[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 230 (Friday, November 29, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71591-71592]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-28622]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Privacy Act of 1974; Computer Matching Program between the U.S. 
Department of Education (ED) and the U.S. Department of Veterans 
Affairs (VA)

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the renewal of the computer matching 
program between the U.S. Department of Education (ED) (recipient 
agency) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) (source 
agency). After the ED and VA Data Integrity Boards approve a new 
computer matching agreement (CMA), the computer matching program will 
begin on the effective date as specified in the CMA and as indicated in 
paragraph 5 of this notice.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974, as 
amended (Privacy Act) (5 U.S.C. 552a), the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) Final Guidance Interpreting the Provisions of Public Law 
100-503, the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988, 54 
FR 25818 (June 19, 1989), and OMB Circular No. A-130, Appendix I, the 
following information is provided:
    1. Names of Participating Agencies.
    The U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the U.S. Department of 
Veterans Affairs (VA).
    2. Purpose of the Match.
    The purpose of this matching program between ED and VA is to assist 
the Secretary of Education with verification of a veteran's status 
during the review of applications for financial assistance under title 
IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, (HEA).
    The Secretary of Education is authorized by the HEA to administer 
the title IV programs and to enforce the terms and conditions of the 
HEA.
    Section 480(c)(1) of the HEA defines the term ``veteran'' to mean 
``any individual who (A) has engaged in the active duty in the United 
States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard; and (B) was 
released under a condition other than dishonorable.'' (20 U.S.C. 
1087vv(c)(1)). Under section 480(d)(1)(D) of the HEA, an applicant who 
is a veteran (as defined in section

[[Page 71592]]

480(c)(1)) is considered an independent student for purposes of title 
IV, HEA program assistance eligibility, and therefore does not have to 
provide parental income and asset information to apply for title IV, 
HEA program assistance. (20 U.S.C. 1087vv(d)(1)(D)).
    3. Authority for Conducting the Matching Program.
    ED is authorized to participate in the matching program under 
sections 480(c)(1) and 480(d)(1)(D) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1087vv(c)(1) 
and (d)(1)(D)). VA is authorized to participate in the matching program 
under 38 U.S.C. 523.
    4. Categories of Records and Individuals Covered by the Match.
    ED will provide the Social Security number and other identifying 
information of each applicant for financial assistance under title IV 
of the HEA who indicates veteran status. This information will be 
disclosed from the Federal Student Aid Application File system of 
records (18-11-01), which was most recently published in the Federal 
Register on August 3, 2011 (74 FR 46774-46781). ED will disclose this 
information to VA under routine use 14 of the system of records (18-11-
01). ED data will be matched against data in the Veterans and 
Beneficiaries Identification and Records Location Subsystem--VA 
(38VA21) system of records, under routine use 21, as added to that 
system of records (38VA21) by a notice published in the Federal 
Register on June 4, 2001 (66 FR 30049-30050).
    5. Effective Dates of the Matching Program.
    The matching program will be effective on the latest of the 
following three dates: (A) December 30, 2013; (B) 30 days from the date 
ED publishes a Computer Matching Notice in the Federal Register as 
required by 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(12); or, (C) 40 days from the date that ED 
transmits the report of the matching program, as required by 5 U.S.C. 
552a(r), to OMB, the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government 
Reform, and the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs, unless OMB waives 10 or fewer days of the 40-day 
review period for compelling reasons, in which case 30 days plus 
whatever number of days that OMB did not waive from the date of ED's 
transmittal of the matching program report.
    6. Address for Receipt of Public Comments or Inquiries.
    Individuals wishing to comment on this matching program or obtain 
additional information about the program, including requesting a copy 
of the CMA between ED and VA, should contact Ms. Marya Dennis, 
Management and Program Analyst, U.S. Department of Education, Federal 
Student Aid, Union Center Plaza, 830 First Street NE., Washington, DC 
20202. Telephone: (202) 377-3385. If you use a telecommunications 
device for the deaf (TDD) or a text telephone (TTY), call the Federal 
Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
    Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this 
document in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, 
audiotape, or compact disc) by contacting the person listed in the 
preceding paragraph.
    Electronic Access to This Document: 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 via the Federal Digital System 
at: www.gpo.gov. At this site 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). To use PDF 
you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the 
site.
    You may also access documents of the Department published in the 
Federal Register by using the article search feature at: 
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically through the advanced search 
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published 
by the Department.

    Dated: November 18, 2013.
James W. Runcie,
Chief Operating Officer, Federal Student Aid.
[FR Doc. 2013-28622 Filed 11-27-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P