Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 61 / Wednesday, March 30, 2022 / Notices 18481 

20. Title: Mortgage Assistance 

Payments. 

OMB Control Number: 1545–2221. 

Type of Review: Extension of a 

currently approved collection. 

Description: This form is a statement 

reported to the IRS and to taxpayers. It 

will be filed and furnished by State 

Housing Finance Agencies (HFAs) and 

HUD to report the total amounts of 

mortgage assistance payments and 

homeowner mortgage payments made to 

mortgage servicers. The requirement for 

the statements are authorized by Notice 

2011–14, supported by Public Law 111– 

203, sec. 1496, and Public Law 110–343, 

Division A, sec. 109. 

Form Number: Form 1098–MA. 

Affected Public: Individuals, Federal 

Government, State, Local, or Tribal 

Governments. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

52. 

Frequency of Response: Annually. 

Estimated Total Number of Annual 

Responses: 60,000. 

Estimated Time per Response: 2 hours 

50 minutes. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: 170,400. 

Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. 

Molly Stasko, 

Treasury PRA Clearance Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2022–06699 Filed 3–29–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4830–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

AFFAIRS 

Implementation of the PAWS for 

Veterans Therapy Act 

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans 

Affairs (VA) is publishing this notice to 

inform the public about how it is 

implementing the Puppies Assisting 

Wounded Servicemembers for Veterans 

Therapy Act. 

DATES: This notice is effective on March 

30, 2022. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Stacey Pollack, 810 Vermont Avenue 

NW, Washington, DC 20420; 202–461– 

4174. This is not a toll-free telephone 

number. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Puppies Assisting Wounded 

Servicemembers for Veterans Therapy 

Act (hereinafter referred to as ‘‘the Act’’) 

was signed into law by the President on 

August 25, 2021, (Pub. L. 117–37, 135 

stat. 329). Section 2 of the Act requires 

VA to conduct a pilot program to 

provide canine training to eligible 

veterans diagnosed with posttraumatic 

stress disorder (PTSD) as an element of 

a complementary and integrative health 

program for such veterans. This notice 

provides information on how VA will 

implement the requirements of section 2 

of the Act and is not a solicitation for 

public comment or request for 

information regarding VA’s 

implementation of section 2 of the Act, 

as outlined below. Therefore, responses 

to this notice may not be used to inform 

VA’s implementation of section 2 of the 

Act, and VA will not address such 

responses. A brief summary of the 

provisions in section 2 of the Act 

follows. 

Summary of Provisions in Section 2 of 

the Act 

• Section 2(a) requires that VA, not 

later than February 21, 2022, commence 

the conduct of a pilot program to 

provide canine training to eligible 

veterans diagnosed with PTSD as an 

element of a complementary and 

integrative health program for such 

veterans. 

• Section 2(b) requires that the pilot 

program conducted under subsection (a) 

be carried out for a 5-year period 

beginning on the date of the 

commencement of the pilot program, by 

not fewer than 5 VA medical centers 

(VAMC) located in geographically 

diverse areas. 

• Section 2(c) requires that, in 

carrying out the pilot program required 

under subsection (a), VA must seek to 

enter into agreements with 

nongovernmental entities that VA 

determines have the demonstrated 

ability to provide the canine training 

specified in subsection (a). 

• Section 2(d) establishes certain 

conditions for inclusion in any 

agreements under subsection (c). 

• Section 2(e) establishes that a 

veteran who has participated in the 

pilot program under subsection (a) may 

adopt a dog that the veteran assisted in 

training during the pilot program if the 

veteran and the veteran’s health 

provider, in consultation with the entity 

that provided the canine training with 

respect to that dog under the pilot 

program, determine that it is in the best 

interest of the veteran. This section also 

includes language regarding the 

responsibility of the entity that provided 

the canine training under the pilot 

program to provide follow-up training 

support for the life of the dog, if the 

veteran who participated in the pilot 

program adopts the dog under this 

subsection. 

• Section 2(f) establishes that 

participation in the pilot program under 

subsection (a) may not preclude a 

veteran from receiving any other 

medical care or treatment for PTSD 

furnished by VA for which the veteran 

is otherwise eligible. 

