[Comments on Proposed Regulations To Protect the Privacy of GAO Personnel Records]

GAO addressed congressional comments concerning proposed regulations to protect the privacy of GAO personnel records. Specific congressional concerns included: (1) a cross-reference which sets out the basic conditions and rules which govern the disclosure of information; (2) authorized disclosures to prospective employers; (3) disclosure of medical information; (4) applicable exemptions to individual records rather than to a system of records; and (5) a necessity for an exemption relating to information concerning protective services to the President. Each comment was considered and GAO: (1) relabeled and cross-referenced a section of the regulations so that authorization of the record would be a condition of disclosure; (2) specified information that could be made available for public requests; (3) deleted sections of the proposed regulations that may have been inconsistent with the conditions of disclosure; (4) revised the section concerning exemptions to apply to individual records rather than a system of records; and (5) retained the exemption of records concerning protective services to the President.