Agencies and Commissions May 1, 2014 – 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 employee receives monthly pension payments, or a lump-sum pension payment from a private pension from a railroad employer, to the extent the payments are based on contributions from that employer. The employee's own contribution to their pension account does not cause a reduction. A private railroad employer pension is defined in 20 CFR 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 plans cause reductions to the supplemental annuity; (b) whether the employee receives monthly payments from a private railroad employer pension, elected to receive a lump-sum in lieu of month pension payments from such a plan; (c) the date monthly pension payments began or a lump-sum payment was received; and (d) the amount of the payments attributable to the railroad employer's contributions. The requirement that railroad employers furnish pension information to the RRB is contained in 20 CFR 209.2. The RRB currently utilizes Form G-88p, Employer's Supplemental Pension Report, and Form G-88r, Request for Information About New or Revised Employer Pension Plan, to obtain the necessary information from railroad employers. One response is requested of each respondent. Completion is mandatory. The RRB proposes to revise Forms G-88p and G-88r to remove information related to the reporting of 401(k) savings plans and to make other editorial changes. The RRB also proposes the implementation of an Internet equivalent version of Form G-88p that can be submitted through the Employer Reporting System.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has submitted the following information collection requirement to OMB for review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). This is the second notice for public comment; the 60-day Federal Register notice was published for public comment on April 9, 2013, at 78 FR 21162, and amended on April 12, 2013, at 78 FR 21979. No comments were received. NSF is forwarding the proposed submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance simultaneously with the publication of this second notice. The full submission may be found at https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Comments: Comments regarding (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of NSF, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of NSF's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of appropriate automated or other forms of information technology should be addressed to: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for National Science Foundation, 725 7th Street NW., Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, and Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1265, Arlington, VA 22230 or send email to splimpto@nsf.gov. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339, which is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year (including federal holidays).

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 35013520), the Federal Communications Commission invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection(s). Comments are requested concerning: 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; the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; 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; and ways to further reduce the information burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees. The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB 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 OMB control number.

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), the Federal Communication Commission (FCC or Commission) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collections. Comments are requested concerning: 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; the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; 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; and ways to further reduce the information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees. The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the PRA that does not display a valid OMB control number.

In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), the FDIC may not conduct or sponsor, and the respondent is not required to respond to, an information collection unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, the FDIC invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on an extension, without change, of an existing information collection. On February 24, 2014 (79 FR 10150), the FDIC requested comment for 60 days on extension for three years of its information collection entitled Regulatory Capital Rules (OMB No. 3064-0153). No comments were received on the proposal to extend. The FDIC hereby gives notice of submission to OMB of its request to extend the collection.

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. International Trade Commission has determined not to review an initial determination (Order No. 18) granting a motion for summary determination of no copyright infringement and an initial determination (Order No. 22) concluding no unfair competition and terminating the investigation in Inv. No. 337- TA-886, Certain TV Programs, Literary Works for TV Production and Episode Guides. The investigation is terminated with a finding of no violation.

The NCUA Board (Board) proposes to amend the associational common bond provisions of NCUA's chartering and field of membership rules. Specifically, the amendments establish a threshold requirement that an association not be formed primarily for the purpose of expanding credit union membership. The amendments also expand the criteria in the totality of the circumstances test, which is used to determine if an association, which satisfies the threshold requirement, also satisfies the associational common bond requirements and qualifies for inclusion in a federal credit union's (FCU) field of membership (FOM). The amendments will help to ensure FCU compliance with membership requirements. Additionally, NCUA proposes to grant automatic qualification under the associational common bond rules to certain categories of groups that NCUA has approved in the past after applying the totality of the circumstances test.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board), and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) (collectively, the agencies) are adopting a final rule that strengthens the agencies' supplementary leverage ratio standards for large, interconnected U.S. banking organizations (the final rule). The final rule applies to any U.S. top- tier bank holding company (BHC) with more than $700 billion in total consolidated assets or more than $10 trillion in assets under custody (covered BHC) and any insured depository institution (IDI) subsidiary of these BHCs (together, covered organizations). In the revised regulatory capital rule adopted by the agencies in July 2013 (2013 revised capital rule), the agencies established a minimum supplementary leverage ratio of 3 percent, consistent with the minimum leverage ratio adopted by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS), for banking organizations subject to the agencies' advanced approaches risk-based capital rules. The final rule establishes enhanced supplementary leverage ratio standards for covered BHCs and their subsidiary IDIs. Under the final rule, an IDI that is a subsidiary of a covered BHC must maintain a supplementary leverage ratio of at least 6 percent to be well capitalized under the agencies' prompt corrective action (PCA) framework. The Board also is adopting in the final rule a supplementary leverage ratio buffer (leverage buffer) for covered BHCs of 2 percent above the minimum supplementary leverage ratio requirement of 3 percent. The leverage buffer functions like the capital conservation buffer for the risk-based capital ratios in the 2013 revised capital rule. A covered BHC that maintains a leverage buffer of tier 1 capital in an amount greater than 2 percent of its total leverage exposure is not subject to limitations on distributions and discretionary bonus payments under the final rule. Elsewhere in today's Federal Register, the agencies are proposing changes to the 2013 revised capital rule's supplementary leverage ratio, including changes to the definition of total leverage exposure, which would apply to all advanced approaches banking organizations and thus, if adopted, would affect banking organizations subject to this final rule.

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 revocation of the antidumping duty order on saccharin from China 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 June 2, 2014. Comments on the adequacy of responses may be filed with the Commission by July 14, 2014. For further information concerning the conduct of this proceeding 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).