[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 197 (Thursday, October 10, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 82253-82254]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-23405]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

[256A2100DD/AAKC001030/A0A501010.999900; OMB Control Number 1076-0160]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Verification 
of Indian Preference for Employment in the BIA and the IHS

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, 
the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) are proposing to renew an 
information collection.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
November 12, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection request (ICR) should be sent within 30 days of 
publication of this notice to the Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs (OIRA) through https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRA/icrPublicCommentRequest?ref_nbr=202405-1076-005 or by visiting https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain and selecting ``Currently under 
Review--Open for Public Comments'' and then scrolling down to the 
``Department of the Interior.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this ICR, contact Steven Mullen, Information Collection Clearance 
Officer, Office of Regulatory Affairs and Collaborative Action--Indian 
Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1001 Indian School Road NW, 
Suite 229, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87104; <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d9bab6b4b4bcb7adaa99bbb0b8f7beb6af"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="9dfef2f0f0f8f3e9eeddfff4fcb3faf2eb">[email protected]</span></a>; (202) 924-
2650. Individuals in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of 
hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or 
TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services. You may also 
view the ICR at https://www.reginfo.gov/public/Forward?SearchTarget=PRA&textfield=1076-0160.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), we 
provide the general public and other Federal agencies with an 
opportunity to comment on new, proposed, revised, and continuing 
collections of information. This helps us assess the impact of our 
information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting 
burden. It also helps the public understand our information collection 
requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format.
    A Federal Register notice with a 60-day public comment period 
soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on 
June 21, 2024 (89 FR 52076). No comments were received.
    As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent 
burdens, we are again soliciting comments from the public and other 
Federal agencies on the proposed ICR that is described below. We are 
especially interested in public comment addressing the following:
    (1) Whether or not the collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether or not the information will have practical utility;
    (2) The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this collection 
of information, including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used;
    (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (4) How might the agency minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on those who are to respond, including through the use of 
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of response.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. Before including your address, phone number, email 
address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you 
should be aware that your entire comment--including your personal 
identifying information--may be made publicly available at any time. 
While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal 
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we 
will be able to do so.
    Abstract: The BIA is seeking renewal of the approval for the 
information

[[Page 82254]]

collection conducted under 25 U.S.C. 43, 36 Stat. 472, inter alia, and 
implementing regulations, at 25 CFR part 5, regarding verification of 
Indian preference for employment. The purpose of Indian preference is 
to encourage qualified Indian persons to seek employment with the BIA 
and the Indian Health Service (IHS) by offering preferential treatment 
to qualified candidates of Indian heritage. The BIA collects the 
information to ensure compliance with Indian preference hiring 
requirements. The information collection relates only to individuals 
applying for employment with the BIA and/or IHS. The tribe's 
involvement is limited to verifying membership information submitted by 
the applicant. The collection of information allows certain persons who 
are of Indian descent to receive preference when appointments are made 
to vacancies in positions with the BIA and the IHS as well as in any 
unit that has been transferred intact from the BIA to a Bureau or 
office within the Department of the Interior or the Department of 
Health and Human Services and that continues to perform functions 
formerly performed as part of the BIA and the IHS. You are eligible for 
preference if (a) you are a member of a federally recognized Indian 
tribe; (b) you are a descendent of a member and you were residing 
within the present boundaries of any Indian reservation on June 1, 
1934; (c) you are an Alaska native; or (d) you possess one-half degree 
Indian blood derived from tribes that are indigenous to the United 
States.
    Title of Collection: Verification of Indian Preference for 
Employment in the BIA and the IHS.
    OMB Control Number: 1076-0160.
    Form Number: BIA 4432.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Qualified Indian persons who are 
seeking preference in employment with the BIA and the IHS.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 5,000 per year, on 
average.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 5,000 per year, on 
average.
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: 30 minutes.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 2,500 hours.
    Respondent's Obligation: A response is required to obtain a 
benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: $7,640.

Authority

    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 authority for this action is 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

Steven Mullen,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Office of Regulatory Affairs 
and Collaborative Action--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2024-23405 Filed 10-9-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4337-15-P


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