94-8522. Privacy Act of 1974; Notice of New System of Records  

  • [Federal Register Volume 59, Number 69 (Monday, April 11, 1994)]
    [Unknown Section]
    [Page 0]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 94-8522]
    
    
    [[Page Unknown]]
    
    [Federal Register: April 11, 1994]
    
    
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
    [AAG/A Order No. 84-94]
    
     
    
    Privacy Act of 1974; Notice of New System of Records
    
        Pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), notice is 
    given that the Justice Management Division, Department of Justice (DOJ) 
    proposes to establish a new system of records entitled ``Debt 
    Collection Offset Payment System, Justice/JMD-009.''
        Title 5 U.S.C. 552a(e) (4) and (11) provide that the public be 
    provided a 30-day period in which to comment on the new routine uses of 
    a system of records. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which 
    has oversight responsibility under the Act, requires that it be given a 
    40-day period in which to review the system.
        Therefore, please submit any comments by May 11, 1994. The public, 
    OMB, and the Congress are invited to send written comments to Patricia 
    E. Neely, Systems Policy Staff, Justice Management Division, Department 
    of Justice, Washington, DC 20503 (room 850, WCTR Building).
        In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552a(r), DOJ has provided a report on 
    the proposed new system to OMB and the Congress.
    
        Dated: March 25, 1994.
    Stephen R. Colgate,
    Assistant Attorney General for Administration.
    
    Justice/JMD-009
    
    System Name:
    
        Debt Collection Offset Payment System, Justice/JMD-009
    
    System Location:
    
        Department of Justice (DOJ), Justice Data Center, 1151D Seven Locks 
    Road, Rockville, Md.
    
    Categories of Individuals Covered by the System:
    
        Federal debtors. Federal debtors include (but may not be limited 
    to) those who have received overpayments through direct financial 
    assistance, those who owe debts of restitution based on civil or 
    criminal judgments entered by Federal courts, and those who have 
    obtained insured or guaranteed loans from Federal agencies, and (a) 
    whose delinquent debts have been sent by client Federal agencies to the 
    DOJ for enforced collection through litigation or (b) whose delinquent 
    debts are owed directly to the DOJ.
    
    Categories of Records in the System:
    
        Automated records include a data base of delinquent debts by debtor 
    name, taxpayer address and Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), type 
    of government claim involved, and the Federal agency entitled to notice 
    of funds collected. (Such debts are referred by United States Attorneys 
    (USAs) (from client Federal agencies), and by other DOJ components.) 
    The data base also includes (1) information identifying those 
    delinquent debtors who are present or former Federal employees, or 
    members of the Armed Forces and whose salaries or other Federal benefit 
    payments may be eligible for administrative offset by their respective 
    employers (and whose debts may be referred to such agencies for such 
    offsets), (2) voluntary payments made to the DOJ lockbox, and (3) debt 
    amounts offset by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) against income tax 
    refunds. Manual records include computer-generated reports that list 
    all delinquent debtors by name, TIN, tax year, and the USA or other DOJ 
    component (and/or other Federal agency) that referred the delinquent 
    debt for collection, the referring agency's claim number, the status of 
    the account, and the balance owed.
    
    Authority for Maintenance of the System:
    
        Section 3 of Pub. L. No. 102-589, the Cash Management Improvement 
    Act Amendments of 1992.
    
    Purpose of the System:
    
        This system of records is used first to determine whether 
    administrative offset of the delinquent debts can be made by Federal 
    agencies against compensation due delinquent debtors who are present or 
    former employees of such agencies, or present or former members of the 
    Armed Forces. Second, it is used to refer delinquent debts to the IRS 
    for offset against any income tax refunds that may be due the debtors 
    under the IRS Federal Income Tax Refund Offset Program, to record data 
    on any offsets made, and to maintain historical data on delinquent 
    debtor payments through the Program.
    
    Routine Uses of Records Maintained in the System, Including Categories 
    of Users and the Purposes of Such Uses:
    
