Agencies and Commissions October 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Commission will consider a Report and Order, Order on Remand, and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking addressing the comprehensive reform of intercarrier compensation and universal service. 2 Wireless Title: Applications of Union Telephone Telecommunications. Company; Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless For 700 MHz Band Licenses, Auction No. 73. Summary: The Commission will consider a Memorandum Opinion and Order addressing the Auction 73 applications of Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless and Union Telephone Company, and a Petition to Condition Grant filed by Google Inc. and Google Airwaves Inc.

In accordance with Section 609(i)(2) of the Millennium Challenge Act of 2003, as amended (Pub. L. 108-199, Division D), the Millennium Challenge Corporation is publishing a summary, justification and the proposed text of the First Amendment to Millennium Challenge Compact between the United States of America, acting through the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and the Government of Georgia. Representatives of the United States Government and the Government of Georgia plan to execute this draft text in 2008.

The information collection requirements described below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (``OMB'') for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The FTC is seeking public comments on its proposal to extend through February 28, 2012, the current PRA clearances for information collection requirements contained in four product labeling rules enforced by the Commission. Those clearances expire on February 28, 2009.

The Committee is proposing to delete products previously furnished by nonprofit agencies employing persons who are blind or have other severe disabilities. Comments Must Be Received On or Before: November 30, 2008.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management is issuing final regulations to revise the rules governing the authority to offer student loan repayment benefits to Federal job candidates or current Federal employees when necessary to recruit or retain highly qualified personnel. These revisions include certain policy changes and clarifications to assist agencies in the administration of the Federal student loan repayment program.

The Director, Office of Administration, invites comments on the proposed information collection requests as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The Commission grants a petition for rulemaking filed by New Age Media of Tallahassee License, LLC (``New Age''), licensee of station WTLH-DT, to substitute DTV channel 50 for post-transition DTV channel 49 at Bainbridge, Georgia.

The Commission grants a petition for rulemaking filed by Gunter Marksteiner, the permittee of station WHDT-DT, to substitute DTV channel 42 for post-transition DTV channel 44 at Stuart, Florida.

The Commission grants a petition for rulemaking filed by Television Station KTXA L.P. (``KTXA''), licensee of station KTXA-DT, to substitute DTV channel 19 for post-transition DTV channel 18 at Fort Worth, Texas.

Section 43 14(c)(4) of Title 5, U.S.C., requires each agency to publish notification of the appointment of individuals who may serve as members of that Agency's Performance Review Board (PRB). The following individuals have been designated to serve on the FY 08 Performance Review Board for the U.S. Small Business Administration:

We have determined (1) A 5.8 percent cost-of-living increase in Social Security benefits under title II of the Social Security Act (the Act), effective for December 2008; (2) An increase in the Federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) monthly benefit amounts under title XVI of the Act for 2009 to $674 for an eligible individual, $1,011 for an eligible individual with an eligible spouse, and $338 for an essential person; (3) The student earned income exclusion to be $1,640 per month in 2009 but not more than $6,600 in all of 2009; (4) The dollar fee limit for services performed as a representative payee to be $37 per month ($72 per month in the case of a beneficiary who is disabled and has an alcoholism or drug addiction condition that leaves him or her incapable of managing benefits) in 2009; (5) The dollar limit on the administrative-cost assessment charged to attorneys representing claimants to be $83 in 2009; (6) The national average wage index for 2007 to be $40,405.48; (7) The Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) contribution and benefit base to be $106,800 for remuneration paid in 2009 and self-employment income earned in taxable years beginning in 2009; (8) The monthly exempt amounts under the Social Security retirement earnings test for taxable years ending in calendar year 2009 to be $1,180 and $3,140; (9) The dollar amounts (``bend points'') used in the primary insurance amount benefit formula for workers who become eligible for benefits, or who die before becoming eligible, in 2009 to be $744 and $4,483; (10) The bend points used in the formula for computing maximum family benefits for workers who become eligible for benefits, or who die before becoming eligible, in 2009 to be $950, $1,372, and $1,789; (11) The amount of taxable earnings a person must have to be credited with a quarter of coverage in 2009 to be $1,090; (12) The ``old-law'' contribution and benefit base to be $79,200 for 2009; (13) The monthly amount deemed to constitute substantial gainful activity for statutorily blind individuals in 2009 to be $1,640, and the corresponding amount for non-blind disabled persons to be $980; (14) The earnings threshold establishing a month as a part of a trial work period to be $700 for 2009; and (15) Coverage thresholds for 2009 to be $1,700 for domestic workers and $1,500 for election workers.

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. International Trade Commission has determined to review a portion of the final initial determination (``ID'') issued by the presiding administrative law judge (``ALJ'') on August 25, 2008, regarding whether there is a violation of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, 19 U.S.C. * 1337, in the above- captioned consolidated investigation.

In this proceeding the Commission permits the use of computer modeling techniques to verify that directional AM antennas perform as authorized. The new rules reduce the time and expense associated with the license application for a directional AM station. The changes, consistent with the Commission's streamlining initiatives, reduce the regulatory burden upon directional AM stations to the extent possible while maintaining the integrity of the service.