56766 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 187 / Wednesday, September 28, 2005 / Notices 

B. Discussion of Public Comments 

1. General Comments on Proposed Fee 

Increase 

One commenter said that the fee 

increase is inconsistent with the 

Congressional declaration of policy for 

programs under the Small Business 

Investment Act of 1958, including the 

SBG Program, to stimulate and improve 

the economy by establishing assistance 

programs for small business which are 

to be ‘‘carried out in such a manner as 

to insure maximum participation of 

private financing sources,’’ 15 U.S.C. 

661 (Section 661). The commenter said 

that the fee increase would discourage 

surety companies from participating in 

the SBG Program because it would not 

be economically viable or cost-effective, 

and several other commenters agreed. 

Thirty-four of the commenters were 

concerned about the potentially 

negative impact that the fee increase 

would have on Sureties or small 

businesses. SBA received 23 comments 

opposing the fee increase because it may 

cause Sureties currently participating in 

the SBG Program to decrease their level 

of participation in it. One of the Sureties 

said that it would withdraw from the 

SBG Program completely if SBA 

increases the fee from the present 20% 

to 32% of the bond premium. Eleven 

commenters were concerned about the 

potentially negative impact that the fee 

increase would have on small business. 

Some commenters said that small 

contractors would ultimately bear the 

burden of the fee increase because 

Sureties would pass the cost on to them 

in the form of higher premium rates. 

Other commenters said that the fee 

increase would limit availability of 

bonds for small contractors based on 

assumptions that all Sureties would 

withdraw from the SBG Program and, 

consequently, the Program would no 

longer exist. Specific concerns were 

raised about the ability of 8(a), 

HUBZone, and service-disabled veteranowned small businesses to secure 

bonding for contracts obtained through 

SBA certification as well as for those 

small contractors seeking contracts to 

rebuild the Gulf Coast areas damaged by 

Hurricane Katrina. 

SBA has given due consideration to 

each comment and acknowledges the 

concerns expressed by Sureties, surety 

agents, small contractors, and the 

industry associations to which those 

parties belong. In response to those 

comments, however, SBA notes that its 

duty under Section 661 must be 

balanced with its explicit statutory 

obligation to administer the Program 

‘‘on a prudent and economically 

justifiable basis’’ and its authority to 

establish fees for Sureties as SBA 

determines are reasonable and 

necessary, 15 U.S.C. 694b(h). SBA’s 

duties and authorities must work in 

harmony. Although SBA has 

determined that the fee increase is 

necessary to supplement the current 

revolving fund reserves to better offset 

unfunded program liabilities, SBA only 

increased the fee the minimum amount 

necessary to operate the SBG Program 

‘‘on a prudent and economically 

justifiable basis’’ to limit the negative 

impact on Sureties. In addition, SBA is 

considering procedural and policy 

changes to improve the Program to 

attract new surety companies to the SBG 

Program and to retain existing Sureties. 

Furthermore, SBA recognizes that the 

fee increase may have some impact on 

small businesses, especially since 

Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf 

Coast. SBA notes that the notice 

proposing the fee increase was 

published in the Federal Register on 

August 15, 2005—two weeks before 

Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast. 

As a result of the disaster, SBA expects 

that there will be an increase in bond 

activity through the SBG Program in the 

next six months because surety bonds 

are essential for small businesses 

seeking contracts to rebuild the Gulf 

Coast after Hurricane Katrina. Although 

the fee increase remains necessary to 

better offset unfunded liabilities of the 

SBG Program, SBA believes that the 

expected increase in bond activity due 

to Hurricane Katrina justifies 

postponing the effective date of fee 

increase from October 1, 2005, as 

originally proposed, to April 3, 2006. 

The 6-month delay will permit SBA, 

Sureties, and small businesses to 

operate under the existing framework in 

the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. 

2. Suggested Improvements to SBG 

Program 

Four of the commenters suggested 

specific operational and policy changes 

to the SBG Program that would 

streamline it, thus making the Program 

more attractive to new and existing 

Sureties. Specific changes suggested by 

the commenters include elimination of 

multiple applications requiring original 

signatures, expediting the application 

process, increasing the number of SBG 

personnel in the field, and providing 

Sureties with more flexibility to adjust 

premiums charged on guaranteed bonds. 

