[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 71 (Thursday, April 11, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 25687]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-07632]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice: 12375]


Computer Matching Agreement Between the Social Security 
Administration and the Department of State Office of Retirement

AGENCY: Department of State (DOS).

ACTION: Notice of New Matching Program.

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SUMMARY: The Social Security Administration (SSA) will provide the 
Department of State, Office of Retirement (DOS) Social Security numbers 
(SSN) verifications and Social Security disability benefit information 
concerning disability annuitants who are receiving Foreign Service 
Disability Annuity. DOS will use the benefit information to determine 
the offset amount for Foreign Service Disability Annuity payments.

DATES: Please submit comments on or before June 18, 2024. The matching 
program will begin on June 18, 2024, unless comments have been received 
from interested members of the public that require modification and 
republication of the notice. The matching program will continue for 18 
months from the beginning date and may be extended an additional 12 
months if the respective Data Integrity Boards determine that the 
matching program will be conducted without change; and DOS and SSA have 
conducted the matching program in compliance with the original 
agreement.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments via mail to: Edward Capers, Jr., 
Director, Department of State, Office of Retirement, Room SA-1 H620, 
2401 E ST NW, Washington, DC 20522, telephone (202) 261-8960, or via 
email at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Farrar, Deputy Director, 
Department of State, Office of Retirement, at (202) 261-8961.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOS is required to reduce the Foreign 
Service Disability annuities of individuals receiving Social Security 
disability benefits. DOS must rely on the annuitant to report the 
correct amount of Social Security benefits. However, DOS has found that 
many beneficiaries fail to report accurate information. Information 
from SSA is the most effective means available for verifying receipt 
and amount of Social Security disability benefits. The most cost-
effective and efficient way to obtain this information is via the 
computer transfer matching process.
    Participating Agencies: DOS and SSA.
    Authority for Conducting the Matching Program: DOS's authority to 
participate in this matching program derives from the Privacy Act of 
1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended by the Computer Matching and Privacy 
Protection Act of 1988, and the regulations and guidance promulgated 
thereunder. Section 1106 of the Social Security Act (Act) (42 U.S.C. 
1306) and the regulations promulgated thereunder provide legal 
authority for SSA's disclosures in this agreement (20 CFR part 401). 
Section 7213 of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 
2004 (IRTPA) (Pub. L. 108-458) provides SSA authority to add a death 
indicator to verification routines that the agency determines to be 
appropriate.
    Purpose(s): The purpose of this matching program between DOS and 
SSA is to assist DOS in meeting its legal obligation to offset specific 
benefits payable by DOS to Foreign Service disability annuitants, child 
survivor annuitants, and spousal survivor annuitants. SSA will disclose 
to DOS benefit information regarding individuals who receive benefits 
from SSA under Title II of the Social Security Act, which DOS will use 
to determine an individual's eligibility to receive benefits from DOS 
and to compute the benefits it provides at the correct rate.
    Categories of Individuals: The individuals about whom DOS maintains 
information that are involved in this matching program include retired 
Federal Foreign Service employees who are eligible or potentially 
eligible to receive a disability annuity from DOS (Foreign Service 
disability annuitants), and surviving children and surviving spouses of 
those Foreign Service disability annuitants who are themselves eligible 
or potentially eligible to receive an annuity from DOS. The individuals 
about who SSA maintains information that are involved in this matching 
program include those who receive benefits from SSA under Title II of 
the Social Security Act.
    Categories of Records: The categories of records involved in the 
data match from DOS include information about those individuals who 
have applied for or are eligible or potentially eligible for Foreign 
Service disability annuitant benefits. Specifically, full name, Social 
Security number (SSN), date of birth, and a system indicator required 
to extract information from SSA's systems. For those individuals for 
whom SSA has a record, SSA will provide DOS with information about an 
individual's beneficiary status and any associated benefit information; 
for those individuals for whom SSA cannot match the SSN, SSA will 
return an appropriate code to DOS.
    System(s) of Records: SSA's systems of records involved in this 
matching program are designated the Master Files of SSN Holders and SSN 
Applications (the Enumeration System), 60-0058, last fully published at 
87 FR 263 on January 4, 2022. Master Beneficiary Record, 60-0090, last 
fully published on January 11, 2006 (71 FR 1826) and amended on 
December 10, 2007 (72 FR 69723) July 5, 2013 (78 FR 40542), July 3, 
2018 (83 FR 31250-31251), and November 1, 2018 (83 FR 54969). DOS will 
provide data from Human Resources Records, State-31, last fully 
published on July 19, 2013 (78 FR 43258). The information in these 
systems of records may be updated during the effective period of this 
agreement as required by the Privacy Act. The systems of records 
involved in this information exchange have routine uses permitting the 
disclosures needed to conduct this exchange.

Edward Capers, Jr.,
Director, Office of Retirement, U.S. Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2024-07632 Filed 4-10-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-15-P