[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 154 (Friday, August 8, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46253-46254]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-18352]


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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, Public Law 100-503, and the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) guidelines on the conduct of computer matching programs, notice 
is hereby given of the renewal of the computer matching program between 
the U.S. Department of Education (ED) (recipient agency), and the 
Social Security Administration (SSA) (source agency). This renewal of 
the computer matching program between SSA and ED will become effective 
as explained in this notice.
    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) (Privacy Act), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
Guidelines on the Conduct of Matching Programs (54 FR 25818, June 19, 
1989), and OMB Circular No. A-130, Transmittal Memorandum 4, 
Management of Federal Information Resources (11/28/2000) 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 her obligation to verify 
immigration status and Social Security numbers (SSNs) 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 
SSNs in the course of applying for aid under a student financial 
assistance program authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965, as amended (HEA). Verification of this information by SSA 
will help ED satisfy its obligation to ensure that individuals applying 
for financial assistance meet eligibility requirements imposed by the 
HEA.
    Verification by this computer matching program effectuates the 
purpose of the HEA 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. 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

[[Page 46254]]

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 information to determine an applicant's eligibility for Federal 
student financial assistance, 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 Number Holders and SSN Applications System, SSA/OS, 60-0058, 
which maintains records about each individual who has applied for and 
obtained an SSN.

5. Privacy Impact Assessment

    Section 208 of the E-Government Act of 2002 (44 U.S.C. 3501 note) 
requires ED to conduct the following privacy impact assessment of this 
information collection:
    The information collected by ED under the computer matching 
agreement is the verification of SSNs by SSA and citizenship status as 
recorded in SSA records, for the purpose of assisting ED to satisfy its 
obligation to ensure that an individual applying for financial 
assistance meets the requirements imposed under the HEA. This 
verification is mandated by the HEA. The information obtained from SSA 
by ED will only be used as provided for under Section X of the computer 
matching agreement. Notice that ED verifies an individual's SSN through 
a computer matching agreement with agencies such as SSA is provided to 
individuals in the Privacy and Security section of the Free Application 
for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and in Federal student loan program 
forms; submission of a FAFSA and participation in the Federal student 
loan programs are voluntary. The information obtained from SSA under 
the computer matching agreement will be secured pursuant to the 
procedures described in Section IX of the computer matching agreement. 
No new system of records is being created for this collection because, 
as noted in the computer matching agreement, routine uses permitting 
the disclosure of records to allow for the verification of SSNs are 
already included in the Systems of Records Notices for Federal student 
aid programs. Thus, this collection comports with applicable Privacy 
Act standards and section 208.

6. Effective Dates of the Matching Program

    This matching program must be approved by the Data Integrity Board 
of each agency. The computer matching agreement will become effective 
on: (1) October 10, 2008; (2) 40 days after the approved agreement and 
report on the matching program are sent to Congress and OMB (or later 
if OMB objects to some or all of the agreement) unless OMB waives 10 
days of this 40-day period for compelling reasons shown, in which case 
30 days after transmission of the report to Congress and OMB; or (3) 30 
days after publication of this notice in the Federal Register, 
whichever date is latest.
    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.

7. Address for Receipt of Public Comments or Inquiries

    Individuals wishing to comment on this matching program, or to 
obtain additional information about the program, including a copy of 
the computer matching agreement between ED and SSA, should contact 
Marya Dennis, Management and Program Analyst, U.S. Department of 
Education, Union Center Plaza, 830 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 
20202-5454. Telephone: (202) 377-3385. If you use a telecommunications 
device for the deaf (TDD), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll 
free, at 1-800-877-8339.
    Individuals with disabilities can 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 This Document

    You can view this document, as well as all other documents of this 
Department published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe Portable 
Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following site: 
www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.
    To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available 
free at this site. 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 the Code of Federal 
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.


    Dated: August 5, 2008.
James F. Manning,
Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Federal Student Aid.
[FR Doc. E8-18352 Filed 8-7-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P