Privacy Act of 1974; New System of RecordsCenter for Minority Veterans Management Information SystemVA (95VAOOM)

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Privacy Act of 1974; New System of Records--Center for Minority

Veterans Management Information System--VA (95VAOOM)

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice, new system of records.

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SUMMARY: The Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 522a(e)(4)) requires that

all agencies publish in the Federal Register a notice of the existence

and character of their systems of records. Notice is hereby given that

the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is adding a new system of

records entitled ``Center for Minority Veterans Management Information

System--VA (95VAOOM).''

Under section 317 of Title 38, United States Code, VA is required

to assess minority veterans' use of VA benefits, programs and services.

This new system of records will primarily be used to maintain an

automated database containing demographic data on veterans that the

Center will use to analyze trends on how VA serves minority veterans,

and the extent to which minority veterans are using benefits, programs

and services offered by VA. The automated database is used to produce

statistical reports that assist VA managers in their efforts to correct

any disparities in the care and delivery of services to minority and

women veterans.

The automated database is known as the Automated Demographic Data

File System (ADDFS). The database includes data on veterans extracted

from automated VA benefits data files located at the VA Automation

Center, Austin, Texas. Data extracted includes names, social security

numbers, claim numbers, race, ethnicity and gender of a randomly

selected group of veterans. Similar data will also be extracted from

the Department of Defense (DoD) military personnel systems of records

in order to supplement VA databases. The ADDFS will be configured to

interact with current VA automated records systems as well as the DoD

military personnel automated records system to produce reports for

statistical analyses. Statistical reports will not contain personal

identifiers. Reports will be statistical data only, which present

information in terms of percentages based on the race, ethnicity and

gender of veterans served by VA.

This system of records will also include data pertaining to

individual veterans, as well as correspondence, electronic mail and

memoranda memorializing conversations with individuals concerning

complaints about benefits and services provided to VA beneficiaries

based on the race or ethnicity of the beneficiary. The records may also

include documents reflecting the processing and investigation of these

complaints, and documents extracted from the VA beneficiary's VA

records.

The information in this system will be maintained in paper and

electronic form. The ADDFS will be maintained only in electronic form.

Other records in the system may be maintained in either electronic or

paper form. Release of information from these records will be made only

in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 for

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investigative, judicial and administrative uses. VA has determined that

release of information for these purposes is a necessary and proper use

of information in this system of records, and that specific routine

uses for transfer of this information are appropriate.

DATES AND ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written

comments, suggestions or objections regarding the proposed system of

records to the Director, Office of Regulations Management (02D),

Department of Veterans Affairs, Room 1154, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW,

Washington, DC 20420. All relevant material received 30 days after

publication in the Federal Register (June 3, 1999) will be considered.

All written comments will be available for public inspection at the

above address, in Room 1158, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. only,

Monday through Friday (except Federal holidays). If no public comments

are received during the 30-day review period allowed, or unless

otherwise published in the Federal Register by VA, the new system of

records, and the routine use statements included herein are effective

June 3, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Anthony Hawkins (OOM), Department

of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC

20420, telephone number (202) 273-6708.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A ``Report of Intention to Publish a Federal

Register Notice of a New System of Records'' and an advance copy of the

new system notice have been provided to the Chairmen of the House

Committee on Government Reform and Oversight and the Senate Committee

on Governmental Affairs, and the Director, Office of Management and

Budget (OMB), as required by provisions of Title 5, U.S.C. 522(r)

(Privacy Act), and guidelines issued by OMB (61 FR 6428) (1996).

Approved: April 14, 1999.

Togo D. West, Jr.,

Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

95VA00M

System Name:

Center for Minority Veterans Management Information System--VA

(95VA00M).

System Location:

Record are maintained at the Center for Minority Veterans' office

in VA Headquarters, Washington, DC. VA's Automation Center, 1615 E.

Woodward Street, Austin, Texas 78772, maintains the Automated

Demographic Data File System (ADDFS).

Categories of individuals covered by the system:

The system of records will cover the following individuals: (1) VA

beneficiaries who contact the Center for Minority Veterans for

assistance in addressing concerns about benefits and services provided

to them based on the race or ethnicity of the beneficiary. (2) The

ADDFS will be comprised of demographic data on randomly selected

veterans who served in the military from 1975 to the present and whose

VA benefits data are currently maintained in an existing VA or DoD

automated database.

