Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 49 / Thursday, March 13, 1997 / Notices 11939

Commission may find that the Postal

Service’s determination disposes of one

or more of those issues.

The Postal Reorganization Act

requires that the Commission issue its

decision within 120 days from the date

this appeal was filed (39 U.S.C. 404

(b)(5)). In the interest of expedition, in

light of the 120-day decision schedule,

the Commission may request the Postal

Service to submit memoranda of law on

any appropriate issue. If requested, such

memoranda will be due 20 days from

the issuance of the request and the

Postal Service shall serve a copy of its

memoranda on the petitioners. The

Postal Service may incorporate by

reference in its briefs or motions, any

arguments presented in memoranda it

previously filed in this docket. If

necessary, the Commission also may ask

petitioners or the Postal Service for

more information.

The Commission orders:

(a) The Postal Service shall file the

record in this appeal by March 18, 1997.

(b) The Secretary of the Postal Rate

Commission shall publish this Notice

and Order and Procedural Schedule in

the Federal Register.

By the Commission.

Margaret P. Crenshaw,

Secretary.

Appendix

March 3, 1997—Filing of Appeal letter

March 10, 1997—Commission Notice

and Order of Filing of Appeal

March 28, 1997—Last day of filing of

petitions to intervene (see 39 CFR

3001.111(b))

April 7, 1997—Petitioner’s Participant

Statement or Initial Brief (see 39 CFR

3001.115(a) and (b))

April 28, 1997—Postal Service’s

Answering Brief (see 39 CFR

3001.115(c))

May 13, 1997—Petitioner’s Reply Brief

should Petitioner choose to file one

(see 39 CFR 3001.115(d))

May 20, 1997—Deadline for motions by

any party requesting oral argument.

The Commission will schedule oral

argument only when it is a necessary

addition to the written filings (see 39

CFR 3001.116)

July 1, 1997—Expiration of the

Commission’s 120-day decisional

schedule (see 39 U.S.C. 404(b)(5))

[FR Doc. 97–6350 Filed 3–12–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7710–FW–P

RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD

Agency Forms Submitted for OMB

Review

Summary: In accordance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44

U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Railroad

Retirement Board has submitted the

following proposal(s) for the collection

of information to the Office of

Management and Budget for review and

approval.

Summary of Proposal(s):

(1) Collection title: Application and

Claim for RUIA Benefits Due at Death.

(2) Form(s) submitted: UI–63.

(3) OMB Number: 3220–0055.

(4) Expiration date of current OMB

clearance: 4/30/97.

(5) Type of request: Extension of a

currently approved collection.

(6) Respondents: Individuals or

households.

(7) Estimated annual number of

respondents: 200.

(8) Total annual responses: 200.

(9) Total annual reporting hours: 23.

(10) Collection description: The

collection obtains the information

needed by the Railroad Retirement

Board to pay, under section 2(g) of the

Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act,

benefits under that Act accrued, but not

paid because of the death of the

employee.

Additional Information or Comments:

Copies of the form and supporting

documents can be obtained from Chuck

Mierzwa, the agency clearance officer

(312–751–3363). Comments regarding

the information collection should be

addressed to Ronald J. Hodapp, Railroad

Retirement Board, 844 North Rush

Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611–2092 and

the OMB reviewer, Laura Oliven (202–

395–7316), Office of Management and

Budget, Room 10230, New Executive

Office Building, Washington, DC 20503.

Chuck Mierzwa,

Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 97–6294 Filed 3–12–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7905–01–M

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

[Declaration of Economic Injury Disaster

Loan Area #9389]

Declaration of Disaster Loan Area

Minnesota

Kandiyohi, Lincoln, Murray, and

Stevens Counties and the contiguous

Counties of Big Stone, Chippewa,

Cottonwood, Douglas, Grant, Jackson,

Lyon, Meeker, Nobles, Pipestone, Pope,

Redwood, Renville, Rock, Stearns,

Swift, Traverse and Yellow Medicine in

the State of Minnesota constitute an

economic injury disaster loan area as a

result of severe winter storms and

blizzard conditions during the period

beginning November 1996 through

January 1997. Eligible small businesses

without credit available elsewhere and

small agricultural cooperatives without

credit available elsewhere may file

applications for economic injury

assistance for this disaster until the

close of business on December 4, 1997

at the address listed below: U.S. Small

Business Administration, Disaster Area

2 Office, One Baltimore Place, Suite

300, Atlanta, GA 30308, or other locally

announced locations. The interest rate

for eligible small businesses and small

agricultural cooperatives is 4 percent.

