[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 218 (Monday, November 10, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66657-66659]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-26691]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Office of the Secretary
[Docket No. DHS-2008-0023]
Privacy Act of 1974; Department of Homeland Security
Correspondence Records System of Records
AGENCY: Privacy Office; DHS.
ACTION: Notice of Privacy Act system of records.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, the Department of
Homeland Security is giving notice that it proposes to consolidate two
legacy record systems: Treasury/CS.056 Congressional and Public
Correspondence File, October 18, 2001, FEMA/ADM-1 Office Files,
September 7, 1990, into a new record system, titled Department of
Homeland Security Correspondence Records. The Department of Homeland
Security also proposes to partially consolidate Treasury/USSS.008
Public Affairs Record System, August 28, 2001, into this new record
system. This system will allow the Department of Homeland Security to
collect and maintain incoming information and responses to inquiries,
comments, or complaints made to the Department. Categories of
individuals, categories of records, and the routine uses of these
system of records notices have been consolidated and updated to better
reflect the Department's correspondence record systems. This
consolidated system will be included in the Department of Homeland
Security's inventory of record systems.
DATES: Submit comments on or before December 10, 2008. This new system
will be effective December 10, 2008.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number DHS-
2008-0023 by one of the following methods:
Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
Fax: 1-866-466-5370.
Mail: Hugo Teufel III, Chief Privacy Officer, Privacy
Office, Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC 20528.
Instructions: All submissions received must include the
agency name and docket number for this rulemaking. All comments
received will be posted without change and may be read at http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background
documents or comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general questions and privacy
issues please contact: Hugo Teufel III (703-235-0780), Chief Privacy
Officer, Privacy Office, Department of Homeland Security, Washington,
DC 20528.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Pursuant to the savings clause in the Homeland Security Act of
2002, Public Law 107-296, section 1512, 116 Stat. 2310 (November 25,
2002), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its components and
offices have relied on preexisting Privacy Act systems of records
notices for the collection and maintenance of records that concern
correspondence records.
As part of its efforts to streamline and consolidate its Privacy
Act record systems, DHS is establishing a new agency-wide system of
records under the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a) for DHS correspondence
records. This will ensure that all components of DHS follow the same
privacy rules for collecting, maintaining, and distributing
correspondence records.
In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, DHS is giving notice
that it proposes to consolidate two legacy record systems: Treasury/
CS.056 Congressional and Public Correspondence File (66 FR 52984
October 18, 2001), FEMA/ADM-1 Office Files (55 FR 37182 September 7,
1990) into a new record system, titled Department of Homeland Security
Correspondence Records. DHS also proposes to partially consolidate
Treasury/USSS.008 Public Affairs Record System (66 FR 45362 August 28,
2001) into this new record system. This system will allow DHS to
collect and maintain incoming information and responses to inquiries,
comments, or complaints made to the Department. Categories of
individuals, categories of records, and the routine uses of these
system of records notices have been consolidated and updated to better
reflect the Department's correspondence record systems. This
consolidated system will be included in DHS's inventory of record
systems.
[[Page 66658]]
II. Privacy Act
The Privacy Act embodies fair information principles in a statutory
framework governing the means by which the United States Government
collects, maintains, uses, and disseminates individuals' records. The
Privacy Act applies to information that is maintained in a ``system of
records.'' A ``system of records'' is a group of any records under the
control of an agency for which information is retrieved by the name of
an individual or by some identifying number, symbol, or other
identifying particular assigned to the individual. In the Privacy Act,
an individual is defined to encompass United States citizens and legal
permanent residents. As a matter of policy, DHS extends administrative
Privacy Act protections to all individuals where systems of records
maintain information on U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and
visitors. Individuals may request access to their own records that are
maintained in a system of records in the possession or under the
control of DHS by complying with DHS Privacy Act regulations, 6 CFR
part 5.
The Privacy Act requires each agency to publish in the Federal
Register a description denoting the type and character of each system
of records that the agency maintains, and the routine uses that are
contained in each system in order to make agency record keeping
practices transparent, to notify individuals regarding the uses of
their records, and to assist individuals in locating such files within
the agency. Below is the description of the DHS Correspondence Records
System of Records.
