[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 98 (Tuesday, May 20, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29181-29182]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-11240]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Privacy Act of 1974

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice of amendment to system name and addition of routine 
uses.

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SUMMARY: As required by the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(4), 
notice is hereby given that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is 
amending the system name of the system of records currently identified 
as ``Compensation, Pension, Education, and Rehabilitation Records--VA'' 
(58VA21/22/28) to be identified as ``Compensation, Pension, Education, 
and Vocational Rehabilitation Records--VA'' (58VA21/22/28). The system 
of records is also amended by adding new routine uses for disclosure of 
identifying information on VA beneficiaries.

DATES: The proposed routine uses will be effective June 19, 2008 unless 
comments are received before this date that would result in a contrary 
determination.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted through http://www.Regulations.gov; by mail or hand delivery to the Director, 
Regulations Management (00REG), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 
Vermont Ave., NW., Room 1068, Washington, DC 20420; or by fax to (202) 
273-9026. Copies of comments received will be available for public 
inspection in the Office of Regulation Policy and Management, Room 
1063B, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday 
(except holidays). Please call (202) 273-9515 for an appointment. In 
addition, during the comment period, comments may be viewed online 
through the Federal Docket Management System.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brandye R. Terrell, Management and 
Program Analyst, Education Service (225C), Department of Veterans 
Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420, telephone (202) 
461-9822. (This is not a toll-free number.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: VA proposes to amend the system name of the 
system of records identified by system number 58VA21/22/28 to better 
identify the business lines covered by the system of records. The 
current name ``Compensation, Pension, Education, and Rehabilitation 
Records-VA'' is amended to read ``Compensation, Pension, Education, and 
Vocational Rehabilitation Records-VA''.
    VA also proposes to add additional routine use disclosures to 
release identifying information on VA beneficiaries to:
    1. The National Archives and Records Administration to perform 
records management inspections under title 44 U.S.C.
    2. The Department of Justice (DoJ), court, or other administrative 
body if the information is relevant to DoJ's representation of the 
United States in any legal proceedings or if the use of the information 
is compatible with the purpose for which it was collected.
    3. Individuals, organizations, private or public agencies, or other 
entities with whom VA has a contract, agreement, or subcontract to 
perform services as VA determines useful for the purposes of laws 
administered by VA.
    4. Federal agencies to assist such agencies in preventing and 
detecting possible fraud or abuse by individuals in their operations 
and programs.
    5. Appropriate agencies, entities, and persons VA determines are 
reasonably necessary to assist VA in preventing, minimizing, or 
remedying a suspected or confirmed compromise of information that may 
result in embarrassment or harm to the record subjects, harm to 
economic or property interests, identity theft or fraud, or harm to the 
security, confidentiality, or integrity of systems maintained by VA, 
other agencies, or entities that also rely on the potentially 
compromised information. This routine use will allow VA to provide 
necessary information in response to a suspected or confirmed data 
breach, including conducting a risk analysis or other provision of 
credit protection as provided in 38 U.S.C. 5724.
    The Privacy Act permits VA to disclose information about 
individuals without their consent for a routine use when the 
information will be used for a purpose that is compatible with the 
purpose for which the information was collected. In all of the proposed 
routine use disclosures, either the recipient of the information will 
use the information in connection with a matter relating to one of VA's 
programs, or will use the information to provide a benefit to VA, or 
disclosure is required by law.
    VA has determined that release of information under circumstances 
such as those described above is a necessary and proper use of the 
information in this system of records and that the specific routine 
uses proposed for the transfer of this information are appropriate.
    An altered system of records report and a copy of the revised 
system notice have been sent to the House of Representatives Committee 
on Government Reform and Oversight, the Senate Committee on 
Governmental Affairs, and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), as 
required by 5 U.S.C. 552a(r) and guidelines issued by OMB (65 FR 77677, 
December 12, 2000).
    The proposed new routine uses 65 through 69 will be added to the 
system of records entitled ``Compensation, Pension, Education, and 
Rehabilitation Records--VA'' (58VA21/22/28), as published in the 
Federal Register at 41 FR 9294 (3/3/76), and amended at 63 FR 37941 (7/
14/98), 65 FR 37605 (6/15/00), 66 FR 47725 (9/13/01), and last amended 
at 70 FR 34186 (6/13/05), with other amendments as cited therein.

    Approved: May 2, 2008.
Gordon H. Mansfield,
Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Notice of Amendment of System of Records

    The system identified as 58VA21/22/28 ``Compensation, Pension, 
Education and Rehabilitation Records-VA'' published in the Federal 
Register at 41 FR 9294 (3/3/76), amended at 63 FR 37941 (7/14/98), 65 
FR 37605 (6/15/00), 66 FR 47725 (9/13/01), and last amended at 70 FR 
34186 (6/13/05), with other amendments as cited therein, is revised to 
amend the system name and add new routine uses numbered 65 through 69 
as follows:


[[Page 29182]]

58VA21/22/28

System name:
    Compensation, Pension, Education, and Vocational Rehabilitation 
Records-VA.
* * * * *
    65. Disclosure may be made to the National Archives and Records 
Administration in record management inspections conducted under 
Authority of Title 44 U.S.C.
    66. VA may disclose information from this system of records to the 
Department of Justice (DoJ), either on VA's initiative or in response 
to DoJ's request for the information, after either VA or DoJ determines 
that such information is relevant to DoJ's representation of the United 
States or any of its components in legal proceedings before a court or 
adjudicative body, provided that, in each case, the agency also 
determines prior to disclosure that release of the records to the DoJ 
is a use of the information contained in the records that is compatible 
with the purpose for which VA collected the records. VA, on its on 
initiative, may disclose records in this system of records in legal 
proceedings before a court or administrative body after determining 
that the disclosure of records to the court or administrative body is a 
use of the information contained in the records that is compatible with 
the purpose for which VA collected the records.
    67. Disclosure of relevant information may be made to individuals, 
organizations, public or private agencies, or other entities with whom 
VA has a contract or agreement or where there is a subcontract to 
perform such services as VA may deem practicable for the purposes of 
laws administered by VA, in order for the contractor or subcontractor 
to perform the services of the contract or agreement.
    68. Disclosure to other Federal agencies may be made to assist such 
agencies in preventing and detecting possible fraud or abuse by 
individuals in their operations and programs.
    69. VA may on its own initiative, disclose any information or 
records to appropriate agencies, entities, and persons when (1) VA 
suspects or has confirmed that the integrity or confidentiality of 
information in the system of records has been compromised; (2) VA has 
determined that as a result of the suspected or confirmed compromise, 
there is a risk of embarrassment or harm to the reputations of the 
record subjects, harm to the economic or property interests, identity 
theft or fraud, or harm to the programs (whether maintained by VA or 
another agency or entity) that rely upon the potentially compromised 
information; and (3) the disclosure is to agencies, entities, or 
persons whom VA determines are reasonably necessary to assist or carry 
out the VA's efforts to respond to the suspected or confirmed 
compromise and prevent, minimize, or remedy such harm. This routine use 
permits disclosures by VA to respond to a suspected or confirmed data 
breach, including the conduct of any risk analysis or provision of 
credit protection services as provided in 38 U.S.C. 5724, as the terms 
are defined in 38 U.S.C. 5727.
* * * * *
[FR Doc. E8-11240 Filed 5-19-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P