Agencies and Commissions October 18, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Postal Service \TM\ plans to conduct an ongoing matching program to identify any current Postal Service employees, who are required by state law to register on a state's public registry of sex offenders. State registries contain information about individuals who are statutorily required to register, having committed sexually-violent offenses against adults or children, certain other crimes against victims who are minors, or other comparable offenses. The Postal Service is undertaking this initiative to ascertain the suitability of individuals for certain positions or employment. The Postal Service will compare its payroll database for employees working in designated states against public records contained in the state sex offender registries.

This document announces the next meeting date and agenda of the Consumer Advisory Committee (``Committee''). The purpose of the Committee is to make recommendations to the Federal Communications Commission (``Commission'') regarding consumer issues within the jurisdiction of the Commission and to facilitate the participation of all consumers in proceedings before the Commission.

In response to a petition for reconsideration of a Report and Order, this Memorandum Opinion and Order denies a request by CWA Broadcasting, Inc. (``Petitioner''), the licensee of Station WINX-FM, St. Michaels, Maryland, to upgrade its present Channel 232A to Channel 232B1, reallot Channel 232B1 to Cambridge, and modify Station WINX-FM's license accordingly. The Memorandum Opinion and Order also denies the Petitioner's alternative request to allot Channel 232B1 to Oxford, Maryland, and to change Petitioner's community of license from St. Michaels to Oxford, Maryland, as untimely and in contravention of Section 1.420(d) of the Commission's Rules.

The Audio Division denies a Petition for Rule Making filed by Calvary Chapel of Tucson, Inc., requesting the reservation of vacant Channel 251A at Patagonia, Arizona for noncommercial educational use.

The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection(s), as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Public Law No. 104-13. An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid 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 valid control number. Comments are requested concerning (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

The General Services Administration is reopening the comment period for the subject proposed rule. The proposed rule pertains to amending the Federal Management Regulation (FMR) by revising coverage on personal property and moving it into Subchapter B of the FMR. A proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on September 12, 2006 (71 FR 53646).

We are amending our regulations on representative payment and on the administrative procedure for imposing penalties for false or misleading statements or withholding of information to reflect and implement certain provisions of the Social Security Protection Act of 2004 (SSPA). The SSPA amends representative payment policies by providing additional safeguards for Social Security, Special Veterans and Supplemental Security Income beneficiaries served by representative payees. These changes include additional disqualifying factors for representative payee applicants, additional requirements for non- governmental fee-for-service payees, authority to redirect delivery of benefit payments when a representative payee fails to provide required accountings, and authority to treat misused benefits as an overpayment to the representative payee. In addition, we are amending our rules to explain financial requirements for representative payees, and we have made minor clarifying plain language changes. The SSPA also allows us to impose a penalty on any person who knowingly withholds information that is material for use in determining any right to, or the amount of, monthly benefits under titles II or XVI. The penalty is nonpayment for a specified number of months of benefits under title II that would otherwise be payable and ineligibility for the same period of time for payments under title XVI (including State supplementary payments).

Notice is hereby given of a meeting 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 U.S.-China economic and security relationship. The mandate specifically charges the Commission to prepare an annual report to the Congress ``regarding the national security implications and impact of the bilateral trade and economic relationship between the United States and the People's Republic of China * * * [that] shall include a full analysis, along with conclusions and recommendations for legislative and administrative actions * * * '' Purpose of Meeting: Pursuant to this mandate, the Commission will meet in Washington, DC October 23-27, 2006, to conduct a final review of the 2006 Annual Report to Congress, make final modifications, and formally approve the Report for printing. Topics to be Discussed: The Commissioners will be considering Report sections addressing the following topics: China's Regional Activities. China's Energy Activities. China's Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights and Its Production of Counterfeit Goods. China's Financial System and Its Effect on the United States. China's Proliferation To and Relationships With North Korea and Iran. China's Media Control Activities. China's Internal Challenges and Their Impact on China's Actions Affecting Other Nations Including the United States. China's Military Modernization. The Effect of U.S. and Multilateral Export Controls on China's Military Modernization. The Military Balance Across the Taiwan Strait. China's WTO Compliance, Industrial Expansion, and Industrial Subsidies and their Effects on the United States. China's Impact on the U.S. Auto and Auto Parts Industries. Date and Time: Monday through Friday, October 23-27, 2006, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Place of Meeting: On Monday and Tuesday, October 23-24, the meetings will occur in Conference Room 333 of the Hall of the States, 444 North Capitol Street, NW., Washington, DC 20001. On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, October 25-27, the meetings will occur in Conference Room 385 of the same building. Public seating is limited, and will be available on a ``first-come, first-served'' basis. Advance reservations are not required. Accessibility Statement: The entirety of this Commission meeting will be open to the public. Any member of the public is permitted to file a written statement with the Commission. Such statements may be left with the Commission's Executive Director during the meeting, or mailed or delivered to him at the Commission's office address: 444 North Capitol Street, Suite 602, Washington, DC 20001. The Commission's procedures for conducting its Annual Report preparation meetings do not provide for members of the public to speak during these meetings. The drafts prepared for Commissioners' use and consideration during the meeting are available for public inspection in the Commission's offices (see address above) during its normal office hours of 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Any member of the public may request copies of any of these materials, which shall be provided at the Commission's actual cost for photocopying10 cents per pagewith payment to be made in cash in advance. During the meeting, at various points the Commission may take breaks from work on its Annual Report to deal with various administrative matters, such as budgetary, scheduling, and personnel matters. Those matters are not subject to the open meeting requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act and at those times, all members of the public will be asked to depart the room. The circumstances under which the Commission is permitted to use appropriated funds to pay for food or beverages are limited, and this meeting does not qualify. Therefore, Commissioners have paid out of their own pockets for coffee and other refreshments for their consumption during the meeting, and for lunch; these will not be available to guests. Members of the public may obtain refreshments in a carry-out store on the ground floor of the building in which the meeting will be conducted, or may bring refreshments to the meeting from other sources.

The FDIC is adopting a final rule to implement the dividend requirements of the Federal Deposit Insurance Reform Act of 2005 (Reform Act) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Reform Conforming Amendments Act of 2005 (Amendments Act) for an initial two-year period. The final rule will take effect on January 1, 2007, and sunset on December 31, 2008. During this period the FDIC expects to initiate a second, more comprehensive notice-and-comment rulemaking on dividends beginning with an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking to explore alternative methods for distributing future dividends after this initial two-year period.

The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection(s), as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Public Law 104-13. An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid 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 (PRA) that does not display a valid control number. Comments are requested concerning (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.