22632 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 73 / Monday, April 16, 2012 / Notices 

United States and the People’s Republic 

of China’’. Pursuant to this mandate, the 

Commission will hold a public hearing 

in Washington, DC, on April 19, 2012, 

to address the ‘‘China-Europe 

Relationship and Transatlantic 

Implications’’. 

Background: This is the fourth public 

hearing the Commission will hold 

during its 2012 report cycle to collect 

input from academic, industry, and 

government experts on national security 

implications of the U.S. bilateral trade 

and economic relationship with China. 

The April 19 hearing will examine the 

economic, security, and foreign policy 

aspects of the China-Europe 

relationship, and their implications for 

the United States. The hearing will be 

co-chaired by Commissioners Carolyn 

Bartholomew and Daniel Blumenthal. 

Any interested party may file a written 

statement by April 18, 2012, by mailing 

to the contact below. A portion of each 

panel will include a question and 

answer period between the 

Commissioners and the witnesses. 

Date and Time: Thursday April 19, 

2012, 8 a.m.–4:15 p.m. Eastern Time. A 

detailed agenda for the hearing will be 

posted to the Commission’s Web site at 

www.uscc.gov as soon as available. 

Please check the Web site for possible 

changes to the hearing schedule. 

Reservations are not required to attend 

the hearing. 

ADDRESSES: Please check our Web site at 

www.uscc.gov for further information. 

Reservations are not required to attend 

the hearing. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any 

member of the public seeking further 

information concerning the hearing 

should contact Gavin Williams, 444 

North Capitol Street NW., Suite 602, 

Washington DC 20001; phone: 202–624– 

1492, or via email at contact@uscc.gov. 

Reservations are not required to attend 

the hearing. 

Authority: Congress created the U.S.- 

China Economic and Security Review 

Commission in 2000 in the National Defense 

Authorization Act (Pub. L. 106–398), as 

amended by Division P of the Consolidated 

Appropriations Resolution, 2003 (Pub. L. 

108–7), as amended by Public Law 109–108 

(November 22, 2005). 

Dated: April 11, 2012. 

Michael Danis, 

Executive Director, U.S.-China Economic and 

Security Review Commission. 

[FR Doc. 2012–9058 Filed 4–13–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 1137–00–P 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

AFFAIRS 

Privacy Act of 1974; System of 

Records 

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs 

(VA). 

ACTION: Notice of Amendment to System 

of Records. 

SUMMARY: As required by the Privacy 

Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a(e), notice is 

hereby given that the Department of 

Veterans Affairs (VA) is amending the 

system of records currently entitled 

‘‘Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders 

Outcomes—Repository (SCIDO–R)–VA’’ 

(108VA11S) as set forth in the Federal 

Register 74 FR 11185–11186 dated 

March 16, 2009. VA is amending the 

System Name, System Location, 

Categories of Records in the System, 

Routine Uses of Records Maintained in 

the System, Storage, and System 

Manager and Address. VA is 

republishing the system notice in its 

entirety. 

DATES: Comments on the amendment of 

this system of records must be received 

no later than May 16, 2012. If no public 

comment is received, the amended 

system will become effective May 16, 

2012. 

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be 

submitted through 

www.Regulations.gov; by mail or handdelivery to Director, Regulations 

Management (02REG), Department of 

Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue 

NW., Room 1068, Washington, DC 

20420; or by fax to (202) 273–9026. 

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) 461–4902 (this is not a toll-free 

number) for an appointment. In 

addition, during the comment period, 

comments may be viewed online 

through the Federal Docket Management 

System (FDMS) at www.Regulations.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Veterans Health Administration (VHA) 

Privacy Act Officer, Department of 

Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue 

NW., Washington, DC 20420; telephone 

(704) 245–2492. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders 

Outcomes—Repository (SCIDO–R) 

provides a registry of veterans with 

spinal cord injury and disorders 

(SCI&D). This repository contains 

pertinent information on veterans with 

SCI&D and enables better coordination 

of care among VHA staff. The purpose 

of the repository is to assist clinicians, 

administrators, and researchers in 

identifying and tracking services for 

veterans with spinal cord injuries and 

disorders resulting from trauma or 

diseases. The SCIDO–R can also 

facilitate clinical, administrative, and 

research reports for medical center use. 

