Agencies and Commissions November 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Committee is proposing to add to the Procurement List products and services to be furnished by nonprofit agencies employing persons who are blind or have other severe disabilities. Comments Must Be Received on or Before: December 2, 2007.

The Commissioner of Social Security gives notice that on November 1, 2007, a supplementary agreement will enter into force which amends the Social Security agreement between the United States (U.S.) and Sweden that has been in effect since January 1, 1987. The supplementary agreement, which was signed on June 24, 2004, was concluded pursuant to section 233 of the Social Security Act. When the original agreement was concluded, Sweden had a two-tier Social Security system that consisted of an earnings-related, defined- benefit program and a residence-based, flat-rate benefit program. Recent Swedish legislation restructured the system. People born after 1953 are now covered by a program consisting of three components. The new Swedish system includes an earnings-related, defined-contribution benefit program administered by the government, a program of individual investment accounts, and a guaranteed minimum pension payable if income-based pensions and certain other income fall below specified levels. The primary purpose of the supplementary agreement is to conform the Swedish benefit provisions of the original agreement to Sweden's new Social Security system. The supplementary agreement also changes the provision that authorizes SSA to take into account Swedish periods of coverage in determining eligibility for U.S. Totalization benefits so that it refers to periods under the new Swedish pension program rather than the old program. The new Swedish Social Security law allows people to qualify for most benefits with very little coverage credit. It is not expected, therefore, that many people will need to have their U.S. and Swedish coverage credits totalized to become eligible for most Swedish benefits. The supplementary agreement provides that U.S. Social Security benefits will not be counted in applying pension offsets that normally reduce the amount of Swedish disability benefits. Thus, the supplementary agreement will provide U.S. workers enhanced disability benefit protection under the Swedish system at little, if any, additional cost to the U.S. Social Security system. In addition to the changes in the U.S. and Swedish benefit provisions, the supplementary agreement updates several other provisions to take account of amendments to both U.S. and Swedish laws and to conform the wording of the agreement to the more recent Totalization agreements concluded by the United States. Other changes in the agreement are merely clarifications to reflect the manner in which the agreement is currently applied. Individuals who wish to obtain copies of the supplementary agreement or want general information about its provisions may visit the Social Security Administration's Web site at https:// www.socialsecurity.gov/international or may write to the Social Security Administration, Office of International Programs, Post Office Box 17741, Baltimore, Maryland 21235.

This document announces the procedures and minimum opening bids for the upcoming auction of certain 700 MHz Band Licenses (Auctions 73 and 76). This document is intended to familiarize prospective bidders with the procedures and minimum opening bids for these auctions.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) amends its rules in order to ensure the efficient, rapid, and secure transmission of Emergency Alert System (EAS) alerts in a variety of formats (including text, audio, and video) and via different means (broadcast, cable, satellite, and other networks), increasing the reliability, security, and efficacy of the nation's EAS network.

The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107-252, 116 Stat. 1727, 42 U.S.C. 15532) transferred authority to promulgate regulations under the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA) (Pub. L. 93- 31, 197 Stat. 77, 42 U.S.C. 1973gg-1 et. seq. at 41 U.S.C. 1973gg-7(a)) from the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to the Election Assistance Commission (EAC). The EAC is presently considering the administrative transfer of NVRA regulations previously adopted and maintained by the FEC. These regulations are currently located at 11 CFR Part 8. In accordance with the Administrative Procedures Act (APA), this administrative transfer of the regulations would make no substantive changes to the FEC regulations and would be made without public comment. The only changes made would be technical, such as the address and contact information for the responsible agency. Following this administrative transfer of the regulations, the EAC would begin efforts to substantively amend the rules. This rulemaking process would include substantial public involvement, including public notice and comment pursuant to the APA. The EAC currently seeks public comment on whether the agency should administratively transfer regulations previously adopted and maintained by the FEC regarding the NVRA, currently located at 11 CFR Part 8, and then substantively amend those rules. Please note that the EAC does not seek substantive comment on the content of the existing regulations or potential modifications to the regulations.

In this document the Commission seeks comment on several issues relating to the Emergency Alert System (EAS), in order to ensure that EAS rules better protect the life and property of all Americans. Recognizing the need of all Americans to be alerted in the event of an emergency, the Commission seeks comment on those whose primary language is not English, and persons with disabilities, to determine how these communities might best be served by EAS. The Commission also seeks comment on whether emergency alerts transmitted by local authorities should be transmitted, and various ways that performance of EAS operation may be assessed.

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) has established an advisory committee to make recommendations for possible revisions to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) Accessibility Guidelines to include provisions for emergency transportable housing. This notice announces the dates, time, and location of the next committee meeting.

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) has established a Telecommunications and Electronic and Information Technology Advisory Committee (Committee) to assist it in revising and updating accessibility guidelines for telecommunications products and accessibility standards for electronic and information technology. This notice announces the dates, times, and location of six upcoming meetings of the committee, five of which will be held as conference calls, one of which will be an in-person meeting.

