Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 36 / Monday, February 24, 1997 / Notices 8277

Community Development Block Grant

(CDBG) Indian Program System.

7. Department of Justice (N1–60–97–

2). Reduction in retention period for

disposable case files relating to habeas

corpus proceedings.

8. Department of the Treasury, Office

of Thrift Supervision (N1–483–96–1).

Branch Office Survey System comment

sheets.

9. Department of Veterans Affairs,

Veterans Health Administration (N1–

15–97–1). Electroencephalographic

reports and tracings.

10. Department of Veterans Affairs,

Office of Human Resources Management

(N1–15–97–2). Political appointee

application files.

11. Department of Veterans Affairs,

Veterans Health Administration (N1–

15–97–4). Quality management files.

12. Central Intelligence Agency (N1–

263–97–1). Thrift savings plan records.

13. Consumer Product Safety

Commission (N1–424–97–1). Routine

correspondence from citizens regarding

issues within the agency’s jurisdiction.

14. Defense Intelligence Agency (N1–

373–96–1). Routine and facilitative

reports files.

15. Defense Logistics Agency (N1–

361–97–3). Automated information

systems related to warehouse

distribution and other routine

administrative functions.

16. Defense Logistics Agency (N1–

361–97–2). Chaplain records relating to

routine administrative functions and to

programs and projects.

17. Tennessee Valley Authority (N1–

142–96–5). Occupancy emergency plans

for TVA office buildings.

18. Tennessee Valley Authority (N1–

142–97–3). Engineering Services cross

section and profiles field books and

related data base.

19. U.S. Arms Control and

Disarmament Agency (N1–383–97–1).

Comprehensive schedule update.

Overall program records are permanent.

Records that are duplicative or

facilitative are proposed for disposal.

Dated: February 14, 1997.

Michael J. Kurtz,

Assistant Archivist for Record Services—

Washington, DC.

[FR Doc. 97–4393 Filed 2–21–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7515–01–P

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

Special Emphasis Panel in Biological

Sciences; Notice of Meeting

In accordance with the Federal

Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–

463, as amended), the National Science

Foundation (NSF) announces the

following meeting.

Name: Special Emphasis Panel in

Biological Sciences (#1754)

Date and Time: March 6–7, 1997; 8:30

a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Place: National Science Foundation, Room

360, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA.

Type of Meeting: Closed.

Contact Person: Fred Stollnitz, Program

Officer for Cross-Directorate Activities in the

Division of Integrative Biology and

Neuroscience, Room 685, National Science

Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard,

Arlington, VA 22230. Telephone: (703) 306–

1413.

Purpose of Meeting: To provide advice and

recommendations concerning proposals

submitted to NSF for financial support.

Agenda: To review and evaluate Research

Planning Grants and Career Advancement

Awards for Women Scientists and Engineers

(RPG/CAA) proposals as part of the selection

process for awards.

Reason for Late Notice: Final list of

panelists could not be confirmed until

February 14, 1997.

Reason for Closing: The proposals being

reviewed include information of a

proprietary or confidential nature, including

technical information; financial data, such as

salaries; and personal information

concerning individuals associated with the

proposals. These matters are exempt under 5

U.S.C. 552b(c), (4) and (6) of the Government

in the Sunshine Act.

Dated: February 19, 1997.

Linda Allen-Benton,

Deputy Director, Division of Human Resource

Management, Acting Committee Management

Officer.

[FR Doc. 97–4437 Filed 2–21–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7555–01–M

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE

COMMISSION

Request for Public Comment

Extension:

Rule 6e–2, SEC File No. 270–177,

OMB Control No. 3235–0177.

Rule 22d–1, SEC File No. 270–275,

OMB Control No. 3235–0310.

Upon Written Request, Copies

Available From: Securities and

Exchange Commission, Office of Filings

and Information Services, Washington,

DC 20549.

Notice is hereby given that pursuant

to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

(44 U.S.C 3501 et seq.), the Securities

and Exchange Commission

(‘‘Commission’’) is publishing the

following summaries of collections for

public comment.

Rule 6e–2 (17 CFR 270.6e–2) under

the Investment Company Act of 1940

(‘‘Act’’) is an exemptive rule which

permits separate accounts, formed by

life insurance companies, to fund

certain variable life insurance products.

The rule exempts such separate

accounts from the registration

requirements under the Act, among

others, on condition that it comply with

all but certain designated provisions of

the Act and meet the other requirements

of the rule. The rule sets forth several

information collection requirements.

