worked out. You can speak up, too. Don’t wait; do it NOW!
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