Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 8 / Wednesday, January 13, 2021 / Notices 2719 

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, the 

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, 

Eritrea, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi 

Arabia, Tajikistan, and 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 or detection instruments or 

equipment, under the Foreign Relations 

Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1990 

and 1991 (Pub. L. 101–246), 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), and 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 Nigeria, a waiver as required in 

the ‘‘important national interest of the 

United States,’’ pursuant to section 407 

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 Tajikistan, a waiver as required in 

the ‘‘important national interest of the 

United States,’’ pursuant to section 407 

of the Act; and 

For Turkmenistan, a waiver as 

required in the ‘‘important national 

interest of the United States,’’ pursuant 

to section 407 of the Act. 

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, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Russia. 

The Secretary of State’s designation of 

‘‘entities of particular concern’’ for 

religious freedom violations. Pursuant 

to Section 408(a) of the Act, notice is 

hereby given that, on December 2, 2020, 

the Secretary of State, under authority 

delegated by the President, has 

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-Shabaab, alQa’ida, Boko Haram, Hayat Tahrir alSham, the Houthis, ISIS, ISIS-Greater 

Sahara, ISIS-West Africa, Jamaat Nasr 

al-Islam wal Muslimin, and the Taliban. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Peter Burns, Office of International 

Religious Freedom, U.S. Department of 

State, (phone: 202–647–3865 or email: 

BurnsPI@state.gov). 

Zachary A. Parker, 

Director, Office of Directives Management, 

Department of State. 

[FR Doc. 2021–00556 Filed 1–12–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–18–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice: 11257] 

60-Day Notice of Proposed Information 

Collection: Foreign Diplomatic 

Services Applications (FDSA) 

ACTION: Notice of request for public 

comment. 

SUMMARY: The Department of State is 

seeking Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB) approval for the 

information collection described below. 

In accordance with the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995, we are 

requesting comments on this collection 

from all interested individuals and 

organizations. The purpose of this 

notice is to allow 60 days for public 

comment preceding submission of the 

collection to OMB. 

DATES: The Department will accept 

comments from the public up to March 

15, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

by any of the following methods: 

• Web: Persons with access to the 

internet may comment on this notice by 

going to www.Regulations.gov. You can 

search for the document by entering 

‘‘Docket Number: DOS–2020–0049’’ in 

the Search field. Then click the 

‘‘Comment Now’’ button and complete 

the comment form. 

• Email: OFMinfo@state.gov. 

• Regular Mail: Send written 

comments to 2201 C St. NW, 

Washington, DC 20520; 3507 

International Place NW, Washington, 

DC 20008. 

You must include the DS form 

number (if applicable), information 

collection title, and the OMB control 

number in any correspondence. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Direct requests for additional 

information regarding the collection 

listed in this notice, including requests 

for copies of the proposed collection 

instrument and supporting documents, 

to Timothy R. Johnson at 3507 

International Place NW, Washington, 

DC 20008, who may be reached on 202– 

895–3556 or at JohnsonTR@state.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

• Title of Information Collection: 

Foreign Diplomatic Services 

Applications (FDSA). 

• OMB Control Number: 1405–0105. 

• Type of Request: Revision of a 

Currently Approved Collection. 

• Originating Office: M/OFM. 

• Form Number: DS–98, DS–99, DS– 

100, DS–101, DS–102, DS–104, DS– 

1504, DS–1972D, DS–1972T, DS–2003, 

DS–2004, DS–2005, DS–2006, DS–2008, 

DS- 4139, DS–4140, DS–4284, DS–4285, 

DS–4298, DS–4299, DS–7675. 

• Respondents: Foreign Mission 

Community. 

• Estimated Number of Respondents: 

79,095. 

• Estimated Number of Responses: 

79,095. 

• Average Time per Response: 13 

minutes. 

• Total Estimated Burden Time: 

18,200 hours annually. 

• Frequency: For each specific event; 

annually. 

• Obligation to Respond: Mandatory 

and/or Required to Obtain or Retain a 

Benefit. 

We are soliciting public comments to 

permit the Department to: 

• Evaluate whether the proposed 

information collection is necessary for 

the proper functions of the Department. 

• Evaluate the accuracy of our 

estimate of the time and cost burden for 

this proposed collection, including the 

validity of the methodology and 

assumptions used. 

• Enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected. 

• Minimize the reporting burden on 

those who are to respond, including the 

use of automated collection techniques 

or other forms of information 

technology. 

Please note that comments submitted 

in response to this Notice are public 

record. Before including any detailed 

personal information, you should be 

aware that your comments as submitted, 

2720 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 8 / Wednesday, January 13, 2021 / Notices 

including your personal information, 

will be available for public review. 

Abstract of Proposed Collection 

Collection information instruments 

dealing with information collection 

from the foreign mission community, to 

include the electronic data compilation 

(e-Gov), have been combined under one 

information collection request, 

collectively referred to as the ‘‘Foreign 

Diplomatic Services Applications’’. 

These information collection 

instruments provide the Office of 

Foreign Missions and the Office of the 

Chief of Protocol with the information 

necessary to provide and administer an 

effective and efficient benefits, 

privileges, and immunities program by 

which foreign missions and eligible 

applicants may apply for benefits from 

the U.S. Department of State, to which 

they are entitled pursuant to the Foreign 

Missions Act. 

Methodology 

Information may be received via 

Email or electronic submission through 

eGov at https://egov.ofm.state.gov/. 

Kevin E. Bryant, 

Deputy Director, Office of Directives 

Management, Department of State. 

