71112 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 230 / Wednesday, November 29, 2000 / Notices

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether

the proposed collection of information

is necessary for the proper performance

of the functions of the agency, including

whether the information shall have

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the

agency’s estimate of the burden of the

proposed collection of information; (c)

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the

burden of the collection of information

on respondents, including through the

use of automated collection techniques

or other forms of information

technology.

Proposed Project: The Health Education

Assistance Loan (HEAL) Program:

Physician’s Certification of Borrower’s

Total and Permanent Disability Form

(OMB No. 0915–0204)—Revision

The Health Education Assistance

Loan (HEAL) program provided

federally-insured loans to students in

schools of allopathic medicine,

osteopathic medicine, dentistry,

veterinary medicine, optometry,

podiatric medicine, pharmacy, public

health, allied health, or chiropractic,

and graduate students in health

administration or clinical psychology

through September 30, 1998. Eligible

lenders, such as banks, savings and loan

associations, credit unions, pension

funds, State agencies, HEAL schools,

and insurance companies make new

refinanced HEAL loans which are

insured by the Federal Government

against loss due to borrower’s death,

disability, bankruptcy, and default. The

basic purpose of the program was to

assure the availability of funds for loans

to eligible students who needed to

borrow money to pay for their

educational loans. Currently, the

program refinances previous HEAL

loans, monitors the federal liability, and

assists in default prevention activities.

The HEAL borrower, the borrower’s

physician, and the holder of the loan

completes the Physician’s Certification

form to certify that the HEAL borrower

meets the total and permanent disability

provisions.

The Department uses this form to

obtain detailed information about

disability claims which includes the

following: (1) The borrower’s consent to

release medical records to the

Department of Health and Human

Services and to the holder of the

borrower’s HEAL loans, (2) pertinent

information supplied by the certifying

physician, (3) the physician’s

certification that the borrower is unable

to engage in any substantial gainful

activity because of a medically

determinable impairment that is

expected to continue for a long and

indefinite period of time or to result in

death, and (4) information from the

lender on the unpaid balance. Failure to

submit the required documentation will

result in disapproval of a disability

claim.

The estimate of burden for the

Physician’s Certification form is as

follows:

Type of respondent Number of

respondents

Responses

per

respondent

Total

responses

Minutes

per response

(min)

Total

burden hours

Borrower* ............................................................................. 117 1 117 5 10

Physician .............................................................................. 117 1 117 30 59

Loan Holder ......................................................................... 20 5.85 117 10 20

Total .......................................................................... 254 351 89

*Includes 2 categories of borrowers requesting disability waivers: (1) whose loans have previously defaulted and (2) whose loans have not

defaulted.

Send comments to Susan G. Queen,

Ph.D., HRSA Reports Clearance Officer,

Room 14–33, Parklawn Building, 5600

Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857.

Written comments should be received

before December 29, 2000.

Dated: November 22, 2000.

James J. Corrigan,

Associate Administrator for Management and

Program Support.

[FR Doc. 00–30454 Filed 11–28–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4160–15–P

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND

URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR–4456–N–13]

Privacy Act of 1974; Notice of

Matching Program: Matching Tenant

Data in Assisted Housing Programs

AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information

Officer, HUD.

ACTION: Notice of a computer matching

program between the Department of

Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

and the Social Security Administration

(SSA) and the Internal Revenue Service

(IRS).

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Computer

Matching and Privacy Protection Act of

1988, as amended, and the Office of

Management and Budget’s (OMB)

Guidance on the statute, HUD is

updating its notice of a matching

program involving comparisons

between income data provided by

applicants or participants in HUD’s

assisted housing programs and

independent sources of income

information. The matching program will

be carried out to detect inappropriate

(excessive or insufficient) housing

assistance under the National Housing

Act, the United States Housing Act of

1937, section 101 of the Housing and

Community Development Act of 1965,

the Native American Housing

Assistance and Self-Determination Act

of 1996, and the Quality Housing and

Work Responsibility Act of 1998. The

program provides for the verification of

the matching results and the initiation

of appropriate administrative or legal

actions, primarily through public

housing agencies (HAs) and owners and

agents (all collectively referred to as

POAs). Indian tribes and tribally

designated housing entities (TDHEs) are

not a mandatory component of the

computer matching program.

