[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 85 (Tuesday, May 2, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25534-25536]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-10911]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Privacy Act of 1974; New System of Records--Automated Electronic 
Document Management System (EDMS)--VA (92VA045)

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 ``Electronic Document Management System (EDMS)--VA 
(92VA045).''
    EDMS is used to process replies to correspondence and other 
inquiries (received via hard copy, e-mail, fax, Internet, telephone, or 
in person) that originate from Members of Congress; other Federal 
agencies; state, local and tribal governments; Foreign governments; 
veterans service organizations; representatives of private or 
commercial entities; veterans and their beneficiaries; other private 
citizens; and VA employees. EDMS is also used for some categories of 
correspondence and records internal to VA. EDMS does not duplicate any 
other system of records within the Government.
    Records maintained in this system of records in electronic and 
paper form vary, depending on the nature of the materials received, 
background information compiled, and/or response sent. Each may include 
the names, social security numbers, mailing addresses, telephone 
numbers and other personal identifiers routinely required to identify a 
correspondent or subject. Other record items maintained may include 
personal facts about medical, financial, or memorial benefits related 
to the correspondent, veteran or beneficiary. Internal VA records may 
include (but are not limited to) VA administrative, financial and 
personnel information.
    Release of information from these records will only be made in 
accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974, for 
investigatory, judicial and administrative uses. This includes 
disclosure to third parties acting on a claimant's behalf; to law 
enforcement agencies when records in the system pertain to a violation 
or possible violation of law; to answer congressional inquiries 
initiated by individuals; to the National Archives and Records 
Administration during records management inspections; to requests for 
statistical data to be disclosed to other VA facilities; Members of 
Congress; other Federal agencies; state, local and tribal governments 
for statistical analyses. 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 and or objections regarding the proposed system 
of records to the Director, Office of Regulations Management (02D), 
Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Ave., NW, Room 1154, 
Washington, DC 20420. All relevant material received before June 1, 
2000

[[Page 25535]]

will be considered. All written comments received will be available for 
pubic inspection at the above address in the Office of Regulations 
Management, Room 1158, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. only, Monday 
through Friday (except Federal holidays).
    If no public comment is received in the 30-day review period 
allowed, or unless otherwise published in the Federal Register by VA, 
routine use statements and all other provisions included herein are 
effective June 1, 2000.

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 chairman of the House 
Committee on Government Reform and the Senate Committee on Governmental 
Affairs, and the Director, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), as 
required by the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552a, as amended (Privacy Act), 
and guidance issued by OMB (50 FR 52730), December 24, 1985, and 
revisions thereto, published on (58 FR 36068), July 2, 1993; (59 FR 
37906), July 25, 1994; and (61 FR 6428), February 20, 1996.
    For further information, contact the Associate Deputy Assistant 
Secretary for Policy and Program Assistance (045A), Department of 
Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20420--(202) 
273-8127.

    Approved: April 24, 2000.
Togo D. West, Jr.,
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
92VA045

System Name:
    Electronic Document Management System (EDMS)--VA.

System Location:
    Automated records are maintained within the Electronic Document 
Management System (EDMS) at the Department of Veterans Affairs Central 
Office, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420. Paper 
correspondence records are maintained in file cabinets under the 
control of the office responsible for processing the correspondence 
item.

Categories of Individuals Covered by the System:
    Members of Congress and their staff, officials and representatives 
of other Federal agencies, state, local and tribal governments, Foreign 
governments, and veterans service organizations; representatives of 
private or commercial entities; veterans and their beneficiaries; other 
private citizens; and VA employees.

Categories of Records in the System:
    Records are maintained in electronic and paper form depending on 
the nature of the materials received, background information compiled, 
and/or response sent. Each may include the names, social security 
numbers, mailing addresses, telephone numbers, and other personal 
identifiers routinely required to identify a correspondent or subject. 
Other record items maintained may include personal facts about medical, 
financial, or memorial benefits related to the correspondent, veteran 
or beneficiary. Internal VA records may include (but are not limited 
to) VA administrative, financial and personnel information. Records may 
include scanned document, letter, e-mail, fax, Internet document, 
tracking sheet, note, documentation of a telephone call and/or of a 
meeting with an individual.

Authority for Maintenance of the System:
    Title 38, United States Code, 501(c).

Purposes:
    EDMS is used to process replies to correspondence and other 
inquiries that originate from members of Congress; other Federal 
agencies; state, local, and tribal governments; Foreign governments; 
veterans service organizations; representatives of private or 
commercial entities; veterans and their beneficiaries; private 
citizens; and VA employees. EDMS is also used for some categories of 
correspondence and records internal to VA.

