98-18698. Privacy Act of 1974; Computer Matching Program

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 134 (Tuesday, July 14, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 38064]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-18698]



[[Page 38063]]

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Part V





Department of Education





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Privacy Act of 1974; Computer Matching Program; Notice

Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 134 / Tuesday, July 14, 1998 / 
Notices

[[Page 38064]]



DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Privacy Act of 1974; Computer Matching Program

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice--Computer Matching between the U.S. Department of 
Education and the Social Security Administration.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act 
of 1988, Pub. L. 100-503, and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
Guidelines on the Conduct of Matching Programs, notice is hereby given 
of the computer matching program between the U.S. Department of 
Education (ED) (the recipient agency), and the Social Security 
Administration (SSA) (the source agency).
    Notice of the matching program was originally published in the 
Federal Register on December 1, 1995 (60 FR 61687); the program was 
effective on January 1, 1996. Duration was 18 months plus a one-year 
extension permitted by the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended by the 
Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988 (5 U.S.C. 
522a(o)(2)(D)). The one-year extension will expire on July 7, 1998. The 
following notice represents the approval of a new agreement by the SSA 
and ED Data Integrity Boards to continue the matching program on the 
effective date as indicated below.
    In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as 
amended by the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988 
(Pub. L. 100-503), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Final 
Guidelines on the Conduct of Matching Programs (see 54 FR 25818, June 
19, 1989), and OMB Circular A-130, the following information is 
provided:

1. Names of Participating Agencies

    The U.S. Department of Education and the Social Security 
Administration.

2. Purpose of the Match

    The purpose of the match is to verify any social security number 
(SSN) and citizenship status provided by an applicant for student 
financial assistance. Section 484(p) of the Higher Education Act of 
1965, as amended (HEA) requires the Secretary of Education, in 
cooperation with the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration 
(SSA), to verify any SSN provided by an applicant for assistance under 
title IV of that Act. Section 484(g) of the HEA requires the Secretary 
to verify statements provided by title IV applicants with regard to 
their citizenship and immigration status using an automated or other 
system, with other Federal agencies that may be in possession of 
information relevant to such statements and supporting documentation.
    This matching program provides an efficient and comprehensive 
method of verifying the accuracy of each applicant's SSN and claim to 
U.S. citizenship for the purpose of meeting eligibility requirements 
under the title IV programs. The matching program quickly identifies 
those applicants whose records indicate that they may not be U.S. 
citizens, who do not have valid SSNs or proof of U.S. citizenship to 
receive title IV funds.

3. Authority for Conducting the Matching Program

    Sections 484(g) and (p) of the HEA; section 1106(a) of the Social 
Security Act.

4. Categories of Records and Individuals Covered by the Match

    ED will submit for verification from its Central Processing System 
files the SSN and other identifying information for each applicant for 
title IV assistance. This information will be matched against the SSA 
Numident, which contains the SSN, citizenship status and identifying 
information for all SSN holders.

5. Effective Dates of the Matching Program

    The matching program will become effective 40 days after a copy of 
the agreement, as approved by the Data Integrity Board of each agency, 
is sent to Congress and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) (or 
later if OMB objects to some or all of the agreement), or 30 days after 
publication of this notice in the Federal Register, whichever date is 
later. The matching program will continue for 18 months after the 
effective date and may be extended for an additional 12 months 
thereafter, if the conditions specified in 5 U.S.C. 522a(o)(2)(D) have 
been met.

6. Address for Receipt of Public Comments or Inquiries

    Individuals wishing to comment on this matching program or obtain 
additional information about the program including a copy of the 
computer matching agreement between ED and SSA should contact Ms. Edith 
Bell, Program Specialist, Policy Development Division, U.S. Department 
of Education, 600 Independence Avenue SW, (Room 3053, ROB-3), 
Washington, DC 20202-5447, Telephone [phone]. Written comments 
should be submitted to Ms. Bell at this address.
    Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday. 
Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an alternate 
format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on 
request to the contact person listed in the previous paragraph.

Electronic Access to This Document

    Anyone may view this document, as well as all other Department of 
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or 
portable document format (pdf) on the World Wide Web at either of the 
following sites:

http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm
http://www.ed.gov/news.html

    To use the pdf you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader Program with 
Search, which is available free through either of the previous sites. 
If you have questions about using the pdf, call the U.S. Government 
Printing Office at [phone] or, toll free at 1-888-293-6498.
    Anyone may view these documents in text copy only on an electronic 
bulletin board of the Department. Telephone: [phone] or, toll 
free, 1-800-222-4922. The documents are located under Option G--Files/
Announcements, Bulletins and Press Releases.

    Note: The official version of this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register.

    Dated: July 6, 1998.
David A. Longanecker,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 98-18698 Filed 7-13-98; 8:45 am]
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