97-26160. Privacy Act of 1974, as amended; System of Records

[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 191 (Thursday, October 2, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51720-51721]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-26160]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Internal Revenue Service


Privacy Act of 1974, as amended; System of Records

AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service, Treasury

ACTION: Notice of alteration of Privacy Act system of records

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SUMMARY: The Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service, gives 
notice of a proposed alteration to the system of records entitled, 
``General Personnel and Payroll Records -Treasury/IRS 36.003,'' which 
is subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, 5 U.S.C. 552a. The 
system notice was last published in its entirety in the Federal 
Register, Vol. 60, page 56804, on November 9, 1995.

DATES: Comments must be received no later than November 3, 1997. The 
alteration to the system of records will be effective November 16, 
1997, unless comments are received which result in a contrary 
determination.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to the Office of Governmental 
Liaison & Disclosure, Internal Revenue Service, 1111 Constitution 
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20224. Comments will be made available for 
public inspection and copying in the Internal Revenue Service Freedom 
of Information Reading Room, 1111 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room 1621, 
Washington, DC 20224, telephone number [phone], (not a toll free 
call).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James O'Malley, Acting National 
Director, Personnel Division, Internal Revenue Service, [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the alteration is to add two 
routine uses to the current routine uses as a result of Executive Order 
12897 dated February 3, 1994, and the likelihood that the Service will 
be requested to respond to increasing numbers of support garnishment 
interrogatories.
    Currently, routine use number (7) is used to disclose information 
on records, where there is an indication of a violation or potential 
violation of law, whether civil, criminal, or regulatory in nature, to 
any appropriate agency, whether Federal, state, or local, charged with 
the responsibility of investigating or prosecuting such violation or 
charged with enforcing or implementing the statute, rule, regulation, 
or order issued pursuant thereto or upon request of the agency when the 
agency is investigating the possible violation of their rules or 
regulations.
    The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) believes that the current 
routine use number (7) allows the IRS to disclose the information 
requested in the interrogatories, although the interrogatories are not 
specifically addressed. However, a new routine use (21) is being added 
to clarify that information from this system of records may be 
disclosed in response to garnishment interrogatories. A second routine 
use (22) is also being added as a result of the issuance of Executive 
Order 12897 entitled ``Garnishment of Federal Employees' Pay,'' which 
will permit non-Federal entities (i.e., commercial creditors) to 
request garnishment of any employee's pay for just debts owing to these 
companies which have been reduced to a judgement.
    The alteration to the existing Privacy Act notice also incorporates 
the Executive Order under the data element ``Authority for Maintenance 
of the System'' to bring this system into compliance with the 
requirements of the Privacy Act. The specific changes to the record 
system being altered are set forth below.
    Under ``Authority for Maintenance of the System:'' delete the 
period after Executive Order 10561 and add ``and Executive Order 
12897.''
    Under ``Routine Uses of Records Maintained in the System, Including 
Categories of Users and the Purposes of Such Uses:,'' add two routine 
uses by inserting the following text after routine use numbered twenty 
(20): ``(21) Respond to state and local authorities for support 
garnishment interrogatories; and (22) Provide information to private 
creditors for the purpose of garnishment of wages of an employee if a 
debt has been reduced to a judgement.''
    The specific changes to the system notice are published below.

    Dated: September 24, 1997.

Alex Rodriguez,
Deputy Assistant Secretary (Administration).

Treasury/IRS 36.003

System Name:
    General Personnel and Payroll Records--Treasury/IRS
* * * * *

Authority for Maintenance of the System:
    Description of change: Remove ``and Executive Order 10561.'' and 
add ``Executive Order 10561 and Executive Order 12897. ''
* * * * *
    Description of changes: Replace the period at the end of routine 
use number

[[Page 51721]]

(20) with a semi-colon(;) and add the following text:

Routine Uses of Records Maintained in the System, Including Categories 
of Users and the Purposes of Such Uses:
* * *
``(21) Respond to state and local authorities for support garnishment 
interrogatories; and
(22) Provide information to private creditors for the purpose of 
garnishment of wages of an employee if a debt has been reduced to a 
judgement.''
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 97-26160 Filed 10-1-97; 8:45am]
Billing Code: 4810-30-F