68258 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 190 / Tuesday, October 3, 2023 / Notices 

20 In approving the proposed rule change, the 

Commission considered the proposal’s impact on 

efficiency, competition, and capital formation. 15 

U.S.C. 78c(f). 

21 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12). 

1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1). 

2 17 CFR 240.19b–4. 

3 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6). 

4See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 97398 

(April 28, 2023), 88 FR 28620 (May 4, 2023) (Notice 

of Filing of File No. SR–FINRA–2023–007) and 

Securities Exchange Act Release No. 98046 (August 

2, 2023), 88 FR 53569 (August 8, 2023) (Notice of 

Filing of Amendment No. 1 and Order Instituting 

Proceedings To Determine Whether To Approve or 

Disapprove File No. SR–FINRA–2023–007) 

(‘‘Remote Inspections Pilot Program Proposal’’). 

5SEC staff and FINRA have stated in guidance 

that inspections must include a physical, on-site 

review component. See SEC National Examination 

Risk Alert, Volume I, Issue 2 (November 30, 2011) 

and Regulatory Notice 11–54 (November 2011) 

(joint SEC and FINRA guidance stating, a ‘‘brokerdealer must conduct on-site inspections of each of 

its office locations; [OSJs] and non-OSJ branches 

that supervise non-branch locations at least 

annually, all non-supervising branch offices at least 

every three years; and non-branch offices 

periodically.’’) (footnote defining an OSJ omitted). 

See also SEC Division of Market Regulation, Staff 

Legal Bulletin No. 17: Remote Office Supervision 

(March 19, 2004) (stating, in part, that brokerdealers that conduct business through 

geographically dispersed offices have not 

adequately discharged their supervisory obligations 

where there are no on-site routine or ‘‘for cause’’ 

inspections of those offices). 

6 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2); see also note 4, supra. 

proposed rule change (SR–ICEEU–2023– 

019), be, and hereby is, approved.20

For the Commission, by the Division of 

Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated 

authority.21

Sherry R. Haywood, 

Assistant Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2023–21794 Filed 10–2–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8011–01–P 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE 

COMMISSION 

[Release No. 34–98560; File No. SR–FINRA– 

2023–012] 

Self-Regulatory Organizations; 

Financial Industry Regulatory 

Authority, Inc.; Notice of Filing and 

Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed 

Rule Change To Extend Temporary 

Supplementary Material .17 

(Temporary Relief To Allow Remote 

Inspections for Calendar Years 2020, 

2021, 2022, and 2023) Under FINRA 

Rule 3110 (Supervision) To Include 

Calendar Year 2024 

September 27, 2023. 

Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the 

Securities Exchange Act of 1934 

(‘‘Act’’) 1 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2

notice is hereby given that on 

September 22, 2023, the Financial 

Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. 

(‘‘FINRA’’) filed with the Securities and 

Exchange Commission (‘‘SEC’’ or 

‘‘Commission’’) the proposed rule 

change as described in Items I, II, and 

III below, which Items have been 

prepared by FINRA. FINRA has 

designated the proposed rule change as 

constituting a ‘‘non-controversial’’ rule 

change under paragraph (f)(6) of Rule 

19b–4 under the Act,3 which renders 

the proposal effective upon receipt of 

this filing by the Commission. The 

Commission is publishing this notice to 

solicit comments on the proposed rule 

change from interested persons. 

I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s 

Statement of the Terms of Substance of 

the Proposed Rule Change 

FINRA is proposing to extend 

temporary Supplementary Material .17 

(Temporary Relief to Allow Remote 

Inspections for Calendar Years 2020, 

2021, 2022, and 2023) under FINRA 

Rule 3110 (Supervision) to include 

calendar year 2024 inspection 

obligations through the earlier of the 

effective date of the remote inspections 

pilot program proposed in File No. SR– 

FINRA–2023–007, if approved, or June 

30, 2024 within the scope of the 

supplementary material.4 FINRA is 

proposing to extend Rule 3110.17 to 

provide member firms continuity 

related to conducting inspections as part 

of satisfying the obligations of Rule 

3110(c) (Internal Inspections) at offices 

and locations requiring inspection 

during the first half of calendar year 

2024.5 By statute, the Commission has 

until the end of December 2023 to 

approve or disapprove the Remote 

Inspections Pilot Program Proposal.6

Given the uncertainty as to whether the 

Commission will approve or disapprove 

the Remote Inspections Pilot Program 

Proposal by the end of calendar year 

2023, FINRA believes that the proposed 

extension is necessary to provide firms 

the time to prepare for either the 

resumption of on-site inspections if the 

Commission disapproves the Remote 

Inspections Pilot Program Proposal, or 

alternatively, the implementation of the 

proposed remote inspections pilot 

program (‘‘Pilot Program’’) if the 

Commission approves the Remote 

Inspections Pilot Program Proposal. 

