This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains regulatory documents having general

applicability and legal effect, most of which

are keyed to and codified in the Code of

Federal Regulations, which is published under

50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.

The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by

the Superintendent of Documents.

Rules and Regulations Federal Register

2607 

Vol. 90, No. 7 

Monday, January 13, 2025 

1Public Law 114–74, 129 Stat. 599 (2015) 

(codified at 28 U.S.C. 2461 note). 

2 28 U.S.C. 2461 note, sec. 4(b)(1). 

3 77 FR 68680 (Nov. 16, 2012). 

4OMB Memorandum M–25–02, Implementation 

of Penalty Inflation Adjustments for 2025, Pursuant 

to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment 

Act Improvements Act of 2015 (Dec. 17, 2024). 

5Under the 2015 Act and implementing OMB 

guidance, agencies are not required to make an 

adjustment to a CMP if, during the 12 months 

preceding the required adjustment, such penalty 

increased due to a law other than the 2015 Act by 

an amount greater than the amount of the required 

adjustment. No other laws have adjusted the CMPs 

within the Board’s jurisdiction during the preceding 

12 months. 

FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM 

12 CFR Part 263 

[Docket No. R–1864] 

RIN 7100–AG91 

Rules of Practice for Hearings 

AGENCY: Board of Governors of the 

Federal Reserve System. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: The Board of Governors of the 

Federal Reserve System (the ‘‘Board’’) is 

issuing a final rule amending its rules of 

practice and procedure to adjust the 

amount of each civil money penalty 

(‘‘CMP’’) provided by law within its 

jurisdiction to account for inflation as 

required by the Federal Civil Penalties 

Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements 

Act of 2015. 

DATES: This final rule is effective on 

January 13, 2025. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Thomas O. Kelly, Senior Counsel (202/ 

974–7059), Legal Division, Board of 

Governors of the Federal Reserve 

System, 20th Street and Constitution 

Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20551. For 

users of Telecommunication Device for 

the Deaf (TDD) only, contact 202/263– 

4869. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Federal Civil Penalties Inflation 

Adjustment Act 

The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation 

Adjustment Act of 1990, 28 U.S.C. 2461 

note (‘‘FCPIA Act’’), requires federal 

agencies to adjust, by regulation, the 

CMPs within their jurisdiction to 

account for inflation. The Federal Civil 

Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act 

Improvements Act of 2015 (the ‘‘2015 

Act’’) 1 amended the FCPIA Act to 

require federal agencies to make annual 

adjustments not later than January 15 of 

every year.2 The Board is now issuing a 

new final rule to set the CMP levels 

pursuant to the required annual 

adjustment for 2025. The Board will 

apply these adjusted maximum penalty 

levels to any penalties assessed on or 

after January 13, 2025, whose associated 

violations occurred on or after 

November 2, 2015. Penalties assessed 

for violations occurring prior to 

November 2, 2015, will be subject to the 

amounts set in the Board’s 2012 

adjustment pursuant to the FCPIA Act.3

Under the 2015 Act, the annual 

adjustment to be made for 2025 is the 

percentage by which the Consumer 

Price Index for the month of October 

2024 exceeds the Consumer Price Index 

for the month of October 2023. On 

December 17, 2024, as directed by the 

2015 Act, the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB) issued guidance to 

affected agencies on implementing the 

required annual adjustment which 

included the relevant inflation 

multiplier.4 Using OMB’s multiplier, the 

Board calculated the adjusted penalties 

for its CMPs, rounding the penalties to 

the nearest dollar.5

Administrative Procedure Act 

The 2015 Act states that agencies 

shall make the annual adjustment 

‘‘notwithstanding section 553 of title 5, 

United States Code.’’ Therefore, this 

rule is not subject to the provisions of 

the Administrative Procedure Act (the 

‘‘APA’’), 5 U.S.C. 553, requiring notice, 

public participation, and deferred 

effective date. 

Regulatory Flexibility Act 

The Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 

U.S.C. 601 et seq., requires a regulatory 

flexibility analysis only for rules for 

which an agency is required to publish 

a general notice of proposed 

rulemaking. Because the 2015 Act states 

that agencies’ annual adjustments are to 

be made notwithstanding section 553 of 

title 5 of United States Code—the APA 

section requiring notice of proposed 

rulemaking—the Board is not 

publishing a notice of proposed 

rulemaking. Therefore, the Regulatory 

Flexibility Act does not apply. 

