Agencies and Commissions January 2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (Commission) is amending its rule that governs the maximum amount of civil monetary penalties imposed under the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA), to adjust for inflation. This rule sets forth the maximum, inflation-adjusted dollar amount for civil monetary penalties (CMPs) assessable for violations of the CEA and Commission rules, regulations and orders thereunder. The rule, as amended, implements the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended.

As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC or Commission) announces that the Commission has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request for extension of approval of a generic collection of information for CPSC-sponsored contests, challenges, and awards. OMB previously approved the collection of information under Control Number 3041-0151. OMB's most recent extension of approval will expire on January 31, 2024. On November 15, 2023, CPSC published a notice in the Federal Register to announce the agency's intention to seek extension of approval of the collection of information. The Commission received no comments. Therefore, by publication of this notice, the Commission announces that CPSC has submitted to the OMB a request for extension of approval of that collection of information.

The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) announces the appointment of members of the PBGC Performance Review Board.

In accordance with section 1104(b) of title XI of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989, as amended, notice is hereby given that the Appraisal Subcommittee (ASC) met for a Special Closed Meeting on this date. Location: Virtual meeting via Webex. Date: January 17, 2024. Time: 10:45 a.m. ET.

Pursuant to section 189a.(2) of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is publishing this regular monthly notice. The Act requires the Commission to publish notice of any amendments issued, or proposed to be issued, and grants the Commission the authority to issue and make immediately effective any amendment to an operating license or combined license, as applicable, upon a determination by the Commission that such amendment involves no significant hazards consideration (NSHC), notwithstanding the pendency before the Commission of a request for a hearing from any person.

The Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA), as amended by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA), required the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC or the Commission) to publish, as a mandatory consumer product safety standard, the American National Standard for Four-Wheel All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) developed by the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America (ANSI/SVIA 1-2007). CPSC published that mandatory consumer product safety standard in November 2008. In March 2023, ANSI/SVIA issued a 2023 edition of its standard. In accordance with the CPSA, CPSC is issuing this final rule to amend the Commission's mandatory ATV standard to reference the 2023 edition of the ANSI/SVIA 1 standard.

The consent agreement in this matter settles alleged violations of federal law prohibiting unfair or deceptive acts or practices. The attached Analysis of Proposed Consent Order to Aid Public Comment describes both the allegations in the complaint and the terms of the consent orderembodied in the consent agreementthat would settle these allegations.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is issuing this direct final rule revising the Agency for International Development Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR) to maintain consistency with Federal and agency regulations, remove obsolete material and internal agency procedures, and make editorial amendments to clarify the regulation.

The Department of the Treasury (Treasury Department), the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) of the U.S. Department of Labor (Labor Department), and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) are publishing this Request for Information to develop a public record for purposes of the directive in the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 (SECURE 2.0). Specifically, this Request for Information addresses section 319 of SECURE 2.0, requiring that these agencies review the existing reporting and disclosure requirements for certain retirement plans under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code (Code) that are applicable to each agency. Following this review, the agencies are to report to Congress, no later than December 29, 2025, concerning the effectiveness of the reporting and disclosure requirements. The report will include recommendations on consolidating, simplifying, standardizing, and improving such requirements with the dual goals of reducing compliance burdens and ensuring plan participants' and beneficiaries' timely receipt and better understanding of the information they need to monitor their plans, prepare for retirement, and get the benefits they have earned. The report will also consider how participants and beneficiaries are providing preferred contact information, the methods by which plan sponsors and plans are furnishing disclosures, and the rate at which participants and beneficiaries are receiving, accessing, understanding, and retaining disclosures. Consistent with the directive in section 319 of SECURE 2.0, this Request for Information focuses generally on the overall effectiveness of the reporting and disclosure frameworks in ERISA and the Code. Responses to this Request for Information will inform the agencies in preparation of the required report to Congress and in any future action taken by the agencies to enhance the effectiveness of existing requirements.

The United States General Services Administration (GSA) is proposing to amend the FTR by removing the relocation miscellaneous expenses allowance (MEA) lump sum amounts from the FTR. These lump sum amounts will be published in FTR Bulletins on an intermittent basis, much like what is done for per diem and mileage rates. The relocation MEA actual (as opposed to lump sum) amounts are unchanged and will remain in the FTR. The proposed rule would also update the types of expenses that may or may not be reimbursed by relocation MEA when employees itemize under actual expense. The proposed rule would also update and clarify other relocation MEA regulatory sections and rearrange them into a more sequential order.

The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) issues this Notice describing the conditions for submitting a pre-application for 2024 Technology Initiative Grants (TIGs), and for applying under TIG categories that do not require pre-applications.

The Federal Trade Commission announces the revised thresholds for interlocking directorates required by the 1990 amendment of Section 8 of the Clayton Act.

The Commission hereby gives notice of the scheduling of full reviews pursuant to the Tariff Act of 1930 (``the Act'') to determine whether revocation of the antidumping and countervailing duty orders on ripe olives from Spain would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time. The Commission has determined to exercise its authority to extend the review period by up to 90 days.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC or Commission) has received a petition requesting that the Commission initiate rulemaking to mandate testing and labeling regarding the slip resistance (traction) of commercial and residential grade floor coverings, floor coatings and treatments, residential and commercial floor cleaning agents, and consumer footwear. The Commission invites written comments concerning the petition.

This is an amendment of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Illinois (FEMA-4749-DR), dated 11/20/ 2023. Incident: Severe Storms and Flooding. Incident Period: 09/17/2023 through 09/18/2023.

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance 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. This program helps to ensure that requested data is provided in the desired format; reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized; collection instruments are clearly understood; and the impact of collection requirements on respondents is properly assessed. Currently, the NEA is soliciting comments concerning the proposed information collection of: Civil Rights Evaluation Tool, designed to evaluate grant recipients' compliance with federal law including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 45 CFR part 1110, Nondiscrimination in Federally Assisted Programs. A copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the address section of this notice.