[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 170 (Wednesday, September 3, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46505-46506]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-23283]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-3918-N-14]


Privacy Act of 1974; Notice of a Computer Matching Program

AGENCY: Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

ACTION: Notice of a Computer Matching Program--HUD and the United 
States Postal Service (USPA).

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as 
amended by the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988, as 
amended, (Public Law 100-503), and the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) Guidelines on the Conduct of Matching Programs (54 FR 25818 (June 
19, 1989)), and OMB Bulletin 89-22, ``Instructions on Reporting 
Computer Matching Programs to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB), Congress and the Public,'' the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development (HUD) is issuing a public notice of its intent to conduct a 
recurring computer matching program with the United States Postal 
Service (USPS).

EFFECTIVE DATE: Computer matching is expected to begin at least 40 days 
from the date this computer matching notice is published, provided no 
comments are received which would result in a

[[Page 46506]]

contrary determination. It will be accomplished 18 months from the 
beginning date.
    Comments Due Date: October 14, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding 
this notice to the Rules Docket Clerk, Office of General Counsel, Room 
10276, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, 
SW, Washington, DC 20410. Communications should refer to the above 
docket number and title. A copy of each communication submitted will be 
available for public inspection and copying between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 
p.m. weekdays at the above address.

FOR PRIVACY ACT INFORMATION FROM SOURCE AGENCY CONTACT: Jeanette Smith, 
Departmental Privacy Act Officer, 451 7th Street, SW, Room 4178, 
Washington, DC 20410, telephone number (202) 708-2374. (This is not a 
toll-free number).

FOR PROGRAM INFORMATION FROM SOURCE AGENCY CONTACT: Debbie Holt, Office 
of Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner, 
Department of Housing and Urban Development, 470 L'Enfant Plaza, SW, 
Room 3115, Washington, DC 20024, telephone number (202) 755-7570. (This 
is not a toll-free number).

REPORTING:  In accordance with Public Law 100-503, the Computer 
Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988, as amended, and Office of 
Management and Budget Bulletin 89-22, ``Instructions on Reporting 
Computer Matching Programs to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB), Congress and the Public;'' copies of this Notice and a report 
are being provided to the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight 
of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Governmental Affairs 
of the Senate, and the Office of Management and Budget.

AUTHORITY: The matching program will be conducted pursuant to Pub. L. 
100-503, ``The Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988,'' 
as amended, the Federal Debt Collection Act of 1982 (Pub. L. 97-276), 
which authorizes Federal agencies to offset a Federal employee's salary 
as a means of satisfying delinquent debts owed to the United States (5 
U.S.C. 5514 (a)); 26 CFR 301.6402-6 et seq., Chapter I, Subchapter F--
Procedure and Administration (Tax Refund Regulations issued by Internal 
Revenue Service); and 24 CFR part 17, Administrative Claims, subpart C 
17.60 and 17.125 through 17.140, Salary Offset Provisions (HUD).

OBJECTIVES TO BE MET BY THE MATCHING PROGRAM: The matching program will 
allow HUD to discover the identities and locations of postal employees 
who are indebted to the Department and to collect debts owed to the 
Federal Government.

RECORDS TO BE MATCHED: HUD will provide extracts from its system of 
records entitled HUD/DEPT-2, Accounting Records, last published in the 
Federal Register at 59 FR 52985 on October 20, 1994, containing records 
of more than 250,000 debtors of the records to be matched. Disclosures 
will be made under routine use (i) of that system.
    The USPS will provide extracts from its Privacy Act System of 
Records USPS 050.020, Finance Records--Payroll System, containing 
payroll records for approximately 800,000 current USPS employees. 
Disclosure will be made under routine use No. 24 of that system, a full 
description of which was last published in 57 FR 57515, dated December 
4, 1992.

NOTICE PROCEDURES: HUD will notify individuals at the time of 
application (ensuring that routine use appears on the application form) 
for guaranteed or direct loans that their records will be matched to 
determine whether they are delinquent or in default on a Federal debt. 
HUD and USPS will also publish notices concerning routine use 
disclosures in the Federal Register to inform individuals that a 
computer match may be performed to determine a loan applicant's credit 
status with the Federal Government.

CATEGORIES OF RECORDS/INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED: The debtor records include 
these data elements from HUD's system of records, HUD/Dept-2: SSN, 
claim number, program code, and indication of indebtedness. Categories 
of records include: Records of claims and defaults, repayment 
agreements, credit reports, financial statements, and records of 
foreclosures.
    Categories of individuals include: former mortgagors and purchasers 
of HUD-owned properties manufactured (mobile) home and home improvement 
loan debtors who are delinquent or in default on their loans, and 
rehabilitation loan debtors who are delinquent or in default on their 
loans.

PERIOD OF THE MATCH: Matching will begin at least 40 days from the date 
copies of the signed (by both Data Integrity Boards) computer matching 
agreement are sent to both Houses of Congress or at least 40 days from 
the date this Notice is published in the Federal Register, whichever is 
later, providing no comments are received which would result in a 
contrary determination. The matching program will be in effect and 
continue for 18 months with an option to renew for 12 additional months 
unless one of the parties to the agreement advises the other in writing 
to terminate or modify the agreement.

    Issued at Washington, DC.
Nicolas P. Retsinas,
Assistant Secretary for Housing--Federal Housing Commissioner.
Steven M. Yohai,
Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 97-23283 Filed 9-2-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-01-M