[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 244 (Tuesday, December 21, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71503-71505]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-32985]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Trade Adjustment Assistance/NAFTA Financial Status Report/Request
for Funds; Comment Request
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to
reduce paperwork and respondent burden conducts a preclearance
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing
collections of information in accordance with the
[[Page 71504]]
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This
program helps to ensure that requested data can be provided in the
desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is
minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, and the
impact of collection requirements on respondents can be properly
assessed. Currently, the Employment and Training Administration is
soliciting comments concerning the proposed extension of the Trade
Adjustment Assistance/North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
Transitional Adjustment Assistance program Financial Status Report/
Request for Funds. A copy of the proposed information collection
request (ICR) can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in
the addresses section of this notice.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the
addresses section below on or before February 22, 2000.
ADDRESSES: Jess Aragon or Erica Cantor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW,
Washington DC 20210, 202-219-7979 (this is not a toll free number). FAX
number 202-219-6564.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The amendments to the Trade Act contained in the Omnibus Trade and
Competitiveness Act (OTCA) of 1988 (Public Law 100-418) and Title 5 of
the North American Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (Public Law
103-182) of 1993 made some significant changes which affect the way the
Trade Adjustment Assistance and North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA) Adjustment Assistance programs are funded and administered.
These changes made enrollment in training programs an entitlement for
workers adversely affected by imports (Trade program) or by imports
from Canada or Mexico (NAFTA program). Thus, the Trade program and
NAFTA trade program consists of entitlements for trade readjustment
allowances, job search allowances, job relocation allowances and
training. In order for workers to continue to receive entitlement to
trade adjustment allowances, they must be enrolled in a training
program approved by the Secretary of Labor (1423 of OTCA) for the trade
program and (section 250 of the NAFTA Implementation Act) for the NAFTA
program.
Although training becomes an entitlement under both programs, the
OTCA imposed a training cap in section 236 for the Trade program and
under subchapter D for the NAFTA program. The statutory cap is $80
million for the Trade program and $30 million for the NAFTA program.
The purpose of the collection of this information on the Form ETA-9023
is to be able to monitor expenditures for both programs to ensure that
the statutory ceilings are not exceeded.
Additionally, the Secretary of Labor is responsible for ensuring
that resources are equitably distributed to the States. This form
enables the ETA to evaluate a State's need for resources and to
redistribute resources among States as necessary.
II. Review Focus
The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments
which:
Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency,
including whether the information will have practical utility;
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;
Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and
Minimize the burden of the collection of information on
those who are to respond, including through 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.
III. Current Actions
The ETA-9023 has been successfully utilized by the ETA and the
States with only minor modifications since FY 1989. The Federal
Register Notice requests an extension of the ETA-9023 for both the TAA
and NAFTA programs. Overall, States have done a commendable job in
completing the form with relatively minor problems or questions raised
by the States on the form. The ETA-9023 has been extremely important to
the ETA over the last several years because the entire $80 million
available, under the statutory cap for the Trade program for training
was allocated to the States. The ETA-9023 report was critical in
allowing ETA to be able to redistribute resources equitably among
States so training activity would not be discontinued in some States.
Type of Review: Reinstatement.
Title: Trade Adjustment Assistance/NAFTA Financial Status Report/
Request for Funds.
OMB Number: 1205-0275.
Agency Number: ETA-9023.
Affected Public: State Government, State Employment Security
Agencies.
Cite/Reference/Form/etc: See below.
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Total Total Average time
Cite/reference respondents Frequency responses per responses Burden
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TAA Rptg........................ 50 5 250 2 hrs. 500
NAFTA Rptg...................... 50 5 250 2 hrs. 500
Totals...................... .............. .............. 500 .............. 1,000
.............. .............. ..............
.............. ..............
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The total costs is $26.00 x 100 hours = $26,000.
Comments submitted in response to this comment request will be
summarized and/or included in the request for Office of Management and
Budget approval of the information collection request; they will also
become a matter of public record.
Dated: December 15, 1999.
Jack H. Rapport,
Comptroller, Employment and Training Administration.
[FR Doc. 99-32985 Filed 12-20-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-P