Below is the text of the proposed rule 

change. Proposed new language is in 

italics; proposed deletions are 

bracketed. 

* * * * * 

3000. SUPERVISION AND 

RESPONSIBILITES RELATING TO 

ASSOCIATED PERSONS 

3100. SUPERVISORY 

RESPONSIBILITIES 

3110. Supervision 

(a) through (f) No Change. 

••• Supplementary Material: 

————— 

.01 through .16 No Change. 

.17 Temporary Relief to Allow Remote 

Inspections for Calendar Years 2020, 

2021, 2022, [and] 2023, and Through 

the Earlier of the Effective Date of the 

Remote Inspections Pilot Program, if 

Approved, or June 30, 2024. 

(a) Use of Remote Inspections. Each 

member obligated to conduct an 

inspection of an office of supervisory 

jurisdiction, branch office or non-branch 

location in the calendar years specified 

in this supplementary material pursuant 

to, as applicable, paragraphs (c)(1)(A), 

(B) and (C) under Rule 3110 may, 

subject to the requirements of this Rule 

3110.17, satisfy such obligation by 

conducting the applicable inspection 

remotely, without an on-site visit to the 

office or location. In accordance with 

Rule 3110.16, inspections for calendar 

year 2020 must [be]have been 

completed on or before March 31, 2021. 

Inspections for calendar year 2021 must 

[be]have been completed on or before 

December 31, 2021, [and inspections] 

for calendar year 2022, [must be 

completed] on or before December 31, 

2022, and for calendar year 2023, on or 

before December 31, 2023. With respect 

to a member’s obligation to conduct an 

inspection of an office or location in 

calendar year [2023]2024, a member has 

the option to conduct those inspections 

remotely through the earlier of the 

effective date of the Remote Inspections 

[p]Pilot [p]Program proposed in File No. 

[SR–FINRA–2022–021]SR–FINRA– 

2023–007, if approved, or [December 31, 

2023]June 30, 2024. Notwithstanding 

Rule 3110.17, a member shall remain 

subject to the other requirements of Rule 

3110(c). 

(b) No Change. 

(c) Effective Supervisory System. The 

requirement to conduct inspections of 

offices and locations is one part of the 

member’s overall obligation to have an 

effective supervisory system and 

therefore, the member must continue 

with its ongoing review of the activities 

and functions occurring at all offices 

and locations, whether or not the 

member conducts inspections remotely. 

A member’s use of a remote inspection 

of an office or location will be held to 

the same standards for review as set 

forth under Rule 3110.12. Where a 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 190 / Tuesday, October 3, 2023 / Notices 68259 

7See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 89188 

(June 30, 2020), 85 FR 40713 (July 7, 2020) (Notice 

of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of File No. 

SR–FINRA–2020–019). 

8See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 90454 

(November 18, 2020), 85 FR 75097 (November 24, 

2020) (Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness 

of File No. SR–FINRA–2020–040). 

9See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 96241 

(November 4, 2022), 87 FR 67969 (November 10, 

2022) (Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness 

of File No. SR–FINRA–2022–030) (extending the 

relief through December 31, 2023); see also 

Securities Exchange Act Release No. 94018 (January 

20, 2022), 87 FR 4072 (January 26, 2022) (Notice of 

Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of File No. SR– 

FINRA–2022–001) (extending the relief through 

December 31, 2022) and Securities Exchange Act 

Release No. 93002 (September 15, 2021), 86 FR 

52508 (September 21, 2021) (Notice of Filing and 

Immediate Effectiveness of File No. SR–FINRA– 

2021–023) (extending the relief through June 30, 

2022). 

