Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 207 / Monday, October 27, 1997 / Notices 55673

comments on: (1) Whether the proposed

collection of information is necessary

for the proper performance of VBA’s

functions, including whether the

information will have practical utility;

(2) the accuracy of VBA’s estimate of the

burden of the proposed collection of

information; (3) ways to enhance the

quality, utility, and clarity of the

information to be collected; and (4)

ways to minimize the burden of the

collection of information on

respondents, including through the use

of automated collection techniques or

the use of other forms of information

technology.

Title and Form Numbers: Designation

of Certifying Official, VA Form 22–8794.

OMB Control Number: 2900–0262.

Type of Review: Extension of a

currently approved collection.

Abstract: The law requires specific

certifications from an educational

institution or job training establishment

that provides approved training for

veterans and other eligible persons. VA

Form 22–8794 serves as the report from

the school or job training establishment

as to those persons authorized to submit

these certifications. VBA uses the

information to ensure that VA

educational benefits are not made

improperly based on a report from

someone other than a designated

certifying official. Without the

information, VA could improperly pay

benefits.

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit, not for-profit institutions, and

State, Local or Tribal Government.

Estimated Annual Burden: 417 hours.

Estimated Average Burden Per

Respondent: 10 minutes.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

2,500.

Dated: October 1, 1997.

By direction of the Secretary.

William T. Morgan,

Program Analyst.

[FR Doc. 97–28397 Filed 10–24–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8320–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS

AFFAIRS

[OMB Control No. 2900–0495]

Proposed Information Collection

Activity: Proposed Collection;

Comment Request; Revision

AGENCY: Veterans Benefits

Administration, Department of Veterans

Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Veterans Benefits

Administration (VBA) is announcing an

opportunity for public comment on the

proposed collection of certain

information by the agency. Under the

Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of

1995, Federal agencies are required to

publish notice in the Federal Register

concerning each proposed collection of

information, including each proposed

revision of a currently approved

collection, and allow 60 days for public

comment in response to the notice. This

form is used to confirm the marital

status and continued DIC eligibility of a

surviving spouse beneficiary.

DATES: Written comments and

recommendations on the proposed

collection of information should be

received on or before December 26,

1997.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments

on the collection of information to

Nancy J. Kessinger, Veterans Benefits

Administration (20S52), Department of

Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue,

NW, Washington, DC 20420. Please refer

to ‘‘OMB Control No. 2900–0495’’ in

any correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Nancy J. Kessinger at (202) 273–8310 or

FAX (202) 275–5146.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the

PRA of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–13; 44 U.S.C.,

3501–3520), Federal agencies must

obtain approval from the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) for each

collection of information they conduct

or sponsor. This request for comment is

being made pursuant to Section

3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA.

With respect to the following

collection of information, VBA invites

comments on: (1) Whether the proposed

collection of information is necessary

for the proper performance of VBA’s

functions, including whether the

information will have practical utility;

(2) the accuracy of VBA’s estimate of the

burden of the proposed collection of

information; (3) ways to enhance the

quality, utility, and clarity of the

information to be collected; and (4)

ways to minimize the burden of the

collection of information on

respondents, including through the use

of automated collection techniques or

the use of other forms of information

technology.

Title and Form Number: Marital

Status Questionnaire.

OMB Control Number: 2900–0495.

Type of Review: Extension of a

currently approved collection.

Abstract: This form is used to confirm

the marital status and continued DIC

eligibility of a surviving spouse

beneficiary.

Affected Public: Individuals or

households.

Estimated Annual Burden: 2,875

hours.

Estimated Average Burden Per

Respondent: 5 minutes.

Frequency of Response: Reporting on

Occasion.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

34,500.

Dated: September 30, 1997.

By direction of the Secretary.

William Morgan,

Program Analyst, Information Management

Service.

[FR Doc. 97–28398 Filed 10–24–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8320–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS

AFFAIRS

[OMB Control No. 2900–0455]

Agency Information Collection

Activities Under OMB Review

AGENCY: Veterans Benefits

Administration, Department of Veterans

Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: In compliance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995

(44 U.S.C., 3501 et seq.), this notice

announces that the Veterans Benefits

Administration (VBA), Department of

Veterans Affairs, has submitted the

collection of information abstracted

below to the Office of Management and

Budget (OMB) for review and comment.

The PRA submission describes the

nature of the information collection and

its expected cost and burden; it includes

the actual data collection instrument.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on

or before November 26, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY OF

THE SUBMISSION CONTACT: Ron Taylor,

Information Management Service

(045A4), Department of Veterans

Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW,

Washington, DC 20420, (202) 273–8015

or FAX (202) 273–5981. Please refer to

‘‘OMB Control No. 2900–0455.’’

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Equal Opportunity Compliance

Review Report, VA Form 20–8734, and

Supplement to Equal Opportunity

Compliance Review Report, VA Form

20–8734a.

OMB Control Number: 2900–0455.

Type of Review: Reinstatement,

without change, of a previously

approved collection for which approval

has expired.

Abstract: Executive Order 12250,

Leadership and Coordination of

Nondiscrimination Laws, delegated

authority to the Attorney General to
55674 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 207 / Monday, October 27, 1997 / Notices

coordinate the implementation and

enforcement by Executive agencies of

various equal opportunity laws.

