Review of International Authorizations To Assess Evolving National Security, Law Enforcement, Foreign Policy, and Trade Policy Risks; Amendment of the Schedule of Application Fees, 85514-85517 [2023-26981]

Download as PDF 85514 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 235 / Friday, December 8, 2023 / Rules and Regulations FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Parts 1 and 63 [IB Docket No. 23–119, MD Docket No. 23– 134; FCC 23–28; DA 23–745; FR ID 171508] Review of International Authorizations To Assess Evolving National Security, Law Enforcement, Foreign Policy, and Trade Policy Risks; Amendment of the Schedule of Application Fees Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Final action; mandatory information collection. AGENCY: In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) adopts an Order announcing a requirement that all international section 214 authorization holders respond to a one-time collection to update the Commission’s records regarding the foreign ownership of international section 214 authorization holders. The Commission, through its Telecommunications and Analysis Division, Office of International Affairs, further adopts a Supplemental Order exempting qualifying international section 214 authorization holders from having to provide certain items of information as part of the information collection. The Commission also announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved the information collection associated with the Commission’s Order, FCC 23–28. Consistent with the Order, this document provides notice of the filing deadline of the information collection. DATES: Filing deadline: January 22, 2024. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gabrielle Kim, Office of International Affairs, Telecommunications and Analysis Division, at (202) 418–0730 or via email at Gabrielle.Kim@fcc.gov. For additional information concerning the Paperwork Reduction Act information collection requirements contained in this document, send an email to PRA@ fcc.gov or contact Cathy Williams, Office of Managing Director, at (202) 418–2918 or Cathy.Williams@fcc.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission’s Order, FCC 23–28, adopted on April 20, 2023, and released on April 25, 2023, and the Supplemental Order, DA 23–745, adopted and released on August 22, 2023. The full text of these documents is available on the Commission’s website at https://docs.fcc.gov/public/ attachments/FCC-23-28A1.pdf and khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with RULES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:05 Dec 07, 2023 Jkt 262001 https://docs.fcc.gov/public/ attachments/DA-23-745A1.pdf. This document also announces that, on June 6, 2023, OMB approved, for a period until December 31, 2023, the information collection requirements associated with the Commission’s Order, FCC 23–28. The OMB Control Number is 3060–1308. On August 31, 2023, OMB approved the Commission’s request for a non-substantive change to the currently approved collection. On November 1, 2023, OMB approved the Commission’s request for an emergency extension of this information collection, for a period until June 30, 2024. On December 4, 2023, OMB approved the Commission’s request for a nonsubstantive change to the currently approved collection. The Commission publishes this document as an announcement of the effective date of the information collection required by the Order. The Commission also publishes this document as an announcement of the filing deadline for the information collection requirements in the Order. If you have any comments on the burden estimates, or how the Commission can improve the collections and reduce any burdens caused thereby, please contact Cathy Williams, Federal Communications Commission, 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554. Please include the OMB Control Number, 3060–1308, in your correspondence. The Commission will also accept your comments via email at PRA@fcc.gov. To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an email to FCC504@ fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418–0530 (voice), (202) 418–0432 (TTY). Synopsis As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3507), the FCC is notifying the public that it received final OMB approval on June 6, 2023, for the information collection requirements associated with the Commission’s Order, FCC 23–28. Under 5 CFR part 1320, an agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a current, 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 that does not display a current, valid OMB Control Number. The foregoing notice is required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, PO 00000 Frm 00048 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 Pub. L. 104–13, October 1, 1995, and 44 U.S.C. 3507. The total annual reporting burdens and costs for the respondents are as follows: OMB Control Number: 3060–1308. OMB Approval Date: June 6, 2023. OMB Expiration Date: June 30, 2024. Title: Reporting On Foreign Ownership of International Section 214 Authorization Holders. Form Number: N/A. Respondents: Business or other forprofit. Number of Respondents and Responses: 1,500 respondents; 1,500 responses. Estimated Time per Response: 6 hours. Frequency of Response: One time reporting requirement. Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in sections 4(i), 214, 218, 219, and 403 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 4(i), 214, 218, 219, and 403. Total Annual Burden: 4,500 hours. Total Annual Cost: $1,350,000. Needs and Uses: The Commission established a new one-time information collection in the Review of International Section 214 Authorizations to Assess Evolving National Security, Law Enforcement, Foreign Policy, and Trade Policy Risks, IB Docket No. 23–119; Amendment of the Schedule of Application Fees Set Forth in Sections 1.1102 through 1.1109 of the Commission’s Rules, MD Docket No. 23– 134, Order and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 23–28. Each international section 214 authorization holder is required to identify its 10% or greater direct or indirect foreign interest holders (reportable foreign ownership) as of thirty (30) days prior to the filing deadline. Additionally, the filer will be required to certify as to the accuracy of the information provided. Subsequently, in Review of International Section 214 Authorizations to Assess Evolving National Security, Law Enforcement, Foreign Policy, and Trade Policy Risks, IB Docket No. 23–119; Amendment of the Schedule of Application Fees Set Forth in Sections 1.1102 through 1.1109 of the Commission’s Rules, MD Docket No. 23–134, Order, DA 23–745, the Telecommunications and Analysis Division, Office of International Affairs, as directed by the Commission, exempted qualifying authorization holders from answering questions in the information collection regarding the identities, specific equity and voting interests, and description of controlling interests of their reportable foreign E:\FR\FM\08DER1.SGM 08DER1 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 235 / Friday, December 8, 2023 / Rules and Regulations khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with RULES interest holders, instead requiring them to identify, on an aggregated basis, all of the citizenship(s) or place(s) of organization of their reportable foreign interest holders. The Order and the Supplemental Order are summarized below. I. Order: Reporting on Foreign Ownership of International Section 214 Authorization Holders 1. The Commission adopts an Order requiring all international section 214 authorization holders to respond to a one-time collection to update the Commission’s records regarding the foreign ownership of international section 214 authorization holders.1 The Commission has incomplete and outdated information about international section 214 authorization holders. For example, the Commission’s records in the International Communications Filing System (ICFS) reflect there are approximately 7,000 international section 214 