Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 232 / Tuesday, December 5, 2023 / Notices 84325 

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 

determining whether they receive SNAP 

and Medicaid benefits administered by 

the New Mexico Human Services 

Department. 

Participating Agencies 

New Mexico Human Services 

Department (source agency); Federal 

Communications Commission (recipient 

agency) and Universal Service 

Administrative Company. 

Authority for Conducting the Matching 

Program 

The authority to conduct the 

matching program for the FCC’s ACP is 

47 U.S.C. 1752(a)–(b). The authority to 

conduct the matching program for the 

FCC’s Lifeline program is 47 U.S.C. 

254(a)–(c), (j). 

Purpose(s) 

The purpose of this new 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 and 

Medicaid in New Mexico. 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 New Mexico Human 

Services Department which will 

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

individual is enrolled in a qualifying 

assistance program: SNAP and Medicaid 

administered by the New Mexico 

Human Services Department. 

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. 2023–26698 Filed 12–4–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6712–01–P 

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS 

COMMISSION 

[FR ID: 187883] 

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 Minnesota Department 

of Human Services. The purpose of this 

matching program is to verify the 

eligibility of applicants to and 

subscribers of the Affordable 

Connectivity Program (ACP), which is 

administered by USAC under the 

direction of the FCC. More information 

about this program is provided in the 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section 

below. 

DATES: Written comments are due on or 

before January 4, 2024. This computer 

matching program will commence on 

January 4, 2024, 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: In the 

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, 

Public Law 116–260, 134 Stat. 1182, 

2129–36 (2020), Congress created the 

Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
84326 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 232 / Tuesday, December 5, 2023 / Notices 

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 ACP applicants and 

subscribers by determining whether 

they receive SNAP and Medicaid 

benefits administered by the Minnesota 

Department of Human Services. 

Participating Agencies 

Minnesota Department of Human 

Services (source agency), Federal 

Communications Commission (recipient 

agency) and Universal Service 

Administrative Company. 

Authority for Conducting the Matching 

Program 

The authority to conduct the 

matching program for the FCC’s ACP is 

47 U.S.C. 1752(a)–(b). 

Purpose(s) 

The purpose of this new matching 

agreement is to verify the eligibility of 

applicants and subscribers to ACP and 

other Federal programs that use 

qualification for Lifeline as an eligibility 

criterion. This new agreement will 

permit eligibility verification for ACP by 

checking an applicant’s/subscriber’s 

participation in the SNAP and Medicaid 

Program. Under FCC rules, consumers 

receiving these benefits qualify 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 

ACP benefits; are currently receiving 

ACP benefits; or who have received ACP 

benefits. 

Categories of Records 

The categories of records involved in 

the matching program include the last 

four digits of the applicant’s Social 

Security Number, date of birth, and first 

and last name. The National Verifier 

will transfer these data elements to the 

Minnesota Department of Human 

Services, which will respond either 

‘‘yes’’ or ‘‘no’’ that the individual is 

enrolled in a qualifying assistance 

program: SNAP and Medicaid 

administered by the Minnesota 

Department of Human Services. 

System(s) of Records 

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. 2023–26697 Filed 12–4–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6712–01–P 

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS 

COMMISSION 

[FR ID: 187882] 

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 Kentucky Cabinet for 

Health and Family Services, Department 

for Community Based 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 January 4, 2024. This computer 

matching program will commence on 

January 4, 2024, 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 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES