Agencies and Commissions 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the General Services Administration will be submitting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve a renewal of a currently approved information collection requirement regarding tax adjustments under leasehold acquisitions. This collection requires contractors to submit information to the Government to substantiate an increase or decrease in real estate taxes under a leasehold acquisition so that the Government can make tax adjustments as necessary to the leasehold acquisition. Information collected under this authority is necessary to assess proper tax adjustments against each leasehold acquisition. The clearance currently expires on April 30, 2006. Public comments are particularly invited on: Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the function of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; ways to minimize the burden of the information collection on respondents including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

The Governors of the U.S. Postal Service accepted the Postal Rate Commission's recommendation to increase most postal rates and fees by approximately 5.4 percent. The Board of Governors set 12:01 a.m. Sunday, January 8, 2006, as the effective date for the new prices.

The Copyright Royalty Board of the Library of Congress announces a cost of living adjustment of 4.3% in the royalty rates paid by colleges, universities, or other nonprofit educational institutions that are not affiliated with National Public Radio for the use of copyrighted published nondramatic musical compositions in the BMI, ASCAP and SESAC repertoires. The cost of living adjustment is based on the change in the Consumer Price Index from October 2004 to October 2005.

This rule amends Appendix D to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation's regulation on Benefits Payable in Terminated Single- Employer Plans by adding the maximum guaranteeable pension benefit that may be paid by the PBGC with respect to a plan participant in a single- employer pension plan that terminates in 2006. This rule also amends the PBGC's regulation on Disclosure to Participants by adding information on 2006 maximum guaranteed benefit amounts to Appendix B. The amendment is necessary because the maximum guarantee amount changes each year, based on changes in the contribution and benefit base under section 230 of the Social Security Act. The effect of the amendment is to advise plan participants and beneficiaries of the increased maximum guarantee amount for 2006.

This final rule amends Postal Service regulations pertaining to conduct on postal property. The purpose of these amendments is to clarify the regulations.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is required to publish a notice of requests to modify permits issued to conduct activities regulated under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978. NSF has published regulations under the Antarctic Conservation Act at Title 45 Part 670 of the Code of Federal Regulations. This is the required notice of a requested permit modification.

Notice is hereby given of the following hearing of the U.S.- China Economic and Security Review Commission. Name: C. Richard D'Amato, Chairman of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. The Commission is mandated by Congress to investigate, assess, evaluate and report to Congress annually on ``the national security implications of the bilateral trade and economic relationship between the United States and the People's Republic of China.'' Pursuant to this mandate, the Commission will be holding a public hearing in Washington, DC on December 8, 2005.