[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 78 (Monday, April 22, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17690-17691]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-9818]



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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Computer Matching Program; Notice

AGENCY: Department of Education (ED).
ACTION: Notice of computer matching program between the U. S. 
Department of Education and the U. S. Postal Service (USPS).

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SUMMARY: Subsection (e)(12) of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended by 
the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 100-
503), requires agencies to publish advance notice of computer matching 
programs as a means of informing benefit recipients/employees of plans 
to conduct computer matches. This publishes notice that ED proposes to 
conduct a computer matching program with the USPS. The matching program 
will compare USPS payroll and ED debtor records to identify postal 
employees delinquently indebted to the federal government under certain 
programs administered by ED. ED will contact affected employees and 
will take appropriate steps to collect those debts under the salary 
offset provisions of the Debt Collection Act of 1982 (Pub. L. 97-365) 
when voluntary payment is not made.

DATES: Comments must be received May 22, 1996. Unless comments are 
received that result in a contrary determination, the matching program 
covered by this notice will begin no sooner than 40 days after the 
computer matching agreement and this notice have been sent to the 
Congress and the Office of Management and Budget.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to the U. S. Department of Education, 
Washington Service Center, Attention: USPS CMA Comments, 600 
Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20202-5320.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Demetrius V. Windom, (202) 708-4774. 
Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may 
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Education expects that 
this computer matching program will enable it to obtain current home 
and work addresses for 6,000 USPS employees having student loan 
obligations held by ED. ED has collected approximately $3 million from 
previous matches with the USPS, and expects to recover from the 1996 
match $10.4 million over an average repayment period of five years. Set 
forth below is a description of the computer matching program proposed 
by this notice in compliance with OMB Bulletin No. 89-22, 
``Instructions on Reporting Computer Matching Programs to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB), Congress and the Public''.

Report of Computer Matching Program--U. S. Department of Education and 
U. S. Postal Service (Comparing ED Debtor Records and USPS Payroll)

A. Participating Agencies

    The U. S. Postal Service (USPS) is the recipient agency and will 
perform the computer match with debtor records provided by the 
Department of Education (ED), the source agency in this matching 
program.

B. Purposes of the Matching Program

    This matching program will compare USPS payroll and ED delinquent 
debtor files for the purposes of identifying postal employees who may 
owe delinquent debts to the federal government under programs 
administered by the Department of Education. The pay of an employee 
identified and verified as a delinquent debtor may be offset under the 
provisions of the Debt Collection Act of 1982 when voluntary payment is 
not made.

C. Legal Authorities Authorizing Operation of the Match

    This matching program will be undertaken under the authority of the 
Debt Collection Act of 1982 (P. L. 97-365) which authorizes federal 
agencies to offset a federal employee's salary as a means of satisfying 
delinquent debts owed to the United States.

D. Categories of Individuals Matched and Identification of Records Used

    The following systems of records, maintained by the participant 
agencies under the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, will be used to 
disclose records for this matching program:
    1. USPS' ``Finance Records--Payroll System, USPS 050-020,'' 
containing records for approximately 800,000 employees. [Disclosure 
will be made pursuant to routine use No. 24 of USPS 050-020, which last 
appeared in the Federal Register on December 4, 1992 (57 FR 57515).]
    2. ED's ``Title IV Program Files'' (18-40-0024), containing debt 
records for approximately 3,000,000 borrowers. [A notice of this system 
was last published in the Federal Register on April 12, 1994 (59 FR 
17351).]

E. Description of the Matching Program

    ED will provide USPS a magnetic computer tape containing the names 
and social security numbers (SSN) of its loan defaulters. By computer, 
the USPS will compare that information with its payroll files, 
establishing matched individuals (i.e., ``hits'') on the basis of

[[Page 17691]]

like SSNs. For each matched individual, the USPS will provide to ED the 
name, SSN, home address and work location. The identity and debtor 
status of an individual will be verified by ED through a review of its 
manual application and payment files and independent inquiries as 
needed. In all cases of mismatched names or SSN's, ED's regional 
personnel will confirm identity through individual file check and/or 
external sources such as the Social Security Administration. If 
identity is established, ED's computer system will ascertain the 
current repayment status for the account, eliminating from subsequent 
follow-up those accounts that are in repayment status, recently paid in 
full or otherwise resolved.
    The Debt Collection Act requires ED to give debtors advance notice 
of offset and an opportunity to contest the alleged debt. The 
Department's offset procedures include providing the debtor employee 
with the following notice and opportunities:
    1. A 65-day written notice of the Department of Education's 
determination of the debt and an explanation of the debtor employee's 
rights under the Debt Collection Act;
    2. An opportunity to inspect and copy records relating to the debt;
    3. An opportunity to enter into a written agreement establishing a 
repayment schedule; and
    4. An opportunity to a hearing on the existence or amount of the 
debt and on the terms of any involuntary repayment schedule.
    Involuntary offsets will be made only after ED has afforded the 
debtor these opportunities and certified over the signature of an 
authorized agency official that all due process procedures have been 
followed.

F. Beginning and Ending Dates of the Matching Program

    The matching program is expected to begin in May 1996 and to 
continue in effect for a period not to exceed 18 months. The agreement 
may be extended for one additional year beyond that period, if within 
90 days prior to the actual expiration date of the matching agreement, 
the Data Integrity Boards of both the USPS and ED find that the 
computer matching program will be conducted without change and each 
party certifies that the matching program has been conducted in 
compliance with the matching agreement.

    Dated: April 17, 1996.
David A. Longanecker,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 96-9818 Filed 4-19-96; 8:45 am]
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