authorization holders, though the Commission estimates the more accurate number is closer to approximately 1,500 active authorization holders. Additionally, the Commission does not have visibility on authorized carriers’ current foreign ownership. Thus, the collection of this information is a necessary first step for the Commission to make an informed decision concerning the proposed rules and procedures set forth in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). Among other things, the information derived from this one-time collection will allow the Commission to determine the number of active authorization holders and whether they have reportable foreign ownership. In addition, the information will enable the Commission to identify those authorization holders that are no longer in business or are in business but discontinued service under their international section 214 authority. Overall, the information will assist the Commission in developing a timely and effective process for prioritizing the review of international section 214 authorizations that are most likely to raise national security, law enforcement, foreign policy, and/or trade policy concerns, as proposed in the NPRM. 2. Under the Commission’s current rules, international section 214 authorization holders are not required to periodically report their ownership, including the extent of any foreign ownership interests, the identity of their foreign interest holders, and the 1 The Commission takes this action pursuant to sections 4(i), 214, 218, 219, and 403 of the Act, 47 U.S.C. 4(i), 214, 218, 219, 403. VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:05 Dec 07, 2023 Jkt 262001 countries associated with such foreign ownership. Following the grant of an international section 214 authorization, an authorized U.S.- international carrier can provide service globally to any route for which it is classified as nondominant pursuant to the terms of its international section 214 authorization.2 After the grant, the Commission ordinarily does not receive updated information unless an authorization holder files an application for a modification, assignment, or transfer of control of the authorization.3 Additionally, international section 214 authorization holders only need to notify the Commission of a planned discontinuance of service when the authorization holder seeks to discontinue service for which it has customers. If an international section 214 authorization holder does not have any customers when it discontinues offering service, it may file with the Commission a notification to surrender its authorization, but is not required to do so. In those circumstances, the authorization holder may retain the authorization indefinitely. Following the grant of international section 214 authority, an authorization holder may retain the authorization even if it was never used or the authorization holder 2 Under the Commission’s rules, a carrier is classified as non-dominant on a U.S.-international route if it is not affiliated with a foreign carrier with market power on the foreign end of the route or it provides an international switched service on that route solely through the resale of an unaffiliated U.S. facilities-based carrier’s international switched services. 47 CFR 63.10(a); id. 63.10(a)(1) (‘‘A U.S. carrier that has no affiliation with, and that itself is not, a foreign carrier in a particular country to which it provides service (i.e., a destination country) shall presumptively be considered nondominant for the provision of international communications services on that route.’’); id. 63.10(a)(2) (‘‘Except as provided in paragraph (a)(4) of this section, a U.S. carrier that is, or that has or acquires an affiliation with a foreign carrier that is a monopoly provider of communications services in a relevant market in a destination country shall presumptively be classified as dominant for the provision of international communications services on that route . . . .’’); id. 63.10(a)(4) (‘‘A carrier that is authorized under this part to provide to a particular destination an international switched service, and that provides such service solely through the resale of an unaffiliated U.S. facilitiesbased carrier’s international switched services (either directly or indirectly through the resale of another U.S. resale carrier’s international switched services), shall presumptively be classified as nondominant for the provision of the authorized service . . . .’’). 3 The Commission refers to ‘‘application’’ in this context to include an application to modify an international section 214 authorization; an application for substantial assignment or transfer of control of an international section 214 authorization; and a notification of pro forma assignment or transfer of control of an international section 214 authorization. See 47 CFR 63.18, 63.24(e)(1), 63.24(f)(2). PO 00000 Frm 00049 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 85515 is not currently offering service or simply is no longer in business. 3. One-Time Information Collection. In furtherance of the Commission’s goals in this proceeding and to inform the Commission’s consideration of the regulatory approaches on which the Commission seeks comment in the NPRM, the Commission adopts the information collection requirements herein, which are based on the requirements set forth in § 63.18(h) of the Commission’s rules.4 Section 63.18(h) requires international section 214 applicants to provide the name, address, citizenship and principal businesses of any person or entity that directly or indirectly owns at least 10% of the equity of the applicant, and the percentage of equity owned by each of those entities (to the nearest 1%).5 Specifically, the Commission directs each authorization holder to identify its 10% or greater direct or indirect foreign interest holders that hold such equity and/or voting interests (reportable foreign ownership) 6 as of thirty (30) days prior to the filing deadline. Additionally, the Commission requires each authorization holder to certify as to the accuracy of the information provided. Such certification requires each authorization holder to conduct appropriate due diligence, thereby increasing the reliability of its information. In the NPRM, the Commission proposes to cancel the authorizations of carriers that fail to respond to this Order and impose 4 Id. 63.18(h). In the Executive Branch Process Reform Order, the Commission amended § 63.18(h) to require that applicants must identify the voting interests, in addition to the equity interests, of individuals or entities with 10% or greater direct or indirect ownership in the applicant. Executive Branch Process Reform Order, 35 FCC Rcd at 10965, para. 95; id. at 10985, Appx. B, para. 11; Order Erratum, 35 FCC Rcd at 13173, para. 11. The amended rule is not yet effective. 5 47 CFR 63.18(h); see 2016 Executive Branch Process Reform NPRM, 31 FCC Rcd at 7475, para. 49 (‘‘These rules originated when equity and voting ownership were usually the same. Today, applicants often have multiple classes of ownership and equity interests that differ from the voting interests. It is important for the Commission to know for potential control purposes who has voting interests in the applicant. The Commission has recognized this in other rules, where it requires an applicant to provide both equity and voting interests in an applicant.’’); Executive Branch Process Reform Order, 35 FCC Rcd at 10985, Appx. B, para. 11; Order Erratum, 35 FCC Rcd at 13173, para. 11 (amending § 63.18(h) to read, ‘‘[t]he name, address, citizenship, and principal businesses of any individual or entity that directly or indirectly owns ten percent or more of the equity interests and/or voting interests, or a controlling interest, of the applicant, and the percentage of equity and/or voting interest owned by each of those entities (to the nearest one percent) . . . .’’). 