Paperwork Reduction Act 

There is no collection of information 

required by this final rule that would be 

subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act 

of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. 

List of Subjects in 12 CFR Part 263 

Administrative practice and 

procedure, Claims, Crime, Equal access 

to justice, Lawyers, Penalties. 

Authority and Issuance 

For the reasons set forth in the 

preamble, the Board amends 12 CFR 

part 263 as follows: 

PART 263—RULES OF PRACTICE FOR 

HEARINGS 

■ 1. The authority citation for part 263 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 5 U.S.C. 504, 554–557; 12 

U.S.C. 248, 324, 334, 347a, 504, 505, 1464, 

1467, 1467a, 1817(j), 1818, 1820(k), 1829, 

1831o, 1831p–1, 1832(c), 1847(b), 1847(d), 

1884, 1972(2)(F), 3105, 3108, 3110, 3349, 

3907, 3909(d), 4717, 5323, 5362, 5365, 5463, 

5464, 5466, 5467; 15 U.S.C. 21, 78l(i), 78o– 

4, 78o–5, 78u–2; 1639e(k); 28 U.S.C. 2461 

note; 31 U.S.C. 5321; and 42 U.S.C. 4012a. 

■ 2. Section 263.65 is revised to read as 

follows: 

§ 263.65 Civil money penalty inflation 

adjustments. 

(a) Inflation adjustments. In 

accordance with the Federal Civil 

Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act 

Improvements Act of 2015, which 

further amended the Federal Civil 

Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 

1990, the Board has set forth in 

paragraph (b) of this section the 

adjusted maximum amounts for each 

civil money penalty provided by law 

within the Board’s jurisdiction. The 

authorizing statutes contain the 

complete provisions under which the 

Board may seek a civil money penalty. 

The adjusted civil money penalties 

apply only to penalties assessed on or 

after January 13, 2025, whose associated 

violations occurred on or after 

November 2, 2015. 

(b) Maximum civil money penalties. 

The maximum (or, in the cases of 12 

U.S.C. 334 and 1832(c), fixed) civil 

money penalties as set forth in the 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with RULES1
2608 Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 7 / Monday, January 13, 2025 / Rules and Regulations 

referenced statutory sections are set 

forth in the table in this paragraph (b). 

TABLE 1 TO PARAGRAPH (b) 

Statute Adjusted civil 

money penalty 

12 U.S.C. 324: 

Inadvertently late or misleading reports, inter alia ................................................................................................................... $5,026 

Other late or misleading reports, inter alia ............................................................................................................................... 50,265 

Knowingly or reckless false or misleading reports, inter alia ................................................................................................... 2,513,215 

12 U.S.C. 334 .................................................................................................................................................................................. 365 

12 U.S.C. 374a ................................................................................................................................................................................ 365 

12 U.S.C. 504: 

First Tier ................................................................................................................................................................................... 12,567 

Second Tier .............................................................................................................................................................................. 62,829 

Third Tier .................................................................................................................................................................................. 2,513,215 

12 U.S.C. 505: 

First Tier ................................................................................................................................................................................... 12,567 

Second Tier .............................................................................................................................................................................. 62,829 

Third Tier .................................................................................................................................................................................. 2,513,215 

12 U.S.C. 1464(v)(4) ....................................................................................................................................................................... 5,026 

12 U.S.C. 1464(v)(5) ....................................................................................................................................................................... 50,265 

12 U.S.C. 1464(v)(6) ....................................................................................................................................................................... 2,513,215 

12 U.S.C. 1467a(i)(2) ...................................................................................................................................................................... 62,829 

12 U.S.C. 1467a(i)(3) ...................................................................................................................................................................... 62,829 

12 U.S.C. 1467a(r): 

First Tier ................................................................................................................................................................................... 5,026 

Second Tier .............................................................................................................................................................................. 50,265 

Third Tier .................................................................................................................................................................................. 2,513,215 

12 U.S.C. 1817(j)(16): 

First Tier ................................................................................................................................................................................... 12,567 

Second Tier .............................................................................................................................................................................. 62,829 

Third Tier .................................................................................................................................................................................. 2,513,215 

12 U.S.C. 1818(i)(2): 

First Tier ................................................................................................................................................................................... 12,567 

Second Tier .............................................................................................................................................................................. 62,829 

Third Tier .................................................................................................................................................................................. 2,513,215 

12 U.S.C. 1820(k)(6)(A)(ii) ............................................................................................................................................................... 413,388 

