Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program, 8048 [2023-02489]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 7, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 8048]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-02489]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

ACTION: Notice of a new computer matching program.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides notice that 
it intends to conduct a recurring computer-matching program matching 
Social Security Administration (SSA) Master Beneficiary Records (MBRs) 
and the Master Files of Social Security Number (SS) Holders and SSN 
Applications (Enumeration System) with VA pension, compensation, and 
dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) records. The goal of this 
match is to identify beneficiaries, who are receiving VA benefits and 
SSA benefits or earned income, and to reduce or terminate VA benefits, 
if appropriate. The match will include records of current VA 
beneficiaries. A plain-language description of the matching program.

DATES: Comments on this matching program must be received no later than 
[Insert date 30 days after date of publication in the Federal 
Register]. If no public comment is received during the period allowed 
for comment or unless otherwise published in the Federal Register by 
VA, the new agreement will become effective a minimum of 30 days after 
date of publication in the Federal Register. If VA receives public 
comments, VA shall review the comments to determine whether any changes 
to the notice are necessary. This matching program will be valid for 18 
months from the effective date of this notice.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted through www.Regulations.gov or 
mailed to VA Privacy Service, 810 Vermont Avenue NW, (005R1A), 
Washington, DC 20420. Comments should indicate that they are submitted 
in response to SSA's Earnings Recording and Self-Employment Income 
System, CMA 1050. Comments received will be available at 
regulations.gov for public viewing, inspection or copies.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Victor Hall, (202) 461-9385, 
[email protected], Pension and Fiduciary Service, Front Office, 
Pension and Fiduciary Service (21P), Department of Veterans Affairs, 
810 Vermont Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20420, (202) 632-8863.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: VA will use this information to verify the 
income information submitted by beneficiaries in VA's needs-based 
benefit programs and adjust VA benefit payments as prescribed by law.
    The legal authority to conduct this match is 38 U.S.C. 5106, which 
requires any Federal department or agency to provide VA such 
information as VA requests for the purposes of determining eligibility 
for benefits or verifying other information with respect to payment of 
benefits.
    Participating Agencies: The Social Security Administration (SSA) 
and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
    Authority for Conducting the Matching Program: 38 U.S.C. 5106 
requires Federal agencies to furnish VA with information the VA 
Secretary may request for determining eligibility for or the amount of 
VA benefits.
    Purpose(s): To confirm eligibility of those receiving income-
dependent benefits and those beneficiaries who are receiving disability 
compensation at the 100 percent rate because of unemployability.
    Categories of Individuals: Veterans and beneficiaries who apply for 
VA income benefits.
    Categories of Records: VA will provide SSA with an electronic file 
in a format defined by SSA that contains the Social Security number 
(SSN), name, date of birth, and report year for each applicant, 
beneficiary, and eligible dependent(s) for whom VA is requesting tax 
return information.
    System(s) of Records: SSA will match the data in VA's electronic 
file with SSA Enumeration data from the Master Files of SSN Holders and 
SSN Applications (referred to as the Enumeration System), 60-0058, last 
fully published at 87 FR 263 (January 4, 2022). SSA will disclose 
matched data to VA from SSA's Earnings Recording and Self-Employment 
Income System (referred to as the Master Earnings File (MEF)), 60-0059, 
last fully published at 71 FR 1819 (January 11, 2006) and amended at 78 
FR 40542 (July 5, 2013) and 83 FR 54969 (November 1, 2018).

Signing Authority

    The Senior Agency Official for Privacy, or designee, approved this 
document and authorized the undersigned to sign and submit the document 
to the Office of the Federal Register for publication electronically as 
an official document of the Department of Veterans Affairs. John 
Oswalt, Chief Privacy Officer and Chair of the Data Integrity Board, 
Department of Veterans Affairs approved this document on January 30, 
2023 for publication.

    Dated: February 1, 2023.
Amy L. Rose,
Program Analyst, VA Privacy Service, Office of Information Security, 
Office of Information and Technology, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2023-02489 Filed 2-6-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P