Participation by Indian tribes and

TDHEs is discretionary; however, they

may receive and use social security and

supplemental security income matching

information provided by HUD. During

1999 the responsibilities for the

computer matching program were

transferred from the Office of Public and

Indian Housing (PIH) to the Real Estate

Assessment Center (REAC).

This notice provides an overview of

computer matching for HUD’s assisted

housing programs. Specifically, the

notice describes HUD’s program for

computer matching of its tenant data to:

(a) The Social Security Administration’s

(SSA) earned income and the Internal

Revenue Service’s (IRS) unearned

income data, (b) SSA’s wage, social

security, supplemental security income

and special veterans benefits data, (c)

State Wage Information Collection

Agencies’ (SWICAs’) wage and

unemployment benefit claim

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 230 / Wednesday, November 29, 2000 / Notices 71113

information, and (d) the Office of

Personnel Management’s (OPM)

personnel data.

DATES: Computer matching is expected

to begin 30 days after publication of this

notice unless comments are received

which will result in a contrary

determination, or 40 days from the date

a computer matching agreement is

signed, whichever is later.

Comments due by: December 29,

2000.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are

invited to submit comments regarding

this notice to the Rules Docket Clerk,

Office of General Counsel, Room 10276,

Department of Housing and Urban

Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW.,

Washington, DC 20410–0500.

Communications should refer to the

above docket number and title.

Facsimile (FAX) comments are not

acceptable. A copy of each

communication submitted will be

available for public inspection and

copying between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30

p.m. weekdays at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

Privacy Act: Jeanette Smith,

Departmental Privacy Act Officer, Room

4178, Department of Housing and Urban

Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW.,

Washington, DC 20410, telephone

number (202) 708–2374. A

telecommunications device for hearingand speech-impaired individuals (TTY)

is available at 1–800–877–8339 (Federal

Information Relay Service).

For further information from recipient

agency: Project Manager, Tenant

Assessment Sub-System, Real Estate

Assessment Center, Department of

Housing and Urban Development, 1280

Maryland Avenue, SW., Suite 800,

Washington, DC 20024–2635, telephone

number (202) 708–4932, extension 3214;

William N. Siska, Director, Chicago

Technical Assistance Center,

Department of Housing and Urban

Development, 77 West Jackson

Boulevard, Room 2205, Chicago, Illinois

60604, telephone number (312) 353–

6236, extension 2084; and Gordon L.

Brandhagen, Director, Seattle Technical

Assistance Center, Department of

Housing and Urban Development, 909

First Avenue, Suite 190, Seattle,

Washington 98104, telephone number

(206) 220–5312. (These telephone

numbers are not toll-free.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This

notice supersedes a similar notice

published in the Federal Register on

December 9, 1998 (63 FR 68130). Since

that time, the matching program has

been implemented on a large scale. In

previous years, the computer matching

was carried out for random samples of

households receiving rental assistance

or for selected POAs. During calendar

year 1999, HUD used the matching

program for a large-scale computer

matching project involving over 2

million households. HUD announced

plans for the large-scale implementation

of the program in 64 FR 49817,

(September 14, 1999). In addition, HUD

established Technical Assistance

Centers in Chicago and Seattle in

calendar year 2000 to support the

activities of the computer matching

program. Technical Assistance Center

employees at the two locations respond

to telephone calls from tenants and POA

staff regarding the income matching

program.

The Computer Matching and Privacy

Protection Act of 1988, as amended (5

U.S.C. 552a) (the CMPP Act), the Office

of Management and Budget’s guidance

on this statute entitled ‘‘Final Guidance

Interpreting the Provisions of Public

Law 100–503, the Computer Matching

and Privacy Protection Act of 1988’’

(OMB Guidance), and OMB Circular No.

A–130 requires publication of notices of

computer matching programs. Appendix

I to OMB’s Revision of Circular No. A–

130, ‘‘Transmittal 2, Management of

Federal Information Resources,’’

prescribes Federal agency

responsibilities for maintaining records

about individuals. In accordance with

the CMPP Act and Appendix I to OMB

Circular No. A–130, copies of this notice

are being provided to the Committee on

Government Reform of the House of

Representatives, the Committee on

Governmental Affairs of the Senate, and

OMB’s Office of Information and

Regulatory Affairs.

