119-HR-5348 Journalist Public Summary

Headline Summary

Give parents a way to quickly replace a child’s Social Security number if the original card was lost or stolen in the mail; the House approved it on December 1, 2025, with overwhelming bipartisan support. [1]Library of Congress — Text of H.R. 5348 (Reported in House) — Congress.gov[2]Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives — Roll Call 306 (Dec. 1, 202…

What It Does

The bill tells the Social Security Administration to issue a new number to any child under 14 when a parent or guardian signs, under penalty of perjury, that the child’s Social Security card was lost or stolen during mailing. It also requires SSA to note the incident in the child’s record. [1]Library of Congress — Text of H.R. 5348 (Reported in House) — Congress.gov[3]Library of Congress — House Report 119-329 — Social Security Child Protection A…

Who’s For It

• Broad bipartisan support in the House: final vote 386–0, with 1 present. [2]Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives — Roll Call 306 (Dec. 1, 202…
• Sponsor Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R‑PA) says it’s a commonsense way to protect kids from identity fraud when cards go missing in the mail. [4]U.S. House of Representatives — Press release — Rep. Lloyd Smucker: Social Secu…
• House Ways & Means leaders argue it prevents harm by letting families act before a stolen number is misused. [5]House Committee on Ways and Means — Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith floor r…

Who’s Against It

• No recorded opposition votes in the House; the measure passed under suspension with near-unanimous support. [2]Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives — Roll Call 306 (Dec. 1, 202…
• Earlier, one committee member voted no during markup (43–1), but no formal organized opposition has been prominent in public materials. [6]Web search · turn 0 #1

What’s Next

After House passage, the bill goes to the Senate for consideration. If the Senate passes it, it would head to the President’s desk; if signed, the policy would take effect 180 days after enactment. [3]Library of Congress — House Report 119-329 — Social Security Child Protection A…

Why It Matters

Child identity theft can go unnoticed for years, making young families especially vulnerable. Lawmakers say this bill lets parents act quickly if a number is compromised during mailing, rather than waiting for fraud to occur. [6]Web search · turn 0 #1[5]House Committee on Ways and Means — Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith floor r…