Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request and Comment Request, 59132-59136 [E7-20557]
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 201 / Thursday, October 18, 2007 / Notices
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national securities exchange.13 In
particular, the Commission believes the
proposed rule change is consistent with
the requirements of Section 6(b)(5) of
the Act, which requires that the rules of
a national securities exchange be
designed to prevent fraudulent and
manipulative acts and practices, to
promote just and equitable principles of
trade, to foster cooperation and
coordination with persons engaged in
facilitating transactions in securities, to
remove impediments to and perfect the
mechanism of a free and open market
and a national market system, and in
general to protect investors and the
public interest.14
Since the inception of standardized
options trading, the options exchanges
have had rules imposing limits on the
aggregate number of options contracts
that a member or customer could hold
or exercise. These rules are intended to
prevent the establishment of options
positions that can be used or might
create incentives to manipulate or
disrupt the underlying market so as to
benefit the options position.
The Commission notes that it
continues to believe that the
fundamental purposes of position and
exercise limits remain valid.
Nevertheless, the Commission believes
that experience with the trading of
index options as well as enhanced
reporting requirements and the
Exchange’s surveillance capabilities
have made it possible to approve the
elimination of position and exercise
limits on certain broad-based index
options.15 The Commission believes
that the considerations upon which it
relied in approving the elimination of
position and exercise limits for other
index options equally apply with
respect to options on RUT.16
As noted by the Exchange, the market
capitalization of the RUT is
approximately $1.73 trillion. The ADTV
for all underlying components of the
index is approximately 535 million
shares. The Commission believes that
the enormous market capitalization of
RUT and the deep, liquid market for the
underlying component securities
significantly reduce concerns regarding
market manipulation or disruption in
the underlying market. Removing
position and exercise limits for RUT
options may also bring additional depth
13 In approving this proposed rule change, the
Commission notes that it has considered the
proposed rule’s impact on efficiency, competition,
and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
14 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
15 See SPX, OEX, and DJX Position Limit
Elimination Approval Order and NDX Position
Limit Elimination Approval Order, supra note 7.
16 See id.
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and liquidity, in terms of both volume
and open interest, to RUT options
without significantly increasing
concerns regarding intermarket
manipulation or disruption of the
options or the underlying securities.
In addition, the Commission believes
that financial requirements imposed by
both the Exchange and the Commission
adequately address concerns that a Phlx
member or its customer may try to
maintain an inordinately large
unhedged position in RUT options.
Current risk-based haircut and margin
methodologies serve to limit the size of
positions maintained by any one
account by increasing the margin and/
or capital that a member must maintain
for a large position held by itself or by
its customer. Under the proposal, Phlx
also would have the authority under its
rules to impose a higher margin
requirement upon an account
maintaining an under-hedged position
when it determines a higher
requirement is warranted. In addition,
the clearing firm carrying the account
would be subject to capital charges
under Rule 15c3–1 under the Act 17 to
the extent of any margin deficiency
resulting from the higher margin
requirement.
In approving the elimination of
position and exercise limits for other
index options, the Commission took
note of the enhanced surveillance and
reporting safeguards that the exchanges
had adopted to allow it to detect and
deter trading abuses that might arise as
a result.18 Phlx represents that it
monitors trading in RUT options and
RMN options in much the same manner
as trading in its other index options.
These safeguards, including the new
100,000-contract reporting requirement
described above, would allow Phlx to
monitor large positions in order to
identify instances of potential risk and
to assess and respond to any market
concerns at an early stage. In this regard,
the Commission expects Phlx to take
prompt action, including timely
communication with the Commission
and other marketplace self-regulatory
organizations responsible for oversight
of trading in component stocks, should
any unanticipated adverse market
effects develop. Moreover, as previously
noted, the Exchange has the flexibility
to specify other reporting requirements,
as well as to vary the limit at which the
reporting requirements may be
triggered. The Exchange also proposes
to amend its rules to state that reducedCFR 240.15c3–1.
SPX, OEX, and DJX Position Limit
Elimination Approval Order and NDX Position
Limit Elimination Approval Order, supra note 7.
value options will be aggregated with
full-value options when calculating
reporting requirements.
The Commission finds good cause,
consistent with Section 19(b)(2) of the
Act, to grant accelerated approval of the
proposed rule change prior to the
thirtieth day after the date of
publication of notice thereof in the
Federal Register. The Commission notes
that it recently approved substantially
similar proposals filed by the American
Stock Exchange LLC and CBOE.19 The
Commission believes that Phlx’s
proposal to eliminate position and
exercise limits for RUT options raises no
new issues. Moreover, accelerating
approval of the proposed rule change
will allow Phlx members and their
customers greater hedging and
investment opportunities in RUT
options without further delay.
