[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 80 (Wednesday, April 25, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20791-20792]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-10223]


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CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE


Information Collection; Submission for OMB Review; Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Corporation for National and Community Service.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Corporation for National and Community Service 
(hereinafter the ``Corporation'') has submitted a public information 
collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for review and approval in accordance with the Paper Reduction Act of 
1995, Pub. L. 104-13 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). Copies of this ICR, with 
applicable supporting documentation, may be obtained by calling the 
Corporation for National and Community Service, Levon Buller, at (202) 
606-5000, extension 383. Individuals who use a telecommunications 
device for the deaf (TTY-TDD) may call (800) 833-3722 between the hours 
of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday.
    Comments should be sent to the Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Attn: Ms. Brenda Aguilar, OMB Desk Officer for the Corporation 
for National and Community Service, Office of Management and Budget, 
Room 10235, Washington, DC, 20503, (202) 395-7316, within 30 days from 
the date of publication in this Federal Register.
    The OMB is particularly interested in comments which:
    <bullet> Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the 
Corporation, including whether the information will have practical 
utility;
    <bullet> Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
    <bullet> Propose ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity 
of the information to be collected; and
    <bullet> Propose ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on those who are to respond, including the use of 
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., 
permitting electronic submissions of responses.
    An ICR document has been submitted to OMB for consideration. The 
Voucher and Payment Request Form (OMB Number 3045-0030) is a proposed 
revision to an earlier OMB-approved form. This is the document by which 
AmeriCorps members access the education awards that they have earned by 
serving in a national service position.
    The document was published in the Federal Register on January 5, 
2001, for a 60-day pre-clearance public comment period. Two 
organizations requested copies of the document; one represented a 
financial aid office at a university and the other represented a loan 
servicing organization. Only the university presented comments on the 
form. One of the suggestions was incorporated into the versions now 
being presented to OMB for consideration. The other suggestion was not 
included mainly due to space considerations and the Corporation's 
belief that the information was asked for in another form.

Voucher and Payment Request Form

    Type of Review: Renewal.
    Agency: Corporation for National and Community Service.
    Title: Voucher and Payment Request Form.
    OMB Number: OMB #3045-0014.
    Agency Number: None.
    Affected Public: AmeriCorps members who have completed a term of 
national service and who wish to access their education awards.
    Total Respondents: 55,000 responses annually (estimated annual 
average over the next three years).
    Frequency: Experience has shown that some AmeriCorps members may 
never

[[Page 20792]]

use the education award and others will use it several times a year.
    Average Time Per Response: Total of 5 minutes (one half minute for 
the AmeriCorps member's section and 4\1/2\ minutes for the school or 
lender's section).
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 4,583 hours.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): N/A.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): N/A.
    Description: After an AmeriCorps member completes a period of 
national service, the individual receives an education award that can 
be used to pay against qualified student loans or pay for current 
educational expenses at a post secondary educational institution. The 
Voucher and Payment Request Form is the document that members use to 
access their accounts in the National Service Trust.
    The form serves three purposes: (1) The AmeriCorps member uses it 
to request and authorize a specific payment to be made from his or her 
education award account, (2) the school or loan company uses it to 
indicate the amount for which the individual is eligible, and (3) the 
school or loan company and member both certify that the payment meets 
various legislative requirements. When the Corporation receives a 
voucher, the form is processed. If everything is in order, the 
Corporation requests the U.S. Treasury to issue a check on behalf of 
the member to the school or loan holder.
    The form was first designed and some variation of it has been in 
use since the summer of 1994. The proposed revisions are being made to 
clarify certain sections of the existing form and to facilitate the 
electronic processing of the form. Currently, all of the information 
from the form is entered into the Corporation's database by hand. 
Automating a portion of this process should greatly reduce both the 
processing time and the incidence of payment errors. Currently, all 
payments are being made by paper checks issued by the U.S. Treasury. 
Before the end of calendar year 2001, the Corporation intends to begin 
making these payments through Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT).
    The form shows that payment will be made through EFT if the 
Corporation already has the information to make such a transaction. If 
it does not, a paper check will be issued. Then, a letter will be 
mailed to the institution asking them to complete an enclosed Direct 
Deposit form so future payments can be made electronically.

Analysis of Comments Received During the Public Comment Period

    Two comments were received from a university's financial aid 
office. One suggestion was to allow the AmeriCorps member to indicate 
whether the payment request was for a loan payment or for the payment 
of current educational expenses. Frequently, a financial aid office 
will process both types of requests; this modification will clarify the 
member's intent. The second suggestion was to include an item where the 
school can indicate the school enrollment period upon which the 
member's ``eligible'' amount is based (for example, Spring '02, Summer 
'04). Since the form already does ask for the beginning and ending 
dates of the enrollment period the Corporation feels that this is 
sufficient.

    Dated: April 18, 2001.
Charlene Dunn,
Director, National Service Trust.
[FR Doc. 01-10223 Filed 4-24-01; 8:45 am]
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