Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 125 / Thursday, June 28, 2018 / Notices 30477 

to 28 U.S.C. 995 and Rule 5.4 of the 

Commission’s Rules of Practice and 

Procedure. Under the charter for the 

advisory group, the purpose of the 

advisory group is (1) to assist the 

Commission in carrying out its statutory 

responsibilities under 28 U.S.C. 994(o); 

(2) to provide to the Commission its 

views on the Commission’s activities 

and work, including proposed priorities 

and amendments; (3) to disseminate to 

defense attorneys, and to other 

professionals in the defense community, 

information regarding federal 

sentencing issues; and (4) to perform 

other related functions as the 

Commission requests. The advisory 

group consists of not more than 17 

voting members, each of whom may 

serve not more than two consecutive 

three-year terms. Of those 17 voting 

members, one shall be Chair, one shall 

be Vice Chair, 12 shall be circuit 

members (one for each federal judicial 

circuit other than the Federal Circuit), 

and three shall be at-large members. 

To be eligible to serve as a voting 

member, an individual must be an 

attorney who (1) devotes a substantial 

portion of his or her professional work 

to advocating the interests of privatelyrepresented individuals, or of 

individuals represented by private 

practitioners through appointment 

under the Criminal Justice Act of 1964, 

within the federal criminal justice 

system; (2) has significant experience 

with federal sentencing or postconviction issues related to criminal 

sentences; and (3) is in good standing of 

the highest court of the jurisdiction or 

jurisdictions in which he or she is 

admitted to practice. Additionally, to be 

eligible to serve as a circuit member, the 

individual’s primary place of business 

or a substantial portion of his or her 

practice must be in the circuit 

concerned. Each voting member is 

appointed by the Commission. 

The Commission invites any 

individual who is eligible to be 

appointed to a voting membership 

covered by this notice (i.e., the circuit 

memberships for the Third, Fifth, Tenth, 

and Eleventh Circuits) to apply by 

sending a letter of interest and a resume 

to the Commission as indicated in the 

ADDRESSES section above. 

Authority: 28 U.S.C. 994(a), (o), (p), 995; 

USSC Rules of Practice and Procedure 5.4. 

William H. Pryor Jr., 

Acting Chair. 

[FR Doc. 2018–13936 Filed 6–27–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 2210–40–P 

UNITED STATES SENTENCING 

COMMISSION 

Proposed Priorities for Amendment 

Cycle 

AGENCY: United States Sentencing 

Commission. 

ACTION: Notice; Request for public 

comment. 

SUMMARY: As part of its statutory 

authority and responsibility to analyze 

sentencing issues, including operation 

of the federal sentencing guidelines, and 

in accordance with Rule 5.2 of its Rules 

of Practice and Procedure, the United 

States Sentencing Commission is 

seeking comment on possible policy 

priorities for the amendment cycle 

ending May 1, 2019. 

DATES: Public comment should be 

received by the Commission on or 

before August 10, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to 

the Commission by electronic mail or 

regular mail. The email address is 

pubaffairs@ussc.gov. The regular mail 

address is United States Sentencing 

Commission, One Columbus Circle NE, 

Suite 2–500, South Lobby, Washington, 

DC 20002–8002, Attention: Public 

Affairs—Priorities Comment. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Christine Leonard, Director, Office of 

Legislative and Public Affairs, (202) 

502–4500, pubaffairs@ussc.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

United States Sentencing Commission is 

an independent agency in the judicial 

branch of the United States 

Government. The Commission 

promulgates sentencing guidelines and 

policy statements for federal sentencing 

courts pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 994(a). The 

Commission also periodically reviews 

and revises previously promulgated 

guidelines pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 994(o) 

and submits guideline amendments to 

the Congress not later than the first day 

of May each year pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 

994(p). 

The Commission provides this notice 

to identify tentative priorities for the 

amendment cycle ending May 1, 2019. 

Other factors, such as legislation 

requiring Commission action, may affect 

the Commission’s ability to complete 

work on any or all identified priorities 

by May 1, 2019. Accordingly, the 

Commission may continue work on any 

or all identified priorities after that date 

or may decide not to pursue one or more 

identified priorities. 

Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 994(g), the 

Commission intends to consider the 

issue of reducing costs of incarceration 

and overcapacity of prisons, to the 

extent it is relevant to any identified 

priority. 

The Commission has identified the 

following tentative priorities: 

(1) Continuation of its multiyear 

examination of the structure of the 

guidelines post-Booker and 

consideration of legislative 

recommendations or guideline 

amendments to simplify the guidelines, 

while promoting proportionality and 

reducing sentencing disparities, and to 

account appropriately for the 

defendant’s role, culpability, and 

relevant conduct. 

(2) A multiyear study of synthetic 

drug offenses committed by 

organizational defendants, including 

possible consideration of amendments 

to Chapter Eight (Sentencing 

Organizations) to address such offenses. 

(3) Continuation of its work with 

Congress and others to implement the 

recommendations of the Commission’s 

2016 report to Congress, Career 

Offender Sentencing Enhancements, 

including its recommendations to revise 

the career offender directive at 28 U.S.C. 

994(h) to focus on offenders who have 

committed at least one ‘‘crime of 

violence’’ and to adopt a uniform 

definition of ‘‘crime of violence’’ 

applicable to the guidelines and other 

recidivist statutory provisions. 

(4) Continuation of its work with 

Congress and others to implement the 

recommendations of the Commission’s 

2011 report to Congress, Mandatory 

Minimum Penalties in the Federal 

Criminal Justice System—including its 

recommendations regarding the severity 

and scope of mandatory minimum 

penalties, consideration of expanding 

the ‘‘safety valve’’ at 18 U.S.C. 3553(f), 

and elimination of the mandatory 

‘‘stacking’’ of penalties under 18 U.S.C. 