V. Conclusion
It is therefore ordered, pursuant to
Section 19(b)(2) of the Act,20 that the
proposed rule change (SR–Phlx–2007–
71), as modified by Amendment No. 1,
be, and it hereby is, approved on an
accelerated basis.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated
authority.21
Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7–20522 Filed 10–17–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
Agency Information Collection
Activities: Proposed Request and
Comment Request
The Social Security Administration
(SSA) publishes a list of information
collection packages that will require
clearance by the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) in compliance with
Public Law 104–13, the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, effective October
1, 1995. The information collection
packages that may be included in this
notice are for new information
collections, approval of existing
information collections, revisions to
OMB-approved information collections,
and extensions (no change) of OMBapproved information collections.
SSA is soliciting comments on the
accuracy of the agency’s burden
estimate; the need for the information;
its practical utility; ways to enhance its
quality, utility, and clarity; and on ways
17 17
18 See
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19 See
RUT Approval Orders, supra note 6.
U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
21 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
20 15
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 201 / Thursday, October 18, 2007 / Notices
to minimize burden on respondents,
including the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology. Written
comments and recommendations
regarding the information collection(s)
should be submitted to the OMB Desk
Officer and the SSA Reports Clearance
Officer. The information can be mailed,
faxed or emailed to the individuals at
the addresses and fax numbers listed
below:
(OMB), Office of Management and
Budget, Attn: Desk Officer for SSA,
Fax: 202–395–6974, E-mail address:
OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov.
(SSA), Social Security Administration,
DCBFM, Attn: Reports Clearance
Officer, 1333 Annex Building, 6401
Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21235,
Fax: 410–965–6400, E-mail address:
OPLM.RCO@ssa.gov.
I. The information collections listed
below are pending at SSA and will be
submitted to OMB within 60 days from
the date of this notice. Therefore, your
comments should be submitted to SSA
within 60 days from the date of this
publication. You can obtain copies of
the collection instruments by calling the
SSA Reports Clearance Officer at 410–
965–0454 or by writing to the address
listed above.
1. Advanced Notice of Termination of
Child’s Benefits & Student’s Statement
Regarding School Attendance—20 CFR
404.350–404.352, 404.367–404.368—
0960–0105. The information collected
on Forms SSA–1372–BK and SSA–
1372–BK–FC is needed to determine
whether children of an insured worker
are eligible for student benefits. The
data allows SSA to determine student
entitlement and whether entitlement
will end. The respondents are student
claimants for Social Security benefits,
their respective schools and, in some
cases, their representative payees.
Type of Request: Extension of an
OMB-approved information collection.
SSA–1372–BK
Number of
respondents
Type of respondent
Individuals/Households ....................................................................................
State/Local/Tribal Government ........................................................................
99,850
99,850
Totals ........................................................................................................
Frequency of
response
1
1
Average
burden per
response
(minutes)
11
11
199,700
Total annual
burden
(hours)
18,306
18,306
36,612
SSA–1372–BK–FC
Number of
respondents
Type of respondent
Individuals/Households ....................................................................................
State/Local/Tribal Government ........................................................................
150
150
Totals ........................................................................................................
Number of Respondents: 660,000.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden Per Response: 1
minute.
Estimated Annual Burden: 11,000
hours.
II. The information collections listed
below have been submitted to OMB for
clearance. Your comments on the
information collections would be most
useful if received by OMB and SSA
within 30 days from the date of this
publication. You can obtain a copy of
the OMB clearance packages by calling
the SSA Reports Clearance Officer at
410–965–0454, or by writing to the
address listed above.
Number of
respondents
Paper Version ..................................................................................................
In-person or telephone interview .....................................................................
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28
28
1. Request for Corrections of Earnings
Record—20 CFR 404.820 & 20 CFR
422.125—0960–0029. The information
collected by From SSA–7008 is needed
when an individual alleges his/her
earnings record is inaccurate. The
information is used to check against the
record maintained by SSA and, as
necessary, initiate development to
resolve the issue. The respondents are
individuals who request correction of
earnings posted to their Social Security
earnings record.
Type of Request: Extension of an
OMB-approved information collection.
Frequency of
response
375,000
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11
11
Total annual
burden
(hours)
56
37,500
337,500
Total ..........................................................................................................