I. Authority

This matching program is being

conducted pursuant to sections 3003

and 13403 of the Omnibus Budget

Reconciliation Act of 1993 (Pub. L. 103–

66, approved August 10, 1993); section

542(b) of the 1998 Appropriations Act

(Public Law 105–65); section 904 of the

Stewart B. McKinney Homeless

Assistance Amendments Act of 1988 (42

U.S.C.3544); section 165 of the Housing

and Community Development Act of

1987 (42 U.S.C. 3543); the National

Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1701–1750g);

the United States Housing Act of 1937

(42 U.S.C. 1437–1437o); section 101 of

the Housing and Urban Development

Act of 1965 (12 U.S.C. 1701s); the

Native American Housing Assistance

and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25

U.S.C. 4101 et seq.); and the Quality

Housing and Work Responsibility Act of

1998.

The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation

Act of 1993 (Budget Reconciliation Act)

authorizes HUD to request from the SSA

and the IRS Federal tax information as

prescribed in section 6103(l)(7) of title

26 of the United States Code (Internal

Revenue Code). Section 542(b) of HUD’s

1998 Appropriation Act (Public Law

105–65; October 27, 1997) eliminated a

September 30, 1998, sunset provision to

26 U.S.C. 6103(l)(7)(D)(ix) of the

Internal Revenue Code effectively

making permanent the authority for SSA

and IRS disclosures of Federal tax

information to HUD.

The Federal tax information that HUD

receives includes income data that

individuals receive from employers and

financial institutions (e.g., income data

that would be shown on IRS Form W–

2 and Form 1099) for use in preparing

tax returns. The Budget Reconciliation

Act prohibits HUD redisclosure of tax

data to POAs. However, it allows HUD

to disclose the fact that discrepancies

exist between income information

provided by tenants and Federal tax

information, and to request that POAs

reverify tenant incomes when income

comparisons indicate uncertain

eligibility benefits or an inappropriate

level of benefits.

Section 3003 of the Budget

Reconciliation Act requires that

applicants and participants in assisted

housing programs sign a consent form

authorizing the Secretary of HUD to

request that the Commissioner of Social

Security and the Secretary of the

Treasury release the Federal tax

information. The final rule regarding

participants’ consent to the release of

information was published by HUD in

the Federal Register on March 20, 1995

(61 FR 11112).

The Stewart B. McKinney Homeless

Assistance Amendments Act of 1988

authorizes HUD and HAs (but not

private owners/management agents for

subsidized multifamily projects) to

request wage and claim information

from State Wage Information Collection

Agencies (SWICAs) responsible for

administering State unemployment laws

in order to undertake computer

matching. This Act authorizes HUD to

require applicants and participants to

sign a consent form authorizing HUD or

the HA to request wage and claim

information from the SWICAs.

The Housing and Community

Development Act of 1987 authorizes

HUD to require applicants and

participants (as well as members of their

households six years of age and older)

in HUD-administered programs

involving rental assistance to disclose to

HUD their social security numbers

(SSNs) as a condition of initial or

continuing eligibility for participation

in the programs.

71114 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 230 / Wednesday, November 29, 2000 / Notices

The Quality Housing and Work

Responsibility Act of 1998 (QHWRA),

Section 508(d), 42 U.S.C. 1437a (1998)

authorizes the Secretary of HUD to

require disclosure by the tenant to the

public housing agency of income

information received by the tenant from

HUD as part of income verification

procedures of HUD. The QHWRA was

amended by Public Law 106–74 which

extended the disclosure requirements to

participants in section 8, section 202,

and section 811 assistance programs.

The participants are required to disclose

the HUD-provided income information

to owners responsible for determining

the participants’ eligibility or level of

benefits.