Rule 6e–2 provides a separate account

with an exemption from the registration

provisions of section 8 of the Act if the

account files with the Commission Form

N–6EI–1, a notification of claim of

exemption.

The rule also exempts a separate

account from a number of other sections

of the Act, provided that the separate

account makes certain disclosure in its

registration statements and reports to

contract holders about actions taken

under those exemptions.

In regard to the foregoing, Rule 6e–2

provides an exemption from section

17(f) of the Act. Section 17(f) requires

that every registered management

company meet various custody

requirements for its securities and

similar investments. Paragraph (b)(9) of

Rule 6e–2 provides an exemption from

the requirements of section 17(f) of the

Act and imposes a reporting burden and

certain other conditions. Paragraph

(b)(9) applies only to management

accounts that offer life insurance

contract subject to Rule 6e–2.

Since 1988, there have been no filings

under paragraph (b)(9) of Rule 6e–2 by

management accounts. Further, all posteffective amendments filed by variable

life separate accounts under Rule 6e–2

have been structured as unit investment

trusts and are thus not subject to the

requirements of paragraph (b)(9) of the

rule. Therefore, since 1988, there has

been no burden to the industry

regarding the information collection

requirements of paragraph (b)(9) of Rule

6e–2.

Rule 22d–1 (17 CFR 270.22d–1)

provides registered investment

companies that issue redeemable

securities (’’funds’’) an exemption from

section 22(d) of the Act to the extent

necessary to permit scheduled

variations in or elimination of the sales

load on fund securities for particular

classes of investors or transactions,

provided certain conditions are met.

The rule imposes an annual burden per

fund of approximately 15 minutes, so

that the total annual burden for the

approximately 1,865 funds that might

rely on the rule is estimated to be 466

hours.

Written comments are invited on: (a)

whether the proposed collection of

information is necessary for the proper
8278 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 36 / Monday, February 24, 1997 / Notices

performance of the functions of the

agency, including whether the

information shall have practical utility;

(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate

of the burden of the proposed collection

of information; (c) ways to enhance the

quality, utility, and clarity of the

information to be collected; and (d)

ways to minimize the burden of the

collection of information on

respondents, including through the use

of automated collection techniques or

other forms of information technology.

Consideration will be given to

comments and suggestions submitted in

writing within 60 days of this

publication.

Direct your written comments to

Michael E. Bartell, Associate Executive

Director, Office of Information

Technology, Securities and Exchange

Commission, 450 5th Street, N.W.

Washington, DC 20549.

Dated: February 14, 1997.

Margaret H. McFarland,

Deputy Secretary.

[FR Doc. 97–4388 Filed 2–21–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8010–01–M

[Rel. No. IC–22514; File No. 812–10412]

Ameritas Variable Life Insurance

Company, et al.

February 14, 1997.

AGENCY: The Securities and Exchange

Commission (the ‘‘Commission’’).

ACTION: Notice of Application for an

Order Pursuant to the Investment

Company Act of 1940 (‘‘1940 Act’’).

APPLICANTS: Ameritas Variable Life

Insurance Company Separate Account V

(‘‘Separate Account V’’), Ameritas

Variable Life Insurance Company

Separate Account VA–2 (‘‘Separate

Account VA–2,’’ together with Separate

Account V, the ‘‘Applicant Accounts’’),

the Ameritas Variable Life Insurance

Company (‘‘AVLIC’’).

RELEVANT 1940 ACT SECTIONS: Order

requested pursuant to Section 26(b).

SUMMARY OF THE APPLICATION:

Applicants seek an order approving the

proposed substitution of shares of the

Index 500 Portfolio of the Variable

Insurance Products Fund II (‘‘Index 500

Portfolio’’) for shares of The Dreyfus

Stock Index Fund (‘‘Dreyfus Fund’’)

held by Applicant Accounts.

FILING DATES: The application was filed

on October 21, 1996.

HEARING OR NOTIFICATION OF HEARING: An

order granting the application will be

issued unless the Commission orders a

hearing. Interested persons may request

a hearing by writing to the Secretary of

the Commission and serving Applicants

with a copy of the request, personally or

by mail. Hearing requests should be

received by the Commission by 5:30

p.m. on March 11, 1997, and should be

accompanied by proof of service on

Applicants in the form of an affidavit or,

for lawyers, a certificate of service.

Hearing requests should state the nature

of the requestor’s interest, the reason for

the request, and the issues contested.