12 U.S.C. 1832(c) ............................................................................................................................................................................ 3,650 

12 U.S.C. 1847(b) ............................................................................................................................................................................ 62,829 

12 U.S.C. 1847(d): 

First Tier ................................................................................................................................................................................... 5,026 

Second Tier .............................................................................................................................................................................. 50,265 

Third Tier .................................................................................................................................................................................. 2,513,215 

12 U.S.C. 1884 ................................................................................................................................................................................ 365 

12 U.S.C. 1972(2)(F): 

First Tier ................................................................................................................................................................................... 12,567 

Second Tier .............................................................................................................................................................................. 62,829 

Third Tier .................................................................................................................................................................................. 2,513,215 

12 U.S.C. 3110(a) ............................................................................................................................................................................ 57,435 

12 U.S.C. 3110(c): 

First Tier ................................................................................................................................................................................... 4,596 

Second Tier .............................................................................................................................................................................. 45,946 

Third Tier .................................................................................................................................................................................. 2,297,385 

12 U.S.C. 3909(d) ............................................................................................................................................................................ 3,126 

15 U.S.C. 78u–2(b)(1): 

For a natural person ................................................................................................................................................................. 11,823 

For any other person ................................................................................................................................................................ 118,225 

15 U.S.C. 78u–2(b)(2): 

For a natural person ................................................................................................................................................................. 118,225 

For any other person ................................................................................................................................................................ 591,127 

15 U.S.C. 78u–2(b)(3): 

For a natural person ................................................................................................................................................................. 236,451 

For any other person ................................................................................................................................................................ 1,182,251 

15 U.S.C. 1639e(k)(1) ..................................................................................................................................................................... 14,435 

15 U.S.C. 1639e(k)(2) ..................................................................................................................................................................... 28,866 

42 U.S.C. 4012a(f)(5) ...................................................................................................................................................................... 2,730 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with RULES1
Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 7 / Monday, January 13, 2025 / Rules and Regulations 2609 

1Although this provision vests approval authority 

in the ‘‘Attorney General,’’ the Secretary of 

Homeland Security now may exercise this 

authority. See 6 U.S.C. 202(3)–(4), 251, 271(b), 291, 

551(d)(2), 557; 8 U.S.C. 1103(c) (2000). 

2 Guedes v. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms 

& Explosives, 920 F.3d 1, 13 (D.C. Cir. 2019). 

By order of the Board of Governors of the 

Federal Reserve System, acting through the 

Secretary of the Board under delegated 

authority. 

Ann E. Misback, 

Secretary of the Board. 

[FR Doc. 2025–00419 Filed 1–10–25; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6210–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 

Employment and Training 

Administration 

20 CFR Parts 653 and 655 

Wage and Hour Division 

29 CFR Part 501 

[DOL Docket No. ETA–2009–0004] 

Temporary Agricultural Employment of 

H–2A Aliens in the United States; 

Ratification of Department’s Actions 

AGENCY: Employment and Training 

Administration and Wage and Hour 

Division, Department of Labor. 

ACTION: Ratification. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Labor is 

publishing notification of the Assistant 

Secretary for Employment and 

Training’s and the Administrator of the 

Wage and Hour Division’s ratification of 

the rule published February 10, 2010, 

titled Temporary Agricultural 

Employment of H–2A Aliens in the 

United States. 

DATES: This ratification was signed on 

January 7, 2025. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

For further information regarding 20 

CFR part 655, contact Brian Pasternak, 

Administrator, Office of Foreign Labor 

Certification, Employment and Training 

Administration, U.S. Department of 

Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, 

Room N–5311, Washington, DC 20210, 

telephone: (202) 693–8200 (this is not a 

toll-free number). 

For further information regarding 29 

CFR part 501, contact Daniel Navarrete, 

Director of the Division of Regulations, 

Legislation, and Interpretation, Wage 

and Hour Division, Department of 

Labor, Room S–3502, 200 Constitution 

Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210, 

telephone: (202) 693–0406 (this is not a 

toll-free number). 

