Greetings,

An 'interesting' -- and scary -- new approach in Washington DC that will
allow the government to keep track of all those terrorists working in
international health and development jobs.

In case you have any desire to comment, information is given at the end of
the message as to where and how to do it.....

Mary Anne


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2007 12:16:40 -0700 (PDT)
From: Global Health Council <salbert@...>


August 22, 2007

Global Health Council Opposes Implementation of the Proposed Partner Vetting
System at USAID

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) proposed a sweeping
information-gathering and recordkeeping measure, the Partner Vetting
System (PVS), to vet individuals, officers or other officials of
nongovernmental organizations who apply for USAID contracts, grants,
cooperative agreements, or other funding or who apply for registration
with USAID as Private and Voluntary Organizations (PVOs).

The Partner Vetting System would require all organizations that apply for
USAID contracts, grants and cooperative agreements to submit detailed
information about each employee including full name, date and place of
birth, government issued identification information, address, phone and
fax numbers, country of origin and/or nationality, citizenship, gender and
profession. (The proposed measure was printed in the Federal Register on
July 17. Notice, Privacy Act System of Records, Federal Register, Vol. 72,
No. 136, July 17, 2007, Pages 39041-39044.) View specific guidelines:
http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=15832\
2385&u=1551765

The rule change was issued in an effort to improve processes for making
sure that USAID funds are not being used to support activities or
individuals "associated with terrorism." There is no evidence that USAID
funds are supporting terrorist organizations or terrorist activities
through NGOs.

The Council believes that the Partner Vetting System is overly burdensome
for NGO partners, unnecessary, and compromises privacy rights and due
process as envisioned. Please see the Council's Statement on PVS for
sample language to include in your letter to the USAID Chief Privacy
Officer. View statement:
http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=15832\
2385&u=1551766

Please send your message opposing the Partner Vetting System as soon as
possible. The deadline for comments is Aug. 27, 2007 - the same date PVS
is scheduled to take effect.

Please address your message to:

Mr. Philip M. Heneghan
Chief Privacy Officer
United States Agency for International Development
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Office 2.12-003
Washington, D.C. 20523-2120

E-mail: privacy@...

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