II. Objectives To Be Met by the

Matching Program

HUD’s primary objective in

implementing the computer matching

program is to increase the availability of

rental assistance to individuals who

meet the requirements of the rental

assistance programs. Other objectives

include determining the appropriate

level of rental assistance, and deterring

and correcting abuses in assisted

housing programs. In meeting these

objectives HUD also is carrying out a

responsibility under 42 U.S.C. 1437f(K)

to ensure that income data provided to

POAs by household members is

complete and accurate. Using Federal

tax information, HUD conducts a

computer matching and income

verification program annually for a

random sample of households that

received rental assistance. Based on the

computer matching and subsequent

HUD analysis of tenant-provided

information, HUD develops nationwide

estimates of the extent of excess rental

assistance, and uses the estimates for

financial statement reporting purposes.

HUD implemented a large-scale

computer matching project in Fiscal

Year 2000 that used 1998 information

from other Federal agencies. HUD sends

letters to tenants and notices to POAs so

that these parties may resolve the

income discrepancies.

HUD’s various assisted housing

programs, available through POAs,

require that applicants meet certain

income and other criteria to be eligible

for rental assistance. In addition, tenants

generally are required to report the

amounts and sources of their income at

least annually. However, under the

Quality Housing and Work

Responsibility Act of 1998, public

housing agencies may now offer tenants

the option to pay a flat rent, or an

income-based rent. Those tenants who

select a flat rent will be required to

recertify income at least every three

years. In addition, the Changes to the

Admissions and Occupancy Final Rule

(65 FR 16692; March 29, 2000) specified

that household composition must be

recertified annually for tenants who

select a flat rent or and income-based

rentfy.

The matching program identifies

tenants receiving inappropriate

(excessive or insufficient) rental

assistance resulting from under or overreported household income. When

excessive rental assistance amounts are

identified, some tenants move out of

assisted housing units; other tenants

agree to repay excessive rental

assistance. These actions may increase

rental assistance or number of units

available to serve other beneficiaries of

HUD programs. When tenants continue

to be eligible for rental assistance, but at

a reduced level, the tenants will be

required to increase their contributions

toward rent.

Tribes and TDHEs set admission and

eligibility requirements pursuant to the

requirements contained in the native

American housing Assistance and SelfDetermination Act of 1996. They are not

required to provide tenant data to the

Department. Therefore, their

participation is discretionary.

III. Program Description

In this computer matching program,

tenant-provided information included

in HUD’s automated files will be

compared to data from the SSA and the

IRS. HUD will normally request that the

SSA conduct matching of earned

income information, and that the IRS

conduct matching of unearned income

information, at least annually. The

Federal tax information matching

normally occurs in the first quarter of

the Federal Fiscal Year which begins in

October, and uses Federal tax

information for the prior tax year.

HUD will also request SSA matching

of social security, supplemental security

income, and special veterans benefits

information monthly for residents due

to be recertified in four months, and

daily (on the receipt of new

certifications) for residents. The daily

process is currently used only for HUD’s

Office of Housing’s Rental Assistance

Programs and may be expanded to the

Office of Public and Indian Housing’s

rental assistance programs. Indian

Tribes and Tribally Designated Housing

Entities may receive and use social

security and supplemental security

income matching information provided

by HUD.

HUD may also request SWICA

matching to supplement SSA and IRS

matching and income verification.

Public housing agencies, but not owners

and management agents, may also

request SWICA matching.

HUD will disclose to the SSA, IRS,

and SWICAs only tenant personal

identifiers, i.e., SSNs, surnames, and

dates of birth. The SSA, IRS, and

SWICAs will conduct the matching of

the HUD-provided personal identifiers

to personal identifiers included in their

automated files. Those agencies will

provide income data to HUD only for

individuals with matching personal

identifiers. The process of income

matching between HUD and the OPM

varies from the above. The OPM will

disclose its data to HUD, and HUD will

conduct the computer matching to OPM

data.

HUD will then compare income data

obtained from the sources cited above to

tenant-reported income data included in

HUD’s system of records known as the

Tenant Eligibility Verification Files

(HUD/REAC–1) published at 65 FR

52777; August 30, 2000. HUD/REAC–1

receives tenant data from the Tenant

Housing Assistance and Contract

Verification Data (HUD/H–11),

published at 62 FR 11909, March 13,

1997. The tenant income comparisons

identify, based on criteria established by

HUD, tenants whose incomes require

further verification to determine if the

tenants received appropriate levels of

rental assistance.

