22074 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 85 / Wednesday, May 2, 2001 / Notices

as their contents may become material

in the administration of any internal

revenue law. Generally, tax returns and

tax return information are confidential,

as required by 26 U.S.C. 6103.

Request for Comments

Comments submitted in response to

this notice will be summarized and/or

included in the request for OMB

approval. All comments will become a

matter of public record.

Comments are invited on: (a) whether

the collection of information is

necessary for the proper performance of

the functions of the agency, including

whether the information shall have

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the

agency’s estimate of the burden of the

collection 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;

and (e) estimates of capital or start-up

costs and costs of operation,

maintenance, and purchase of services

to provide information.

Approved: April 25, 2001.

Garrick R. Shear,

IRS Reports Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 01–10872 Filed 5–1–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4830–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Internal Revenue Service

[LR–77–86]

Proposed Collection; Comment

Request for Regulation Project

AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS),

Treasury.

ACTION: Notice and request for

comments.

SUMMARY: The Department of the

Treasury, as part of its continuing effort

to reduce paperwork and respondent

burden, invites the general public and

other Federal agencies to take this

opportunity to comment on proposed

and/or continuing information

collections, as required by the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,

Public Law 104–13 (44 U.S.C.

3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is

soliciting comments concerning an

existing temporary regulation, LR–77–

86 (TD 8124), Certain Elections Under

the Tax Reform Act of 1986(§ 5h.5).

DATES: Written comments should be

received on or before July 2, 2001 to be

assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments

to Garrick R. Shear, Internal Revenue

Service, room 5244, 1111 Constitution

Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20224.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or

copies of the regulation should be

directed to Carol Savage, (202) 622–

3945, Internal Revenue Service, room

5242, 1111 Constitution Avenue NW.,

Washington, DC 20224.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Certain Elections Under the Tax

Reform Act of 1986.

OMB Number: 1545–0982.

Regulation Project Numbers: LR–77–

86.

Abstract: Section 5h.5(a) of this

regulation sets forth general rules for the

time and manner of making various

elections under the Tax Reform Act of

1986. The regulation enables taxpayers

to take advantage of various benefits

provided by the Internal Revenue Code.

Current Actions: There is no change to

this existing regulation.

Type of review: Extension of OMB

approval.

Affected Public: Individuals or

households, business or other for-profit

organizations, not-for-profit institutions,

farms, and state, local, or tribal

governments.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

114,710.

Estimated Time Per Respondent: 15

minutes.

Estimated Total Annual Burden

Hours: 28,678.

The following paragraph applies to all

of the collections of information covered

by this notice:

An agency may not conduct or

sponsor, and a person is not required to

respond to, a collection of information

unless the collection of information

displays a valid OMB control number.

Books or records relating to a collection

of information must be retained as long

as their contents may become material

in the administration of any internal

revenue law. Generally, tax returns and

tax return information are confidential,

as required by 26 U.S.C. 6103.

Request for Comments

Comments submitted in response to

this notice will be summarized and/or

included in the request for OMB

approval. All comments will become a

matter of public record. Comments are

invited on: (a) Whether the collection of

information is necessary for the proper

performance of the functions of the

agency, including whether the

information shall have practical utility;

(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate

of the burden of the collection 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; and (e) estimates of capital

or start-up costs and costs of operation,

maintenance, and purchase of services

to provide information.

Approved: April 25, 2001.

Garrick R. Shear,

IRS Reports Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 01–10873 Filed 5–1–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4830–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS

AFFAIRS (VA)

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

Claims Processing Task Force, Notice

of Establishment

As required by Section 9(a)(2) of the

Federal Advisory Committee Act, U.S.C.

(App. 1) 9(c), the Department of

Veterans Affairs (VA) hereby gives

notice of the establishment of the VA

Claims Processing Task Force. The

Secretary of Veterans Affairs has

determined that establishing this Task

Force is in the public interest.

The Task Force will critique the

Veterans Benefits Administration’s

(VBA) organization and management

with a primary focus on the

compensation and pension processes.

The Task Force will evaluate the

procedures and processes for deciding

veterans’ appeals of VBA rating

decisions. The Task Force will also

assess various issues and develop

findings that are aimed at improving

VA’s ability to process veterans’ claims

for disability compensation and

pension.

The Task Force will report to the

Secretary recommendations that VA can

take to increase productivity, reduce

claims processing times, and shrink the

disability claims backlog without

compromising either the accuracy of

decisions or service to the Nation’s

veterans.

The Task Force will consist of ten (10)

to eleven (11) members and a

Chairperson. Selection criteria for Task

Force membership will be based on

expertise in areas such as organizational

assessment, functional analysis,

evaluation of existing practices, and

improving operational processes. VA

will give attention to equitable

geographic distribution and to ethnic

and gender representation when

appointing Task Force members.