6 47 CFR 63.18(h); Executive Branch Process Reform Order, 35 FCC Rcd at 10985, Appx. B, para. 11; Order Erratum, 35 FCC Rcd at 13173, para. 11. E:\FR\FM\08DER1.SGM 08DER1 khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with RULES 85516 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 235 / Friday, December 8, 2023 / Rules and Regulations forfeitures or other measures where a carrier fails to respond in a timely or complete manner. 4. The Commission anticipates that its information collection will not be unduly burdensome as international section 214 authorization holders, including small entities, would have information about their ownership available for purposes of compliance with the Commission’s rules, e.g., to ascertain whether their ownership requires approval for, or notification of, a substantive or non-substantive assignment or transfer. Most businesses likely maintain records of their 10% or greater direct or indirect equity and/or voting interest holders in the ordinary course of business. An authorization holder that is a privately held entity likely knows its investors. An authorization holder that is a publicly held company is also required to identify its interest holders in requisite filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). 5. Pursuant to this Order, the Commission requires an international section 214 authorization holder to submit information based on the categories below. (1) Reportable Foreign Ownership— Foreign Adversary—China (including Hong Kong), Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Maduro Regime. Where there are interest holders that are entities and individuals that are a government organization or citizen of a ‘‘foreign adversary’’ country, an authorization holder must identify its 10% or greater direct or indirect foreign interest holders, including any 10% or greater direct or indirect foreign interest holders outside the foregoing ‘‘foreign adversary’’ countries. A ‘‘foreign adversary’’ country is defined in the Department of Commerce’s rule, 15 CFR 7.4.7 The authorization holder must: • identify each interest holder and the foreign country or countries, including countries that are not foreign adversary countries; • disclose whether any interest holder has dual or more citizenships and identify all countries where citizenship is held; 8 and • certify to the truth and accuracy of all information. (2) Reportable Foreign Ownership— No Foreign Adversary. Where there are no interest holders that are entities or individuals that are a government organization or citizen of any foreign country that is a ‘‘foreign adversary’’ country defined in the Department of Commerce’s rule, 15 CFR 7.4, an authorization holder must identify its 10% or greater direct or indirect foreign interest holders. The authorization holder must: • identify each interest holder and the foreign country or countries; • disclose whether any interest holder has dual or more citizenships and identify all the countries where citizenship is held; 9 and • certify to the truth and accuracy of all information. (3) No Reportable Foreign Ownership. An authorization holder that has no reportable foreign ownership must certify to the truth and accuracy of this information. 6. Information Collection Process and Deadline. The Commission directs the Office of International Affairs to conduct this information collection, including the creation of the forms, submit the information collection for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) review 10 and, following OMB review, publish notice of the effective date of the information collection requirement and the filing deadline in the Federal Register. In so doing, the Office of International Affairs should take into account information recently provided to the Commission on the record that has not materially changed.11 The filing deadline shall be no fewer than thirty (30) days following the effective date of this Order. The Office of International Affairs also will issue a Public Notice announcing the 7 15 CFR 7.4 (stating ‘‘[t]he Secretary has determined that the following foreign governments or foreign non-government persons have engaged in a long-term pattern or serious instances of conduct significantly adverse to the national security of the United States or security and safety of United States persons and, therefore, constitute foreign adversaries solely for the purposes of the Executive Order, this rule, and any subsequent rule’’ promulgated pursuant to the Executive Order); see 15 CFR 7.2 (‘‘Foreign adversary means any foreign government or foreign non-government person determined by the Secretary to have engaged in a long-term pattern or serious instances of conduct significantly adverse to the national security of the United States or security and safety of United States persons.’’); see Executive Order 13873 of May 15, 2019, Securing the Information and Communications Technology and Services Supply Chain, 84 FR 22689 (May 15, 2019). 8 This requirement applies to United States citizens who hold dual citizenship or multiple citizenships and foreign persons who are citizens of two or more countries. 9 This requirement applies to United States citizens who hold dual citizenship or multiple citizenships and foreign persons who are citizens of two or more countries. 10 To the extent required, the Office of International Affairs would also modify the applicable System of Records Notice under the Privacy Act. See Federal Communications Commission, Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records, IB–1, International Bureau Filing System, 86 FR 43237 (Aug. 6, 2021). 11 See, e.g., Letter from Angie Kronenberg, President, INCOMPAS, to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, FCC, IB Docket No. 23–119, at 1–2 (filed Apr. 14, 2023). VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:05 Dec 07, 2023 Jkt 262001 PO 00000 Frm 00050 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 deadline and will provide instructions for filing this information with the Commission. 7. FCC Registration Number (FRN). All authorization holders must have an FCC Registration Number (FRN) in order to file their response in ICFS.12 An FRN is the 10-digit number assigned to all entities (individual and corporate) that transact business with the Commission, and it must be provided any time an authorization holder submits a filing or application in ICFS. The Commission notes that many international section 214 authorizations were granted to entities prior to the Commission requiring an FRN in 2001.13 Such entities will need to obtain an FRN prior to filing their response to the information collection. 8. Surrender of Authorizations. Authorization holders that surrender their international section 214 authorizations before the filing deadline do not need to respond to the one-time information collection. Accordingly, the Commission strongly encourages international section 214 authorization holders that no longer need or use their authorizations to do so before the filing deadline. International section 214 authorization holders may file a surrender letter in ICFS. II. Supplemental Order: Exemption From Information Collection 9. Pursuant to the Commission’s directive to take into account recentlyprovided information that has not changed, the Office of International Affair adopts an exemption (Exemption) for Authorization Holders whose applications were granted within three years prior to the deadline of the OneTime Information Collection. The Exemption will reduce the burden for qualifying Authorization Holders while still allowing the Commission to collect necessary information from the OneTime Information Collection. Under this Exemption, qualifying Authorization Holders are exempt from answering questions in the One-Time Information Collection regarding the identities, 12 47 CFR 1.8002(a) (‘‘The FRN must be obtained by anyone doing business with the Commission, see 31 U.S.C. 7701(c)(2) . . . .’’). An authorization holder may obtain an FRN through the Commission’s CORES web page. FCC, Commission Registration System (CORES), https://apps.fcc.gov/ cores/userLogin.do (last visited Apr. 18, 2023). 