[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 72 (Tuesday, April 15, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18229-18230]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-9089]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Privacy Act of 1974, As Amended; Computer Matching Program

AGENCY: Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE), ACF, DHHS.

ACTION: Notice of a computer matching program.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended by Pub. 
L. 100-503, the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988, 
we are publishing a notice of a computer matching program that OCSE 
will conduct on behalf of itself and the District of Columbia 
Department of Human Services, Income Maintenance Administration (IMA) 
for verification of continued eligibility for Public Assistance. The 
match will utilize National Directory of New Hire (NDNH) records and 
IMA records. The purpose of the computer matching program is to 
exchange personal data for purposes of identifying individuals who are 
employed and also are receiving payments pursuant to the Temporary Aid 
to Needy Families (TANF) benefit program being administered by IMA.

DATES: OCSE will file a report of the subject OCSE matching program 
with the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the 
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight of the House of 
Representatives and the

[[Page 18230]]

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB). The matching program will be effective as indicated 
below.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties may comment on this notice by writing to 
the Director, Office of Federal Systems, Office of Child Support 
Enforcement, Aerospace Building, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., 
Washington, DC 20047. All comments received will be available for 
public inspection at this address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Director, Office of Federal Systems, 
Office of Child Support Enforcement, Aerospace Building, 370 L'Enfant 
Promenade, SW., Washington, DC 20047. Telephone Number (202) 401-9271.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public Law 100-503, the Computer Matching 
and Privacy Protection Act of 1988, amended the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 
552a) by adding certain protections for individuals applying for and 
receiving Federal benefits. The law regulates the use of computer 
matching by Federal agencies when records in a system of records are 
matched with other Federal, state and local government records.
    The amendments require Federal agencies involved in computer 
matching programs to:
    1. Negotiate written agreements with source agencies;
    2. Provide notification to applicants and beneficiaries that their 
records are subject to matching;
    3. Verify match findings before reducing, suspending, or 
terminating an individual's benefits or payments;
    4. Furnish detailed reports to Congress and OMB; and
    5. Establish a Data Integrity Board that must approve matching 
agreements.
    This Computer Match meets the requirements of Pub. L. 100-503.

    Dated: April 7, 2003.
Sherri Z. Heller,
Commissioner, Office of Child Support Enforcement.
Notice of Computer Matching Program

A. Participating Agencies
    OCSE and IMA.

B. Purpose of the Match
    To exchange personal data for purposes of identifying individuals 
who are employed and also are receiving payments pursuant to TANF 
benefit programs being administered by the IMA and to verify continuing 
eligibility for TANF benefits.
    OCSE will match public assistance records, obtained from IMA, to 
the NDNH. After matching has been conducted, OCSE will provide matched 
data to IMA which will use this information to verify the continued 
eligibility of individuals to receive public assistance benefits and, 
if ineligible, to take such action, as may be authorized by law and 
regulation. Under the matching program, IMA will obtain data provided 
by OCSE.

C. Authority for Conducting the Match
    The authority for conducting the matching program is contained in 
section 453(j)(3) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 653(j)(3)).

D. Records to be Matched
    The system of records maintained by the ACF under the Privacy Act 
of 1974, as amended, 5 U.S.C. 552a, from which records will be 
disclosed for the purpose of this computer match, is the Location and 
Collection System of Records, DHHS/OCSE No. 09-90-0074, last published 
in the Federal Register at 65 FR 57817 on September 26, 2000. The match 
is a routine use under this system of records.
    OCSE, as the source agency, will collect from IMA electronic files 
containing the names and other personal identifying data of eligible 
public assistance beneficiaries. Upon receipt of the electronic files 
of IMA beneficiaries, OCSE will perform a computer match against the 
NDNH. The NDNH database consists of Quarterly Wage, New Hire, and 
Unemployment Insurance information. The matches will be furnished by 
OCSE to IMA.
    1. The electronic files provided by IMA will contain data elements 
of the client's name and SSN.
    2. OCSE will match the SSN on the IMA file by computer against the 
NDNH database. Matching records, based on SSNs, will produce data 
elements of the individual's name; SSN; employer, and current work or 
home address, etc.

E. Inclusive Dates of the Matching Program
    The effective date of the matching agreement and date when matching 
may actually begin shall be at the expiration of the 40-day review 
period for OMB and Congress, or 30 days after publication of the 
matching notice in the Federal Register, whichever date is later. By 
agreement between DHHS and IMA, the matching program will be in effect 
for 18 months from the effective date, with an option to renew for 12 
additional months, unless one of the parties to the agreement advises 
the other by written request to terminate or modify the agreement.

[FR Doc. 03-9089 Filed 4-14-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-M