Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records
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Issuing agencies
Abstract
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission or Agency) has modified an existing system of records, FCC/OGC-5, Pending Civil Cases, subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended. This action is necessary to meet the requirements of the Privacy Act to publish in the Federal Register notice of the existence and character of records maintained by the agency. The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) uses this system to update or furnish additional data, which may include personally identifiable information, for the Department of Justice (DOJ), in those instances in which DOJ is handling a pending civil case involving or on behalf of the FCC.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 219 (Wednesday, November 13, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 219 (Wednesday, November 13, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 89639-89641]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-26212]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
[FR ID: 260101]
Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Notice of a modified system of records.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission or
Agency) has modified an existing system of records, FCC/OGC-5, Pending
Civil Cases, subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended. This
action is necessary to meet the requirements of the Privacy Act to
publish in the Federal Register notice of the existence and character
of records maintained by the agency. The Office of the General Counsel
(OGC) uses this system to update or furnish additional data, which may
include personally identifiable information, for the Department of
Justice (DOJ), in those instances in which DOJ is handling a pending
civil case involving or on behalf of the FCC.
DATES: This modified system of records will become effective on
November 13, 2024. Written comments on the routine uses are due by
December 13, 2024. The routine uses in this action will become
effective on December 13, 2024 unless comments are received that
require a contrary determination.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to Brendan McTaggart, Federal Communications
Commission, 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554, or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3e4e4c57485f5d477e585d5d10595148"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="eb9b99829d8a8892ab8d8888c58c849d">[email protected]</span></a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brendan McTaggart, (202) 418-1738, or
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2757554e5146445e6741444409404851"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2656544f5047455f6640454508414950">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice serves to update and modify FCC/
OGC-5 as a result of various necessary changes and updates. The
substantive changes and modifications to the previously published
version of the FCC/OGC-5 system of records include updating and/or
revising language in eight routine uses (listed by the routine use
number provided in this notice): (1) Litigation and (2) Adjudication,
which were formerly a single routine use; (3) Law Enforcement and
Investigation; (4) Congressional Inquiries; (5) Government-wide Program
Management and Oversight; (6) Breach Notification, the modification of
which is required by OMB M-17-12; (7) Assistance to Federal Agencies
and Entities Related to Breaches, the addition of which is required by
OMB M-17-12; and (8) Nonfederal Personnel.
The system of records is also updated to reflect various
administrative changes related to the system managers and system
addresses; policy and practices for storage, retention, disposal and
retrieval of the information; administrative, technical, and physical
safeguards; and updated notification, records access, and contesting
records procedures.
SYSTEM NAME AND NUMBER:
FCC/OGC-5, Pending Civil Cases.
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION:
Unclassified.
SYSTEM LOCATION:
OGC, FCC, 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554.
SYSTEM MANAGER(S):
OGC, FCC, 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554.
AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:
47 U.S.C. 401 and 402; 31 U.S.C. 3729-3733.
PURPOSE(S) OF THE SYSTEM:
Commission attorneys use this system to update or furnish
additional data for DOJ, in those instances in which DOJ is handling a
pending civil case involving or on behalf of the FCC.
CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM:
Any individual who has filed a case involving the FCC before any
District Court, Court of Appeals, or the Supreme Court, as well as any
other named individuals in the complaint, filing, or appeal.
CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
Information in this system of records may include the name and
contact information of the individual(s) associated with a civil case
involving the FCC, as well as letters, memoranda, pleadings, briefs,
and bankruptcy papers related to the case.
RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:
The sources for the information in this system of records include:
(a) Individuals filing claims in civil cases;
(b) Individuals who are the subjects of, or are named in civil
cases involving the FCC;
(c) Attorneys or representatives of the claimants and the subjects
of the claims in civil cases;
(d) Communication between FCC organizational units (Bureaus and
Offices or B/Os), the DOJ including U.S. Attorneys, other Federal
agencies, and courts of competent jurisdiction; and
(e) Parties to the proceedings and the investigative materials and
related documentation and decisions that involve complaints, appeals,
amendments, and litigation concerning such claims in civil cases.
ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES
OF USERS AND THE PURPOSES OF SUCH USES:
In addition to those disclosures generally permitted under 5 U.S.C.
552a(b) of the Privacy Act, all or a portion of the records or
information contained in this system may be disclosed to authorized
entities, as is determined to be relevant and necessary, outside the
FCC as a routine use pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(3) as follows. In
each of these cases, the FCC will determine whether disclosure of the
records is compatible with the purpose(s) for which the records were
collected:
1. Litigation--Records may be disclosed to the Department of
Justice (DOJ) when: (a) the FCC or any component thereof; (b) any
employee of the FCC in his or her official capacity;
[[Page 89640]]
(c) any employee of the FCC in his or her individual capacity where the
DOJ or the FCC has agreed to represent the employee; or (d) the United
States Government is a party to litigation or has an interest in such
litigation, and by careful review, the FCC determines that the records
are both relevant and necessary to the litigation, and the use of such
records by the DOJ is for a purpose that is compatible with the purpose
for which the FCC collected the records.
