Federal Register: December 27, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 247)
DOCID: FR Doc E5-7802
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Veterans Affairs Department
NOTICE: NOTICES
DOCUMENT ACTION: Notice of Amendment to System of Records.
SUBJECT CATEGORY:
AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
DATES: Comments on the amendment of this system of records must be received no later than January 26, 2006. If no public comment is received, the amended system will become effective January 26, 2006.
DOCUMENT SUMMARY:
As required by the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a(e), notice is hereby given that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is amending the system of records currently entitled, ``Investigation Reports of Persons Allegedly Involved in Irregularities Concerning VA Laws, Regulations, Etc.'' (11VA51) as set forth in the Federal Register 55 FR 42534. The system of records, maintained by VA's Office of Inspector General (OIG), is being amended to comply with requirements established by the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107296, Nov. 25, 2002). The change to the system is the addition of a new routine use Number 13 to allow the disclosure of information to authorized officials within the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency (PCIE), who are charged with the responsibility for conducting qualitative assessment reviews of investigative operations for the purpose of reporting to the President and Congress on the activities of the OIG. VA is republishing the system notice in its entirety. [[Page 76499]]
SUMMARY:
Privacy Act; systems of records,
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
This publication is in accordance with the Privacy Act requirement that agencies publish their amended system of records in the Federal Register when there is revision, change, or addition. VA's Office of Inspector General (OIG) has reviewed its systems of records notices and has determined that its record system, Investigation Reports of Persons Allegedly Involved in Irregularities Concerning VA Laws, Regulations, Etc. [VA (11VA51)], must be revised to add a routine use in order to comply with the Homeland Security Act of 2002. Specifically, section 812, subsection (7) of the Act reads as follows: ``To ensure the proper exercise of the law enforcement powers authorized by this subsection, the Offices of Inspector General described under paragraph (3) shall, not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this subsection, collectively enter into a memorandum of understanding to establish an external review process for ensuring that adequate internal safeguards and management procedures continue to exist within each Office and within any Office that later receives an authorization under paragraph (2) the review process shall be established in consultation with the Attorney General.'' The additional routine use would allow the disclosure of information to authorized officials within the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency, the Department of Justice, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as necessary, for the purpose of conducting qualitative assessment reviews of the OIG's investigative operations to ensure that adequate safeguards and management procedures are maintained.
The Report of Intent to Amend a System of Records Notice and an advance copy of the system notice have been sent to the appropriate Congressional committees and to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as required by 5 U.S.C. 552a(r) (Privacy Act) and guidelines issued by OMB (65FR 77677), December 12, 2000.
Approved: December 6, 2005.
Gordon H. Mansfield,
Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
Michael R. Bennett, Attorney Advisor, Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420; or fax comments to (202) 5658113; or email comments to michael.bennett@va.gov.