Regional SCIDO repositories provide 

aggregate data to the National SCIDO–R 

database at the Austin Information 

Technology Center (AITC). This 

centralized AITC repository is used to 

provide a VA-wide review of veteran 

demographics and clinical aspects of 

injury and disorders for administrative 

and research purposes. VHA’s Spinal 

Cord Injury and Disorders Services 

developed the SCIDO–R and these 

records are maintained exclusively by 

VA. 

VA is renaming the system of records 

from Spinal Cord Dysfunction 

Registry—VA to Spinal Cord Injury and 

Disorders Outcomes—Repository 

(SCIDO–R)–VA. 

The Location has been amended to 

include that each Spinal Cord Injury 

Center has a SCIDO application 

deployment. 

The Category of Records in the 

System is amended to reflect that the 

SCIDO–R will also store outcome 

measures of impairment, and a 

registrant may have multiple outcome 

entries. 

The following routine use disclosure 

statements are added: 

Routine use fourteen (14) states that 

VA may disclose identifying 

information, including social security 

number, concerning veterans, spouses of 

veterans, and the beneficiaries of 

veterans to other federal agencies for the 

purpose of conducting computer 

matches to obtain information to 

determine or verify eligibility of 

veterans receiving VA medical care 

under Title 38, U.S.C. 

Routine use fifteen (15) states that VA 

may disclose patient identifying 

information to federal agencies and VA 

and government-wide third-party 

insurers responsible for payment of the 

cost of medical care for the identified 

patients, in order for VA to seek 

recovery of the medical care costs. 

These records may also be disclosed as 

part of a computer matching program to 

accomplish this purpose. 

The Report of Intent to Amend a 

System of Records Notice and an 

advance copy of the system notice have 

been sent to the appropriate 

Congressional committees and to the 

Director of the Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) as required by 5 

U.S.C. 552a(r) (Privacy Act) and 


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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 73 / Monday, April 16, 2012 / Notices 22633 

guidelines issued by OMB (65 FR 

77677), December 12, 2000. 

Approved: March 20, 2012. 

John R. Gingrich, 

Chief of Staff, Department of Veterans Affairs. 

SOR #: 108VA11S 

SYSTEM NAME: 

‘‘Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders 

Outcomes—Repository (SCIDO–R)– 

VA’’. 

SYSTEM LOCATION: 

All electronic and paper records are 

maintained at the Austin Information 

Technology Center (AITC), Department 

of Veterans Affairs (VA), 1615 

Woodward Street, Austin, Texas 78772, 

and at VA health care facilities listed in 

VA Appendix 1 of the biennial 

publication of VA’s Systems of Records. 

Each Spinal Cord Injury Center has a 

SCIDO application deployment. Data 

transmissions between the SCIDO 

application and the VA databases 

housed at the AITC are accomplished 

using the Department’s wide area 

network. 

CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE

SYSTEM: 

Veterans identified with spinal cord 

injury and disorders that have applied 

for VA health care services are included 

in the system. Occasionally, nonveterans who have received VA health 

care or rehabilitation services under 

sharing agreements, contracted care, or 

humanitarian emergencies will also 

have information recorded in the Spinal 

Cord Injury and Disorders Outcomes 

(SCIDO) Repository. 

CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM: 

These records contain identifying 

information including name, social 

security number, date of birth, and 

registration date in the SCIDO–R. 

SCIDO –Repository registration 

information may include information 

about whether individuals are receiving 

services from VA’s spinal cord system of 

care, neurologic level of injury, etiology, 

date of onset, type of cause, 

completeness of injury, and annual 

evaluation dates offered and received. 

