sscn mm' 0F TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT BOARD 88061 26 I0 I 0 JOHNDIIFIEETIEEONS MORRIS K UDALL ARIZONA CHAIRMAN TED STEVENS ALASKA VICE CHAIRMAN ORRIN HATCH UTAH GEORGE BROWNJL CALIFORNIA CHARLES SRASSLEV IOWA JOHN 0 0mm MICHIGAN EDWARDH CLARENCEE 6811111155 0f Eimtth tatw ERNEST HOLLINGSSOUTH CAROLINA DON suwoounst TENNESSEE CLAIBORNE PELL RHODE ISLAND mo Housman NEW VGRK OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT JOHN GEBBONS 20510 8025 1 October 18 1988 The Honorable Frank C Carlucci LS Department of Defense The Pentagon Washington DC 20301 1155 Dear Mr Secretary I am pleased to bring to your personal attention Background Paper on Electronic Delivery of Public Assistance Benefits Technology Alternatives and Policy Implications This paper was prepared at the request of Senator Tom Harkin Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Handicapped of the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources This Background Paper discusses the technological options available for use in an electronic system to deliver public assistance benefits the privacy and security implications of such a system and the programatic effects of changing to an electronic delivery system The paper built on research conducted for two earlier OTA studies Federal Government Information Technology Electronic Records and Individual Privacy June 1986 and Defending Secrets Sharing Data New Locks and Keys for Electronic Information October 198D Preparation of the paper involved extensive assistance from and review by experts and other interested parties Appendix A Additional copies of the Background Paper can be obtained by calling the OTA Publications Office at 202 224 8996 We will be happy to answer any questions you may have about this paper Please call me or the authors Priscilla Regan and Joan Winston at 202 228-6760 Sincerely hn Gibbons Enclosure 43649 99 3 53 39 This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu