Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 245 / Friday, December 21, 2018 / Notices 65779 

17 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A). 

18 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f). 19 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12). 

1Historical data provides characteristics about 

specific incidents that occurred in the past. 

Longitudinal data is information provided at 

intervals over time to indicate change over time, 

e.g., benefit amounts in each months from 1994 

through the end of the file. One-time data provides 

information about a beneficiary that does not 

change over time, e.g., sex or date of birth. 

C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s 

Statement on Comments on the 

Proposed Rule Change Received From 

Members, Participants, or Others 

No written comments were either 

solicited or received. 

III. Date of Effectiveness of the 

Proposed Rule Change and Timing for 

Commission Action 

The foregoing rule change has become 

effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) 

of the Act 17 and paragraph (f) of Rule 

19b–4 18 thereunder. At any time within 

60 days of the filing of the proposed rule 

change, the Commission summarily may 

temporarily suspend such rule change if 

it appears to the Commission that such 

action is necessary or appropriate in the 

public interest, for the protection of 

investors, or otherwise in furtherance of 

the purposes of the Act. If the 

Commission takes such action, the 

Commission will institute proceedings 

to determine whether the proposed rule 

change should be approved or 

disapproved. 

IV. Solicitation of Comments 

Interested persons are invited to 

submit written data, views, and 

arguments concerning the foregoing, 

including whether the proposed rule 

change is consistent with the Act. 

Comments may be submitted by any of 

the following methods: 

Electronic Comments 

• Use the Commission’s internet 

comment form (http://www.sec.gov/ 

rules/sro.shtml); or 

• Send an email to rule-comments@

sec.gov. Please include File Number SR– 

CboeEDGX–2018–059 on the subject 

line. 

Paper Comments 

• Send paper comments in triplicate 

to Secretary, Securities and Exchange 

Commission, 100 F Street NE, 

Washington, DC 20549–1090. 

All submissions should refer to File 

Number SR–CboeEDGX–2018–059. This 

file number should be included on the 

subject line if email is used. To help the 

Commission process and review your 

comments more efficiently, please use 

only one method. The Commission will 

post all comments on the Commission’s 

internet website (http://www.sec.gov/ 

rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the 

submission, all subsequent 

amendments, all written statements 

with respect to the proposed rule 

change that are filed with the 

Commission, and all written 

communications relating to the 

proposed rule change between the 

Commission and any person, other than 

those that may be withheld from the 

public in accordance with the 

provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be 

available for website viewing and 

printing in the Commission’s Public 

Reference Room, 100 F Street NE, 

Washington, DC 20549, on official 

business days between the hours of 

10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the 

filing also will be available for 

inspection and copying at the principal 

office of the Exchange. All comments 

received will be posted without change. 

Persons submitting comments are 

cautioned that we do not redact or edit 

personal identifying information from 

comment submissions. You should 

submit only information that you wish 

to make available publicly. All 

submissions should refer to File 

Number SR–CboeEDGX–2018–059 and 

should be submitted on or before 

January 11, 2019. 

For the Commission, by the Division of 

Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated 

authority.19

Eduardo A. Aleman, 

Deputy Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2018–27611 Filed 12–20–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8011–01–P 

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION 

[Docket No. SSA–2018–0042] 

Privacy Act of 1974; System of 

Records 

AGENCY: Office of Retirement and 

Disability Policy, Office of Research, 

Demonstration, and Employment 

Support, Social Security Administration 

(SSA). 

ACTION: Notice of a New System of 

Records. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Privacy Act of 1974, we are issuing 

public notice of our intent to establish 

a new system of records entitled the 

Disability Analysis File (DAF) and the 

National Beneficiary Survey (NBS) Data 

System, (60–0382). This notice 

publishes details of the system as set 

forth under the caption SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION. 

DATES: This system of records is 

effective upon its publication in today’s 

Federal Register, with the exception of 

the routine uses, which are effective 

January 22, 2019. We invite public 

comment on the routine uses or other 

aspects of this system of records. In 

accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(4) and 

(e)(11), the public is given a 30-day 

period in which to submit comments. 

Please submit any comments by January 

22, 2019. 

ADDRESSES: The public, Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB), and 

Congress may comment on this 

publication by writing to the Executive 

Director, Office of Privacy and 

Disclosure, Office of the General 

Counsel, Social Security 

Administration, Room G–401 West High 

Rise, 6401 Security Boulevard, 

Baltimore, Maryland 21235–6401, or 

through the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal 

at http://www.regulations.gov, please 

reference docket number SSA–2018– 

0042. All comments we receive will be 

available for public inspection at the 

above address and we will post them to 

http://www.regulations.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Andrea Huseth, Government 

Information Specialist, Privacy 

Implementation Division, Office of 

Privacy and Disclosure, Office of the 

General Counsel, SSA, Room G–401 

West High Rise, 6401 Security 

Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21235– 

6401, telephone: (410) 965–6868, email: 

andrea.huseth@ssa.gov and Tristin 

Dorsey, Government Information 

Specialist, Privacy Implementation 

Division, Office of Privacy and 

Disclosure, Office of the General 

Counsel, SSA, Room G–401 West High 

Rise, 6401 Security Boulevard, 

Baltimore, Maryland 21235–6401, 

telephone: (410) 965–2950, email: 

tristin.dorsey@ssa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DAF 

is an analytical file consisting of agency 

program data in an easy-to-use format. 

Each year, we create a new version of 

the file. The DAF contains historical, 

longitudinal, and one-time data 1 on all 

beneficiaries with disabilities who were 

between age 18 and retirement age and 

who participated in the Social Security 

Disability Insurance (SSDI) or 

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) 

programs at any time between 1996 and 

the year of the file. The file also 

includes data on SSI child beneficiaries 

who participated in the SSI program. 

The NBS collects data from a national 

sample of SSDI and SSI beneficiaries, 

covering a wide range of topics 

including socio-demographic 

information, limiting conditions, health 


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and functional status, health insurance, 

interest in work, barriers to work, use of 

services, employment, income, and 

experience with Social Security 

programs including Ticket to Work. 

In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552a(r), 

we have provided a report to OMB and 

Congress on this new system of records. 

Dated: October 1, 2018. 

Mary Zimmerman, 

Acting Executive Director, Office of Privacy 

and Disclosure, Office of the General Counsel. 

SYSTEM NAME AND NUMBER 

Disability Analysis File (DAF) and the 

National Beneficiary Survey (NBS) Data 

System, 60–0382. 

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION: 

Unclassified. 

SYSTEM LOCATION: 

Social Security Administration, Office 

of Retirement and Disability Policy, 

Office of Research, Demonstration, and 

Employment Support, 6401 Security 

Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21235. 

SYSTEM MANAGER(S): 

Social Security Administration, 

Deputy Commissioner for Retirement 

and Disability Policy, Office of 

Research, Demonstration, and 

Employment Support, 6401 Security 

Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21235, 

∧ORDES_Controls@ssa.gov. 

AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM: 

Sections 234, 1106, and 1110 of the 

Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 434, 

1306, and 1310) and SSA Regulations 

(20 CFR part 401.165). 

PURPOSE(S) OF THE SYSTEM: 

We use this system to perform 

research about SSDI and/or SSI 

beneficiaries. We may also grant outside 

researchers access to information in this 

system when conducting SSA-approved 

research. Internal and external 

researchers and statisticians use the data 

to perform in-depth research including, 

but not limited to, examining the 

medical, economic, and social 

consequences of limitations in work 

activity for individuals with disabilities 

and their families; program planning 

and evaluation; evaluation of proposals 

for policy and legislative changes; and, 

to determine the characteristics of 

program applicants and benefit 

recipients. 

CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE

SYSTEM: 

We maintain information about past, 

present, and potential beneficiaries (e.g., 

denied applicants) of SSDI and SSI, as 

well as State Vocational Rehabilitation 

programs. 

CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM: 

The categories of records in this 

system include name; Social Security 

number (SSN); socioeconomic data (e.g., 

education, work, and earnings); 

demographics, (e.g., date of birth, date 

of death, sex, and state of residence); 

medical characteristics, (e.g., number of 

limitations, self-reported health, mental 

health score); disability characteristics, 

(e.g. primary diagnosis code and dual 

eligibility); information concerning 

subjects, (e.g., health, self-reported 

health status, work experience, and 

family relationships); benefits, (e.g., 

combined SSI and SSDI); and use of 

medical and rehabilitative services, 

(e.g., agency closure type and service 

use). 

RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES: 

We obtain information in this system 

from other SSA systems of records, 

including but not limited to 60–0050, 

Completed Determination Record— 

Continuing Disability Determinations; 

60–0058, Master File of Social Security 

Number (SSN) Holders and SSN 

Applications; 60–0090, Master 

Beneficiary Record; 60–0103, 

Supplemental Security Income Record 

and Special Veterans Benefits; 60–0221, 

Vocational Rehabilitation 

Reimbursement Case Processing System; 

60–0295, Ticket-to-Work and SelfSufficiency Program Payment Database; 

and 60–0320, Electronic Disability 

(eDIB) Claim File. 

The system also contains data from 

system of records 60–0059, Earnings 

Recording and Self-Employment Income 

System. Only SSA staff have access to 

data from the Earnings Recording and 

Self-Employment Income System. 

We also obtain information in this 

system from other Federal agencies (e.g., 

the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. 

Department of Education (e.g., the 

Rehabilitation Services Administration, 

for vocational rehabilitation program 

applicant or participant data)); surveys 

(e.g., the National Beneficiary Survey); 

and other extramural research 

conducted under agreements, contracts, 

and grants between SSA and other 

agencies or entities. 

ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS COVERED IN THE

SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES OF USERS AND

THE PURPOSES OF SUCH USES: 

We will disclose records pursuant to 

the following routine uses; however, we 

will not disclose any information 

defined as ‘‘return or return 

information’’ under 26 U.S.C. 6103 of 

the Internal Revenue Code, unless 

authorized by statute, the Internal 

Revenue Service (IRS), or IRS 

regulations. 

1. To contractors and Federal 

agencies, as necessary, for the purpose 

of assisting SSA in the efficient 

administration of its programs. We will 

disclose information under this routine 

use only in situations in which SSA 

may enter into a contractual or similar 

agreement with a third party to assist in 

accomplishing an agency function 

relating to this system of records. 

2. To contractors, cooperative 

agreement awardees, State agencies, 

Federal agencies, and Federal 

congressional support agencies for 

research and statistical activities that are 

designed to increase knowledge about 

present or alternative Social Security 

programs; are of importance to the 

Social Security program or the Social 

Security beneficiaries; or are for an 

epidemiological project that relates to 

the Social Security program or 

beneficiaries. We will disclose 

information under this routine use 

pursuant only to a written agreement 

with SSA. 

3. To organizations and agencies that 

have been granted on-site access only to 

the DAF–NBS system for research and 

statistics activities that are designed to 

increase knowledge about present or 

alternative Social Security programs; are 

of importance to the Social Security 

program or the Social Security 

beneficiaries; or are for an 

epidemiological project that relates to 

the Social Security program or 

beneficiaries. We will disclose 

information under this routine use 

pursuant only to a written agreement 

between the organization or agency and 

SSA. 

4. To student volunteers, individuals 

working under a personal services 

contract, and other workers who 

technically do not have the status of 

Federal employees, when they are 

performing work for SSA, as authorized 

by law, and they need access to 

personally identifiable information (PII) 

in SSA records in order to perform their 

assigned agency functions. 

5. To a congressional office in 

response to an inquiry from that office 

made on behalf of, and at the request of, 

the subject of the record or third party 

acting on the subject’s behalf. 

6. To the Office of the President, in 

response to an inquiry from that office 

made on behalf of, and at the request of, 

the subject of record or a third party 

acting on the subject’s behalf. 