13 Federal Communications Commission, Adoption of a Mandatory FCC Registration Number, 66 FR 47890 (Sept. 14, 2001) (amending the Commission’s rules to require persons and entities doing business with the Commission to obtain a unique identifying number, called the FCC Registration Number (FRN), through the Commission Registration System (CORES), and to provide the number when doing business with the Commission, effective December 3, 2001). E:\FR\FM\08DER1.SGM 08DER1 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 235 / Friday, December 8, 2023 / Rules and Regulations specific equity and voting interests, and description of controlling interests, of their Reportable Foreign Interest Holders. Instead, Authorization Holders that qualify for the Exemption will be required to identify, on an aggregated basis, all of the citizenship(s) or place(s) of organization of their Reportable Foreign Interest Holders. Specifically, to qualify for the Exemption: (1) The Authorization Holder must have filed an application for an initial International Section 214 Authorization, modification, or substantial (not a pro forma filing) assignment or transfer of control of the authorization that was reviewed by the Executive Branch agencies and was granted by the Commission on or after [date 3 years before date of filing deadline, 2020]; and (2) There are no Reportable Foreign Interest Holders of the Authorization Holder other than those disclosed in the application (including any amendment), and there are no changes to the Reportable Foreign Interest Holders disclosed in the application (including any amendment) as of [date 30 days prior to filing deadline, 2023].14 10. To qualify for the Exemption, Authorization Holders will also need to supply the File Number of the application that fulfills all of these requirements. III. Procedural Issues khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with RULES 11. Regulatory Flexibility Act. The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980, as amended (RFA), requires that an agency prepare a regulatory flexibility analysis for notice and comment rulemakings, unless the agency certifies that ‘‘the rule will not, if promulgated, have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.’’ Because the Order does not adopt a rule and therefore does not require notice and comment, no Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis is required. 12. Final Paperwork Reduction Act Analysis. This document contains new information collection requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), Public Law 104–13. On June 6, 2023, OMB approved, for a period until December 31, 2023, the 14 To qualify for the Exemption, there must be no changes to the Reportable Foreign Interest Holders disclosed in the application (including any amendment), including but not limited to: no change in the reported citizenship(s), including dual or multiple citizenships, and/or place(s) of organization of any Reportable Foreign Interest Holder; no removal of any Reportable Foreign Interest Holder from an Authorization Holder’s chain of ownership; and no change in a Reportable Foreign Interest Holder’s ownership interests to less than 10% equity and/or voting interests or less than a controlling interest. See Evolving Risks Order and NPRM at *10–11, paras. 18–20 & nn.72–74, 78–80. VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:05 Dec 07, 2023 Jkt 262001 information collection requirements in this document. On November 1, 2023, OMB approved an emergency extension of this information collection, for a period until June 30, 2024. In addition, pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, Public Law 107–198, see 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(4), the Commission considers how it might further reduce the information collection burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees. In the Order, the Commission has assessed the effects of requiring international section 214 authorization holders to identify reportable foreign ownership and to certify as to the accuracy of the information provided and find that they would have information about their ownership available in the ordinary course of business, for instance, for purposes of compliance with the Commission’s rules. Further, although the Commission does not have an estimated number of authorization holders that will need to obtain an FRN number or to file a surrender letter, the burdens are also low. For instance, obtaining an FRN for this purpose entails only a minimal burden. Therefore, the Commission anticipates that the new collection will not be unduly burdensome. 13. People with Disabilities. To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an email to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202–418–0530 (voice), 202–418–0432 (TTY). IV. Ordering Clauses 14. Accordingly, it is ordered that, pursuant to sections 4(i), 214, 218, 219, and 403 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 4(i), 214, 218, 219, and 403, this Order is hereby adopted. 15. It is further ordered that this Order shall be effective after the Office of Management and Budget completes review of any information collection requirements that the Office of International Affairs determines are required under the Paperwork Reduction Act. 16. It is further ordered that the Office of International Affairs shall conduct the information collection required by the Order, including the creation of any information collection forms or other instrument, and shall publish notice of the effective date of the information collection required by the Order and the filing deadline in the Federal Register. The filing deadline shall be no fewer than 30 days following the effective date of the Order. The Office of International PO 00000 Frm 00051 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 85517 Affairs shall announce the effective date and the filing deadline for the requirements in this Order by subsequent Public Notice. 17. It is further ordered, pursuant to sections 4(i), 214, 218, 219, and 403 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 4(i), 214, 218, 219, and 403, and §§ 0.19, 0.204, and 0.351 of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR 0.19, 0.204, 0.351, that the Exemption from responding to certain portions of the One-Time Information Collection, as described herein, is adopted. Federal Communications Commission Marlene Dortch, Secretary, Office of the Secretary. [FR Doc. 2023–26981 Filed 12–7–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6712–01–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 635 [Docket No. 220919–0193; RTID 0648– XD474] Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries; Closure of the General Category December Fishery for 2023 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Temporary rule; closure. AGENCY: NMFS closes the General category fishery for large medium and giant (i.e., measuring 73 inches (185 cm) curved fork length or greater) Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) for the remainder of the December time period. This action applies to Atlantic Tunas General category (commercial) permitted vessels and highly migratory species (HMS) Charter/Headboat permitted vessels with a commercial sale endorsement when fishing commercially for BFT. Fishermen aboard General category permitted vessels and HMS Charter/ Headboat permitted vessels may tag and release BFT of all sizes, subject to the requirements of the catch-and-release and tag-and-release programs. On January 1, 2024, the fishery will reopen automatically. DATES: Effective 11:30 p.m., local time, December 6, 2023, through December 31, 2023. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Becky Curtis, becky.curtis@noaa.gov, 301–427–8503; or Larry Redd, Jr., larry.redd@noaa.gov, 301–427–8503. SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\08DER1.SGM 08DER1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 235 (Friday, December 8, 2023)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 85514-85517]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-26981]