10See note 4, supra. 

11As part of the implementation process, FINRA 

intends to publish a Regulatory Notice or other 

guidance about the operational aspects of the 

proposed Pilot Program. 

12See note 5, supra. 

13While the World Health Organization declared 

an end to COVID–19 as a public health emergency, 

COVID–19 remains an ongoing public health 

problem. See WHO Director-General, Opening 

Remarks at the Media Briefing on COVID–19 (May 

5, 2023) (stating, in part, that the ‘‘virus is here to 

stay. It is still killing, and it’s still changing. The 

risk remains of new variants emerging that cause 

new surges in cases and deaths.’’), https:// 

www.who.int/news-room/speeches/item/whodirector-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-mediabriefing-5-may-2023; see also Benjamin J. Silk, et 

al., COVID–19 Surveillance After Expiration of the 

Public Health Emergency Declaration—United 

States, May 11, 2023 (stating, among other things, 

that ‘‘[a]lthough COVID–19 no longer poses the 

societal emergency that it did when it first emerged 

in late 2019, COVID–19 remains an ongoing public 

health challenge. By April 26, 2023, more than 104 

million U.S. COVID–19 cases, 6 million related 

hospitalizations, and 1.1 million COVID–19– 

associated deaths were reported to CDC[.]’’), 72 

MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep, 523–528 (2023), 

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/pdfs/ 

mm7219e1-H.pdf. Recent data on hospitalizations 

from the CDC indicate that the number of 

hospitalizations is up 7.7% (as of September 3 to 

September 9, 2023). See Centers for Disease Control 

and Prevents (‘‘CDC’’), COVID Data Tracker, Data 

Update for the United States, https://covid.cdc.gov/ 

covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home (last visited 

September 22, 2023). 

14See note 5, supra. 

member’s remote inspection of an office 

or location identifies any indicators of 

irregularities or misconduct (i.e., ‘‘red 

flags’’), the member may need to impose 

additional supervisory procedures for 

that office or location or may need to 

provide for more frequent monitoring of 

that office or location, including 

potentially a subsequent physical, onsite visit on an announced or 

unannounced basis [when the member’s 

operational difficulties associated with 

COVID–19 abate, nationally or locally as 

relevant, and the challenges a member 

is facing in light of the public health 

and safety concerns make such on-site 

visits feasible using reasonable best 

efforts]. The temporary relief provided 

by this Rule 3110.17 does not extend to 

a member’s inspection requirements 

beyond the earlier of the effective date 

of the Remote Inspections [p]Pilot 

[p]Program proposed in File No. [SR– 

FINRA–2022–021]SR–FINRA–2023–007, 

if approved, or [December 31, 2023]June 

30, 2024, and such inspections must be 

conducted in compliance with Rule 

3110(c). 

(d) No Change. 

* * * * * 

II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s 

Statement of the Purpose of, and 

Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule 

Change 

In its filing with the Commission, 

FINRA included statements concerning 

the purpose of and basis for the 

proposed rule change and discussed any 

comments it received on the proposed 

rule change. The text of these statements 

may be examined at the places specified 

in Item IV below. FINRA has prepared 

summaries, set forth in sections A, B, 

and C below, of the most significant 

aspects of such statements. 

