00-22897. Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review

AGENCY:

Office of Information and Technology, Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C., 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Office of Information and Technology, 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 October 10, 2000.

For Further Information or a Copy of the Submission Contact:

Denise McLamb, Information Management Service (045A4), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420, [phone] or FAX [phone]. Please refer to “OMB Control No. 2900-0078” in any correspondence.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Request to Correspondent for Identifying Information, VA Form Letter 70-2.

OMB Control Number: 2900-0078.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Abstract: The form letter is used to obtain additional information from a correspondent when the incoming correspondence does not provide sufficient information to identify a veteran. VA personnel use the information to identify a veteran, determine the location of a specific file, and to accomplish the action requested by the correspondent such as, process a benefit claim or file material in an individual?s claims folder. Completion of the form is voluntary and failure to furnish the requested information has no adverse effect on either the veteran or correspondent.

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 May 4, 2000, at page 25977.

Affected Public: Individuals or households.

Estimated Annual Burden: 3,750 hours.

Estimated Average Burden Per Respondent: 5 minutes.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 45,000.

Send comments and recommendations concerning any aspect of the information collection to VA's OMB Desk Officer, Allison Eydt, OMB Human Resources and Housing Branch, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503 [phone]. Please refer to “OMB Control No. 2900-0078” in any correspondence.

Dated: August 8, 2000.

By direction of the Acting Secretary.

Donald L. Neilson,

Director, Information Management Service.