Routine Uses of Records Maintained in the System, Including Categories 
of Users and the Purposes of Use:
    1. VA may disclose the records in this system, except for the name 
and address of a veteran, that it determines are relevant to a 
suspected violation or reasonably imminent violation of law, whether 
civil, criminal or regulatory in nature, and whether arising by general 
or program statute or by regulation, rule or order issued pursuant 
thereto, to a Federal, state, local, tribal or foreign agency charged 
with the responsibility of investigating or prosecuting such violation, 
or charged with enforcing or implementing the statute, regulation or 
order issued pursuant thereto.
    2. VA may disclose the name and address of a veteran that it 
determines are relevant to a suspected violation or reasonably imminent 
violation of law, whether civil, criminal or regulatory in nature, and 
whether arising by general or program statute or by regulation, rule or 
order issued pursuant thereto, to a Federal agency charged with the 
responsibility of investigating or prosecuting such violation, or 
charged with enforcing or implementing the statute, regulation or order 
issued pursuant thereto.
    3. VA may disclose the 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 records is a use of the information contained in 
the records that is compatible with the purpose for which the records 
were collected.
    4. Information may be provided to Members of Congress or staff 
persons in response to an inquiry from an individual to Members of 
Congress, made at the request of the individual and concerning that 
individual's VA records. Such information will be provided as 
authorized by law.
    5. Information may be provided to a third party acting on an 
individual's behalf, such as agencies of Federal, state, local and 
tribal governments, Foreign governments; veterans service 
organizations; representatives of private or commercial entities in 
response to a request made by the individual to the third party and 
concerning that individual's VA records. Such information will be 
provided as authorized by law.
    6. VA may compile statistical information using records contained 
in EDMS, except for identification information of a veteran such as 
name, address or social security number. This information may be 
disclosed to other VA facilities, Members of Congress; other Federal 
agencies; state, local and tribal governments. VA will determine that 
the use of such statistical information is relevant and necessary, that 
disclosure of the information contained in the records is compatible 
with the purpose for which the records were collected.
    7. Disclosure may be made during reviews by the National Archives 
and Records Administration in records management inspections conducted 
under authority of 44 U.S.C. 2904 and 2906.
    8. To disclose relevant information to the Department of Justice 
and United States Attorneys in defense or prosecution of litigation 
involving the United States.

[[Page 25536]]

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORING, RETRIEVING, ACCESSING, RETAINING 
AND DISPOSING OF RECORDS IN THIS SYSTEM:
STORAGE:
    EDMS employs rotational magnetic disk and Write Once-Read Many 
(WORM) optical disk media for storage of electronic records. Electronic 
records are regularly copied and moved to a separate physical location 
to assure a fail-safe records recovery capability. Paper records are 
maintained in file cabinets under the control of the office responsible 
for processing the record.

RETRIEVABILITY:
    Key identification information is established for each record in 
EDMS. This information is in relation to the nature of materials 
received, background information compiled and/or response sent. 
Retrieval is by searching for specific key information (e.g., record 
identification number, author, correspondent name, subject matter, 
initial date record established, etc.).

SAFEGUARDS:
    Access to EDMS is via personal computer terminal. Necessary and 
sufficient application security functionality (i.e., unique customer 
user identification code/password and user-specific administrative 
control levels) are used to limit access to authorized VA staff, and to 
limit operations they may perform. To obtain access to EDMS' electronic 
records, VA staff must comply with the following procedures:
    1. VA staff may not self-register in the system for access. A 
request for a user identification code and password is reviewed and 
approved by the designated EDMS Office Coordinator, and entered into 
the system by the system administrator. Approved staff are issued a 
user identification code and a temporary password, which they are 
required to change when they first sign onto the system.
    2. Electronic records are protected by classifications, specified 
when the records are created. The owner of the record or authorized 
security personnel are the only ones who can modify the classification. 
A user's rights to inspect or modify records will depend on the user's 
assigned administrative control level as compared to the record's 
classification. The EDMS System Administrator manages the records 
classifications and user administration control levels.

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. Paper records 
will be destroyed by shredding or other appropriate means for 
destroying sensitive information. Automated storage records are 
retained and destroyed in accordance with disposition authorization 
approved by the Archivist of the United States.

SYSTEM MANAGER(S) AND ADDRESS:
    Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Program 
Assistance (045A), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Ave., 
NW, Washington, DC 20420. The phone number is (202) 273-8127.

NOTIFICATION PROCEDURE:
    An individual who wishes to determine whether a record is being 
maintained in this system under his or her name or other personal 
identifier or who wants to determine the contents of such records 
should submit a written request to the System Manager at the address 
above.

RECORD 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:
    Records in this system are derived from processing replies to 
correspondence, and other inquiries that originate from Members of 
Congress; other Federal agencies; state, local and tribal governments; 
Foreign governments, veterans service organizations; representatives of 
private or commercial entities; veterans and their beneficiaries; other 
private citizens; and VA employees. Records maintained include material 
received, background information compiled and/or response sent. EDMS is 
also used for some categories of correspondence and records internal to 
VA. Internal VA records may include (but are not limited to) VA 
administrative, financial and personnel information.

[FR Doc. 00-10911 Filed 5-1-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-M