Department of Homeland Security November 2, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) invites public comment on one currently approved information collection requirement abstracted below that we will submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for renewal in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act.

To provide expanded notice and transparency to the public, the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection gives notice regarding the Automated Targeting System, which is the enforcement screening module associated with the Treasury Enforcement Communications System and was previously covered by the Treasury Enforcement Communications System ``System of Records Notice.'' This system of records is subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5 U.S.C. 552a). The Treasury Enforcement Communications System is established as an overarching law enforcement information collection, targeting, and sharing environment. This environment is comprised of several modules designed to collect, maintain, and screen data, conduct targeting, and share information. Among these modules, the Automated Targeting System performs screening of both inbound and outbound cargo, travelers, and conveyances. As part of this screening function, the Automated Targeting System compares information obtained from the public with a set series of queries designed to permit targeting of conveyances, goods, cargo, or persons to facilitate DHS's border enforcement mission. The risk assessment and links to information upon which the assessment is based, which are stored in the Automated Targeting System, are created from existing information in a number of sources, including, but not limited to: the trade community through the Automated Commercial System or its successor; the Automated Commercial Environment system; the traveling public through information submitted by their carrier to the Advance Passenger Information System; persons crossing the United States land border by automobile or on foot; the Treasury Enforcement Communications System, or its successor; or law enforcement information maintained in other parts of the Treasury Enforcement Communications System that pertain to persons, goods, or conveyances. As part of the information it accesses for screening, Passenger Name Record (PNR) information, which is currently collected pursuant to an existing CBP regulation (19 CFR 122.49d) from both inbound and outbound travelers through the carrier upon which travel occurs, is stored in the Automated Targeting System. PNR is comprised of data which carriers collect as a matter of their usual business practice in negotiating and arranging the travel transaction. As noted above, this system of records notice does not identify or create any new collection of information, rather DHS is providing additional notice and transparency of the functionality of these systems.