[[Page 85514]]

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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Parts 1 and 63

[IB Docket No. 23-119, MD Docket No. 23-134; FCC 23-28; DA 23-745; FR 
ID 171508]


Review of International Authorizations To Assess Evolving 
National Security, Law Enforcement, Foreign Policy, and Trade Policy 
Risks; Amendment of the Schedule of Application Fees

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final action; mandatory information collection.

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

SUMMARY: In this document, the Federal Communications Commission 
(Commission) adopts an Order announcing a requirement that all 
international section 214 authorization holders respond to a one-time 
collection to update the Commission's records regarding the foreign 
ownership of international section 214 authorization holders. The 
Commission, through its Telecommunications and Analysis Division, 
Office of International Affairs, further adopts a Supplemental Order 
exempting qualifying international section 214 authorization holders 
from having to provide certain items of information as part of the 
information collection. The Commission also announces that the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved the information collection 
associated with the Commission's Order, FCC 23-28. Consistent with the 
Order, this document provides notice of the filing deadline of the 
information collection.

DATES: Filing deadline: January 22, 2024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gabrielle Kim, Office of International 
Affairs, Telecommunications and Analysis Division, at (202) 418-0730 or 
via email at [email protected]. For additional information 
concerning the Paperwork Reduction Act information collection 
requirements contained in this document, send an email to [email protected] 
or contact Cathy Williams, Office of Managing Director, at (202) 418-
2918 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Order, 
FCC 23-28, adopted on April 20, 2023, and released on April 25, 2023, 
and the Supplemental Order, DA 23-745, adopted and released on August 
22, 2023. The full text of these documents is available on the 
Commission's website at https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-23-28A1.pdf and https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-23-745A1.pdf. 
This document also announces that, on June 6, 2023, OMB approved, for a 
period until December 31, 2023, the information collection requirements 
associated with the Commission's Order, FCC 23-28. The OMB Control 
Number is 3060-1308. On August 31, 2023, OMB approved the Commission's 
request for a non-substantive change to the currently approved 
collection. On November 1, 2023, OMB approved the Commission's request 
for an emergency extension of this information collection, for a period 
until June 30, 2024. On December 4, 2023, OMB approved the Commission's 
request for a non-substantive change to the currently approved 
collection. The Commission publishes this document as an announcement 
of the effective date of the information collection required by the 
Order. The Commission also publishes this document as an announcement 
of the filing deadline for the information collection requirements in 
the Order. If you have any comments on the burden estimates, or how the 
Commission can improve the collections and reduce any burdens caused 
thereby, please contact Cathy Williams, Federal Communications 
Commission, 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554. Please include the 
OMB Control Number, 3060-1308, in your correspondence. The Commission 
will also accept your comments via email at [email protected]. To request 
materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, 
large print, electronic files, audio format), send an email to 
[email protected] or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 
(202) 418-0530 (voice), (202) 418-0432 (TTY).

Synopsis

    As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
3507), the FCC is notifying the public that it received final OMB 
approval on June 6, 2023, for the information collection requirements 
associated with the Commission's Order, FCC 23-28. Under 5 CFR part 
1320, an agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information 
unless it displays a current, 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 
that does not display a current, valid OMB Control Number.
    The foregoing notice is required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995, Pub. L. 104-13, October 1, 1995, and 44 U.S.C. 3507.
    The total annual reporting burdens and costs for the respondents 
are as follows:
    OMB Control Number: 3060-1308.
    OMB Approval Date: June 6, 2023.
    OMB Expiration Date: June 30, 2024.
    Title: Reporting On Foreign Ownership of International Section 214 
Authorization Holders.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 1,500 respondents; 1,500 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 6 hours.
    Frequency of Response: One time reporting requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 
sections 4(i), 214, 218, 219, and 403 of the Communications Act of 
1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 4(i), 214, 218, 219, and 403.
    Total Annual Burden: 4,500 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: $1,350,000.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission established a new one-time 
information collection in the Review of International Section 214 
Authorizations to Assess Evolving National Security, Law Enforcement, 
Foreign Policy, and Trade Policy Risks, IB Docket No. 23-119; Amendment 
of the Schedule of Application Fees Set Forth in Sections 1.1102 
through 1.1109 of the Commission's Rules, MD Docket No. 23-134, Order 
and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 23-28. Each international 
section 214 authorization holder is required to identify its 10% or 
greater direct or indirect foreign interest holders (reportable foreign 
ownership) as of thirty (30) days prior to the filing deadline. 
Additionally, the filer will be required to certify as to the accuracy 
of the information provided. Subsequently, in Review of International 
Section 214 Authorizations to Assess Evolving National Security, Law 
Enforcement, Foreign Policy, and Trade Policy Risks, IB Docket No. 23-
119; Amendment of the Schedule of Application Fees Set Forth in 
Sections 1.1102 through 1.1109 of the Commission's Rules, MD Docket No. 
23-134, Order, DA 23-745, the Telecommunications and Analysis Division, 
Office of International Affairs, as directed by the Commission, 
exempted qualifying authorization holders from answering questions in 
the information collection regarding the identities, specific equity 
and voting interests, and description of controlling interests of their 
reportable foreign

[[Page 85515]]

interest holders, instead requiring them to identify, on an aggregated 
basis, all of the citizenship(s) or place(s) of organization of their 
reportable foreign interest holders. The Order and the Supplemental 
Order are summarized below.

