[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 139 (Friday, July 20, 2007)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 39768-39770]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-3331]


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AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

22 CFR Part 215

RIN 0412-AA61


Privacy Act of 1974, Implementation of Exemptions

AGENCY: United States Agency for International Development.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) 
is concurrently establishing a new system of records pursuant to the 
provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), entitled the 
``Partner Vetting System'' (PVS). In this proposed rulemaking, USAID 
proposes to exempt portions of this system of records from one or more 
provisions of the Privacy Act because of criminal, civil, and 
administrative enforcement requirements.

DATES: Submit comments on or before September 18, 2007.

[[Page 39769]]


ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by RIN 0412-AA61, by any 
of the following methods:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
    Mail: U.S. Agency for International Development, Chief Privacy 
Officer, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Room 2.12-003, Washington, DC 
20523-2120.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the title of the 
proposed action, and Regulatory Information Number (RIN) for this 
rulemaking. Please include your name, title, organization, postal 
address, telephone number, and e-mail address in the text of the 
message.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeff Denale, Coordinator for 
Counterterrorism, Office of Security, United States Agency for 
International Development, Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania 
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20523 by phone (202) 712-1264.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

A. Background

    In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a, USAID is 
publishing a new system of records notice for the Office of Security 
named Partner Vetting System (PVS). The PVS will support the vetting of 
directors, officers, or other employees of non-governmental 
organizations who apply for USAID contracts, grants, cooperative 
agreements or other funding and those who apply for registration with 
USAID as Private Voluntary Organizations. The information collected 
from these individuals will be used to conduct screening to ensure 
USAID funds and USAID-funded activities are not purposefully or 
inadvertently used to provide support to entities or individuals deemed 
to be a risk to national security. As these individuals and 
organizations are not employees or job applicants, nor would they be 
eligible for or require security clearances, traditional employment or 
security clearance investigative mechanisms are not authorized or 
appropriate for the stated purposes.
    USAID proposes to exempt this system, in part, from certain 
provisions of the Privacy Act and to add the PVS system to 22 CFR 
215.14, Specific Exemptions. USAID needs this exemption in order to 
protect information related to investigations from disclosure to 
subjects of investigations and to protect classified information 
related to the government's national security programs. Specifically, 
the exemptions are required to preclude subjects of investigations from 
frustrating the investigative process; to avoid disclosure of 
investigative techniques; protect the identities and physical safety of 
confidential informants and of law enforcement personnel; ensure the 
Office of Security's ability to obtain information from third parties 
and other sources; protect the privacy of third parties; and safeguard 
classified information.
    Aside form the specific protections afforded classified information 
that may underpin the screening mechanisms involved, USAID must also 
protect the names of organizations and individuals within this system. 
Because the results of screening on any particular organization or 
individual may be derived from classified and sensitive law enforcement 
and intelligence information, USAID cannot confirm or deny whether an 
individual ``passed'' or ``failed'' screening. The nondisclosure of the 
information protects the government's operational counterterrorism and 
counterintelligence missions, as well as the personal safety of those 
involved in counterterrorism investigations.

B. Regulatory Planning and Review

    This is not a significant regulatory action and, therefore, is not 
subject to review under Section 6(b) of Executive Order 12866, 
Regulatory Planning and Review, dated September 30, 1993. This rule is 
not a major rule under 5 U.S.C. 804.

C. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    Pursuant to requirements set forth in the Regulatory Flexibility 
Act (RFA) (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), USAID has considered the economic 
impact of the rule and has determined that its provisions would not 
have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities.

D. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The Paperwork Reduction Act does apply because the proposed changes 
impose information collection requirements that require the approval of 
the Office of Management and Budget under 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.

List of Subjects in 22 CFR Part 215

    Freedom of Information, Investigations, Privacy.
    For the reasons stated in the preamble, the USAID proposes to amend 
22 CFR part 215 as follows:

PART 215--REGULATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF PRIVACY ACT OF 1974

    1. The authority citation for 22 CFR part 215 is revised to read as 
follows:

    Authority: Pub. L. 93-579, 88 Stat. 1896 (5 U.S.C. 553, (b), (c) 
and (e).

    2. Amend Sec.  215.13 by adding paragraph (c)(2) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  215.13  General exemptions.

* * * * *
    (c) * * *
    (2) Partner Vetting System. This system is exempt from sections 
(c)(3) and (4); (d); (e) (1), (2), and (3); (e) (4) (G), (H), and (I); 
(e) (5) and (8); (f), (g), and (h) of 5 U.S.C. 552a. These exemptions 
are necessary to insure the proper functioning of the law enforcement 
activity, to protect confidential sources of information, to fulfill 
promises of confidentiality, to maintain the integrity of the law 
enforcement procedures, to avoid premature disclosure of the knowledge 
of criminal activity and the evidentiary bases of possible enforcement 
actions, to prevent interferences with law enforcement proceeding, to 
avoid the disclosure of investigative techniques, to avoid endangering 
the law enforcement personnel, to maintain the ability to obtain candid 
and necessary information, to fulfill commitments made to sources to 
protect the confidentiality of information, to avoid endangering these 
sources, and to facilitate proper selection or continuance of the best 
applicants or persons for a given position or contract. Although the 
primary functions of USAID are not of a law enforcement nature, the 
mandate to ensure USAID funding is not purposefully or inadvertently 
used to provide support to entities or individuals deemed to be a risk 
to national security necessarily requires coordination with law 
enforcement and intelligence agencies as well as use of their 
information. Use of these agencies' information necessitates the 
conveyance of these other systems exemptions to protect the information 
as stated.
    3. Amend 22 CFR 215.14 by adding the heading ``Note to paragraph 
(c)(5)'' to the undesignated text at the end of the section and 
paragraph (c)(6) to read as follows:


Sec.  215.14  Specific exemptions.

* * * * *
    (c) * * *
    (6) Partner Vetting System. This system is exempt under 5 U.S.C. 
552a (k)(1), (k)(2), and (k)(5) from the provision of 5 U.S.C. 552a 
(c)(3); (d);

[[Page 39770]]

(e)(1); (e)(4) (G), (H), (I); and (f). These exemptions are claimed to 
protect the materials required by executive order to be kept secret in 
the interest of national defense of foreign policy, to prevent subjects 
of investigation from frustrating the investigatory process, to insure 
the proper functioning and integrity of law enforcement activities, to 
prevent disclosure of investigative techniques, to maintain the ability 
to obtain candid and necessary information, to fulfill commitments made 
to sources to protect the confidentiality of information, to avoid 
endangering these sources, and to facilitate proper selection or 
continuance of the best applicants or persons for a given position or 
contract.

Philip M. Heneghan,
Chief Privacy Officer.
[FR Doc. 07-3331 Filed 7-19-07; 8:45 am]
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