[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 212 (Thursday, November 3, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-27267]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: November 3, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

 

Privacy Act of 1974; Internal Computer Matching Program

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice of Computer Matching Program.

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    Notice is hereby given that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 
proposes to conduct an internal computer matching program. The Veterans 
Benefits Administration (VBA) and the Office of the Assistant Secretary 
for Finance and Information Resources Management (FINANCE) are the 
components responsible for managing the systems of records that will be 
subject to the matching program. The purpose of the program is to 
identify and locate VA employees who owe delinquent debts to the 
Federal Government as a result of their participation in benefit 
programs administered by VA. Once identified and located, the debtors 
may become subject to involuntary offset of their pay under the 
provisions of the Debt Collection Act of 1982.
    The legal authority for undertaking this matching program is 
contained in the Debt Collection Act of 1982 (Pub. L. 97-365), 31 
U.S.C. Chapter 37, Subchapter I (General) and Subchapter II (Claims of 
the United States Government, 31 U.S.C. 3711 (Collection and 
Compromise) and 5 U.S.C. 5514 (Installment Deduction for Indebtedness). 
These statutes authorize Federal agencies to offset a Federal 
employee's salary as a means of satisfying delinquent debts owed the 
United States. VBA and FINANCE have concluded an agreement to conduct 
the matching program pursuant to provisions of the Privacy Act of 1972, 
as amended (5 U.S.C. 552a(o)).
    VBA is the recipient component and will perform the computer match. 
FINANCE will provide VBA with an abstract file from the Personnel 
Accounting Integrated Data system (PAID). The records entered on this 
abstract are limited to those employees who are identified as veterans 
by an indicator in the original PAID record. Each PAID abstract record 
includes the employee's full name, social security number and duty 
station identifier. The records in the PAID abstract are, then, matched 
to the Veterans and Beneficiaries Identification and Records Location 
Subsystem (BIRLS) file by comparing social security numbers in both 
PAID and BIRLS records. In those instances where a PAID abstract record 
and a BIRLS record have identical social security numbers, the BIRLS 
file number is entered on the abstract file. In many instances, the 
file number will be the same as the employee's social security number. 
After the abstract file is updated with file numbers from BIRLS, the 
file is compared to the Centralized Accounts Receivable System (CARS) 
file. In each instance where a file number from the PAID/BIRLS match is 
identical to the file number in a CARS record, the CARS record will be 
updated with the employee's duty station identifier.
    If the abstract tape was not updated with the employee's file 
number, the employee's social security number in the PAID abstract will 
be compared to the CARS file number. If those numbers are an identical 
match, the employee's CARS record will be updated with his or her duty 
station identifier from the PAID abstract.
    Records to be Matched: The systems of records maintained by the 
respective components from which records will be disclosed for the 
purpose of this computer match are as follows: FINANCE: Personnel 
Accounting Integrated Data (PAID) Master Records in the Personnel and 
Accounting Pay System-VA, 27VA047, which appears at page 942 of the 
document entitled Privacy Act Issuances, 1991 Compilation, Volume II. 
This system contains records of approximately 220,000 active VA 
employees. VBA: (a) ``Compensation, Pension, Education and 
Rehabilitation Records-VA'' (58VA21/22) appearing at page 967 of the 
document entitled Privacy Act Issuances, 1991 Comp., Volume II. (b) 
``Loan Guaranty Home, Condominium and Manufactured Home Loan Applicant 
Records, Specially Adapted Housing Applicant Records and Vendee Loan 
Applicant Records-VA'' (55VA26), appearing at page 962 of the document 
entitled Privacy Act Issuances, 1991 Comp., Volume II. (c) Veterans and 
Beneficiaries Identification and Records Location Subsystem-VA (BIRLS), 
38VA23, which appears at page 952 of the document entitled Privacy Act 
Issuances, 1991 Compilation, Volume II. Exchange of data pursuant to 
this matching program is consistent with 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(1) and 38 
U.S.C. 5701(b)(6). The debtor records actually used to perform the 
match are maintained in the Centralized Accounts Receivable System 
(CARS). CARS records, which number about 414,000, are a subset of those 
found in Privacy Act system of records 58VA21/22. In some instances, 
data in an individual's record in the Privacy Act system of records 
58VA21/22 include certain data extracted from the same individual's 
record maintained under 55VA26. This would occur, for instance, where 
an individual has a delinquent debt as the result of his or her 
participation in the VA loan guaranty program.
    The matching program is expected to begin on or about December 5, 
1994, and continue in effect for 18 months. Matching activity will 
begin no sooner than 30 days after publication of this notice or 40 
days after a report of this is matching program has been provided to 
Congress and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), whichever is 
later. The agreement governing the matching program and, thus, the 
matching program, may be extended an additional 12 months with the 
approval of VA's Data Integrity Board. Such extension must occur within 
three months prior to expiration of the 18-month period set forth above 
and under the terms set forth in 5 U.S.C. 552a(o)(2)( D).

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments, 
suggestions or objections regarding the proposal to conduct the 
matching program to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (271A), 
Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 
20420. All written comments received will be available for public 
inspection only in the Veterans Service Unit at the above address, 
between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
holidays, until December 5, 1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mark Gottsacker, Debt Management Center (389/00A), U.S. Department of 
Veterans Affairs, Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, 1 Federal 
Drive, Ft. Snelling, Minnesota 55111, (612) 725-1844.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This information is required by the Privacy 
Act of 1974, as amended (5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(12)). A copy of this notice 
has been provided to both Houses of Congress and OMB.

    Approved: October 26, 1994.
Jesse Brown,
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 94-27267 Filed 11-2-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-M