The SCIDO–R also stores outcome 

measures of impairment, activity, social 

role participation, and satisfaction with 

life. A registrant may have multiple 

outcome entries. 

AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM: 

Title 38, United States Code, Sections 

501 and 7304. 

PURPOSE(S): 

The SCIO–Repository provides a 

registry of Veterans with spinal cord 

injury and disorders (SCI&D). This 

registry contains pertinent information 

on Veterans with SCI&D and enables 

better coordination of care among VHA 

staff. The purpose of the repository is to 

assist clinicians, administrators, and 

researchers in identifying and tracking 

services for Veterans with spinal cord 

dysfunction resulting from trauma or 

diseases. The SCIDO–R can also 

facilitate clinical, administrative, and 

research reports for medical center use. 

Regional SCIDO Repositories provide 

data extracts to the National SCIDO– 

Repository database at the AITC. This 

centralized AITC repository is used to 

provide a VA-wide review of Veteran 

demographics and clinical aspects of 

injuries and disorders. 

ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE

SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES OF USERS AND

THE PURPOSES OF SUCH USES: 

To the extent that records contained 

in the system include information 

protected by 45 CFR Parts 160 and 164, 

i.e., individually identifiable health 

information, and 38 U.S.C. 7332, i.e., 

medical treatment information related to 

drug abuse, alcoholism or alcohol abuse, 

sickle cell anemia or infection with the 

human immunodeficiency virus, that 

information cannot be disclosed under a 

routine use unless there is also specific 

statutory authority in 38 U.S.C. 7332 

and regulatory authority in 45 CFR parts 

160 and 164 permitting disclosure. 

1. The record of an individual who is 

covered by a system of records may be 

disclosed to a Member of Congress, or 

a staff person acting for the member, 

when the member or staff person 

requests the record on behalf of and at 

the written request of the individual. 

2. Disclosure of records covered by 

this system, as deemed necessary and 

proper to named individuals serving as 

accredited Veterans service organization 

representatives, and other individuals 

named as approved agents or attorneys 

for a documented purpose and period of 

time. These agents/attorneys must be 

aiding beneficiaries in the preparation/ 

presentation of their cases during 

verification and/or due process 

procedures or in the presentation/ 

prosecution of claims under laws 

administered by VA. 

3. A record containing the name(s) 

and address(es) of present or former 

members of the armed services and/or 

their dependents may be released from 

this system of records under certain 

circumstances: 

a. To any nonprofit organization if the 

release is directly connected with the 

conduct of programs and the utilization 

of benefits under Title 38, and 

b. To any criminal or civil law 

enforcement governmental agency or 

instrumentality charged under 

applicable law with the protection of 

the public health or safety if a qualified 

representative of such organization, 

agency or instrumentality has made a 

written request that such name(s) or 

address(es) be provided for a purpose 

authorized by law; provided, further, 

that the record(s) will not be used for 

any purpose other than that stated in the 

request and that the organization, 

agency or instrumentality is aware of 

the penalty provision of 38 U.S.C. 

5701(f). 

4. Disclosure may be made to the 

National Archives and Records 

Administration and the General 

Services Administration in records 

management inspections conducted 

under authority of Title 44, Chapter 29, 

of the United States Code (U.S.C.). 

5. Disclosure of information, 

excluding name and address (unless 

name and address is furnished by the 

requester) for research purposes 

determined to be necessary and proper, 

to epidemiological and other research 

facilities approved by the Under 

Secretary for Health. 

6. In order to conduct Federal 

research necessary to accomplish a 

statutory purpose of an agency, at the 

written request of the head of the 

agency, or designee of the head of that 

agency, the name(s) and address(es) of 

present or former personnel or the 

armed services and/or their dependents 

may be disclosed; 

a. To a Federal department or agency; 

or 

b. Directly to a contractor of a Federal 

department or agency. When a 

disclosure of this information is to be 

made directly to the contractor, VA may 

impose applicable conditions on the 

department, agency, and/or contractor 

to ensure the appropriateness of the 

disclosure to the contractor. 

7. VA may disclose on its own 

initiative any information in the system, 

except the names and home addresses of 

Veterans and their dependents, that is 

relevant to a suspected or reasonably 

imminent violation of the 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, 

rule, or order. VA may also disclose on 

its own initiative the names and 

addresses of Veterans and their 

dependents to a Federal agency charged 


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22634 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 73 / Monday, April 16, 2012 / Notices 

with the responsibility of investigating 

or prosecuting civil, criminal or 

regulatory violations of law, or charged 

with enforcing or implementing the 

statute, regulation, or order issued 

pursuant thereto. 

8. For program review purposes and 

the seeking of accreditation and/or 

certification, disclosure may be made to 

survey teams of the Rehabilitation 

Accreditation Commission, The Joint 

Commission (JC), College of American 

Pathologists, American Association of 

Blood Banks, and similar national 

accreditation agencies or boards with 

whom VA has a contract or agreement 

to conduct such reviews, but only to the 

extent that the information is necessary 

and relevant to the review. 

9. Records from this system of records 

may be disclosed in a proceeding before 

a court, adjudicative body, or other 

administrative body when the 

Department, or any Department 

component or employee (in his or her 

official capacity as a VA employee), is 

a party to litigation; when the 

Department determines that litigation is 

likely to affect the Department, any of 

its components or employees, or the 

United States has an interest in the 

litigation, and such records are deemed 

to be relevant and necessary to the legal 

proceedings; provided, however, that 

the disclosure is compatible with the 

purpose for which the records were 

collected. 

10. Disclosure of relevant information 

may be made to individuals, 

organizations, private or public 

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. 

11. Records from a system of records 

may be disclosed to the Department of 

Justice (DOJ) (including U.S. Attorneys) 

or in a proceeding before a court, 

adjudicative body, or other 

administrative body when litigation or 

the adjudicative or administrative 

process is likely to affect VA, its 

employees, or any of its components is 

a party to the litigation or process, or 

has an interest in the litigation or 

process, and the use of such records is 

deemed by VA to be relevant and 

necessary to the litigation or process, 

provided that the disclosure is 

compatible with the purpose for which 

the records were collected. 

12. 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. 

13. Disclosure of information may be 

made when (1) it is suspected or 

confirmed that the integrity or 

confidentiality of information in the 

system of records has been 

compromised; (2) the Department 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 economic or property interests, 

identity theft or fraud, or harm to the 

security or integrity of this system or 

other systems or programs (whether 

maintained by the Department or 

another agency or entity) that rely upon 

the compromised information; and (3) 

the disclosure is to agencies, entities, 

and persons whom VA determines are 

reasonably necessary to assist or carry 

out the Department’s efforts to respond 

to the suspected or confirmed 

compromise and prevent, minimize, or 

remedy such harm. This routine use 

permits disclosure by the Department to 

respond to a suspected or confirmed 

data breach, including the conduct of 

any risk analysis 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. 

14. VA may disclose identifying 

information, including social security 

number, concerning veterans, spouses of 

veterans, and the beneficiaries of 

veterans to other federal agencies for the 

purpose of conducting computer 

matches to obtain information to 

determine or verify eligibility of 

veterans receiving VA medical care 

under Title 38, U.S.C. 

15. VA may disclose patient 

identifying information to federal 

agencies and VA and government-wide 

third-party insurers responsible for 

payment of the cost of medical care for 

the identified patients, in order for VA 

to seek recovery of the medical care 

costs. These records may also be 

disclosed as part of a computer 

matching program to accomplish this 

purpose. 