7. To the Department of Justice (DOJ), 

a court or other tribunal, or another 

party before such court or tribunal, 

when: 

(a) SSA, or any component thereof; or 

(b) any SSA employee in his/her 

official capacity; or 


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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 245 / Friday, December 21, 2018 / Notices 65781 

(c) any SSA employee in his/her 

individual capacity where DOJ (or SSA 

where it is authorized to do so) has 

agreed to represent the employee; or 

(d) the United States or any agency 

thereof where SSA determines the 

litigation is likely to affect SSA or any 

of its components,is a party to the 

litigation or has an interest in such 

litigation, and SSA determines that the 

use of such records by DOJ, a court or 

other tribunal, or another party before 

the tribunal is relevant and necessary to 

the litigation, provided, however, that in 

each case, the agency determines that 

disclosure of the records to DOJ, court 

or other tribunal, or another party is a 

use of the information contained in the 

records that is compatible with the 

purpose for which the records were 

collected. 

8. To Federal, State and local law 

enforcement agencies and private 

security contractors as appropriate, 

information necessary: 

(a) To enable them to protect the 

safety of SSA employees and customers, 

the security of the SSA workplace, and 

the operation of SSA facilities; or 

(b) to assist in investigations or 

prosecutions with respect to activities 

that affect such safety and security or 

activities that disrupt the operation of 

SSA facilities. 

9. To the National Archives and 

Records Administration (NARA) under 

44 U.S.C. 2904 and 2906. 

10. To appropriate agencies, entities, 

and persons when: 

(a) SSA suspects or has confirmed 

that there has been a breach of the 

system of records; 

(b) SSA has determined that, as a 

result of the suspected or confirmed 

breach, there is a risk of harm to 

individuals, SSA (including its 

information systems, programs, and 

operations), the Federal Government, or 

national security; and 

(c) the disclosure made to such 

agencies, entities, and persons is 

reasonably necessary to assist in 

connections with SSA’s efforts to 

respond to the suspected or confirmed 

breach or to prevent, minimize, or 

remedy such harm. 

11. To another Federal agency or 

Federal entity, when the SSA 

determines that information from this 

system of records is reasonably 

necessary to assist the recipient agency 

or entity in: 

(a) Responding to a suspected or 

confirmed breach; or 

(b) preventing, minimizing, or 

remedying the risk of harm to 

individuals, the recipient agency or 

entity (including its information 

systems, programs, and operations), the 

Federal Government, or national 

security, resulting from a suspected or 

confirmed breach. 

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORAGE OF

RECORDS: 

We store data in paper form (e.g., 

questionnaire forms, computer 

printouts) and in electronic form (e.g., 

magnetic tape and disc). 

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETRIEVAL OF

RECORDS: 

We retrieve files by case number or 

SSN. We also retrieve files by 

socioeconomic, demographic, medical, 

and disability characteristics. 

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETENTION AND

DISPOSAL OF RECORDS: 

We retain records until 90 days old or 

no longer needed pursuant to 

supervisory authorization, whichever is 

appropriate, in accordance with the 

approved NARA General Records 

Schedule 4.2: Information Access and 

Protection Records (DAA–GRS–2013– 

0007–0012). 

ADMINISTRATIVE, TECHNICAL, AND PHYSICAL

SAFEGUARDS: 

We retain electronic and paper files 

with personal identifiers in secure 

storage areas accessible only by our 

authorized employees and contractors 

who have a need for the information 

when performing their official duties. 

Security measures include the use of 

codes and profiles, personal 

identification number and password, 

and personal identification verification 

cards. We keep paper records in locked 

cabinets within secure areas, with 

access limited to only those employees 

who have an official need for access in 

order to perform their duties. To the 

maximum extent consistent with the 

approved research needs, we purge 

personal identifiers from micro-data 

files prepared for purposes of research 

and subject these files to procedural 

safeguards to assure anonymity. 

We annually provide our employees 

and contractors with appropriate 

security awareness training that 

includes reminders about the need to 

protect PII and the criminal penalties 

that apply to unauthorized access to, or 

disclosure of, PII (5 U.S.C. 552a(i)(1)). 

Furthermore, employees and contractors 

with access to databases maintaining PII 

must sign a sanctions document 

annually, acknowledging their 

accountability for inappropriately 

accessing or disclosing such 

information. 

In addition, all external researchers 

accessing information from the DAF– 

NBS system of records will be required 

to complete the appropriate security 

awareness training, which includes 

reminders about the need to protect PII 

and the criminal penalties that apply to 

unauthorized access to, or disclosure of, 

PII. 

RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES: 

Individuals may submit requests for 

notification of, or access to, information 

about them contained in this system by 

submitting a written request to the 

system manager at the above address, 

which includes their name, SSN, or 

other information that may be in this 

system of records that will identify 

them. Individuals requesting 

notification of, or access to, a record by 

mail must include (1) a notarized 

statement to verify their identity or (2) 

must certify in the request that they are 

the individual they claim to be and that 

they understand that the knowing and 

willful request for, or acquisition of, a 

record pertaining to another individual 

under false pretenses is a criminal 

offense. 

Individuals requesting notification of, 

or access to, records may also make an 

in-person request by providing their 

name, SSN, or other information that 

may be in this system of records that 

will identify them, as well as provide an 

identifying document, preferably with a 

photograph, such as a driver’s license. 

Individuals lacking identification 

documents sufficient to establish their 

identity must certify in writing that they 

are the individual they claim to be and 

that they understand that the knowing 

and willful request for, acquisition of, a 

record pertaining to another individual 

under false pretenses is a criminal 

offense. These procedures are in 

accordance with our regulations at 20 

CFR 401.40 and 401.45. 

CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES: 

Same as record access procedures. 

Individuals should also reasonably 

identify the record, specify the 

information they are contesting, and 

state the corrective action sought and 

the reasons for the correction with 

supporting justification showing how 

the record is incomplete, untimely, 

inaccurate, or irrelevant. These 

procedures are in accordance with our 

regulations at 20 CFR 401.65(a). 

NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES: 

Same as record access procedures. 

These procedures are in accordance 

with our regulations at 20 CFR 401.40 

and 401.45. 

EXEMPTIONS PROMULGATED FOR THE SYSTEM: 

None. 


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65782 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 245 / Friday, December 21, 2018 / Notices 

HISTORY: 

None. 

[FR Doc. 2018–27665 Filed 12–20–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4191–02–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice: 10637] 

Notice of Determinations; Culturally 

Significant Objects Imported for 

Exhibition—Determinations: 

‘‘Tintoretto: Artist of Renaissance 

Venice’’ Exhibition 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the 

following determinations: I hereby 

determine that certain objects to be 

included in the exhibition ‘‘Tintoretto: 

Artist of Renaissance Venice,’’ imported 

from abroad for temporary exhibition 

within the United States, are of cultural 

significance. The objects are imported 

pursuant to loan agreements with the 

foreign owners or custodians. I also 

determine that the exhibition or display 

of the exhibit objects at the National 

Gallery of Art, Washington, District of 

Columbia, from on or about March 10, 

2019, until on or about July 7, 2019, and 

at possible additional exhibitions or 

venues yet to be determined, is in the 

national interest. I have ordered that 

Public Notice of these determinations be 

published in the Federal Register. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Elliot Chiu, Attorney-Adviser, Office of 

the Legal Adviser, U.S. Department of 

State (telephone: 202–632–6471; email: 

section2459@state.gov). The mailing 

address is U.S. Department of State, 

L/PD, SA–5, Suite 5H03, Washington, 

DC 20522–0505. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

foregoing determinations were made 

pursuant to the authority vested in me 

by the Act of October 19, 1965 (79 Stat. 

985; 22 U.S.C. 2459), E.O. 12047 of 

March 27, 1978, the Foreign Affairs 

Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 

(112 Stat. 2681, et seq.; 22 U.S.C. 6501 

note, et seq.), Delegation of Authority 

No. 234 of October 1, 1999, Delegation 

of Authority No. 236–3 of August 28, 

2000, and Delegation of Authority No. 

236–21 of December 14, 2018. 

Jennifer Z. Galt, 

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for 

Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department 

of State. 

[FR Doc. 2018–27631 Filed 12–20–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice: 10635] 

Secretary of State’s Determination 

Under the International Religious 

Freedom Act of 1998 and Frank R. Wolf 

International Religious Freedom Act of 

2016 

The Secretary of State’s designation of 

‘‘countries of particular concern’’ and 

‘‘special watch list’’ countries for 

religious freedom violations pursuant to 

Section 408(a) of the International 

Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (Pub. L. 

