[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 87 (Thursday, May 4, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25978-25979]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-11087]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Privacy Act of 1974; Report of Amended Matching Program

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION:  Notice.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Department of Veterans Affairs 
(VA) intends to conduct a recurring computer program matching Railroad 
Retirement Board (RRB) benefit recipient records with VA pension and 
parents' dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) records.
    The goal of this match is to compare income status as reported to 
VA with benefit records maintained by RRB.
    VA plans to match records of veterans and surviving spouses and 
children who receive pension, and parents who receive DIC, with 
Railroad Retirement benefit records maintained by RRB. The match with 
RRB will provide VA with data from the RRB Research File of Retirement 
and Survivor Benefits.

[[Page 25979]]

    VA will use this information to update the master records of VA 
beneficiaries receiving income dependent benefits and to adjust VA 
benefit payments as prescribed by law. Otherwise, information about a 
VA beneficiary's income is obtained only from reporting by the 
beneficiary. The proposed matching program will enable VA to ensure 
accurate reporting of income.

Records To Be Matched

    VA records involved in the match are VA's system of records, 
Compensation, Pension, Education with Rehabilitation Records--VA (58 VA 
21/22) first published at 41 FR 9294, March 3, 1976, and last amended 
at 63 FR 37941 (July 14, 1998). The RRB records consist of information 
from the Research File of Retirement and Survivor Benefits, System of 
Records RRB 225 and RRB 26 contained in the Privacy Act Issuances, 1991 
compilation, Volume V, Pages 518-519. In accordance with Title 5 U.S.C. 
subsection 552a(o)(2) and (r), copies of the agreement are being sent 
to both Houses of Congress and to the Office of Management and Budget.
    This notice is provided in accordance with provisions of the 
Privacy Act of 1974 as amended by Public Law 100-503.

DATES:  The match will start no sooner than June 5, 2000, and end not 
more than 18 months after the agreement is properly implemented by the 
parties. The involved agencies' Data Integrity Boards (DIBs) may extend 
this match for 12 months provided the agencies certify to their DIBs 
within three months of the ending date of the original match that the 
matching program will be conducted without change and that it has been 
conducted in compliance with the original matching program.

ADDRESSES:  Interested individuals may submit written comments to the 
Director, Office of Regulations Management (02D), Department of 
Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Ave., NW, Room 1154, Washington, DC 
20420. Comments will be available for public inspection at the above 
address in the Office of Regulations Management, Room 1158, between 8 
a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Paul Trowbridge (212A), (202) 273-
7218.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  This information is required by Title 5 
U.S.C. subsection 552b(e)(12), the Privacy Act of 1974. A copy of this 
notice has been provided to both Houses of Congress and OMB.

    Approved: April 25, 2000.
Togo D. West, Jr.,
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 00-11087 Filed 5-3-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-M