80 FR 44133 - Privacy Act of 1974, as Amended by Public Law 100-503; Computer Matching Program

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 142 (July 24, 2015)

In compliance with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended by Public Law 100-503, the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988, ACF is publishing a notice of a computer matching program. The purpose of this computer match is to identify specific individuals who receive benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and also receive payments pursuant to various benefit programs administered by both the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Agriculture. ACF will facilitate this program on behalf of SPAAs that participate in PARIS for verification of continued eligibility for public assistance. The match will utilize VA and SPAA records.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 142 (Friday, July 24, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44133-44134]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-18148]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Privacy Act of 1974, as Amended by Public Law 100-503; Computer 
Matching Program

SUBJECT:  Notice of a computer matching program.
AGENCY: Office of Financial Services (OFS), Office of Administration 
(OA), ACF, HHS.

ACTION: Request for public comment on the Public Assistance Reporting 
Information System (PARIS) notice of a computer matching program 
between the Department of Veterans Affairs and State Public Assistance 
Agencies (SPAAs).

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    C.F.D.A. Number: 93.647.
    Statutory Authority: Privacy Act of 1974, as amended by Pub. L. 
100-503.
SUMMARY: In compliance with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended by 
Public Law 100-503, the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 
1988, ACF is publishing a notice of a computer matching program. The 
purpose of this computer match is to identify specific individuals who 
receive benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and also 
receive payments pursuant to various benefit programs administered by 
both the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the 
Department of Agriculture. ACF will facilitate this program on behalf 
of SPAAs that participate in PARIS for verification of continued 
eligibility for public assistance. The match will utilize VA and SPAA 
records.

DATES: Submit written comments on or before August 24, 2015.
    ACF will file a report of the subject matching program with the 
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate 
and the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of 
Representatives and the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs 
within the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The dates for the 
matching program will be effective as indicated in ``E. Inclusive Dates 
of the Matching Program'' in this notice.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties may comment on this notice by writing to 
the Director, Office of Financial Services, Office of Administration, 
370 L'Enfant Promenade SW., Washington, DC 20047. All comments received 
will be available for public inspection at this address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Director, Office of Financial 
Services, Office of Administration, 370 L'Enfant Promenade SW., 
Washington, DC 20047. Telephone: (202) 401-7237.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Privacy Act of 1974, as amended by 
Public Law 100-503, the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 
1988, (5 U.S.C. 552a), adds certain protections for individuals 
applying for and receiving Federal benefits. The law regulates the use 
of computer matching by Federal agencies when records in a system of 
records are matched with other Federal, State, and local government 
records.
    Federal agencies that provide or receive records in computer 
matching programs must:
    1. Negotiate written agreements with source agencies;
    2. Provide notification to applicants and beneficiaries that their 
records are subject to matching;
    3. Verify match findings before reducing, suspending, or 
terminating an individual's benefits or payments;
    4. Furnish detailed reports to Congress and OMB; and
    5. Establish a Data Integrity Board that must approve matching 
agreements.
    This computer matching program meets the requirements of Public Law 
100-503.

Robert Noonan,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration, ACF.

Notice of Computer Matching Program

A. Participating Agencies

    VA and SPAAs.

B. Purpose of the Match

    To identify specific individuals who receive benefits from the VA 
and also receive payments pursuant to HHS and Department of Agriculture 
benefit programs, and to verify their continued eligibility for such 
benefits. SPAAs will contact affected individuals and seek to verify 
the information resulting from the match before initiating any adverse 
actions based on the match results.

C. Authority for Conducting the Match

    The authority for conducting the matching program is contained in 
section 402(a)(6) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 602(a)(6)].

D. Records To Be Matched

    VA will disclose information from the system of records identified 
as Compensation, Pension, Education, and Vocational Rehabilitation and 
Employment Records-VA (58VA21/22/28) published at 74 FR 29275, (June 
19, 2009), last amended at 77 FR 42593, (July 19, 2012). VA's 
disclosure of information for use in this computer match is listed as a 
routine use in this system of records.
    VA, as the source agency, will prepare electronic files containing 
the names and other personal identifying data of eligible veterans 
receiving benefits. These records are matched electronically against 
SPAA files consisting of data regarding monthly Medicaid, Temporary 
Assistance for Needy Families, general assistance, and Supplemental 
Nutrition Assistance Program beneficiaries.
    1. The electronic files provided by the SPAAs will contain client 
names and Social Security numbers (SSNs).
    2. The resulting output returned to SPAAs will contain personal 
identifiers, including names, SSNs, employers, current work or home 
addresses, etc.

[[Page 44134]]

E. Inclusive Dates of the Matching Program

    The effective date of the matching agreement and date when matching 
may actually begin shall be at the expiration of the 40-day review 
period for OMB and Congress, or 30 days after publication of the 
matching notice in the Federal Register, whichever date is later. The 
matching program will be in effect for 18 months from the effective 
date, with an option to renew for 12 additional months, unless one of 
the parties to the agreement advises the others by written request to 
terminate or modify the agreement.
[FR Doc. 2015-18148 Filed 7-23-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4184-01-P