105–292), as amended (the Act). Notice 

is hereby given that, on November 28, 

2018, the Secretary of State, under 

authority delegated by the President, 

designated each of the following as a 

‘‘country of particular concern’’ (CPC) 

under section 402(b) of the Act, for 

having engaged in or tolerated 

particularly severe violations of 

religious freedom: Burma, China, 

Eritrea, Iran, the Democratic People’s 

Republic of Korea, Pakistan, Saudi 

Arabia, Sudan, Tajikistan, 

Turkmenistan. The Secretary 

simultaneously designated the following 

Presidential Actions for these CPCs: 

For Burma, the existing ongoing 

restrictions referenced in 22 CFR 126.1, 

pursuant to section 402(c)(5) of the Act; 

For China, the existing ongoing 

restriction on exports to China of crime 

control and detection instruments and 

equipment, under the Foreign Relations 

Authorization Act of 1990 and 1991 

(Pub. L. 101–246), pursuant to section 

402(c)(5) of the Act; 

For Eritrea, the existing ongoing 

restrictions referenced in 22 CFR 126.1, 

pursuant to section 402(c)(5) of the Act; 

For Iran, the existing ongoing travel 

restrictions in section 221(c) of the Iran 

Threat Reduction and Syria Human 

Rights Act of 2012 (TRA) for individuals 

identified under section 221(a)(1)(C) of 

the TRA in connection with the 

commission of serious human rights 

abuses, pursuant to section 402(c)(5) of 

the Act; 

For the Democratic People’s Republic 

of Korea, the existing ongoing 

restrictions to which the Democratic 

People’s Republic of Korea is subject, 

pursuant to sections 402 and 409 of the 

Trade Act of 1974 (the Jackson-Vanik 

Amendment), pursuant to section 

402(c)(5) of the Act; 

For Pakistan, a waiver as required in 

the ‘‘important national interest of the 

United States,’’ pursuant to section 407 

of the Act; 

For Saudi Arabia, a waiver as required 

in the ‘‘important national interest of 

the United States,’’ pursuant to section 

407 of the Act; 

For Sudan, the restriction in the 

annual Department of State, Foreign 

Operations, and Related Programs 

Appropriations Act on making certain 

appropriated funds available for 

assistance to the Government of Sudan, 

currently set forth in section 7042(i) of 

the Department of State, Foreign 

Operations, and Related Programs 

Appropriations Act, 2018 (Div. K, Pub. 

L. 115–141), and any provision of law 

that is the same or substantially the 

same as this provision, pursuant to 

section 402(c)(5) of the Act; 

For Tajikistan, a waiver as required in 

the ‘‘important national interest of the 

United States,’’ pursuant to section 407 

of the Act; 

For Turkmenistan, a waiver as 

required in the ‘‘important national 

interest of the United States,’’ pursuant 

to section 407 of the Act; and 

In addition, the Secretary of State has 

designated the following countries as 

‘‘special watch list’’ countries for 

engaging in or tolerating severe 

violations of religious freedom: 

Comoros, Russia, and Uzbekistan. 

The Secretary of State’s designation of 

‘‘entities of particular concern’’ for 

religious freedom, pursuant to Section 

408(a) of the International Religious 

Freedom Act of 1998 (Pub. L. 105–292). 

Notice is hereby given that, on 

November 28, 2018, the Secretary of 

State, under authority delegated by the 

President, designated each of the 

following as an entity of particular 

concern’’ under section 301 of the Frank 

R. Wolf International Religious Freedom 

Act of 2016 (Pub. L. 114–281), for 

having engaged in particularly severe 

violations of religious freedom: al-Nusra 

Front, al-Qa’ida in the Arabian 

Peninsula, al-Qa’ida, al-Shabab, Boko 

Haram, the Houthis, ISIS, ISISKhorasan, and the Taliban. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Howard Chyung, Office of International 

Religious Freedom, Bureau of 

Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, 

U.S. Department of State, (Phone: (202) 

647–3865 or Email: ChyungHH@

state.gov). 

Daniel L. Nadel, 

Director, Office of International Religious 

Freedom, Department of State. 

[FR Doc. 2018–27632 Filed 12–20–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–18–P 


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