The Corporation for National and Community Service (hereinafter the ``Corporation''), as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance consultation program to provide the general public and federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA95) (44 U.S.C. Sec. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This program helps to ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of collection requirement on respondents can be properly assessed. Currently, the Corporation is soliciting comments concerning its proposed renewal of its Financial Management Survey (FMS) form. The FMS is a tool used by Corporation staff to assess the financial management capabilities of applicants for Corporation funding. Copies of the information collection requests can be obtained by contacting the individual listed in the For Further Information Contact section of this notice.

In this document, the Commission seeks comment on petitions filed by the Voice on the Net (VON) Coalition, the United States Telecom Association (USTelecom), and Hamilton Telephone Company (Hamilton) seeking a stay or waiver of certain aspects of the Commission's Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) Order (VoIP TRS Order). In particular, the Commission seeks comment on technical solutions to the ability of interconnected VoIP providers to route all 711 calls to an appropriate relay center and to the ability of a relay center to identify the appropriate public safety answering point (PSAP) to call when receiving an emergency call via 711 abbreviated TRS dialing access and an interconnected VoIP service. The Commission expects that interested parties will work together to achieve technical solutions that will enable emergency 711 calls placed through interconnected VoIP providers to be handled in accordance with the Commission's emergency call handling procedures.

The Commission hereby gives notice that it has instituted a review pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1675(c)) (the Act) to determine whether termination of the suspended investigation on fresh tomatoes from Mexico would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury. Pursuant to section 751(c)(2) of the Act, interested parties are requested to respond to this notice by submitting the information specified below to the Commission; \1\ to be assured of consideration, the deadline for responses is December 21, 2007. Comments on the adequacy of responses may be filed with the Commission by January 14, 2008. For further information concerning the conduct of this review and rules of general application, consult the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, part 201, subparts A through E (19 CFR part 201), and part 207, subparts A, D, E, and F (19 CFR part 207).

The Copyright Office is publishing a final rule amending its rules governing applications for registration of claims for renewal term of copyright. The regulations take into account the fact that, since January 1, 2006, all applications for renewal have necessarily related to works which are subject to automatic renewal and, thus, are already in their renewal terms, making impossible any 28th-year registration of claims to the renewal term.

The Advisory Committees on Appellate, Bankruptcy, Civil, and Criminal Rules have proposed amendments to the following rules: Appellate Rules: 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 19, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28.1, 30, 31, 39, 40, 41 and new Rule 12.1; Bankruptcy Rules: 1007, 1011, 1019, 1020, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2007.2, 2008, 2015, 2015.1, 2015.2, 2015.3, 2016, 3001, 3015, 3017, 3019, 3020, 4001, 4002, 4004, 4008, 6003, 6006, 6007, 7004, 7012, 7052, 8001, 8002, 8003, 8006, 8009, 8015, 8017, 9006, 9021, 9027, 9033, and new Rules 1017.1 and 7058, revisions to Official Form 8, and new Official Form 27; Civil Rules: 6, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, 23, 27, 32, 38, 48, 50, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 59, 62, 65, 68, 71.1, 72, 81, Supplemental Rules B, C, and G, and Illustrative Civil Forms 3, 4, 60, and new Rule 62.1; and Criminal Rules: 5.1, 7, 12.1, 12.3, 29, 32, 32.2, 33, 34, 35, 41, 45, 47, 58, 59, Rule 8 of the Rules Governing Sec. 2254 Cases and Rule 8 of the Rules Governing Sec. 2255 Proceedings, and Rule 11 and new Rule 12 of the Rules Governing Sec. 2254 Cases, and Rule 11 of the Rules Governing Sec. 2255 Proceedings. The text of the proposed rules amendments and new rules and the accompanying Committee Notes can be found at the United States Federal Courts' Home Page at https://www.uscourts.gov/rules. The Judicial Conference Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure submits these proposed rules amendments and new rules for public comment. All comments and suggestions with respect to them must be placed in the hands of the Secretary as soon as convenient and, in any event, not later than February 15, 2008. All written comments on the proposed rule amendments can be sent by one of the following three ways: By overnight mail to Peter G. McCabe, Secretary, Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure of the Judicial Conference of the United States, Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building, Washington, DC 20544; by electronic mail at Rules Comments@ao.uscourts.gov; or by facsimile to Peter G. McCabe at (202) 502-1766. In accordance with established procedures all comments submitted on the proposed amendments are available to public inspection. Public hearings are scheduled to be held on the amendments to: Appellate Rules in Pasadena, California, on January 16, 2008, and in New Orleans, Louisiana, on February 1, 2008; Bankruptcy Rules in Pasadena, California, on January 16, 2008, and in Washington, DC, on January 25, 2008; Civil Rules in Pasadena, California, on January 16, 2008, and in Washington, DC, on January 28, 2008; and Criminal Rules in Pasadena, California, on January 16, 2008, and in Washington, DC, on January 18, 2008.

Pursuant to the provisions of the ``Government in the Sunshine Act'' (5 U.S.C. 552b), notice is hereby given of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board's (Board) public hearing and meeting described below. The Board will conduct a public hearing and meeting pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 2286b and invites any interested persons or groups to present any comments, technical information, or data concerning safety issues related to the matters to be considered.