Government-wide guidelines issued by

the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in

28 CFR 42.406 instructs funding

agencies to ‘‘provide for the collection

of data and information from applicants

for and recipients of Federal assistance

sufficient to permit effective

enforcement of Title VI.’’ Executive,

Order 12250 extended the delegation to

cover Title IX of the Education

Amendments of 1972, and Section 504

of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as

amended.

VA’s requirements to effectuate our

external civil rights requirements are

contained on 38 CFR, Part 18. These

regulations, in part, provide that the

responsible agency official or designee

shall from time to time review the

practices of recipients to determine

whether they are complying with the

equal opportunity provisions. VA Form

20–8734 is used to gather information

from post-secondary proprietary schools

below college level. The information is

used to assure that VA Federally-funded

programs are in compliance with equal

opportunity laws. VA Form 20–8734a, is

used to gather information from

students and instructors at postsecondary proprietary schools below

college level. The information is used to

assure equal access and equal treatment

to participants in VA Federally-funded

programs.

Education Compliance Survey

Specialists in VA field stations use VA

Forms 20–8734 and 20–8734a during

regular scheduled educational

compliance survey visits, as well as

during investigations of equal

opportunity complaints, to identify

areas which may indicate whether there

is disparate treatment of members of

protected groups. The information

obtained on these forms is analyzed and

maintained on file at the regional office.

If this information were not collected,

VA would be unable to carry out its

civil rights enforcement responsibilities

established in the DOJ’s instructions.

An agency may not conduct or

sponsor, and a person is not required to

respond to a collection of information

unless it displays a currently valid OMB

control number. The Federal Register

Notice with a 60-day comment period

soliciting comments on this collection

of information was published on July

18, 1997 at page 38607.

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit.

Estimated Annual Burden and

Average Burden Per Respondent: Based

on past experience, VBA estimates that

76 interviews will be conducted with

recipients using VA Form 20–8734 at an

average of 1 hour and 45 minutes per

interview (133 hours). This includes one

hour for an interview with the principal

facility official, plus 45 minute for

reviewing records and reports and

touring the facility. It is also estimated

that 76 interviews will be conducted

with students using VA Form 20–8734a

at an average of 30 minutes per

interview (38 hours) and with

instructors at an average of 30 minutes

per interview (38 hours) with a total of

76 hours. Interviews are also conducted

with 76 students without instructors at

an average time of 30 minutes.

VBA estimates that it will take 1 hour

to conduct an interview with the

recipients (76 hours) and 30 minutes

with the instructors (38 hours). The total

number of hours for interviewing

recipients and instructors are estimated

at 114.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

228.

Send comments and

recommendations concerning any

aspect of the information collection to

VA’s OMB Desk Officer, Allison Eydt,

OMB Human Resources and Housing

Branch, New Executive Office Building,

Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503

(202) 395–4650. Please refer to ‘‘OMB

Control No. 2900–0455’’ in any

correspondence.

Dated: September 30, 1997.

By direction of the Secretary.

William Morgan,

Program Analyst, Information Management

Service.

[FR Doc. 97–28390 Filed 10–24–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8320–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS

AFFAIRS

[OMB Control No. 2900–0465]

Agency Information Collection

Activities Under OMB Review

AGENCY: Veterans Benefits

Administration, Department of Veterans

Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: In compliance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995

(44 U.S.C., 3501 et seq.), this notice

announces that the Veterans Benefits

Administration (VBA), Department of

Veterans Affairs, has submitted the

collection of information abstracted

below to the Office of Management and

Budget (OMB) for review and comment.

The PRA submission describes the

nature of the information collection and

its expected cost and burden; it includes

the actual data collection instrument.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on

or before November 26, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY OF

THE SUBMISSION CONTACT: Ron Taylor,

Information Management Service

(045A4), Department of Veterans

Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW,

Washington, DC 20420, (202) 273–8015

or FAX (202) 273–5981. Please refer to

‘‘OMB Control No. 2900–0465.’’

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title and Form Numbers: Student

Verification of Enrollment, VA Forms

22–8979 and 22–8979–1. (NOTE: VA

Forms 22–8979 and 22–8979–1 collect

the same information. VA Form 22–

8979 is electronically generated for

monthly mailings while VA Form 22–

8979–1 is printed and distributed to VA

regional offices for individual use.)

OMB Control Number: 2900–0465.

Type of Review: Extension of a

currently approved collection.

Abstract: The form is used by

students in certifying attendance and

continued enrollment in courses leading

to a standard college degree or in noncollege degree programs. The

information is used to determine the

individual’s continued entitlement to

VA benefits.

VA is authorized to pay educational

benefits to veterans and other eligible

persons pursuing approved programs

not leading to a standard college degree

under Chapters 30, 32, and 35, Title 38,

U.S.C.; Chapter 1606, Title 10, U.S.C.;

and Section 903 of Public Law 96–342.

VA Form 22–8979 serves as the form for

reporting necessary certification of

actual attendance and verification of the

student’s continued enrollment for

claimant’s pursuing non-college degree

programs.

An agency may not conduct or

sponsor, and a person is not required to

respond to a collection of information

unless it displays a currently valid OMB

control number. The Federal Register

Notice with a 60-day comment period

soliciting comments on this collection

of information was published on March

13, 1997 at page 11948–11948.

Affected Public: Individuals or

households.

Estimated Annual Burden: 189,000

hours.

Estimated Average Burden Per

Respondent: 5 minutes.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

324,000.

Send comments and

recommendations concerning any

aspect of the information collection to