[Federal Register: March 17, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 50)]
[Notices]
[Page 11353-11355]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17mr09-29]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary
[Docket ID: DoD-2009-OS-0045]
Privacy Act of 1974; Notice of a Computer Matching Program
AGENCY: Defense Manpower Data Center, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of a Computer Matching Program.
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SUMMARY: Subsection (e)(12) of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, (5
U.S.C. 552a) requires agencies to publish advance notice of any
proposed or revised computer matching program by the matching agency
for public comment. The DoD, as the matching agency under the Privacy
Act is hereby giving notice to the record subjects of a computer
matching program between the Social Security Administration (SSA) and
DoD that their records are being matched by computer. The purpose of
this agreement is to verify applicants for, and recipients of
[[Page 11354]]
Supplement Security Income (SSI) payments and Special Veterans Benefits
(SVB) with respect of determination of eligibility and calculating
payment amounts.
DATES: This proposed action will become effective April 16, 2009 and
matching may commence unless changes to the matching program are
required due to public comments or by Congressional or by Office of
Management and Budget objections. Any public comment must be received
before the effective date.
ADDRESSES: Any interested party may submit written comments to the
Director, Defense Privacy Office, 1901 South Bell Street, Suite 920,
Arlington, VA 22202-4512.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Samuel P. Jenkins at telephone
(703) 607-2943.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to subsection (o) of the Privacy
Act of 1974, as amended, (5 U.S.C. 552a), the DMDC and SSA have
concluded an agreement to conduct a computer matching program between
the agencies. The purpose of this agreement is to verify eligibility of
individual's of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments and the
entitlement of individuals to Special Veterans Benefits (SVB).
The parties to this agreement have determined that a computer
matching program is the most efficient, expeditious, and effective
means of obtaining the information needed by the SSA under the Social
Security Act to verify the eligibility/entitlement of and to verify
payment/benefit amounts for certain SSI and SVB recipients/
beneficiaries. Conducting such a manual match would impose a
considerable administrative burden, constitute a greater intrusion of
the individual's privacy and would result in additional delay in the
eventual SSI payment and SVB benefit recovery of unauthorized or
erroneous payment.
A copy of the computer matching agreement between SSA and DMDC is
available upon request to the public. Requests should be submitted to
the address caption above or to the Office of Payment Policy, Office of
Income Security Programs, Office of Disability and Income Security
Programs, Social Security Administration, 0106 RRCC, 6401 Security
Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235.
Set forth below is the notice of the establishment of a computer
matching program required by paragraph 6.c. of the Office of Management
and Budget Guidelines on computer matching published in the Federal
Register at 54 FR 25818 on June 19, 1989.
The matching agreement, as required by 5 U.S.C. 552a(r) of the
Privacy Act, and an advance copy of this notice was submitted on March
5, 2009, to the House Committee on Government Reform, the Senate
Committee on Governmental Affairs, and the Administrator of the Office
of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget
pursuant to paragraph 4d of Appendix I to OMB Circular No. A-130,
`Federal Agency Responsibilities for Maintaining Records about
Individuals,' February 8, 1996 (February 20, 1996, 61 FR 6427).
Dated: March 11, 2009.
Morgan E. Frazier,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
Computer Matching Program Between the Social Security Administration
and the Department of Defense for Verification of Social Security
Supplemental Security Income Payments and Special Veterans Benefits
A. Participating Agencies: Participants in this computer matching
program are the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Defense
Manpower Data Center (DMDC) of the Department of Defense (DoD). The SSA
is the source agency, i.e., the activity disclosing the records for the
purpose of the match. The DMDC is the specific recipient activity or
matching agency, i.e., the agency that actually performs the computer
matching.
B. Purpose of the Match: The Social Security Act requires SSA to
verify, with independent or collateral sources, information provided to
SSA by recipients of SSI payments and beneficiaries of SVB benefits.
The SSI and SVB recipient/beneficiaries provides information about
eligibility/entitlement factors and other relevant information. SSA
obtains additional information as necessary before making any
determinations of eligibility/payment or entitlement/benefit amounts or
adjustments thereto. With respect to military retirement payments to
SSI recipients and SVB beneficiaries who are retired members of the
Uniformed Services or their survivors, SSA proposes to accomplish this
task by computer matching with the DOD.
C. Authority for Conducting the Match: The legal authority for the
matching program is contained in sections 1631(e)(1)(B), (f), and
806(b) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1383(e)(1)(B), (f) and
1006(b)).
D. Records to be Matched: The systems of records maintained by the
respective agencies under the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, 5 U.S.C.
552a, from which records will be disclosed for the purpose of this
computer match are as follows:
SSA will use records from a system of records identified as 60-
0103, entitled ``Supplemental Security Income Record and Special
Veterans Benefits, SSA / ODSSIS'', last published in the Federal
Register at 71 FR 1830, January 11, 2006.
DoD will use the system of records identified as DMDC 01, entitled,
``Defense Manpower Data Center Data Base'', published 73 FR 5820,
January 31, 2008. Attachment 5 is a copy of the system notice with the
appropriate routine use, i.e., RU l (e) (l) annotated.
E. Description of Computer Matching Program: SSA, as the source
agency, will provide DMDC with an electronic file which contains the
data elements. Upon receipt of the electronic file, DMDC, as the
recipient agency, will perform a computer match using all nine digits
of the SSN of the SSI/SVB file against a DMDC database which contains
the data elements. The DMDC database consists of extracts of personnel
and pay records of retired members of the uniformed services or their
survivors. The ``hits'' or matches will be furnished to SSA. SSA is
responsible for verifying and determining that the data on the DMDC
electronic reply file are consistent with the SSA source file and
resolving any discrepancies or inconsistencies on an individual basis.
SSA will also be responsible for making final determinations as to
eligibility for/entitlement to, or amount of payments/benefits, their
continuation or needed adjustments, or any recovery of overpayments as
a result of the match.
1. The electronic file provided by SSA will contain approximately
8.6 million records extracted from the SSR/SVB.
2. The electronic DMDC database contains records on approximately
2.3 million retired uniformed service members or their survivors.
F. Inclusive Dates of the Matching Program: This computer matching
program is subject to public comment and review by Congress and the
Office of Management and Budget. If the mandatory 30 day period for
comment has expired and no comments are received and if no objections
are raised by either Congress or the Office of Management and Budget
within 40 days of being notified of the proposed match, the computer
matching program becomes effective and the respective agencies may
begin the exchange at a mutually agreeable time and thereafter on a
quarterly basis. By agreement
[[Page 11355]]
between SSA and DMDC, the matching program will be in effect for 18
months with an option to renew for 12 additional months unless one of
the parties to the agreement advises the other by written request to
terminate or modify the agreement.
G. Address for Receipt of Public Comments or Inquiries: Director,
Defense Privacy Office, 1901 South Bell Street, Suite 920, Arlington,
VA 22202-4512. Telephone (703) 607-2943.
[FR Doc. E9-5708 Filed 3-16-09; 8:45 am]
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