Any contiguous counties not listed

herein have been covered under a

separate declaration for the same

occurrence.

The economic injury number assigned

to this disaster is 938900.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program No. 59002)

Dated: March 4, 1997.

Ginger Lew,

Acting Administrator.

[FR Doc. 97–6253 Filed 3–12–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8025–01–P

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

Privacy Act of 1974; Report of New

Routine Use

AGENCY: Social Security Administration

(SSA).

ACTION: New routine use.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the

Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(4) and

(11)), we are issuing public notice of our

intent to establish a new routine use

applicable to the Earnings Recording

and Self-Employment Income System,

SSA/OSR, 09–60–0059. (For

convenience, we will refer to this

system of records as the Master Earnings

File.) The proposed new routine use

will allow SSA to disclose quarters of

coverage to Federal, State, and local

entities for use in their administration of

sections 402, 412, 421 and 435 of the

Personal Responsibility and Work

Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996,

Pub. L. 104–193.

We invite public comment on this

publication.

DATES: We filed a report of an altered

system of records—new routine use

with the Chairman, Committee on

Government Reform and Oversight of

the House of Representatives; the

Chairman, Committee on Governmental
11940 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 49 / Thursday, March 13, 1997 / Notices

Affairs of the Senate; and the

Administrator, Office of Information

and Regulatory Affairs, Office of

Management and Budget on February

28, 1997. The routine use will become

effective as proposed, without further

notice April 22, 1997, unless we receive

comments on or before that date that

result in a contrary determination.

ADDRESSES: Interested individuals may

comment on this publication by writing

to the SSA Privacy Officer, Social

Security Administration, Room 3–A–6

Operations Building, 6401 Security

Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21235.

Comments may be faxed to (410) 966–

0869. All comments received will be

available for public inspection at that

address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Michael Walker, Social Insurance

Specialist, Office of Disclosure Policy,

Social Security Administration, 3–C–1

Operations Building, 6401 Security

Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21235,

telephone 410–965–8525.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Discussion of Proposed Routine Use

The Personal Responsibility and Work

Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996

included provisions regarding

eliminating payment of benefits under

certain specified Federal and State

programs to qualified aliens. Section

431 of Public Law 104–193 states that

‘qualified alien’ means an alien who, at

the time the alien applies for, receives,

or attempts to receive a Federal public

benefit, is:

(1) An alien who is lawfully admitted

for permanent residence under the

Immigration and Nationality Act (INA),

(2) An alien who is granted asylum

under section 208 of the INA;

(3) A refugee who is admitted to the

United States under section 207 of the

INA,

(4) An alien who is paroled into the

United States under section 212(d)(5) of

the INA for a period of at least 1 year,

(5) An alien whose deportation is

being withheld under section 243(h) of

the INA, or

(6) An alien who is granted

conditional entry pursuant to section

203(a)(7) of the INA as in effect prior to

April 1, 1980.

Section 402(a) of Pub. L. 104–193

provides that, with several exceptions, a

qualified alien is not eligible for any

specified Federal program, which

section 402 defines as (A) the

supplemental security income program

under title XVI of the Social Security

Act, including supplementary payments

pursuant to an agreement for Federal

administration under section 1616(a) of

the Social Security Act and payments

pursuant to an agreement entered into

under section 212(b) of Public Law 93–

66; and (B) the food stamp program as

defined in section 3(h) of the Food

Stamp Act of 1977.

Similarly, section 402(b) of Pub. L.

104–193 provides that a State is

authorized to determine the eligibility of

an alien who is a qualified alien for any

designated Federal program defined as

(A) Temporary Assistance to Needy

Families (the program of block grants to

States for temporary assistance for

needy families under part A of title IV

of the Social Security Act), (B) Social

Services Block Grant (the program of

block grants to States for social services

under title XX of the Social Security

Act), and (C) Medicaid (a State plan

approved under title XIX of the Social

Security Act, other than medical

assistance described in section

401(b)(1)(A)).

Additionally, section 412 of Pub. L.

104–193 provides that a State is

authorized to determine the eligibility

for any State public benefits of an alien

who is a qualified alien, as defined at

section 431, a nonimmigrant under the

INA, or an alien who is paroled into the

United States under section 212(d)(5) of

such Act for less than one year.