2. Adjudication--Records may be disclosed in a proceeding before a
court or adjudicative body, when: (a) the FCC or any component thereof;
or (b) any employee of the FCC in his or her official capacity; or (c)
any employee of the FCC in his or her individual capacity; or (d) the
United States Government, is a party to litigation or has an interest
in such litigation, and by careful review, the FCC determines that the
records are both relevant and necessary to the litigation, and that the
use of such records is for a purpose that is compatible with the
purpose for which the agency collected the records.
3. Law Enforcement and Investigation--When the FCC investigates any
violation or potential violation of a civil or criminal law,
regulation, policy, executed consent decree, order, or any other type
of compulsory obligation and determines that a record in this system,
either alone or in conjunction with other information, indicates a
violation or potential violation of law, regulation, policy, consent
decree, order, or other compulsory obligation, the FCC may disclose
pertinent information as it deems necessary to the target of an
investigation, as well as with the appropriate Federal, State, local,
Tribal, international, or multinational agencies, or a component of
such an agency, responsible for investigating, prosecuting, enforcing,
or implementing a statute, rule, regulation, or order.
4. Congressional Inquiries--Information may be provided to a
Congressional office in response to an inquiry from that Congressional
office made at the written request of the individual to whom the
information pertains.
5. Government-wide Program Management and Oversight--Information
may be disclosed to the DOJ to obtain that department's advice
regarding disclosure obligations under the Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA); or to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to obtain that
office's advice regarding obligations under the Privacy Act.
6. Breach Notification--Records may be disclosed to appropriate
agencies, entities, and persons when: (a) the Commission suspects or
has confirmed that there has been a breach of the system of records;
(b) the Commission has determined that as a result of the suspected or
confirmed breach there is a risk of harm to individuals, the Commission
(including its information system, programs, and operations), the
Federal Government, or national security; and; and (c) the disclosure
made to such agencies, entities, and persons is reasonably necessary to
assist in connection with the Commission's efforts to respond to the
suspected or confirmed breach or to prevent, minimize, or remedy such
harm.
7. Assistance to Federal Agencies and Entities Related to
Breaches--Records may be disclosed to another Federal agency or Federal
entity, when the Commission determines that information from this
system is reasonably necessary to assist the recipient agency or entity
in: (a) Responding to a suspected or confirmed breach or (b)
preventing, minimizing, or remedying the risk of harm to individuals,
the recipient agency or entity (including its information systems,
program, and operations), the Federal Government, or national security,
resulting from a suspected or confirmed breach.
8. Non-Federal Personnel--Records may be disclosed to non-Federal
personnel, including contractors, other vendors (e.g., identity
verification services), grantees, and volunteers who have been engaged
to assist the FCC in the performance of a service, grant, cooperative
agreement, or other activity related to this system of records and who
need to have access to the records in order to perform their activity.
POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORAGE OF RECORDS:
Information in this system includes both paper and electronic
records. The paper records, documents, and files are maintained in file
cabinets that are located in OGC and in the B/Os of the FCC staff who
provide the responses to such claims. Electronic records in this system
reside on the FCC or a vendor's network.
POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETRIEVAL OF RECORDS:
Records are retrieved by the name of the individual filing or
subject of the claim.
POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETENTION AND DISPOSAL OF RECORDS:
Records are retained and disposed of in accordance with the FCC
records control schedule N1-173-91-001, Item 6, approved by the
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). The records are
destroyed 3 years after closure of the matter or when no longer
required for administrative purposes, whichever is sooner.
ADMINISTRATIVE, TECHNICAL, AND PHYSICAL SAFEGUARDS:
The file cabinets containing paper records in this system are
maintained in file cabinets in ``non-public'' rooms in the OGC or B/O
suites. The OGC and B/O file cabinets are locked at the end of the
business day. Access to these offices is through key and card-coded
main doors. Only authorized OGC and B/O supervisors and staff have
access to these paper records.
Electronic records, files, and data are stored within FCC or a
vendor's accreditation boundaries and maintained in a database housed
in the FCC's or vendor's computer network databases. Access to the
electronic files is restricted to authorized employees and contractors;
and to IT staff, contractors, and vendors who maintain the IT networks
and services. Other employees and contractors may be granted access on
a need-to-know basis. The electronic files and records are protected by
the FCC and third-party privacy safeguards, a comprehensive and dynamic
set of IT safety and security protocols and features that are designed
to meet all Federal privacy standards, including those required by the
Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 (FISMA), the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and the National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST).
RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES:
Individuals wishing to request access to and/or amendment of
records about themselves should follow the Notification Procedures
below.
CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:
Individuals wishing to request access to and/or amendment of
records about themselves should follow the Notification Procedures
below.
NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES:
Individuals wishing to determine whether this system of records
contains information about themselves may do so by writing to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6b1b19021d0a08122b0d0808450c041d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d2a2a0bba4b3b1ab92b4b1b1fcb5bda4">[email protected]</span></a>. Individuals requesting access must also comply with
the FCC's Privacy Act regulations regarding verification of identity to
gain access to records as required under 47 CFR part 0, subpart E.
[[Page 89641]]
EXEMPTIONS PROMULGATED FOR THE SYSTEM:
None.
HISTORY:
45 FR 9738 (March 7, 2018).
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-26212 Filed 11-12-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P
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</html>This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.