| Publication Date: August 2003 FRPart: |
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Page Numbers: 52011-52012
Notice; Computer Matching Program between the U.S. Department of Education and the Social Security Administration.
Posted on 08-29-2003
[Federal Register: August 29, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 168)]
[Notices]
[Page 52011-52012]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr29au03-46]
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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 1988, Public Law 100-503, and the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) Guidelines on the Conduct of Matching Programs, notice is hereby
given of the renewal of the computer matching program between the U.S.
Department of Education (ED)(recipient agency), and the Social Security
Administration (SSA) (the source agency). This renewal of the computer
matching program between SSA and ED will become effective as explained
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 OMB Final Guidelines on the Conduct of Matching
Programs (see 54 FR 25818, June 19, 1989), and OMB Circular A-130, we
provide the following information:
1. Names of Participating Agencies
The U.S. Department of Education and the Social Security
Administration.
2. Purpose of the Match
The purpose of this matching program between ED and SSA is to
assist the Secretary of Education in his obligation to verify
immigration status and social security numbers (SSN) under 20 U.S.C.
1091(g) and (p). The SSA will verify the issuance of an SSN to, and the
citizenship status of, those students and parents who provide their
SSNs in the course of applying for aid under a student financial
assistance program authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education
Act of 1965, as amended (HEA). Verification of this information by SSA
will help ED satisfy its obligation to ensure that individuals applying
for financial assistance meet eligibility requirements imposed by the
HEA.
Verification by this computer matching program effectuates the
purpose of the HEA, because it provides an efficient and comprehensive
method of verifying the accuracy of each individual's SSN and claim to
a citizenship status that permits that individual to qualify for Title
IV, HEA assistance.
3. Legal Authority for Conducting the Matching Program
ED is authorized to participate in the matching program under
sections 484(p)(20 U.S.C. 1091(p)); 484(g)(20 U.S.C. 1091(g));
483(a)(7)(20 U.S.C. 1090(a)(7)); and 428B(f)(2)(20 U.S.C. 1078-2(f)(2))
of the HEA.
The SSA is authorized to participate in the matching program under
section 1106(a) of the Social Security Act, (42 U.S.C. 1306(a)), and
the regulations promulgated pursuant to that section (20 CFR part 401).
4. Categories of Records and Individuals Covered by the Match
The Federal Student Aid Application File (18-11-01), which contains
the applicant information on authority from ED and the ED PIN
Registration System of Records (18-11-12), which contains the
applicant's information to receive an ED PIN, will be matched against
SSA's Master Files of Social Security Numbers Holders and SSN
Applications System, SSA/OEEAS, 60-0058, which maintains records about
each individual who has applied for and obtained an SSN.
5. Privacy Impact Assessment
Section 208 of the E-Government Act of 2002 (44 U.S.C. 3501 note)
requires ED to conduct the following privacy impact assessment of this
information collection:
The information collected by ED under this computer matching
agreement is the verification of SSNs and citizenship by SSA, for the
purpose of assisting ED to satisfy its obligation to ensure that an
individual applying for financial assistance meets the requirements
imposed under the HEA. This verification is mandated by the HEA. The
information obtained from SSA by ED will only be used as provided for
under Section X of the agreement. Notice that ED verifies an
individual's SSN through a computer matching agreement with agencies
such as SSA is provided to individuals in the Privacy and Security
section of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and in
Federal student loan program forms; submission of a FAFSA and
participation in the Federal student loan programs is voluntary. The
information obtained from SSA under this computer matching agreement
will be secured pursuant to the procedures described in Section IX of
the agreement. No new system of records is being created for this
collection because, as noted above, the verification of SSNs is already
included as a routine use in the System of Records for Federal student
aid programs. Thus, this collection comports with applicable Privacy
Act standards and Section 208.
6. Effective Date of the Matching Program
This matching program must be approved by the Data Integrity Board
of each agency. This matching agreement will become effective on: (1)
October 10, 2003; (2) 40 days after the approved agreement is sent to
Congress and OMB (or later if OMB objects to some or all of the
agreement); or (3) 30 days after publication of this notice in the
Federal Register, whichever date is last.
The matching agreement 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. 552(o)(2)(D) have
been met.
7. Address for Receipt of Public Comments or Inquiries
Individuals wishing to comment on this matching program, or to
obtain additional information about the program, including a copy of
the computer matching agreement between ED and SSA, should contact Ms.
Edith Bell, Management and Program Analyst, Union Center Plaza, 830
First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20002-5454. Telephone: (202) 377-
3231. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf
[[Page 52012]]
(TDD), you may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-
800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape or computer
diskette) on request to the contact person listed in the preceding
paragraph.
Electronic Access to This Document
You may view this document, as well as all other Department of
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following site:
http://www.ed.gov/legislation/ To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader,
which is available free at this site. If you have questions about using 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
.
Dated: August 26, 2003.
Theresa S. Shaw,
Chief Operating Officer, Federal Student Aid.
[FR Doc. 03-22179 Filed 8-28-03; 8:45 am]