96-20496. Proposed Collection; Comment Request  

  • [Federal Register Volume 61, Number 156 (Monday, August 12, 1996)]
    [Notices]
    [Pages 41833-41834]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 96-20496]
    
    
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    
    DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
    
    Proposed Collection; Comment Request
    
    AGENCY: Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, Treasury.
    
    ACTION: Notice.
    
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    SUMMARY: In order to comply with the requirements of the Paperwork 
    Reduction Act of 1995 concerning proposed extensions of information 
    collection requirements, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network 
    (``FinCEN'') is soliciting public comments on the information collected 
    on currency and monetary instrument transportation involving 
    individuals under the Bank Secrecy Act regulations on U.S. Customs 
    Service Form 4790, Report of International Transportation of Currency 
    or Monetary Instruments (``CMIR'').
    
    DATES: Submit written comments by October 11, 1996.
    
    ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to the Financial Crimes 
    Enforcement Network, Office of Regulatory Policy and Enforcement, 
    Attn.: CMIR Comments, Suite 200, 2070 Chain Bridge Road, Vienna, VA 
    22182-2536.
    
    
    [[Page 41834]]
    
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
    for a copy of the form should be directed to Charles D. Klingman, 
    Office of Financial Institutions Policy, at (703) 905-3920; or Cynthia 
    A. Langwiser, Attorney-Advisor, Office of Legal Counsel, at (703) 905-
    3590. A copy of the CMIR form, as well as all other forms required by 
    the Bank Secrecy Act, can be obtained through the Internet at http://
    www.irs.ustreas.gov/prod/forms__pubs/forms.html.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Bank Secrecy Act, Titles I and II of 
    Pub. L. 91-508, as amended, codified at 12 U.S.C. 1829b, 12 U.S.C. 
    1951-1959, and 31 U.S.C. 5311-5314, 5316-5330, authorizes the Secretary 
    of the Treasury, inter alia, to issue regulations requiring records and 
    reports that are determined to have a high degree of usefulness in 
    criminal, tax, and regulatory matters. Regulations implementing Title 
    II of the Bank Secrecy Act (codified at 31 U.S.C. 5311-5314, 5316-5330) 
    appear at 31 CFR Part 103. The authority of the Secretary to administer 
    the Bank Secrecy Act regulations has been delegated to the Director of 
    FinCEN.
        The Bank Secrecy Act specifically states that ``a person or an 
    agent or bailee of the person shall file a report * * * when the 
    person, agent, or bailee knowingly--(1) Transports, is about to 
    transport, or has transported, monetary instruments of more than 
    $10,000 at one time--(A) from a place in the United States to or 
    through a place outside the United States; or (B) to a place in the 
    United States from or through a place outside the United States; or (2) 
    receives monetary instruments of more than $10,000 at one time 
    transported into the United States from or through a place outside the 
    United States.'' 31 U.S.C. 5316(a). The requirement of 31 U.S.C. 
    5316(a) has been implemented through regulations promulgated at 31 CFR 
    103.23 and through the instructions to the Report of International 
    Transportation of Currency or Monetary Instruments, U.S. Customs 
    Service Form 4790.
        Information collected on the CMIR is made available, in accordance 
    with strict safeguards, to appropriate criminal law enforcement and 
    regulatory personnel in the official performance of their duties. The 
    information contained is of use in investigations involving 
    international and domestic money laundering, tax evasion, fraud, and 
    other financial crimes.
        This notice does not propose any change to the current text of the 
    Report of International Transportation of Currency or Monetary 
    Instruments or to its instructions. However, FinCEN intends to replace 
    the current OMB Control Number for this collection requirement (1515-
    0079) with a new OMB Control Number, 1506-0005. FinCEN believes that by 
    centralizing responsibility for Bank Secrecy Act information collection 
    requirements, it will be easier to maintain oversight over the 
    collection requirement. Accordingly, this collection requirement notice 
    is in the form of an extension, and if approved, the existing OMB 
    Control Number 1515-0079 for this collection requirement will be 
    withdrawn, so as to avoid duplication.
        In accordance with requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
    1995, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A), and its implementing regulations, 5 CFR 
    1320, the following information concerning the collection of 
    information on U.S. Customs Service Form 4790 is presented to assist 
    those persons wishing to comment on the information collection. (The 
    number of respondents has significantly varied each year; the estimates 
    below are based on an average.)
        Title: Report of International Transportation of Currency or 
    Monetary Instruments.
        Form Number: U.S. Customs Service Form 4790.
        OMB Number: 1506-0005.
        Description of Respondents: All persons.
        Estimated Number of Respondents: 200,000.
        Frequency: As required.
        Estimate of Burden: Reporting average of 13 minutes per response; 
    recordkeeping average of 2 minutes per response.
        Estimate of Total Annual Burden on Respondents: Reporting burden 
    estimate = 43,333 hours; recordkeeping burden estimate = 6,667 hours. 
    Estimated combined total of 50,000 hours.
        Estimate of Total Annual Cost to Respondents for Hour Burdens: 
    Based on $20 per hour, the total cost to the public is estimated to be 
    $1,000,000.
        Estimate of Total Other Annual Costs to Respondents: None.
        Type of Review: Extension.
        FinCEN specifically invites comments on the following subjects: (a) 
    Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the 
    proper performance of the mission of FinCEN, including whether the 
    information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of FinCEN's 
    estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) 
    ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
    be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 
    information on respondents, including through the use of automated 
    collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
        In addition, the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 requires agencies 
    to estimate the total annual cost burden to respondents or 
    recordkeepers resulting from the collection of information. Thus, 
    FinCEN also specifically requests comments to assist with this 
    estimate. In this connection, FinCEN requests commenters to identify 
    any additional costs associated with the completion of the form. These 
    comments on costs should be divided into two parts: (1) Any additional 
    costs associated with reporting; and (2) any additional costs 
    associated with recordkeeping.
        Responses to this notice will be summarized and included in 
    FinCEN's request for Office of Management and Budget approval. All 
    comments will become a matter of public record.
    
        Dated: August 6, 1996.
    Stanley E. Morris,
    Director, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.
    [FR Doc. 96-20496 Filed 8-9-96; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 4820-03-P
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
08/12/1996
Department:
Treasury Department
Entry Type:
Notice
Action:
Notice.
Document Number:
96-20496
Dates:
Submit written comments by October 11, 1996.
Pages:
41833-41834 (2 pages)
PDF File:
96-20496.pdf