[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 6, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 6CFR5.20]

[Page 17-18]
 
                       TITLE 6--HOMELAND SECURITY
 
   CHAPTER I--DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
 
PART 5_DISCLOSURE OF RECORDS AND INFORMATION--Table of Contents
 
                          Subpart B_Privacy Act
 
Sec.  5.20  General provisions.


    (a) Purpose and scope. (1) This subpart contains the rules that the 
Department of Homeland Security (Department) follows under the Privacy 
Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a). These rules should be read together with 
the Privacy Act, which provides additional information about records 
maintained on individuals. The rules in this subpart apply to all

[[Page 18]]

records in systems of records maintained by the Department that are 
retrieved by an individual's name or personal identifier. They describe 
the procedures by which individuals may request access to records about 
themselves, request amendment or correction of those records, and 
request an accounting of disclosures of those by the Department. In 
addition, the Department processes all Privacy Act requests for access 
to records under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) ( 5 U.S.C. 552), 
following the rules contained in subpart A of this part, which gives 
requests the benefit of both statutes.
    (2) The provisions established by this subpart shall apply to all 
Department components that are transferred to the Department. Except to 
the extent a Department component has adopted separate guidance under 
the Privacy Act, the provisions of this subpart shall apply to each 
component of the Department. Departmental components may issue their own 
guidance under this subpart pursuant to approval by the Department.
    (b) Definitions. As used in this subpart:
    (1) Component means each separate bureau, office, board, division, 
commission, service, or administration of the Department.
    (2) Request for access to a record means a request made under 
Privacy Act subsection (d)(1).
    (3) Request for amendment or correction of a record means a request 
made under Privacy Act subsection (d)(2).
    (4) Request for an accounting means a request made under Privacy Act 
subsection (c)(3).
    (5) Requester means an individual who makes a request for access, a 
request for amendment or correction, or a request for an accounting 
under the Privacy Act.
    (c) Authority to request records for a law enforcement purpose. The 
head of a component or designee thereof is authorized to make written 
requests under subsection (b)(7) of the Privacy Act for records 
maintained by other agencies that are necessary to carry out an 
authorized law enforcement activity.
    (d) Notice on Departmental use of (b)(1) exemption. As a general 
matter, when applying the (b)(1) exemption for disclosures within an 
agency on a need to know basis, the Department will consider itself a 
single entity, meaning that information may be disclosed between 
components of the Department under the (b)(1) exemption.
    (e) Interim Retention of Authorities. As an interim solution, all 
agencies and components under the Department will retain the necessary 
authority from their original purpose in order to conduct these 
necessary activities. This includes the authority to maintain Privacy 
Act systems of records, disseminate information pursuant to existing or 
new routine uses, and retention of exemption authorities under sections 
(j) and (k) of the Privacy Act, where applicable. This retention of an 
agency or component's authorities and information practices will remain 
in effect until this regulation is promulgated as a final rule, or the 
Department revises all systems of records notices. This retention of 
authority is necessary to allow components to fulfill their mission and 
purpose during the transition period of the establishment of the 
Department. During this transition period, the Department shall evaluate 
with the components the existing authorities and information practices 
and determine what revisions (if any) are appropriate and should be made 
to these existing authorities and practices. The Department anticipates 
that such revisions will be made either through the issuance of a 
revised system of records notices or through subsequent final 
regulations.