However, sections 402, 412 and 421 of

Pub. L. 104–193 provide exceptions for

certain refugees and asylees, certain

permanent resident aliens, and certain

veterans. Section 411 of this Act

provides certain exceptions to the above

listed State or local benefits.

Pub. L. 104–193 provides that if the

alien has worked 40 qualifying quarters

of coverage as defined under title II of

the Social Security Act, he or she may

be eligible for benefits listed in sections

402 and 412. The alien may also receive

credit for (1) all of the qualifying

quarters of coverage as defined under

title II of the Social Security Act worked

by a parent of such alien while the alien

was under age 18, and (2) all of the

qualifying quarters worked by a spouse

of such alien during their marriage and

the alien remains married to such

spouse or such spouse is deceased.

The Social Security Administration is

the primary repository of income

information (including quarters of

coverage information) for everyone

working in covered employment in the

United States. Federal and State

agencies must have quarters of coverage

information in order to determine

qualifying quarters and to adjudicate

claims for eligibility for the benefits

programs covered by sections 402 and

412 of Pub. L. 104–193. We therefore are

proposing to add a routine use to the

Master Earnings File system of records

allowing disclosure of quarters of

coverage information to Federal and

State agencies administering sections

402, 412 and 421 of the Personal

Responsibility and Work Opportunity

Reconciliation Act of 1996. The routine

use will read that disclosures will be

made:

‘‘to Federal, State, and local agencies for

administration of sections 402, 412, 421 and/

or 435 of the Personal Responsibility and

Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of

1996, Pub. L. 104–193. SSA will disclose

information regarding quarters of coverage

(non-tax return information) earned by the

alien applicant as well as quarters of

coverage earned by his/her parents while the

alien was under age 18 and/or his/her spouse

during the marriage (if the alien remains

married to such spouse or the marriage ended

with the death of the spouse) to a Federal,

State, or local requesting agency for their sole

use in determining eligibility for programs or

benefits programs covered by sections 402

and 412 of Pub. L. 104–193.’’

A notice of the Master Earnings File

system, to which the routine use will

apply, was last published in the Federal

Register at 60 FR 52948, October 11,

1995.

B. Compatibility of Proposed Routine

Use

We are proposing the changes

discussed above in accordance with the

Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a (a)(7), (b)(3),

(e)(4) and (e)(11)) and our disclosure

regulation (20 CFR part 401).

The Privacy Act permits us to disclose

information about individuals without

their consent for a routine use, i.e.,

where the information will be used for

a purpose that is compatible with the

purpose for which we collected the

information. Consistent with the Privacy

Act, under 20 CFR 401.310 we may

disclose information under a routine use

for administering our programs, or for

administering similar programs of other

agencies. SSA collects and maintains

earnings data along with quarters of

coverage information in the Master

Earnings File system in order to qualify

individuals for certain benefit programs

administered by SSA and to compute

accurate benefit payments to those

individuals. Other Federal, State, or

local agencies use such information for

similar purposes in programs similar to

SSA’s programs. Disclosing quarters of

coverage information to such Federal,

State, or local agencies will support the

effective and efficient administration of

various assistance programs by those

agencies. Therefore, we find that

disclosing quarters of coverage

information to Federal, State, or local

agencies for the purpose of

administering sections 402, 412, 421

and 435 of the Personal Responsibility
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 49 / Thursday, March 13, 1997 / Notices 11941

and Work Opportunity Reconciliation

Act of 1996 serves purposes that are

compatible with purposes for which

SSA collects the information and meets

the criteria of the Privacy Act and the

regulation for establishment of a routine

use.

C. Effect of the Proposal on Individual

Rights

As discussed above, the proposed

revised routine use will permit SSA to

disclose quarters of coverage

information to Federal, State, or local

agencies for the purpose of

administering certain incomemaintenance and health-maintenance

programs, where such use is authorized

by Federal statute. Disclosure will assist

Federal, State, or local agencies in

determining eligibility for incomemaintenance and health-maintenance

programs. While disclosure will have

some impact on the privacy of

individuals (for example, disclosures

will be made regarding the work records

of related third parties, i.e., parents and

spouses), Federal, State, or local

agencies will be better able to adjudicate

entitlement to section 402, 412, 421 and

435 programs or benefits. Such

disclosures will only be made where

authorized by Federal statute. SSA will

follow all statutory and regulatory

requirements for disclosure. Thus, we

do not anticipate that the disclosure will

have any unwarranted effect on the

privacy or other rights of individuals.

