Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 243 / Monday, December 20, 2004 / Notices 75997

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health 

Services Administration 

Notice of Extension of Receipt Dates 

for SAMHSA Funding Opportunities—

TI 05–006, State Adolescent Substance 

Abuse Treatment Coordination, and TI 

05–003, Grants to Expand Substance 

Abuse Treatment Capacity in Targeted 

Areas of Need

SUMMARY: Notices of Funding 

Availability (NOFAs), TI 05–006, State 

Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment 

Coordination (Short Title: Adolescent 

Treatment Coordination), and TI 05–

003, Grants to Expand Substance Abuse 

Treatment Capacity in Targeted Areas of 

Need (Short Title: TCE), were 

announced by the Substance Abuse and 

Mental Health Services Administration 

(SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse 

Treatment (CSAT) in the Federal 

Register on November 12, 2004 (Vol. 69, 

No. 218; pages 65437–65445). 

The receipt date for applications 

listed for TI 05–006, State Adolescent 

Substance Abuse Treatment 

Coordination was January 12, 2005. This 

program is designed to facilitate Statelevel coordination of adolescent 

substance abuse treatment services. 

Because of the extensive coordination 

required to prepare an application, 

SAMHSA has extended the application 

receipt date until February 2, 2005. 

The receipt date for applications 

listed for TI 05–003, Grants to Expand 

Substance Abuse Treatment Capacity in 

Targeted Areas of Need (TCE), was 

January 13, 2005. This program is 

designed to expand and/or enhance a 

community’s ability to provide a 

comprehensive, integrated, and 

community-based response to a 

targeted, well-documented substance 

abuse treatment capacity problem and/

or improve the quality and intensity of 

services. Because the populations 

targeted are different than in past TCE 

initiatives, SAMHSA has extended the 

application receipt date until January 

26, 2005. 

For further information about the 

State Adolescent Substance Abuse 

Treatment Coordination program, please 

contact: Randolph D. Muck, SAMHSA/

CSAT, 1 Choke Cherry Road, Room 5–

1083, Rockville, MD 20857; phone 240–

276–1576; E-mail: 

randy.muck@samhsa.hhs.gov. 

For further information about the 

Grants To Expand Substance Abuse 

Treatment Capacity in Targeted Areas of 

Need (TCE) program, please contact: 

Kenneth Robertson, SAMHSA/CSAT, 1 

Choke Cherry Road, Room 5–1001, 

Rockville, MD 20857; phone (240) 276–

1621; E-mail: 

kenneth.robertson@samhsa.hhs.gov.

Dated: December 13, 2004. 

Daryl Kade, 

Director, Office of Policy, Planning and 

Budget, Substance Abuse and Mental Health 

Services Administration.

[FR Doc. 04–27808 Filed 12–17–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4162–20–P

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

Federal Emergency Management 

Agency 

U.S. Fire Administration Emergency 

Management Institute Board of Visitors

AGENCY: Federal Emergency 

Management Agency, Emergency 

Preparedness and Response Directorate, 

Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION: Committee management: Notice 

of committee re-establishment. 

SUMMARY: The Secretary of the 

Department of Homeland Security has 

determined that the re-establishment of 

the U.S. Fire Administration Board of 

Visitors for the Emergency Management 

Institute is necessary and in the public 

interest in connection with the 

performance of the duties of the Under 

Secretary of the Emergency 

Preparedness and Response Directorate. 

This determination follows consultation 

with the Committee Management 

Secretariat, General Services 

Administration. 

Name of Committee: Board of Visitors 

for the Emergency Management 

Institute. 

Purpose and Objectives: The board 

shall review the programs of the 

Emergency Management Institute (EMI) 

and make comments and 

recommendations to the Administrator, 

United States Fire Administration 

(USFA), as delegated by the Under 

Secretary, Emergency Preparedness and 

Response (EP&R), regarding the 

operations of the Institute and any 

improvements therein which the Board 

deems appropriate. 

In carrying out their responsibilities, 

the Board may include in their review 

a discussion of the Institute’s programs 

to determine whether these programs 

further the basic mission of EMI and 

other appropriate subject areas that are 

related to the effectiveness of the 

delivery of the Institute’s programs. 

The Board shall draw on the expertise 

of its members and, with the approval 

of the Superintendent, EMI, such other 

experts as may be considered 

appropriate in order to provide advice 

and make recommendations to the 

Superintendent. 

The Board shall function solely as an 

advisory board and comply fully with 

the provisions of the Federal Advisory 

Committee Act (Public Law 92–463). 

Balanced Membership Plans: The 

Board of Visitors will be comprised of 

nine members, including a chairperson. 

The Secretary shall appoint the 

members of the Board from the 

nominations of qualified persons 

submitted by the Superintendent, EMI. 

