[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 62 (Tuesday, April 1, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15796-15797]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-7767]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Financial Management Service


Privacy Act of 1974, System of Records

AGENCY: Financial Management Service, Treasury.

ACTION: Notice of alterations to two Department of the Treasury, 
Financial Management Service (FMS), Privacy Act Systems of Records.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), 
the Department of the Treasury, Financial Management Service (FMS), 
gives notice of proposed alterations to two of its existing systems of 
records, as follows: ``Payment Issue Records for Regular Recurring 
Benefit Payments--Treasury/FMS .002'' and ``Payment Records for Other 
Than Regular Recurring Benefit Payments .016.'' The systems of records 
were last published in the Federal Register in their entirety on August 
22, 2001, beginning in 66 FR 44204. An alteration to the systems was 
published in the Federal Register on February 26, 2003, in 68 FR 8964.

DATES: Comments must be received no later than May 1, 2003. The 
proposed systems of records will be effective May 12, 2003 unless FMS 
receives comments which would result in a contrary determination.

ADDRESSES: Comments must be submitted to Federal Finance, Financial 
Management Service, 401 14th Street, SW., Room 426B, Washington, DC 
20227, or by electronic mail to [email protected]. 
Comments received will be available for inspection at the same address 
between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Dressler, Financial Management 
Service, Federal Finance, (202) 874-7082.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Financial Management Service (FMS) is 
the money manager for the Federal Government. As such, FMS disburses 
over 900 million payments totaling more than $1.64 trillion in social 
security and veterans' benefits, income tax refunds, and other federal 
payments. In the operation of its payment programs, FMS maintains 
records on individuals who receive payments from the Federal 
Government. Records on individuals who receive Federal payments are 
maintained in FMS's ``Payment Issue Records for Regular Recurring 
Benefit Payments-Treasury/FMS .002,'' and ``Payment Records for Other 
Than Regular Recurring Benefit Payments-Treasury/FMS .016.''
    As part of its continuing efforts to efficiently operate and manage 
its payment disbursement processes, FMS sometimes retains the services 
of its fiscal agents (the Federal Reserve Banks (FRBs)), financial 
agents (financial institutions), and/or contractors of FMS or FMS's 
fiscal or financial agents. For example, FMS may ask the FRB and/or a 
contractor to assist FMS in surveying payment recipients to ascertain 
public attitudes about direct deposit and other alternatives to check 
payments. Such

[[Page 15797]]

services assist FMS in determining the most efficient and effective way 
to deliver Government payments to the public. Disclosures of 
information maintained in FMS's systems of records, specifically, a 
payee's name and address, may be required in order for the FRB or a 
contractor to perform the services for which it has been retained. If 
disclosure to a financial agent or contractor is necessary, the 
financial agent or contractor to which disclosure is made will be 
subject to the same limitations applicable to FMS officers and 
employees under the Privacy Act. This means that the financial agent or 
contractor is required to safeguard Privacy Act information to prevent 
unauthorized use or disclosure of any Privacy Act records. In addition, 
the FRB and regulated financial institutions impose their own strict 
limitations concerning the protection of non-public personal 
information.
    FMS is altering the referenced systems of records to allow 
disclosure of information from such systems to its fiscal or financial 
agents, their employees, agents or contractors, or to a private 
contractor as necessary to efficiently operate and manage its payment 
disbursement processes.
    For the reasons set forth above, FMS proposes to alter its systems 
of records as follows:
Treasury/FMS .002

System name:
    Payment Issue Records for Regular Recurring Benefit Payments--
Treasury/Financial Management Service.
* * * * *

Routine uses of records maintained in the system, including categories 
of users and purposes of such uses:
* * * * *

Description of change:
    The period ``.'' at the end of routine use (14) is replaced with a 
semicolon ``;'', and the following routine use is added at the end 
thereof:
    ``(15) Disclose information to a fiscal or financial agent of the 
Financial Management Service, its employees, agents, and contractors, 
or to a contractor of the Financial Management Service, for the purpose 
of ensuring the efficient administration of payment processing 
services, subject to the same or equivalent limitations applicable to 
FMS officers and employees under the Privacy Act.''
* * * * *
Treasury/FMS .016

System name:
    Payment Records for Other Than Regular Recurring Benefit Payments--
Treasury/Financial Management Service.
* * * * *

Routine uses of records maintained in the system, including categories 
of users and purposes of such uses:
* * * * *

Description of change:
    The period ``.'' at the end of routine use (14) is replaced with a 
semicolon ``;'', and the following routine use is added at the end 
thereof:
    ``(15) Disclose information to a fiscal or financial agent of the 
Financial Management Service, its employees, agents, and contractors, 
or to a contractor of the Financial Management Service, for the purpose 
of ensuring the efficient administration of payment processing 
services, subject to the same or equivalent limitations applicable to 
FMS officers and employees under the Privacy Act.''
* * * * *

    Dated: March 25, 2003.
W. Earl Wright, Jr.,
Chief Management and Administrative Programs Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-7767 Filed 3-31-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810-35-P