SSN Policy Manual

Policy Manual

disseminating the social security number issued in the child's name and also enjoined the federal and state defendants from denying appellees benefits. Bowen v. Roy, 476 U.S. 693 (1986)-Appellees applied for and received benefits under the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program and the Food Stamp program. They refused, however, to comply with the federal statutory requirements that participants in those programs furnish the state welfare agencies who administer the programs with their Social Security numbers and those of each member of their household as a condition of receiving benefits, and that each state agency utilize those numbers in administering the programs. Appellees contended that obtaining a Social Security number for their 2-year-old daughter would violate their Native American religious beliefs. Thereafter, the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare terminated AFDC benefits payable to appellees on the child's behalf and instituted proceedings to reduce the level of food stamps that appellees' household was receiving. Appellees then filed an action in Federal District Court, claiming that the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment entitled them to an exemption from the Social Security number requirements, and requesting injunctive and other relief. Following a trial in which it was disclosed that the child had in fact been assigned a Social Security number, the court held that the public interest in maintaining an efficient and fraud-resistant system could be met without requiring a Social Security number for the child. The court then enjoined the Secretary of Health and Human Services from using and disseminating the Social Security number issued in the child's name and also enjoinedthe federal and state defendants from denying appellees benefits, until the child's 16'~birthday, because of their refusal to provide a Social Security number for her. Selective Service Selective Service registration is defined in 50 USC $453. As shown below, section (b) directs the registrant to provide "such identifying information (including date of birth, address, and social security account number) as such regulations may prescribe." 50 USC $453. Registration (a) Except as otherwise provided in this title (sections 451 to 471a of this Appendix) it shall be the duty of every male citizen of the United States, and every other male person residing in the United States, who, on the day or days fixed for the first or any subsequent registration, is between the ages of eighteen and twenty-six, to present himselffor and submit to registration at such time or times and place or places, and in such manner, as shall be determined by proclamationof the President and by rules and regulations prescribed hereunder. The provisions of this section shall not be applicable to any alien lawfully admitted to the United States as a nonimmigrant under section 101(a)(15) of the Immigrationand Nationality Act, as amended (66 Stat. 163; 8 U.S.C. 1IOI), for so long as he continues to maintain a lawful nonimmigrantstatus in the United States. (b) Regulations prescribed pursuant to subsection (a) may require that persons presenting themselves for and submitting to registration under this section provide, as part of such registration, such identifying information (including date of birth, address, and social security account number) as such regulations may prescribe.