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

In accordance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 which provides opportunity for public comment on new or revised data collections, the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) will publish periodic summaries of proposed data collections. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed information collection is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information has practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the RRB's estimate of the burden of the collection of the information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden related to the collection of information on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Title and purpose of information collection: Pension Plan Reports: OMB 3220-0089. Under section 2(b) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) pays supplemental annuities to qualified RRB employee annuitants. A supplemental annuity, which is computed according to section 3(e) of the RRA, can be paid at age 60 if the employee has at least 30 years of creditable railroad service or at age 65 if the employee has 25-29 years of railroad service. In addition to 25 years of service, a ``current connection'' with the railroad industry is required. Eligibility is further limited to employees who had at least one month of rail service before October 1981 and were awarded regular annuities after June 1966. Further, if an employee's 65th birthday was prior to September 2, 1981, he or she must not have worked in rail service after certain closing dates (generally the last day of the month following the month in which age 65 is attained). Under section 2(h)(2) of the RRA, the amount of the supplemental annuity is reduced if the employees receive monthly pension payments, or lump-sum pension payments, from their former railroad employer, which are based in whole or in part on contributions from that railroad employer. The employees' own contributions to their pension accounts do not cause a reduction. An employer private pension is described in 20 CFR 216.40-216.42. The RRB requires the following information from railroad employers to calculate supplemental annuities: (a) The current status of railroad employer pension plans and whether such employer pension plans cause reductions to the RRB supplemental annuity; (b) the amount of the employer private pension being paid to the employee; (c) whether or not the employer made contributions to the pension; (d) whether or not the employee was cashed out before attaining retirement age under the employer pension plan or received the pension in a lump-sum payment in lieu of monthly pension payments; and (e) whether the employer pension plan continues when the employer status under the RRA changes. The requirement that railroad employers furnish pension information to the RRB is contained in 20 CFR 209.2. The RRB currently utilizes Form(s) G-88p (Employer's Supplemental Pension Report), G-88r (Request for Information About New or Revised Pension Plan), and G-88r.1 (Request for Additional Information about Employer Pension Plan in Case of Change of Employer Status or Termination of Pension Plan), to obtain the necessary information from railroad employers. One response is requested of each respondent. Completion is mandatory. The RRB proposes the addition of several new items to Form G-88p which include ``skip patterns'' intended to allow employers to bypass items when no response is needed. The RRB also proposes editorial and reformatting changes for clarification purposes to several existing items on G-88p. The RRB proposes no changes to Forms G-88r and G-88r.1.

We propose to amend the rules allowing a foreign private issuer to terminate the registration of a class of equity securities under section 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and thus stop filing reports required as a result of registration) and to cease its reporting obligations regarding a class of equity or debt securities under section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Under the current rules, a foreign private issuer may find it difficult to terminate its Exchange Act registration and reporting obligations despite the fact that there is relatively little interest in the issuer's securities among United States investors. Moreover, currently a foreign private issuer can only suspend, and cannot permanently terminate, a duty to report arising under section 15(d). The proposed rules would permit the termination of Exchange Act reporting regarding a class of equity securities under either section 12(g) or section 15(d) by a foreign private issuer that meets specified criteria designed to measure U.S. market interest for that class of securities. The proposed rules would also permit a foreign private issuer to terminate, and not merely suspend, its section 15(d) reporting obligations regarding a class of debt securities as long as it meets conditions similar to the current requirements for suspending its reporting obligations relating to that class of debt securities. At the same time, the proposed rules would seek to provide U.S. investors with ready access through the Internet to material information about a foreign private issuer that is required by its home country on an ongoing basis after it has exited the Exchange Act reporting system.

Applicant seeks an order declaring that it has ceased to be an investment company. On October 24, 2005, applicant transferred its assets to Munder Internet Fund, a series of Munder Series Trust, based on net asset value. Expenses of $133,000 incurred in connection with the reorganization were paid by applicant and Munder Capital Management, applicant's investment adviser. Filing Dates: The application was filed on November 23, 2005, and amended on December 14, 2005. Applicant's Address: 599 Lexington Ave., New York, NY 10022.

On December 21, 2005, the Commission released a public notice announcing the January 24, 2006 meeting and agenda of the North American Numbering Council (NANC). The intended effect of this action is to make the public aware of the NANC's next meeting and agenda.