Privacy Act of 1974; Computer Matching Program

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Bureau of the Public Debt

Privacy Act of 1974; Computer Matching Program

AGENCY: Bureau of the Public Debt, Department of the Treasury.

ACTION: Notice of computer matching program between the Bureau of the

Public Debt, Department of the Treasury, and the United States Postal

Service.

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SUMMARY: Subsection (o) of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended by the

Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 100-503)

requires agencies to publish advance notice of computer matching

programs as a means of informing the public of plans to conduct

computer matches.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 24, 1996. Unless

comments are received that result in a contrary determination, the

matching program covered by this notice will begin no sooner than 40

days after this notice, report, and a copy of the matching agreement,

as approved by the Data Integrity Boards of both agencies have been

sent to the Congress and the Office of Management and Budget (or later

if there are objections to the agreement), or 30 days after publication

[[Page 32479]]

of this notice in the Federal Register, whichever date is later.

ADDRESS: Comments may be mailed to Jimmy Phillips, Debt Collection

Officer, Bureau of the Public Debt, PO Box 1328, Parkersburg, West

Virginia 26101-1328.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jimmy L. Phillips, Debt Collection

Officer, Bureau of the Public Debt, (304) 480-5110.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Bureau of the Public Debt (Public

Debt), Department of the Treasury, proposes to conduct a computer

matching program with the United States Postal Service (USPS). The

matching program will compare USPS payroll and Public Debt debtor

records to identify USPS employees delinquently indebted to the Federal

Government under programs administered by Public Debt. When voluntary

payment is not forthcoming, Public Debt will request offset of those

debts under the offset provisions of the Debt Collection Act of 1982

(Pub. L. 97-365).

Set forth below is a description of the computer matching program

proposed by this notice in compliance with OMB Circular A-130, Appendix

I,``Federal Agency Responsibility for Maintaining Records about

Individuals,'' dated February 8, 1996.

Notice of Computer Matching Program:

Bureau of the Public Debt, Department of the Treasury, and the

United States Postal Service (Comparing Public Debt Debtor Records and

USPS Payroll Records).

Recipient agency:

The United States Postal Service (USPS).

Source agency:

Bureau of the Public Debt (Public Debt)

Purpose of the Matching Program:

This matching program will compare USPS payroll and Public Debt

delinquent debtor files to identify USPS employees who may owe

delinquent debts to the Federal Government under programs administered

by Public Debt. The pay of an employee identified and verified as a

delinquent debtor may be offset under the provisions of the Debt

Collection Act of 1982 when voluntary repayment is not forthcoming.

Legal Authorities Authorizing Operation of the Match:

This matching program will be undertaken under the authority of the

Debt Collection Act of 1982, as amended (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, 31

U.S.C. 3716 Administrative Offset; 5 U.S.C. 5514 Installment Deduction

for Indebtedness (Salary Offset); 4 CFR Chapter II Federal Claims

Collection Standards (General Accounting Office--Department of

Justice), 550.1101--550.1108 Collection by Offset from Indebted

Government Employees (OPM); 31 CFR Part 5, Subparts B and D (Department

of the Treasury) which authorize Federal agencies to offset a Federal

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

United States.

Categories of Individuals Matched and Identification of Records

Used:

The system of records maintained by the participant agencies under

the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, from which records will be

disclosed for this matching program are:

1. USPS will use records from its ``Finance Records--Payroll

System, USPS 050.020'' containing payroll records for approximately

800,000 current employees. Disclosure will be made pursuant to routine

use No. 24 of USPS 050.020, which was last published in 57 FR 57515,

dated December 4, 1992.

2. Public Debt will provide extracts from six Privacy Act systems

of records containing records about approximately 1,800 debtors, full

descriptions of which were last published in the Federal Register on

November 9, 1995. Disclosure will be made from:

(1) ``Personnel and Administrative Records--Treasury/BPD .001'' (60

FR 56865), routine use No. 7;

(2) ``United States Savings Type Securities--Treasury/BPD .002''

(60 FR 56868), routine use No. 14;

(3) ``United States Securities (Other than Savings Type

Securities)--Treasury/BPD .003'' (60 FR 56870), routine use No. 14;

(4) ``Treasury Integrated Management Information System (TIMIS)--

Treasury/DO .002 (60 FR 56651), routine use No. 15;

(5) ``Treasury Integrated Financial Management and Revenue System--

Treasury/DO .210 (60 FR 56675), routine use No. 11; and

(6) ``Telephone Call Detail Records--Treasury/DO .211'' (60 FR

56677), routine use No. 11.

Description of the Matching Program:

Public Debt will provide to USPS a data extract containing the

names and social security numbers (SSNs) of its debtors. By computer,

the USPS will compare this information with its payroll file,

establishing matched individuals (i.e., ``hits'') on the basis of like

SSNs. For each matched individual, the USPS will provide to Public Debt

the following information: name, SSN, home address, date of birth, work

location, and employee type (permanent or temporary). The identity and

debtor status of an individual will be verified by Public Debt by

manually comparing the ``hit'' file with Public Debt's debtor files;

conducting independent inquiries when necessary to resolve questionable

identities; and reviewing records of the suspected debtor's account to

confirm that the debt is still in a non-pay status without resolution.

Due process procedures will be provided by Public Debt to matched

individuals consisting of: (1) Verification of the debt; (2) 30-day

written notice to the debtor explaining the debtor's rights; (3)

provision for the debtor to examine and copy Public Debt's

documentation of the debt; (4) provision for the debtor to seek Public

Debt's review of the debt; (5) opportunity for a hearing before an

individual who is not under the supervision or control of Public Debt;

and (6) opportunity for the debtor to enter into a written agreement

satisfactory to Public Debt for repayment. Only after Public Debt has

afforded the debtor these opportunities and certified over the

signature of an authorized agency official that all due process

procedures have been followed will steps be taken to effect involuntary

offset.

Beginning and Ending Dates of the Matching Program:

The matching program is expected to begin in June 1996, but no

sooner than 40 days after transmittal of this notice, computer matching

agreement, and report to the Congress and the Office of Management and

Budget and to continue in effect for a period not to exceed 18 months

(December 1997). The agreement may be extended for an additional 12

months beyond that if, within three months prior to the actual

expiration date of the matching agreement, the Data Integrity Boards of

both the USPS and the Treasury Department find that the computer

matching program can be conducted without change and each party

certifies that the matching program has been conducted in compliance

with the matching agreements.

Dated: June 18, 1996

Ida Hernandez

Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary (Administration)

[FR Doc. 15997 Filed 6-21-96: 8:45 am]

Billing Code: 4810-40-F