Categories of records in the system:

The records will include correspondence, electronic mail and

memoranda memorializing conversations with individuals. The records

also may include documents reflecting the processing and investigation

of these complaints, and documents extracted from the beneficiary's VA

records in order to assist in responding to the veteran's inquiry. The

ADDFS will include the names, social security numbers, claim numbers,

race, ethnicity and gender of randomly selected veterans currently

maintained in existing VA or DoD automated file systems.

Authority for maintenance of the system:

38, U.S.C. 317, as amended.

Routine uses of records maintained in the system, including categories

of users and the purposes of such uses:

1. Disclosure of specific information may be made to a

congressional office, in response to an inquiry from that congressional

office made at the request of the individual and concerning that

individual's records in this system.

2. Disclosure may be made during reviews by the National Archive

and Records Administration during records management inspections

conducted under the authority of Title 44, U.S.C. 2904 and 2906.

3. At the initiative of VA, pertinent information may be disclosed

to appropriate Federal, State or local agencies responsible for

investigating, prosecuting, enforcing or implementing statutes, rules,

regulations or orders, where VA becomes aware of an indication of a

violation or potential violation of civil or criminal law or

regulation.

4. Disclosure may be made to officials of the Merit Systems

Protection Board, including the Office of the Special Counsel, the

Federal Labor Relations Authority and its General Counsel or the Equal

Employment Opportunity Commission, when requested in the performance of

their authorized duties, and the request is not in connection with a

law enforcement investigation.

5. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) may disclose records in

this system of records in proceedings before a court or adjudicative

body before which VA is authorized to appear when VA, a VA official or

employee, the United States, or an individual or entity for whom the

United States is providing representation is a party to litigation or

has an interest in such litigation, and VA determines that the use of

such records is relevant and necessary to the litigation, provided,

however, that in each case, the agency determines that disclosure of

the information contained in the records is compatible with the purpose

for which the records were collected.

6. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) may disclose records in

this system of records to the Department of Justice when VA, a VA

official or employee, the United States, or an individual or entity for

whom the United States is providing representation is a party to

litigation or has an interest in such litigation, and VA determines

that the use of such records is relevant and necessary to the

litigation, provided, however, that in each case, the agency determines

that disclosure of the information contained therein is compatible with

the purpose for which the records were collected.

Policies and practices for storing, retrieving, accessing, retaining

and disposing of records in the system:

Storage:

The ADDFS is stored in a secure area located at VA's Automation

Center, 1615 E. Woodward Street, Austin, Texas 78772. ADDFS data files

are stored On magnetic disk and for archival purposes, on magnetic

tape. Other records are stored in the Center for Minority Veterans in

VA Headquarters, Washington, DC, or on file servers at VA Headquarters

that are utilized by the Center.

Retrievability:

Automated records may be retrieved by name, social security number,

claim number, race, ethnicity and/or gender. Paper records are

retrieved by name.

Safeguards:

Access to the automated system is via computer terminal; standard

security procedures, including a unique identification code and

password

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combination, are used to limit access to authorized personnel only.

Specifically, in order to obtain access to the automated records in

this system of records, an individual must have access to VA's

automated resources. Access to the ADDFS at VA's Automation Center is

limited as follows: An individual may not self-register for this

access. Formal documentation of the request for access, signed by the

employee's supervisor and approved by the Director, Center for Minority

Veterans, is required before an individual may obtain such access.

Authorized customers are issued a customer identification code and a

one-time password. Access to paper records maintained by the Center for

Minority Veterans is limited to VA employees who need to have access to

the records in order to perform their agency duties. Generally, file

areas are locked after normal duty hours and the Federal Protective

Service or other security personnel protect the offices from outside

access.

Retention and disposal:

Records will be maintained and disposed of in accordance with the

records disposal authority approved by the Archivist of the United

States, the National Archives and Records Administration, and published

in Agency Records Control Schedules.

System manager(s) and address:

Director, Center for Minority Veterans, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW,

Washington, DC 20420.

Records access procedures:

An individual who seeks access or wishes to contest records

maintained under his or her name or other personal identifier may

write, call or visit the system manager.

Contesting record procedures:

See record access procedures above.

Record source categories:

For investigation purposes, information may be obtained from

existing VA beneficiary records, employment records; VA beneficiaries,

third parties (e.g., relatives or representatives acting on their

behalf, such as veterans' service organizations); congressional

correspondence and other Federal agencies. For ADDFS, record sources

are VA benefits databases as set forth in ``58VA21/22--Compensation &

Pension, Education and Rehabilitation Records--VA, ``38VA23--

Beneficiary Identifier and Records Locator Subsystem--VA,'' and

Department of Defense military personnel automated records systems.

[FR Doc. 99-11071 Filed 5-3-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8320-01-M