[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 230 (Friday, November 29, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71591-71592]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-28622]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Privacy Act of 1974; Computer Matching Program between the U.S.
Department of Education (ED) and the U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA)
AGENCY: Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the renewal of the computer matching
program between the U.S. Department of Education (ED) (recipient
agency) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) (source
agency). After the ED and VA Data Integrity Boards approve a new
computer matching agreement (CMA), the computer matching program will
begin on the effective date as specified in the CMA and as indicated in
paragraph 5 of this notice.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974, as
amended (Privacy Act) (5 U.S.C. 552a), the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) Final Guidance Interpreting the Provisions of Public Law
100-503, the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988, 54
FR 25818 (June 19, 1989), and OMB Circular No. A-130, Appendix I, the
following information is provided:
1. Names of Participating Agencies.
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA).
2. Purpose of the Match.
The purpose of this matching program between ED and VA is to assist
the Secretary of Education with verification of a veteran's status
during the review of applications for financial assistance under title
IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, (HEA).
The Secretary of Education is authorized by the HEA to administer
the title IV programs and to enforce the terms and conditions of the
HEA.
Section 480(c)(1) of the HEA defines the term ``veteran'' to mean
``any individual who (A) has engaged in the active duty in the United
States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard; and (B) was
released under a condition other than dishonorable.'' (20 U.S.C.
1087vv(c)(1)). Under section 480(d)(1)(D) of the HEA, an applicant who
is a veteran (as defined in section
[[Page 71592]]
480(c)(1)) is considered an independent student for purposes of title
IV, HEA program assistance eligibility, and therefore does not have to
provide parental income and asset information to apply for title IV,
HEA program assistance. (20 U.S.C. 1087vv(d)(1)(D)).
3. Authority for Conducting the Matching Program.
ED is authorized to participate in the matching program under
sections 480(c)(1) and 480(d)(1)(D) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1087vv(c)(1)
and (d)(1)(D)). VA is authorized to participate in the matching program
under 38 U.S.C. 523.
4. Categories of Records and Individuals Covered by the Match.
ED will provide the Social Security number and other identifying
information of each applicant for financial assistance under title IV
of the HEA who indicates veteran status. This information will be
disclosed from the Federal Student Aid Application File system of
records (18-11-01), which was most recently published in the Federal
Register on August 3, 2011 (74 FR 46774-46781). ED will disclose this
information to VA under routine use 14 of the system of records (18-11-
01). ED data will be matched against data in the Veterans and
Beneficiaries Identification and Records Location Subsystem--VA
(38VA21) system of records, under routine use 21, as added to that
system of records (38VA21) by a notice published in the Federal
Register on June 4, 2001 (66 FR 30049-30050).
5. Effective Dates of the Matching Program.
The matching program will be effective on the latest of the
following three dates: (A) December 30, 2013; (B) 30 days from the date
ED publishes a Computer Matching Notice in the Federal Register as
required by 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(12); or, (C) 40 days from the date that ED
transmits the report of the matching program, as required by 5 U.S.C.
552a(r), to OMB, the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform, and the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs, unless OMB waives 10 or fewer days of the 40-day
review period for compelling reasons, in which case 30 days plus
whatever number of days that OMB did not waive from the date of ED's
transmittal of the matching program report.
6. Address for Receipt of Public Comments or Inquiries.
Individuals wishing to comment on this matching program or obtain
additional information about the program, including requesting a copy
of the CMA between ED and VA, should contact Ms. Marya Dennis,
Management and Program Analyst, U.S. Department of Education, Federal
Student Aid, Union Center Plaza, 830 First Street NE., Washington, DC
20202. Telephone: (202) 377-3385. If you use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD) or a text telephone (TTY), call the Federal
Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print,
audiotape, or compact disc) by contacting the person listed in the
preceding paragraph.
Electronic Access to This Document: 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 via the Federal Digital System
at: www.gpo.gov. At this site 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). To use PDF
you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the
site.
You may also access documents of the Department published in the
Federal Register by using the article search feature at:
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically through the advanced search
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published
by the Department.
Dated: November 18, 2013.
James W. Runcie,
Chief Operating Officer, Federal Student Aid.
[FR Doc. 2013-28622 Filed 11-27-13; 8:45 am]
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