924(c)—and preparation of a series of 

publications updating the data in the 

report. 

(5) Continuation of its comprehensive, 

multiyear study of recidivism, including 

the circumstances that correlate with 

increased or reduced recidivism. 

(6) Implementation of any legislation 

warranting Commission action. 

(7) Study of Chapter Four, Part A 

(Criminal History), focusing on (A) how 

the guidelines treat revocations under 

§ 4A1.2(k) for violations of conditions of 

supervision for conduct that does not 

constitute a federal, state, or local 

offense punishable by a term of 

imprisonment; and (B) whether 

unwarranted sentencing disparities arise 

under the single sentence rule at 

§ 4A1.2(a)(2) as a result of differences in 

state practices. 

(8) Resolution of circuit conflicts as 

warranted, pursuant to the 


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30478 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 125 / Thursday, June 28, 2018 / Notices 

Commission’s authority under 28 U.S.C. 

991(b)(1)(B) and Braxton v. United 

States, 500 U.S. 344 (1991). 

(9) Consideration of other 

miscellaneous issues, including (A) 

possible amendments to the 

commentary of § 1B1.10 (Reduction in 

Term of Imprisonment as a Result of 

Amended Guideline Range (Policy 

Statement)) in light of Koons v. United 

States, No. 17–5716 (June 4, 2018); (B) 

study of the operation of § 5H1.6 

(Family Ties and Responsibilities 

(Policy Statement)) with respect to the 

loss of caretaking or financial support of 

minors; and (C) study of whether 

§ 1B1.13 (Reduction in Term of 

Imprisonment Under 18 U.S.C. 

3582(c)(1)(A) (Policy Statement)) 

effectively encourages the Director of 

the Bureau of Prisons to file a motion for 

compassionate release when 

‘‘extraordinary and compelling reasons’’ 

exist. 

The Commission hereby gives notice 

that it is seeking comment on these 

tentative priorities and on any other 

issues that interested persons believe 

the Commission should address during 

the amendment cycle ending May 1, 

2019. To the extent practicable, public 

comment should include the following: 

(1) A statement of the issue, including, 

where appropriate, the scope and 

manner of study, particular problem 

areas and possible solutions, and any 

other matters relevant to a proposed 

priority; (2) citations to applicable 

sentencing guidelines, statutes, case 

law, and constitutional provisions; and 

(3) a direct and concise statement of 

why the Commission should make the 

issue a priority. 

Authority: 28 U.S.C. 994(a), (o); USSC 

Rules of Practice and Procedure 5.2. 

William H. Pryor Jr., 

Acting Chair. 

[FR Doc. 2018–13937 Filed 6–27–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 2210–40–P 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

AFFAIRS 

[OMB Control No. 2900–0821] 

Agency Information Collection Activity 

Under OMB Review: Certification 

Regarding Debarment, Suspension, 

Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion 

(Documents and Information Required 

for Specially Adapted Housing 

Assistive Technology Grant) and 

Scoring Criteria for SAH Assistive 

Technology Grants 

AGENCY: Veterans Benefits 

Administration, Department of Veterans 

Affairs. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: In compliance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 

1995, this notice announces that the 

Veterans Benefits Administration 

(VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs, 

will submit 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 July 30, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments 

on the collection of information through 

www.Regulations.gov, or to Office of 

Information and Regulatory Affairs, 

Office of Management and Budget, Attn: 

VA Desk Officer; 725 17th St. NW, 

Washington, DC 20503 or sent through 

electronic mail to oira_submission@

omb.eop_.gov. Please refer to ‘‘OMB 

Control No. 2900–0821’’ in any 

correspondence. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Cynthia Harvey-Pryor, Office of Quality, 

Privacy and Risk (005R1B), Department 

of Veterans Affairs , 810 Vermont 

Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20420, 

(202) 461–5870 or email 

Cynthia.Haryey-Pryor@va.gov. Please 

refer to ‘‘OMB Control No. 2900–0821’’ 

in any correspondence. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Authority: Public Law 11–275; 38 U.S.C. 

2108; 44 U.S.C. 3501–3521. 

Title: Certification Regarding 

Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility 

and Voluntary Exclusion (Documents 

and Information Required for Specially 

Adapted Housing Assistive Technology 

Grant), VA Form 26–0967 and Scoring 

Criteria for SAH Assistive Technology 

Grants, VA Form 26–0967a. 

OMB Control Number: 2900–0821. 

Type of Review: Extension of a 

currently approved collection. 

Abstract: Title 38, U.S.C., chapter 21, 

authorizes a VA program of grants for 

specially adapted housing for disabled 

veterans or servicemembers. Section 

2101(a) of this chapter specifically 

outlines those determinations that must 

be made by VA before such grant is 

approved for a particular veteran or 

servicemember. VA Form 26–0967 and 

VA Form 26–0967a are used to collect 

information that is necessary for VA to 

meet the requirements of 38 U.S.C. 

2101(a). (Also, see 38 CFR 36.4402(a), 

36–4404(a) and 36.4405.) 

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 at 83 FR 

99 on May 22, 2018 and page 23767. 

Affected Public: Individuals or 

Households. 

Estimate: Annual Burden: 40 hours. 

Estimated Average Burden per 

Respondent: 120 minutes. 

Frequency of Response: One time. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

20. 

By direction of the Secretary. 

Cynthia D. Harvey-Pryor, 

Department Clearance Officer, Office of 

Quality, Privacy and Risk, Department of 

Veterans Affairs. 

[FR Doc. 2018–13904 Filed 6–27–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8320–01–P 


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