Privacy Act of 1974; Internal Computer Matching Program

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Privacy Act of 1974; Internal Computer Matching Program

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice of Computer Matching Program.

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Notice is hereby given that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

proposes to conduct an internal computer matching program. The Veterans

Benefits Administration (VBA) and the Office of the Assistant Secretary

for Finance and Information Resources Management (FINANCE) are the

components responsible for managing the systems of records that will be

subject to the matching program. The purpose of the program is to

identify and locate VA employees who owe delinquent debts to the

Federal Government as a result of their participation in benefit

programs administered by VA. Once identified and located, the debtors

may become subject to involuntary offset of their pay under the

provisions of the Debt Collection Act of 1982.

The legal authority for undertaking this matching program is

contained in the Debt Collection Act of 1982 (Pub. L. 97-365), 31

U.S.C. Chapter 37, Subchapter I (General) and Subchapter II (Claims of

the United States Government, 31 U.S.C. 3711 (Collection and

Compromise) and 5 U.S.C. 5514 (Installment Deduction for Indebtedness).

These statutes authorize Federal agencies to offset a Federal

employee's salary as a means of satisfying delinquent debts owed the

United States. VBA and FINANCE have concluded an agreement to conduct

the matching program pursuant to provisions of the Privacy Act of 1972,

as amended (5 U.S.C. 552a(o)).

VBA is the recipient component and will perform the computer match.

FINANCE will provide VBA with an abstract file from the Personnel

Accounting Integrated Data system (PAID). The records entered on this

abstract are limited to those employees who are identified as veterans

by an indicator in the original PAID record. Each PAID abstract record

includes the employee's full name, social security number and duty

station identifier. The records in the PAID abstract are, then, matched

to the Veterans and Beneficiaries Identification and Records Location

Subsystem (BIRLS) file by comparing social security numbers in both

PAID and BIRLS records. In those instances where a PAID abstract record

and a BIRLS record have identical social security numbers, the BIRLS

file number is entered on the abstract file. In many instances, the

file number will be the same as the employee's social security number.

After the abstract file is updated with file numbers from BIRLS, the

file is compared to the Centralized Accounts Receivable System (CARS)

file. In each instance where a file number from the PAID/BIRLS match is

identical to the file number in a CARS record, the CARS record will be

updated with the employee's duty station identifier.

If the abstract tape was not updated with the employee's file

number, the employee's social security number in the PAID abstract will

be compared to the CARS file number. If those numbers are an identical

match, the employee's CARS record will be updated with his or her duty

station identifier from the PAID abstract.

Records to be Matched: The systems of records maintained by the

respective components from which records will be disclosed for the

purpose of this computer match are as follows: FINANCE: Personnel

Accounting Integrated Data (PAID) Master Records in the Personnel and

Accounting Pay System-VA, 27VA047, which appears at page 942 of the

document entitled Privacy Act Issuances, 1991 Compilation, Volume II.

This system contains records of approximately 220,000 active VA

employees. VBA: (a) ``Compensation, Pension, Education and

Rehabilitation Records-VA'' (58VA21/22) appearing at page 967 of the

document entitled Privacy Act Issuances, 1991 Comp., Volume II. (b)

``Loan Guaranty Home, Condominium and Manufactured Home Loan Applicant

Records, Specially Adapted Housing Applicant Records and Vendee Loan

Applicant Records-VA'' (55VA26), appearing at page 962 of the document

entitled Privacy Act Issuances, 1991 Comp., Volume II. (c) Veterans and

Beneficiaries Identification and Records Location Subsystem-VA (BIRLS),

38VA23, which appears at page 952 of the document entitled Privacy Act

Issuances, 1991 Compilation, Volume II. Exchange of data pursuant to

this matching program is consistent with 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(1) and 38

U.S.C. 5701(b)(6). The debtor records actually used to perform the

match are maintained in the Centralized Accounts Receivable System

(CARS). CARS records, which number about 414,000, are a subset of those

found in Privacy Act system of records 58VA21/22. In some instances,

data in an individual's record in the Privacy Act system of records

58VA21/22 include certain data extracted from the same individual's

record maintained under 55VA26. This would occur, for instance, where

an individual has a delinquent debt as the result of his or her

participation in the VA loan guaranty program.

The matching program is expected to begin on or about December 5,

1994, and continue in effect for 18 months. Matching activity will

begin no sooner than 30 days after publication of this notice or 40

days after a report of this is matching program has been provided to

Congress and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), whichever is

later. The agreement governing the matching program and, thus, the

matching program, may be extended an additional 12 months with the

approval of VA's Data Integrity Board. Such extension must occur within

three months prior to expiration of the 18-month period set forth above

and under the terms set forth in 5 U.S.C. 552a(o)(2)( D).

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments,

suggestions or objections regarding the proposal to conduct the

matching program to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (271A),

Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC

20420. All written comments received will be available for public

inspection only in the Veterans Service Unit at the above address,

between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except

holidays, until December 5, 1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mark Gottsacker, Debt Management Center (389/00A), U.S. Department of

Veterans Affairs, Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, 1 Federal

Drive, Ft. Snelling, Minnesota 55111, (612) 725-1844.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This information is required by the Privacy

Act of 1974, as amended (5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(12)). A copy of this notice

has been provided to both Houses of Congress and OMB.

Approved: October 26, 1994.

Jesse Brown,

Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

[FR Doc. 94-27267 Filed 11-2-94; 8:45 am]

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