The members of the Board shall be 

selected from among professionals in 

the fields of emergency management, 

education, public administration, 

industry, and from such professional 

organizations as will ensure a balanced 

representation of interest. 

Duration: The Board shall function on 

continuing basis in accordance with the 

statute unless terminated through 

appropriate action by the proper 

authority. 

Responsible DHS Official: Mr. R. 

David Paulison, U.S. Fire Administrator, 

16825 South Seton Avenue, 

Emmitsburg, MD 21727. 

Contact for Information: Loretta 

Arscott, National Emergency Training 

Center, Emergency Management 

Institute, 16825 South Seton Avenue, 

Emmitsburg, MD 21727, 301–447–1286.

Dated: December 14, 2004. 

Michael D. Brown, 

Under Secretary, Emergency Preparedness 

and Response, Department of Homeland 

Security.

[FR Doc. 04–27753 Filed 12–17–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9110–17–P

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

Citizenship and Immigration Services 

[CIS No. 2321–04; Docket No. DHS–2004–

0024] 

RIN 1615–ZA06

Expansion of the Basic Pilot Program 

to All 50 States and the District of 

Columbia; Providing Web-Based 

Access

AGENCY: U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services, Department of 

Homeland Security.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services (USCIS) currently 

operates a pilot program (the Basic Pilot 

Program) which allows employers to get 

automated confirmation of a newly 

75998 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 243 / Monday, December 20, 2004 / Notices 

hired employee’s work authorization 

after an Employment Eligibility 

Verification form (Form I–9) has been 

completed. This pilot program is offered 

to employers in six states. USCIS has 

been directed by Congress to expand it 

to all 50 states and the District of 

Columbia by December 1, 2004. This 

notice announces the expansion of the 

Basic Pilot Program to all 50 states. This 

notice also announces that the USCIS is 

offering Web-Based Access for the Basic 

Pilot Program to all employers 

volunteering to participate in the Basic 

Pilot Program.

DATES: The expansion of the Basic Pilot 

Program to all 50 States and the District 

of Columbia is effective December 1, 

2004. The Web-Based Access method 

became available to current and new 

users beginning July 6, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Phyllis A. Lancaster, Assistant Director, 

SAVE Program, U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services, Department of 

Homeland Security, 20 Massachusetts 

Avenue, NW, ULLICO Building, 4th 

Floor, Washington, DC 20529, 

Telephone (202) 514–2317.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

What Are the Automated Employment 

Eligibility Confirmation Pilot Programs? 

Section 401 of the Illegal Immigration 

Reform and Immigrant Responsibility 

Act of 1996 (IIRIRA), Public Law 104–

208 (Sept. 30, 1996), established three 

pilot programs for employment 

eligibility confirmation: the Basic Pilot 

Program; the Citizen Attestation Pilot 

Program; and the Machine-Readable 

Document Pilot Program. Section 401(b) 

of IIRIRA provided that the pilot 

programs were to be conducted for 4 

years. Pursuant to IIRIRA, the Basic 

Pilot Program was to be made available 

to all employers in, at a minimum, five 

of the seven states with the highest 

estimated population of aliens 

unlawfully present in the United States. 

On September 15, 1997, the former 

Immigration and Naturalization Service 

(Service) published a notice in the 

Federal Register, at 62 FR 48309, 

announcing these states to be the States 

of California, Florida, Illinois, New 

York, and Texas (in March 1999, the 

former Service published a notice in the 

Federal Register, at 64 FR 13606, 

adding Nebraska to the list). The notice 

also described the procedures for all of 

the pilot programs and how employers 

could elect to participate in them.

In 2001, section 2 of the Basic Pilot 

Extension Act of 2001, Public Law 107–

129 (Jan. 16, 2002), extended the pilot 

programs until November 30, 2003. 

More recently, section 2 of the Basic 

Pilot Program Extension and Expansion 

Act of 2003, Public Law 108–156 

(December 3, 2003), extended the pilot 

programs for another five years. Under 

this amendment, the pilot programs are 

set to terminate on November 30, 2008. 

The Service and Systematic Alien 

Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) 

Program, administered the pilots in 

conjunction with the Social Security 

Administration (SSA). On March 1, 

2003, the Service transferred from the 

Department of Justice to DHS pursuant 

to the Homeland Security Act of 2002, 

Pub. L. 107–296, 116 Stat. 2142 (Nov. 

26, 2002). USCIS administers the Basic 

Pilot Program for DHS. Of the three pilot 

programs, only the Basic Pilot Program 

remains operational. 

All employers must ensure proper 

completion of the Employment 

Eligibility Verification form (Form I–9) 

for each newly hired employee, 

including U.S. citizens and aliens. 