[FR Doc. 2021–00474 Filed 1–12–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–43–P 

SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD 

[Docket No. EP 526 (Sub-No. 14)] 

Notice of Railroad-Shipper 

Transportation Advisory Council 

Vacancies; Solicitation of Nominations 

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board 

(Board). 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Board hereby gives notice 

of vacancies on RSTAC for two small 

railroad representatives. The Board 

seeks suggestions for candidates to fill 

these vacancies. 

DATES: Nominations are due on 

February 12, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: Suggestions may be 

submitted via e-filing on the Board’s 

website at http://www.stb.gov. 

Submissions will be posted to the 

Board’s website under Docket No. EP 

526 (Sub-No. 14). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Coral Torres at (202) 245–0286. 

Assistance for the hearing impaired is 

available through the Federal Relay 

Service at (800) 877–8339. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Board, created in 1996 to take over 

many of the functions previously 

performed by the Interstate Commerce 

Commission, exercises broad authority 

over transportation by rail carriers, 

including regulation of railroad rates 

and service (49 U.S.C. 10701–47, 

11101–24), the construction, 

acquisition, operation, and 

abandonment of rail lines (49 U.S.C. 

10901–07), as well as railroad line sales, 

consolidations, mergers, and common 

control arrangements (49 U.S.C. 10902, 

11323–27). 

The ICC Termination Act of 1995 

(ICCTA), enacted on December 29, 1995, 

established RSTAC to advise the Board’s 

Chairman, the Secretary of 

Transportation, the Committee on 

Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

of the Senate, and the Committee on 

Transportation and Infrastructure of the 

House of Representatives with respect to 

rail transportation policy issues RSTAC 

considers significant. RSTAC focuses on 

issues of importance to small shippers 

and small railroads, including car 

supply, rates, competition, and 

procedures for addressing claims. 

ICCTA instructs RSTAC to endeavor to 

develop private-sector mechanisms to 

prevent, or identify and address, 

obstacles to the most effective and 

efficient transportation system 

practicable. The members of RSTAC 

also prepare an annual report 

concerning RSTAC’s activities. RSTAC 

is not subject to the Federal Advisory 

Committee Act. 

RSTAC’s 15 appointed members 

consist of representatives of small and 

large shippers, and small and large 

railroads. In addition, members of the 

Board and the Secretary of 

Transportation serve as ex officio 

members. Of the 15 appointed members, 

nine are voting members and are 

appointed from senior executive officers 

of organizations engaged in the railroad 

and rail shipping industries. At least 

four of the voting members must be 

representatives of small shippers as 

determined by the Chairman, and at 

least four of the voting members must be 

representatives of Class II or III 

railroads. The remaining six members to 

be appointed—three representing Class I 

railroads and three representing large 

shipper organizations—serve in a 

nonvoting, advisory capacity, but may 

participate in RSTAC deliberations. 

Meetings of RSTAC are required by 

statute to be held at least semi-annually. 

RSTAC typically holds meetings 

quarterly at the Board’s headquarters in 

Washington, DC, although some 

meetings are held in other locations. 

During the coronavirus pandemic, 

RSTAC has been holding virtual 

meetings weekly and now bi-weekly 

with the Board Members and the 

Federal Railroad Administration 

Administrator to report on the status of 

rail service and operations. 

The members of RSTAC receive no 

compensation for their services and are 

required to provide for the expenses 

incidental to their service, including 

travel expenses. Currently, RSTAC 

members have elected to submit annual 

dues to pay for RSTAC expenses. 

RSTAC members must be citizens of 

the United States and represent as 

broadly as practicable the various 

segments of the railroad and rail shipper 

industries. They may not be full-time 

employees of the United States. 

According to revised guidance issued by 

the Office of Management and Budget, 

it is permissible for federally registered 

lobbyists to serve on advisory 

committees, such as RSTAC, as long as 

they do so in a representative capacity, 

rather than an individual capacity. See 

Revised Guidance on Appointment of 

Lobbyists to Fed. Advisory Comms., 

Bds., & Comm’ns, 79 FR 47,482 (Aug. 

13, 2014). Members of RSTAC are 

appointed to serve in a representative 

capacity. 

Each RSTAC member is appointed for 

a term of three years. A member may 

serve after the expiration of his or her 

term until a successor has taken office. 

No member will be eligible to serve in 

excess of two consecutive terms. 

Due to the expiration of two small 

railroad representatives’ second terms, 

the Board is seeking to fill those RSTAC 

positions. Suggestions for candidates to 

fill the vacancies should be submitted in 

letter form, identifying the name of the 

candidate, providing a summary of why 

the candidate is qualified to serve on 

RSTAC, and containing a representation 

that the candidate is willing to serve as 

an RSTAC member effective 

immediately upon appointment. RSTAC 

candidate suggestions should be filed 

with the Board by February 12, 2021. 

Members selected to serve on RSTAC 

are chosen at the discretion of the Board 

Chairman. Please note that submissions 

will be posted on the Board’s website 

under Docket No. EP 526 (Sub-No. 14) 

and can also be obtained by contacting 

the Office of Public Assistance, 

Governmental Affairs, and Compliance 

at RCPA@stb.gov or (202) 245–0238. 

(Authority: 49 U.S.C. 1325) 

Decided: January 8, 2021. 

By the Board, Allison C. Davis, Director, 

Office of Proceedings. 

Regena Smith-Bernard, 

Clearance Clerk. 

[FR Doc. 2021–00550 Filed 1–12–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4915–01–P