A. Income Verification

HUD will normally request that POAs

verify matching results as described

below. However, under certain limited

circumstances, HUD may verify tenant

incomes with independent income

sources. For example, such

circumstances may include: (a) When

HUD declares a public housing agency

in breach of an annual contributions

contract; or (b) when tenants fail to

disclose SSA and IRS data, or the

tenants commit other serious violations,

and HUD’s analysis of the data could

support legal actions. HUD may send

letters to employers to request income

data, but HUD will not disclose tax data

to POAs.

(1) Verification of SSA and IRS Data

Referenced in Section 6103(l)(7) of the

Internal Revenue Code

Since HUD cannot redisclose tax data

directly to POAs, HUD will notify

tenants of discrepancies between the

tenant-reported income and the SSA

and IRS data. HUD will supply the

tenants with their income information

taken directly from SSA and IRS data

and request that the tenants provide this

information to the POA. Concurrently,

HUD will notify the POA that a

discrepancy exists between information

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 230 / Wednesday, November 29, 2000 / Notices 71115

provided by the tenants and other

sources and will request reverification

of the tenants’ incomes. The

notifications to the POAs will not

include any tax information.

Income information that tenants

disclose to the POAs will be verified

directly with the income source or with

the tenant. HUD has determined that

POAs may consider the Federal tax

information that tenants disclose to the

POAs as verified if the tenant does not

contest the accuracy of this information

when offered an opportunity to do so.

If the tenant contests the Federal tax

information, the POA must verify it

with the entities that provided the

information to the SSA or the IRS. An

Income Discrepancy Resolution Guide

(see Section III.B. of this Notice of

Matching Program) issued by HUD

describes in greater detail actions that

POAs take in resolving income

differences identified by the computer

matching, and in reporting to HUD on

actions taken.

The SSA and the IRS have advised

HUD that the process described in the

preceding paragraph is consistent with

the intent of section 6103(l)(7) of the

Internal Revenue Code, as the intent of

the matching is to create a dialogue

between the benefit recipient and the

benefit provider.

(2) Verification of Social Security,

Supplemental Security Income and

Special Veterans Benefits Data

Unlike the income information

supplied by the SSA and the IRS for tax

purposes, SSA’s social security,

supplemental security income and

special veterans benefits data may be

disclosed to POAs. (The Foster Care

Independence Act of 1999; Public Law

106–169 provided a new Title VIII of the

Social Security Act, which authorized

special benefits for certain World War II

veterans.) Therefore, after receiving this

data from the SSA and comparing it to

tenant-reported income, HUD will

disclose the SSA social security,

supplemental security income and

special veterans benefits data to POAs.

These disclosures will include

information on monthly social security,

supplemental security income, and

special veterans benefits data and,

where applicable, income discrepancy

information between tenant-reported

data, as reported by POAs, and the

income amounts provided by the SSA.

POAs will use this information in

periodic verifications of tenant incomes

that are required to determine program

eligibility and rental assistance

amounts. HUD has implemented secure

electronic facilities for transmitting

social security, supplemental security

income and special veterans benefits

data to all POAs.

(3) Verification of SWICAs Data

HUD will disclose matching results

for SWICAs wage and unemployment

claim data directly to HAs. The

comparison of SWICAs wage

information and the tenant-reported

data will reveal whether income

verification is necessary. HAs must then

obtain wage information directly from

the tenants’ employers, including

information from prior years, when

appropriate. The SWICAs

unemployment claim data must be

verified with the tenants. Verification of

the income data with employers or the

SWICAs would only be required if

tenants dispute the SWICAs data.

(4) Verification of OPM Data

HUD will disclose matching results

for OPM personnel data to POAs. The

OPM data, when compared to the

tenant-reported data, provides an

indicator that income verification is

necessary. The POA may then obtain

current or prior wage information

directly from employers when

appropriate.

B. Administrative or Legal Actions

Regarding all the matching described

in this notice, HUD anticipates that

POAs will take appropriate actions in

consultation with tenants to: (1) Resolve

income disparities between tenantreported and independent income

source data, and (2) use correct income

amounts in determining rental

assistance.