1
1
Average
burden per
response
(minutes)
300
2. Acknowledgement of Receipt
(Notice of Hearing)—20 CFR 404.938 &
416.1438—0960–0671. The HA–504 is
used to acknowledge receipt of the
notice of hearing issued by an
Administrative Law Judge. The ALJ uses
the information collected on Form HA–
504 to: (1) Prepare for the hearing as
scheduled; or (2) reschedule the hearing
to a different date and/or location. The
respondents are applicants for Social
Security benefits who request a hearing
to appeal an unfavorable entitlement or
eligibility determination.
Type of Request: Extension of an
OMB-approved information collection.
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Frequency of
response
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1
1
Estimated
burden per
response
(minutes)
10
10
Estimated
annual burden
(hours)
6,250
56,250
62,500
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2. Statement of Agricultural Employer
(Year Prior to 1988; and 1988 and
later)—20 CFR 404.702, 404.802,
404.1056—0960–0036. The information
from forms SSA–1002–F3 and SSA–
1003–F3 is used by SSA to resolve
discrepancies when farm workers allege
their employers did not report their
wages, or reported the wages
incorrectly. If an agricultural employer
has incorrectly reported wages, or failed
to report any wages for an employee,
SSA must attempt to correct its records
by contacting the employer to obtain
Number of
respondents
Form number
Frequency of
response
75,000
50,000
Total ..........................................................................................................
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SSA–1002 ........................................................................................................
SSA–1003 ........................................................................................................
convincing evidence of the wages paid.
The respondents are agricultural
employers having knowledge of wages
paid to agricultural employees.
Type of Request: Extension of an
OMB-approved information collection.
125,000
3. Medical Report (General)—20 CFR
404.1512–404.1515, 416.912–416.915—
0960–0052. SSA, through its agents, the
Disability Determination Services
(DDSs), uses form SSA–3826–F4 to
make determinations in disability
claims cases. The information collected
on the SSA–3826–F4 is used in
determining the claimant’s physical and
mental status prior to making a
disability determination, and to
document the disability claims folder
with the medical evidence. Thus, it
provides disability adjudicators and
reviewers with a narrative record and
history of the alleged disability and with
the objective medical findings necessary
to make a disability determination. SSA
uses the medical evidence provided on
this form in making a determination of
whether an individual’s impairment
meets the severity and duration
requirements for disability benefits. The
respondents are members of the medical
community including individual and
hospital physicians, medical records
librarians, and other medical sources.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMBapproved information collection.
Number of Respondents: 150,000.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden per Response: 30
minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 75,000
hours.
4. Travel Expense Reimbursement—
20 CFR 404.999(d) and 416.1499—
0960–0434. The Social Security Act
provides for travel expense
reimbursement by the State agency or
Federal agency for claimant travel
incidental to medical examinations and
to parties, their representatives, and all
reasonably necessary witnesses for
travel exceeding 75 miles to attend
medical examinations, reconsideration
interviews and proceedings before an
administrative law judge.
Reimbursement procedures require the
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claimant to provide (1) a list of expenses
incurred, and (2) receipts of such
expenses. State and Federal personnel
review the listings and receipts to verify
the amount to be reimbursed to the
requestor. The respondents are
claimants for Title II benefits and Title
XVI payments, their representatives and
witnesses.
Type of Request: Extension of an
OMB-approved information collection.
Number of Respondents: 50,000.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden per Response: 10
minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 8,333
hours.
5. Disability Hearing Officer’s Report
of Disability Hearing—20 CFR 404.917,
416.1407, 416.1417—0960–0440. Form
SSA–1205–BK is used by the Disability
Hearing Officer conducting the
disability interview in preparation for a
written reconsidered determination—
specifically for evaluating Title II and
Title XVI adult disability claims. The
form provides the framework for
addressing crucial elements in the case
and is used in formulating the
completed official documentation of the
decision. Respondents are Disability
Hearing Officers.
Type of Request: Extension of an
OMB-approved information collection.
Number of Respondents: 35,600.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden per Response: 60
minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 35,600
hours.
6. Beneficiary Recontact Report— 20
CFR 404.703 and 404.705—0960–0536.
SSA needs to ensure that eligibility for
benefits continues after entitlement is
established. Studies show that payees of
childern who marry fail to report the
marriage, which is a terminating event.
SSA asks childern ages 15, 16, and 17
information about marital status to
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1
1
Average
burden per
response
(minutes)
30
30
Total annual
burden (hours)
37,500
25,000
62,500
detect overpayments and avoid
continuing payment to those no longer
entitled. Form SSA–1587–OCR–SM is
used to obtain information regarding
marital status from those children who
have representative payees.