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORING, 

RETRIEVING, ACCESSING, RETAINING, AND

DISPOSING OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM: 

STORAGE: 

Magnetic tapes/disks and optical 

discs. Electronic data are maintained on 

Direct Access Storage Devices at the 

AITC. The AITC stores registry tapes for 

disaster backup at a secure, off-site 

location. Electronic backup files for the 

regional SCIDO–R applications are 

stored at the Regional Data Processing 

Center (RDPC1) at Denver, CO also for 

disaster backup at a secure, off-site 

location. 

RETRIEVABILITY: 

Records are indexed by name of 

Veteran, social security number, and 

unique patient identifiers. 

SAFEGUARDS: 

1. Data transmissions between VA 

health care facilities and the VA 

databases housed at the AITC are 

accomplished using the Department’s 

wide area network. The SCIDO– 

Repository program and other programs 

at the respective facilities automatically 

flag records or events for transmission 

based upon functionality requirements. 

VA health care facilities control access 

to data by using VHA’s VistA security 

modules. The Department’s 

Telecommunications Support Service 

has oversight responsibility for 

planning, security, and management of 

the wide area network. 

2. Access to records at VA health care 

facilities is only authorized to VA 

personnel on a ‘‘need-to-know’’ basis. 

Records are maintained in staffed rooms 

during working hours. During nonworking hours, there is limited access to 

the building with visitor control by 

security personnel. Access to the AITC 

is generally restricted to AITC staff, VA 

Central Office employees, custodial 

personnel, Federal Protective Service, 

and authorized operational personnel 

through electronic locking devices. All 

other persons gaining access to the 

computer rooms are escorted. Backup 

records stored off-site for both the AITC 

and VA Central Office are safeguarded 

in secured storage areas. 

3. Strict control measures are enforced 

to ensure that access to and disclosure 

from all records including electronic 

files and Veteran-specific data elements 

are limited to VHA employees whose 

official duties warrant access to those 

files. The automated record system 

recognizes authorized users by keyboard 

entry of unique passwords, access, and 

verify codes. 

RETENTION AND DISPOSAL: 

Records will be maintained and 

disposed of in accordance with record 

disposition authority approved by the 

Archivist of the United States. 

Depending on the record medium, 

records are destroyed by either 

shredding or degaussing. Optical disks 

or other electronic media are deleted 

when no longer required for official 

duties. 

VA has submitted a request for 

records disposition authority to the 

National Archives and Records 


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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 73 / Monday, April 16, 2012 / Notices 22635 

Administration (NARA) for approval. 

Upon approval by NARA, VA will 

publish an amendment to this System of 

Records. In the interim, no records will 

be destroyed. 

SYSTEM MANAGER(S) AND ADDRESS: 

Official responsible for Spinal Cord 

Injury and Disorders Outcomes— 

Repository design, development, and 

maintenance: SCIDO Program Specialist 

(128N), 1660 South Columbian Way, 

Seattle, Washington 98108. 

Official responsible for policies and 

procedures: Chief Consultant, Spinal 

Cord Injury and Disorders Services 

(128N), 1660 South Columbian Way, 

Seattle, Washington 98108. 

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 

wants to determine the contents of such 

record, should submit a written request 

or apply in person to the last VA facility 

where medical care was provided or 

submit a written request to the Chief 

Consultant, Spinal Cord Injury and 

Disorders Services (128N), 1660 South 

Columbian Way, Seattle, Washington 

98108. Inquiries should include the 

Veteran’s name, social security number, 

and return address. 

RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURE: 

An individual who seeks access to 

records maintained under his or her 

name may write or visit the nearest VA 

facility or write to the Chief Consultant, 

Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders 

Services (128N), 1660 South Columbian 

Way, Seattle, Washington 98108. 

CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES: 

(See Record Access Procedures 

above.) 

RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES: 

Various automated record systems 

providing clinical and managerial 

support to VA health care facilities, the 

Veteran, family members, accredited 

representatives or friends, and ‘‘Patient 

Medical Records—VA’’ (24VA19) 

system of records. 

[FR Doc. 2012–9043 Filed 4–13–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 


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