[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 107 (Monday, June 4, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30049-30050]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-13848]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Privacy Act of 1974, Addition of Routine Use to System of Records 
Veterans and Beneficiaries Identification and Records Location 
Subsystem--VA

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice; addition of routine use.

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SUMMARY: As required by the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(4), 
notice is hereby given that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 
proposes to add a routine use to the system of records ``Veterans and 
Beneficiaries Identification and Records Location Subsystem--VA 
(38VA21).''

DATES: The proposed routine use will be effective July 5, 2001, unless 
comments are received before this date which would result in a contrary 
determination.

ADDRESSES: Written comments concerning the proposed amendment to the 
routine use may be mailed to the Office of Regulations Management 
(02D), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Ave., NW, 
Washington, DC 20420.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Trowbridge, Consultant, 
Compensation and Pension Service, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 
Vermont Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20420, (202) 273-7218.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: There is an ongoing computer matching 
program between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the 
Department of Education (ED) to provide ED with information about the 
veteran status of applicants for Federal financial aid. Veteran status 
is relevant to the financial aid process because ED treats veterans as 
independent applicants--which means that they are not required to 
provide parental financial information. ED uses the computer match with 
VA to quickly verify the veteran status of many financial aid 
applicants. In a memorandum dated September 30, 1998, VA's Office of 
General Counsel stated that routine use #2 in the system of records 
38VA21 was legally sufficient to support the existing computer match 
with ED but recommended that VA promulgate a new routine use in this 
system of records specifically authorizing disclosure for the purpose 
of conducting computer matches.
    VA proposes to add this routine use to the following system of 
records which is contained in the Federal Register: ``Veterans and 
Beneficiaries Identification and Records Location Subsystem--VA 
(38VA21).''
    A ``Report of Altered System'' and an advance copy of the revised 
system have been sent to the Chairmen and Ranking Minority Members of 
the Committee on Government Reform of the U.S. House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the U.S. Senate, and to 
the Office of Management and Budget, as required by 5 U.S.C. 552a(o) 
and guidelines issued by the Office of Management and Budget.
    Interested persons are invited to submit written comments, 
suggestions, or objections regarding the proposed amended routine use 
statement to the Director, Office of Regulations Management (02D), 
Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Ave., NW, Washington, DC 
20420. All relevant material received on or before July 5, 2001 will be 
considered. All written comments received will be available for public 
inspection at the above address in the Office of Regulations 
Management, Room 1158,

[[Page 30050]]

between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except holidays.
    If no public comment is received during the 30-day review period 
allowed for public comment, or otherwise published in the Federal 
Register by VA, the new routine use is effective July 5, 2001.

    Approved: May 21, 2001.
Anthony J. Principi,
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
    1. In the system identified as ``Veterans and Beneficiaries 
Identification and Records Location Subsystem--VA (38VA21) ``the 
following routine use is added:
38VA21

System name:
    Veterans and Beneficiaries Identification and Records Location 
Subsystem--VA.
* * * * *

Routine uses of records maintained in the system, including categories 
of users and purposes of such uses:
* * * * *
    21. Any information in this system of records may be disclosed to a 
Federal agency for the purpose of conducting a computer matching 
program (as defined in 5 U.S.C. Sec. 552a(a)(8)) in accordance with the 
provisions of section 552a.
* * * * *

[FR Doc. 01-13848 Filed 6-1-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P