[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 85 (Monday, May 4, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24591-24592]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-11713]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Privacy Act of 1974; Report of Amended Matching Program

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is hereby given that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 
intends to conduct a recurring computer matching program matching 
Social Security Administration (SSA) records with VA pension and 
parents' dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) records.
    The goal of this match is to compare income status as reported to 
VA with records maintained by SSA.
    The Department of Veterans Affairs plans to match records of 
veterans and surviving spouses and children who receive pension, and 
parents who receive DIC, with the Master Beneficiary Record (MBR) and 
Master Earnings File (MEF) maintained by SSA.
    VA will use this information to update the master records of VA 
beneficiaries receiving income dependent benefits and to adjust VA 
benefit payments as prescribed by law. The proposed matching program 
will enable VA to ensure accurate reporting of income.


[[Page 24592]]


RECORDS TO BE MATCHED: The VA records involved in the match are the VA 
system of records, Compensation, Pension, Education and Rehabilitation 
Records--VA (58 VA 21/22) first published at 41 FR 9294, March 3, 1976 
and last amended at 63 FR 7196, February 12, 1998. The SSA records 
consist of information from SSA ``Master Beneficiary Record (MBR) 09-
60-0090,'' published at 60 FR 2144, January 6, 1995 and last amended 
October 11, 1995 at 60 FR 52948 (Routine Use #24(b)). In the absence of 
MBR data, SSA will attempt to verify the SSN in VA records using the 
Master Earnings File (MEF) 09-60-0059,'' published at 59 FR 62407 
December 5, 1994 and last amended 62 FR 11939, March 13, 1997 (Routine 
Use #26). In accordance with Title 5 U.S.C. subsection 552a(o)(2) and 
(r), copies of the agreement are being sent to both Houses of Congress 
and to the Office of Management and Budget.
    This notice is provided in accordance with the provisions of the 
Privacy Act of 1974 as amended by Public Law 100-503.
    The match will start no sooner than 30 days after publication of 
this Notice in the Federal Register, or 40 days after copies of this 
Notice and the agreement of the parties is submitted to Congress and 
the Office of Management and Budget, whichever is later, and end not 
more than 18 months after agreement is properly implemented by the 
parties. The involved agencies' Data Integrity Boards (DIB) may extend 
this match for 12 months provided the agencies certify to their DIBs, 
within three months of the ending date of the original match, that the 
matching program will be conducted without change and that the matching 
program has been conducted in compliance with the original matching 
program.

ADDRESSES: Interested individuals may submit written comments to the 
Director, Office of Regulations Management (02D), Department of 
Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Room 1154, Washington, DC 
20420. Comments will be available for public inspection at the above 
address in the Office of Regulations Management, Room 1158, between 8 
a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, except holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Trowbridge (213B), (202) 273-
7218.

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

    Approved: April 22, 1998.
Togo D. West, Jr.,
Acting Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 98-11713 Filed 5-1-98; 8:45 am]
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