[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 74 (Wednesday, April 17, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 18855]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-9257]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 74 / Wednesday, April 17, 2002 / 
Notices  

[[Page 18855]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Office of the Secretary


Notice of Request for Extension of a Currently Approved 
Information Collection

AGENCY: Department of Agriculture.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
Chapter 35, Title 44 of the United States Code, this notice announces 
the Department of Agriculture's intention to request an extension on 
the currently approved information collection in support of debt 
collection.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by June 17, 2002, to be 
assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Address all comments concerning this notice to Dale Theurer, 
Credit, Travel and Accounting Policy, Office of the Chief Financial 
Officer, USDA, Room 4628 South Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, 
Washington, DC 20250.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Debt Collection Act of 1982, Public Law 
97-365, 96 Stat. 1749, as amended by Public Law 98-167, 97 Stat. 1104, 
and the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996, Public Law 104-134, 
requires that any monies that are payable or may become payable from 
the United States under contracts and other written agreements to any 
persons or a legal entity not an agency or subdivision of a State or 
local government may be subject to administrative offset for the 
collection of a delinquent debt the person or legal entity owes to the 
United States.
    Title: Debt Collection.
    OMB Number: 0505-0007.
    Expiration Date of Approval: June 28, 2002.
    Type of Request: Extension on currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: 31 U.S.C. 3716, which was enacted as part of the Debt 
Collection Act, authorizes the collection of debts by administrative 
offset, and the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 expanded the 
application of administrative offset to every instance except where a 
statute explicitly prohibits the use of administrative offset for 
collection purposes. Protection is provided to debtors by requiring 
that an individual debtor be given notice of a debt. The notice 
provides information to delinquent debtors targeted for administrative 
offset who want additional information, desire to enter into repayment 
agreements, or desire to request a review of an agency's determination 
to offset. Creditor agencies use the collected information to respond 
and/or to take appropriate action. If the relevant information is not 
collected, the creditor agencies cannot comply with the due process 
provision of the Debt Collection Act and the Debt Collection 
Improvement Act. Collection of information only affects delinquent 
debtors.
    Estimate of Burden: A public reporting and record keeping burden 
for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per 
response.
    Respondents: Delinquent debtors.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 37,710.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 2.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 75,420 hours.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for Office of Management and Budget approval. All comments will 
also become a matter of public record.

    Dated: April 11, 2002.
Edward McPherson,
Chief Financial Officer.
[FR Doc. 02-9257 Filed 4-16-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-KS-P