Dated: February 28, 1997.

Shirley S. Chater,

Commissioner of Social Security.

[FR Doc. 97–6241 Filed 3–12–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4190–29–P

OFFICE OF SPECIAL COUNSEL

Proposed Information Collection

Activities; Comment Request

AGENCY: Office of Special Counsel.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Office of Special

Counsel (OSC), in accordance with the

requirements of the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C.

chapter 35), has applied to the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) for an

emergency approval to reinstate two

previously approved information

collections, consisting of forms and

related regulations at 5 CFR part 1800.

Also, OSC is providing an opportunity

for public comment in anticipation of its

request to OMB for regular approval of

the two forms. Federal employees, other

Federal agencies, and the general public

are invited to comment on OSC’s

information collection activities

regarding possible prohibited personnel

practices and other prohibited activity

and whistleblower disclosures.

Comments are invited on (a) whether

the proposed collections of information

are necessary for the proper

performance of OSC’s functions,

including whether the information will

have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of

OSC’s estimate of the burden of the

proposed collections of information; (c)

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be

collected; (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.

Send written comments regarding the

emergency approval of the information

collections to the Desk Officer, OMB,

3255–0002, OIRA, Washington, DC

20503. OMB should receive comments

by March 13, 1997.

Send written comments regarding the

request for regular approval of the

information collections and requests for

copies of the proposed information

collections to Cathleen Sadlo Schulz,

Senior Attorney, U.S. Office of Special

Counsel, 1730 M Street, NW., Suite 300,

Washington, DC 20036–4505.

Comments should be received on or

before May 12, 1997.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Comment

is requested on the following collections

of information:

1. Title of Collection: Report of

Possible Prohibited Personnel Practice

or Other Prohibited Activity.

Agency Form Number: OSC 11; OMB

Control Number 3255–0002.

Type of Information Collection:

Emergency approval and reinstatement,

with change, of a previously approved

collection for which approval has

expired.

Affected public: Current and former

Federal employees and applicants for

Federal employment.

Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary.

Estimated Annual Number of

Respondents: 1884.

Frequency: On occasion.

Estimated Average Burden Per

Respondent: 1 hour.

Estimated Annual burden: 1884

hours.

Abstract: This optional form, or the

format provided in 5 CFR 1800.1, are for

use by current and former Federal

employees and applicants for Federal

employment to report possible

prohibited personnel practices or other

prohibited activity by Federal agencies

or employees.

2. Title of Collection: Disclosure of

Information.

Agency Form Number: OSC 12; OMB

Control Number 3255–0002.

Type of Information Collection:

Emergency approval and reinstatement,

with change, of a previously approved

collection for which approval has

expired.

Affected public: Federal employees

and agencies and other individuals.

Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary.

Estimated Annual Number of

Respondents: 252.

Frequency: On occasion.

Estimated Average Burden Per

Respondent: 1 hour.

Estimated Annual burden: 252 hours.

Abstract: This optional whistleblower

disclosure form, and the format

provided in 5 CFR 1800.2, are for use by

current and former Federal employees

and applicants for Federal employment

to disclose a violation of any law, rule,

or regulation, or gross mismanagement,

a gross waste of funds, an abuse of

authority, or a substantial and specific

danger to public health or safety.

Erin M. McDonnell,

Associate Special Counsel for Planning and

Advice.

[FR Doc. 97–6295 Filed 3–12–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7405–01–U

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice No. 2514]

Advisory Committee on International

Communications and Information

Policy; Public Meeting

The Department of State is holding

the next meeting of its Advisory

Committee on International

Communications and Information

Policy. The Committee was renewed on

August 22, 1996, in order to continue to

provide a formal channel for regular

consultation and coordination on major

economic, social and legal issues and

problems in international

communications and information

policy, especially as these issues and

problems involve users of information

and communication services, providers

of such services, technology research

and development, foreign industrial and

regulatory policy, the activities of

international organizations with regard

to communications and information,

and developing country interests.

The 24-person committee was

appointed by Ambassador Vonya B.

McCann, United States Coordinator for

International Communications and

Information Policy, U.S. Department of

State, and serves under the