In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552a(r), DHS has provided a report of
this new system of records to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
and to Congress.
System of Records
DHS/ALL-016
System Name:
Department of Homeland Security Correspondence Records
Security Classification:
Unclassified.
System Location:
Records are maintained at several Headquarters locations and in
component offices of DHS, in both Washington, DC and field locations.
Categories of Individuals Covered by the System:
Individuals who submit inquiries, complaints, comments, or other
correspondence to DHS, and the responding party on behalf of DHS.
Categories of Records in the System:
Categories of records in this system include:
Individual's name;
Individual's address;
Individual's e-mail address;
Web form information (e.g., IP addresses);
Who the complaint, compliment, comment or issue is about;
Incoming correspondence;
DHS's reply;
Responder's name on behalf of DHS;
Additional unsolicited personal information provided by
the individual; and
Other related materials.
Authority for Maintenance of the System:
5 U.S.C. 301; The Federal Records Act, 44 U.S.C. 3101.
Purpose(s):
The purpose of this system is to manage incoming information and
responses to inquiries, comments, or complaints made to DHS.
Routine Uses of Records Maintained in the System, Including Categories
of Users and the Purposes of Such Uses:
In addition to those disclosures generally permitted under 5 U.S.C.
552a(b) of the Privacy Act, all or a portion of the records of
information contained in this system may be disclosed outside DHS as a
routine use pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(3) as follows:
A. To the Department of Justice (including United States Attorney
Offices) or other Federal agency conducting litigation or in
proceedings before any court, adjudicative or administrative body when
it is necessary to the litigation and one of the following is a party
to the litigation or has an interest in such litigation:
1. DHS or any component thereof;
2. Any employee of DHS in his/her official capacity;
3. Any employee of DHS in his/her individual capacity where the
Department of Justice or DHS has agreed to represent the employee; or
4. The United States or any agency thereof, is a party to the
litigation or has an interest in such litigation, and DHS determines
that the records are both relevant and necessary to the litigation and
the use of such records is compatible with the purpose for which DHS
collected the records.
B. To a congressional office from the record of an individual in
response to an inquiry from that congressional office made at the
request of the individual to whom the record pertains.
C. To the National Archives and Records Administration or other
Federal government agencies pursuant to records management inspections
being conducted under the authority of 44 U.S.C. 2904 and 2906.
D. To an agency, organization, or individual for the purpose of
performing audit or oversight operations as authorized by law, but only
such information as is necessary and relevant to such audit or
oversight function.
E. To appropriate agencies, entities, and persons when:
1. DHS suspects or has confirmed that the security or
confidentiality of information in the system of records has been
compromised;
2. The Department has determined that as a result of the suspected
or confirmed compromise there is a risk of harm to economic or property
interests, identity theft or fraud, or harm to the security or
integrity of this system or other systems or programs (whether
maintained by DHS or another agency or entity) or harm to the
individual who relies upon the compromised information; and
3. The disclosure made to such agencies, entities, and persons is
reasonably necessary to assist in connection with DHS's efforts to
respond to the suspected or confirmed compromise and prevent, minimize,
or remedy such harm.
F. To contractors and their agents, grantees, experts, consultants,
and others performing or working on a contract, service, grant,
cooperative agreement, or other assignment for DHS, when necessary to
accomplish an agency function related to this system of records.
Individuals provided information under this routine use are subject to
the same Privacy Act requirements and limitations on disclosure as are
applicable to DHS officers and employees.
G. To an appropriate Federal, State, tribal, local, international,
or foreign law enforcement agency or other appropriate authority
charged with investigating or prosecuting a violation or enforcing or
implementing a law, rule, regulation, or order, where a record, either
on its face or in conjunction with other information, indicates a
violation or potential violation of law, which includes criminal,
civil, or regulatory violations and such disclosure is proper and
consistent with the official duties of the person making the
disclosure.
H. To another Federal agency to refer correspondence or respond to
correspondence given the nature of the
[[Page 66659]]
complaint, compliment, comment or issue.
