[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 188 (Monday, September 29, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56037-56038]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-24596]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION


Statement of Organization, Functions and Delegations of Authority

    This statement amends Part S of the Statement of the Organization, 
Functions and Delegations of Authority which covers the Social Security 
Administration (SSA). The Office of the General Counsel is abolishing 
the Office of Program Litigation and incorporating the functions of the 
office into the Office of Program Law. The new material and changes are 
as follows:
    Section S9.10 The Office of the General Counsel --(Organization):
    Delete E. The Office of Program Litigation (S9C) in its entirety.
    Reletter F. The Office of Program Law (S9E) to E.\1\
    Reletter G. The Office of Public Disclosure (S9H) to F.\2\
    Reletter H. The Offices of the Regional Chief Counsels (S9G-F1--
S9G-FX) to G.\2\
    Section S9.20 The Office of the General Counsel--(Functions):
    Replace in its entirety, D. The Office of General Law (S9B) with 
the following:
    D. The Office of General Law (S9B).
    1. Provides legal services to the Commissioner and all components 
of the Agency on all non-program legal issues affecting the Agency's 
business management activities and administrative operations including: 
Procurement; contracting; patents; copyrights; budget; appropriations; 
personnel; ethics; adverse employment actions; employment 
discrimination; compensation; travel; personnel; claims by and against 
SSA (including but not limited to those under the Federal Tort Claims 
Act); electronic service delivery; labor-management relations; Touhy 
requests; Office of Special Programs and Services investigations; 
salary and other overpayments; relationships with other governmental 
and nongovernmental entities; and administrative governance.
    2. Provides legal services and advice regarding SSA's civil 
defense, civil rights and security programs as well as for SSA's 
administration of its disclosure regulations and related statutes 
including the Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts and Computer 
Matching Agreements. Provides liaison with the Department of Justice on 
administering the Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts. Serves as 
liaison with the Comptroller General.
    3. Working under the direction of the Designated Agency Ethics 
Official (DAEO), manages the daily operation of the Agency's ethics 
programs, implements decisions of the DAEO, and

[[Page 56038]]

provides liaison with the Office of Government Ethics, as appropriate.
    4. Furnishes litigation support and litigation-related advice to 
the Commissioner and all components of SSA in both administrative and 
court litigation in connection with each of the areas mentioned above. 
Represents SSA in all such litigation when such direct representation 
is authorized by law. In other cases, makes and supervises contacts 
with attorneys responsible for the conduct of such litigation, 
including appropriate United States Attorneys and other Department of 
Justice officials.\2\
    Delete E. The Office of Program Litigation (S9C).\2\
    Reletter F. The Office of Program Law (S9E) to E.
    Replace in its entirety the Functions of The Office of Program Law 
as follows:
    1. Furnishes legal services and advice in connection with the 
operations and administration of the various programs administered by 
SSA under the Social Security Act and of other programs and areas that 
do not fall within the jurisdiction of the Office of General Law.\1\
    2. Drafts or reviews all SSA regulatory and other Federal Register 
materials and legal instruments relating to areas within the 
jurisdiction of the Office of Program Law.
    3. Drafts or reviews proposed testimony of SSA officials before 
Congress relating to any area within the jurisdiction of the Office of 
Program Law.
    4. Drafts proposals for legislation originating in SSA, reviews 
specifications for such proposed legislation and reviews all proposed 
legislation submitted by SSA for comment. Drafts or reviews reports and 
letters to congressional committees, the Office of Management and 
Budget and others on proposed legislation and legislative matters. 
Prescribes the procedures to govern the routing and review within SSA 
of material relating to proposed legislation.\1\
    5. Furnishes legal support and litigation related advice in both 
administrative court litigation in connection with the operations and 
administration by SSA of the various programs administered by SSA under 
the Social Security Act and of other programs and areas that do not 
fall within the jurisdiction of the Office of General Law.
    6. Represents SSA in all such litigation when such direct 
representation is authorized by law and in other cases, makes and 
supervises contacts with attorneys responsible for the conduct of such 
litigation including appropriate United States Attorneys and other 
Department of Justice officials.
    Reletter G. The Office of Public Disclosure (S9H) to F.
    Reletter H. The Offices of the Regional Chief Counsels (S9G-F1--
S9G-FX) to G.

    \1\ Federal Register--June 23, 2000.
    \2\ Federal Register--October 10, 2002.

    Dated: September 11, 2003.
Jo Anne B. Barnhart,
Commissioner of Social Security.
[FR Doc. 03-24596 Filed 9-26-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P