SBA appreciates the comments from 

the industry on possible improvements 

to the SBG Program. SBA is considering 

a variety of program changes to 

encourage new surety companies to 

participate in the SBG Program, retain 

existing Sureties, and make the Program 

more beneficial for small contractors. 

SBA reaffirms its commitment to 

expanding availability of bonds for 

small contractors by maintaining SBG 

program operations and making 

Program improvements. SBA will 

continue to reassess the Program, 

including its operations and projected 

costs, and aim to make it more efficient 

and cost-effective. 

(Authority: 13 CFR 115.32(c) and 115.66) 

Michael W. Hager, 

Associate Deputy Administrator, Office of 

Capital Access. 

[FR Doc. 05–19359 Filed 9–27–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8025–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice 5195] 

Culturally Significant Objects Imported 

for Exhibition Determinations: ‘‘Saint 

Peter and the Vatican: The Legacy of 

the Popes’’

Summary: Notice is hereby given of 

the following determinations: Pursuant 

to the authority vested in me by the Act 

of October 19, 1965 (79 Stat. 985; 22 

U.S.C. 2459), Executive Order 12047 of 

March 27, 1978, the Foreign Affairs 

Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 

(112 Stat. 2681, et seq.; 22 U.S.C. 6501 

note, et seq.), Delegation of Authority 

No. 234 of October 1, 1999, and 

Delegation of Authority No. 236 of 

October 19, 1999, as amended, and 

Delegation of Authority No. 257 of April 

15, 2003 [68 FR 19875], I hereby 

determine that the objects to be 

included in the exhibition ‘‘Saint Peter 

and the Vatican: The Legacy of the 

Popes,’’ imported from abroad for 

temporary exhibition within the United 

States, are of cultural significance. The 

objects are imported pursuant to a loan 

agreement with the foreign lender. I also 

determine that the exhibition or display 

of the exhibit objects at The Gallery at 

the Henry B. Gonzales Convention 

Center, San Antonio, TX from on or 

about October 15, 2005 to on or about 

January 8, 2006, The Milwaukee Public 

Museum from on or about February 4, 

2006 to on or about May 7, 2006, and 

at possible additional venues yet to be 

determined, is in the national interest. 

Public Notice of these determinations is 

ordered to be published in the Federal 

Register. 

For further information contact: For 

further information, including a list of 

the exhibit objects, contact Carol B. 

Epstein, Attorney-Adviser, Office of the 

Legal Adviser, Department of State, 

(telephone: 202 453–8048). The address 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 187 / Wednesday, September 28, 2005 / Notices 56767 

is Department of State, SA–44, 301 4th 

Street, SW., Room 700, Washington, DC 

20547–0001. 

Dated: September 21, 2005. 

C. Miller Crouch, 

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for 

Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department 

of State. 

[FR Doc. 05–19360 Filed 9–27–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–08–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Office of the Secretary 

[Docket No. OST–95–177] 

Notice of Request for Extension of 

Previously Approved Collection 

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary. 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 

U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice 

announces that the Information 

Collection Request (ICR) abstracted 

below has been forwarded to the Office 

of Management and Budget (OMB) for 

renewal and comment. The ICR 

describes the nature of the information 

collection and its expected cost and 

burden. The Federal Register Notice 

with a 60-day comment period soliciting 

comments on the following collection of 

information was published on July 20, 

2005 [FR Vol. 70, No. 138, pages 41808 

and 41809]. No. comments were 

received. 

DATES: Comments on this notice must be 

received by October 28, 2005, attention 

DOT/OST Desk Officer, Office of 

Information and Regulatory Affairs, 

Office of Management and Budget, 

Docket Library, Room 10102, 725 17th 

Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jack 

Schmidt, Office of the Assistant 

Secretary for Aviation and International 

Affairs, Office of the Secretary, U.S. 

Department of Transportation, 400 

Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 

20590, (202) 366–5420. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Disclosure of Change-of-Gauge 

Services. 

OMB Control Number: 2105–0538. 

Affected Public: All U.S. air carriers, 

foreign air carriers, computer 

reservations systems (CSRs), travel 

agents doing business in the United 

States, and the traveling public. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 205,908 to 617,736 hours. 

