[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 216 (Wednesday, November 7, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 56247]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-27887]


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 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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  Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 216 / Wednesday, November 7, 2001 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 56247]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Office of the Secretary

7 CFR Part 3


Debt Collection

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, USDA.

ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: This document gives notice that the Department of Agriculture 
(USDA) plans to amend and make changes to its existing debt collection 
procedures at 7 CFR part 3 to reflect changes made by the revised 
Federal Claims Collection Standards (FCCS) published by the Department 
of Treasury (Treasury) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) on November 
22, 2000, in the Federal Register. The Treasury and DOJ revised the 
FCCS to make clear and reduce in scope Federal debt collection 
standards and incorporate changes mandated by the Debt Collection 
Improvement Act of 1996 (DCIA) and the General Accounting Office Act of 
1996 (GAOA).

DATES: Submit comments on or before December 7, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Dale Theurer, Credit, Travel and 
Accounting Policy Division, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, 
Department of Agriculture, Room 4628 South, 1400 Independence Avenue, 
SW., Washington, DC 20250.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joyce Baumgartner on 202-720-4958, FAX 
202-690-1529, email to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Debt Collection Act of 1982 (DCA), Pub. 
L. No. 97-365, was implemented on a government-wide basis by the 
Federal Claims Collection Standards (FCCS), set forth at 4 CFR part 101 
et seq issued by DOJ and the General Accounting Office on March 9, 
1984. See 49 FR 8889 (1984). USDA implemented the FCCS in 7 CFR part 3. 
As mandated by the DCIA, Pub. L. No. 104-134, on November 22, 2000, the 
Treasury and DOJ jointly promulgated the revised FCCS which appears in 
the Code of Federal Regulations at 31 CFR parts 901-904 to reflect the 
legislative changes to Federal debt collection procedures enacted under 
the DCIA. See 65 FR 70390 (2000). The revised FCCS supersedes the 
current FCCS codified at 4 CFR parts 101-105, and removes the 
Comptroller General as a promulgator of the FCCS in accordance with the 
GAOA, Pub. L. No. 104-316. USDA has reviewed the administrative offset 
provisions of the revised FCCS and finds the protections and procedures 
provided to debtors by the current USDA debt collection procedures for 
administrative offset at 7 CFR part 3, subpart B consistent with those 
provided by the newly revised FCCS.
    At a later date, USDA will move to amend 7 CFR part 3 to reflect 
the promulgation of the revised FCCS and to incorporate other changes 
that are USDA specific on collecting debt by administrative offset. 
USDA requests comments from the public regarding what changes to 7 CFR 
part 3 should be included as part of any future notice of proposed 
rules.

    Done at Washington, DC, this 29th day of October 2001.
Ann M. Veneman,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 01-27887 Filed 11-6-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-P