[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 29 (Monday, February 12, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9825-9826]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-3422]


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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 1988, 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 a computer matching program between the U.S. Department of 
Education (ED) (the recipient agency), and the Social Security 
Administration (SSA) (the source agency). This computer matching 
program between SSA and ED will become effective as explained 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 provide the following 
information:

1. Names of Participating Agencies

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

2. Purpose of the Match

    The purpose of this matching program between ED and SSA is to 
assist the Secretary of Education in his obligation to ``verify 
immigration status and social security numbers [SSN] provided by a 
student to an eligible institution'' under 20 U.S.C. 1091(g) and (p). 
The SSA will verify the issuance of an SSN to, and the citizenship 
status of, those students and parents who provide their SSN's in the 
course of applying for aid under a student financial assistance program 
authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act (HEA). 
Verification of this information by SSA will help ED to satisfy its 
obligation to ensure that the individual applying for financial 
assistance meets eligibility requirements imposed by the HEA.
    Verification by this computer matching program effectuates the 
purpose of the statute, because it provides an efficient and 
comprehensive method of verifying the accuracy of each individual's SSN 
and claim to a citizenship status that permits that individual to 
qualify for Title IV, HEA assistance.

3. Legal Authority for Conducting the Matching Program

    ED is authorized to participate in the matching program under 
sections 484(p)(20 U.S.C. 1091(p)); 484(g)(20 U.S.C.1091(g)); 
483(a)(7)(20 U.S.C. 1090(a)(7)) and 428B(f)(2)(20 U.S.C. 1078-2(f)(2)) 
of the HEA.
    The SSA is authorized to participate in the matching program under 
section 1106(a) of the Social Security Act, (42 U.S.C. 1306(a)), and 
the regulations promulgated pursuant to that section (20 CFR part 401).

4. Categories of Records and Individuals Covered by the Match

    The Federal Student Aid Application File (18-11-01) (which contains 
the applicant information on authority from ED) and the ED PIN 
Registration System of Records (18-11-12) (which contains the 
applicant's information to receive an ED PIN), will be matched against 
SSA's Master Files of Social Security Numbers Holders and SSN 
Applications System, SSA/OSR, 60-0058 which maintains records about 
each individual who has applied for and obtained an SSN.

5. Effective Dates of the Matching Program.

    This matching program will become effective after the Data 
Integrity Board of each agency approves the agreement and either 40 
days after the approved agreement 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 Inquires

    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, Management and Program Analyst, U.S. Department of 
Education, Room 4021, ROB-3 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 
20202-5400. Telephone: (202) 708-5591. If you use a telecommunications 
device for the deaf (TDD), you may call the Federal Information Relay 
Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an 
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape or computer 
diskette) on request to the contact person listed in the preceding 
paragraph.

Electronic Access to the Document

    You may view this document, as well as all other Department of 
Education documents published in the Federal Register, 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

    To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available 
free at the first of the previous sites. If you have questions about 
using 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 Code

[[Page 9826]]

of Federal Regulations is available on GPO access at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html

    Dated: February 6, 2001.
Greg Woods,
Chief Operating Officer, Office of Student Financial Assistance.
[FR Doc. 01-3422 Filed 2-9-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-U