[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 166 (Wednesday, August 27, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51637-51638]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-21838]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Privacy Act of 1974; Report of Matching Program

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is hereby given that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 
intends to conduct a recurring computer program matching Railroad 
Retirement Board (RRB) benefit recipient records with VA pension and 
parents' dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) records. The goal 
of this match is to compare income status as reported to VA with 
benefit records maintained by the RRB.
    VA plans to match records of veterans and surviving spouses and 
children who receive pension, and parents who receive DIC, with 
railroad retirement benefit records maintained by RRB. The match with 
RRB will provide VA with data from the RRB Research File of Retirement 
and Survivor Benefits.
    VA will use this information to update the master records of VA 
beneficiaries receiving income dependent benefits and to adjust VA 
benefit payments as prescribed by law. Otherwise, information about a 
VA beneficiary's income is obtained only from reporting by the 
beneficiary. The proposed matching program will enable VA to ensure 
accurate reporting of income.
    Records to be Matched: The VA records involved in the match are the 
VA system of records, Compensation, Pension and Education and 
Rehabilitation Records--VA (58 VA 21/22), first published at 41 FR 924 
(March 3, 1976), and last amended at 63 FR 37941 (7/14/98), with other 
amendments as cited therein. The RRB records consist of information 
from the Research File of Retirement and Survivor Benefits, Systems of 
Records RRB 225 and RRB 26 contained in the Privacy Act Issuances, 1991 
compilation, Volume V, pages 518-519. 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. This notice is provided in accordance with the provisions 
of the Privacy Act of 1974 as amended by Pub. L. 100-503.
    The match will start no sooner than 30 days after publication of 
this Notice in the Federal Register, or 40 days after copies of this 
Notice and the agreement of the parties is submitted to Congress and 
the Office of Management and Budget, whichever is later, and end not

[[Page 51638]]

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 
a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Trowbridge (212B), (202) 273-
7218.

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 the Office of 
Management and Budget.

    Approved: August 11, 2003.
Anthony J. Principi,
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 03-21838 Filed 8-26-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P