HUD developed a Calendar Year 1998

Income Discrepancy Resolution Guide

that prescribes procedures for resolving

and reporting on the POA’s resolution of

income discrepancies concerning

Federal tax information matching. The

Guide also contains information

concerning grievance, informal hearing

and review procedures to resolve any

disputes between POAs and tenants. A

copy of the Guide may be accessed at

http://www.hud.gov/reac/products/tass/

tass_guide_poa.html. HUD plans to

modify this Guide periodically. POAs

must compute the rent in full

compliance with all applicable

occupancy regulations. POAs must

ensure that they use the correct income

and correctly compute the rent.

The POAs may not suspend,

terminate, reduce, or make a final denial

of any housing assistance to any tenant

as the result of information produced by

this matching program until: (a) the

tenant has received notice from the POA

of its findings and informing the tenant

of the opportunity to contest such

findings and (b) either the notice period

provided in applicable regulations of

the program, or 30 days, whichever is

later, has expired. In most cases, POAs

will resolve income discrepancies in

consultation with tenants.

C. Public Reporting Burden on

Computer Matching/Income Verification

Results

The information collection

requirements were approved by the

Office of Management and Budget and

assigned an OMB Approval Number

2507–003, with the expiration date of

May 31, 2003.

IV. Records to Be Matched

SSA and IRS will conduct the

matching of tenant SSNs and additional

identifiers (such as surnames and dates

of birth) to tenant data that HUD

supplies from its system of records

known as the Tenant Housing

Assistance and Contract Verification

Data (HUD/H–11). Within HUD, this

system of records includes two

automated systems known as the

Multifamily Tenant Characteristics

System (a system for programs under

the Office of the Assistant Secretary for

Public and Indian Housing) and the

Tenant Rental Assistance Certification

System (a system for programs under

the Office of the Assistant Secretary for

Housing—Federal Housing

Commissioner). POAs provide HUD

with the tenant data that is included in

HUD/H–11.

The SSA will match the HUD/H–11

records to the SSA’s Earnings Recording

and Self-Employment Income System

(HHS/SSA/OSR, 09–60–0059) (Earnings

Record); Master Beneficiary Record

(HHS/SSA/OSR, 09–60–0090) (MBR);

and Supplemental Security Income

Record (HHS/SSA/OSR, 09–60–0103)

(SSR). The IRS will match the HUD/H–

11 records to its Wage and Information

Returns (IRP) Master File (Treas/IRS

22.061). The IRS also refers to this file

as the Information Return Master File

(IRMF).

HUD will place matching data into its

system of records known as the Tenant

Eligibility Verification Files (HUD/

REAC–1). The HUD/REAC–1 records are

specifically exempt from certain

provisions of the Privacy Act, as

described in notices published on

February 28, 1994 (59 FR 9406) and

March 30, 1994 (59 FR 14869).

HUD may also coordinate SWICAs

income computer matches for its rental

assistance programs using tenants’ SSNs

and surnames. SWICAs will match

tenant records to machine-readable files

of quarterly wage data and

unemployment insurance benefit data.

71116 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 230 / Wednesday, November 29, 2000 / Notices

Results from this matching will be

provided to HUD or HAs, which will

then determine whether tenants have

unreported or underreported income.

The matching will be done in

accordance with a written agreement

between the SWICAs and HUD.

In addition, tenants SSNs may be

matched to the OPM’s General

Personnel Records (OPM/GOVT–1) and

the Civil Service Retirement and

Insurance Records System (OPM/

Central-1). Tenant data may be matched

to the SSA’s Master Files of Social

Security Number Holders (HHS/SSA/

OSR, 09–60–0058) and Death Master

Files for the purpose of validating SSNs

contained in tenant records. These

records will also be used to validate

SSNs for all applicants, tenants, and

household members who are six (6)

years of age and over to identify

noncompliance with program eligibility

requirements. HUD will compare tenant

SSNs provided by POAs to reveal

duplicate SSNs and potential duplicate

housing assistance.

