Agencies and Commissions May 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) are seeking information that will assist in determining how best to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to enable public posting of contract actions, should such posting become a requirement in the future, without compromising contractors' proprietary and confidential commercial or financial information. This transparency effort is intended to promote efficiency in Government contracting through an open acquisition process and improve Federal spending accountability consistent with the Administration's memorandum entitled Transparency and Open Government (January 21, 2009) (Published in the Federal Register at 74 FR 4685, January 26, 2009).

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) delivered to Congress a National Broadband Plan recommending that the Commission adopt cost-cutting measures for existing voice support and create a Connect America Fund, without increasing the overall size of the Fund, to support the provision of broadband communications in areas that would be unserved without such support or that depend on universal service support for the maintenance of existing broadband service. This document and the companion Notice of Inquiry is the first in a series of proceedings to implement that vision. This proceeding will develop the detailed analytic foundation necessary for the Commission to distribute funds in an efficient, targeted manner that avoids waste and minimizes burdens on American consumers. This document seeks comment on specific common-sense reforms to cap growth and cut inefficient funding in the legacy high-cost support mechanisms and to shift the savings toward broadband communications.

In this document, the Commission, via the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (Bureau), seeks comment on the annual payment formulas and funding requirement estimates for the Interstate Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) Fund (Fund) for the period of July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011 (2010-2011 Fund year), as proposed by the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA), the Fund Administrator. The Bureau seeks comment on NECA's proposed compensation rates for Interstate TRS, Speech-to-Speech Services (STS), Captioned Telephone Services (CTS), Internet Protocol (IP) CTS, IP Relay, and Video Relay Services (VRS), for the 2010-2011 Fund year, as well as on NECA's proposals for the carrier contribution factor and funding requirement.

The Commission is noticing a recently-filed Postal Service request to add a Global Direct Contracts 1 (MC2010-17) negotiated service agreement to the Competitive Product List. This notice

This is an amendment of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for Public Assistance Only for the State of Kansas (FEMA-1885-DR), dated 03/09/2010.

This is a Notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for Public Assistance Only for the State of Alabama (FEMA- 1908-DR), dated 05/03/2010.

This is an amendment of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for Public Assistance Only for the Commonwealth of VIRGINIA (FEMA-1874-DR), dated 02/16/2010.

This is an amendment of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for Public Assistance Only for the State of Minnesota (FEMA-1900-DR), dated 04/19/2010.

The FDIC proposes to amend 12 CFR part 327 to revise the assessment system applicable to large institutions to better differentiate institutions by taking a more forward-looking view of risk; to better take into account the losses that the FDIC will incur if an institution fails; to revise the initial base assessment rates for all insured depository institutions; and to make technical and other changes to the rules governing the risk-based assessment system.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) defines ``sufficient'' under section 254(e) of the Communications Act as an affordable and sustainable amount of support that is adequate, but no greater than necessary, to achieve the goals of the universal service program. The Commission finds that rural rates are ``reasonably comparable'' to urban rates if they fall within a reasonable range of the national average urban rate. The Commission concludes, on the basis of undisputed empirical evidence in the record, that the current non-rural high-cost support mechanism comports with the requirements of section 254. The Commission also grants, with modifications, the joint petition filed by the Wyoming Public Service Commission and the Wyoming Office of Consumer Advocate for supplemental high-cost universal service support for rural residential customers of Qwest, Wyoming's non-rural incumbent local exchange carrier.

The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection(s), as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520. Comments are requested concerning: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology, and (e) ways to further reduce the information collection burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees.

Two material questions of substantive law were referred to the Register of Copyrights concerning the authority of the Register of Copyrights and the Copyright Royalty Judges to determine the constitutionality of 17 U.S.C. 114(f)(5). The Register of Copyrights responded by delivering a Memorandum Opinion to the Copyright Royalty Board on April 30, 2010.