[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 224 (Thursday, November 20, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69189-69190]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-27500]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Privacy Act of 1974; Report of Matching Program

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice of Computer Matching Program.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Department of Veterans Affairs 
(VA) intends to conduct a recurring computer matching program matching 
Department of Justice, Bureau of Prison (BOP), inmate records with VA 
pension, compensation, and dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) 
records. The goal of this match is to identify incarcerated veterans 
and beneficiaries who are receiving VA benefits, and to reduce or 
terminate benefits, if appropriate. The match will include records of 
current VA beneficiaries.

DATES: Comments on the matching agreement must be received no later 
than December 22, 2014. If no public comment is received, the amended 
system will become effective December 22, 2014.
    The match will start no sooner than 30 days after publication of 
this notice in the Federal Register, or 40 days after copies of this 
notice and the agreement of the parties is submitted to Congress and 
the Office of Management and Budget, whichever is later, and end not 
more than 18 months after the agreement is properly implemented by the 
parties. The involved agencies' Data Integrity Boards (DIBs) may extend 
this match for 12 months provided the agencies certify to their DIBs, 
within three months of the ending date of the original match, that the 
matching program will be conducted without change and that the matching 
program has been conducted in compliance with the original matching 
program.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted through http://www.Regulations.gov; by mail or hand-delivery to the Director, 
Regulations Management (02REG), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 
Vermont Ave. NW., Room 1068, Washington, DC 20420; or by fax to 202-
273-9026. Copies of comments received will be available for public 
inspection in the Office of Regulation Policy and Management, Room 
1063B, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday 
(except holidays). Please call 202-461-4902 for an appointment. In 
addition, during the comment period, comments may be viewed online 
through the Federal Docket Management System (FDMS) at http://www.Regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Thomas J. Murphy, Compensation and 
Pension Service, (202) 461-9700.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: VA will use this information to verify 
incarceration and adjust VA benefit payments as prescribed by law. The 
proposed matching program will enable VA to accurately identify 
beneficiaries who are incarcerated for a felony or a misdemeanor in a 
Federal penal facility.
    The legal authority to conduct this match is 38 U.S.C. 1505, 5106, 
and 5313. Section 5106 requires any Federal department or agency to 
provide VA such information as VA requests for the

[[Page 69190]]

purposes of determining eligibility for, or the amount of VA benefits, 
or verifying other information with respect thereto. Section 1505 
provides that no VA pension benefits shall be paid to or for any person 
eligible for such benefits, during the period of that person's 
incarceration as the result of conviction of a felony or misdemeanor, 
beginning on the 61st day of incarceration. Section 5313 provides that 
VA compensation or dependency and indemnity compensation above a 
specified amount shall not be paid to any person eligible for such 
benefits, during the period of that person's incarceration as the 
result of conviction of a felony, beginning on the 61st day of 
incarceration.
    The VA records involved in the match are the VA system of records, 
Compensation, Pension, Education, and Vocational Rehabilitation and 
Employment Records--VA (58 VA 21/22/28), published at 74 FR 29275, June 
19, 2009. The BOP records consist of information from the system of 
records identified as Inmate Central Records System, BOP #005 published 
on June 7, 1984 (48 FR 23711), and last amended at 67 FR 31371 (May 9, 
2002).
    In accordance with Title 5 U.S.C., subsection 552a(o)(2) and (r), 
copies of the agreement are being sent to both Houses of Congress and 
to the Office of Management and Budget. This notice is provided in 
accordance with the provisions of Privacy Act of 1974 as amended by 
Public Law 100-503.
    Signing Authority: The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or designee, 
approved this document and authorized the undersigned to sign and 
submit the document to the Office of the Federal Register for 
publication electronically as an official document of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs. Jose D. Riojas, Chief of Staff, Department of 
Veterans Affairs approved this document on November 5, 2014, for 
publication.

    Dated: November 17, 2014.
Kathleen M. Manwell,
VA Privacy Service, Office of Privacy and Records Management, 
Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2014-27500 Filed 11-19-14; 8:45 am]
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