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether 

this proposed collection of information 

is necessary for the proper performance 

of the functions of the agency, including 

whether the information will have 

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the 

agency’s estimate of burden of the 

proposed collection of information; (c) 

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the 

burden of the collection of information 

on the respondents, including through 

the use of automated techniques or 

other forms of information technology. 

All responses to this notice will be 

summarized and included in the request 

for OMB approval. All comments will 

also become a matter of public record. 

All responses to this notice will be 

summarized and included in the request 

for OMB approval. All comments will 

also become a matter of public record. 

Issued in Washington, DC on September 

21, 2005. 

Steven Lott, 

Manager, Strategic Integration, IT Investment 

Management Office. 

[FR Doc. 05–19343 Filed 9–27–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–62–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Office of the Secretary 

Aviation Proceedings, Agreements 

Filed the Week Ending September 2, 

2005 

The following Agreements were filed 

with the Department of Transportation 

under the sections 412 and 414 of the 

Federal Aviation Act, as amended (49 

U.S.C. 1382 and 1384) and procedures 

governing proceedings to enforce these 

provisions. Answers may be filed within 

21 days after the filing of the 

application. 

Docket Number: OST–2005–22348. 

Date Filed: September 1, 2005. 

Parties: Members of the International 

Air Transport Association. 

Subject: Composite Expedited 

Resolution 201, Intended effective date: 

15 September 2005. 

Docket Number: OST–2005–22349. 

Date Filed: September 1, 2005. 

Parties: Members of the International 

Air Transport Association. 

Subject: Mail Vote 455-Resolution 

010v, Special Passenger Amending 

Resolution between Japan and Thailand, 

TC3 Japan Korea, South-East Asia. 

Intended effective date: 1 November 

2005. 

Docket Number: OST–2005–22350. 

Date Filed: September 1, 2005. 

Parties: Members of the International 

Air Transport Association. 

Subject: Composite Passenger Tariff 

Coordinating Conference Montreal, 18–

21 July 2005, Composite Resolutions 

002bc, 005i, 012c, 024d, 024e, 024k, 

049d, 100, 201, 210, Minutes: 

Composite Meeting of Passenger Tariff, 

Coordinating Conferences (memo 1271), 

Montreal, 18–21 July 2005, Technical 

Correction: Composite Passenger Tariff 

Coordinating Conference, Montreal, 18–

21 July 2005, Composite Resolutions 

002bc, 005i, 012c, 024d, 024e, 024k, 

049d, 100, 201, 210, Intended effective 

date: 1 April 2006. 

Docket Number: OST–2005–22351. 

Date Filed: September 1, 2005. 

Parties: Members of the International 

Air Transport Association. 

Subject: Composite Resolution 300 

(Memo 1267), Composite Passenger 

Tariff Coordinating Conference, 

Montreal, 18–21 July 2005, Minutes: 

Composite Meeting of Passenger Tariff, 

Coordinating Conferences (memo 1271), 

Montreal, 18–21 July 2005, Intended 

effective date: 1 April 2006. 

Docket Number: OST–2005–22352. 

Date Filed: September 1, 2005. 

Parties: Members of the International 

Air Transport Association. 

Subject: Composite Resolutions 017a, 

017c, 017e, 017f (Memo 1268), Minutes: 

Composite Meeting of Passenger Tariff 

Coordinating Conferences (Memo 1271), 

Montreal, 18–21 July 2005, Intended 

effective date: 01 April 2005. 

Docket Number: OST–2005–22393. 

Date Filed: September 2, 2005. 

Parties: Members of the International 

Air Transport Association. 

Subject: PTC3/PTC31/PTC123, 

Special Passenger Amending Resolution 

010u From Korea (Rep. of) to USA, U.S. 

Territories. Intended effective date 1 

September 2005. 

Docket Number: OST–2005–22394. 

Date Filed: September 2, 2005. 

Parties: Members of the International 

Air Transport Association. 

Subject: PTC2/PTC3/PTC12/PTC23/ 

PTC31/PTC123, Special Passenger 

Amending Resolution 010t. Intended 

effective date: 1 September 2005. 

Renee V. Wright, 

Program Manager, Docket Operations, 

Federal Register Liaison. 

[FR Doc. 05–19341 Filed 9–27–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–62–P