Agencies and Commissions October 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Commissioner has determined (1) A 4.1 percent cost-of-living increase in Social Security benefits under title II of the Social Security Act (the Act), effective for December 2005; (2) An increase in the Federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) monthly benefit amounts under title XVI of the Act for 2006 to $603 for an eligible individual, $904 for an eligible individual with an eligible spouse, and $302 for an essential person; (3) The student earned income exclusion to be $1,460 per month in 2006 but not more than $5,910 in all of 2006; (4) The dollar fee limit for services performed as a representative payee to be $33 per month ($64 per month in the case of a beneficiary who is disabled and has an alcoholism or drug addiction condition that leaves him or her incapable of managing benefits) in 2006; (5) The national average wage index for 2004 to be $35,648.55; (6) The Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) contribution and benefit base to be $94,200 for remuneration paid in 2006 and self-employment income earned in taxable years beginning in 2006; (7) The monthly exempt amounts under the Social Security retirement earnings test for taxable years ending in calendar year 2006 to be $1,040 and $2,770; (8) The dollar amounts (``bend points'') used in the primary insurance amount benefit formula for workers who become eligible for benefits, or who die before becoming eligible, in 2006 to be $656 and $3,955; (9) The dollar amounts (``bend points'') used in the formula for computing maximum family benefits for workers who become eligible for benefits, or who die before becoming eligible, in 2006 to be $838, $1,210, and $1,578; (10) The amount of taxable earnings a person must have to be credited with a quarter of coverage in 2006 to be $970; (11) The ``old-law'' contribution and benefit base to be $69,900 for 2006; (12) The monthly amount deemed to constitute substantial gainful activity for statutorily blind individuals in 2006 to be $1,450, and the corresponding amount for non-blind disabled persons to be $860; (13) The earnings threshold establishing a month as a part of a trial work period to be $620 for 2006; and (14) Coverage thresholds for 2006 to be $1,500 for domestic workers and $1,300 for election workers.

Pursuant to (A) section 105 of the Family Entertainment and Copyright Act of 2005, Pub. L. 109-9 (the ``FECA''); and (B) the United States Parole Commission Extension and Sentencing Commission Authority Act of 2005, Pub. L. 109-76 (pertaining to the directive in section 6703 of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, Pub. L. 108-458), the Commission hereby gives notice of temporary, emergency amendments to the sentencing guidelines, policy statements, and commentary. This notice sets forth the temporary, emergency amendments and the reason for each amendment.

Ex-Im Bank is issuing a proposed regulation that would establish policy and prescribe procedures with respect to the testimony of Ex-Im Bank personnel, both current and former, and the production of agency records, in legal proceedings. The proposed regulation is designed to balance concerns such as preserving the time of Ex-Im Bank personnel for the conduct of official business against concerns such as whether the disclosure of information requested is necessary to prevent fraud or injustice.

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

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will conduct the 5th International MACCS Users' Group (IMUG) Meeting, on March 10, 2006, at a location near the NRC's Headquarters in Rockville, Maryland. The meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. and will be open to public observation.

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. International Trade Commission has determined not to review an initial determination (``ID'') of the presiding administrative law judge (``ALJ'') granting the motion of complainants to amend the complaint and notice of investigation.

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. International Trade Commission has determined to review in part an initial determination (``ID'') of the presiding administrative law judge (``ALJ'') finding no violation of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, in the above-captioned investigation. The Commission determined on review to decline to reach the issue of whether one claim term was met by the accused pool cues. The Commission has determined not to review the ALJ's determination that one other limitation of the claims at issue is not met by the accused products. The investigation is therefore terminated with a finding of no violation.