Respondents are recipients of survivor
Social Security benefits who have
representative payees.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMBapproved information collection.
Number of Respondents: 982,357.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden Per Response: 3
minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 49,118
hours.
7. Certificate of Coverage Request—20
CFR 404.1913—0960–0554. The United
States has Social Security agreements
with 21 countries. These agreements
eliminate double Social Security
coverage and taxation where, except for
the provisions of the agreement, a
period of work would be subject to
coverage and taxes in both countries.
The individual agreements contain rules
for determining the country under
whose laws the period of work will be
covered and to whose system taxes will
be paid. The agreements further provide
that, upon the request of the worker or
employer, the country under whose
system the period of work is covered
will issue a certificate of coverage. The
certificate serves as proof of exemption
from coverage and taxation under the
system of the other country. The
information collected is needed to
determine if a period of work is covered
by the U.S. Social Security system
under an agreement and to issue a U.S.
certificate of coverage. Respondents are
workers and employers wishing to
establish exemption from foreign social
security taxes.
Type of Request: Extension of an
OMB-approved information collection.
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Number of
respondents
Type of respondent
Frequency of
response
Average
burden per
response
(minutes)
Total annual
burden
(hours)
Individuals ........................................................................................................
Private Sector ..................................................................................................
30,000
20,000
1
1
30
30
15,000
10,000
Totals ........................................................................................................
50,000
........................
........................
25,000
8. Incorporation by Reference of Oral
Findings of Fact and Rationale in
Wholly Favorable Written Decisions
(Bench Decision Regulation)—20 CFR
404.953 and 416.1453—0960–0694.
Sections 20 CFR 404.953 and 416.1453
of our regulations state that if an
administrative law judge makes a
wholly favorable oral decision for a
claimant of Title II or Title XVI
payments at an administrative appeals
hearing, and if this oral decision
includes all findings and the rationale
for the decision, the records from the
oral hearing preclude the need for a
written decision. This is known as the
incorporation-by-reference process.
These regulations also state that if the
involved parties want a record of the
oral decision, they may submit a written
request for these records.
Type of Request: Extension of an
OMB-approved information collection.
Number of Respondents: 2,500.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden Per Response: 5
minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 208 hours.
9. Request for Proof(s) from Custodian
of Records—20 CFR 404.703, 404.704,
404.720, 404.721, 404.723, 404.725, &
404.728—0960–NEW. SSA prepares the
SSA–L707 for individuals who need
help in obtaining evidence of death,
marriage, or divorce in connection with
claims for benefits. The information
collected on the SSA–L707 is used to
request and receive the needed
evidence. The respondents are
custodians of records including
statistics and religious entities,
coroners, funeral directors, attending
physicians, state agencies.
Type of Request: Existing Information
Collection in Use Without an OMB
Number.
Number of Respondents: 600.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden Per Response: 10
minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 100 hours.
10. Protection and Advocacy for
Beneficiaries of Social Security
(PABSS)–Program Performance Report–
0960–NEW.
Background
In August of 2004, SSA announced its
intention to award grants to establish
community-based protection and
advocacy projects in every State and
U.S. Territory, as authorized under
section 1150 of the Social Security Act.
Potential awardees were protection and
advocacy organizations established
under Title I of the Developmental
Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights
Act which submitted a timely
application conforming to the
requirements in the notice. The projects
funded under this grant are part of
SSA’s strategy to increase the number of
beneficiaries who return to work and
achieve self-sufficiency as the result of
Number of
respondents
Type of respondent
Frequency of
response
receiving advocacy or other services.
The overall goal of the program is to
provide information and advice about
obtaining vocational rehabilitation and
employment services and to provide
advocacy or other services that a
beneficiary with a disability may need
to secure, maintain, or regain gainful
employment.
Collection Activity
The PABSS Program Performance
Report collects statistical information
from the various Protection and
Advocacy (P&A) projects to manage
program performance. SSA uses the
information to evaluate the efficacy of
the program and to ensure that those
dollars appropriated for PABSS services
are being spent on SSA beneficiaries.
The project data will be valuable to SSA
in its analysis of and future planning for
the Social Security Disability Insurance
(SSDI) and SSI programs. The
respondents to this collection are the 57
designated P&A project system sites in
each of the fifty States, the District of
Columbia, and the U.S. Territories and
beneficiaries of SSDI and SSI programs.
