[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 29 (Monday, February 12, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 9763]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-3573]



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  Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 29 / Monday, February 12, 2001 / 
Rules and Regulations  

[[Page 9763]]



SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

20 CFR Parts 401, 402 and 403

RIN 0960-AE95


Testimony by Employees and the Production of Records and 
Information in Legal Proceedings: Delay of Effective Date

AGENCY: Social Security Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Final rules; delay of effective date.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the memorandum of January 20, 2001, from 
the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, entitled 
``Regulatory Review Plan,'' published in the Federal Register on 
January 24, 2001, this action temporarily delays for 60 days the 
effective date of the rule entitled Testimony by Employees and the 
Production of Records and Information in Legal Proceedings, published 
in the Federal Register on January 12, 2001, 66 FR 2805. These rules 
concern, among other matters, procedures governing testimony by Social 
Security Administration (SSA) employees and the production of official 
records and information in legal proceedings to which SSA is not a 
party. To the extent that 5 U.S.C. section 553 applies to this action, 
it is exempt from notice and comment because it constitutes a rule of 
procedure under 5 U.S.C. section 553(b)(A). Alternatively, the agency's 
implementation of this rule without opportunity for public comment, 
effective immediately upon publication today in the Federal Register, 
is based on the good cause exceptions in 5 U.S.C. section 553(b)(B) and 
553(d)(3), in that seeking public comment is impracticable, unnecessary 
and contrary to the public interest. The temporary 60-day delay in 
effective date is necessary to give agency officials the opportunity 
for further review and consideration of new regulations, consistent 
with the Assistant to the President's memorandum of January 20, 2001. 
Given the imminence of the effective date, seeking prior public comment 
on this temporary delay would have been impracticable, as well as 
contrary to the public interest in the orderly promulgation and 
implementation of regulations.

DATES: The effective date of Testimony by Employees and the Production 
of Records and Information in Legal Proceedings, published in the 
Federal Register on January 12, 2001 at 66 FR 2805, is delayed for 60 
days, from February 12, 2001 to a new effective date of April 13, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information specifically 
about this final rule, contact Brad Howard, Attorney, Office of General 
Law, Office of the General Counsel, Room 617 Altmeyer Building, 6401 
Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235-6401, (410) 966-1817. For 
information about eligibility or filing for benefits, call our national 
toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213 or TTY 1-800-325-0778, or visit our 
Internet web site, Social Security Online, www.ssa.gov.

    Dated: February 5, 2001.
William A. Halter,
Acting Commissioner of Social Security.
[FR Doc. 01-3573 Filed 2-9-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-U