2018-18912. Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review: Appointment of Veterans Service Organization as Claimant's Representative and Appointment of Individual as Claimant's Representative

AGENCY:

Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, this notice announces that the Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, will submit 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 it includes the actual data collection instrument.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before October 1, 2018.

ADDRESSES:

Submit written comments on the collection of information through www.Regulations.gov, or to Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attn: VA Desk Officer; 725 17th St. NW, Washington, DC 20503 or sent through electronic mail to [e-mail]. Please refer to “OMB Control No. 2900-0321” in any correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Cynthia Harvey-Pryor, Enterprise Records Service (005R1B), Department of Veterans Affairs, 811 Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20420, [phone] or email [e-mail]. Please refer to “OMB Control No. 2900-0321” in any correspondence.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501-21.

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: VA Forms 21-22 and 21-22a are used to collect the information needed to determine whom claimants have appointed to represent them in the preparation, presentation, and prosecution of claims for VA benefits. The information is also used to determine the extent of representatives' access to claimants' records.

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 at 83 FR 111, on June 8, 2018, page 26747.

Affected Public: Individuals or Households.

Estimated Annual Burden: 26,583 hours.

Estimated Average Burden per Respondent: 5 minutes.

Frequency of Response: One time.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 319,005.

By direction of the Secretary:

Cynthia D. Harvey-Pryor,

Department Clearance Officer, Office of Quality, Privacy and Risk, Department of Veterans Affairs.