Please note that we have included in
this notice the reporting burden for
beneficiary participants that was not
included in the initial notice published
on July 31, 2006 at 71 FR 43270.
Type of Request: Collection in Use
Without an OMB Number.
Number of
annual
responses
Average
burden per
response
(minutes)
Estimated
annual
burden
(hours)
57
5,000
2
1
114
5,000
60
15
114
1,250
Totals ............................................................................
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PABSS Program Grantees ..................................................
Beneficiaries .........................................................................
5,057
........................
5,114
........................
1,364
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Dated: October 12, 2007.
Elizabeth A. Davidson,
Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security
Administration.
[FR Doc. E7–20557 Filed 10–17–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191–02–P
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 5960]
Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant
Proposals: Study of the United States
Institutes on American Politics and
Political Thought, Contemporary
American Literature, Religious
Pluralism in the United States, U.S.
Foreign Policy, and for Secondary
Educators
Announcement Type: New
Cooperative Agreement.
Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/
A/E/USS–08–05.
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance Number: 19.418.
Key Dates:
Application Deadline: December 14,
2007.
Executive Summary: The Branch for
the Study of the United States, Office of
Academic Exchange Programs, Bureau
of Educational and Cultural Affairs,
invites proposal submissions for the
design and implementation of five
Study of the United States Institutes to
take place over the course of six weeks
beginning in June 2008. These institutes
should provide a multinational group of
experienced educators with a deeper
understanding of U.S. society, culture,
values and institutions.
Four of these institutes will be for
groups of 18 foreign university level
faculty each, focusing on American
Politics and Political Thought,
Contemporary American Literature, U.S.
Foreign Policy, and Religious Pluralism
in the United States. The fifth institute
will be a general survey course on the
study of the United States, for a group
of 30 foreign secondary educators.
Applicants may only propose to host
one institute listed under this
competition.
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I. Funding Opportunity Description
Authority: Overall grant making
authority for this program is contained
in the Mutual Educational and Cultural
Exchange Act of 1961, Public Law 87–
256, as amended, also known as the
Fulbright-Hays Act. The purpose of the
Act is ‘‘to enable the Government of the
United States to increase mutual
understanding between the people of
the United States and the people of
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other countries * * * ; to strengthen the
ties which unite us with other nations
by demonstrating the educational and
cultural interests, developments, and
achievements of the people of the
United States and other nations * * *
and thus to assist in the development of
friendly, sympathetic and peaceful
relations between the United States and
the other countries of the world.’’ The
funding authority for the program above
is provided through legislation.
Purpose: Study of the United States
Institutes are intensive academic
programs whose purpose is to provide
foreign university faculty, secondary
educators, and other scholars the
opportunity to deepen their
understanding of American society,
culture and institutions. The ultimate
goal is to strengthen curricula and to
improve the quality of teaching about
the United States in academic
institutions abroad.
The Bureau is seeking detailed
proposals for five different Study of the
United States Institutes from U.S.
colleges, universities, consortia of
colleges and universities, and other notfor-profit academic organizations that
have an established reputation in a field
or discipline related to the specific
program themes.
Overview: Each program should be six
weeks in length; participants will spend
approximately four weeks at the host
institution, and approximately two
weeks on the educational study tour,
including two to three days in
Washington, DC, at the conclusion of
the institute. The educational travel
component should directly complement
the academic program, and should
include visits to cities and other sites of
interest in the region around the grantee
institution, as well as to another
geographic region of the country. The
grantee institution also will be expected
to provide participants with guidance
and resources for further investigation
and research on the topics and issues
examined during the institute after they
return home.
The Study of the United States
Institute on American Politics and
Political Thought should provide a
multinational group of 18 experienced
foreign university faculty with a deeper
understanding of U.S. political
institutions and major currents in
American political thought. The
institute should provide the foreign
participants insight into how
intellectual and political movements
have influenced modern American
political institutions. The institute
should provide an overview of political
thought during the founding period
(constitutional foundations), and the
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development and current functioning of
the American presidency, Congress and
the federal judiciary. The examination
of political institutions might be
expanded to include the electoral
system, political parties and interest
groups, the civil service system, media
and think tanks, or the welfare/
regulatory state. The institute should
address modern political and cultural
issues in the United States (including
but not limited to civil rights, women’s
rights, immigration, etc.), and the
significance of public discourse in the
formulation of public policy. One award
of up to $280,000 will support this
institute.
