Agencies and Commissions 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), the Federal Communications Commission invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection(s). Comments are requested concerning: 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; the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; 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 ways to further reduce the information burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees. The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that does not display a valid OMB control number.

In this document the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) improves its ability to monitor problems with completing calls to rural areas, and enforce restrictions against blocking, choking, reducing, or restricting calls. The Report and Order applies the new rules to providers of long-distance voice service that make the initial long-distance call path choice for more than 100,000 domestic retail subscriber lines, counting the total of all business and residential fixed subscriber lines and mobile phones and aggregated over all of the providers' affiliates (referred to herein as ``covered providers''). In most cases, this is the calling party's long-distance provider. Covered providers include LECs, interexchange carriers (IXCs), commercial mobile radio service (CMRS) providers, and VoIP service providers. These rules do not apply to intermediate providers. Covered providers must file quarterly reports and retain the call detail records for at least six calendar months. The Report and Order also allows qualifying providers to certify that they meet the conditions for a Safe Harbor that would reduce reporting and retention obligations. In addition, the Commission has delegated to the Wireline Competition Bureau, in consultation with the Enforcement Bureau, the authority to act on requests from qualified providers for waiver of these rules. The Report and Order also adopts a rule prohibiting all originating and intermediate providers from causing audible ringing to be sent to the caller before the terminating provider has signaled that the called party is being alerted.

In this document the FCC seeks comments on additional measures that may help the Commission ensure a reasonable and nondiscriminatory level of service for completing long-distance calls to rural areas. This document also; seeks to improve the Commission's ability to monitor problems with completing calls to rural areas, and enhance our ability to enforce restrictions against blocking, choking, reducing, or restricting calls. The Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeks public comment on additional measures intended to further ensure reasonable and nondiscriminatory service to rural areas, including additional reforms pertaining to autodialer traffic, intermediate providers, and on other Safe Harbor options and reporting requirements.

In accordance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 which provides opportunity for public comment on new or revised data collections, the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) will publish periodic summaries of proposed data collections. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed information collection is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information has practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the RRB's estimate of the burden of the collection of the information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden related to the collection of information on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Title and purpose of information collection: Self-Employment and Substantial Service Questionnaire; OMB 3220-0138. Section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) provides for payment of annuities to qualified employees and their spouses. In order to receive an age and service annuity, Section 2(e)(3) states that an applicant must stop all railroad work and give up any rights to return to such work. However, applicants are not required to stop nonrailroad work or self-employment. The RRB considers some work claimed as ``self-employment'' to actually be employment for an employer. Whether the RRB classifies a particular activity as self-employment or as work for an employer depends upon the circumstances of each case. These circumstances are prescribed in 20 CFR 216. Under the 1988 amendments to the RRA, an applicant is no longer required to stop work for a ``Last Pre-Retirement Nonrailroad Employer'' (LPE). However, Section 2(f)(6) of the RRA requires that a portion of the employee's Tier II benefit and supplemental annuity be deducted for earnings from the ``LPE'' employer. ``LPE'' is defined as the last person, company, or institution with whom the employee or spouse applicant was employed concurrently with, or after, the applicant's last railroad employment and before their annuity beginning date. If a spouse never worked for a railroad, the LPE employer is the last person for whom he or she worked. The RRB utilizes Form AA-4, Self-Employment and Substantial Service Questionnaire, when an applicant claims to be self-employed to obtain information needed to determine if the applicant's work is LPE, railroad service or self-employment. If the work is self-employment, the questionnaire identifies any months in which the applicant did not perform substantial service. One response is requested of each respondent. Completion is voluntary. However, failure to complete the form could result in the nonpayment of benefits. The RRB proposes no changes to Form AA-4.

The Commission is noticing recent Postal Service filings requesting the addition of Priority Mail Contract 71 to the competitive product list. This notice informs the public of the filings, invites public comment, and takes other administrative steps.

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) plans to hold its regular committee and Board meetings in Washington, DC, Monday through Wednesday, January 13-15, 2014 at the times and location listed below.

On January 9, 2014, the Advisory Committee on Rules of Civil Procedure will hold a one-day public hearing on the proposed amendments to Civil Rules 1, 4, 6, 16, 26, 30, 31, 33, 34, 36, 37, 55, 84, and Appendix of Forms.

The Federal Election Commission is clarifying its interpretation of its rules for determining the date of a special primary election as those rules apply to nominations conducted under New York statutes that provide for a candidate to be nominated for a special election by a vote of a state or county party committee.

This direct final rule makes nonsubstantive changes by removing redundant regulatory language that is already captured in statues that govern NASA activities related to delegation of authority of certain civil rights functions, protection of human subjects, and care and use of animals in the conduct of NASA activities. Therefore, NASA regulations will be streamlined to make reference to those statutes.

In this document, the Commission seeks comment on a Sprint Corporation (Sprint) petition requesting reconsideration of certain rules adopted for Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS) in the IP CTS Reform Order. The Commission seeks comment on Sprint's request to reconsider the rule prohibiting all providers from receiving compensation from the Interstate Telecommunications Relay Service Fund (TRS Fund) for minutes of use generated by consumers using IP CTS software and applications that consumers receive at no charge or purchase for less than $75. Second, the Commission seeks comment on Sprint's request to modify the registration and certification requirements to allow access to IP CTS phones in public places. Third, the Commission seeks comment on Sprint's request to allow using a slightly different wording from the Commission's required wording for labels on IP CTS equipment.

This final rule amends the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation's regulations on Benefits Payable in Terminated Single- Employer Plans and Allocation of Assets in Single-Employer Plans to prescribe interest assumptions under the benefit payments regulation for valuation dates in January 2014 and interest assumptions under the asset allocation regulation for valuation dates in the first quarter of 2014. The interest assumptions are used for valuing and paying benefits under terminating single-employer plans covered by the pension insurance system administered by PBGC.

This action adds a service to the Procurement List that will be provided by nonprofit agency employing persons who are blind or have other severe disabilities, and deletes a product from the Procurement List previously furnished by such agency.

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. International Trade Commission has determined to review in part a final initial determination (``ID'') issued by the presiding administrative law judge (``ALJ''), finding a violation of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, 19 U.S.C. 1337, in this investigation.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) published a final rule in the Federal Register on June 7, 2013, to make miscellaneous corrections to its regulations. The final rule contained minor errors in grammar, punctuation, and referencing. This document corrects the final rule by amending the sections that contain these errors.

The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance consultation program to provide the general public and federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This program helps to ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of the collection requirement on respondents can be properly assessed. Currently, CNCS is soliciting comments on its proposed revised enrollment and exit forms entitled National Service Trust Enrollment Form and National Service Trust Exit Form. The Enrollment Form and Exit Forms are used by AmeriCorps members and program staff to enroll in the National Service Trust and to document the completion of AmeriCorps member's term of service. AmeriCorps requires these forms in order for members to receive a Segal Education Award. Copies of the forms can be obtained by contacting the office listed in the ADDRESSES section of this Notice.

Summary of Application: Applicants seek an order amending an existing order pursuant to Section 6(c) of the 1940 Act, exempting them from the provisions of Sections 2(a)(32) and 27(i)(2)(A) of the 1940 Act and rule 22c-1 under the Act to the extent necessary to permit Applicants, under specified circumstances, to recapture certain bonuses (``Credit Enhancements'') applied to cumulative net purchase payments under certain deferred variable annuity contracts issued by the Insurance Company.