I. Order: Reporting on Foreign Ownership of International Section 214 
Authorization Holders

    1. The Commission adopts an Order requiring all international 
section 214 authorization holders to respond to a one-time collection 
to update the Commission's records regarding the foreign ownership of 
international section 214 authorization holders.\1\ The Commission has 
incomplete and outdated information about international section 214 
authorization holders. For example, the Commission's records in the 
International Communications Filing System (ICFS) reflect there are 
approximately 7,000 international section 214 authorization holders, 
though the Commission estimates the more accurate number is closer to 
approximately 1,500 active authorization holders. Additionally, the 
Commission does not have visibility on authorized carriers' current 
foreign ownership. Thus, the collection of this information is a 
necessary first step for the Commission to make an informed decision 
concerning the proposed rules and procedures set forth in the Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). Among other things, the information derived 
from this one-time collection will allow the Commission to determine 
the number of active authorization holders and whether they have 
reportable foreign ownership. In addition, the information will enable 
the Commission to identify those authorization holders that are no 
longer in business or are in business but discontinued service under 
their international section 214 authority. Overall, the information 
will assist the Commission in developing a timely and effective process 
for prioritizing the review of international section 214 authorizations 
that are most likely to raise national security, law enforcement, 
foreign policy, and/or trade policy concerns, as proposed in the NPRM.
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    \1\ The Commission takes this action pursuant to sections 4(i), 
214, 218, 219, and 403 of the Act, 47 U.S.C. 4(i), 214, 218, 219, 
403.
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    2. Under the Commission's current rules, international section 214 
authorization holders are not required to periodically report their 
ownership, including the extent of any foreign ownership interests, the 
identity of their foreign interest holders, and the countries 
associated with such foreign ownership. Following the grant of an 
international section 214 authorization, an authorized U.S.- 
international carrier can provide service globally to any route for 
which it is classified as non-dominant pursuant to the terms of its 
international section 214 authorization.\2\ After the grant, the 
Commission ordinarily does not receive updated information unless an 
authorization holder files an application for a modification, 
assignment, or transfer of control of the authorization.\3\ 
Additionally, international section 214 authorization holders only need 
to notify the Commission of a planned discontinuance of service when 
the authorization holder seeks to discontinue service for which it has 
customers. If an international section 214 authorization holder does 
not have any customers when it discontinues offering service, it may 
file with the Commission a notification to surrender its authorization, 
but is not required to do so. In those circumstances, the authorization 
holder may retain the authorization indefinitely. Following the grant 
of international section 214 authority, an authorization holder may 
retain the authorization even if it was never used or the authorization 
holder is not currently offering service or simply is no longer in 
business.
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    \2\ Under the Commission's rules, a carrier is classified as 
non-dominant on a U.S.-international route if it is not affiliated 
with a foreign carrier with market power on the foreign end of the 
route or it provides an international switched service on that route 
solely through the resale of an unaffiliated U.S. facilities-based 
carrier's international switched services. 47 CFR 63.10(a); id. 
63.10(a)(1) (``A U.S. carrier that has no affiliation with, and that 
itself is not, a foreign carrier in a particular country to which it 
provides service (i.e., a destination country) shall presumptively 
be considered non-dominant for the provision of international 
communications services on that route.''); id. 63.10(a)(2) (``Except 
as provided in paragraph (a)(4) of this section, a U.S. carrier that 
is, or that has or acquires an affiliation with a foreign carrier 
that is a monopoly provider of communications services in a relevant 
market in a destination country shall presumptively be classified as 
dominant for the provision of international communications services 
on that route . . . .''); id. 63.10(a)(4) (``A carrier that is 
authorized under this part to provide to a particular destination an 
international switched service, and that provides such service 
solely through the resale of an unaffiliated U.S. facilities-based 
carrier's international switched services (either directly or 
indirectly through the resale of another U.S. resale carrier's 
international switched services), shall presumptively be classified 
as non-dominant for the provision of the authorized service . . . 
.'').
    \3\ The Commission refers to ``application'' in this context to 
include an application to modify an international section 214 
authorization; an application for substantial assignment or transfer 
of control of an international section 214 authorization; and a 
notification of pro forma assignment or transfer of control of an 
international section 214 authorization. See 47 CFR 63.18, 
63.24(e)(1), 63.24(f)(2).
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    3. One-Time Information Collection. In furtherance of the 
Commission's goals in this proceeding and to inform the Commission's 
consideration of the regulatory approaches on which the Commission 
seeks comment in the NPRM, the Commission adopts the information 
collection requirements herein, which are based on the requirements set 
forth in Sec.  63.18(h) of the Commission's rules.\4\ Section 63.18(h) 
requires international section 214 applicants to provide the name, 
address, citizenship and principal businesses of any person or entity 
that directly or indirectly owns at least 10% of the equity of the 
applicant, and the percentage of equity owned by each of those entities 
(to the nearest 1%).\5\ Specifically, the Commission directs each 
authorization holder to identify its 10% or greater direct or indirect 
foreign interest holders that hold such equity and/or voting interests 
(reportable foreign ownership) \6\ as of thirty (30) days prior to the 
filing deadline. Additionally, the Commission requires each 
authorization holder to certify as to the accuracy of the information 
provided. Such certification requires each authorization holder to 
conduct appropriate due diligence, thereby increasing the reliability 
of its information. In the NPRM, the Commission proposes to cancel the 
authorizations of carriers that fail to respond to this Order and 
impose

[[Page 85516]]

