[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 244 (Tuesday, December 21, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71493-71494]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-32897]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians
[Docket No. FR99N-0002]


Notice of Agency Information Collection: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Direct Deposit Trust Funds Form

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this document announces OST's plan to submit the following 
proposed Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB): Direct Deposit Trust Funds Form. Before 
submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, OST is soliciting 
comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as 
described below. An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of 
information and a person is not required to respond unless it displays 
a currently valid OMB control number.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before February 22, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Send or hand deliver comments to Sarah Yepa, Office of Trust 
Funds Management, Office of Special Trustee for American Indians, 505 
Marquette, NW, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alley David, Liaison Officer, Branch 
of Directives and Regulatory Management Liaison Officer, at the above 
address. Telephone (505) 248-5751, Fax (505) 248-5782, or e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
Individual Indian Monies (IIM) account holders.
    Title: Direct Deposit Trust Funds Form.

I. Background

    The Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 requires, with few 
exceptions, that all Federal payments be made by automated 
clearinghouse (ACH). Although individual compliance to the Act is 
voluntary, the Secretary of the Interior, as the designated trustee for 
funds held by the Federal government on behalf of individual Indians, 
is encouraging the use of direct deposit by IIM account holders.
    The information being requested will enable the Secretary to 
deposit IIM funds into an account at a bank by ACH rather than issue a 
check to the account holder. Response to the collection of information 
by the account holder is, however, voluntary. Conditions of disclosure 
are in accordance with provisions contained in the Privacy Act of 1974, 
as amended.

II. Benefits of Using Direct Deposit

    (1) Possibility of checks being lost in the mail or stolen is 
eliminated.
    (2) IIM funds are available sooner than if the mail service is used 
because they are electronically sent to the bank.
    (3) If your bank account is an interest-earning account, your IIM 
funds begin earning interest sooner because the funds are in the bank 
within one or two days of the payment date.
    (4) A notice of payment is sent whenever a deposit is made to the 
account.
    (5) It's less expensive and more efficient.

III. Request for Comments

    The OST is soliciting comments to:
    (1) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    (2) 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;
    (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    (4) 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 
submission of responses.

IV. Burden Statement

    The estimated total reporting burden is 12,750 hours over a 3-year 
period. The estimated burden hour per respondent is .25 hours. The 
estimated number of respondents is 51,000. Burden means the total time, 
effort, or financial resources expended by persons to generate, 
maintain, retain, or disclose or provide information to or for a 
Federal agency. This includes the time needed for reviewing 
instructions; developing, acquiring, installing, and utilizing 
technology and systems for the purposes of collecting, validating, and 
verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and 
disclosing and providing information; adjusting existing ways to comply 
with any

[[Page 71494]]

previously applicable instructions and requirements; training personnel 
to be able to respond to a collection of information; searching data 
sources; completing and reviewing the collection of information; and 
transmitting or otherwise disclosing the information.
Donna Erwin,
Director, Office of Trust Funds Management.
[FR Doc. 99-32897 Filed 12-20-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-2W-U