Request for Information on Potential Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income Demonstrations, 51951-51952 [2021-20158]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 178 / Friday, September 17, 2021 / Notices Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, c/o Cynthia Roscoe, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549 or by sending an email to: PRA_Mailboxes@sec.gov. Comments must be submitted to OMB within 30 days of this notice. Dated: September 14, 2021. J. Matthew DeLesDernier, Assistant Secretary. [FR Doc. 2021–20117 Filed 9–16–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8011–01–P SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION [Docket No. SSA–2021–0025] Request for Information on Potential Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income Demonstrations Social Security Administration. Notice; request for information. AGENCY: ACTION: We administer the Disability Insurance (DI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs to provide income support to people with disabilities. The Commissioner of Social Security is authorized to test new program rules to promote attachment to the labor force and increase the employment and self-sufficiency of individuals receiving or applying for DI or SSI benefits, including children and youth; and to coordinate planning between private and public welfare agencies to improve the administration and effectiveness of the DI, SSI, and related programs. This request for information (RFI) seeks public input on potential services, supports, or DI and SSI policy changes that could achieve these goals. The input we receive will inform our deliberations about possible future demonstrations and tests. We will also use the responses as reference material as we provide Congress technical advice regarding any potential renewal of the section 234 authorization. SUMMARY: To ensure that your comments are considered, we must receive them no later than November 16, 2021. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any one of three methods—internet, fax, or mail. Do not submit the same comments multiple times or by more than one method. Regardless of which method you choose, please state that your comments refer to Docket No. SSA–2021–0025 so that we may associate your comments with the correct Federal Register notice. Caution: You should be careful to include in your comments only information that you wish to make DATES: VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:19 Sep 16, 2021 Jkt 253001 publicly available. We strongly urge you not to include in your comments any personal information, such as Social Security numbers or medical information. 1. Internet: We strongly recommend that you submit your comments via the internet. Please visit the Federal eRulemaking portal at https:// www.regulations.gov. Use the Search function to find docket number SSA– 2021–0025 and then submit your comments. The system will issue you a tracking number to confirm your submission. You will not be able to view your comments immediately because we must post each submission manually. It may take up to a week for your comments to be viewable. 2. Fax: Fax comments to (410) 966– 2830. 3. Mail: Mail your comments to the Office of Regulations and Reports Clearance, Social Security Administration, 3100 West High Rise Building, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland, 21235–6401. Comments are available for public viewing on the Federal eRulemaking portal at https://www.regulations.gov or in person, during regular business hours, by arranging with the contact person identified below. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey Hemmeter, Acting Deputy Associate Commissioner for Research, Demonstration, and Employment Support, Office of Retirement and Disability Policy, Social Security Administration, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235–6401, (410) 597–1815, for information about this notice. For information on eligibility or filing for benefits, call our national toll-free number, 1–800–772– 1213 or TTY 1–800–325–0778, or visit our internet site, Social Security Online, at https://www.socialsecurity.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Purpose Social Security pays benefits to more than 12 million adults ages 18 to 64 who are unable to work due to a disability 1 and to more than 1 million children with limited income and assets who have marked and severe functional limitations.2 The Commissioner of Social Security is authorized to test new program rules to promote the labor force and increase the employment and selfsufficiency of individuals receiving or applying for DI or SSI benefits, including children and youth, and to 1 https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/ssi_ asr/2019/sect03.html. 2 https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/ssi_ asr/2019/sect04.html#table17. PO 00000 Frm 00092 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 51951 coordinate planning between private and public welfare agencies to improve the administration and effectiveness of the DI, SSI, and related programs. This RFI offers interested parties, including States, community-based and other nonprofit organizations, philanthropic organizations, researchers, and members of the public, the opportunity to provide information and recommendations on effective approaches for achieving these goals. Background We conduct demonstration projects under two authorities. Section 234 of the Social Security Act (Act) allows the Commissioner to test changes to the DI program designed to promote attachment to the labor force.3 Section 234(d)(2) of the Act provides that the authority to initiate projects under section 234 terminates on December 31, 2021, and the authority to carry out such projects terminates on December 31, 2022, Second, Section 1110(a) of the Act allows us to enter into contracts, grants, and agreements to study a variety of topics related to reducing dependency on SSI, coordinating of social services, or improving the administration of our programs, while section 1110(b) of the Act allows us to waive SSI program rules to carry out such demonstrations in the course of conducting projects that are likely to assist in promoting the objectives or facilitate the administration of title XVI of the Act.4 Participants in demonstrations conducted under section 234 or section 1110(b) must be volunteers who provide informed written consent and are capable of withdrawing their agreement to participate at any time.5 In addition, SSI demonstrations cannot result in a substantial reduction in any individual’s income because he or she participated in a demonstration. These authorities also include additional reporting and scope restrictions. We produce an annual report to Congress on current and recently completed demonstrations 6 and maintain public web pages with demonstration reports.7 8 3 Section 234 of the Act, 42 U.S.C. 434. https:// www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ssact/title02/0234.htm. 4 Section 1110(a) and (b) of the Act, 42 U.S.C. 1310(a) and (b). https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ ssact/title11/1110.htm. 5 Section 234(e)(1) of the Act, 42 U.S.C. 434(e)(1). 