[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 249 (Wednesday, December 29, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73023-73024]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-33744]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Privacy Act of 1974; Computer Matching Program

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice-Computer Matching between the U.S. Department of 
Education and the Social Security Administration.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act 
of l988, Pub.L. 100-503, and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
Guidelines on the Conduct of Matching Programs, a notice is hereby 
given of the computer matching program between the U.S. Department of 
Education (ED) (the recipient agency), and the Social Security 
Administration (SSA) (the source agency). The following notice 
represents the approval of a new computer matching agreement by the SSA 
and ED Data Integrity Boards to implement the matching program on the 
effective date as indicated below.
    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 
(Pub.L. 100-503), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Final 
Guidelines on the Conduct of Matching Programs (see 54 FR 25818, June 
19, 1989), and OMB Circular A-130, we are providing the following 
information:

1. Names of Participating Agencies

    The U.S. Department of Education and the Social Security 
Administration.

2. Purpose of Match

    ED is one of several Federal agencies to operate benefit programs 
that have statutory requirements to reduce, suspend, or terminate 
benefits to those who are incarcerated. Sections 484(a)(5)(20 U.S.C. 
1091) and 401(b)(8)(20 U.S.C. 1070a) of the Higher Education Act of 
1965, as amended (HEA) provide that an incarcerated student is 
ineligible for loans under the Title IV student financial assistance 
programs and that students incarcerated in any Federal or State penal 
institution are ineligible for Federal Pell Grant assistance. The SSA, 
with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Prisons and various State 
and local entities developed a database of persons who are 
incarcerated. On April 25, 1998, the White House directed ED to 
coordinate its efforts to enforce the requirements of sections 
484(a)(5)(20 U.S.C. 1091) and 401(b)(8)(20 U.S.C. 1070a) of the HEA 
with SSA by accessing SSA's prisoner database. This computer matching 
program will provide an efficient and comprehensive method of 
identifying incarcerated applicants who are ineligible to received 
student financial assistance under the Title IV programs.

3. Legal Authority for Conducting the Matching Program

    ED is authorized to participate in the matching program under Title 
IV section 484(a)(5)(20 U.S.C. 1091) and 401(b)(8)(20 U.S.C. 1071a) of 
the HEA. SSA is authorized to participate in the matching program under 
42 U.S.C. 1382(e)(1)(I)(ii).

4. Categories of Records and Individuals Covered by the Match

    ED will submit for verification from its Central Processing System 
files (Federal Student Aid Application File (18-11-01)) the social 
security number (SSN) and other identifying information for each 
applicant for Title IV student financial assistance. This information 
will be matched against the SSA State Verification and Exchange System, 
which contains the SSN and other identifying information for all SSN 
holders.

5. Effective Dates of the Matching Program

    The matching program will become effective 40 days after a copy of 
the agreement, as approved by the Data Integrity Board of each agency, 
is sent to Congress and OMB (or later if OMB objects to some or all of 
the agreement), or 30 days after publication of this notice in the 
Federal Register, whichever date is later. The matching program will 
continue for 18 months after the effective date and may be extended for 
an additional 12 months thereafter, if the conditions specified in 5 
U.S.C. 552a(o)(2)(D) have been met.

6. Address for Receipt of Public Comments or Inquiries

    Individuals wishing to comment on this matching program or obtain 
additional information about the program including a copy of the 
computer matching agreement between ED and SSA should contact Ms. Edith 
Bell, Program Specialist, U.S. Department of Education, Room 3053, ROB-
3, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202-5400. Telephone: (202) 
708-8242. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), 
you may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-
8339.
    You may inspect all public comments about this matching program at 
Regional Office Building 3, 7th and D Streets, SW, Room 3045, 
Washington, DC, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., Eastern 
time, Monday through Friday of each week except Federal holidays.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an 
alternate format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape or computer 
diskette) on request to the contact person listed.

Electronic Access to this Document

    You may view this document in text or Adobe Portable Document 
Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following sites:

http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm
http://www.ed.gov/news.html
http://ifap.ed.gov/csb__html/fedlreg.htm

To use the PDF you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader Program with 
Search, which is available free at the previous sites. If you have 
questions about using the PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing Office 
(GPO), Toll free at 1-888-293-6498, or in the Washington, DC, area at 
(202) 512-1530.

    Note: The official version of this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the 
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal 
Regulations is available on GPO access at: http://
www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html


[[Page 73024]]


    Dated: December 21, 1999.
Jeanne VanVlandren,
Acting Chief Operating Officer, Office of Student Financial Assistance.
[FR Doc. 99-33744 Filed 12-28-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-U