[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 24 (Friday, February 5, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5862-5864]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-2726]
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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Privacy Act of 1974, New Routine Use Statement
AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.
ACTION: Notice; New routine use statement.
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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
adding a new routine use to the system of records entitled ``Veterans
and Beneficiaries Identification and Records Location Subsystem--VA''
38VA23.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments,
suggestions, or objections regarding the new routine use. All relevant
material received
[[Page 5863]]
before March 8, 1999, will be considered. All written comments received
will be available for public inspection at the Office of Regulations
Management (02D), 810 Vermont Ave., NW., Room 1158, Washington, DC
20420, only, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday
(except holidays). If no public comment is received during the 30 day
review period allowed for public comment, or unless otherwise published
in the Federal Register by VA, the routine use included herein is
effective 30 days after publication in the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: Written comments concerning the new routine use may be
mailed to the Director, Office of Regulations Management (O2D), 810
Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill Lanson, Legal Consultant,
Compensation and Pension Service, Veterans Benefits Administration, 810
Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420, (202) 273-7267. The Internet
e-mail address for Mr. Lanson is capblans@vba.va.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has
decided, as a matter of policy, to provide to National and State
Veterans Service Organizations access to information contained in the
Benefits Delivery Network (BDN) concerning which organization or
individual holds a Power of Attorney to represent a claimant even
though the service organization accessing the information does not hold
a Power of Attorney for the claimant in question. VA will also provide
access to information that a claimant does not have a recognized power
of attorney, when such is the case.
Currently, a veteran may ask a veterans' service organization for
assistance with a claim for benefits by executing a power of attorney
naming the organization as the veteran's representative for purposes of
prosecuting his or her claim. Some veterans represent themselves in
claim matters. If a veteran names a service organization as his or her
representative, the service organization may obtain information
concerning the claimant from the BDN in order to assist the veteran
with the veteran's claim.
At present, unless a claimant has provided a service organization
with a power of attorney, that organization cannot obtain any
information concerning the claimant from the Benefits Delivery Network
(BDN) because of the restrictions of the Privacy Act. This includes
information that the claimant does not have an appointed power of
attorney or the name of the organization or individual who has been
given a power of attorney for the claimant.
Sometimes, a veteran may later ask another service organization
either for information on the status of the claim or for assistance.
Also, a veteran who is not represented by a service organization may
ask one for information about his or her claim. In either case, the
service organization that the veteran has asked for help cannot access
information on the veteran's claim on the BDN, and, therefore, cannot
tell the veteran anything about the veteran's claim or its status or
assist the veteran with the claim.
If the service organization is provided information through BDN as
to who has been provided a power of attorney, it will permit the
service organization being contacted to direct the claimant to his or
her appointed representative. Alternatively, if the claimant does not
have an appointed power of attorney, it will enable the service
organization to inform the claimant what he or she must do to obtain
representation or to direct the claimant to seek assistance from
regional office employees.
VA has determined that the release of information under the
circumstances described above is a necessary and proper use of the
information in this system of records and that the specific routine use
proposed for the transfer of this information is appropriate.
An altered system of records report and a copy of the revised
system notice have been sent to the House of Representatives Committee
on Government Reform and Oversight, the Senate Committee on
Governmental Affairs, and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as
required by 5 U.S.C. 552a(r) and guidelines issued by OMB (59 FR 37906,
37916-18 (7-25-94)).
The proposed routine Use will be added to the system of records
entitled ``Veterans and Beneficiaries Identification and Records
Location Subsystem--VA.'' 38VA23 published at 49 FR 38095, August 26,
1975, and amended at 41 FR 11631, March 19, 1976, 43 FR 23798, June 1,
1978, 45 FR 77220, November 21, 1980, 47 FR 367, January 5, 1982, 48 FR
45491, October 5, 1983, 50 FR 13448, April 4, 1985, 60 FR 32210, June
20, 1995, and 63 FR 7196, February 12, 1998, is amended by adding the
information as shown below:
* * * * *
20. The power of attorney of a claimant for VA benefits or the
information that a power of attorney has not been appointed by the
claimant may be disclosed from the Benefits Delivery Network to any
recognized veterans service organization even though the service
organization does not hold a current power of attorney for the
claimant.
Approved: January 11, 1999.
Togo D. West, Jr.,
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Report of Intention To Alter Federal Notice of System of Records
for ``Veterans and Beneficiaries Identification and Records
Location Subsystem--VA'' (38VA23)
Purpose
Amending this system of records will provide National and State
Veterans Service Organizations with access to information contained in
the Benefits Delivery Network (BDN) concerning which organization or
individual holds a power of attorney to represent a claimant even
though the service organization accessing the information does not hold
a power of attorney for the claimant in question. VA will also provide
the service organizations with access to information contained in the
BDN that a claimant does not have a power of attorney, when such is the
case.
Authority
``Veterans and Beneficiaries Identification and Records Location
Subsystem--38VA23''
Probable Privacy Impact
This routine use will have minimal effect on the privacy rights of
individuals. The change will provide information to the service
organization contacted to enable it to direct the claimant to his or
her appointed power of attorney. Alternatively, if the claimant does
not have an appointed power of attorney, it will enable the service
organization to inform the claimant what he or she must do to obtain
representation or to direct the claimant to seek assistance from
regional office employees. No other information concerning the claimant
or his or her claim will be provided to the service organization unless
that organization obtains a power of attorney from the claimant.
Risk Assessment
VA will safeguard individual records as required by the Privacy Act
of 1974. Physical access to the computer rooms with the VA facility (VA
regional office or medical facility) is generally limited to
appropriate locking devices and restricted to authorized VA employees
[[Page 5864]]
and vendor personnel. Access to the VA Automation Center (VAC) in
Austin, Texas is restricted to VAC employees, custodial personnel,
Federal Protective Service, and other security personnel. Access to the
automated VA records by VA employees and authorized representatives of
claimants requires clearance by the site security officer. Electronic
access to data is controlled by a series of individually unique
passwords/codes as a part of each data message, and employees and
service organization personnel are limited to only that information in
the file(s) that is needed in the performance of their official duties.
Routine Uses
This new routine use enables VA to provide National and State
Veterans Service Organizations with access to information contained in
the Benefits Delivery Network (BDN) concerning which organization or
individual holds a power of attorney to represent a claimant even
though the service organization accessing the information does not hold
a power of attorney for the claimant in question. VA will also provide
access to information contained in the BDN that a claimant does not
have a power of attorney, when such is the case.
Information Collection Requirements
This amendment requires no new information collection requirements.
[FR Doc. 99-2726 Filed 2-4-99; 8:45 am]
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