60936 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 219 / Thursday, November 13, 1997 / Notices

1Traditionally, motor carrier rate bureau

proceedings have been identified as ‘‘Section 5a’’

proceedings, in reference to section 5a of the

Interstate Commerce Act as it existed prior to its

1978 codification as 49 U.S.C. 10706. In the ICC

Termination Act of 1995, the statutory provisions

governing motor carrier rate bureau agreements

were severed from the rail provisions of section

10706 and recodified as section 13703.

2See the notice published in the Federal Register

on May 20, 1997, at 62 FR 27653, and the Board’s

decisions in those consolidated proceedings served

on May 20, 1997, and August 15, 1997. In the

decision served on August 15, 1997, we denied a

petition to expand the consolidated proceedings to

consider whether antitrust immunity should be

continued for activities under the NCC agreement,

but stated that we would in the future address

matters relating to antitrust immunity for NCC

activities separately.

Opening and reply comments must be

served on the persons identified as

‘‘parties of record’’ on the service list.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Joseph H. Dettmar, (202) 565–1600.

[TDD for the hearing impaired: (202)

565–1695.]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under 49

U.S.C. 13703, we have the authority to

immunize approved motor carrier

bureau agreements from the antitrust

laws. One such bureau, the National

Motor Freight Traffic Association,

operating through its National

Classification Committee (NCC),

administers the National Motor Freight

Classification (NMFC). The NMFC

groups all articles moving by truck into

classes based on their transportation

characteristics. The NCC operates

pursuant to a bureau agreement

approved in National Classification

Committee—Agreement, 299 I.C.C. 519

(1956), and renewed in National

Classification Committee—Agreement,

Section 5a Application No. 61 (ICC

served May 18, 1987).1 Under 49 U.S.C.

13703(d) and (e), all motor carrier

bureau agreements will expire on

December 31, 1998, unless we approve

renewal. Renewal of the collective rate

setting bureau agreements of the motor

carriers is under investigation in Section

5a Application No. 118 (Amendment

No. 1), et al.2

By this notice, we are commencing a

separate proceeding to explore whether

we should renew the NCC’s agreement

before its statutory expiration. In

particular, we question whether the

NCC needs antitrust immunity given the

fact that its activities, such as grouping

freight with common transportation

characteristics, publishing bill of lading

formats, and gathering information,

would not, on the surface, appear to

involve antitrust violations. The parties

are invited to address, and organize

their discussion of, this and other public

interest issues by answering the

following specific questions:

1. Does the NCC in fact engage in

activities that would violate the

antitrust laws in the absence of antitrust

immunity conferred under 49 U.S.C.

13703?

2. If the NCC engages in activities that

would violate the antitrust laws in the

absence of antitrust immunity under

section 13703, does the public interest

require (a) continued exemption of these

activities from antitrust law, subject to

our regulation, or (b) a regime of

marketplace competition subject to

antitrust law? Are there ‘‘borderline’’

areas of NCC activity that might be

subject to antitrust enforcement in the

absence of immunization under 49

U.S.C. 13703, where the public interest

warrants continued antitrust immunity

for those activities under that section?

3. Should we exclude from any

immunity we might confer activities

that would not violate the antitrust laws

in the absence of antitrust immunity, so

as to avoid confusing the public about

the scope and impact of our regulatory

jurisdiction?

4. How do the public interests aspects

of the NCC’s activities relate to the

public interest aspects of the activities

of the operating motor carrier rate

bureaus, whose renewal is the subject of

the proceedings in Section 5a

Application No. 118 (Amendment No.

1), et al., supra? If we decide not to

renew the rate setting immunity of those

bureaus, could we, and should we,

nonetheless continue immunity for

classification?

Decided: November 5, 1997.

By the Board, Chairman Morgan and Vice

Chairman Owen.

Vernon A. Williams,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 97–29901 Filed 11–12–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4915–00–P

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS

AFFAIRS

[OMB CONTROL NO. 2900–0546]

Proposed Information Collection

Activity; Proposed Collection;

Comment Request, Revision

AGENCY: National Cemetery System,

Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The National Cemetery

System (NCS) 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

notice solicits comments on

requirements relating to the biennial

survey of individuals holding gravesite

set-asides in national cemeteries to

determine if they wish to retain their

set-aside, or wish to relinquish it.

DATES: Written comments and

recommendations on the proposed

collection of information should be

received on or before January 12, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments

on the collection of information to

Rosetta Holloway, National Cemetery

System (402D), Department of Veterans

Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW.,

Washington, DC 20420. Please refer to

‘‘OMB Control No. 2900–0546’’ in any

correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Rosetta Holloway at (202) 273–5185.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the

PRA of 1995 (Public Law 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, NCS invites

comments on: (1) whether the proposed

collection of information is necessary

for the proper performance of NCS’s

functions, including whether the

information will have practical utility;

(2) the accuracy of NCS’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: Adjacent

Gravesite Set-Aside Survey (2 Year), VA

Form Letter 40–40.

OMB Control Number: 2900–0546.

Type of Review: Revision of a

currently approved collection.

Abstract: In the past, the survey was

conducted annually. VA Form Letter

40–40 will be sent biennially (once

every two years on a 24 month rotating

basis) to individuals holding gravesite

set-asides in national cemeteries to

ascertain their wish to retain their setaside, or wish to relinquish it. The

collection of information is necessary to

assure that gravesite set-asides are not
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 219 / Thursday, November 13, 1997 / Notices 60937

wasted. Some holders become

ineligible, are buried elsewhere, or

simply wish to cancel a gravesite setaside for them. Without this

information, unused set-asides would

exist which could be used by other

veterans.