forfeitures or other measures where a carrier fails to respond in a 
timely or complete manner.
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    \4\ Id. 63.18(h). In the Executive Branch Process Reform Order, 
the Commission amended Sec.  63.18(h) to require that applicants 
must identify the voting interests, in addition to the equity 
interests, of individuals or entities with 10% or greater direct or 
indirect ownership in the applicant. Executive Branch Process Reform 
Order, 35 FCC Rcd at 10965, para. 95; id. at 10985, Appx. B, para. 
11; Order Erratum, 35 FCC Rcd at 13173, para. 11. The amended rule 
is not yet effective.
    \5\ 47 CFR 63.18(h); see 2016 Executive Branch Process Reform 
NPRM, 31 FCC Rcd at 7475, para. 49 (``These rules originated when 
equity and voting ownership were usually the same. Today, applicants 
often have multiple classes of ownership and equity interests that 
differ from the voting interests. It is important for the Commission 
to know for potential control purposes who has voting interests in 
the applicant. The Commission has recognized this in other rules, 
where it requires an applicant to provide both equity and voting 
interests in an applicant.''); Executive Branch Process Reform 
Order, 35 FCC Rcd at 10985, Appx. B, para. 11; Order Erratum, 35 FCC 
Rcd at 13173, para. 11 (amending Sec.  63.18(h) to read, ``[t]he 
name, address, citizenship, and principal businesses of any 
individual or entity that directly or indirectly owns ten percent or 
more of the equity interests and/or voting interests, or a 
controlling interest, of the applicant, and the percentage of equity 
and/or voting interest owned by each of those entities (to the 
nearest one percent) . . . .'').
    \6\ 47 CFR 63.18(h); Executive Branch Process Reform Order, 35 
FCC Rcd at 10985, Appx. B, para. 11; Order Erratum, 35 FCC Rcd at 
13173, para. 11.
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    4. The Commission anticipates that its information collection will 
not be unduly burdensome as international section 214 authorization 
holders, including small entities, would have information about their 
ownership available for purposes of compliance with the Commission's 
rules, e.g., to ascertain whether their ownership requires approval 
for, or notification of, a substantive or non-substantive assignment or 
transfer. Most businesses likely maintain records of their 10% or 
greater direct or indirect equity and/or voting interest holders in the 
ordinary course of business. An authorization holder that is a 
privately held entity likely knows its investors. An authorization 
holder that is a publicly held company is also required to identify its 
interest holders in requisite filings with the U.S. Securities and 
Exchange Commission (SEC).
    5. Pursuant to this Order, the Commission requires an international 
section 214 authorization holder to submit information based on the 
categories below.
    (1) Reportable Foreign Ownership--Foreign Adversary--China 
(including Hong Kong), Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Maduro Regime. 
Where there are interest holders that are entities and individuals that 
are a government organization or citizen of a ``foreign adversary'' 
country, an authorization holder must identify its 10% or greater 
direct or indirect foreign interest holders, including any 10% or 
greater direct or indirect foreign interest holders outside the 
foregoing ``foreign adversary'' countries. A ``foreign adversary'' 
country is defined in the Department of Commerce's rule, 15 CFR 7.4.\7\ 
The authorization holder must:
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    \7\ 15 CFR 7.4 (stating ``[t]he Secretary has determined that 
the following foreign governments or foreign non-government persons 
have engaged in a long-term pattern or serious instances of conduct 
significantly adverse to the national security of the United States 
or security and safety of United States persons and, therefore, 
constitute foreign adversaries solely for the purposes of the 
Executive Order, this rule, and any subsequent rule'' promulgated 
pursuant to the Executive Order); see 15 CFR 7.2 (``Foreign 
adversary means any foreign government or foreign non-government 
person determined by the Secretary to have engaged in a long-term 
pattern or serious instances of conduct significantly adverse to the 
national security of the United States or security and safety of 
United States persons.''); see Executive Order 13873 of May 15, 
2019, Securing the Information and Communications Technology and 
Services Supply Chain, 84 FR 22689 (May 15, 2019).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

     identify each interest holder and the foreign country or 
countries, including countries that are not foreign adversary 
countries;
     disclose whether any interest holder has dual or more 
citizenships and identify all countries where citizenship is held; \8\ 
and
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \8\ This requirement applies to United States citizens who hold 
dual citizenship or multiple citizenships and foreign persons who 
are citizens of two or more countries.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

     certify to the truth and accuracy of all information.
    (2) Reportable Foreign Ownership--No Foreign Adversary. Where there 
are no interest holders that are entities or individuals that are a 
government organization or citizen of any foreign country that is a 
``foreign adversary'' country defined in the Department of Commerce's 
rule, 15 CFR 7.4, an authorization holder must identify its 10% or 
greater direct or indirect foreign interest holders. The authorization 
holder must:
     identify each interest holder and the foreign country or 
countries;
     disclose whether any interest holder has dual or more 
citizenships and identify all the countries where citizenship is held; 
\9\ and
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    \9\ This requirement applies to United States citizens who hold 
dual citizenship or multiple citizenships and foreign persons who 
are citizens of two or more countries.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

     certify to the truth and accuracy of all information.
    (3) No Reportable Foreign Ownership. An authorization holder that 
has no reportable foreign ownership must certify to the truth and 
accuracy of this information.
    6. Information Collection Process and Deadline. The Commission 
directs the Office of International Affairs to conduct this information 
collection, including the creation of the forms, submit the information 
collection for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) review \10\ and, 
following OMB review, publish notice of the effective date of the 
information collection requirement and the filing deadline in the 
Federal Register. In so doing, the Office of International Affairs 
should take into account information recently provided to the 
Commission on the record that has not materially changed.\11\ The 
filing deadline shall be no fewer than thirty (30) days following the 
effective date of this Order. The Office of International Affairs also 
will issue a Public Notice announcing the deadline and will provide 
instructions for filing this information with the Commission.
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    \10\ To the extent required, the Office of International Affairs 
would also modify the applicable System of Records Notice under the 
Privacy Act. See Federal Communications Commission, Privacy Act of 
1974; System of Records, IB-1, International Bureau Filing System, 
86 FR 43237 (Aug. 6, 2021).
    \11\ See, e.g., Letter from Angie Kronenberg, President, 
INCOMPAS, to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, FCC, IB Docket No. 23-
119, at 1-2 (filed Apr. 14, 2023).
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    7. FCC Registration Number (FRN). All authorization holders must 
have an FCC Registration Number (FRN) in order to file their response 
in ICFS.\12\ An FRN is the 10-digit number assigned to all entities 
(individual and corporate) that transact business with the Commission, 
and it must be provided any time an authorization holder submits a 
filing or application in ICFS. The Commission notes that many 
international section 214 authorizations were granted to entities prior 
to the Commission requiring an FRN in 2001.\13\ Such entities will need 
to obtain an FRN prior to filing their response to the information 
collection.
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    \12\ 47 CFR 1.8002(a) (``The FRN must be obtained by anyone 
doing business with the Commission, see 31 U.S.C. 7701(c)(2) . . . 
.''). An authorization holder may obtain an FRN through the 
Commission's CORES web page. FCC, Commission Registration System 
(CORES), https://apps.fcc.gov/cores/userLogin.do (last visited Apr. 
18, 2023).
    \13\ Federal Communications Commission, Adoption of a Mandatory 
FCC Registration Number, 66 FR 47890 (Sept. 14, 2001) (amending the 
Commission's rules to require persons and entities doing business 
with the Commission to obtain a unique identifying number, called 
the FCC Registration Number (FRN), through the Commission 
Registration System (CORES), and to provide the number when doing 
business with the Commission, effective December 3, 2001).
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    8. Surrender of Authorizations. Authorization holders that 
surrender their international section 214 authorizations before the 
filing deadline do not need to respond to the one-time information 
collection. Accordingly, the Commission strongly encourages 
international section 214 authorization holders that no longer need or 
use their authorizations to do so before the filing deadline. 
International section 214 authorization holders may file a surrender 
letter in ICFS.