The Study of the United States
Institute on Contemporary American
Literature should provide a
multinational group of up to 18
experienced foreign university faculty
and scholars with a deeper
understanding of U.S. society and
culture, past and present, through an
examination of contemporary American
literature. Its purpose is twofold: (1) To
explore contemporary American writers
and writing in a variety of genres; and
(2) to suggest how the themes explored
in those works reflect larger currents
within contemporary American society
and culture. The program should
explore the diversity of the American
literary landscape, examining how
major contemporary writers, schools
and movements reflect the traditions of
the American literary canon. At the
same time, the program should expose
participants to writers who represent a
departure from that tradition, and who
are establishing new directions for
American literature. One award of up to
$280,000 will support this institute.
The Study of the United States
Institute on Religious Pluralism in the
United States should provide a
multinational group of up to 18
experienced foreign university faculty
and practitioners with a deeper
understanding of U.S. society and
culture, past and present, through an
examination of religious pluralism in
the United States and its intersection
with American democracy. Employing a
multi-disciplinary approach, drawing
on fields such as history, political
science, sociology, anthropology, law
and others where appropriate, the
program should explore both the
historical and contemporary
relationship between church and state
in the United States; examine the ways
in which religious thought and practice
have influenced, and been influenced
by, the development of American-style
democracy; examine the intersections of
religion and politics in the United States
in such areas as elections, public policy,
E:\FR\FM\18OCN1.SGM
18OCN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 201 (Thursday, October 18, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59132-59136]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-20557]
=======================================================================
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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request and
Comment Request
The Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes a list of
information collection packages that will require clearance by the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with Public Law
104-13, the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, effective October 1, 1995.
The information collection packages that may be included in this notice
are for new information collections, approval of existing information
collections, revisions to OMB-approved information collections, and
extensions (no change) of OMB-approved information collections.
SSA is soliciting comments on the accuracy of the agency's burden
estimate; the need for the information; its practical utility; ways to
enhance its quality, utility, and clarity; and on ways
[[Page 59133]]
to minimize burden on respondents, including the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Written
comments and recommendations regarding the information collection(s)
should be submitted to the OMB Desk Officer and the SSA Reports
Clearance Officer. The information can be mailed, faxed or emailed to
the individuals at the addresses and fax numbers listed below:
(OMB), Office of Management and Budget, Attn: Desk Officer for SSA,
Fax: 202-395-6974, E-mail address: OIRA--Submission@omb.eop.gov.
(SSA), Social Security Administration, DCBFM, Attn: Reports Clearance
Officer, 1333 Annex Building, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21235,
Fax: 410-965-6400, E-mail address: OPLM.RCO@ssa.gov.
I. The information collections listed below are pending at SSA and
will be submitted to OMB within 60 days from the date of this notice.
Therefore, your comments should be submitted to SSA within 60 days from
the date of this publication. You can obtain copies of the collection
instruments by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer at 410-965-
0454 or by writing to the address listed above.
1. Advanced Notice of Termination of Child's Benefits & Student's
Statement Regarding School Attendance--20 CFR 404.350-404.352, 404.367-
404.368--0960-0105. The information collected on Forms SSA-1372-BK and
SSA-1372-BK-FC is needed to determine whether children of an insured
worker are eligible for student benefits. The data allows SSA to
determine student entitlement and whether entitlement will end. The
respondents are student claimants for Social Security benefits, their
respective schools and, in some cases, their representative payees.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
SSA-1372-BK
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average
Number of Frequency of burden per Total annual
Type of respondent respondents response response burden
(minutes) (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Individuals/Households.......................... 99,850 1 11 18,306
State/Local/Tribal Government................... 99,850 1 11 18,306
---------------------------------------------------------------
Totals...................................... 199,700 .............. .............. 36,612
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-1372-BK-FC
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average
Number of Frequency of burden per Total annual
Type of respondent respondents response response burden
(minutes) (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Individuals/Households.......................... 150 1 11 28
State/Local/Tribal Government................... 150 1 11 28
---------------------------------------------------------------
Totals...................................... 300 .............. .............. 56
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Acknowledgement of Receipt (Notice of Hearing)--20 CFR 404.938 &
416.1438--0960-0671. The HA-504 is used to acknowledge receipt of the
notice of hearing issued by an Administrative Law Judge. The ALJ uses
the information collected on Form HA-504 to: (1) Prepare for the
hearing as scheduled; or (2) reschedule the hearing to a different date
and/or location. The respondents are applicants for Social Security
benefits who request a hearing to appeal an unfavorable entitlement or
eligibility determination.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 660,000.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden Per Response: 1 minute.
