[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 199 (Monday, October 16, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60796-60797]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-17038]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Privacy Act of 1974; Report of Matching Program

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice of Computer Matching Program.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Department of Veterans Affairs 
(VA), recipient agency, intends to continue a recurring computer-
matching program with the Social Security Administration (SSA), source 
agency. The VA will match pension and parents' dependency and indemnity 
compensation (DIC) records with SSA records.

DATES: VA will file a report of the subject matching agreement with the 
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; 
the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight of the House of 
Representatives; and the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The matching program will be 
effective as indicated in this notice.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted by: mail or hand-delivery 
to Director, Regulations Management (00REG1), Department of Veterans 
Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., Room 1068, Washington, DC 20420; fax 
to (202) 273-9026; or e-mail to [email protected]. All comments 
received will be available for public inspection in the Office of 
Regulation Policy and Management, Room 1063B, between the hours of 8 
a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday (except holidays). Please 
call (202) 273-9515 for an appointment.

[[Page 60797]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pamela Liverman (212A), (757) 858-
6148, ext. 107.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This information is required by 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.

A. Participating Agencies

    The U.S. Social Security Administration and the U.S. Department of 
Veterans Affairs.

B. Purpose of the Match

    The purpose of the match is to compare income status as reported to 
VA with records maintained by SSA. VA plans to match records of 
beneficiaries who receive pension and DIC with the Master Beneficiary 
Record (MBR) and the Earnings Recording and Self-Employment Income 
System (MEF) maintained by SSA. This agreement reflects both agencies' 
responsibilities under the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C., Section 552a), and 
the regulations promulgated.

C. Authority for Conducting the Matching Program

    The authority to conduct this match is 38 U.S.C. 5106.

D. 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 70 FR 34186 (June 13, 2005), with other amendments as cited therein.
    The SSA records consist of the SSA Master Beneficiary Record (MBR), 
SSA/ORSIS, 60-0090. In the absence of MBR data, SSA will attempt to 
verify the social security number (SSN) in VA records using the SSA 
Earnings Recording and Self-Employment Income System (MEF), SSA/OEEAS, 
60-0059.

E. Description of the Computer Matching Program

    VA plans to match records of VA beneficiaries receiving income-
dependent benefits with SSA records. 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. The matching program will enable VA to ensure accurate reporting 
of income.
    VA will electronically furnish a file containing the following 
data: SSN, Title II CAN, name, gender, date of birth, VA claim number, 
and other general identifiers. SSA will provide the necessary benefit 
information electronically from the files of the SSA Master Beneficiary 
Record (MBR), SSA/ORSIS, 60-0090, or in the absence of MBR data, SSA 
will attempt to verify the SSN in VA records using the SSA Earnings 
Recording and Self-Employment Income System (MEF), SSA/OEEAS, 60-0059.

F. Inclusive Date of the Matching Program

    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 
OMB, whichever is later, 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 agreement.
    This computer-matching program is subject to public comment and 
review by Congress and OMB. In accordance with 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 Public Law 100-503.

    Approved: September 29, 2006.
Gordon H. Mansfield,
Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. E6-17038 Filed 10-13-06; 8:45 am]
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