Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Bowen V. Roy (1986), John Hermann

John Hermann

In Bowen v. Roy, 476 U.S. 693 (1986), the Supreme Court ruled 8-1 that the federal government did not violate the free exercise clause of the First Amendment by assigning a Social Security number for welfare benefits. Steven J. Roy, a Native American, did not want the federal government to use a Social Security number for his daughter to provide her with welfare benefits. According to Roy, the use of a Social Security number would prevent his daughter from "becoming a holy person," "rob [her] spirit," and violate the free exercise clause of the First Amendment.