95-30010. Proposed Information Collection Activity; Public Comment Request: Application for Accreditation as Service Organization Representative, VA Form 21; and Appointment of Attorney or Agent as Claimant's Representative, VA Form 22a

[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 237 (Monday, December 11, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63569-63570]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-30010]



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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Proposed Information Collection Activity; Public Comment Request: 
Application for Accreditation as Service Organization Representative, 
VA Form 21; and Appointment of Attorney or Agent as Claimant's 
Representative, VA Form 22a

AGENCY: Office of General Counsel, Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and 
respondent burden, the Office of General Counsel (OGC) invites the 
general public and other Federal agencies to comment on this 
information collection. This request for comment is being made pursuant 
to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13; 44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)). Comments should address the accuracy of the burden 
estimates and ways to minimize the burden including the use of 
automated collection techniques or the use of other forms of 
information technology, as well as other relevant aspects of the 
information collection.

DATES: Written comments and recommendations on the proposal for the 
collection of information should be received by no later than February 
9, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Harold (Butch) Miller, Office 
of General Counsel (026A), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont 
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420. All comments will become a matter of 
public record and will be summarized in the OGC request for Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) approval. In this document OGC is 
soliciting comments concerning the following information collection:
    OMB Control Number: 2900-0018.
    Title and Form Number: Application for Accreditation as Service 
Organization Representative, VA Form 21; and Appointment of Attorney or 
Agent as Claimant's Representative, VA Form 22a.
    Type of Review: Reinstatement, without change, of a previously 
approved collection for which approval has expired.
    Need and Uses: The forms are used to appoint a service 
organization, attorney or agent as a representative in claims for VA 
benefits.
    Current Circumstances: VA Form 21 will be evaluated by Office of 
General Counsel to determine qualification for accreditation and the 
need for cautionary instructions concerning conflict of interest. 
Applicants meeting the regulatory standards are issued an ID card 
allowing them access to VA files of claimants who have designated the 
service organization with which they are affiliated as claims 
representative and are issued a letter setting forth their 
responsibilities. Those denied accreditation, and their organizations, 
are informed of the reason for the denial. If the information were not 
collected, VA would have no way of evaluating applicants for 
accreditation under the requirements of 38 CFR 14.629.
    VA Form 22a will be reviewed by VA's Veterans Benefits 
Administration. The information on the form will be used to ascertain 
the identity of the representative appointed by the claimant to 
represent him or her and the scope of the representative's authority to 
inspect records. This information is necessary for determining whether 
access to claimant records may be provided and for notification 
purposes. If the information were not collected, VA could not recognize 
the representative as the attorney or agent of the claimant under 
applicable statutes and regulations and could not provide access to 
claimant records.
    Affected Public: Individuals and households, Not-for-profit 
institutions and State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 1,650 hours.
    Estimated Average Burden Per Respondent: 15 minutes.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 6,600.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the form should be directed to 

[[Page 63570]]
Department of Veterans Affairs, Attn: Ron Taylor, VA Clearance Officer 
(045A4), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, 
Washington, DC 20420, Telephone [phone] or FAX [phone].

    Dated: November 30, 1995.

    By direction of the Secretary.
Donald L. Neilson,
Director, Information Management Service.
[FR Doc. 95-30010 Filed 12-8-95; 8:45 am]
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