A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s 

Statement of the Purpose of, and 

Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule 

Change 

1. Purpose 

In response to the COVID–19 global 

health crisis and the corresponding 

need to restrict in-person activities, 

FINRA provided temporary relief to 

member firms from certain regulatory 

requirements, including those set forth 

under Rule 3110. To help alleviate the 

attendant logistical challenges member 

firms were encountering to satisfy the 

inspection component of their Rule 

3110(c) requirements, FINRA adopted 

Rule 3110.16 (Temporary Extension of 

Time to Complete Office Inspections) to 

extend the time by which member firms 

were required to complete their 

calendar year 2020 inspection 

obligations under Rule 3110(c) to March 

31, 2021 with the expectation that the 

extension did not relieve firms from the 

on-site portion of the inspections of 

their offices and locations,7 and 

subsequently adopted Rule 3110.17 to 

provide member firms the option, 

subject to specified requirements under 

the supplementary material, to complete 

remotely specified calendar year 

inspection obligations without an onsite visit to the office or location.8 Rule 

3110.17 has been extended and is 

currently set to end on December 31, 

2023.9

The pandemic accelerated the 

industry’s adoption of a broad remote 

work environment and FINRA 

recognizes that the pandemic has 

profoundly changed attitudes on where 

work can occur. As a result of this 

change many firms have adopted, in 

varying scale, hybrid work models 

involving personnel who are working at 

least part time from alternative work 

locations (e.g., private residences). As 

part of FINRA’s overall efforts to 

modernize FINRA rules to reflect 

evolving technologies and business 

models, in April 2023, FINRA filed the 

Remote Inspections Pilot Program 

Proposal with the Commission to 

establish a voluntary, three-year remote 

inspections pilot program that would 

allow eligible firms to conduct 

inspections of all or some offices or 

locations, remotely, subject to the 

specified terms therein.10

If the Commission approves the 

Remote Inspections Pilot Proposal, the 

proposed extension of Rule 3110.17 

would allow both FINRA and the firms 

that are planning to participate in the 

proposed Pilot Program additional time 

to develop the technology and processes 

that will be essential to operationalize 

compliance with the Pilot Program’s 

requirements. For example, firms will 

need to conduct an eligibility review, 

and conduct and document a risk 

assessment for each office and location 

that they elect to inspect remotely, and 

implement technology to collect and 

report the required data and information 

to FINRA. Further, FINRA guidance will 

be needed to guide implementation in 

various circumstances.11 Firms that do 

not elect to participate or would be 

excluded from participating in the 

proposed Pilot Program will also be 

impacted and would need additional 

time to staff, schedule, and resume onsite inspections of offices or locations 12

within the context of some lingering 

health concerns and fluid work 

locations.13. If the Commission 

disapproves the Remote Inspections 

Pilot Program Proposal, all firms would 

be impacted and would need additional 

time to staff, schedule and resume 

conducting on-site inspections of offices 

or locations.14

In sum, as calendar year 2024 is 

approaching its fourth quarter, the 

proposed extension of Rule 3110.17 

would provide firms continuity in 

meeting their inspection obligations 

after the end of the Commission’s 

statutory deadline to approve or 

disapprove the Remote Inspections Pilot 

Proposal. If the Commission approves 

the Remote Inspections Pilot Proposal, 

the proposed additional time would 

allow FINRA to operationalize the Pilot 

Program. Relatedly, the proposed 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
68260 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 190 / Tuesday, October 3, 2023 / Notices 

15Those standards provide, in part, that based on 

the factors set forth under that supplementary 

material, members ‘‘may need to provide for more 

frequent review of certain locations.’’ 16 15 U.S.C. 78o–3(b)(6). 

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

18 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6). 

extension would give time for: (1) firms 

that are planning to participate in the 

proposed Pilot Program to implement 

the processes needed to comply with 

the proposed terms therein; and (2) 

firms that are not planning to participate 

or are excluded from participating in the 

proposed Pilot Program, to prepare to 

resume conducting on-site inspections 

of their offices and locations as part of 

satisfying the obligations of Rule 

3110(c). 

FINRA is not proposing to amend the 

other conditions of the temporary rule. 

The current conditions of the 

supplementary material for firms that 

elect to conduct remote inspections 

would remain unchanged: such firms 

must amend or supplement their written 

supervisory procedures for remote 

inspections, use remote inspections as 

part of an effective supervisory system, 

and maintain the required 

documentation. FINRA continues to 

believe this temporary remote 

inspection option is a reasonable 

alternative for firms to fulfill their Rule 

3110(c) obligations under the current 

circumstances described above. This 

proposed extension is designed to 

maintain the investor protection 

objectives of the inspection 

requirements under these 

circumstances. As part of those 

objectives, firms should consider 

whether, under their particular 

operating conditions, continued reliance 

on Rule 3110.17 to conduct remote 

inspections would be reasonable under 

the circumstances. For example, firms 

with offices that are open to the public 

or that are otherwise doing business as 

usual should consider whether some inperson inspections would be feasible 

and add value to the firms’ supervisory 

program. FINRA emphasizes that the 

inspection requirement is one aspect of 

a firm’s overall supervisory system, and 

that the inspection, whether done 

remotely under Rule 3110.17 or in 

accordance with the proposed Pilot 

Program, or on-site, would be held to 

the existing standards of review under 

Rule 3110.12 (Standards for Reasonable 

Review).15

FINRA has filed the proposed rule 

change for immediate effectiveness. 