• Section 2(g) establishes data 

collection requirements based on 

veterans’ participation in the pilot 

program and such other factors as VA 

determines appropriate. 

• Section 2(h) establishes VA’s 

reporting requirements associated with 

the pilot program. 

• Section 2(i) requires the 

Comptroller General to brief and report 

to Congress on the methodology of the 

pilot program. 

• Section 2(j) establishes definitions, 

for purposes of section 2, for the 

following terms: Accredited service dog 

organization (SDO), eligible veteran and 

service dog training instructor. 

Implementation of the Pilot Program 

VA’s implementation of the pilot 

program will reflect the following 

considerations: 

Canine Training 

Section 2(a) provides that VA must 

conduct a pilot program to provide 

canine training to eligible veterans 

diagnosed with PTSD as an element of 

a complementary and integrative health 

program for such veterans. The term 

canine training is not defined in the Act, 

and VA has not otherwise defined this 

term. However, the term canine training 

is characterized in the Act as ‘‘an 

element of a complementary and 

integrative health program’’ for veterans 

participating in the pilot program. The 

Act similarly does not contain a 

definition of the term complementary 

and integrative health (CIH); however, 

VA’s internal policy defines CIH as a 

group of diverse medical and health 

care approaches and practices that are 

not considered to be part of 

conventional or allopathic medicine. 

See Veterans Health Administration 

(VHA) Directive 1137(2), Provision of 

Complementary and Integrative Health 

(May 18, 2017; amended July 2, 2021). 

Based on its experience, VA has 

distinguished the following two types of 

CIH: Treatment services and well-being 

services. Unlike treatment services, 

well-being services are often practices 

offered outside of a clinical setting and 

involve a practitioner or instructor 

teaching veterans to advance their sense 

of well-being and improve their quality 

of life. 

VA is implementing the canine 

training under the pilot program as an 

element of CIH well-being services. CIH 

well-being services are those activities 

that a veteran may complete without the 

need for assistance from a health care 


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18482 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 61 / Wednesday, March 30, 2022 / Notices 

professional or in a clinical setting and 

that may advance the veteran’s sense of 

well-being and improve the veteran’s 

quality of life. Because the canine 

training will be considered CIH wellbeing services, it is not a direct clinical 

intervention, and the training does not 

involve the provision of health care. 

This will allow more veterans to 

participate in canine training; thereby, 

affording more veterans potential wellbeing benefits. 

Commencement and Duration of the 

Pilot Program 

Section 2(a) requires that, not later 

than 180 days after the date of the 

enactment of the Act, VA must 

commence the conduct of a pilot 

program. As the Act was signed into law 

on August 25, 2021, VA was required to 

commence the conduct of a pilot 

program by February 21, 2022. By this 

date, VA selected the pilot program sites 

and initiated efforts at the sites to begin 

implementing the pilot program and to 

ensure VA staff are aware of the canine 

training to be conducted under the pilot 

program. However, the actual canine 

training did not begin by that date. VA 

is still working to form agreements with 

nongovernmental entities that will 

furnish the canine training. For 

purposes of section 2(b)(1), VA 

considers the date the pilot program 

commenced as February 21, 2022. 

Veteran Participation in the Pilot 

Program 

Section 2(j)(2) defines the term 

eligible veteran to mean a veteran who 

is enrolled in VA’s patient enrollment 

system under 38 U.S.C. 1705 (regulated 

under 38 CFR 17.36), and who has been 

recommended for participation in the 

pilot program by a qualified mental 

health care provider or clinical team 

based on medical judgment that the 

veteran may benefit from such 

participation with respect to the PTSD 

symptoms of the veteran. In other 

words, to participate in the pilot, a 

veteran must meet three threshold 

conditions for eligibility; namely, the 

veteran must be (1) enrolled in the VA 

health care system; (2) diagnosed with 

PTSD; and (3) recommended by a VA 

mental health care provider or VA 

clinical team. 

Section 2 does not define or 

characterize the phrase ‘‘qualified 

mental health care provider or clinical 

team.’’ Rather than define qualifications, 

VA interprets this phrase to mean that 

a VA mental health care provider or VA 

clinical team must recommend a veteran 

for participation in the pilot program. 

