[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 25 (Friday, February 6, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6239-6240]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-2965]


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RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

SUMMARY: In accordance with the requirement of Section 3506 (c)(2)(A) 
of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 which provides opportunity for 
public comment on new or revised data collections; the Railroad 
Retirement Board (RRB) will publish periodic summaries of proposed data 
collections.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed information 
collection is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information has practical utility; 
(b) the accuracy of the RRB's estimate of the burden of the collection 
of the information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize 
the burden related to the collection of information on respondents, 
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.
    Title and purpose of information collection: Supplement to Claim of 
Person Outside the United States; OMB 3220-0155.
    Under the Social Security Amendments of 1983 (Public Law 98-21), 
which amends Section 202(t) of the Social Security Act, the Tier I or 
the O/M (overall minimum) portion of an annuity and Medicare benefits 
payable under the Railroad Retirement Act to certain beneficiaries 
living outside the U.S., may be withheld effective January 1, 1985. The 
benefit withholding provision of P.O. 98-21 applies to divorces 
spouses, spouses, minor or disabled children, students, and survivors 
of railroad employees who (1) initially became eligible for Tier I 
amounts, O/M shares, and Medicare benefits after the December 31, 1984; 
(2) are not U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals; and (3) have resided 
outside the U.S. for more than six consecutive months starting with the 
annuity beginning date. The benefit withholding provision does not 
apply, however to a beneficiary who is exempt under either a treaty 
obligation of the U.S., in effect on August 1, 1956, or a totalization 
agreement between the U.S. and the country in which the beneficiary 
resides, or to an individual who is exempt under other criteria 
specified in P.L. 98-21.
    RRB Form G-45, Supplement to Claim of Person Outside the United 
States, is used by the RRB to determine applicability of the 
withholding provision of P.L. 98-21. Completion of the form is required 
to obtain or retain

[[Page 6240]]

a benefit. One response is requested of each respondent.
    The RRB proposes to revise Form G-45 to add language required by 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Non-burden impacting reformatting 
and minor editorial changes are also proposed. The RRB estimates that 
100 Form G-45's are completed annually. The completion time for Form G-
45 is estimated at 10 minutes per response.
    Additional Information or Comments: To request more information or 
to obtain a copy of the information collection justification, forms, 
and/or supporting material, please call the RRB Clearance Officer at 
(312) 751-3363. Comments regarding the information collection should be 
addressed to Ronald J. Hodapp, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 N. Rush 
Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-2092. Written comments should be 
received on or before April 7, 1998.
Chuck Mierzwa,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-2965 Filed 2-5-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-M