6 https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/ documents/ Section%20234%20Report%202020.pdf. 7 https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/ demos.htm. 8 https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/ projects.htm. E:\FR\FM\17SEN1.SGM 17SEN1 51952 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 178 / Friday, September 17, 2021 / Notices Request for Information Through this notice, we are soliciting suggestions for potential policy changes and services related to supporting DI beneficiaries, SSI recipients, and disability program applicants in their efforts to return to, remaining in, or enter the labor force. We are also soliciting suggestions for other potential demonstrations. Responses to this request may inform our decisions about future demonstrations and how to design such projects. This notice is for our internal planning purposes only and should not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on our part or on the part of any participating Federal agencies. For each proposed idea, please be as clear as possible about: 1. The specific policy goal (e.g., increased labor force participation); 2. The target population (e.g., youth, denied applicants, potential applicants, new beneficiaries, older applicants); 3. The specific statute, regulation, or other policy being suggested for change, if any; 4. The proposed service; 5. The specific reason why the policy change or service is expected to achieve the policy goal for the target population (if available, logic models, theories of change, or other aids and evidence supporting the proposed policy change or service should be included); 6. The specific partnerships (e.g., Department of Labor, State Departments of Education, private employers, legal aid agencies), if any, we should consider to implement the demonstration; and 7. Any changes to our demonstration authorities that would be necessary to test the policy change or service. Guidance for Submitting Documents We ask that each respondent include the name and address of his or her institution or affiliation, if any, and the name, title, mailing and email addresses, and telephone number of a contact person for his or her institution or affiliation, if applicable. Rights to Materials Submitted By submitting material in response to this notice, you agree to grant us a worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, nonexclusive license to use the material and to post it publicly. Further, you agree that you own, have a valid license, or are otherwise authorized to provide the material to us. In your response to this notice, you should not provide personally identifiable information or any material you consider confidential or proprietary. We will not provide any compensation for material submitted in response to this notice. VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:19 Sep 16, 2021 Jkt 253001 The Acting Commissioner of Social Security, Kilolo Kijakazi, having reviewed and approved this document, has delegated the authority to electronically sign this document to Faye I. Lipsky, who is the primary Federal Register Liaison for SSA, for purposes of publication in the Federal Register. Faye I. Lipsky, Federal Register Liaison, Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs, Social Security Administration. [FR Doc. 2021–20158 Filed 9–16–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4191–02–P SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD [Docket No. AB 310 (Sub-No. 3X)] Utah Railway Company— Discontinuance of Service Exemption—in Carbon and Emery Counties, Utah On August 30, 2021, Utah Railway Company (UTAH), a Class III rail carrier, filed a petition under 49 U.S.C. 10502 for exemption from the prior approval requirements of 49 U.S.C. 10903 to discontinue service over a railroad line between approximately milepost 0.25 near Helper, Utah, in Carbon County and approximately milepost 25.3 near Mohrland, Utah, in Emery County, a distance of approximately 25.05 miles (the Line). The Line traverses U.S. Postal Service Zip Codes 84526, 84501, 84527, and 84528. The Line includes stations at Martin, at milepost 0.8, and Wildcat, at milepost 6.2. The petition indicates that the Line is stub-ended and only serves a single freight customer, Wildcat Midstream Limited Partnership (Wildcat Midstream).1 (Pet. 5.) UTAH has agreed to lease the segment between milepost 0.2 and milepost 9.0 to Wildcat Midstream for Wildcat Midstream’s use as a private industrial side track. (Id. at 3.) Pursuant to that plan, UTAH will continue to move rail cars for Wildcat Midstream over the leased track and will continue to provide common carrier switching service to the interstate rail network over the connecting track between milepost 0.2 and milepost 0.0. (Id.) UTAH asserts that, because it is seeking discontinuance rather than an abandonment, the question of whether the Line contains any federally granted 1 UTAH refers to the shipper as Wildcat Midstream Partners, LLC, but in a support letter attached to the petition the shipper calls itself Wildcat Midstream Limited Partnership. (Pet. 3, Ex. E.) PO 00000 Frm 00093 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 rights-of-way is inapplicable. (Id. at 2.) UTAH also states that any documentation related to title in its possession will be made available to those requesting it. (Id.) As a condition to this exemption, any employee adversely affected by the discontinuance of service shall be protected under Oregon Short Line Railroad—Abandonment Portion Goshen Branch Between Firth & Ammon, in Bingham & Bonneville Counties, Idaho, 360 I.C.C. 91 (1979). By issuance of this notice, the Board is instituting an exemption proceeding pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 10502(b). A final decision will be issued by December 17, 2021. Because this is a discontinuance proceeding and not an abandonment, interim trail use/rail banking and public use conditions are not appropriate. Because there will be environmental review during any subsequent abandonment, this discontinuance does not require an environmental review. See 49 CFR 1105.6(c)(5), 1105.8(b). Any offer of financial assistance (OFA) for subsidy under 49 CFR 1152.27(b)(2) will be due no later than 120 days after the filing of the petition for exemption, or 10 days after service of a decision granting the petition for exemption, whichever occurs sooner.2 Persons interested in submitting an OFA must first file a formal expression of intent to file an offer by September 27, 2021, indicating the intent to file an OFA for subsidy and demonstrating that they are preliminarily financially responsible. See 49 CFR 1152.27(c)(1)(i). All filings in response to this notice must refer to Docket No. AB 310 (SubNo. 3X) and should be filed with the Surface Transportation Board via efiling on the Board’s website. In addition, a copy of each pleading must be served on UTAH’s representative, Justin J. Marks, Clark Hill PLC, 1001 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Suite 1300 South, Washington, DC 20004. Replies to the petition are due on or before October 7, 2021. Persons seeking further information concerning discontinuance procedures may contact the Board’s Office of Public Assistance, Governmental Affairs, and Compliance at (202) 245–0238 or refer to the full abandonment and discontinuance regulations at 49 CFR part 1152. Questions concerning environmental issues may be directed to the Board’s Office of Environmental Analysis at (202) 245–0294. Assistance for the hearing impaired is available 2 The filing fee for OFAs can be found at 49 CFR 1002.2(f)(25). E:\FR\FM\17SEN1.SGM 17SEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 178 (Friday, September 17, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51951-51952]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-20158]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

