Agencies and Commissions October 16, 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Copyright Office is issuing interim regulations pursuant to the Classics Protection and Access Act, title II of the recently enacted Orrin G. Hatch-Bob Goodlatte Music Modernization Act. These regulations pertain to the filing of schedules by rights owners listing their sound recordings fixed before February 15, 1972, and the filing of contact information by entities publicly performing these sound recordings by means of digital audio transmission. As required under the Act, the Office is also specifying how individuals may request timely notification of the filing of such schedules with the Office. These regulations are issued on an interim basis with opportunity for comment to comply with statutory requirements and to ensure that both rights owners and transmitting entities can promptly make use of these new filing mechanisms to protect their respective legal interests. The Office welcomes comment on these interim rules.

We are giving notice of an agreement coordinating the United States (U.S.) and Brazilian social security programs effective on October 1, 2018. The Agreement with Brazil, which was signed on June 30, 2015, is similar to U.S. social security agreements already in force with 26 other countriesAustralia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea (South), Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Section 233 of the Social Security Act authorizes agreements of this type. Like the other agreements, the U.S.-Brazilian Agreement eliminates dual social security coverage. This situation exists when a worker from one country works in the other country and has coverage under the social security systems of both countries for the same work. Without such agreements in force, when dual coverage occurs, the worker, the worker's employer, or both may be required to pay social security contributions to the two countries simultaneously. Under the U.S.- Brazilian Agreement, a worker who is sent by an employer in one country to work in the other country for 5 or fewer years remains covered only by the sending country. The Agreement includes additional rules that eliminate dual U.S. and Brazilian coverage in other work situations. The Agreement also helps eliminate situations where workers suffer a loss of benefit rights because they have divided their careers between the two countries. Under the Agreement, workers may qualify for partial U.S. benefits or partial Brazilian benefits based on combined (totalized) work credits from both countries. Persons who wish to obtain copies of the Agreement or want more information about its provisions may write to the Social Security Administration, Office of International Programs, Post Office Box 17741, Baltimore, MD 21235-7741 or visit the Social Security website at www.socialsecurity.gov/international. The full text of the Agreement and its accompanying Administrative Arrangement is available at https:/ /www.ssa.gov/international/Agreement_Texts/brazil.html.

The Commission is noticing a recently filed Postal Service notice of inflation-based rate adjustments affecting market dominant domestic and international products and services, along with temporary mailing promotions and numerous proposed classification changes. The adjustments and other changes are scheduled to take effect January 27, 2019. This notice informs the public of the filing, invites public comment, and takes other administrative steps.

The Commission is acknowledging a recent filing requesting the Commission initiate a rulemaking proceeding to consider changes to analytical principles relating to periodic reports (Proposal Eight). This document informs the public of the filing, invites public comment, and takes other administrative steps.