[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 159 (Monday, August 17, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50069-50070]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-17945]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

ACTION: Notice of a new matching program.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides notice that 
the VA intends to renew a computer matching agreement with the Social 
Security Administration (SSA). This disclosure provides VA with data to 
update the master records of VA applicants and beneficiaries, including 
Veterans and survivors, and their eligible dependent(s) who are 
receiving income-dependent benefits. This disclosure also provides VA 
with data to determine the continued eligibility of those receiving 
income-dependent benefits and those beneficiaries who are receiving 
disability compensation at the 100 percent rate because of 
unemployability, and allow VA to adjust or discontinue benefits 
accordingly.

DATES: Comments on this matching program must be received no later than 
September 16, 2020. If no public comment is received during the period 
allowed for comment or unless otherwise published in the Federal 
Register by VA, the new matching program will become effective 
September 16, 2020. This matching program will begin on September 15, 
2020, and end on March 14, 2022 with the option to renew an additional 
twelve months to March 14, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted through 
www.Regulations.gov; by mail or hand-delivery to Director, Regulation 
Policy and Management (00REG), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 
Vermont Ave. NW, Room 1064, Washington, DC 20420; or by fax to (202) 
273-9026 (not a toll-free number). Comments should indicate that they 
are submitted in response to ``COMPUTER MATCHING AGREEMENT (CMA) 
BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT VETERANS AFFAIRS (VA) AND THE SOCIAL SECURITY 
ADMINISTRATION #1050 (SSA).'' Copies of comments received will be 
available for public inspection in the Office of Regulation Policy and 
Management, Room 1063B, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.,

[[Page 50070]]

Monday through Friday (except holidays). Please call (202) 461-4902 for 
an appointment. (This is not a toll-free number.) In addition, comments 
may be viewed online at www.Regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bryant Coleman, Program Analyst, 
Pension and Fiduciary Service (21P), Department of Veterans Affairs, 
810 Vermont Ave NW, Washington, DC 20420, (202) 461-8394.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This disclosure will provide VA with data to 
update the master records of VA applicants and beneficiaries, including 
Veterans and survivors, and their eligible dependent(s) who are 
receiving income-dependent benefits. This disclosure will also provide 
VA with data to determine the continued eligibility of those receiving 
income-dependent benefits and those beneficiaries who are receiving 
disability compensation at the 100 percent rate because of 
unemployability, and allow VA to adjust or discontinue benefits 
accordingly.
    Legal authority for the disclosures under this agreement is 38 
U.S.C. 5106, which requires Federal agencies to furnish VA with 
information the VA Secretary may request for determining eligibility 
for or the amount of VA benefits.
    SSA will disclose to VA the necessary tax return information from 
the MEF, last fully published at 71 FR 1819 (January 11, 2006), and 
amended at 78 FR 40542. SSA will disclose to VA data from Master Files 
of Social Security Number (SSN) Holders and SSN Applications (the 
Enumeration System), 60-0058, last fully published at 75 FR 82121 
(December 29, 2010), and amended at 78 FR 40542 (July 5, 2013) and 79 
FR 8780 (February 13, 2014).
    In accordance with the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 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 Privacy Act of 1974 as amended by 
Public Law 100-503.
    Participating Agencies: The Social Security Administration (SSA).
    Authority for Conducting the Matching Program: The Privacy Act, 5 
U.S.C 552a, and 38 U.S.C 5106 authorize VA to enter into this CMA with 
SSA.
    Purpose(s): This disclosure will provide VA with data to update the 
master records of VA applicants and beneficiaries, including Veterans 
and survivors, and their eligible dependent(s) who are receiving 
income-dependent benefits. This disclosure will also provide VA with 
data to determine the continued eligibility of those receiving income-
dependent benefits and those beneficiaries who are receiving disability 
compensation at the 100 percent rate because of unemployability, and 
allow VA to adjust or discontinue benefits accordingly.
    Categories of Individuals: Veterans and beneficiaries who apply for 
VA income benefits.
    Categories of Records: VA will provide SSA with an electronic file 
in a format defined by SSA that contains the SSN, name, date of birth, 
and report year for each applicant, beneficiary, and eligible 
dependent(s) for whom tax return information is being requested. SSA 
will verify the SSNs furnished by VA using the Enumeration System. If 
the SSN of the VA applicant, beneficiary, or dependent(s) submitted to 
SSA verifies, SSA will return a response to VA that includes earnings 
data (employer identification and addresses, wage amounts from Form W-
2, and earnings amounts from self-employment), SSN verification code, 
verified SSN, death indicator, annual total wages, and earnings report 
type on the record subject. If the SSN of the VA applicant, 
beneficiary, or dependent(s) submitted to SSA fails to verify, SSA will 
return a response to VA indicating that the SSN did not verify.
    System(s) of Records: SSA will disclose to VA the necessary tax 
return information from the MEF, last fully published at 71 FR 1819 
(January 11, 2006), and amended at 78 FR 40542. SSA will disclose to VA 
data from Master Files of Social Security Number (SSN) Holders and SSN 
Applications (the Enumeration System), 60-0058, last fully published at 
75 FR 82121 (December 29, 2010), and amended at 78 FR 40542 (July 5, 
2013) and 79 FR 8780 (February 13, 2014). VA will match the SSA data 
with data in its system of records (SOR) entitled ``Compensation, 
Pension, Education, and Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment 
Records-VA (58VA21/22/28),'' republished with updated name at 74 FR 
14865 (April 1, 2009) and last amended at 77 FR 42593 (July 19, 2012).

Signing Authority

    The Senior Agency Official for Privacy, or designee, approved this 
document and authorized the undersigned to sign and submit the document 
to the Office of the Federal Register for publication electronically as 
an official document of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Joseph S. 
Stenaka, Department of Veterans Affairs Chief Privacy Officer, approved 
this document on July 21, 2020 for publication.

    Dated: August 12, 2020.
Amy L. Rose,
Program Analyst, VA Privacy Service, Office of Information Security, 
Office of Information and Technology, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2020-17945 Filed 8-14-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P