I. To unions recognized as exclusive bargaining representatives
under the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, 5 U.S.C. 7111 and 7114, the
Merit Systems Protection Board, arbitrators, the Federal Labor
Relations Authority, and other parties responsible for the
administration of the Federal labor-management program for the purpose
of processing any corrective action, or grievances, or conducting
administrative hearings or appeals, or if needed in the performance of
other authorized duties.
J. To the news media and the public, with the approval of the Chief
Privacy Officer in consultation with counsel, when there exists a
legitimate public interest in the disclosure of the information or when
disclosure is necessary to preserve confidence in the integrity of DHS
or is necessary to demonstrate the accountability of DHS's officers,
employees, or individuals covered by the system, except to the extent
it is determined that release of the specific information in the
context of a particular case would constitute an unwarranted invasion
of personal privacy.
Disclosure to Consumer Reporting Agencies:
None.
Policies and Practices for Storing, Retrieving, Accessing, Retaining,
and Disposing of Records in the System:
Storage:
Records in this system are stored electronically or on paper in
secure facilities in a locked drawer behind a locked door. The records
are stored on magnetic disc, tape, digital media, and CD-ROM.
Retrievability:
Records may be retrieved by individual name and date of
correspondence.
Safeguards:
Records in this system are safeguarded in accordance with
applicable rules and policies, including all applicable DHS automated
systems security and access policies. Strict controls have been imposed
to minimize the risk of compromising the information that is being
stored. Access to the computer system containing the records in this
system is limited to those individuals who have a need to know the
information for the performance of their official duties and who have
appropriate clearances or permissions.
Retention and Disposal:
Executive level records are permanent, and files are cut off
annually and transferred to the National Archives and Records
Administration 10 years after cut off date, in accordance with National
Archives and Records Administration General Schedule N1-563-07-13-4
(Pending NARA Approval). Non-executive level records are destroyed
after 10 years, in accordance with a pending National Archives and
Records Administration General Records Schedule.
System Manager and Address:
For Headquarters of DHS, the System Manager is the Director of
Departmental Disclosure, Department of Homeland Security, Washington,
DC 20528. For components of DHS, the System Manager can be found at
http://www.dhs.gov/foia under ``contacts.''
Notification procedure:
Individuals seeking notification of and access to any record
contained in this system of records, or seeking to contest its content,
may submit a request in writing to the Headquarters' or the component's
FOIA Officer, whose contact information can be found at http://www.dhs.gov/foia under ``contacts.'' If an individual believes more
than one component maintains Privacy Act records concerning him or her
the individual may submit the request to the Chief Privacy Officer,
Department of Homeland Security, 245 Murray Drive, SW., Building 410,
STOP-0550, Washington, DC 20528.
When seeking records about yourself from this system of records or
any other Departmental system of records your request must conform with
the Privacy Act regulations set forth in 6 CFR part 5. You must first
verify your identity, meaning that you must provide your full name,
current address and date and place of birth. You must sign your
request, and your signature must either be notarized or submitted under
28 U.S.C. 1746, a law that permits statements to be made under penalty
of perjury as a substitute for notarization. While no specific form is
required, you may obtain forms for this purpose from the Director,
Disclosure and FOIA, http://www.dhs.gov or 1-866-431-0486. In addition
you should provide the following:
An explanation of why you believe the Department would
have information on you,
Identify which component(s) of the Department you believe
may have the information about you,
Specify when you believe the records would have been
created,
Provide any other information that will help the FOIA
staff determine which DHS component agency may have responsive records,
If your request is seeking records pertaining to another
living individual, you must include a statement from that individual
certifying his/her agreement for you to access his/her records.
Without this bulleted information the component(s) may not be able
to conduct an effective search, and your request may be denied due to
lack of specificity or lack of compliance with applicable regulations.
Record Access Procedures:
See ``Notification procedure'' above.
Contesting Record Procedures:
See ``Notification procedure'' above.
Record Source Categories:
Information used to compile records in this system is taken from
all sources of incoming correspondence and response correspondence by
DHS. A non-exclusive list of correspondence sources may include members
of the general public, unions, trade organizations, non-profits,
business or governmental entities, including the news media and
congressional offices.
Exemptions Claimed for the System:
None.
Dated: October 28, 2008.
Hugo Teufel III,
Chief Privacy Officer, Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. E8-26691 Filed 11-7-08; 8:45 am]
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