2014-30720. Privacy Act of 1974, as Amended  

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    AGENCY:

    Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.

    ACTION:

    Notice of a Revised Privacy Act System of Records.

    SUMMARY:

    In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, hereinto referred to as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB” or “Bureau”), gives notice of the establishment of a revised Privacy Act System of Records.

    DATES:

    Comments must be received no later than January 30, 2015. The new system of records will be effective February 9, 2015, unless the comments received result in a contrary determination.

    ADDRESSES:

    You may submit comments, identified by the title and docket number (see above), by any of the following methods:

    • Electronic: privacy@cfpb.gov or http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
    • Mail: Claire Stapleton, Chief Privacy Officer, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 1700 G Street NW., Washington, DC 20552.
    • Hand Delivery/Courier: Claire Stapleton, Chief Privacy Officer, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 1275 1st St. NE., Washington, DC 20002.

    Comments will be available for public inspection and copying at 1275 1st St. NE., Washington, DC 20002 on official business days between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time. You can make an appointment to inspect comments by telephoning (202) 435-7220. All comments, including attachments and other supporting materials, will become part of the public record and subject to public disclosure. You should submit only information that you wish to make available publicly.

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    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

    Claire Stapleton, Chief Privacy Officer, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 1275 1st St. NE., Washington, DC 20002, (202) 435-7220.

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    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    The CFPB revises its Privacy Act System of Records Notice (SORN) “CFPB.001—CFPB Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)/Privacy Act (PA) System.” In revising this SORN, the CFPB is adding a new routine use to add that records may be provided to the National Archives and the Records Administration, Office of Government Information Services (OGIS), for all purposes set forth in 5 U.S.C. 552(h)(2)(A-B) and (3). It also revises the Categories of Records section to indicate that the system also includes information related to requests for OGIS assistance.

    The report of the revised system of records has been submitted to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, and the Office of Management and Budget, pursuant to Appendix I to OMB Circular A-130, “Federal Agency Responsibilities for Maintaining Records About Individuals,” dated November 30, 2000,[1] and the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a(r).

    The revised system of records entitled “CFPB.001-CFPB Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act System” is published in its entirety below.

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    Date: December 23, 2014.

    Claire Stapleton,

    Chief Privacy Officer, Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.

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    CFPB.001

    SYSTEM NAME:

    CFPB Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act System.

    SYSTEM LOCATION:

    Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 1275 1st St. NE., Washington, DC 20002.

    CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM:

    Individuals covered by this system are persons who cite the Freedom of Information Act or Privacy Act to request access to records or whose information requests are treated as FOIA requests. Other individuals covered include CFPB staff assigned to process such requests, and employees who may have responsive records or are mentioned in such records. FOIA requests are subject to the PA only to the extent that they concern individuals; information pertaining to corporations and other business entities and organizations are not subject to the PA.

    CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:

    Records in the system may contain: (1) Correspondence with the requester including initial requests and appeals; (2) documents generated or compiled during the search and processing of the request; (3) fee schedules, cost calculations, and assessed cost for disclosed FOIA records; (4) documents and memoranda supporting the decision made in response to the request, referrals, and copies of records provided or withheld; (5) CFPB staff assigned to process, consider, and respond to requests and, where a request has been referred to another agency with equities in a responsive document, information about the individual handling the request on behalf of that agency; (6) information identifying the entity that is subject to the requests or appeals; (7) requester information, including name, address, phone number, email address; FOIA tracking number, phone number, fax number, or some combination thereof; and (8) for access requests under the Privacy Act, identifying information regarding both the party who is making the written request or appeal, and the individual on whose behalf such written requests or appeals are made, including name, Social Security number (SSNs may be submitted with documentation or as proof of identification), address, phone number, email address, FOIA number, phone number, fax number, or some combination thereof. This system also consists of records related to requests for OGIS assistance.

    AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:

    Pub. L. 111-203, Title X, Sections 1011, 1012, 1021, codified at 12 U.S.C. 5491, 5492, 5511; The Freedom of Information Act of 1996, as amended 5 Start Printed Page 78838U.S.C. 552; Privacy Act of 1974, as amended 5 U.S.C. 552a.

    PURPOSE(S):

    The information in the system is being collected to enable the CFPB to carry out its responsibilities under the FOIA and the PA, including enabling staff to receive, track, and respond to requests. This requires maintaining documentation gathered during the consideration and disposition process, administering annual reporting requirements, managing FOIA-related fees and calculations, and delivering responsive records.

    ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES OF USERS AND THE PURPOSES OF SUCH USES:

    These records may be disclosed, consistent with the CFPB's Disclosure of Records and Information Rules, promulgated at 12 CFR 1070 et seq., to:

    (1) Appropriate agencies, entities, and persons when: (a) The CFPB suspects or has confirmed that the security or confidentiality of information in the system of records has been compromised; (b) the CFPB has determined that, as a result of the suspected or confirmed compromise, there is a risk of 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 CFPB or another agency or entity) that rely upon the compromised information; and (c) the disclosure made to such agencies, entities, and persons is reasonably necessary to assist in connection with the CFPB's efforts to respond to the suspected or confirmed compromise and prevent, minimize, or remedy such harm;

    (2) Another federal or state agency to (a) permit a decision as to access, amendment or correction of records to be made in consultation with or by that agency, or (b) verify the identity of an individual or the accuracy of information submitted by an individual who has requested access to or amendment or correction of records;

    (3) The Office of the President in response to an inquiry from that office made at the request of the subject of a record or a third party on that person's behalf;

    (4) Congressional offices in response to an inquiry made at the request of the individual to whom the record pertains;

    (5) Contractors, agents, or other authorized individuals performing work on a contract, service, cooperative agreement, job, or other activity on behalf of the CFPB or Federal Government and who have a need to access the information in the performance of their duties or activities;

    (6) The DOJ for its use in providing legal advice to the CFPB or in representing the CFPB in a proceeding before a court, adjudicative body, or other administrative body, where the use of such information by the DOJ is deemed by the CFPB to be relevant and necessary to the advice or proceeding, and such proceeding names as a party in interest:

    (a) The CFPB;

    (b) Any employee of the CFPB in his or her official capacity;

    (c) Any employee of the CFPB in his or her individual capacity where DOJ has agreed to represent the employee; or

    (d) The United States, where the CFPB determines that litigation is likely to affect the CFPB or any of its components;

    (7) A court, magistrate, or administrative tribunal in the course of an administrative proceeding or judicial proceeding, including disclosures to opposing counsel or witnesses (including expert witnesses) in the course of discovery or other pre-hearing exchanges of information, litigation, or settlement negotiations, where relevant or potentially relevant to a proceeding, or in connection with criminal law proceedings;

    (8) Appropriate agencies, entities, and persons, including but not limited to potential expert witnesses or witnesses in the course of investigations, to the extent necessary to secure information relevant to the investigation;

    (9) Appropriate federal, state, local, foreign, tribal, or self-regulatory organizations or agencies responsible for investigating, prosecuting, enforcing, implementing, issuing, or carrying out a statute, rule, regulation, order, policy, or license if the information may be relevant to a potential violation of civil or criminal law, rule, regulation, order, policy or license; and

    (10) National Archives and Records Administration, Office of Government Information Services (OGIS), to the extent necessary to fulfill its responsibilities in 5 U.S.C. 552(h), to review administrative agency policies, procedures, and compliance with the Freedom of Information Act, and to facilitate OGIS' offering of mediation services to resolve disputes between persons making FOIA requests and administrative agencies.

    POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORING, RETRIEVING, ACCESSING, RETAINING, AND DISPOSING OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:

    STORAGE:

    Paper and electronic records.

    RETRIEVABILITY:

    Records are retrievable by a variety of fields including, but not limited to, the requester's name, the subject matter of request, requestor's organization, FOIA tracking number, and staff member assigned to process the request. Records may also be searched by the address, phone number, fax number, email address of the requesting party, and subject matter of the request, or by some combination thereof.

    SAFEGUARDS:

    Access to electronic records is restricted to authorized personnel who have been issued non-transferrable access codes and passwords. Other records are maintained in locked file cabinets or rooms with access limited to those personnel whose official duties require access.

    RETENTION AND DISPOSAL:

    Computer and paper records will be maintained in accordance with published National Archives and Records Administration Disposition Schedule, Transmittal No. 22, General Records Schedule 14, Information Service Records.

    SYSTEM MANAGER(S) AND ADDRESS:

    Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Chief FOIA Officer, 1275 1st St. NE., Washington, DC 20002.

    NOTIFICATION PROCEDURE:

    Individuals seeking notification and access to any record contained in this system of records, or seeking to contest its content, may inquire in writing in accordance with instructions appearing in the CFPB's Disclosure of Records and Information Rules, promulgated at 12 CFR 1070 et seq. Address such requests to: Chief Privacy Officer, Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, 1275 1st St. NE., Washington, DC 20002.

    RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES:

    See “Notification Procedures” above.

    CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:

    See “Notification Procedures” above.

    RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:

    Information in this system covers individuals about whom records are maintained; agency staff assigned to help process, consider and respond to the request, including any appeals; entities filing requests or appeals on behalf of the requestor; other governmental authorities; and entities that are the subjects of the request or appeals.Start Printed Page 78839

    EXEMPTIONS CLAIMED FOR THE SYSTEM:

    None.

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    Footnotes

    1.  Although pursuant to Section 1017(a)(4)E, of the Consumer Financial Protection Act, Public Law 111-203, the CFPB is not required to comply with OMB-issued guidance, it voluntarily follows OMB privacy-related guidance as a best practice and to facilitate cooperation and collaboration with other agencies.

    Back to Citation

    [FR Doc. 2014-30720 Filed 12-30-14; 8:45 am]

    BILLING CODE 4810-AM-P

Document Information

Effective Date:
2/9/2015
Published:
12/31/2014
Department:
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Entry Type:
Notice
Action:
Notice of a Revised Privacy Act System of Records.
Document Number:
2014-30720
Dates:
Comments must be received no later than January 30, 2015. The new system of records will be effective February 9, 2015, unless the comments received result in a contrary determination.
Pages:
78837-78839 (3 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Docket No: CFPB-2014-0038
PDF File:
2014-30720.Pdf