[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 153 (Wednesday, August 10, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48776-48777]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-17191]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

ACTION: Notice of a modified matching program.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides notice that 
it intends to conduct a recurring computer-matching program matching 
Social Security Administration (SSA) Master Beneficiary Records (MBRs) 
and the Master Files of Social Security Number (SSN) Holders and SSN 
Applications (Enumeration System) with VA pension, compensation, and 
dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) records. The goal of this 
match is to identify beneficiaries, who are receiving VA benefits and 
SSA benefits or earned income, and to reduce or terminate VA benefits, 
if appropriate. The match will include records of current VA 
beneficiaries.

DATES: Comments on this matching program must be received no later than 
30 days after date of publication in the Federal Register]. If no 
public comment is received during the period allowed for comment or 
unless otherwise published in the Federal Register by VA, the new 
agreement will become effective a minimum of 30 days after date of 
publication in the Federal Register. If VA receives public comments, VA 
shall review the comments to determine whether any changes to the 
notice are necessary. This matching program will be valid for 18 months 
from the effective date of this notice.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted through www.Regulations.gov or 
mailed to VA Privacy Service, 810 Vermont Avenue NW, (005R1A), 
Washington, DC 20420. Comments should indicate that they are submitted 
in response to Verify Unearned Income Information (DIFSLA). Comments 
received will be available at regulations.gov for public viewing, 
inspection or copies.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Victor Hall, (202) 461-9385, 
[email protected], Pension and Fiduciary Service, Front Office, 
Pension and Fiduciary Service (21P), Department of Veterans Affairs, 
810 Vermont Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20420, (202) 632-8863

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: VA will use this information to verify the 
income information submitted by beneficiaries in VA's needs-based 
benefit programs and adjust VA benefit payments as prescribed by law.
    The legal authority to conduct this match is 38 U.S.C. 5106, which 
requires any Federal department or agency to provide VA such 
information as VA requests for the purposes of determining eligibility 
for benefits or verifying other information with respect to payment of 
benefits.
    The VA records involved in the match are in ``Compensation, Pension 
and Education and Rehabilitation Records--VA (58 VA 21/22/28),'' a 
system of records which was first published at 41 FR 9294 (March 3, 
1976), amended and republished in its entirety at 86 FR 61858(November 
8, 2021). The SSA records consist of information from the system of 
records identified as the SSA MBR, 60-0090, and SSA Enumeration System, 
60-0058.
    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) 
and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
    Authority for Conducting the Matching Program: 38 U.S.C 5106 and 38 
CFR, chapter 1, part 4 authorize VA to enter into this CMA with SSA.
    Purpose(s): To re-establish a CMA with SSA for determining 
eligibility to continue to receive benefits authorized by the 
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
    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 necessary identifying 
information for applicable beneficiaries and their dependents. Each VA 
input file will contain the following variables:

1. Social Security Number for Primary Number Holder
2. Last Name
3. First Name

[[Page 48777]]

4. Middle Name/Initial
5. Date of Birth (MMDDCCYY)
6. Sex Code (Blank)
7. VA File Number
8. Agency Code ``VA''
9. Type of Benefit
10. Veteran with Spouse Indicator
11. Payee Number
12. Type of Record
13. Verified Payment Indicator
14. Verification Indicator
15. Processing Code ``212''
16. Verification Account Number (VAN)
17. Blanks, or Multiple Request Code.

    SSA will match the file against the Enumeration System and MBR will 
generate an output file with information on the following variables for 
each of VA's records containing a verified SSN:

1. Verification Code
2. Death Indicator
3. Filler
4. Type of Benefit--Retirement (R), Disability (D) or Survivor (S)
5. MCB (Monthly Benefit Credited)
6. MBP (Monthly Benefit Payment)
7. Medicare Deduction (SMI-B)
8. Effective Date of Monthly Social Security Payment ``CCYYMM''
9. LAF Code (D = Deferred/withheld money), (E = Monies paid through 
Railroad Board), (C = Current Pay)
10. Type of Benefit--Retirement (R), Disability (D) or Survivor (S)
11. MCB (Monthly Benefit Credited)
12. MBP (Monthly Benefit Payment)
13. Medicare Deduction (SMI-B)
14. Effective Date of Monthly Social Security Payment ``CCYYMM''
15. LAF Code (D = Deferred/withheld money), (E = Monies paid through 
Railroad Board), (C = Current Pay)
16. Type of Benefit--Retirement (R), Disability (D) or Survivor (S)
17. MCB (Monthly Benefit Credited)
18. MBP (Monthly Benefit Payment)
19. Medicare Deduction (SMI-B)
20. Effective Date of Monthly Social Security Payment ``CCYYMM''
21. LAF Code (D = Deferred/withheld money), (E = Monies paid through 
Railroad Board), (C = Current Pay)
22. Filler

    ``Some terms are repeated.
    SYSTEM(S) OF RECORDS: SSA will disclose the necessary benefit 
information electronically from the files of the MBR, system of records 
number 60-0090, last fully published at 71 FR 1826 (January 11, 2006), 
amended at 72 FR 69723 (December 10, 2007), and at 78 FR 40542 (July 5, 
2013), 83 FR 31250-31251 (July 3, 2018) and 83 FR 54969 (November 1, 
2018). SSA will disclose SSN verification information from the 
Enumeration System, system of records number 60-0058, last fully 
published at 75 FR 82121 (December 29, 2010), amended at 78 FR 40542 
(July 5, 2013), and at 79 FR 8780 (February 13, 2014), 83 FR 31250-
31251 (July 3, 2018), and 83 FR 54969 (November 1, 2018).
    VA records involved in this match are in ``VA Compensation, 
Pension, Education, and Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment 
Records -VA'' (58 VA 21/22/28), a system of records that was first 
published at 41 FR 9294 (March 3, 1976), amended at 77 FR 42594 (July 
19, 2012), and last amended and republished in its entirety at 84 FR 
4138 (February 14, 2019).

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. Faith Roy, 
Acting Deputy Chief Information Security Officer, Office of Information 
and Technology and VA Chief Privacy Officer, approved this document on 
July 11, 2022 for publication.

    Dated: August 5, 2022
Amy L. Rose,
Program Analyst, VA Privacy Service, Office of Information Security, 
Office of Information and Technology, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2022-17191 Filed 8-9-22; 8:45 am]
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