Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 246 / Friday, December 22, 1995 / Notices 66573

significant burden on competition; (iii)

was provided to the Commission for its

review at least five days prior to the

filing date; and (iv) does not become

operative for ninety (90) days from the

date of its filing on November 28, 1995,

the proposed rule change has become

effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)

of the Act and Rule 19b–4(e)(6)

thereunder. In particular, the

Commission believes the proposed rule

change qualifies as a ‘‘non-controversial

filing’’ in that the proposed standards

do not significantly affect the protection

of investors or the public interest and do

not impose any significant burden on

competition, and because it makes

technical and clarifying changes to an

existing MSRB rule. At any time within

sixty (60) days of the filing of the

proposed rule change, the Commission

may summarily abrogate such rule

change if it appears to the Commission

that such action is necessary or

appropriate in the public interest, for

the protection of investors, or otherwise

in furtherance of the purposes of the

Act.

IV. Solicitation of Comments

Interested persons are invited to

submit written data, views, and

arguments concerning the foregoing.

Persons making written submissions

should file six copies thereof with the

Secretary, Securities and Exchange

Commission, 450 Fifth Street, N.W.,

Washington, D.C. 20549. Copies of the

submissions, all subsequent

amendments, all written statements

with respect to the proposed rule

change that are filed with the

Commission, and all written

communications relating to the

proposed rule change between the

Commission and any person, other than

those that may be withheld from the

public in accordance with the

provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be

available for inspection and copying in

the Commission’s Public Reference

Room. Copies of the filing will also be

available for inspection and copying at

the Board’s principal offices. All

submissions should refer to File No.

SR–MSRB–95–18 and should be

submitted by January 12, 1996.

For the Commission by the Division of

Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated

authority, 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).

Margaret H. McFarland,

Deputy Secretary.

[FR Doc. 95–31178 Filed 12–21–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8010–01–M

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

Agency Forms Submitted to the Office

of Management and Budget for

Clearance

Normally on Fridays, the Social

Security Administration publishes a list

of information collection packages that

will require submission to the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) for

clearance in compliance with Public

Law 96–511, as amended (Pub. L. 104–

13 effective October 1, 1995), The

Paperwork Reduction Act. Since the last

list was published in the Federal

Register on December 8, 1995, the

information collection listed below will

require extension of the current OMB

approval.

(Call the SSA Reports Clearance Officer

on (410) 965–4142 for a copy of the

form(s) or package(s), or write to the

SSA Reports Clearance Officer at the

address listed after the information

collections)

Application for U.S. Benefits Under

the Canada-U.S. International

Agreement—0960–0371. The

information collected on form SSA–

1294 is used to determine entitlement to

benefits. The respondents are

individuals who live in Canada and file

for U.S. Social Security Benefits.

Number of Respondents: 1000.

Frequency of Response: 1.

Average Burden Per Response: 15

minutes.

Estimated Annual Burden: 250 hours.

Written comments and

recommendations regarding this

information collection should be sent

within 60 days from the date of this

publication, directly to the SSA Reports

Clearance Officer at the following

address: Social Security Administration,

DCFAM, Attn: Charlotte S. Whitenight,

6401 Security Blvd., 1–A–21 Operations

Bldg., Baltimore, MD 21235.

In addition to your comments on the

accuracy of the agency’s burden

estimate, we are soliciting comments on

the need for the information; its

practical utility; ways to enhance its

quality, utility and clarity; and on ways

to minimize burden on respondents,

including the use of automated

collection techniques or other forms of

information technology.

Dated: December 15, 1995.

Charlotte Whitenight,

Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security

Administration.

[FR Doc. 95–31162 Filed 12–21–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4190–29–P

Notice of Meeting of the

Representative Payment Advisory

Committee

Date and Time: February 15, 1996, 9

a.m.–9 p.m.; February 16, 1996, 9 a.m.–

5 p.m.

Place: Environmental Protection

Agency Classrooms, 75 Hawthorne

Street, First Floor, San Francisco, CA

94105.

Type of Meeting: The meeting is open

to the public.

Purpose: In accordance with section

10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory

Committee Act, the Social Security

Administration (SSA) announces the

fourth meeting of the Representative

Payment Advisory Committee. The

Committee will discuss issues related to

payee selection, payee recruitment and

retention, standards for payee

performance and payee oversight. The

Committee will focus its discussion on

use/misuse of benefits and

accountability. The Committee is also

interested in the value of automated

accounting systems to track

expenditures on behalf of beneficiaries

as well as funds conserved for future

use.

Current guidelines on the use of

benefits clearly distinguish acceptable

uses of benefits from misuse. However,

SSA is interested in learning if

additional guidance on choosing the

most appropriate among several

acceptable uses of benefits is necessary

or appropriate. Increasingly, SSA is

being asked to resolve disputes

concerning use of benefits, especially in

balancing current maintenance costs

and needs against possible future needs.

Payee accountability also is an area in

which SSA would be helped by external

views. For some years, SSA has required

an annual accounting by all payees

except certain State custodial

institutions which are subject to an

onsite review process. The form used for

this accounting elicits information from

the payee about how benefits were used

during the 12-month report period

(including any savings or investments);

whether any changes occurred in the

beneficiary’s living arrangement or

custody which could affect entitlement

or benefit amount; and other

information related to the payee’s

continued suitability. The process is

expensive, currently costing about $60

million yearly and has been criticized as

cumbersome for the agency and payees

alike.

The representative payment program

is so critical to the well being of SSA’s

most vulnerable beneficiaries that its

continuous improvement is of

compelling national interest. One in six
66574 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 246 / Friday, December 22, 1995 / Notices

Americans receives benefits from SSA,

and about one in eight of those has a

representative payee. Among

supplemental security income

beneficiaries, one in three has payee.

