[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 206 (Wednesday, October 25, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54692-54693]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: X95-11025]



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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Privacy Act of 1974; Computer Matching Program

AGENCY: Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE), ACF, DHHS.

ACTION: Notice of Computer Matching Program.

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SUMMARY: OCSE is providing notice of new crossmatches between 
delinquent obligors and Federal personnel records. The crossmatches, 
which are required by Executive Order 12953 (60 FR 11013, February 28, 
1995), will compare records in the Federal Tax Offset System Master 
File of Delinquent Obligors (compiled annually) against personnel 
records maintained by the Department of Defense (DoD) and the United 
States Postal Service (USPS). The names of Federal personnel who are 
identified as potentially delinquent obligors will be given to State 
IV-D agencies to determine whether wage withholding or other 
appropriate enforcement action should be initiated.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The new crossmatches will be implemented no sooner than 
November 24, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Harold Staten, OCSE, Division of 
Program Operations, Program Operations Branch, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, 
SW, 4th Floor--East, Washington, DC 20447, (202) 401-5752.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to section 304 of Executive Order 
12953, beginning in November 1995, OCSE will conduct periodic 
crossmatches between its Federal Tax Offset System Master File of 
Delinquent Obligors (Tax Offset File) and personnel/payroll files 
maintained by: (1) The Department of Defense; and (2) the United States 
Postal Service. The data to be matched consist of the Noncustodial 
parent's (NCP's) name and Social Security Number (SSN). When a match 
occurs between data on the Tax Offset File and on a DoD or USPS 
personnel/payroll file, the 

[[Page 54693]]
names of Federal personnel who are identified as potentially delinquent 
obligors will be given to State IV-D agencies. The State agencies will 
verify the information and use it to determine whether wage withholding 
or other appropriate enforcement action should be initiated.

Notice of Computer Matching Program

1. General

    Pub. L. 100-503, the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act 
of 1988, added several provisions to the Privacy Act to better 
safeguard the rights of individuals whose records are involved in 
computer matching programs. Section 7201 of the Omnibus Budget 
Reconciliation Act of 1990, Pub. L. 101-508, further amended the 
provisions of the Privacy Act pertaining to computer matching. Matches 
conducted by OCSE for the purpose of locating absent parents are 
usually exempt from these provisions. See OMB Final Guidance on Pub. L. 
100-503, 54 FR 25817 at 25823 (1989). However, Executive Order 12953 
specifically mandated that the match described in this notice be 
conducted in accordance with the computer matching provisions of the 
Privacy Act set forth at 5 U.S.C. 552a(o)-(u). These sections require 
Federal agencies involved in computer matching programs to:
    a. Negotiate written agreements with source agencies;
    b. Provide notice to the affected individuals that their records 
are subject to matching;
    c. Verify match findings before taking any adverse action against 
the individual whose records were matched;
    d. Furnish detailed reports to Congress and OMB; and
    e. Establish a Data Integrity Board that must approve matching 
agreements.

2. Crossmatches To Be Conducted by HHS/ACF/OCSE

    a. Participating Agencies. HHS will conduct separate crossmatches 
with DoD records and with USPS records, as described more fully in 
paragraph (d) below.
    b. Purpose of Crossmatches. HHS will conduct crossmatches with 
personnel/payroll records maintained DoD and USPS to enable it to 
identify, for State child support enforcement agencies, those Federal 
personnel who appear to have child support delinquencies. This 
information is provided so that States may verify the information and 
determine whether wage withholding or other enforcement actions should 
be commenced.
    c. Authority for Conducting Crossmatches. The crossmatches will be 
conducted pursuant to section 304 of Executive Order 12953, dated 
February 27, 1995 (60 FR 11013, February 28, 1995). As required by this 
Executive Order, the crossmatches will also be performed in accordance 
with 5 U.S.C. 552a(o)-(u).
    d. Categories of Records and Individuals Covered by the Match.
    The records which will be accessed in this match are records of 
federal military or civilian employees which are located in the 
following systems of records:
    (1) Federal Tax Refund Offset System, DHHS/OCSE No. 09-09-0074, 
last published at 55 FR 34764 on August 24, 1990;
    (2) Federal Creditor Agency Debt Collection Data Base, S322.11 
DMDC, last published at 58 FR 10875 on February 22, 1993;
    (3) Finance Records--Payroll System, USPS 050.020, last published 
at 57 FR 57515 on December 4, 1992.
    OCSE will submit to DoD and USPS the following data elements:

a. Noncustodial parent's (NCP's) Social Security Number (SSN)
b. NCP's name
    USPS and DoD will disclose to OCSE the following information for 
each match:

a. NCP name
b. NCP's Social Security Number (SSN)
c. NCP's date of birth (if available)
d. Employer's name
e. Employer's address
f. Type of employment (if available)
g. Annual salary

    Note: No disclosures will be made where such disclosures would 
violate national policy or security interests of the United States 
or the confidentiality of Census data. DoD shall notify OCSE 
immediately in all cases where it has identified such concerns.

    e. Inclusive Dates of Matches. The crossmatches will begin no 
sooner than 30 days from the date copies of the approved agreement, and 
the notice of the matching program are sent to the Office of Management 
and Budget, the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs and the House 
of Representatives Committee on Government Operations, or 30 days after 
publication of this notice in the Federal Register, whichever is later. 
The matching program will continue for 18 months from the effective 
date and may be extended for an additional 12 months thereafter, if 
certain conditions are met.

System Manager(s) and Address

    Donna Bonar, Director, Division of Program Operations, Office of 
Child Support Enforcement, Department of Health and Human Services, 370 
L'Enfant Promenade, SW, 4th Floor East, Washington, DC 20447

    Dated: October 12, 1995.
David Gray Ross,
Deputy Director.
[FR Doc. 95- 26366 Filed 10-24 -95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01P