[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 161 (Wednesday, August 20, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44301-44302]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-22041]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION


Privacy Act of 1974, as Amended; Computer Matching Programs (SSA/
States Wage, Unemployment Compensation (UC) Files--SSA Match Numbers 
1140, 1142)

AGENCY: Social Security Administration (SSA).

ACTION: Notice of Computer Matching Programs.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, this 
notice announces a computer matching program that SSA plans to conduct 
with the States.

DATES: SSA will file a report of the subject matching program with the 
Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate, the Committee on 
Government Reform and Oversight of the House of Representatives and the 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB). The matching program will be effective as indicated 
below.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties may comment on this notice by either 
telefax to (410) 966-2935, or writing to the Associate Commissioner for 
Program Support, 4400 West High Rise Building, 6401 Security Boulevard, 
Baltimore, MD 21235. All comments received will be available for public 
inspection at this address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Associate Commissioner for Program 
Support as shown above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. General

    The Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 
100-503), amended the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a) by establishing 
conditions under which computer matching involving the Federal 
Government could be performed and adding certain protections for 
individuals applying for and receiving Federal benefits. Section 7201 
of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (Pub. L. 101-508) 
further amended the Privacy Act regarding protections for such 
individuals. The Privacy Act, as amended, regulates the use of computer 
matching by Federal agencies when records in a system of records are 
matched with other Federal, State, or local government records. Among 
other things, it requires Federal agencies involved in computer 
matching programs to:
    (1) Negotiate written agreements with the other agency or agencies 
participating in the matching programs;
    (2) Obtain Data Integrity Board approval of the match agreements;
    (3) Furnish detailed reports about matching programs to Congress 
and OMB;
    (4) Notify applicants and beneficiaries that their records are 
subject to matching; and
    (5) Verify match findings before reducing, suspending, terminating, 
or denying an individual's benefits or payments.

[[Page 44302]]

B. SSA Computer Matches Subject to the Privacy Act

    We have taken action to ensure that all of SSA's computer matching 
programs comply with the requirements of the Privacy Act, as amended.

    Dated: August 7, 1997.
John J. Callahan,
Acting Commissioner of Social Security.

Notice of Computer Matching Programs, States' Income Eligibility 
Verification System Records (Wage, Unemployment Compensation (UC) 
Files) With the Social Security Administration (SSA)

A. Participating Agencies

    SSA and the States.

B. Purpose of the Matching Programs

    Section 1137 of the Social Security Act (the Act) requires 
individual States to have in effect an income and eligibility 
verification system which meets certain requirements. Among other 
requirements, such a State verification system must provide for certain 
exchanges of information when relevant information may be of use in 
establishing or verifying eligibility or benefit amounts under benefit 
programs affected by the statute.
    The purpose of these matching programs is to enable SSA to 
implement procedures consistent with requirements of section 
1137(a)(4)(B) of the Act. The agreements with the States will describe 
the conditions under which SSA and the States agree to disclose 
information to each other relating to the eligibility for, and payment 
of, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.

C. Authority for Conducting the Matching Programs

    Section 1137 of the Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b-7). Section 6103(1) of the 
Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 6103(1)).

D. Categories of Records and Individuals Covered by the Matching 
Programs

    SSA will provide the States with a finder file containing names and 
other identifying information of recipients from SSA's SSI benefit 
rolls. This information will be matched by each State with its wage and 
UC files and a reply file of matched records will be furnished to SSA. 
Upon receipt of a State's reply file, SSA will match the names from the 
State file with the names on SSA's records to ensure that the State 
data pertain to the relevant SSI recipients and to determine whether 
the income levels of the recipients are consistent with statutory and 
regulatory limitations under the SSI program.
    SSA and the States may exchange information electronically through 
the File Transfer Management System (FTMS). Cartridge or magnetic tape 
will be used in the event FTMS is inoperable.

E. Inclusive Dates of the Match

    Individual matching programs covered by this notice shall become 
effective no sooner than 40 days after notice of the matching program 
is sent to Congress and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), 30 
days after publication of this notice in the Federal Register, or upon 
the signature of the individual agreement by representatives of the 
parties to the agreement, whichever date is later. The matching 
programs will continue for 18 months from the effective date and may be 
extended for an additional 12 months thereafter, if certain conditions 
are met.

[FR Doc. 97-22041 Filed 8-19-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4190-29-P