[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 125 (Monday, June 30, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35157-35158]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-16991]


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CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE


Proposed Collection: Comment Request

June 25, 1997.
ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) , as 
part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent 
burden, conducts a preclearance consultation program to provide the 
general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing collections of information in accordance 
with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA95) (44 U.S.C. 
Sec. 3508(c)(2)(A)). This program helps to ensure that requested data 
can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and 
financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly 
understood, and the impact of collection requirement on respondents can 
be properly assessed. Currently, the Corporation for National and 
Community Service is soliciting comments concerning its proposed 
revision of its Voucher and Payment Request Form. Copies of the form 
can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the address 
section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addresses section on or before August 24, 1997.
    The Corporation for National and Community Service is particularly 
interested in comments which:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the 
Corporation, including whether the information will have practical 
utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     Enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submissions of responses.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Levon Buller, National Service Trust, 
Corporation for National and Community Service, Mail Stop 7200, 1201 
New York Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C., 20525.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Levon Buller, (202) 606-5000, ext. 
383.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    After AmeriCorps participants complete periods of national service, 
they receive ``education awards'' that can be used to pay against 
qualified student loans or pay for post secondary educational expenses. 
This award is an amount of money set aside in their ``account'' in the 
National Service Trust Fund. They have seven years in which to draw 
against any unused balance.
    The Voucher and Payment Request Form is the document that an 
AmeriCorps participant uses to authorize and request that a payment be 
made from his or her account. The form serves three purposes: (1) the 
AmeriCorps participant uses it to request that a specific payment be 
made from the participant's account, (2) the school or loan company 
uses it to indicate the amount for which the individual is eligible, 
and (3) the school or loan company and participant use it to certify 
that the payment meets various legislative requirements. When the 
Corporation receives a voucher, it is processed and a payment is issued 
by the U.S. Treasury to the loan holder or school on behalf of the 
participant.
    The form was designed and has been in use since the summer of 1994. 
During that time, CNCS has learned, through experience, the strengths 
and weaknesses of the form. The revisions are being proposed to rectify 
the weaknesses.

II. Current Action

    The purposes of the revisions are to (1) eliminate unnecessary 
responses contained in the original form, (2) clarify instructions for 
completing the form, (3) simplify technical language on the original 
form, and (4) put onto one document space for signatures and the 
statements for which the signatories indicate affirmation. Regarding 
this last point, the current form refers those who complete the form to 
certain statements contained in a separate document. It is assumed 
that, by signing the form, the signatories are verifying agreement with 
those statements. On the proposed revised form, the statements and the 
signatures will be on one document. This will clearly bind the 
statements to the affirming signatures.
    The Corporation for National and Community Service seeks to 
continue using this particular form, albeit in a revised version, to 
request and authorize payments from an AmeriCorps participant's 
account. The current Voucher and Payment Request Form is due to expire 
July 31, 1997. CNCS has asked for a 60-day extension to use the

[[Page 35158]]

existing form until a revised form is approved.
    Type of Review: Renewal.
    Agency: Corporation for National and Community Service.
    Title: Voucher and Payment Request Form.
    OMB Number: 3045-0014.
    Agency Number: N/A.
    Affected Public: AmeriCorps participants and the loan holders or 
schools to which they wish to make payments.
    Total Respondents: 35,000 annually.
    Frequency: Average of once per year.
    Average Time Per Response: Two minutes (\1/4\ minute for AmeriCorps 
participants and 1 \3/4\ minute for school/loan holder).
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 1,167 hours.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): N/A.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): N/A.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval of the information collection request; they will also become a 
matter of public record.

    Dated: June 25, 1997.
David Spevacek,
Director, Financial Operations.
[FR Doc. 97-16991 Filed 6-27-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6050-28-P