E6-7056. 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; it includes the actual data collection instrument.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before June 9, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 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. 2900-0321.” 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. 2900-0321” in any correspondence.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Appointment of Veterans Service Organization as Claimant's Representative, VA Form 21-22 and Appointment of Individual as Claimant's Representative, VA Form 21-22a.

OMB Control Number: 2900-0321.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Abstract: Claimants complete VA Forms 21-22 and 21-22a to appoint a veterans service organization or an individual to assist in the preparation, representation, and prosecution of claims for VA benefits and to authorize VA to disclose any or all records to the appointed representative.

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 December 28, 2005 at pages 76914-76915.

Affected Public: Individuals or households.

Estimated Annual Burden: 27,616 hours.

 a. VA Form 21-22—27,083 hours.

 b. VA Form 21-22a—533 hours.

Estimated Average Burden Per Respondent:

 a. VA Form 21-22—5 minutes.

 b. VA Form 21-22a—5 minutes.

Frequency of Response: One-time.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 331,400.

 a. VA Form 21-22—325,000.

 b. VA Form 251-22a—6,400.

Dated: April 26, 2006.

By direction of the Secretary.

Denise McLamb,

Program Analyst, Records Management Service.