[Federal Register: June 10, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 111)]
[Notices]
[Page 34653-34654]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10jn03-94]
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NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request
AGENCY: National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: NARA is giving public notice that the agency proposes to
request use of the Financial Disclosure Form, a new Standard Form, that
will be used to make personnel security determinations, including
whether to grant a security clearance, to allow access to classified
information, sensitive areas, and equipment; or to permit assignment to
a sensitive national security position. The public is invited to
comment on the proposed information collection pursuant to the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before August 11, 2003
to be assured of consideration.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to: Paperwork Reduction Act Comments
(NHP), Room 4400, National Archives and Records Administration, 8601
Adelphi Rd, College Park, MD 20740-6001; or faxed to 301-837-3213; or
electronically mailed to tamee.fechhelm@nara.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
copies of the proposed information collection and supporting statement
should be directed to Tamee Fechhelm at telephone number 301-837-1694,
or fax number 301-837-3213.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995 (Pub. L. 104-13), NARA invites the general public and other
Federal agencies to comment on proposed information collections. The
comments and suggestions should address one or more of the following
points: (a) whether the proposed information collection is necessary
for the proper performance of the functions of NARA; (b) the accuracy
of NARA's estimate of the burden of the proposed information
collection; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of
the information to be collected; and (d) ways, including the use of
information technology, to minimize the burden of the collection of
information on respondents. The comments that are submitted will be
summarized and included in the NARA request for Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) approval. All comments will become a matter of public
record. In this notice, NARA is soliciting comments concerning the
following information collection:
Title: Financial Disclosure Form.
OMB number: 3095-NEW.
Agency form number: Standard Form NEW.
Type of review: Regular.
Affected public: Business or other for-profit, Federal government.
Estimated number of respondents: 25,897.
Estimated time per response: 2 hours.
Frequency of response: On occasion.
Estimated total annual burden hours: 51,794 hours.
Abstract: Executive Order 12958 as amended, ``Classified National
Security Information'' authorizes the Information Security Oversight
Office (ISOO) to develop standard forms that promote the implementation
of the Government's security classification program. This is a
continuing authority, which was first given to ISOO with the issuance
of the predecessor executive order on security classification,
Executive Order 12356. Prior to E.O. 12356, executive branch agencies
developed their own forms to address security needs. For example, each
agency had a different cover sheet for each of the classification
levels. With the issuance of Standard Forms SF 703, 704 and 705 in
1985, executive branch agencies began using the same standard form to
serve as a shield to protect classified information at the Top Secret,
Secret and Confidential levels. These forms promoted and continue to
promote consistency and uniformity in the protection of classified
information. An individual can go from one agency to another and know
that an orange cover sheet has Top Secret information attached to it
(SF 703).
In the wake of the Aldrich Ames espionage case, Congress passed
[[Page 34654]]
legislation in 1994 (50 U.S.C. 436) that authorized investigative
agencies to obtain financial information about Government employees
with access to classified information who are suspected of compromising
classified information. To facilitate investigations and as a condition
for obtaining a security clearance, Executive Order 12968, ``Access to
Classified Information,'' issued on August 4, 1995, required: (1) All
employees granted access to classified information to provide written
consent (SF 713) for access to certain financial records under
specified conditions; and (2) that employees who have regular access to
particularly sensitive classified information submit, as a condition of
maintaining access to such information, relevant information concerning
their financial condition as may be necessary to ensure appropriate
security. The Security Policy Board, created in 1993 by Presidential
Directive to consolidate security policy groups and abolished in
February, 2001 by National Security Presidential Directive Number 1,
originally developed a draft consent form and a draft financial
disclosure form after lengthy meetings/negotiations with the major
classifying agencies.
Under the new policy coordinating structure created by National
Security Presidential Directive 1 of April 21, 2001, several policy
coordinating committees (PCCs) were established to serve as the main
``day-to-day'' forum for interagency coordination of national security
policy. The PCC on Records Access and Information Security is the PCC
that handles security classification and personnel security matters. It
is this PCC that resurrected the Financial Disclosure Form to solicit
views from its members and to obtain final approval. The members of
this PCC include NSC as Chairman, NSC as Executive Secretary,
Department of Defense, Director Central Intelligence Agency, Department
of State, Department of Justice, Department of Energy, Office of
Management and Budget, Information Security Oversight Office and an
industry observer. The Director of Records Access at the NSC chairs
this committee. All members unanimously endorsed the Financial
Disclosure Form now submitted for processing as a Standard Form.
The Financial Disclosure Form will contain information that will be
used to make personnel security determinations, including whether to
grant a security clearance; to allow access to classified information,
sensitive areas, and equipment; or to permit assignment to sensitive
national security positions. The data may later be used as a part of a
review process to evaluate continued eligibility for access to
classified information or as evidence in legal proceedings.
The Financial Disclosure Form will help law enforcement obtain
pertinent information in the preliminary stages of potential espionage
and counter terrorism cases. The PCC on Records Access and Information
Security forwarded the current form to the Information Security
Oversight Office for issuance. The Office of Management and Budget is
aware of the form.
Dated: June 2, 2003.
L. Reynolds Cahoon,
Assistant Archivist for Human Resources and Information Services.
[FR Doc. 03-14530 Filed 6-9-03; 8:45 am]
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