03-13549. Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review

AGENCY:

Office of Management, 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 Management (OM), 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 30, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY OF THE SUBMISSION 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. 2900-0165.”

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. 2900-0165” in any correspondence.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Financial Status Report, VA Form 5655.

OMB Control Number: 2900-0165.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Abstract: VA Form 5655 is attached to first collection letters sent to debtors owing VA benefit debts. Submission of the completed form is voluntary on the part of the debtor unless he or she requests waiver of collection, makes a compromise offer, wishes to make installment payments or establish his or her inability to pay the debt under any circumstances. Federal employees subject to salary offset may use Form 5655 to support their contention that the proposed offset schedule would create extreme hardship. The information obtained is used to determine the financial status of the debtors.

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 March 19, 2003, at pages 13363-13364.

Affected Public: Individuals or households.

Estimated Annual Burden: 45,553 hours.

Estimated Average Burden Per Respondent: 60 minutes.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 45,553.

Dated: May 16, 2003.

By direction of the Secretary.

Jacqueline Parks,

IT Specialist, Records Management Service.