Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 49 / Monday, March 14, 2022 / Notices 14265 

In the Consolidated Appropriations 

Act, 2021, Public Law 116–260, 134 

Stat. 1182, 2129–36 (2020) (codified at 

47 U.S.C. 1301 nt.), 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 

benefits administered by the South 

Carolina Department of Social Services. 

Participating Agencies 

South Carolina Department of Social 

Services, the Federal Communications 

Commission and the Universal Service 

Administrative Company. 

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 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 in 

South Carolina. 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 last name. The 

National Verifier will transfer these data 

elements to the South Carolina 

Department of Social Services, which 

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

the individual is enrolled in a qualifying 

assistance program: SNAP administered 

by the South Carolina Department of 

Social 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. 

Katura Jackson, 

Federal Register Liaison Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2022–05243 Filed 3–11–22; 8:45 am] 

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FEDERAL RETIREMENT THRIFT 

INVESTMENT BOARD 

Notice of Board Meeting 

DATES: March 22, 2022 at 10 a.m. 

ADDRESSES: Telephonic. Dial-in (listen 

only) information: Number: 1- 202–599– 

1426, Code: 614 746 295#; or via web: 

https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetupjoin/19%3ameeting_ZWZmZDI2MGEtYj

EwNi00MzczLWI5YTctODJmYT

djN2ZlYzZm%40thread.v2/0?context=

%7b%22Tid%22%3a%223f6323b7- 

e3fd-4f35-b43d-1a7afae5910d%22

%2c%22Oid%22%3a%227c8d802c5559-41ed-9868-8bfad5d44af9%22%7d. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Kimberly Weaver, Director, Office of 

External Affairs, (202) 942–1640. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Board 

Meeting Agenda 

Open Session 

1. Approval of the February 23, 2022 

Board Meeting Minutes 

2. Monthly Reports 

(a) Participant Activity Report 

(b) Investment Performance 

(c) Legislative Report 

3. Quarterly Report 

(d) Vendor Risk Management 

4. Enterprise Risk Management Update 

5. Internal Audit Update 

6. Converge Update 

Closed Session 

7. Information covered under 5 U.S.C. 

552b(c)(9)(B) and 552b(c)(10). 

Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552b (e)(1). 

Dated: March 9, 2022. 

Dharmesh Vashee, 

General Counsel, Federal Retirement Thrift 

Investment Board. 

[FR Doc. 2022–05319 Filed 3–11–22; 8:45 am] 

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