Employers who sign up to participate in 

the Basic Pilot Program complete the 

Form I–9 verification process as usual, 

but then enter and submit Form I–9 

information through a web-based 

computer program to the SSA database. 

If SSA does not have sufficient 

information to confirm work 

authorization status, queries are 

instantaneously sent to USCIS for 

confirmation. 

In most cases, confirmation or 

nonconfirmation of work authorization 

is provided within seconds. If more 

information is required to complete the 

confirmation process, the employer is 

asked to have the employee contact SSA 

or USCIS to provide the needed 

information. This is the only way an 

employer can get confirmation from 

DHS regarding their employees’ work 

authorization. Employers who do not 

use the Basic Pilot Program continue to 

use the Form I–9 process alone. The 

purpose of the Basic Pilot Program is to 

test this method of providing an 

effective, nondiscriminatory work 

eligibility verification procedure 

focusing on electronic verification. 

With a couple of exceptions, an 

employer’s participation in the Basic 

Pilot Program is voluntary and free to 

participating employers. The first 

exception applies to certain federal 

government entities. Each Department 

of the federal government must elect to 

participate in a pilot program (one of the 

three), but may limit it to the states 

covered by the program and to certain 

divisions within the department. Each 

member of Congress, each officer of 

Congress, and the head of each agency 

of the legislative branch that conducts 

hiring in a state in which a pilot 

program is operating must elect to 

participate in a pilot program of his or 

her choosing. The second exception 

applies to certain employers who have 

been found to have knowingly 

employed unauthorized aliens or 

engaged in unfair immigration-related 

employment practices. Such employers 

may be required to participate in a pilot 

program with respect to the employer’s 

hiring (or recruitment or referral) of 

individuals in a state covered by the 

program pursuant to an order issued 

under section 274A(e)(4) or section 

274B(g) of the Immigration and 

Nationality Act (INA). 

How Is the Basic Pilot Program Being 

Expanded? 

In addition to extending the pilot 

programs, section 3 of Public Law 108–

156 directs the Secretary of Homeland 

Security to expand the Basic Pilot 

Program to all 50 States and the District 

of Columbia no later than December 1, 

2004. Before implementing this 

expansion, Public Law 108–156 requires 

that USCIS prepare a report to Congress 

addressing the extent to which problems 

identified in the pilot evaluation reports 

were resolved and actions that would be 

taken to resolve any outstanding 

problems. The report was submitted to 

Congress on July 22, 2004, and is 

available to the public in USCIS’’ Web 

site at http://uscis.gov/graphics/

aboutus/repsstudies/piloteval/

BasicFINAL0704.pdf.

Pursuant to Public Law 108–156, 

USCIS announces through this Notice 

that it will expand the Basic Pilot 

Program to employers in all 50 States 

and the District of Columbia beginning 

December 1, 2004. 

What Access Method Is Available to 

Participating Employers? 

This Notice also announces that the 

Basic Pilot Program Web-Based Access 

is now available to all new users. USCIS 

launched this new access method on 

July 6, 2004. Prior to this, participation 

in the Basic Pilot Program required 

employers to access the Alien Status 

Verification Index (ASVI) database, by 

using a dial-up access method to obtain 

employment authorization. 

During March 2004, the Verification 

Information System (VIS) replaced the 

ASVI database, allowing USCIS to 

provide employers with a new WebBased Access Method. Unlike the Basic 

Pilot Program dial-up method, which 

required installation of software and a 

modem, the new Internet version of the 

program allows users to access the Basic 

Pilot Program from any personal 

computer that has Internet access. Other 

features of the Internet version of the 

Basic Pilot Program include on-line 

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 243 / Monday, December 20, 2004 / Notices 75999

registration, reporting capability for 

users, and availability of the system 

seven days a week, 19-hours a day (the 

system is shut down from 12 a.m. to 5 

a.m. for maintenance and updating of 

data). In addition, employers will have 

quick and easy access to on-line 

resources such as the Basic Pilot 

Program User Manual, the Basic Pilot 

Program Tutorial, Handbook for 

Employers (M–274), Identity Document 

Guide (M–396), and links to various 

sources containing information relating 

to employment issues.

Current dial-up Basic Pilot users 

switching to the Web-Based Access 

Method will be required to re-register 

on-line at https://www.vis-dhs.com/

employerregistration, because of new 

features associated with the Web 

version, e.g., each employer site must 

now have a program administrator and 

employer sites can generate user reports. 

Prior to gaining access to the Web Basic 

Pilot Program, employers are required to 

complete the Web tutorial to become 

familiar with the new processes, and to 

review policies and procedures of the 

Basic Pilot Program. 

At this time, USCIS will continue to 

support employers accessing the Basic 

Pilot dial-up method; however, new 

Basic Pilot participants will be directed 

to use only the Web-Based Access 

Method. 

