[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 111 (Monday, June 10, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26901-26902]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-12153]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

[CPCLO Order No. 001-2019]


Privacy Act of 1974; Systems of Records

AGENCY: Criminal Division, United States Department of Justice.

ACTION: Notice of a modified System of Records.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974 and Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) Circular No. A-108, notice is hereby given that the 
Criminal Division (CRM), a component within the United States 
Department of Justice (DOJ or Department), proposes to modify the 
existing System of Records Notice titled ``United States Victims of 
State Sponsored Terrorism Fund (USVSSTF) File System,'' JUSTICE/CRM-
029, last published in its entirety in the Federal Register at 81 FR 
45539 (July 14, 2016), and amended at 82 FR 24151 (May 25, 2017). CRM 
proposes to add three additional routine uses and provide non-
substantive updates to its current statutory authorization.

DATES: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(4) and (11), this notice is 
effective upon publication, subject to a 30-day comment period for the 
routine uses claimed in the ``ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE 
SYSTEM'' section of this system of records notice. Therefore, please 
submit any comments by July 10, 2019.

ADDRESSES: The public, OMB, and Congress are invited to submit any 
comments to the Department of Justice, ATTN: Privacy Analyst, Office of 
Privacy and Civil Liberties, Department of Justice, Two Constitution 
Square, 145 N Street NE, Suite 8W.300, Washington, DC 20530, by 
facsimile at 202-307-0693, or by email at [email protected]. 
To ensure proper handling, please reference the above-listed CPCLO 
Order No. on your correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amanda Marchand Jones, Chief, FOIA/PA 
Unit, Criminal Division, 1301 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20530; 
phone at (202) 616-0307; facsimile at (202) 514-6117.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The United States Victims of State Sponsored 
Terrorism Fund (``Fund'') was established by the Justice for United 
States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Act (``Act''), 34 U.S.C. 
20144, formerly codified as 42 U.S.C. 10609. Pursuant to the Act, the 
Fund may compensate eligible United States persons who (1) hold a final 
judgment issued by a United States district court awarding the 
applicant compensatory damages arising from acts of international 
terrorism for which a foreign state sponsor of terrorism was found not 
immune from the jurisdiction of the courts of the United States under 
the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act; or (2) were taken and held 
hostage from the United States Embassy in Tehran, Iran, during the 
period beginning November 4, 1979, and ending January 20, 1981, or are 
spouses and children of these hostages, if also identified as a member 
of the proposed class in case number 1:00-CV-03110 (EGS) of the United 
States District Court for the District of Columbia.
    The Department previously published the current System of Records 
Notice, ``United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund 
(USVSSTF) File System,'' JUSTICE/CRM 029, in the Federal Register at 81 
FR 45539 (July 14, 2016). The JUSTICE/CRM 029 system collects, 
maintains, and generates records used by CRM to adjudicate applicants' 
claims for compensation filed with the Fund. Applications are submitted 
to the Fund by individual claimants, counsel for claimants, and 
personal representatives of the estates of deceased individuals. A 
claimant must provide sufficient information to allow the Fund's 
Special Master to determine whether the claimant is eligible to receive 
compensation, and if so, what amount of compensation. The Act mandates 
the collection of information regarding other sources of compensation 
received by claimant related to the judgment, which may modify the 
amount of compensation. CRM receives and maintains copies of the 
application forms filed with the Fund; documentation submitted in 
support of the claims; and records obtained or generated to assess, 
adjudicate, and pay claims.
    CRM proposes two substantive modifications. First, CRM proposes an 
update to the statutory citation of the Act, to reflect its 
recodification from 42 U.S.C. 10609 to 34 U.S.C. 20144. Second, CRM 
proposes to add three routine uses that would permit the disclosure of 
information in the system to: (1) Professional organizations or 
associations with which individuals covered by this system of records 
may be affiliated, to meet their responsibilities in connection with 
the administration and maintenance of standards of conduct and 
discipline; (2) agencies, organizations, and individuals for the 
purposes of audit and oversight operations, and meeting reporting 
requirements; and (3) recipients as mandated by Federal statute or 
treaty.
    These additional routine uses were not originally proposed when 
JUSTICE/CRM-029 was first published. The new routine uses will promote 
transparency and accountability, and assist the Department and the 
Special Master in administering the Fund. First, the disclosure to 
professional organizations or associations allows the Fund to, for 
example, share information with appropriate authorities related to an

[[Page 26902]]

attorney's conduct in order to ensure the proper evaluation of claims 
and compliance with the Act's limitations on attorneys' fees, and to 
maintain the integrity of the Fund. Second, disclosure to entities or 
individuals conducting audits or oversight is required by Department 
policies and will assist in maintaining the integrity of the Fund. 
Lastly, disclosures mandated by Federal statute or treaty are required 
to comply with legal requirements, including the Act's provisions 
regarding subrogation rights and relations between foreign states and 
the United States. Accordingly, these new routine uses are related to 
and compatible with the original purpose of JUSTICE/CRM 029.
    In accordance with 5. U.S.C. 552a(r), the Department has provided a 
report to OMB and Congress on this notice of a modified system of 
records.

    Dated: June 3, 2019.
Peter A. Winn,
Acting Chief Privacy and Civil Liberties Officer, United States 
Department of Justice.
JUSTICE/CRM-029

SYSTEM NAME AND NUMBER:
    United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund (USVSSTF) 
File System, JUSTICE/CRM-029.

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION:
    Unclassified.

SYSTEM LOCATION:
    Records in this system are located at: U.S. Department of Justice, 
Criminal Division, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20530; 
Federal Records Center, Suitland, MD 20409, 5151 Blazer Parkway, Suite 
A, Dublin, OH 43017; and 1985 Marcus Avenue, Suite 200, Lake Success, 
NY 11042.

SYSTEM MANAGER(S) AND ADDRESS:
    Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division, U.S. Department of 
Justice, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20503-0001.
* * * * *

AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:
    [Delete existing paragraph and replace with the following:]
    Justice for United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Act, 
enacted into law as Title IV, Division O, section 404 of the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016, Public Law 114-113, codified at 
34 U.S.C. 20144.
* * * * *

ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES 
OF USERS AND THE PURPOSES OF SUCH USES:
* * * * *
    [Add routine uses (l) through (n) as follows:]
    (l) To professional organizations or associations with which 
individuals covered by this system of records may be affiliated, such 
as state bar disciplinary authorities, to meet their responsibilities 
in connection with the administration and maintenance of standards of 
conduct and discipline.
    (m) To any agency, organization, or individual for the purpose of 
performing authorized audit or oversight operations of the Department 
and meeting related reporting requirements.
    (n) To such recipients and under such circumstances and procedures 
as are mandated by Federal statute or treaty.
* * * * *

HISTORY:
    [Delete existing paragraph and replace with the following:]
    81 FR 45539 (July 14, 2016): Last published in full.
    82 FR 24151, 156 (May 25, 2017): Modified to revise existing and 
add new routine uses.

[FR Doc. 2019-12153 Filed 6-7-19; 8:45 a.m.]
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