[Federal Register: August 28, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 167)] [Notices] [Page 46092-46093] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr28au98-162] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION Privacy Act of 1974; As Amended; Computer Matching Program (SSA/ Internal Revenue Service (IRS))--SSA Match 1016 AGENCY: Social Security Administration (SSA). ACTION: Notice of Computer Matching Program. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: In accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, as amended, this notice announces a computer matching program that SSA plans to conduct. DATES: SSA will file a report of the subject matching program with the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate, the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight of the House of Representatives and the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The matching program will be effective as indicated below. ADDRESSES: Interested parties may comment on this notice by either telefax to (410) 965-1722 or writing to the Associate Commissioner for Program Support, 4400 West High Rise Building, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235. All comments received will be available for public inspection at this address. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Associate Commissioner for Program Support at the above address. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A. General The Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988 (Public Law (P.L.) 100-503), amended the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a) by establishing the conditions under which computer matching involving the Federal Government could be performed and adding certain protections for individuals applying for and receiving Federal benefits. Section 7201 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-508) further amended the Privacy Act regarding protections for such individuals. The Privacy Act, as amended, regulates the use of computer matching by Federal agencies when records in a system of records are matched with other Federal, State, or local government records. Among other things, it requires Federal agencies involved in computer matching programs to: (1) Negotiate written agreements with the other agency or agencies participating in the matching programs; (2) Obtain the approval of the matching agreement by the Data Integrity Boards (DIB) of the participating Federal Agencies; (3) Furnish detailed reports about matching programs to Congress and OMB; (4) Notify applicants and beneficiaries that their records are subject to matching; and (5) Verify match findings before reducing, suspending, terminating or denying an individual's benefits or payments. B. SSA Computer Matches Subject to the Privacy Act We have taken action to ensure that all of SSA's computer matching programs comply with the requirements of the Privacy Act, as amended. Dated: August 21, 1998. Kenneth S. Apfel, Commissioner of Social Security. Notice of Computer Matching Program, Social Security Administration (SSA) with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) A. Participating Agencies SSA and IRS. B. Purpose of the Matching Program The purpose of this matching program is to establish conditions under which IRS agrees to the disclosure to SSA of certain tax return information relating to unearned income. SSA will use the match results to verify the eligibility for, and the correct amount of benefits payable to, individuals under the supplemental security income (SSI) program, which provides payments under title XVI of the Social Security Act (the Act) to aged, blind and disabled recipients with income below levels established by law and regulations, and federally-administered supplementary payments under section 1616 of the Act including payments under section 212 of Public Law 93-66, 87 Stat. 152. C. Authority for Conducting the Matching Program Section 1631(e)(1)(B) of the Act and section 6103(l)(7)(D)(iii) of the Internal Revenue Code. [[Page 46093]] D. Categories of Records and Individuals Covered by the Match IRS will provide SSA with an electronic file extracted from the Wage and Information Returns Processing File after SSA provides IRS with identifying information from SSA's Supplemental Security Income Record (SSR). The extracted file will contain certain tax return information about unearned income. Each record on the IRS file will be matched to the SSR, SSA/OSR 90-60-0103, to identify individuals potentially subject to benefit reductions or termination of payment eligibility under the statutory provisions cited above. E. Inclusive Dates of the Match The matching program shall become effective upon the signing of the agreement by both parties to the agreement and approval of the agreement by the Data Integrity Boards of the respective agencies, but no sooner than 40 days after notice of this matching program is sent to Congress and the Office of Management and Budget or 30 days after publication of this notice in the Federal Register, whichever is later. The matching program will continue for 18 months from the effective date and may be extended for an additional 12 months thereafter, if certain conditions are met. [FR Doc. 98-23137 Filed 8-27-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4190-29-P