How Can Employers Elect To 

Participate in the Basic Pilot Program? 

In order to participate, employers 

must enter into a Memorandum of 

Understanding (MOU) with USCIS and 

SSA. To register for the Basic Pilot 

Program, employers can log on to https:/

/www.vis-dhs.com/employerregistration,

which provides instructions for 

completing the MOU and registering for 

the program. Employers who are 

currently using the Basic Pilot Program 

dial-up method must re-register on-line 

to take advantage of the Web-Based 

Access method. 

How Are the Privacy of Records 

Safeguarded? 

USCIS’ VIS certification and 

accreditation adheres to the security 

requirements of the Bureau of 

Immigration and Customs Enforcement 

(ICE), USCIS and DHS. VIS ensures that 

appropriate safeguards are implemented 

to minimize the risk to data and systems 

from data integrity threats. This is 

critical to national security and to other 

government entities that rely on the 

information contained in DHS 

databases. Data integrity refers to the 

validity of the information from the 

beginning to the end of a transaction, 

including the consistency, accuracy, 

and correctness of data stored in the 

databases. 

VIS employs mechanisms to protect 

system data and implements data 

integrity and validation controls. Data 

integrity controls are in place to protect 

data from accidental or malicious 

alteration or destruction, and provide 

assurance to the user that the 

information meets the expectation about 

its quality and that it has not been 

altered. Validation controls are in place 

to test and evaluate compliance with 

security specifications and 

requirements. 

How Can Employers Contact USCIS To 

Obtain Additional Information? 

Employers may request additional 

information about the Basic Pilot 

Program by writing to the U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services, 

20 Massachusetts Avenue, NW., 

ULLICO Building, 4th Floor, 

Washington, DC 20529, Attention: 

SAVE Program. Employers may also fax 

a request for information to the SAVE 

Program at (202) 514–9981, or call the 

SAVE Program toll free at 888–464–

4218. 

Paperwork Reduction Act 

The information collection 

requirement contained in the MOU 

(including registration) has been 

previously approved for use by the 

Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB). The OMB control number for 

this collection is 1653–0033 (previously 

1115–0228). Since USCIS is expanding 

the Basic Pilot Program to all 50 States 

and the District of Columbia, the 

number of respondents will increase. 

Accordingly, USCIS has submitted the 

required Paperwork Reduction Change 

Worksheet (OMB–83C) to OMB 

reflecting the new burden hours, and 

the OMB has approved the changes. 

USCIS will also be amending the MOU 

to reflect the new organization structure 

from the former Immigration and 

Naturalization Service to USCIS.

Dated: December 14, 2004. 

William R. Yates, 

Associate Director of Operations, U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services.

[FR Doc. 04–27702 Filed 12–16–04; 9:27 am] 

BILLING CODE 4410–10–P

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND 

URBAN DEVELOPMENT 

[Docket No. FR–4903–N–102] 

Notice of Submission of Proposed 

Information Collection to OMB; 

Periodic Estimate for Partial Payment 

and Related Schedules

AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information 

Officer, HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The proposed information 

collection requirement described below 

has been submitted to the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) for 

review, as required by the Paperwork 

Reduction Act. The Department is 

soliciting public comments on the 

subject proposal. 

HUD is requesting approval to 

reinstate the information collection 

requiring Housing Agencies (HAs) to 

collect certain information for contract 

administration during project 

development.

DATES: Comments Due Date: January 19, 

2005.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are 

invited to submit comments regarding 

this proposal. Comments should refer to 

the proposal by name and/or OMB 

approval Number (2577–0025) and 

should be sent to: HUD Desk Officer, 

Office of Management and Budget, New 

Executive Office Building, Washington, 

DC 20503; fax: 202–395–6974.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Wayne Eddins, Reports Management 

Officer, AYO, Department of Housing 

and Urban Development, 451 Seventh 

Street, SW., Washington, DC 20410; email Wayne_Eddins@HUD.gov; or 

Lillian Deitzer at 

Lillian_L_Deitzer@HUD.gov or 

telephone (202) 708–2374. This is not a 

toll-free number. Copies of available 

documents submitted to OMB may be 

obtained from Mr. Eddins or Ms. Deitzer 

and at HUD’s Web site at http://

www5.hud.gov:63001/po/i/icbts/

collectionsearch.cfm

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

notice informs the public that the 

Department of Housing and Urban 

Development has submitted to OMB a 

request for approval of the information 

collection described below. This notice 

is soliciting comments from members of 

the public and affecting agencies 

concerning the proposed collection of 

information to: (1) Evaluate whether the 

proposed collection of information is 

necessary for the proper performance of 

the functions of the agency, including 

whether the information will have