A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Congressional Members' Biographies System.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

18-07-01

System name:
Congressional Members' Biographies System.

Security classification:
None.

System location:

Categories of individuals covered by the system:
This system contains records about all members of Congress.

Categories of records in the system:
This system contains biographical files on congressional members consisting of the Member's name, title, state and district he or she represents, date of appointment to Congress, date of birth, place of birth, educational background, previous employment including political offices, House or Senate committee assignments, political support scores, how he or she voted on key education legislation, brief personal background and education interests pertaining to the Department of Education, names of universities and colleges located in each House member's district, and a brief description of the district or state in which the Member of Congress represents.

Authority for maintenance of the system:
20 U.S.C. 3412(e).

Purpose(s):
The information in this system is used by the Secretary of Education and any departmental staff who need background information of a Member of Congress while preparing for hearings and meetings.

Routine uses of records maintained in the system, including categories of users and the purposes of such uses:
The Department may disclose information contained in a record in this system of records under the routine uses listed in this system of records without the consent of the individual if the disclosure is compatible with the purpose for which the record was collected. The member's right to the information is no greater than the right of the individual who requested it.

1. Contact Disclosures. The Department may disclose records contained in this system to individuals and entities (including educational institutions) that the Department contacts while formulating and enforcing education policies.
2. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Advice Disclosure. The Department may disclose records to the Department of Justice and the Office of Management and Budget if the Department concludes that disclosure is desirable or necessary in determining whether particular records are required to be disclosed under the FOIA.

Policies and practices for storing, retrieving, accessing, retaining, and disposing of records in the system:

Storage:
Records are maintained in hard copy individual files stored in standard four-drawer file cabinets and also in electronic format on a hard drive accessible by staff of the Office for Legislation and Congressional Affairs.

Retrievability:
Records are indexed alphabetically by last name.

Safeguards:
Files are maintained in the Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs and requests are honored on a "need-to-know" basis only. All physical access to the Department of Education site, and the sites of Department contractors where this system of records is maintained, is controlled and monitored by security personnel who check each individual entering the building for his or her employee or visitor badge.

The computer system employed by the Department of Education offers a high degree of resistance to tampering and circumvention. This security system limits data access to Department of Education and contract staff on a "need-to-know" basis, and controls individual users' ability to access and alter records within the system. All users of this system of records are given a unique user ID with personal identifiers. All interactions by individual users with the system are recorded.

Retention and disposal:
Records are constantly updated as circumstances warrant relative to the activities of Congress.

System manager(s) and address:

Notification procedure:
If you wish to determine whether a record exists regarding you in the system of records, contact the system manager. Your request must meet the requirements of the regulations at 34 CFR 5b.5, including proof of identity.

Record access procedures:
If you wish to gain access to a record regarding you in the system of records, contact the system manager. Your request must meet the requirements of the regulations at 34 CFR 5b.5, including proof of identity.

Contesting record procedures:
If you wish to contest the content of a record regarding you in the system of records, contact the system manager. Your request must meet the requirements of the regulations at 34 CFR 5b.7.

Record source categories:
Information is obtained from Congressional Quarterly, Inc., The Almanac of American Politics, Roll Call Newspapers, on-line biographies and press releases of Members of Congress, and the Office of Postsecondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education.

System exempted from certain provisions of the act:
None.