Limiting the recommendation to VA 

providers will allow VA to assess more 

consistently each veteran that may want 

to participate under the same criteria 

and will allow for more consistent 

collection of data, as required under 

section 2(g)(1)(B)–(D). Veterans, who 

receive care from non-VA providers 

under the Veterans Community Care 

Program and who wish to participate in 

the pilot program, can discuss the 

program with their non-VA provider but 

will need to obtain a recommendation 

from a VA mental health care provider 

or VA clinical team. Veterans interested 

in participating in the pilot program, 

who are receiving care from non-VA 

providers, should contact the 

participating VAMC where they receive 

care or authorization for non-VA care, 

for more information on how to 

participate in the pilot program. 

Before a VA mental health care 

provider or VA clinical team can 

recommend the veteran for participation 

in the program, the veteran must have 

had an appointment with a primary 

care, mental health, whole health, 

recreation therapy or social work 

provider within the previous 3 months. 

VA will also require veterans 

participating in the program to remain 

engaged with one or more of these 

clinical areas; to remain engaged, a 

veteran must have an appointment at 

least once every 3 months until they 

have completed the pilot program. 

Section 2(j)(2)(B) requires a qualified 

mental health care provider or clinical 

team to form a medical judgment that 

participation in the pilot program may 

benefit the veteran with respect to the 

veteran’s PTSD. Having regular 

appointments (at least 1 every 3 months) 

is essential to ensure that this judgment 

is still accurate. If a veteran who is 

interested in participating in the pilot 

program has not been seen for an 

appointment within the last 3 months, 

the veteran can schedule an 

appointment with a VA provider to 

begin the recommendation and 

screening process. 

Once the veteran has had this 

appointment, the veteran can then be 

screened for participation. This 

screening will be performed by a 

licensed independent VA mental health 

care provider to confirm the diagnosis of 

PTSD through a clinical assessment and 

determine suitability for participation in 

the pilot program. This screening must 

occur within 3 months prior to the first 

canine training session. This may 

require subsequent screening in some 

cases; for example, if a veteran was 

screened and recommended for 

participation in the pilot program on 

January 1, but the veteran is unable to 

participate in the program until July 31, 

due to limited space or other issues, the 

veteran may need to be screened again 

prior to participation. This screening 

would not necessarily require the 

veteran to schedule another 

appointment with the licensed 

independent VA mental health care 

provider; although, a review of the 

veteran’s medical chart may be 

sufficient. The licensed independent VA 

mental health care provider will make a 

clinical determination as to which, if 

any, reassessments are necessary for 

participation, and whether such 

reassessments require a direct 

interaction (either in person, by phone 

or by telehealth) with the veteran. VA 

will make every effort to ensure that all 

screening is completed in a timely 

manner and as conveniently as possible 

for the veteran. As noted above, 

screening must be performed by VA 

mental health care providers and 

recommendations must be from VA 

providers or clinical teams; meaning, 

that if VA were unable to offer a 

screening within the designated access 

standards under 38 CFR 17.4040, that 

would not authorize the veteran to elect 

to receive care in the community. These 

screenings would not constitute the 

delivery of medical services under such 

access standards. This also means that 

the screening will impose no copayment 

obligation on the veteran. The 

screenings entail clinical decision 

making and the exercise of medical 

judgment, as may occur in a research 

study or other clinical programs. We 

note; however, that the pilot program is 

not a research study. 

In the screening, VA providers will 

assess veterans for criteria that would 

suggest that participation in the pilot 

program may not be appropriate, 

including, but not limited to frequent 

aggressive behaviors or homicidal 

ideation that may make it unsafe for the 

veteran to be with a dog or co-morbid 

diagnoses that would make training 

with a dog difficult or not feasible (e.g., 

psychosis, delusions, certain cognitive 

impairment). We are stating these 

additional elements to explain to the 

public how qualified VA mental health 

care providers or clinical teams will 

make recommendations for 

participation in the pilot program. Once 

the veteran has been screened, VA will 

refer eligible veterans to the accredited 

SDO, as described below, for canine 

training. Given these organizations’ 

limited capacity, not all veterans who 

meet eligibility criteria may be able to 

participate in the program. There will be 

a ‘‘pilot champion’’ at each of the five 

pilot sites; the pilot champion will be a 

VA staff member serving as a liaison 

between the VAMC and the SDO 


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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 61 / Wednesday, March 30, 2022 / Notices 18483 

furnishing canine training, pursuant to 

an agreement described in section 2(c). 

