94-27267. Privacy Act of 1974; Internal Computer Matching Program  

  • [Federal Register Volume 59, Number 212 (Thursday, November 3, 1994)]
    [Unknown Section]
    [Page 0]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 94-27267]
    
    
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    [Federal Register: November 3, 1994]
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
    
     
    
    Privacy Act of 1974; Internal Computer Matching Program
    
    AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.
    
    ACTION: Notice of Computer Matching Program.
    
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        Notice is hereby given that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 
    proposes to conduct an internal computer matching program. The Veterans 
    Benefits Administration (VBA) and the Office of the Assistant Secretary 
    for Finance and Information Resources Management (FINANCE) are the 
    components responsible for managing the systems of records that will be 
    subject to the matching program. The purpose of the program is to 
    identify and locate VA employees who owe delinquent debts to the 
    Federal Government as a result of their participation in benefit 
    programs administered by VA. Once identified and located, the debtors 
    may become subject to involuntary offset of their pay under the 
    provisions of the Debt Collection Act of 1982.
        The legal authority for undertaking this matching program is 
    contained in the Debt Collection Act of 1982 (Pub. L. 97-365), 31 
    U.S.C. Chapter 37, Subchapter I (General) and Subchapter II (Claims of 
    the United States Government, 31 U.S.C. 3711 (Collection and 
    Compromise) and 5 U.S.C. 5514 (Installment Deduction for Indebtedness). 
    These statutes authorize Federal agencies to offset a Federal 
    employee's salary as a means of satisfying delinquent debts owed the 
    United States. VBA and FINANCE have concluded an agreement to conduct 
    the matching program pursuant to provisions of the Privacy Act of 1972, 
    as amended (5 U.S.C. 552a(o)).
        VBA is the recipient component and will perform the computer match. 
    FINANCE will provide VBA with an abstract file from the Personnel 
    Accounting Integrated Data system (PAID). The records entered on this 
    abstract are limited to those employees who are identified as veterans 
    by an indicator in the original PAID record. Each PAID abstract record 
    includes the employee's full name, social security number and duty 
    station identifier. The records in the PAID abstract are, then, matched 
    to the Veterans and Beneficiaries Identification and Records Location 
    Subsystem (BIRLS) file by comparing social security numbers in both 
    PAID and BIRLS records. In those instances where a PAID abstract record 
    and a BIRLS record have identical social security numbers, the BIRLS 
    file number is entered on the abstract file. In many instances, the 
    file number will be the same as the employee's social security number. 
    After the abstract file is updated with file numbers from BIRLS, the 
    file is compared to the Centralized Accounts Receivable System (CARS) 
    file. In each instance where a file number from the PAID/BIRLS match is 
    identical to the file number in a CARS record, the CARS record will be 
    updated with the employee's duty station identifier.
        If the abstract tape was not updated with the employee's file 
    number, the employee's social security number in the PAID abstract will 
    be compared to the CARS file number. If those numbers are an identical 
    match, the employee's CARS record will be updated with his or her duty 
    station identifier from the PAID abstract.
        Records to be Matched: The systems of records maintained by the 
    respective components from which records will be disclosed for the 
    purpose of this computer match are as follows: FINANCE: Personnel 
    Accounting Integrated Data (PAID) Master Records in the Personnel and 
    Accounting Pay System-VA, 27VA047, which appears at page 942 of the 
    document entitled Privacy Act Issuances, 1991 Compilation, Volume II. 
    This system contains records of approximately 220,000 active VA 
    employees. VBA: (a) ``Compensation, Pension, Education and 
    Rehabilitation Records-VA'' (58VA21/22) appearing at page 967 of the 
    document entitled Privacy Act Issuances, 1991 Comp., Volume II. (b) 
    ``Loan Guaranty Home, Condominium and Manufactured Home Loan Applicant 
    Records, Specially Adapted Housing Applicant Records and Vendee Loan 
    Applicant Records-VA'' (55VA26), appearing at page 962 of the document 
    entitled Privacy Act Issuances, 1991 Comp., Volume II. (c) Veterans and 
    Beneficiaries Identification and Records Location Subsystem-VA (BIRLS), 
    38VA23, which appears at page 952 of the document entitled Privacy Act 
    Issuances, 1991 Compilation, Volume II. Exchange of data pursuant to 
    this matching program is consistent with 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(1) and 38 
    U.S.C. 5701(b)(6). The debtor records actually used to perform the 
    match are maintained in the Centralized Accounts Receivable System 
    (CARS). CARS records, which number about 414,000, are a subset of those 
    found in Privacy Act system of records 58VA21/22. In some instances, 
    data in an individual's record in the Privacy Act system of records 
    58VA21/22 include certain data extracted from the same individual's 
    record maintained under 55VA26. This would occur, for instance, where 
    an individual has a delinquent debt as the result of his or her 
    participation in the VA loan guaranty program.
        The matching program is expected to begin on or about December 5, 
    1994, and continue in effect for 18 months. Matching activity will 
    begin no sooner than 30 days after publication of this notice or 40 
    days after a report of this is matching program has been provided to 
    Congress and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), whichever is 
    later. The agreement governing the matching program and, thus, the 
    matching program, may be extended an additional 12 months with the 
    approval of VA's Data Integrity Board. Such extension must occur within 
    three months prior to expiration of the 18-month period set forth above 
    and under the terms set forth in 5 U.S.C. 552a(o)(2)( D).
    
    ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments, 
    suggestions or objections regarding the proposal to conduct the 
    matching program to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (271A), 
    Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 
    20420. All written comments received will be available for public 
    inspection only in the Veterans Service Unit at the above address, 
    between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
    holidays, until December 5, 1994.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    Mark Gottsacker, Debt Management Center (389/00A), U.S. Department of 
    Veterans Affairs, Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, 1 Federal 
    Drive, Ft. Snelling, Minnesota 55111, (612) 725-1844.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This information is required by the Privacy 
    Act of 1974, as amended (5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(12)). A copy of this notice 
    has been provided to both Houses of Congress and OMB.
    
        Approved: October 26, 1994.
    Jesse Brown,
    Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
    [FR Doc. 94-27267 Filed 11-2-94; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 8320-01-M
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
11/03/1994
Department:
Veterans Affairs Department
Entry Type:
Uncategorized Document
Action:
Notice of Computer Matching Program.
Document Number:
94-27267
Pages:
0-0 (1 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Federal Register: November 3, 1994