FINRA is proposing to make the 

proposed rule change operative on 

January 1, 2024. 

2. Statutory Basis 

FINRA believes that the proposed rule 

change is consistent with the provisions 

of Section 15A(b)(6) of the Act,16 which 

requires, among other things, that 

FINRA rules must be designed to 

prevent fraudulent and manipulative 

acts and practices, to promote just and 

equitable principles of trade, and, in 

general, to protect investors and the 

public interest. The proposed rule 

change is intended to provide firms 

certainty now as they plan their 

upcoming calendar year 2024 inspection 

program. This temporary proposed 

supplementary material does not relieve 

firms from meeting the core regulatory 

obligation to establish and maintain a 

system to supervise the activities of 

each associated person that is 

reasonably designed to achieve 

compliance with applicable securities 

laws and regulations, and with 

applicable FINRA rules that directly 

serve investor protection. In light of the 

planning associated with firms 

resuming on-site visits to offices and 

locations to satisfy Rule 3110(c)(1), if 

the Commission disapproves the 

Remote Inspections Pilot Program 

Proposal, and the significant planning 

requirements that the proposed Pilot 

Program, if approved, would entail for 

FINRA and the firms that elect to 

participate, FINRA believes that the 

proposed rule change provides sensibly 

tailored relief, while continuing to serve 

and promote the protection of investors 

and the public interest. 

B. Self-Regulatory Organization’s 

Statement on Burden on Competition 

FINRA does not believe that the 

proposed rule change will result in any 

burden on competition that is not 

necessary or appropriate in furtherance 

of the purposes of the Act. The potential 

economic impacts of Rule 3110.17 as 

described in File No. SR–FINRA–2020– 

040 continue to have applicability to the 

proposed rule change herein. The 

proposed rule change would extend the 

temporary relief that provides firms 

with the option to fulfill their 

inspection obligations remotely. The 

proposed extension would include 

calendar year 2024 inspection 

obligations through the earlier of the 

effective date of the Remote Inspections 

Pilot Program Proposal, if approved, or 

June 30, 2024 within the scope of the 

supplementary material without making 

substantive changes to the other aspects 

of the provision. In addition, the 

proposed extension would provide 

firms certainty for the reasons stated 

above. FINRA believes that this limited 

extension in temporary relief, together 

with the requirements for using the 

temporary relief in Rule 3110.17, would 

not diminish investor protection. 

C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s 

Statement on Comments on the 

Proposed Rule Change Received From 

Members, Participants, or Others 

Written comments were neither 

solicited nor received. 

III. Date of Effectiveness of the 

Proposed Rule Change and Timing for 

Commission Action 

Because the foregoing proposed rule 

change does not: (i) significantly affect 

the protection of investors or the public 

interest; (ii) impose any significant 

burden on competition; and (iii) become 

operative for 30 days from the date on 

which it was filed, or such shorter time 

as the Commission may designate, it has 

become effective pursuant to Section 

19(b)(3)(A) of the Act 17 and Rule 19b– 

4(f)(6) thereunder.18

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 shall institute proceedings 

to determine whether the proposed rule 

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– 

FINRA–2023–012 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–FINRA–2023–012. 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 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 190 / Tuesday, October 3, 2023 / Notices 68261 

19 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12). 

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 

a.m. and 3 p.m. Copies of such filing 

also will be available for inspection and 

copying at the principal office of 

FINRA. Do not include personal 

identifiable information in submissions; 

you should submit only information 

that you wish to make available 

publicly. We may redact in part or 

withhold entirely from publication 

submitted material that is obscene or 

subject to copyright protection. All 

submissions should refer to File 

Number SR–FINRA–2023–012 and 

should be submitted on or before 

October 24, 2023. 

For the Commission, by the Division of 

Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated 

authority.19

Sherry R. Haywood, 

Assistant Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2023–21785 Filed 10–2–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8011–01–P 

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 

[Disaster Declaration #18205 and #18206; 

TENNESSEE Disaster Number TN–00151] 

Administrative Declaration of a 

Disaster for the State of Tennessee 

AGENCY: U.S. Small Business 

Administration. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This is a notice of an 

Administrative declaration of a disaster 

for the State of Tennessee dated 09/27/ 

2023. 