[Docket No. SSA-2021-0025]


Request for Information on Potential Disability Insurance and 
Supplemental Security Income Demonstrations

AGENCY: Social Security Administration.

ACTION: Notice; request for information.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We administer the Disability Insurance (DI) and Supplemental 
Security Income (SSI) programs to provide income support to people with 
disabilities. The Commissioner of Social Security is authorized to test 
new program rules to promote attachment to the labor force and increase 
the employment and self-sufficiency of individuals receiving or 
applying for DI or SSI benefits, including children and youth; and to 
coordinate planning between private and public welfare agencies to 
improve the administration and effectiveness of the DI, SSI, and 
related programs. This request for information (RFI) seeks public input 
on potential services, supports, or DI and SSI policy changes that 
could achieve these goals. The input we receive will inform our 
deliberations about possible future demonstrations and tests. We will 
also use the responses as reference material as we provide Congress 
technical advice regarding any potential renewal of the section 234 
authorization.

DATES: To ensure that your comments are considered, we must receive 
them no later than November 16, 2021.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any one of three methods--
internet, fax, or mail. Do not submit the same comments multiple times 
or by more than one method. Regardless of which method you choose, 
please state that your comments refer to Docket No. SSA-2021-0025 so 
that we may associate your comments with the correct Federal Register 
notice.
    Caution: You should be careful to include in your comments only 
information that you wish to make publicly available. We strongly urge 
you not to include in your comments any personal information, such as 
Social Security numbers or medical information.
    1. Internet: We strongly recommend that you submit your comments 
via the internet. Please visit the Federal eRulemaking portal at https://www.regulations.gov. Use the Search function to find docket number 
SSA-2021-0025 and then submit your comments. The system will issue you 
a tracking number to confirm your submission. You will not be able to 
view your comments immediately because we must post each submission 
manually. It may take up to a week for your comments to be viewable.
    2. Fax: Fax comments to (410) 966-2830.
    3. Mail: Mail your comments to the Office of Regulations and 
Reports Clearance, Social Security Administration, 3100 West High Rise 
Building, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland, 21235-6401.
    Comments are available for public viewing on the Federal 
eRulemaking portal at https://www.regulations.gov or in person, during 
regular business hours, by arranging with the contact person identified 
below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey Hemmeter, Acting Deputy 
Associate Commissioner for Research, Demonstration, and Employment 
Support, Office of Retirement and Disability Policy, Social Security 
Administration, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235-6401, 
(410) 597-1815, for information about this notice. For information on 
eligibility or filing for benefits, call our national toll-free number, 
1-800-772-1213 or TTY 1-800-325-0778, or visit our internet site, 
Social Security Online, at https://www.socialsecurity.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose

