[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 249 (Wednesday, December 29, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73023-73024]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-33744]
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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 l988, Pub.L. 100-503, and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
Guidelines on the Conduct of Matching Programs, a 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). The following notice
represents the approval of a new computer matching agreement by the SSA
and ED Data Integrity Boards to implement 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, we are providing the following
information:
1. Names of Participating Agencies
The U.S. Department of Education and the Social Security
Administration.
2. Purpose of Match
ED is one of several Federal agencies to operate benefit programs
that have statutory requirements to reduce, suspend, or terminate
benefits to those who are incarcerated. Sections 484(a)(5)(20 U.S.C.
1091) and 401(b)(8)(20 U.S.C. 1070a) of the Higher Education Act of
1965, as amended (HEA) provide that an incarcerated student is
ineligible for loans under the Title IV student financial assistance
programs and that students incarcerated in any Federal or State penal
institution are ineligible for Federal Pell Grant assistance. The SSA,
with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Prisons and various State
and local entities developed a database of persons who are
incarcerated. On April 25, 1998, the White House directed ED to
coordinate its efforts to enforce the requirements of sections
484(a)(5)(20 U.S.C. 1091) and 401(b)(8)(20 U.S.C. 1070a) of the HEA
with SSA by accessing SSA's prisoner database. This computer matching
program will provide an efficient and comprehensive method of
identifying incarcerated applicants who are ineligible to received
student financial assistance under the Title IV programs.
3. Legal Authority for Conducting the Matching Program
ED is authorized to participate in the matching program under Title
IV section 484(a)(5)(20 U.S.C. 1091) and 401(b)(8)(20 U.S.C. 1071a) of
the HEA. SSA is authorized to participate in the matching program under
42 U.S.C. 1382(e)(1)(I)(ii).
4. Categories of Records and Individuals Covered by the Match
ED will submit for verification from its Central Processing System
files (Federal Student Aid Application File (18-11-01)) the social
security number (SSN) and other identifying information for each
applicant for Title IV student financial assistance. This information
will be matched against the SSA State Verification and Exchange System,
which contains the SSN and other 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 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. 552a(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, U.S. Department of Education, Room 3053, ROB-
3, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202-5400. Telephone: (202)
708-8242. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD),
you may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-
8339.
You may inspect all public comments about this matching program at
Regional Office Building 3, 7th and D Streets, SW, Room 3045,
Washington, DC, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., Eastern
time, Monday through Friday of each week except Federal holidays.
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.
Electronic Access to this Document
You may view this document in text or Adobe Portable Document
Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following sites:
http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm
http://www.ed.gov/news.html
http://ifap.ed.gov/csb__html/fedlreg.htm
To use the PDF you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader Program with
Search, which is available free at the previous sites. If you have
questions about using the PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing Office
(GPO), Toll free at 1-888-293-6498, or in the Washington, DC, area at
(202) 512-1530.
Note: The official version of this document is the document
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal
Regulations is available on GPO access at: http://
www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html
[[Page 73024]]
Dated: December 21, 1999.
Jeanne VanVlandren,
Acting Chief Operating Officer, Office of Student Financial Assistance.
[FR Doc. 99-33744 Filed 12-28-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-U