Affected Public: Individuals or

households.

Estimated Annual Burden: 3,000

hours.

Estimated Average Burden Per

Respondent: 10 minutes.

Frequency of Response: Biennially.

Estimated Number of Annual

Respondents: 18,000.

Dated: October 17, 1997.

By direction of the Secretary.

Barbara Epps,

Management Analyst, Information

Management Service.

[FR Doc. 97–29785 Filed 11–12–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8320–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS

AFFAIRS

[OMB Control No. 2900–0227]

Proposed Information Collection

Activity: Proposed Collection;

Comment Request; Revision

AGENCY: Veterans Health

Administration, Department of Veterans

Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Veterans Health

Administration (VHA) 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 of 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

notice solicits comments on VHA’s

National Customer Feedback Surveys.

DATES: Written comments and

recommendations on the proposed

collection of information should be

received on or before January 12, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments

on the collection to Ann Bickoff,

Veterans health Administration

(161A1), Department of Veterans

Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW,

Washington, DC 20420. Please refer to

‘‘OMB Control No. 2900–0227’’ in any

correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ann Bickoff at (202) 273–8310.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the

PRA of 1995 (Public Law 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, VHA invites

comments on: (1) whether the proposed

collection of information is necessary

for the proper performance of VHA’s

functions, including whether the

information will have practical utility;

(2) the accuracy of VHA’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) way

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: National Customer Feedback

Surveys.

Survey Instruments and Form

Numbers: a. Prosthetic Patient

Satisfaction Survey, VA Form 10–

0142B.

b. Customer Feedback Surveys, VA

Form 10–1465 (Series): Nationwide

Inpatient Survey, VA Form 10–1465–1;

Mental Health Insert, VA Form 10–

1465–2; Nationwide Outpatient Survey,

VA Form 10–1465–3; Health Update

Insert, VA Form 10–1465–4; Persian

Gulf Patient Survey Inpatient, VA Form

10–1465–5; Persian Gulf Patient Survey

Inpatient, VA Form 10–1465–5; Persian

Gulf Patient Survey Outpatient, VA

Form 10–1465–6; Spinal Cord Injury

Inpatient Survey, VA Form 10–1465–7;

Spinal Cord Injury Outpatient Survey,

VA Form 10–1465–8; Home Based

Primary Care, VA Form 10–1465–9;

Nursing Home Care, VA Form 10–1465–

10; Women Veterans Patient Survey, VA

Form 10–1465–11; Ambulatory Care

Team, VA Form 10–1465–12.

c. Dietetic Service Survey, VA Form

10–5387.

OMB Control Number: 2900–0227.

Type of Review: Extension of a

currently approved collection.

Abstract: a. The Prosthetic Patient

Satisfaction Survey is used to

systematically obtain information from

prosthetic patients that can be used to

identify problems or complaints that

need attention and to improve the

quality of prosthetic services. The

information obtained from the survey

will be integrated into each VA filed

facility’s overall Quality Management

Program.

b. The Customer Feedback Surveys

are used to implement Title 38, U.S.C.,

Section 219, which requires the

Secretary of Veterans Affairs to evaluate

programs and provision of services to

beneficiaries. The information collected

meets management, medical and

legislative requirements and helps

assure that the VA maintains a high

quality of care for those who have

served the nation.

c. The Dietetic Service Survey is used

to collect the necessary information to

determine whether improvements are

needed to enhance the patients’s

nutritional therapy. The information

will be used to effectively gauge when

improvements are needed to enhance

patient’s nutritional therapy. The

information obtained through the survey

will have practical utility at all levels of

the program to plan and redirect

resources and efforts to improve or

maintain a high quality of service.

Affected Public: Individuals or

households.

Estimated Annual Burden: 87,032

total hours.

a. Prosthetic Patient Satisfaction

Survey—1,557 hours.

b. Customer Feedback Surveys:

Nationwide Inpatient Survey—8,452

hours; Mental health Insert—4,226

hours; Nationwide Outpatient Survey—

6,875 hours; Health Update Insert—

6,875 hours; Persian Gulf Patient

Inpatient Survey—12,500 hours; Persian

Gulf Patient Outpatient Survey—12,500

hours; Spinal Cord Injury Inpatient

Survey—1,875 hours; Spinal Cord

Injury Outpatient Survey—1,875 hours;

Home Based Primary Care Survey—627

hours; Nursing Home Care Survey—

1,333 hours; Women Veterans Patient

Survey—1,250 hours; Ambulatory Care

Team Survey—22,500 hours.

c. Dietetic Service Survey—4,587

hours.

Estimated Average Burden Per

Respondent. a. Prosthetic Patient

Satisfaction Survey—3 minutes.

b. Customer Feedback Surveys:

Nationwide Inpatient Survey—15

minutes; Mental Health Insert—7.5

minutes; Nationwide Outpatient

Survey—15 minutes; Health Update

Insert—15 minutes; Persian Gulf Patient

Inpatient Survey—30 minutes; Persian

Gulf Patient Outpatient Survey—30

minutes; Spinal Cord Injury Inpatient

Survey—22 minutes; Spinal Cord Injury

Outpatient Survey—22 minutes; Home

Based Primary Care Survey—15

minutes; Nursing Home Care Survey—

20 minutes; Women Veterans Patient

Survey—15 minutes; Ambulatory Care

Team Survey—15 minutes.

c. Dietetic Service Survey—2 minutes.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.