Agencies and Commissions November 25, 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the FTC is seeking public comments on its request to OMB for a three- year extension of the current PRA clearance for information collection requirements contained in the Trade Regulation Rule entitled Power Output Claims for Amplifiers Utilized in Home Entertainment Products (Amplifier Rule or Rule), 16 CFR part 432 (OMB Control Number 3084- 0105). That clearance expires on December 31, 2014.

In this document, the Wireline Competition Bureau adopts a specific methodology for calculating reasonable comparability benchmarks for fixed broadband services. The methodology the Commission adopts today establishes reasonable comparability broadband benchmarks that vary, depending on the supported service's download and upload bandwidths and usage allowance.

In April 2014, PBGC proposed to amend its regulations to clarify the treatment of benefits resulting from a rollover distribution from a defined contribution plan to a defined benefit plan, if the defined benefit plan was terminated and trusteed by PBGC. Under the proposal, a benefit resulting from rollover amounts generally would not be subject to PBGC's maximum guaranteeable benefit or phase- in limitations and would be in the second highest priority category of benefits in the allocation of assets. PBGC is now finalizing that proposal. Except for making minor clarifications suggested by commenters, the final regulation is the same as the proposed regulation. This rulemaking is part of PBGC's efforts to enhance retirement security by promoting lifetime income options.

The Postal Service hereby provides notice that it has filed a request with the Postal Regulatory Commission to transfer First-Class Mail Parcels from the Mail Classification Schedule's Market-Dominant Product List to its Competitive Product List.

The Federal Trade Commission publishes this request for public comment concerning a proposed parental consent method submitted by AgeCheq Inc. (``AgeCheq'') under the Voluntary Commission Approval Processes provision of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule. This is the second proposed new method submitted by AgeCheq.

This document is issued under the joint authority of DOD, GSA, and NASA. This Small Entity Compliance Guide has been prepared in accordance with section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996. It consists of a summary of the rules appearing in Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-78, which amends the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). An asterisk (*) next to a rule indicates that a regulatory flexibility analysis has been prepared. Interested parties may obtain further information regarding these rules by referring to FAC 2005-78, which precedes this document. These documents are also available via the Internet at https:// www.regulations.gov.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are issuing a final rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to clarify when to use higher- level quality standards in solicitations and contracts. The rule also updates the examples of higher-level quality standards by removing obsolete standards and adding new industry standards that pertain to quality assurance for avoidance of counterfeit items.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are issuing a final rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement the Streamlining Claims Processing for Federal Contractor Employees Act which amends the United States Code (U.S.C.) to transfer certain functions from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to the Department of Labor (DOL) relating to the processing of claims for the payment of workers who were not paid appropriate wages under certain provisions of the U.S.C.

This document summarizes the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) rules agreed to by the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) in this Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-78. A companion document, the Small Entity Compliance Guide (SECG), follows this FAC. The FAC, including the SECG, is available via the Internet at https://www.regulations.gov.

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), agencies are required to publish a Notice in the Federal Register notifying the public that the agency is renewing an information collection for OMB review and approval and requests public review and comment on the submission. Comments are being solicited on the need for the information; the accuracy of the Agency's burden estimate; the quality, practical utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize reporting the burden, including automated collected techniques and uses of other forms of technology.

The FDIC is proposing to amend its filing requirements and processing procedures for notices filed under the Change in Bank Control Act (Notices). The proposed amendments are intended to accomplish several objectives. First, the proposed rule would consolidate into one subpart the current requirements and procedures for Notices filed with respect to State nonmember banks and certain parent companies thereof, and the requirements and procedures for Notices filed with respect to State savings associations and certain parent companies thereof. Second, the proposed rule would rescind the FDIC's separate regulation governing the requirements and procedures for Notices filed with respect to State savings associations and certain parent companies thereof and would rescind any guidance issued by the Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) relating to changes in control of State savings associations that is inconsistent with the proposed rule. Third, the proposed rule would adopt the best practices of the related regulations of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board of Governors). Finally, the proposed rule would clarify the FDIC's requirements and procedures based on its experience interpreting and implementing the existing regulation. This proposed rule is also part of the FDIC's continuing review of its regulations under the Economic Growth and Regulatory Paperwork Reduction Act of 1996.