60454 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 169 / Friday, September 1, 2023 / Notices 

11. Non-Federal Personnel—To 

disclose information to non-Federal 

personnel, including contractors, other 

vendors (e.g., identity verification 

services), grantees, and volunteers who 

have been engaged to assist the FCC in 

the performance of a contract, service, 

grant, cooperative agreement, or other 

activity related to this system of records 

and who need to have access to the 

records in order to perform their 

activity. 

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORAGE OF

RECORDS: 

This electronic system of records 

resides on the FCC’s network or on an 

FCC vendor’s network. 

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETRIEVAL OF

RECORDS: 

Records in this system of records can 

be retrieved by any category field, e.g., 

the individual’s contact information, 

including the individual’s name(s), 

street address, email address(es), 

landline phone and cell phone 

number(s), complainant(s), and 

description fields. 

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETENTION AND

DISPOSAL OF RECORDS: 

The information in this system is 

maintained and disposed of in 

accordance with the National Archives 

and Records Administration (NARA) 

General Records Schedule DAA–0173– 

2017–0002. 

ADMINISTRATIVE, TECHNICAL, AND PHYSICAL

SAFEGUARDS: 

The electronic records, files, and data 

are stored within FCC or a vendor’s 

accreditation boundaries and 

maintained in a database housed in the 

FCC’s or vendor’s computer network 

databases. Access to the electronic files 

is restricted to authorized employees 

and contractors; and to IT staff, 

contractors, and vendors who maintain 

the IT networks and services. Other 

employees and contractors may be 

granted access on a need-to-know basis. 

The electronic files and records are 

protected by the FCC and third-party 

privacy safeguards, a comprehensive 

and dynamic set of IT safety and 

security protocols and features that are 

designed to meet all Federal privacy 

standards, including those required by 

the Federal Information Security 

Modernization Act of 2014 (FISMA), 

OMB, and the National Institute of 

Standards and Technology (NIST). 

RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES: 

Individuals wishing to request access 

to and/or amendment of records about 

themselves should follow the 

Notification Procedure below. 

CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES: 

Individuals wishing to request access 

to and/or amendment of records about 

themselves should follow the 

Notification Procedure below. 

NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES: 

Individuals wishing to determine 

whether this system of records contains 

information about themselves may do so 

by writing to privacy@fcc.gov. 

Individuals requesting access must also 

comply with the FCC’s Privacy Act 

regulations regarding verification of 

identity to gain access to records as 

required under 47 CFR part 0, subpart 

E. 

EXEMPTIONS PROMULGATED FOR THE SYSTEM: 

None. 

HISTORY: 

77 FR 2721 (January 19, 2012). 

Federal Communications Commission. 

Marlene Dortch, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2023–18946 Filed 8–31–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6712–01–P 

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS 

COMMISSION 

[FR ID: 167797] 

Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program 

AGENCY: Federal Communications 

Commission. 

ACTION: Notice of a new matching 

program. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Privacy Act of 1974, as amended 

(‘‘Privacy Act’’), this document 

announces a new computer matching 

program the Federal Communications 

Commission (‘‘FCC’’ or ‘‘Commission’’ 

or ‘‘Agency’’) and the Universal Service 

Administrative Company (USAC) will 

conduct with the Michigan Department 

of Health and Human Services. The 

purpose of this matching program is to 

verify the eligibility of applicants to and 

subscribers of Lifeline, and the 

Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 

both of which are administered by 

USAC under the direction of the FCC. 

More information about these programs 

is provided in the SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION section below. 

DATES: Written comments are due on or 

before October 2, 2023. This computer 

matching program will commence on 

October 2, 2023, and will conclude 18 

months after the effective date. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Elliot S. 

Tarloff, FCC, 45 L Street NE, 

Washington, DC 20554, or to Privacy@

fcc.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Elliot S. Tarloff at 202–418–0886 or 

Privacy@fcc.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Lifeline program provides support for 

discounted broadband and voice 

services to low-income consumers. 

Lifeline is administered by the 

Universal Service Administrative 

Company (USAC) under FCC direction. 