The canine training model will have 

veterans engage in both basic obedience 

and other training of a dog, so that the 

dog may eventually become, in most 

cases, a service dog for another 

individual. Participating in the canine 

training may improve veterans’ selfefficacy and increase their sense of 

purpose and self-worth. For example, 

participating veterans may work to train 

a dog to establish trust, build a 

relationship and practice socializing, 

and through that process, those veterans 

may better recognize and learn to 

optimally regulate their own emotional 

arousal to train the dog. These sessions 

are typically conducted in small group 

classes and will be overseen by a 

certified service dog training instructor. 

VA clinical staff will not accompany a 

veteran to attend canine training under 

the pilot program. The canine training 

sessions under the pilot program will 

typically meet once a week for 8 weeks, 

and participating veterans may work 

with multiple dogs and other veterans 

within their small group as a form of 

social engagement. 

Selection of VA Sites 

Section 2(b)(2) requires VA to ensure 

that the pilot program is carried out by 

not fewer than five VAMCs located in 

geographically diverse areas. In 

selecting the five pilot program sites, 

VA first considered the geographic 

proximity of VAMCs to accredited 

SDOs, because the nongovernmental 

entities that would provide the canine 

training under section 2(c) are further 

required to be an accredited SDO under 

section 2(d)(1). Section 2(j)(1) of the Act 

defines accredited SDO as an 

organization described in section 

501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code 

of 1986 that: (1) Provides service dogs 

to veterans with PTSD and (2) is 

accredited by an accrediting 

organization with demonstrated 

experience, national scope and 

recognized leadership and expertise in 

the training of service dogs and 

education in the use of service dogs (as 

determined by VA). VA recognizes the 

expertise and national scope of the 

following two organizations that 

accredit SDOs under its regulations in 

38 CFR 17.148(c)(1): Assistance Dogs 

International (ADI) and International 

Guide Dog Federation (IGDF). Between 

ADI-accredited and IGDF-accredited 

SDOs, only ADI-accredited SDOs 

provide the type of instruction 

discussed earlier. Therefore, VA 

considered the proximity of VAMCs to 

ADI-accredited SDOs, for purposes of 

identifying potential pilot program sites. 

VA next considered VAMCs near ADIaccredited SDOs that expressed interest 

in participating in the pilot program for 

5 years and would be able to conduct 

assessments and recommend veterans to 

the pilot program, as well as conduct 

other programmatic aspects of the pilot 

(such as data collection required under 

section 2(g)). Of the VAMCs that met the 

criteria above, VA then considered five 

sites that would be in geographically 

diverse areas, as required by section 

2(b)(2). VA attempted to consider 

VAMCs that were in different Veterans 

Integrated Service Networks (VISN), 

which are VA’s designated regional 

systems of care in the country. Given 

these factors, VA identified the 

following five VAMCs as the required 

pilot program sites under section 

2(b)(2): Palo Alto, California; 

Anchorage, Alaska; Asheville, North 

Carolina; West Palm Beach, Florida; and 

San Antonio, Texas. 

Agreements With Entities To Furnish 

Canine Training 

Section 2(c) requires VA to seek to 

enter into agreements with 

nongovernmental entities that VA 

determines can provide canine training 

under the pilot program, and section 

2(d) establishes minimum required 

conditions to be included in any such 

agreements. Section 2(d)(1) further 

establishes that any agreements formed 

between VA and a nongovernmental 

entity will include a certification from 

the entity that it is an accredited SDO. 

We reiterate from the discussion earlier 

in this notice, in accordance with 

section 2(j)(1), as well as VA’s 

knowledge and recognition of ADIaccredited SDOs providing service dogs 

to veterans with PTSD, that VA will 

seek to enter into agreements under 

section 2(c) with ADI-accredited SDOs. 