Estimated Annual Burden: 11,000 hours.
II. The information collections listed below have been submitted to
OMB for clearance. Your comments on the information collections would
be most useful if received by OMB and SSA within 30 days from the date
of this publication. You can obtain a copy of the OMB clearance
packages by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer at 410-965-0454,
or by writing to the address listed above.
1. Request for Corrections of Earnings Record--20 CFR 404.820 & 20
CFR 422.125--0960-0029. The information collected by From SSA-7008 is
needed when an individual alleges his/her earnings record is
inaccurate. The information is used to check against the record
maintained by SSA and, as necessary, initiate development to resolve
the issue. The respondents are individuals who request correction of
earnings posted to their Social Security earnings record.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated
Number of Frequency of burden per Estimated
respondents response response annual burden
(minutes) (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paper Version................................... 37,500 1 10 6,250
In-person or telephone interview................ 337,500 1 10 56,250
---------------------------------------------------------------
Total....................................... 375,000 .............. .............. 62,500
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 59134]]
2. Statement of Agricultural Employer (Year Prior to 1988; and 1988
and later)--20 CFR 404.702, 404.802, 404.1056--0960-0036. The
information from forms SSA-1002-F3 and SSA-1003-F3 is used by SSA to
resolve discrepancies when farm workers allege their employers did not
report their wages, or reported the wages incorrectly. If an
agricultural employer has incorrectly reported wages, or failed to
report any wages for an employee, SSA must attempt to correct its
records by contacting the employer to obtain convincing evidence of the
wages paid. The respondents are agricultural employers having knowledge
of wages paid to agricultural employees.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average
Number of Frequency of burden per Total annual
Form number respondents response response burden (hours)
(minutes)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-1002........................................ 75,000 1 30 37,500
SSA-1003........................................ 50,000 1 30 25,000
---------------------------------------------------------------
Total....................................... 125,000 .............. .............. 62,500
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Medical Report (General)--20 CFR 404.1512-404.1515, 416.912-
416.915--0960-0052. SSA, through its agents, the Disability
Determination Services (DDSs), uses form SSA-3826-F4 to make
determinations in disability claims cases. The information collected on
the SSA-3826-F4 is used in determining the claimant's physical and
mental status prior to making a disability determination, and to
document the disability claims folder with the medical evidence. Thus,
it provides disability adjudicators and reviewers with a narrative
record and history of the alleged disability and with the objective
medical findings necessary to make a disability determination. SSA uses
the medical evidence provided on this form in making a determination of
whether an individual's impairment meets the severity and duration
requirements for disability benefits. The respondents are members of
the medical community including individual and hospital physicians,
medical records librarians, and other medical sources.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 150,000.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden per Response: 30 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 75,000 hours.
4. Travel Expense Reimbursement--20 CFR 404.999(d) and 416.1499--
0960-0434. The Social Security Act provides for travel expense
reimbursement by the State agency or Federal agency for claimant travel
incidental to medical examinations and to parties, their
representatives, and all reasonably necessary witnesses for travel
exceeding 75 miles to attend medical examinations, reconsideration
interviews and proceedings before an administrative law judge.
Reimbursement procedures require the claimant to provide (1) a list of
expenses incurred, and (2) receipts of such expenses. State and Federal
personnel review the listings and receipts to verify the amount to be
reimbursed to the requestor. The respondents are claimants for Title II
benefits and Title XVI payments, their representatives and witnesses.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 50,000.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden per Response: 10 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 8,333 hours.
5. Disability Hearing Officer's Report of Disability Hearing--20
CFR 404.917, 416.1407, 416.1417--0960-0440. Form SSA-1205-BK is used by
the Disability Hearing Officer conducting the disability interview in
preparation for a written reconsidered determination--specifically for
evaluating Title II and Title XVI adult disability claims. The form
provides the framework for addressing crucial elements in the case and
is used in formulating the completed official documentation of the
decision. Respondents are Disability Hearing Officers.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 35,600.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden per Response: 60 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 35,600 hours.
6. Beneficiary Recontact Report-- 20 CFR 404.703 and 404.705--0960-
0536. SSA needs to ensure that eligibility for benefits continues after
entitlement is established. Studies show that payees of childern who
marry fail to report the marriage, which is a terminating event. SSA
asks childern ages 15, 16, and 17 information about marital status to
detect overpayments and avoid continuing payment to those no longer
entitled. Form SSA-1587-OCR-SM is used to obtain information regarding
marital status from those children who have representative payees.