        DOJ may disclose relevant information from this system as follows:
        (a) To the IRS to obtain the mailing address of a taxpayer for the 
    purpose of locating such taxpayer to collect or to compromise a debt 
    owed by the taxpayer to the United States.
        (b) To the Department of Defense (DOD) and United States Postal 
    Service (USPS) to conduct computer matching programs to identify and 
    locate debtors who receive Federal salaries, and/or pension, annuity or 
    other Federal benefit payments. Except where such debts are paid 
    voluntarily, the debts of those individuals who have been so identified 
    will be returned to the DOJ component, or to the USA for referral to 
    the appropriate Federal agency, for collection by administrative, 
    salary, or other procedure to offset Federal payments.
        (c) To the IRS to conduct computer matching programs to identify 
    individuals entitled to refunds against which tax refund offsets would 
    be appropriate and to enable the IRS to offset the taxpayer's tax 
    refund. (A tax refund offset may be initiated where the debt cannot be 
    offset against the payment of Federal benefits such as Federal 
    salaries, annuities, pensions, etc.)
        (d) To notify client agencies as to the status of payments and to 
    make inquiries and reports as necessary during the processing of debt 
    collection payments, whether such payments are made voluntarily or 
    whether they are collected through the tax refund offset procedure.
        (e) To contractor employees operating the Nationwide Central Intake 
    Facility to account for debtor payments that have been received. (See 
    the ``Debt Collection Management System, Justice/JMD-006'' which 
    describes debtor records maintained by the Nationwide Central Intake 
    Facility.)
        (f) In a proceeding before a court or adjudicative body before 
    which DOJ or contract private counsel are authorized to appear when any 
    of the following is a party to litigation or has an interest in 
    litigation and such records are determined by DOJ or contract private 
    counsel to be arguably relevant to the litigation: (1) DOJ, or any 
    component thereof, or contract private counsel, or (2) any employee of 
    DOJ or contract private counsel in his or her official capacity or (3) 
    any employee of DOJ or contract private counsel in his or her 
    individual capacity where DOJ has agreed to represent the employee, or 
    (4) the United States, where DOJ or contract private counsel determines 
    that the litigation is likely to affect DOJ or any of its components.
        (g) To volunteer student workers and students working under a 
    college work-study program as is necessary to enable them to perform 
    their duties.
        (h) To employees or to contract personnel to access the records for 
    Privacy Act training purposes.
        (i) To the news media and the public pursuant to 28 CFR 50.2 unless 
    it is determined that release of the specific information in the 
    context of a particular case would constitute an unwarranted invasion 
    of personal privacy.
        (j) To a Member of Congress or staff acting upon the Member's 
    behalf when the Member or staff requests the information on behalf of 
    and at the request of the individual who is the subject of the record.
        (k) To the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and 
    to the General Services Administration in records management 
    inspections conducted under the authority of 44 U.S.C. 2904 and 2906.
    
    Policies and Practices for Storing, Retrieving, Accessing, Retaining, 
    and Disposing of Records in the System:
    
    Storage:
    
        Periodic reports are stored in binders; automated data is stored on 
    magnetic tape.
    
    Retrievability:
    
        Records are retrieved by debtor's name or TIN.
    
    Safeguards:
    
        Access to the facility where the records are maintained requires 
    identification clearance by a security officer or guard. Paper records 
    are maintained in a locked room during non-duty hours. Access to 
    automated data requires the use of the proper passwords and user 
    identification codes by personnel with security clearances. Finally, 
    only those personnel who require access to perform their duties may 
    access these records.
    
    Retention and Disposal:
    
        Paper records are shredded after five years; automated information 
    will be erased ten years after the related case files reported in the 
    Debt Collection Enforcement System, Justice/USA-015, have been closed. 
    (Pending approval of the NARA).
    
    System Manager and Address:
    
        Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Debt Collection Management, 
    Justice Management Division, Department of Justice, Washington, DC 
    20530.
    
    Notification Procedures:
    
        Address requests to the system manager identified above.
    
    Records Access Procedures:
    
        Address requests for access to the system manager identified above. 
    Clearly mark the envelope ``Privacy Access Request.'' Include in the 
    request the debtor's name, TIN, address, and any other identifying 
    information which may be of assistance in locating the record, e.g., 
    name of the case or Federal agency to whom the debtor is indebted. In 
    addition, include the notarized signature of the debtor as well as the 
    name and address of the individual to receive the information if other 
    than the debtor.
    
    Contesting Records Procedures:
    
        Address requests to contest to the system manager identified above. 
    State clearly and concisely the information being contested, the 
    reasons for contesting it, and the proposed amendment to the 
    information.
    
    Record Source Categories:
    
        USAs on behalf of Federal agencies; DOJ components; DOD, USPS, IRS, 
    and the debtor.
    
    Systems Exempted from Certain Provisions of the Act:
    
        None.
    
    [FR Doc. 94-8522 Filed 4-8-94; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 4410-01-M
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
04/11/1994
Department:
Justice Department
Entry Type:
Uncategorized Document
Document Number:
94-8522
Pages:
0-0 (1 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Federal Register: April 11, 1994, AAG/A Order No. 84-94