V. Period of the Match

The computer matching program will

be conducted according to agreements

between HUD and the SSA, IRS, OPM,

and SWICAs. The computer matching

agreements for the planned matches will

terminate either when the purpose of

the computer matching program is

accomplished, or 18 months from the

date the agreement is signed, whichever

comes first.

The agreements may be extended for

one 12-month period, with the mutual

agreement of all involved parties, if the

following conditions are met:

(1) Within 3 months of the expiration

date, all Data Integrity Boards review

the agreement, find that the program

will be conducted without change, and

find a continued favorable examination

of benefit/cost results; and

(2) All parties certify that the program

has been conducted in compliance with

the agreement.

The agreement may be terminated,

prior to accomplishment of the

computer matching purpose or 18

months from the date the agreement is

signed (whichever comes first), by the

mutual agreement of all involved parties

within 30 days of written notice.

Dated: November 17, 2000.

Gloria R. Parker,

Chief Information Officer.

[FR Doc. 00–30065 Filed 11–28–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4210–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Extension of Approved Information

Collection, OMB Number 1018–0092,

on Permit/License Applications

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service is announcing its intention to

request renewal of its existing approval

to collect certain information from

applicants who wish to obtain a permit

or license to conduct activities under a

number of wildlife conservation laws,

treaties and regulations. We will submit

the collection of information listed

below to the Office of Management and

Budget (OMB) for approval under the

provisions of the Paperwork Reduction

Act of 1995. If you wish to obtain copies

of the proposed information collection

requirement, related forms, and

explanatory materials, contact the

Collection Clearance Officer at the

address listed below.

DATES: You must submit comments on

or before January 29, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments and

suggestions on specific requirements to

the Collection Clearance Officer, U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service, MS 222–

ARLSQ; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive,

Arlington, VA 22203.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To

request additional copies of the

information collection request,

explanatory information and related

forms, contact Rebecca A. Mullin,

Collection Clearance Officer at 703–

358–2287, or electronically to:

rmullin@fws.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OMB

regulations at 5 CFR 1320, which

implement provisions of the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–13),

require that interested members of the

public and affected agencies have an

opportunity to comment on information

collection and record keeping activities

[see 5 CFR 1320.8(d)]. We plan to

submit a request to OMB to renew its

approval of the collection of information

for the Service’s license/permit

application form number 3–200–1

through 3–200–3 and 3–200–26. We are

requesting a 3-year term of approval for

this information collection activity.

We modified the format of the first

page of the application form so that the

information fields in our Service-wide

Permits Issuance and Tracking

computer System. We also modified the

format and content of the supplemental

page(s) of the application forms for

clarity and to be less burdensome to

complete.

We invite comments concerning this

renewal on: (1) Whether the collection

of information is necessary for the

proper performance of the functions of

the agency, including whether the

information will have practical utility;

(2) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate

of burden, (3) ways to enhance the

quality, utility and clarity of the

information to be collected; and (4)

ways to minimize the burden of the

collection of information on those who

are to respond. The information

collections in this program are part of a

system of record covered by the Privacy

Act [5 U.S.C. 552(a)].

The information on the application

and the attachments will be used by the

Service to review permit applications

and allow the Service to make an

assessment according to criteria

established in various Federal wildlife

conservation laws, treaties and

regulations, on the issuance,

suspension, revocation or denial of

permits.

Federal agencies may not conduct or

sponsor, and a person is not required to

respond to, a collection of information

unless it displays a currently valid OMB

control number. The OMB control

number for this collection of

information is 1018–0092 which expires

on 02/28/2001.

The information collection

requirements in this submission

implement the regulatory requirements

of the Endangered Species Act (16

U.S.C. 1539), the Migratory Bird Treaty

Act (15 U.S.C. 704), the Lacey Act (18

U.S.C. 42–44), the Bald and Golden

Eagle Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 668), the

Convention on International Trade in

Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and

Flora (CITES), (27 UST 108), the Marine

Mammal Protection Act (16 U.S.C.

1361–1407), and Wild Bird

Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 4901–

4916), and are contained in Service

regulations in Chapter I, Subchapter B

of Title 50 Code of Federal Regulations

(CFR). Common permit application and

record keeping requirements have been

consolidated in 50 CFR 13, and unique

requirements of the various statutes in

the applicable part as described in the

table.