Consumers qualify for Lifeline through 

proof of income or participation in a 

qualifying program, such as Medicaid, 

the Supplemental Nutritional 

Assistance Program (SNAP), Federal 

Public Housing Assistance, 

Supplemental Security Income (SSI), 

Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit, 

or various Tribal-specific federal 

assistance programs. 

In the Consolidated Appropriations 

Act, 2021, Public Law 116–260, 134 

Stat. 1182, 2129–36 (2020), Congress 

created the Emergency Broadband 

Benefit Program, and directed use of the 

National Verifier to determine eligibility 

based on various criteria, including the 

qualifications for Lifeline (Medicaid, 

SNAP, etc.). EBBP provided $3.2 billion 

in monthly consumer discounts for 

broadband service and one-time 

provider reimbursement for a connected 

device (laptop, desktop computer or 

tablet). In the Infrastructure Investment 

and Jobs Act, Public Law 117–58, 135 

Stat. 429, 1238–44 (2021) (codified at 47 

U.S.C. 1751–52), Congress modified and 

extended EBBP, provided an additional 

$14.2 billion, and renamed it the 

Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). 

A household may qualify for the ACP 

benefit under various criteria, including 

an individual qualifying for the FCC’s 

Lifeline program. 

In a Report and Order adopted on 

March 31, 2016, (81 FR 33026, May 24, 

2016) (2016 Lifeline Modernization 

Order), the Commission ordered USAC 

to create a National Lifeline Eligibility 

Verifier (‘‘National Verifier’’), including 

the National Lifeline Eligibility Database 

(LED), that would match data about 

Lifeline applicants and subscribers with 

other data sources to verify the 

eligibility of an applicant or subscriber. 

The Commission found that the 

National Verifier would reduce 

compliance costs for Lifeline service 

providers, improve service for Lifeline 

subscribers, and reduce waste, fraud, 

and abuse in the program. 

The Consolidated Appropriations Act 

of 2021 directs the FCC to leverage the 

National Verifier to verify applicants’ 

eligibility for ACP. The purpose of this 

matching program is to verify the 

eligibility of Lifeline and ACP 

applicants and subscribers by 


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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 169 / Friday, September 1, 2023 / Notices 60455 

determining whether they receive 

SNAP, SSI, and Medicaid benefits 

administered by the Michigan 

Department of Health and Human 

Services. 

Participating Agencies 

Michigan Department of Health and 

Human Services; Federal 

Communications Commission. 

Authority for Conducting the Matching 

Program 

The authority for the FCC’s ACP is 

Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, 

Public Law 117–58, 135 Stat. 429, 1238– 

44 (2021) (codified at 47 U.S.C. 1751– 

52); 47 CFR part 54. The authority for 

the FCC’s Lifeline program is 47 U.S.C. 

254; 47 CFR 54.400 through 54.423; 

Lifeline and Link Up Reform and 

Modernization, et al., Third Report and 

Order, Further Report and Order, and 

Order on Reconsideration, 31 FCC Rcd 

3962, 4006–21, paras. 126–66 (2016) 

(2016 Lifeline Modernization Order). 

Purpose(s) 

The purpose of this modified 

matching agreement is to verify the 

eligibility of applicants and subscribers 

to Lifeline, as well as to ACP and other 

Federal programs that use qualification 

for Lifeline as an eligibility criterion. 

This new agreement will permit 

eligibility verification for the Lifeline 

program and ACP by checking an 

applicant’s/subscriber’s participation in 

SNAP, SSI, and Medicaid in Michigan. 

Under FCC rules, consumers receiving 

these benefits qualify for Lifeline 

discounts and also for ACP benefits. 

Categories of Individuals 

The categories of individuals whose 

information is involved in the matching 

program include, but are not limited to, 

those individuals who have applied for 

Lifeline and/or ACP benefits; are 

currently receiving Lifeline and/or ACP 

benefits; are individuals who enable 

another individual in their household to 

qualify for Lifeline and/or ACP benefits; 

are minors whose status qualifies a 

parent or guardian for Lifeline and/or 

ACP benefits; or are individuals who 

have received Lifeline and/or ACP 

benefits. 

