Agencies and Commissions August 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Commission is including a new contract within the Global Plus 1 product in the Competitive Product List. This is action consistent with changes in a recent law governing postal operations. Republication of the lists of market dominant products and competitive products is also consistent with requirements in the law.

This action adds to the Procurement List products and services to be furnished by nonprofit agencies employing persons who are blind or have other severe disabilities.

The Small Business Administration published a document in the Federal Register of August 7, 2009, concerning Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements. The document contained an incorrect word in the title.

The General Services Administration is amending the Federal Management Regulation (FMR) by making a change to its personal property policy. This final rule updates and clarifies language that has caused some confusion with our customers and resulted in unnecessarily prolonged periods to remove property.

The Commission is adding Direct Entry Parcels Contracts and two related special services to the Competitive Product List. The two special services are categorized within International Ancillary Services. This action is consistent with changes in a recent law governing postal operations. Republication of the lists of market dominant and competitive products is also consistent with requirements in the new law.

The Board is publishing final rules amending Regulation Z, which implements the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) following the passage of the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA). Title X of the HEOA amends TILA by adding disclosure and timing requirements that apply to creditors making private education loans, which are defined as loans made for postsecondary educational expenses. The HEOA also amends TILA by adding limitations on certain practices by creditors, including limitations on ``co-branding'' their products with educational institutions in the marketing of private education loans. The HEOA requires that creditors obtain a self-certification form signed by the consumer before consummating the loan. It also requires creditors with preferred lender arrangements with educational institutions to provide certain information to those institutions.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) proposes to establish a new system of personnel records under its privacy regulations, Privacy Procedures for Personnel Records. This Human Capital Management System of Records encompasses GAO payroll- and personnel-related information maintained by GAO and exchanged with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Finance Center (USDA/NFC) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury's HR Connect program (Treasury/HR Connect). To support its human capital management activities, GAO has entered into interagency agreements with these two Federal Executive Branch agencies as shared service providers. USDA/NFC provides payroll and personnel information processing (Department of Agriculture, Systems of Record Notice OP-1), and Treasury/HR Connect operates a human capital management support system (Department of Treasury .001 Treasury Payroll and Personnel System). The policies and procedures described in this notice are intended to ensure that personal information contained in GAO's personnel records is protected as provided by GAO's privacy regulation.

This advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) presents a conceptual approach that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering in a rulemaking effort to revise the acceptance criteria for emergency core cooling systems (ECCSs) for light-water nuclear power reactors as currently required by NRC regulations that govern domestic licensing of production and utilization facilities. Revised ECCS acceptance criteria would reflect recent research findings that indicate the current criteria should be re-evaluated for all fuel cladding materials in all potential conditions. Further, the NRC is considering an approach that would expand the applicability of the rule to all current and future cladding materials, modify the reporting

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. International Trade Commission has determined not to review an initial determination (``ID'') (Order No. 25) of the presiding administrative law judge (``ALJ'') granting complainant Tessera, Inc.'s motion to terminate the investigation.

The 2009 report can now be accessed and downloaded from the Commission's Web site at https://www.usitc.gov/research_and_analysis/ trade_shifts.htm. The format used by the Commission since 2004 includes links to Commission research and other resources including data, as well as links to other organizations with related information. User feedback on the revised format is encouraged by providing access to the ITC online Reader Satisfaction Survey (https:// reportweb.usitc.gov/readersurvey/readersurvey.html). A CD-ROM version of the 2008 report may be requested by contacting the Office of the Secretary at 202-205-2000 or by fax at 202-205-2104. Readers of the report may also provide comments by downloading the survey form and business reply mailer for this publication from the Commission's Web site.

The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by Multimedia Holdings Corporation (``MHC''), the permittee of station KNAZ-TV, channel 2, Flagstaff, Arizona. MHC is currently operating on its allotted pre-transition DTV channel 22 pursuant to Special Temporary Authority (``STA''). MHC requests the substitution of channel 22 for channel 2 at Flagstaff.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the ``Commission'') proposes amending its regulations (the ``Regulations'') to create a sixth and separate ``account class,'' applicable only to the bankruptcy of a commodity broker that is a futures commission merchant (``FCM''), for positions in cleared over-the-counter (``OTC'') derivatives (and money, securities, and/or other property margining, guaranteeing, and securing such positions). In general, the concept of ``account class'' governs the manner in which the trustee calculates the net equity (i.e., claims against the estate) and the allowed net equity (i.e., pro rata share of the estate) for each customer of a commodity broker in bankruptcy. The Commission further proposes amending the Regulations to codify the appropriate allocation, in a bankruptcy of any commodity broker, of positions in commodity contracts of one account class (and the money, securities, and/or other property margining, guaranteeing, or securing such positions) that are commingled with positions in commodity contracts of the futures account class (and the money, securities, and/or other property margining, guaranteeing, or securing such positions), pursuant to an order issued by the Commission.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has submitted the following information collection requirement to OMB for review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. This is the second notice for public comment; the first was published in the Federal Register at 74 FR 12153, and no substantial comments were received. NSF is forwarding the proposed renewal submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance simultaneously with the publication of this second notice. The full submission may be found at: https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Comments regarding (a) whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; or (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing final regulations which establish a noncompetitive hiring authority for certain military spouses to positions in the competitive service. These regulations implement Executive Order 13473 dated September 25, 2008, which authorizes noncompetitive appointments in the civil service for spouses of certain members of the armed forces. The intended effect of this rule is to facilitate the entry of military spouses into the Federal civil service as part of an effort to recruit and retain skilled and experienced members of the armed forces and to recognize and honor the service of members injured, disabled, or killed in connection with their service.