[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 167 (Thursday, August 28, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45699-45700]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-22938]
[[Page 45699]]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Financial Management Service
Privacy Act of 1974; Computer Matching Program
AGENCY: Financial Management Service, Treasury.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a, the Privacy Act of 1974, as
amended, and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Guidelines on
the Conduct of Matching Programs, notice is hereby given of the conduct
of Financial Management Service (FMS) matching activities which may be
programs of computer matches.
EFFECTIVE DATE: September 29, 1997.
ADDRESS: Comments or inquiries may be submitted to the Debt Management
Services, Financial Management Service, 401 14th Street, SW, Room 151,
Washington, DC 20227.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gerry Isenberg, Financial Program
Specialist, Debt Management Services, (202) 874-6660.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FMS is the central disbursing source for the
Federal Government and currently receives recurring and non-recurring
payment certification records from departments and agencies of the
Government. FMS has a ``system of records'' (as defined in the Privacy
Act of 1974) for recurring payments entitled ``Payment Issue Records
for Regular Recurring Benefit Payments,'' identified as Treasury/FMS
.002. In addition, FMS has a ``system of records'' (as defined in the
Privacy Act of 1974) for non-recurring payments entitled ``Payment
Records for Other than Regular Recurring Benefit Payments,'' identified
as Treasury/FMS .016.
FMS also is the lead agency in the Federal Government for debt
collection and collects delinquent non-tax debts owed to the Federal
Government, delinquent debts owed to States, and past-due support being
enforced by States. FMS has a ``system of records'' for debt collection
entitled ``Debt Collection Operations System,'' identified as Treasury/
FMS .014.
The Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 (DCIA) amended the
administrative offset statute, 31 U.S.C. 3716, to statutorily provide
for centralized administrative offset by disbursing officials of the
United States. This statutory provision takes advantage of FMS' role as
the primary disbursing agency for the Federal Government. These matches
of records contained in the two payment systems of records identified
above with records contained in the Debt Collection Operations System
are intended to help implement centralized offset by disbursing
officials within the Department of the Treasury.
As matches of Treasury systems of records, the intended matches may
be internal matches which are not subject to the requirements of the
Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988 (see 5 U.S.C.
552a(a)(8)(B)(v)(II)). The preparation of this Notice and any other
documents which would be required for matching programs is intended to
assure compliance with the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act
of 1988, if judicial interpretation would deem either or both of these
types of computerized comparisons a ``matching program.'' This notice
should not be construed as a determination or admission by the agency
that these matches are ``matching programs.''
The DCIA provides authority for Treasury to waive subsections (o)
and (p) of 5 U.S.C. 552a (relating to computer matching agreements and
post-offset notification and verification) upon written certification
by the head of a State or an executive, judicial, or legislative agency
seeking to collect the claim that the requirements of subsection (a) of
31 U.S.C. 3716 have been met. Such waiver(s) will be in effect prior to
the commencement of the computer matching program(s). Interested
parties may obtain documentation concerning the waiver from the contact
listed above.
FMS previously published two notices concerning these matching
activities. The first notice, published in the Federal Register on
February 23, 1996, Volume 61 at page 7041, covered the matching of
records contained in FMS systems .014 and .002. That computer matching
notice, which predated the passage of the DCIA, concerned collection of
delinquent debts owed to the Federal Government by Federal civil
service annuitants through administrative offset of Federal employee
retirement payments.
The second notice, published in the Federal Register on February
20, 1997, Volume 62 at page 7825, covered the matching of records
contained in FMS systems .014 and .016. The purpose of those computer
matches is to collect, through offset, delinquent debt owed to the
Federal Government.
Computer matches performed pursuant to this notice may be broader
than those described in the previous matching notices. Records
concerning individuals who owe delinquent debts to States and/or past-
due support being enforced by States, as well as those who owe debts to
the Federal Government, will be included in the matches. The matching
of records contained in Treasury/FMS .002 will not be limited to
records concerning civil service annuitants. The matching of records
contained in Treasury/FMS .002 and Treasury/FMS .014 will be performed
in accordance with the requirements of the Computer Matching and
Privacy Protection Act of 1988, except for the requirements of
subsections (o) and (p) of 552a which will have been waived.
Name of Source Agency:
Financial Management Service
Name of Recipient Agency:
Financial Management Service
Beginning and Completion Dates:
These programs of computer matches will commence not earlier than
the thirtieth day after this notice appears in the Federal Register.
The matching will continue indefinitely, or until the waiver from the
requirements of 5 U.S.C. 552a(o) and (p) is revoked.
Purpose:
The purpose of these programs of computer matches is to identify
payments made to individuals who owe delinquent debts to the Federal
Government or to State Governments, as well as individuals who owe
past-due support which will be collected by offset pursuant to 31
U.S.C. 3716, and to offset such payments where appropriate to satisfy
those debts.
Authority:
Authority for these programs of computer matches is granted under
31 U.S.C. 3716.
Categories of Individuals Covered:
Individuals receiving payments from the Federal Government which
are disbursed by the Financial Management Service; and individuals who
owe debts to the United States and/or a State Government, or who owe
past-due support being enforced by a State Government, and whose debts
may be collected by offset in accordance with 31 U.S.C. 3716.
Categories of Records Covered:
Included in these programs of computer matches is information
concerning the debtor contained in the Debt Collection Operations
System (Treasury/FMS .014) including name, taxpayer identification
number, the amount of the indebtedness, the name and address of the
State or Federal agency who is principally responsible for collecting
the debt, and the name, phone number and address of a State or
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agency contact. Information contained in Payment Issue Records for
Regular Recurring Benefit Payments (Treasury/FMS .002) and Payment
Records for Other than Regular Recurring Benefit Payments (Treasury/FMS
.016) which shall be included in these programs of computer matches
shall include name, taxpayer identification number, mailing address,
and the amount of payment.
Dated: August 21, 1997.
Alex Rodriguez,
Deputy Assistant Secretary (Administration).
[FR Doc. 97-22938 Filed 8-27-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE: 4810-35-F