II. Supplemental Order: Exemption From Information Collection

    9. Pursuant to the Commission's directive to take into account 
recently-provided information that has not changed, the Office of 
International Affair adopts an exemption (Exemption) for Authorization 
Holders whose applications were granted within three years prior to the 
deadline of the One-Time Information Collection. The Exemption will 
reduce the burden for qualifying Authorization Holders while still 
allowing the Commission to collect necessary information from the One-
Time Information Collection. Under this Exemption, qualifying 
Authorization Holders are exempt from answering questions in the One-
Time Information Collection regarding the identities,

[[Page 85517]]

specific equity and voting interests, and description of controlling 
interests, of their Reportable Foreign Interest Holders. Instead, 
Authorization Holders that qualify for the Exemption will be required 
to identify, on an aggregated basis, all of the citizenship(s) or 
place(s) of organization of their Reportable Foreign Interest Holders. 
Specifically, to qualify for the Exemption:
    (1) The Authorization Holder must have filed an application for an 
initial International Section 214 Authorization, modification, or 
substantial (not a pro forma filing) assignment or transfer of control 
of the authorization that was reviewed by the Executive Branch agencies 
and was granted by the Commission on or after [date 3 years before date 
of filing deadline, 2020]; and
    (2) There are no Reportable Foreign Interest Holders of the 
Authorization Holder other than those disclosed in the application 
(including any amendment), and there are no changes to the Reportable 
Foreign Interest Holders disclosed in the application (including any 
amendment) as of [date 30 days prior to filing deadline, 2023].\14\
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    \14\ To qualify for the Exemption, there must be no changes to 
the Reportable Foreign Interest Holders disclosed in the application 
(including any amendment), including but not limited to: no change 
in the reported citizenship(s), including dual or multiple 
citizenships, and/or place(s) of organization of any Reportable 
Foreign Interest Holder; no removal of any Reportable Foreign 
Interest Holder from an Authorization Holder's chain of ownership; 
and no change in a Reportable Foreign Interest Holder's ownership 
interests to less than 10% equity and/or voting interests or less 
than a controlling interest. See Evolving Risks Order and NPRM at 
*10-11, paras. 18-20 & nn.72-74, 78-80.
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    10. To qualify for the Exemption, Authorization Holders will also 
need to supply the File Number of the application that fulfills all of 
these requirements.

III. Procedural Issues

    11. Regulatory Flexibility Act. The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 
1980, as amended (RFA), requires that an agency prepare a regulatory 
flexibility analysis for notice and comment rulemakings, unless the 
agency certifies that ``the rule will not, if promulgated, have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities.'' Because the Order does not adopt a rule and therefore does 
not require notice and comment, no Final Regulatory Flexibility 
Analysis is required.
    12. Final Paperwork Reduction Act Analysis. This document contains 
new information collection requirements subject to the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), Public Law 104-13. On June 6, 2023, OMB 
approved, for a period until December 31, 2023, the information 
collection requirements in this document. On November 1, 2023, OMB 
approved an emergency extension of this information collection, for a 
period until June 30, 2024. In addition, pursuant to the Small Business 
Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, Public Law 107-198, see 44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(4), the Commission considers how it might further reduce the 
information collection burden for small business concerns with fewer 
than 25 employees. In the Order, the Commission has assessed the 
effects of requiring international section 214 authorization holders to 
identify reportable foreign ownership and to certify as to the accuracy 
of the information provided and find that they would have information 
about their ownership available in the ordinary course of business, for 
instance, for purposes of compliance with the Commission's rules. 
Further, although the Commission does not have an estimated number of 
authorization holders that will need to obtain an FRN number or to file 
a surrender letter, the burdens are also low. For instance, obtaining 
an FRN for this purpose entails only a minimal burden. Therefore, the 
Commission anticipates that the new collection will not be unduly 
burdensome.
    13. People with Disabilities. To request materials in accessible 
formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic 
files, audio format), send an email to [email protected] or call the 
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-
418-0432 (TTY).

IV. Ordering Clauses

    14. Accordingly, it is ordered that, pursuant to sections 4(i), 
214, 218, 219, and 403 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 
47 U.S.C. 4(i), 214, 218, 219, and 403, this Order is hereby adopted.
    15. It is further ordered that this Order shall be effective after 
the Office of Management and Budget completes review of any information 
collection requirements that the Office of International Affairs 
determines are required under the Paperwork Reduction Act.
    16. It is further ordered that the Office of International Affairs 
shall conduct the information collection required by the Order, 
including the creation of any information collection forms or other 
instrument, and shall publish notice of the effective date of the 
information collection required by the Order and the filing deadline in 
the Federal Register. The filing deadline shall be no fewer than 30 
days following the effective date of the Order. The Office of 
International Affairs shall announce the effective date and the filing 
deadline for the requirements in this Order by subsequent Public 
Notice.
    17. It is further ordered, pursuant to sections 4(i), 214, 218, 
219, and 403 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 
4(i), 214, 218, 219, and 403, and Sec. Sec.  0.19, 0.204, and 0.351 of 
the Commission's rules, 47 CFR 0.19, 0.204, 0.351, that the Exemption 
from responding to certain portions of the One-Time Information 
Collection, as described herein, is adopted.

Federal Communications Commission
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-26981 Filed 12-7-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P
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