98-5913. Proposed Collection; Comment Request

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 45 (Monday, March 9, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11454-11455]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-5913]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Proposed Collection; 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 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 new collection of the Trade Adjustment 
Assistance and NAFTA Transitional Adjustment Assistance Program 
Performance Report. A copy of the proposed information collection 
request (ICR) can be obtained by contacting the employee listed in the 
Addressee section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addresses section below on or before April 20, 1998.
    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 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 or responses.

ADDRESSES: Curtis K. Kooser, Senior Economist, Office of trade 
Adjustment Assistance, U.S. Department of Labor, Room C4318, 200 
Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20210. Telephone [phone], 
Ext. 111 (this is not a toll-free number), FAX [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993 requires 
all federal benefits programs to report on the outcomes achieved for 
benefit recipients and how those outcomes can be continuously improved. 
In addition, public and Congressional awareness and concern regarding 
the effectiveness of assistance provided to U.S. workers displaced 
byimprots has created a demand for more information on those receiving 
assistance from Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) and North American 
Free Trade Act Transitional Adjustment Assistance (NAFTA-TAA). The data 
currently collected by TAA does not provide sufficient information to 
adequately assess TAA program performance and participant outcomes, 
making it impossible to precisely evaluate program effectiveness.

II. Current Actions

    In order to comply with Federal law and respond to other concerns, 
the Office of Trade Adjustment Assistance (OTAA) is implementing a new 
system of collecting and reporting performance and outcomes data. Each 
quarter, the States will provide the Department with reports on 
demographic data, benefits provided, and participant outcomes for each 
participant who has terminated from the TAA or NAFTA-TAA program during 
the reporting quarter. A conference of Regional and State TAA staff 
concluded that many States already collect most, if not all, of the 
proposed data items. Therefore, many State TAA coordinators will only 
need to access existing data and reformat it for submission to the 
Department, rather than creating an entirely new data collection and 
reporting system. States may also take this opportunity to begin to 
collect additional data items for their own program review and 
improvement purposes.

[[Page 11455]]

    Type of Review: New.
    Agency: Employment and Training Administration.
    Title: Trade Adjustment Assistance and NAFTA Transitional 
Adjustment Assistance Program Performance Report.
    OMB Number: 1205-New.
    Affected Public: State governments.
    Total Respondents: 50.
    Frequency: Quarterly.
    Total Responses: 200.
    Average Time per Respondent: 80 hours per quarter.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 16,000.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $500,000.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $225,000.
    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: March 4, 1998.
Grant D. Beale,
Acting Director, Office of Trade Adjustment Assistance.
[FR Doc. 98-5913 Filed 3-6-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-M