Individuals with hearing or speech 

impairments may access the telephone 

numbers above via Teletypewriter 

(TTY)/Telecommunications Device for 

the Deaf (TDD) by calling the toll-free 

Federal Information Relay Service at 1 

(877) 889–5627. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

On September 4, 2009, the 

Department of Labor (‘‘DOL’’ or 

‘‘Department’’) issued a notice of 

proposed rulemaking (‘‘NPRM’’) in the 

Federal Register (‘‘FR’’) to amend its 

regulations regarding the certification of 

temporary employment of 

nonimmigrant workers employed in 

temporary or seasonal agricultural 

employment and the enforcement of the 

obligations applicable to employers of 

such nonimmigrant workers. See 

Temporary Agricultural Employment of 

H–2A Aliens in the United States, 74 FR 

45906 (Sept. 4, 2009) (‘‘NPRM’’). The 

NPRM was open for public comment for 

45 days until October 5, 2009. See 

Temporary Agricultural Employment of 

H–2A Aliens in the United States, 75 FR 

6884 (Feb. 12, 2010) (‘‘Final Rule’’). 

On February 12, 2010, DOL published 

a final rule in the FR that adopted much 

of the regulatory text proposed in the 

NPRM, with some important changes. 

See Final Rule, 75 FR at 6884. The Final 

Rule included improvements to the 

application processing procedures, 

worker protections, and program 

integrity measures. The Final Rule went 

into effect on March 15, 2010. 

Since publication of the Final Rule, a 

question has been raised in litigation 

concerning whether a separate rule, 

Adverse Effect Wage Rate Methodology 

for the Temporary Employment of H–2A 

Nonimmigrants in the Non-Range 

Occupations in the United States, 88 FR 

12760 (Feb. 28, 2023), was approved by 

the Attorney General in consultation 

with the Secretary of Labor and the 

Secretary of Agriculture. 8 U.S.C. 1188, 

Statutory Note.1 Further, on November 

25, 2024, the Secretary of Homeland 

Security, in consultation with the 

Secretary of Labor and Secretary of 

Agriculture, approved the Final Rule. 

To resolve any possible uncertainty 

with respect to the Final Rule, the 

Department, through its Assistant 

Secretary for Employment and Training 

and its Administrator of the Wage and 

Hour Division, is ratifying the Final 

Rule. Under established case law, an 

agency may, through ratification, 

‘‘purge[ ] any residual taint or prejudice 

left over from’’ a potential defect in a 

prior governmental action.2 The 

Department is issuing this ratification 

out of an abundance of caution, and this 

ratification is not a statement that the 

Final Rule is invalid absent this 

ratification. 

II. Ratification 

By virtue of the authority vested in 

the Secretary of Labor by law, including 

by the Immigration and Nationality Act 

of 1952, as amended, 8 U.S.C. 1101 et 

seq. (‘‘INA’’), and as delegated to the 

Assistant Secretary for Employment and 

Training, 75 FR 66268, and the 

Administrator of the Wage and Hour 

Division, 75 FR 55352, we are affirming 

and ratifying a prior action by Jane 

Oates, Assistant Secretary for 

Employment and Training, and Nancy 

Leppink, Deputy Administrator of the 

Wage and Hour Division. On February 

12, 2010, the Employment and Training 

Administration and the Wage and Hour 

Division published in the FR the Final 

Rule codifying amendments to the 

Department’s regulations regarding the 

certification of temporary employment 

of nonimmigrant workers employed in 

temporary or seasonal agricultural 

employment and the enforcement of the 

obligations applicable to employers of 

such nonimmigrant workers. 75 FR 6884 

(Feb. 12, 2010). 

The Final Rule was signed by 

Assistant Secretary Oates and Deputy 

Administrator Leppink. We have full 

and complete knowledge of the Final 

Rule action taken by former Assistant 

Secretary Oates and former Deputy 

Administrator Leppink. Subsequent to 

the Secretary of Homeland Security’s 

documented approval of the Final Rule 

dated November 25, 2024, in 

consultation with the Secretary of Labor 

and Secretary of Agriculture, and out of 

an abundance of caution and to avoid 

any doubt as to its validity, we have 

independently evaluated the Final Rule 

and the basis for adopting it. We have 

determined that the amendments to the 

regulations in the Final Rule are 

consistent with the Secretary of Labor’s 

statutory responsibility to certify that 

there are insufficient able, willing, and 

qualified U.S. workers available to 

perform the needed work and that the 

employment of H–2A workers will not 

adversely affect the wages and working 

conditions of workers in the United 

States similarly employed. We have also 

determined that the changes adopted in 

the Final Rule strike an appropriate 

balance between the statute’s competing 

goals of providing employers with an 

adequate supply of legal agricultural 

labor and protecting the wages of 

workers in the United States similarly 

employed by improving the H–2A 

application and temporary labor 

certification process, strengthening 

protections for workers, and enhancing 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with RULES1