Because section 2 does not confer any 

grant or cooperative agreement authority 

under which VA may conduct the pilot 

program, VA has engaged directly with 

ADI-accredited entities that are located 

near the five VA pilot sites, to gauge 

interest and determine their ability to 

furnish canine training under the pilot, 

to include Dogs for Life; Paws for Purple 

Hearts; and Warrior Canine Connection. 

VA anticipates the agreements formed 

with these entities will establish that 

SDOs will furnish canine training as inkind services. The agreements further 

will include all conditions as required 

under section 2(d) and additional terms 

necessary. VA is entering into this 

agreement with SDOs that have the 

experience necessary to provide this 

model of training. In this manner, the 

agreements would reflect VA’s 

understanding that these SDOs provide 

canine training to veterans at no cost to 

veterans. VA does not envision forming 

agreements under section 2(c) that 

would create any additional cost for VA 

or the veteran in terms of payment for 

the canine training. 

Adoption of a Dog 

Section 2(e) establishes that a veteran 

who has participated in the pilot may 

adopt a dog that the veteran assisted in 

training as part of the pilot program, if 

the veteran and veteran’s provider (in 

consultation with the SDO that 

provided the canine training under the 

pilot program) determine that it is in the 

best interest of the veteran. The 

language in section 2(e) establishes a 

permissive authority related to adoption 

of a dog and does not compel the 

provision of a dog to a veteran. ADIaccredited organizations that will be 

furnishing the canine training under the 

pilot program train and pair qualified 

service dogs with individuals with 

disabilities and do not necessarily 

participate in the adoption of dogs. 

Because the adoption provision in 

section 2(e) is permissive, and because 

the ADI-accredited organizations that 

will furnish canine training under the 

pilot program may not necessarily 

participate in the adoption of dogs, VA 

will not implement the adoption 

provisions under section 2(e). 

Determinations about whether it is in 

the best interest of a veteran to adopt a 

dog extends beyond VA providers’ 

scope of licensure, the VA Scope of 

Practice and their sphere of clinical 

expertise. This does not prevent any 

veteran from independently seeking to 

adopt a dog; however, such adoption 

would not be an adoption under section 

2(e)(1). Any veteran seeking to be 

prescribed a service dog and subsequent 

service dog benefits, instead of merely 

adopting a dog, would have to be 

separately evaluated by VA under the 

criteria in section 17.148 and prescribed 

a service dog, prior to owning the dog, 

to be considered for service dog 

benefits. 

Beneficiary Travel 

The canine training under the pilot is 

not considered examination, treatment 

or care for purposes of qualifying for 

reimbursement or payment of 

beneficiary travel (BT) expenses, should 

a veteran eligible for BT benefits need 

to travel to receive the canine training. 

Although BT benefits will not be 

available for any travel that may be 

associated with the canine training 

under the pilot, we believe in many 

cases that veterans who would 

participate in the pilot will be able to 

transport themselves. Other 


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transportation options, such as the 

Volunteer Transportation Network, may 

also be available. 

Appeals 

During the course of the pilot 

program, disagreements may arise 

regarding veteran participation. We 

anticipate that the vast majority of these 

disagreements will be subject to VA’s 

clinical appeals process, as set forth 

currently in VHA Directive 1041, 

Appeal of Veterans Health 

Administration Clinical Decisions 

(September 28, 2020). The clinical 

appeals process applies to a written 

request for higher review of one or more 

medical determinations. Medical 

determinations usually concern the 

need for and appropriateness of specific 

types of medical care and treatment for 

an individual and generally include 

decisions by an appropriate health care 

professional based on their medical 

judgment. 

Eligibility to participate in the pilot 

program is limited, by section 2(j)(2), to 

veterans who are: (1) Enrolled in the VA 

health care system; (2) diagnosed with 

PTSD; and (3) recommended for 

participation in the pilot program by a 

qualified mental health care provider or 

clinical team, based on medical 

judgment that the veteran may benefit 

from such participation with respect to 

the diagnosed PTSD of the veteran. 