Categories of Records 

The categories of records involved in 

the matching program include, but are 

not limited to, the last four digits of the 

applicant’s Social Security Number, 

date of birth, and first or last name. The 

National Verifier will transfer these data 

elements to the Michigan Department of 

Health and Human Services, which will 

respond either ‘‘yes’’ or ‘‘no’’ that the 

individual is enrolled in a qualifying 

assistance program: SNAP, SSI, and 

Medicaid administered by the Michigan 

Department of Health and Human 

Services. 

System(s) of Records 

The records shared as part of this 

matching program reside in the Lifeline 

system of records, FCC/WCB–1, 

Lifeline, which was published in the 

Federal Register at 86 FR 11526 (Feb. 

25, 2021). 

The records shared as part of this 

matching program reside in the ACP 

system of records, FCC/WCB–3, 

Affordable Connectivity Program, which 

was published in the Federal Register at 

86 FR 71494 (Dec. 16, 2021). 

Federal Communications Commission. 

Marlene Dortch, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2023–18944 Filed 8–31–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6712–01–P 

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS 

COMMISSION 

[FR ID: 167780] 

Privacy Act of 1974; System of 

Records 

AGENCY: Federal Communications 

Commission. 

ACTION: Notice of a modified system of 

records. 

SUMMARY: The Federal Communications 

Commission (FCC, Commission, or 

Agency) proposes to modify an existing 

system of records, FCC/CGB–4, internetbased Telecommunications Relay 

Service-User Registration Database 

(ITRS–URD) Program, subject to the 

Privacy Act of 1974, as amended. This 

action is necessary to meet the 

requirements of the Privacy Act to 

publish in the Federal Register notice of 

the existence and character of records 

maintained by the agency. The ITRS– 

URD’s system of records contains 

personally identifiable information (PII) 

that is collected, used, stored, and 

maintained to support the 

administration, management, 

operations, and functions of the ITRS 

programs. The ITRS–URD, which is 

administered by a third party under 

contract with the FCC, is a database 

registration system that provides a 

necessary interface for multiple ITRS 

services, which include, but are not 

limited to Video Relay Service (VRS), 

and internet Protocol Captioned 

Telephone Service (IP CTS). These 

services are available to individuals 

who are deaf, deaf-blind, hard of 

hearing, or have speech disabilities, 

who are eligible under the Americans 

with Disabilities Act (ADA), and who 

register to participate in a TRS program. 

This modification makes various 

necessary changes and updates, 

including clarification of the purpose of 

the system, formatting changes required 

by the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB) Circular A–108 since its 

previous publication, the addition of 

new routine uses, as well as the revision 

of existing routine uses. 

DATES: This modified system of records 

will become effective on September 1, 

2023. Written comments on the routine 

uses are due by October 2, 2023. The 

routine uses in this action will become 

effective on October 2, 2023 unless 

comments are received that require a 

contrary determination. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments to 

Katherine C. Clark, FCC, 45 L Street NE, 

Washington, DC 20554, or to privacy@

fcc.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Katherine C. Clark, (202) 418–1773 or 

privacy@fcc.gov (and to obtain a copy of 

the Narrative Statement and the 

Supplementary Document, which 

includes details of the proposed 

alterations to this system of records). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As 

required by the Privacy Act of 1974, as 

amended, 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(4) and 

(e)(11), this document sets forth notice 

of the proposed modification of a 

system of records maintained by the 

FCC. The FCC previously provided 

notice of the system of records FCC/ 

CGB–4, internet-based 

Telecommunications Relay Service-User 

Registration Database (ITRS–URD) 

Program, by publication in the Federal 

Register on February 9, 2015 (80 FR 

6963). 

This notice serves to update and 

modify FCC/CGB–4 as a result of 

various necessary changes and updates, 

including approval by the National 

Archives and Records Administration 

(NARA) of a records retention and 

disposal schedule for the information in 

this system, since its previous 

publication. The substantive changes 

and modifications to the previously 

published version of the FCC/CGB–4 

system of records include: 

1. Restyling the name of the System 

as the ‘‘internet-based 

Telecommunications Relay Service-User 

Registration Database (ITRS–URD)’’; 

2. Updating the language in the 

Security Classification to follow OMB 

guidance; 

3. Modifying the language in the 

Categories of Individuals and Categories 

of Records to be consistent with the 


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