Incident: Severe Storms and Flooding. 

Incident Period: 08/14/2023 through 

08/15/2023. 

DATES: Issued on 09/27/2023. 

Physical Loan Application Deadline 

Date: 11/27/2023. 

Economic Injury (EIDL) Loan 

Application Deadline Date: 06/27/2024. 

ADDRESSES: Submit completed loan 

applications to: U.S. Small Business 

Administration, Processing and 

Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport 

Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Alan Escobar, Office of Disaster 

Recovery & Resilience, U.S. Small 

Business Administration, 409 3rd Street 

SW, Suite 6050, Washington, DC 20416, 

(202) 205–6734. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is 

hereby given that as a result of the 

Administrator’s disaster declaration, 

applications for disaster loans may be 

filed at the address listed above or other 

locally announced locations. 

The following areas have been 

determined to be adversely affected by 

the disaster: 

Primary Counties: Monroe. 

Contiguous Counties: 

Tennessee: Blount, Loudon, McMinn, 

Polk. 

North Carolina: Cherokee, Graham. 

The Interest Rates are: 

Percent 

For Physical Damage: 

Homeowners With Credit Available Elsewhere ...................... 5.000 

Homeowners Without Credit 

Available Elsewhere .............. 2.500 

Businesses With Credit Available Elsewhere ...................... 8.000 

Businesses Without Credit 

Available Elsewhere .............. 4.000 

Non-Profit Organizations With 

Credit Available Elsewhere ... 2.375 

Non-Profit Organizations Without Credit Available Elsewhere ..................................... 2.375 

For Economic Injury: 

Businesses & Small Agricultural 

Cooperatives without Credit 

Available Elsewhere .............. 4.000 

Non-Profit Organizations Without Credit Available Elsewhere ..................................... 2.375 

The number assigned to this disaster 

for physical damage is 18205 6 and for 

economic injury is 18206 0. 

The States which received an EIDL 

Declaration # are North Carolina, 

Tennessee. 

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Number 59008) 

Isabella Guzman, 

Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2023–21748 Filed 10–2–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8026–09–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice: 12196] 

Diversity Visa Instructions for DV–2025 

ACTION: Notice of Diversity Visa Program 

for fiscal year 2025. 

SUMMARY: This public notice provides 

information on how to apply for the 

DV–2025 Program and is issued 

pursuant to the Immigration and 

Nationality Act. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Program Overview 

The Department of State annually 

administers the statutorily created 

Diversity Immigrant Visa Program. 

Section 203(c) of the Immigration and 

Nationality Act (INA) provides for a 

class of immigrants known as ‘‘diversity 

immigrants’’ from countries with 

historically low rates of immigration to 

the United States. For fiscal year 2025, 

up to 55,000 Diversity Visas (DVs) will 

be available. There is no cost to register 

for the DV program, but selectees who 

are scheduled for an interview will be 

required to pay a visa application fee 

prior to making their formal visa 

application where a consular officer will 

determine whether they qualify for the 

visa. 

Applicants who are selected in the 

program (selectees) must meet simple 

but strict eligibility requirements to 

qualify for aDV. The Department of 

State determines selectees through a 

randomized computer drawing. The 

Department of State distributes diversity 

visas among six geographic regions, and 

no single country may receive more 

than seven percent of the available DVs 

in any one year. 

For DV–2025, natives of the following 

countries and areas are not eligible to 

apply, because more than 50,000 natives 

of these countries immigrated to the 

United States in the previous five years: 

Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, The 

People’s Republic of China (including 

mainland and Hong Kong born), 

Colombia, Dominican Republic, El 

Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, India, 

Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, 

Philippines, Republic of Korea (South 

Korea), Venezuela, and Vietnam. 

Natives of Macau SAR and Taiwan are 

eligible. 

With the exception of the United 

Kingdom and its dependent territories, 

which are now eligible for DV–2025, 

there were no changes in eligibility from 

the previous fiscal year. 

Eligibility 

Requirement One: Natives of 

countries with historically low rates of 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1