[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 244 (Tuesday, December 21, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71503-71505]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-32985]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Trade Adjustment Assistance/NAFTA Financial Status Report/Request 
for Funds; Comment Request

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, 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

[[Page 71504]]

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(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 requirements on respondents can be properly 
assessed. Currently, the Employment and Training Administration is 
soliciting comments concerning the proposed extension of the Trade 
Adjustment Assistance/North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) 
Transitional Adjustment Assistance program Financial Status Report/
Request for Funds. A copy of the proposed information collection 
request (ICR) can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in 
the addresses section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addresses section below on or before February 22, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Jess Aragon or Erica Cantor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, 
Washington DC 20210, 202-219-7979 (this is not a toll free number). FAX 
number 202-219-6564.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The amendments to the Trade Act contained in the Omnibus Trade and 
Competitiveness Act (OTCA) of 1988 (Public Law 100-418) and Title 5 of 
the North American Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (Public Law 
103-182) of 1993 made some significant changes which affect the way the 
Trade Adjustment Assistance and North American Free Trade Agreement 
(NAFTA) Adjustment Assistance programs are funded and administered. 
These changes made enrollment in training programs an entitlement for 
workers adversely affected by imports (Trade program) or by imports 
from Canada or Mexico (NAFTA program). Thus, the Trade program and 
NAFTA trade program consists of entitlements for trade readjustment 
allowances, job search allowances, job relocation allowances and 
training. In order for workers to continue to receive entitlement to 
trade adjustment allowances, they must be enrolled in a training 
program approved by the Secretary of Labor (1423 of OTCA) for the trade 
program and (section 250 of the NAFTA Implementation Act) for the NAFTA 
program.
    Although training becomes an entitlement under both programs, the 
OTCA imposed a training cap in section 236 for the Trade program and 
under subchapter D for the NAFTA program. The statutory cap is $80 
million for the Trade program and $30 million for the NAFTA program. 
The purpose of the collection of this information on the Form ETA-9023 
is to be able to monitor expenditures for both programs to ensure that 
the statutory ceilings are not exceeded.
    Additionally, the Secretary of Labor is responsible for ensuring 
that resources are equitably distributed to the States. This form 
enables the ETA to evaluate a State's need for resources and to 
redistribute resources among States as necessary.

II. Review Focus

    The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments 
which:
     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;
     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.

III. Current Actions

    The ETA-9023 has been successfully utilized by the ETA and the 
States with only minor modifications since FY 1989. The Federal 
Register Notice requests an extension of the ETA-9023 for both the TAA 
and NAFTA programs. Overall, States have done a commendable job in 
completing the form with relatively minor problems or questions raised 
by the States on the form. The ETA-9023 has been extremely important to 
the ETA over the last several years because the entire $80 million 
available, under the statutory cap for the Trade program for training 
was allocated to the States. The ETA-9023 report was critical in 
allowing ETA to be able to redistribute resources equitably among 
States so training activity would not be discontinued in some States.
    Type of Review: Reinstatement.
    Title: Trade Adjustment Assistance/NAFTA Financial Status Report/ 
Request for Funds.
    OMB Number: 1205-0275.
    Agency Number: ETA-9023.
    Affected Public: State Government, State Employment Security 
Agencies.
    Cite/Reference/Form/etc: See below.

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                                       Total                           Total       Average time
         Cite/reference             respondents      Frequency       responses     per responses      Burden
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TAA Rptg........................              50               5             250          2 hrs.             500
NAFTA Rptg......................              50               5             250          2 hrs.             500
    Totals......................  ..............  ..............             500  ..............           1,000
                                  ..............  ..............                  ..............
                                                  ..............                  ..............
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    The total costs is $26.00  x  100 hours = $26,000.
    Comments submitted in response to this comment request 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: December 15, 1999.
Jack H. Rapport,
Comptroller, Employment and Training Administration.
[FR Doc. 99-32985 Filed 12-20-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-P