The appropriate use and management of

benefits is important in helping

beneficiaries, especially younger

disabled persons, to gain or regain their

independence and productivity, and it

is essential to ensure that all

beneficiaries live with the security and

dignity that the benefits are meant to

provide.

Agenda: The Committee will meet

commencing at 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on

Thursday, February 15, 1996 with a

break for dinner, and from 9 a.m. to 5

p.m. on Friday, February 16, 1996.

Agenda items for both days will

include, but not be limited to, a

discussion concerning payees’ use of

benefits, standards for payee

performance and payee oversight. Oral

statements on these issues or any issue

concerning representative payment

policy are sought from the public for

presentation on February 16.

Presentations will be limited to 5

minutes per public speaker.

Persons interested in presenting oral

statements may call the Advisory

Committee staff at (410) 966–4688 to

schedule a presentation time or they

may submit a written request, along

with a copy of their statement, to the

Representative Payment Advisory

Committee, 2–N–24 Operations

Building, P.O. Box 17763, Baltimore,

MD 21203–7763. Requests should

contain the name, address, telephone

number and any business or

professional affiliation of the person

desiring to make an oral statement.

Groups having similar interests are

requested to combine their comments

and present them through a single

representative. The allocation of time

may be adjusted to accommodate the

level of expressed interest. The

Representative Payment Advisory

Committee will notify each presenter by

mail or telephone of their assigned

presentation time. Persons who do not

make a written or oral request for

presentation in advance, but desire to

make an oral statement, may sign up at

the meeting site before noon on

February 16. These persons will be

allowed to present their oral statements

as time permits. The Committee also

welcomes written comments. They may

be sent to the Representative Payment

Advisory Committee at 2–N–24

Operations Building, P.O. Box 17763,

Baltimore, MD 21203–7763.

Records are being kept of all

Committee proceedings, and are

available for public inspection at the

office of the Representative Payment

Advisory Committee, Room 2–N–24,

Operations Building, 6401 Security

Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235

between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

on regular business days. Anyone

requiring information regarding the

Committee should contact the

Representative Payment Advisory

Committee at P.O. Box 17763,

Baltimore, MD 21203–7763; Telephone:

(410) 966–4688; FAX: (410) 966–0980;

Internet: adcom@ssa.gov.

Dated: December 14, 1995.

Reba Andrew,

Staff Director, Representative Payment

Advisory Committee.

[FR Doc. 95–31161 Filed 12–21–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4190–29–P

Notice of Meeting of the

Representative Payment Advisory

Committee

Date and Time: January 22, 1996, 9:00

a.m.–9:00 p.m.; January 23, 1996, 9:00

a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Place: Urban Life Center Auditorium,

Georgia State University, Decatur and

Piedmont Streets, Atlanta, GA 30303–

3083.

Type of Meeting: The meeting is open

to the public.

Purpose: In accordance with section

10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory

Committee Act, the Social Security

Administration (SSA) announces the

third meeting of the Representative

Payment Advisory Committee. The

Committee will discuss issues related to

payee recruitment and retention,

standards for payee performance, use/

misuse of benefits, payee accountability

and payee oversight. The Committee

will focus its discussion on the

investigation and selection of payees.

SSA investigates all payee applicants.

The application form requires the

individual to disclose certain

information, including his/her

relationship to the beneficiary and his/

her own source(s) of income. After the

applicant has provided positive

identification, SSA uses its own records

to verify the applicant’s social security

number and work history. SSA screens

the applicant against a listing of persons

who have been convicted of social

security or supplemental security

income fraud. Such persons may not be

appointed as payees under any

circumstances. There are other factors

which may result in the nonselection of

a payee applicant also.

SSA has built a data base of

representative payee information which

is readily accessible to all social security

offices. The data base includes

information concerning any prior

performance as a representative payee.

SSA selects the best payee from

among the applicants who are willing to

serve. If none is immediately available,

SSA continues developing leads until a

satisfactory applicant is located. Unless

direct payment is legally prohibited,

benefits generally continue to be paid to

a beneficiary while SSA seeks a

qualified payee.

Advance notification of the payee

selection is provided to the beneficiary

(or his or her legal representative or

guardian) before payment is certified

and the beneficiary is given the

opportunity to appeal the payee

selection.

Agenda: The Committee will meet

commencing at 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on

Monday, January 22, 1996, with a break

for dinner, and from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00

p.m. on Tuesday, January 23, 1996.

Agenda items for both days will

include, but not be limited to, a

discussion concerning the investigation

and selection of the payee applicant.

Oral statements on these issues or any

issue concerning representative

payment policy are sought from the

public for presentation on January 23.

Presentations will be limited to 5

minutes per public speaker.

Persons interested in presenting an

oral statement may call the Advisory

Committee staff at (410) 966–4688 to

schedule a presentation time or they

may submit a written request, along

with a copy of their statement, to the

Representative Payment Advisory

Committee, 2–N–24 Operations

Building, P.O. Box 17763, Baltimore,

MD 21203–7763. Requests should

contain the name, address, telephone

number and any business or

professional affiliation of the person

desiring to make an oral statement.

Groups having similar interests are

requested to combine their comments

and present them through a single

representative. The allocation of time

may be adjusted to accommodate the

level of expressed interest. The

Representative Payment Advisory

Committee will notify each presenter by

mail or telephone of their assigned

presentation time. Persons who do not

make a written or oral request for

presentation in advance, but desire to

make an oral statement, may sign up at

the meeting site before noon on January

23. These persons will be allowed to

present their oral statements as time

permits. The Committee also encourages

written comments. They may be sent to

the Representative Payment Advisory

Committee at 2–N–24 Operations

Building, P.O. Box 17763, Baltimore,

MD 21203–7763.