While determinations of whether a 

veteran is enrolled in the VA health care 

system are administrative and not 

clinical, such matters are typically 

easily discernable and do not entail 

much dispute. Disagreements with 

administrative decisions are appealable 

to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals. 

However, diagnosis of PTSD and a 

recommendation concerning the need 

for, and the appropriateness of, specific 

types of medical care and treatment, 

based on medical judgment, are 

decisions that are clinical in nature and 

therefore subject to the clinical appeals 

process in VHA Directive 1041. 

Throughout the course of the pilot 

program, SDOs providing the canine 

training will have the discretion and 

authority to determine whether they 

will provide training to a veteran at a 

particular time. A veteran who is 

disruptive; incapable of or unwilling to 

follow directions; or presents a danger 

to themselves or others (including the 

dogs being trained) could be denied the 

ability to participate in the program on 

at least a temporary basis. In any of 

these situations, such information will 

be relayed to the pilot champion, who 

will coordinate with the provider or 

clinical team responsible for the initial 

recommendation for participation to 

determine if that recommendation is 

still applicable. If the provider’s or 

team’s medical judgment changes, based 

on this or any other information, such 

that they no longer recommend the 

veteran’s participation, that decision 

would be a clinical decision appealable 

under VHA Directive 1041. If the SDO 

determines it will not or cannot provide 

the canine training for other reasons, 

such as limited resources or other 

constraints, the SDO and VA will 

attempt to ensure that eligible veterans 

who have been recommended for 

participation are able to do so at a later 

time. Participation will generally be 

granted on a first-come, first-served 

basis. 

Signing Authority 

Denis McDonough, Secretary of 

Veterans Affairs, approved this 

document on March 23, 2022 and 

authorized the undersigned to sign and 

submit the document to the Office of the 

Federal Register for publication 

electronically as an official document of 

the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

Luvenia Potts, 

Regulation Development Coordinator, Office 

of Regulation Policy & Management, Office 

of General Counsel, Department of Veterans 

Affairs. 

[FR Doc. 2022–06735 Filed 3–29–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8320–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

AFFAIRS 

[OMB Control No. 2900–0002] 

Agency Information Collection 

Activity: 21P–527 Income, Net Worth 

and Employment Statement; 21P– 

527EZ Application for Veterans 

Pension 

AGENCY: Veterans Benefits 

Administration, Department of Veterans 

Affairs. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: Veterans Benefits 

Administration, Department of Veterans 

Affairs (VA), 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. 

DATES: Written comments and 

recommendations on the proposed 

collection of information should be 

received on or before May 31, 2022. 

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments 

on the collection of information through 

Federal Docket Management System 

(FDMS) at www.Regulations.gov or to 

Nancy J. Kessinger, Veterans Benefits 

Administration (20M33), Department of 

Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue 

NW, Washington, DC 20420 or email to 

nancy.kessinger@va.gov. Please refer to 

‘‘OMB Control No. 2900–0002’’ in any 

correspondence. During the comment 

period, comments may be viewed online 

through FDMS. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Maribel Aponte, Office of Enterprise 

and Integration, Data Governance 

Analytics (008), 1717 H Street NW, 

Washington, DC 20006, (202) 266–4688 

or email maribel.aponte@va.gov. Please 

refer to ‘‘OMB Control No. 2900–0002’’ 

in any correspondence. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the 

PRA of 1995, 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. 

Authority: 38 U.S.C. 5101(a), 38 CFR 

1502, 38 CFR 1503. 

Title: 21P–527 Income, Net Worth and 

Employment Statement; 21P–527EZ 

Application for Veterans Pension. 

OMB Control Number: 2900–0002. 

Type of Review: Revision of a 

currently approved collection. 

Abstract: The Department of Veterans 

Affairs (VA) through its Veterans 

Benefits Administration (VBA) 

administers an integrated program of 

benefits and services, established by 

law, for Veterans, service personnel, and 

their dependents and/or beneficiaries. 

Title 38 U.S.C. 5101(a), 38 CFR 1502, 38 

CFR 1503 provides that a specific claim 

in the form provided by the Secretary 

must be filed in order for benefits to be 


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