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 and includes the actual data collection instrument.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before April 29, 2004.

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, (202) 273-8030, FAX (202) 273-5981 or e-mail: denise.mclamb@mail.va.gov. Please refer to “OMB Control No. 2900-0379.”

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 (202) 395-7316. Please refer to “OMB Control No. 2900-0379” in any correspondence.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Time Record (Work-Study Program), VA Form 22-8690.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Abstract: VA Form 22-8690 is used to report the number of hours completed and to ensure that the amount of benefits payable to a claimant who is pursuing work-study is correct. When a claimant elects to receive an advance payment, VA will make the advance payment for 50 hours, but will withhold benefits (to recoup the advance payment) until the claimant completes his or her 50 hours of service. VA will not pay any additional amount in advance payment cases until the claimant completes a total of 100 hours of service (50 hours for the advance payment and 50 hours for an additional payment). If the claimant elects not to receive an advance payment, benefits are payable when the claimant completes 50 hours of service.

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 October 14, 2003, at page 59245

Affected Public: State, Local or Tribal Governments, Individuals or households, Business or other for-profit, Not-for-profit institutions, and Federal Government.

Estimated Annual Burden: 10,750 hours.

Estimated Average Burden Per Respondent: 5 minutes.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Annual Responses: 129,000.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 32,250.