[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 49 (Monday, March 13, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 13416]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-6067]


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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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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Department of Veterans Affairs 
(VA) intends to conduct a recurring computer program matching Social 
Security Administration (SSA) records with VA compensation, pension and 
dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) records.
    The goal of this match is to provide VA with information to 
identify those who are confined for a period exceeding 60 days due to a 
conviction for a felony or misdemeanor. VA has the obligation to reduce 
or suspend compensation, pension, and dependency and indemnity 
compensation benefit payments to veterans and VA beneficiaries on the 
61st day following conviction and incarceration in a Federal, State, or 
local institution for a felony or misdemeanor. Veterans Benefits 
Administration also has the obligation to reduce educational assistance 
to any recipient who is incarcerated for a felony conviction.
    VA plans to match records of VA beneficiaries with those reported 
by SSA as being incarcerated and to adjust their VA benefits 
accordingly. VA will use the SSA records provided in the match to 
update the master records of VA beneficiaries and to adjust their VA 
benefits, accordingly, if needed.

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 37941 (July 14, 1998). SSA's system of 
records and corresponding routine uses allowing the release of records 
for this purpose are the Master Beneficiary Record, SSA/OSR, 09-60-
0090, Routine Use Number 24; Supplemental Security Income Record, SSA/
OSR, 09-60-0103, Routine Use Number 19; Master Files of Social Security 
Number (SSN) Holders and SSN Applications SSA/OSR, 09-60-0058, Routine 
Use Number 15 (sub-systems are also referred to as the Enumeration 
Verification System (EVS), the Alphident or the NUMIDENT), Prisoner 
Update Payment System (PUPS) and the Incarceration Report Control 
System (IRCS). For each aspect of this program, the EVS will be 
accessed. 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 (OMB).
    This notice is provided in accordance with the provisions of the 
Privacy Act of 1974 as amended by Public Law 100-503.

DATES: The match will start no sooner than April 12, 2000, and end not 
more than 18 months after the 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 
8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, except holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathleen Grill (212), (202) 273-7234.

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 OMB.

    Approved: February 28, 2000.
Togo D. West, Jr.,
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 00-6067 Filed 3-10-00; 8:45 am]
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