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###### Department of Education

# AGENCY:

Department of Education. 

# ACTION:

Notice—computer matching between the U.S. Department of Education and the Social Security Administration. 

# SUMMARY:

Pursuant to the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988, Public Law 100-503, and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidelines on the conduct of computer matching programs, notice is hereby given of the renewal of the computer matching program between the U.S. Department of Education (ED) (recipient agency), and the Social Security Administration (SSA) (source agency). This renewal of the computer matching program between SSA and ED will become effective as explained in this notice. 

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended by the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 100-503) (Privacy Act), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Guidelines on the Conduct of Matching Programs (54 FR 25818, June 19, 1989), and OMB Circular No. A-130, Transmittal Memorandum #4, Management of Federal Information Resources (11/28/2000) we provide the following information: 

## 1. Names of Participating Agencies

The U.S. Department of Education and the Social Security Administration. 

## 2. Purpose of the Match

The purpose of this matching program between ED and SSA is to assist the Secretary of Education in her obligation to verify immigration status and Social Security numbers (SSNs) under 20 U.S.C. 1091(g) and (p). The SSA will verify the issuance of an SSN to, and the citizenship status of, those students and parents who provide their SSNs in the course of applying for aid under a student financial assistance program authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA). Verification of this information by SSA will help ED satisfy its obligation to ensure that individuals applying for financial assistance meet eligibility requirements imposed by the HEA. 

Verification by this computer matching program effectuates the purpose of the HEA because it provides an efficient and comprehensive method of verifying the accuracy of each individual's SSN and claim to a citizenship status that permits that individual to qualify for Title IV, HEA assistance. 

## 3. Authority for Conducting the Matching Program

ED is authorized to participate in the matching program under sections 484(p) (20 U.S.C. 1091(p)); 484(g) (20 U.S.C. 1091(g)); 483(a)(7) (20 U.S.C. 1090(a)(7)); and 428B(f)(2) (20 U.S.C. 1078-2(f)(2)) of the HEA. 

                        The SSA is authorized to participate in the matching program under section 1106(a) of the Social Security Act (42                               ( print page 46254)                            U.S.C. 1306(a)) and the regulations promulgated pursuant to that section (20 CFR part 401).                     

## 4. Categories of Records and Individuals Covered by the Match

The Federal Student Aid Application File (18-11-01), which contains the information to determine an applicant's eligibility for Federal student financial assistance, and the ED PIN Registration System of Records (18-11-12), which contains the applicant's information to receive an ED PIN, will be matched against SSA's Master Files of Social Security Number Holders and SSN Applications System, SSA/OS, 60-0058, which maintains records about each individual who has applied for and obtained an SSN. 

## 5. Privacy Impact Assessment 

Section 208 of the E-Government Act of 2002 (44  U.S.C. 3501 note) requires ED to conduct the following privacy impact assessment of this information collection: 

The information collected by ED under the computer matching agreement is the verification of SSNs by SSA and citizenship status as recorded in SSA records, for the purpose of assisting ED to satisfy its obligation to ensure that an individual applying for financial assistance meets the requirements imposed under the HEA. This verification is mandated by the HEA. The information obtained from SSA by ED will only be used as provided for under Section X of the computer matching agreement. Notice that ED verifies an individual's SSN through a computer matching agreement with agencies such as SSA is provided to individuals in the Privacy and Security section of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and in Federal student loan program forms; submission of a FAFSA and participation in the Federal student loan programs are voluntary. The information obtained from SSA under the computer matching agreement will be secured pursuant to the procedures described in Section IX of the computer matching agreement. No new system of records is being created for this collection because, as noted in the computer matching agreement, routine uses permitting the disclosure of records to allow for the verification of SSNs are already included in the Systems of Records Notices for Federal student aid programs. Thus, this collection comports with applicable Privacy Act standards and section 208. 

## 6. Effective Dates of the Matching Program

                        This matching program must be approved by the Data Integrity Board of each agency. The computer matching agreement will become effective on: (1) October 10, 2008; (2) 40 days after the approved agreement and report on the matching program are sent to Congress and OMB (or later if OMB objects to some or all of the agreement) unless OMB waives 10 days of this 40-day period for compelling reasons shown, in which case 30 days after transmission of the report to Congress and OMB; or (3) 30 days after publication of this notice in the                         **Federal Register**                        ,                         *whichever date is latest.*

The matching program will continue for 18 months after the effective date and may be extended for an additional 12 months thereafter, if the conditions specified in 5 U.S.C. 552a(o)(2)(D) have been met. 

## 7. Address for Receipt of Public Comments or Inquiries

Individuals wishing to comment on this matching program, or to obtain additional information about the program, including a copy of the computer matching agreement between ED and SSA, should contact Marya Dennis, Management and Program Analyst, U.S. Department of Education, Union Center Plaza, 830 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20202-5454. Telephone: (202) 377-3385. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339. 

                        Individuals with disabilities can obtain this document in an alternative format (                        *e.g.*, Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on request to the contact person listed in the preceding paragraph.                     

## Electronic Access to This Document 

                        You can view this document, as well as all other documents of this Department published in the                         **Federal Register**                        , in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following site:                         *www.ed.gov/​news/​fedregister.*

To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530. 

# Note:

                        The official version of this document is the document published in the                         **Federal Register**                        . Free Internet access to the official edition of the                         **Federal Register**                         and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at:                         *www.gpoaccess.gov/​nara/​index.html.*

Dated: August 5, 2008. 

James F. Manning, 

Deputy Chief Operating Officer,  Federal Student Aid.

[FR Doc. E8-18352 Filed 8-7-08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4000-01-P