04-23493. Privacy Act of 1974; Report of Matching Program

AGENCY:

Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

Notice is hereby given that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) intends to continue a recurring computer program matching Social Security Administration (SSA) records with VA pension and parents' dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) records.

The goal of this match is to compare income and employment status as reported to VA with wage records maintained by SSA.

VA plans to match records of veterans, surviving spouses and children who receive pension, and parents who receive DIC, with SSA income tax return information as it relates to earned income. VA will also match records of veterans receiving disability compensation at the 100 percent rate based on unemployability with SSA income tax return information as it relates to earned income.

VA will use this information to adjust VA benefit payments as prescribed by law. The proposed matching program will enable VA to ensure accurate reporting of income and employment status.

The authority for this matching program is 38 U.S.C. 5106, which requires Federal agencies to furnish VA with information necessary to determine eligibility for or amount of benefits. In addition, 26 U.S.C. 6103(l)(7) authorizes the disclosure of tax return information to VA.

Records to be Matched: VA records involved in the match are the VA system of records, Compensation, Pension, Education and Rehabilitation Records—VA (58 VA 21/22). The SSA records will come from the Earnings Recording and Self-Employment Income System, SSA/OSR, 60-0059. In accordance with Title 5 U.S.C. subsection 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 (OMB).

This notice is provided in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 as amended by Public Law 100-503.

DATES:

The match will start no sooner than 30 days after publication of this Notice in the Federal Register, or 40 days after copies of this Notice and the agreement of the parties are submitted to Congress and OMB, whichever is later, and end not more than 18 months after the agreement is properly implemented by the parties. The involved agencies' Data Integrity Boards (DIB) may extend this match for 12 months provided the agencies certify to their DIBs within three months of the ending date of the original match that the matching program will be conducted without change and that the matching program has been conducted in compliance with the original matching program.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments may be submitted by: mail or hand-delivery to Director, Regulations Management (00REG1), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., Room 1068, Washington, DC 20420; fax to [phone]; or e-mail to [e-mail]. All comments received will be available for public inspection in the Office of Regulation Policy and Management, Room 1063B, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday (except holidays). Please call [phone] for an appointment.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Paul Trowbridge (212B), [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This information is required by Title 5 U.S.C. subsection 552a(e)(12), the Privacy Act of 1974. A copy of this notice has been provided to both Houses of Congress and OMB.

Approved: October 4, 2004.

Anthony J. Principi,

Secretary of Veterans Affairs.