Persons may request notification of a

hearing by writing to the Secretary of

the Commission.

ADDRESSES: Secretary, Securities and

Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth Street,

N.W., Washington, DC., 20549.

Applicants, c/o Norman M. Krivosha,

Esq., Ameritas Variable Life Insurance

Company, 5900 ‘‘O’’ Street, Lincoln,

Nebraska 68510.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Kevin M. Kirchoff, Branch Chief, Office

of Insurance Products (Division of

Investment Management), at (202) 942–

0670.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Following

is a summary of the application; the

complete application is available for a

fee from the Public Reference Branch of

the Commission.

Applicants’ Representations

1. AVLIC, a stock life insurance

company organized pursuant to

Nebraska law, is a wholly-owned

subsidiary of AMAL Corporation.

Ameritas Life Insurance Corporation,

also a Nebraska corporation, owns a

majority interest in AMAL Corporation.

2. The Applicant Accounts were

established by AVLIC and registered

with the Commission as unit investment

trusts pursuant to the 1940 Act.

Separate Account VA–2 was established

on May 28, 1987, to fund group variable

annuity policies (‘‘VA Policies’’).

Separate Account V was established on

August 28, 1985, to fund variable

universal life insurance policies (‘‘VUL

Policies’’). The VA and VUL Policies

(collectively, the ‘‘Subject Contracts’’)

are issued and administered by AVLIC

and are offered exclusively by means of

separate prospectuses that describe the

applicable terms and conditions of the

respective contracts.

3. Each of the Applicant Accounts is

divided into separate subaccounts that

invest exclusively in shares of one of the

investment portfolios of certain openend investment companies (collectively,

‘‘Underlying Funds’’). The Underlying

Funds in which the subaccounts of the

Applicant Accounts may invest are: The

Alger American Fund, which currently

offers to Applicant Accounts six

investment portfolios, and MFS Variable

Insurance Trust, which currently offers

three investment portfolios. In addition,

Variable Insurance Products Fund I and

Variable Insurance Products Fund II

currently offer to Applicant Accounts

ten investment portfolios, one of which

is the Index 500 Portfolio. Applicant

Accounts offer subaccounts that invest

exclusively in the Index 500 Portfolio

(‘‘Index 500 Subaccounts’’).

4. Applicant Accounts also offered

subaccounts that invested exclusively in

shares of the Dreyfus Fund (‘‘Dreyfus

Subaccounts’’). New investments in the

Dreyfus Subaccounts have not been

accepted since May 1, 1996, and all

prospectuses relating to the Subject

Contracts have been amended to

eliminate reference to them. Subject

Contract owners who invested in the

Dreyfus Subaccounts (‘‘Affected

Contractholders’’) were permitted to

remain in the Dreyfus Subaccounts after

May 1, 1996, and to continue to reinvest

dividends paid by the Dreyfus Fund in

the Dreyfus Subaccounts. All Affected

Contractholders continue to have the

option of transferring investments

without charge from the Dreyfus

Subaccounts to the Index 500

Subaccounts or to other subaccounts,

but it is not anticipated that all Affected

Contractholders will take advantage of

this option. As of July 31, 1996, the

Dreyfus Subaccount of Separate

Account VA–2 had total assets of

$8,561,723, representing the interests of

916 owners, and the Dreyfus

Subaccount of Separate Account V had

total assets of $2,067,298, representing

the interests of 735 owners.

5. Applicants represent that the

investment objectives of the Index 500

Portfolio and the Dreyfus Fund are

identical. Both are ‘‘index funds’’ that

attempt to allocate assets to correspond

to the Standard & Poor’s Index (‘‘S&P

500’’). Each fund: (a) must invest at least

80% of its assets in securities

represented in the S&P 500; (b) seeks to

achieve a total return that reflects at

least a 95% correlation with the S&P

500; and (c) may use financial futures

for hedging purposes only.

6. Fidelity Management & Research

Company (‘‘FRM’’), which manages the

Index 500 Portfolio, is entitled to

receive an investment advisory fee at

the annual rate of .28% of the Portfolio’s

net assets. For each of the fiscal years

ended December 31, 1995, 1994, and

1993, the expense ratio of the Index 500

Portfolio, taking into account expense

reimbursements and fee waivers, was

.28% of the Portfolio’s average net

assets. During each such period FMR

voluntarily reimbursed the Index 500

Portfolio to the extent that its ratio of

expenses to average net assets exceeded