Respondents are recipients of survivor Social Security benefits who
have representative payees.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 982,357.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden Per Response: 3 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 49,118 hours.
7. Certificate of Coverage Request--20 CFR 404.1913--0960-0554. The
United States has Social Security agreements with 21 countries. These
agreements eliminate double Social Security coverage and taxation
where, except for the provisions of the agreement, a period of work
would be subject to coverage and taxes in both countries. The
individual agreements contain rules for determining the country under
whose laws the period of work will be covered and to whose system taxes
will be paid. The agreements further provide that, upon the request of
the worker or employer, the country under whose system the period of
work is covered will issue a certificate of coverage. The certificate
serves as proof of exemption from coverage and taxation under the
system of the other country. The information collected is needed to
determine if a period of work is covered by the U.S. Social Security
system under an agreement and to issue a U.S. certificate of coverage.
Respondents are workers and employers wishing to establish exemption
from foreign social security taxes.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
[[Page 59135]]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average
Number of Frequency of burden per Total annual
Type of respondent respondents response response burden
(minutes) (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Individuals..................................... 30,000 1 30 15,000
Private Sector.................................. 20,000 1 30 10,000
---------------------------------------------------------------
Totals...................................... 50,000 .............. .............. 25,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8. Incorporation by Reference of Oral Findings of Fact and
Rationale in Wholly Favorable Written Decisions (Bench Decision
Regulation)--20 CFR 404.953 and 416.1453--0960-0694. Sections 20 CFR
404.953 and 416.1453 of our regulations state that if an administrative
law judge makes a wholly favorable oral decision for a claimant of
Title II or Title XVI payments at an administrative appeals hearing,
and if this oral decision includes all findings and the rationale for
the decision, the records from the oral hearing preclude the need for a
written decision. This is known as the incorporation-by-reference
process. These regulations also state that if the involved parties want
a record of the oral decision, they may submit a written request for
these records.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 2,500.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden Per Response: 5 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 208 hours.
9. Request for Proof(s) from Custodian of Records--20 CFR 404.703,
404.704, 404.720, 404.721, 404.723, 404.725, & 404.728--0960-NEW. SSA
prepares the SSA-L707 for individuals who need help in obtaining
evidence of death, marriage, or divorce in connection with claims for
benefits. The information collected on the SSA-L707 is used to request
and receive the needed evidence. The respondents are custodians of
records including statistics and religious entities, coroners, funeral
directors, attending physicians, state agencies.
Type of Request: Existing Information Collection in Use Without an
OMB Number.
Number of Respondents: 600.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden Per Response: 10 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 100 hours.
10. Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security
(PABSS)-Program Performance Report-0960-NEW.
Background
In August of 2004, SSA announced its intention to award grants to
establish community-based protection and advocacy projects in every
State and U.S. Territory, as authorized under section 1150 of the
Social Security Act. Potential awardees were protection and advocacy
organizations established under Title I of the Developmental
Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act which submitted a timely
application conforming to the requirements in the notice. The projects
funded under this grant are part of SSA's strategy to increase the
number of beneficiaries who return to work and achieve self-sufficiency
as the result of receiving advocacy or other services. The overall goal
of the program is to provide information and advice about obtaining
vocational rehabilitation and employment services and to provide
advocacy or other services that a beneficiary with a disability may
need to secure, maintain, or regain gainful employment.
Collection Activity
The PABSS Program Performance Report collects statistical
information from the various Protection and Advocacy (P&A) projects to
manage program performance. SSA uses the information to evaluate the
efficacy of the program and to ensure that those dollars appropriated
for PABSS services are being spent on SSA beneficiaries. The project
data will be valuable to SSA in its analysis of and future planning for
the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and SSI programs. The
respondents to this collection are the 57 designated P&A project system
sites in each of the fifty States, the District of Columbia, and the
U.S. Territories and beneficiaries of SSDI and SSI programs.
Please note that we have included in this notice the reporting
burden for beneficiary participants that was not included in the
initial notice published on July 31, 2006 at 71 FR 43270.
Type of Request: Collection in Use Without an OMB Number.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average
Number of Frequency of Number of burden per Estimated
Type of respondent respondents response annual response annual burden
responses (minutes) (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PABSS Program Grantees.......... 57 2 114 60 114
Beneficiaries................... 5,000 1 5,000 15 1,250
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals...................... 5,057 .............. 5,114 .............. 1,364
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 59136]]
Dated: October 12, 2007.
Elizabeth A. Davidson,
Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. E7-20557 Filed 10-17-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P
