03-31621. Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review

AGENCY:

Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-21), this notice announces that the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs, has submitted the collection of information abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The PRA submission describes the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and burden and includes the actual data collection instrument.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before January 23, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY OF THE SUBMISSION CONTACT:

Denise McLamb, Records Management Service (005E3), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420, [phone], FAX [phone] or e-mail: [e-mail]. Please refer to “OMB Control No. 2900-0358.”

Send comments and recommendations concerning any aspect of the information collection to VA's OMB Desk Officer, OMB Human Resources and Housing Branch, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503 [phone]. Please refer to “OMB Control No. 2900-0358” in any correspondence.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Supplemental Information for Change of Program or Reenrollment After Unsatisfactory Attendance, Conduct or Progress, VA Form 22-8873.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Abstract: Veterans and other eligible persons may change their program of education under conditions prescribed by Title 38 U.S.C., Section 3691. A claimant can normally make one change of program without VA approval. If that claimant makes any additional change of program, VA approval is required. Before VA may approve benefits for a second or subsequent change of program, VA must first determine that the new program is suitable to the claimant's aptitudes, interests, and abilities, or that the cause of any unsatisfactory progress or conduct has been resolved before entering into a different program. VA Form 22-8873 is used to gather the necessary information only if the suitability of the proposed training program cannot be established from information already available in the claimant's VA education records or the results of academic or vocational counseling are not available to VA.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on October 14, 2003, at page 59244-59245.

Affected Public: Individuals or households.

Estimated Annual Burden: 9,150 hours.

Estimated Average Burden Per Respondent: 30 minutes.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 18,300.

Dated: December 8, 2003.

By direction of the Secretary.

Jacqueline Parks,

IT Specialist, Records Management Service.