[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 15 (Friday, January 23, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3374-3375]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-1381]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: 
Comment Request

    In compliance with the requirement for opportunity for public 
comment on

[[Page 3375]]

proposed data collection projects (section 3506(c)(2) of Title 44, 
United States Code, as amended by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
Public Law 104-13), the Health Resources and Services Administration 
(HRSA) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects being 
developed for submission to OMB under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995. To request more information on the proposed project or to obtain 
a copy of the data collection plans, call the HRSA Reports Clearance 
Officer on (301) 443-1129.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information ; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques of other 
forms of information technology.

Proposed Project: The Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program 
Application (OMB No. 0915-0140)--Revision

    This is a request for Revision of the Nursing Education Loan 
Repayment Program (NELRP). The NELRP was originally authorized by 42 
U.S.C. 297b(h) (section 836(h) of the Public Health Service Act) as 
amended by Public Law 100-607, November 4, 1988. The NELRP is currently 
authorized by 42 U.S.C. 297(n) (section 846 of the Public Health 
Service Act) as amended by Public Law 102-408, October 13, 1992.
    Under the NELRP, registered nurses are offered the opportunity to 
enter into a contractual agreement with the Secretary under which the 
Public Health Service agrees to repay the nurses' indebtedness for 
nursing education. In exchange, the nurses agree to serve for a 
specified period of time in certain types of critical shortage 
facilities identified in the statute.
    Nurse educational loan repayment contracts will be approved by the 
Secretary for eligible nurses who have incurred previous monetary 
indebtedness by accepting a loan for nursing education costs from a 
bank, credit union, savings and loan association, Government agency or 
program, school, or other lender that meets NELRP criteria.
    NELRP requires the following information:
    1. Applicants must provide information on the proposed service 
site;
    2. Applicants must provide information on loan status for all loans 
from all lenders; and
    3. Applicants must provide banking information from financial 
institution.
    Estimates of Annualized Hour Burden: The application has been 
changed due to legislative and program changes and an increased budget. 
Burden estimates are as follows:

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                                                                           Responses                    Total
                Form/regulatory requirement                   Number of       per        Hours per      burden
                                                             respondents  respondents    response       hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NELRP Application..........................................       16,000            1           1.5       24,000
Loan Verification Form.....................................       16,000            1           2.5       40,000
Employ. Verification Form..................................       16,000            1            .5        8,000
Payment Info. Form.........................................       16,000            1           1         16,000
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    Total..................................................       16,000  ...........  ............       88,000
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    Send comments to Susan G. Queen, Ph.D., HRSA Reports Clearance 
Officer, Room 14-45 Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, 
Maryland 20857. Written comments should be received with 60 days of 
this notice.

    Dated: January 16, 2004.
Tina M. Cheatham,
Acting Director, Division of Policy Review and Coordination.
[FR Doc. 04-1381 Filed 1-22-04; 8:45 am]
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