WASHINGTON - Plagued by regular breaches in the security of personal data, federal agencies were ordered Tuesday to eliminate the unnecessary collection and use of Social Security numbers by early 2009.

That order and several other new security measures against identity theft were outlined in a memo to all department and agency heads from Clay Johnson III, deputy director for management of the Office of Management and Budget.

Way to go OMB!!! now if we could only get legislators to agree that this is what is REQUIRED for the populous at large...