    Social Security pays benefits to more than 12 million adults ages 
18 to 64 who are unable to work due to a disability \1\ and to more 
than 1 million children with limited income and assets who have marked 
and severe functional limitations.\2\ The Commissioner of Social 
Security is authorized to test new program rules to promote the labor 
force and increase the employment and self-sufficiency of individuals 
receiving or applying for DI or SSI benefits, including children and 
youth, and to coordinate planning between private and public welfare 
agencies to improve the administration and effectiveness of the DI, 
SSI, and related programs. This RFI offers interested parties, 
including States, community-based and other non-profit organizations, 
philanthropic organizations, researchers, and members of the public, 
the opportunity to provide information and recommendations on effective 
approaches for achieving these goals.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/ssi_asr/2019/sect03.html.
    \2\ https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/ssi_asr/2019/sect04.html#table17.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Background

    We conduct demonstration projects under two authorities. Section 
234 of the Social Security Act (Act) allows the Commissioner to test 
changes to the DI program designed to promote attachment to the labor 
force.\3\ Section 234(d)(2) of the Act provides that the authority to 
initiate projects under section 234 terminates on December 31, 2021, 
and the authority to carry out such projects terminates on December 31, 
2022, Second, Section 1110(a) of the Act allows us to enter into 
contracts, grants, and agreements to study a variety of topics related 
to reducing dependency on SSI, coordinating of social services, or 
improving the administration of our programs, while section 1110(b) of 
the Act allows us to waive SSI program rules to carry out such 
demonstrations in the course of conducting projects that are likely to 
assist in promoting the objectives or facilitate the administration of 
title XVI of the Act.\4\ Participants in demonstrations conducted under 
section 234 or section 1110(b) must be volunteers who provide informed 
written consent and are capable of withdrawing their agreement to 
participate at any time.\5\ In addition, SSI demonstrations cannot 
result in a substantial reduction in any individual's income because he 
or she participated in a demonstration. These authorities also include 
additional reporting and scope restrictions. We produce an annual 
report to Congress on current and recently completed demonstrations \6\ 
and maintain public web pages with demonstration reports.7 8
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ Section 234 of the Act, 42 U.S.C. 434. https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ssact/title02/0234.htm.
    \4\ Section 1110(a) and (b) of the Act, 42 U.S.C. 1310(a) and 
(b). https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ssact/title11/1110.htm.
    \5\ Section 234(e)(1) of the Act, 42 U.S.C. 434(e)(1).
    \6\ https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/documents/Section%20234%20Report%202020.pdf.
    \7\ https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/demos.htm.
    \8\ https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/projects.htm.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 51952]]

Request for Information

    Through this notice, we are soliciting suggestions for potential 
policy changes and services related to supporting DI beneficiaries, SSI 
recipients, and disability program applicants in their efforts to 
return to, remaining in, or enter the labor force. We are also 
soliciting suggestions for other potential demonstrations. Responses to 
this request may inform our decisions about future demonstrations and 
how to design such projects. This notice is for our internal planning 
purposes only and should not be construed as a solicitation or as an 
obligation on our part or on the part of any participating Federal 
agencies. For each proposed idea, please be as clear as possible about:
    1. The specific policy goal (e.g., increased labor force 
participation);
    2. The target population (e.g., youth, denied applicants, potential 
applicants, new beneficiaries, older applicants);
    3. The specific statute, regulation, or other policy being 
suggested for change, if any;
    4. The proposed service;
    5. The specific reason why the policy change or service is expected 
to achieve the policy goal for the target population (if available, 
logic models, theories of change, or other aids and evidence supporting 
the proposed policy change or service should be included);
    6. The specific partnerships (e.g., Department of Labor, State 
Departments of Education, private employers, legal aid agencies), if 
any, we should consider to implement the demonstration; and
    7. Any changes to our demonstration authorities that would be 
necessary to test the policy change or service.

Guidance for Submitting Documents

    We ask that each respondent include the name and address of his or 
her institution or affiliation, if any, and the name, title, mailing 
and email addresses, and telephone number of a contact person for his 
or her institution or affiliation, if applicable.

Rights to Materials Submitted

    By submitting material in response to this notice, you agree to 
grant us a worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, 
nonexclusive license to use the material and to post it publicly. 
Further, you agree that you own, have a valid license, or are otherwise 
authorized to provide the material to us. In your response to this 
notice, you should not provide personally identifiable information or 
any material you consider confidential or proprietary. We will not 
provide any compensation for material submitted in response to this 
notice.
    The Acting Commissioner of Social Security, Kilolo Kijakazi, having 
reviewed and approved this document, has delegated the authority to 
electronically sign this document to Faye I. Lipsky, who is the primary 
Federal Register Liaison for SSA, for purposes of publication in the 
Federal Register.

Faye I. Lipsky,
Federal Register Liaison, Office of Legislation and Congressional 
Affairs, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2021-20158 Filed 9-16-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P
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