[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 14 (Thursday, January 22, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 3167]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-1476]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-4878-N-02]


Notice of Guidance to Federal Assistance Recipients Regarding 
Title VI Prohibition Against National Origin Discrimination Affecting 
Limited English Proficient Persons Extension of Public Comment Period

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal 
Opportunity, HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: On December 19, 2003, HUD published a proposed ``Guidance to 
Federal Assistance Recipients Regarding Title VI Prohibition Against 
National Origin Discrimination Affecting Limited English Proficient 
Persons'' (LEP Guidance) as required by Executive Order 13166, that 
addresses efforts recipients of federal financial assistance must make 
to serve persons with limited English proficiency. The proposed LEP 
Guidance solicited public comments for a period of 30 days, providing 
for a comment due date of January 20, 2004. Because of the significant 
public interest that the proposed rule has generated, HUD is extending 
the public comment period by an additional 14 days.

DATES: Comment Due Date: Comments on HUD's December 19, 2003, proposed 
LEP Guidance are due on or before February 5, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding 
the proposed guidance to the Rules Docket Clerk, Office of General 
Counsel, Room 10276, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 
Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20410-0500. Communications should 
refer to the above docket number and title. Facsimile (FAX) comments 
are not acceptable. A copy of each communication submitted will be 
available for public inspection and copying between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 
p.m. weekdays at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pamela D. Walsh, Director, Program 
Standards Division, Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, 
Department of Housing and Urban Development, Room 5226, U.S. Department 
of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, 
DC 20410; telephone (202) 708-2904 (this is not a toll-free number). 
Hearing- or speech-impaired individuals may access the telephone number 
listed in this section through TTY by calling the toll-free Federal 
Information Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 19, 2003 (68 FR 70968), HUD 
published proposed ``Guidance to Federal Assistance Recipients 
Regarding Title VI Prohibition Against National Origin Discrimination 
Affecting Limited English Proficient Persons.'' HUD published this 
policy guidance to meet its responsibility under Executive Order 13166, 
which requires that each federal agency publish guidance to assist 
recipients of federal funds in meeting their responsibilities under 
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Under Title VI, recipients of 
federal financial assistance are required to ensure meaningful access 
to their programs and activities by persons with limited English 
proficiency. The Department of Justice reviewed and approved HUD's 
proposed LEP Guidance.
    HUD's proposed LEP Guidance solicited public comments for a period 
of 30-days, providing for a comment due date of January 20, 2004. Due 
to the significant level of public interest that the proposed notice 
has generated, HUD has decided to extend the public comment due date by 
an additional 14 days. The new due date for comments is provided in the 
DATES section of this document, above. HUD hopes that the extended 
comment period will provide interested persons with the needed 
additional time to submit their comments, and will help to ensure that 
HUD's development of the final LEP Guidance is undertaken with a full 
appreciation of the public's views on this important matter. All public 
comments postmarked subsequent to January 20, 2004 (the original due 
date for public comments on the LEP Guidance) but before the new 
comment due date announced by this document, will be considered in the 
development of the final LEP Guidance.

    Dated: January 20, 2004.
Karen A. Newton,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Operations and Management.
[FR Doc. 04-1476 Filed 1-21-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-28-P