[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 19 (Thursday, January 29, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4297-4298]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-1928]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of proposed information collection requests.

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SUMMARY: The Leader, Regulatory Information Management, Office of the 
Chief Information Officer, invites comments on the proposed information 
collection requests as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: An emergency review has been requested in accordance with the 
Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 3507 (j)), since public harm is reasonably 
likely to result if normal clearance procedures are followed. Approval 
by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has been requested by 
February 9, 2004. A regular clearance process is also beginning. 
Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before March 
29, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Written comments regarding the emergency review should be 
addressed to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Attention: Melanie Kadlic, Desk Officer: Department of Education, 
Office of Management and Budget; 725 17th Street, NW., Room 10235, New 
Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503 or should be 
electronically mailed to the Internet address [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) requires that the Director of OMB 
provide interested Federal agencies and the public an early opportunity 
to comment on information collection requests. The Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) may amend or waive the requirement for public 
consultation to the extent that public participation in the approval 
process would defeat the purpose of the information collection, violate 
State or Federal law, or substantially interfere with any agency's 
ability to perform its statutory obligations. The Leader, Information 
Management Group, Office of the Chief Information Officer, publishes 
this notice containing proposed information collection requests at the 
beginning of the Departmental review of the information collection. 
Each proposed information collection, grouped by office, contains the 
following: (1) Type of review requested, e.g., new, revision, 
extension, existing or reinstatement; (2) Title; (3) Summary of the 
collection; (4) Description of the need for, and proposed use of, the 
information; (5) Respondents and frequency of collection; and (6) 
Reporting and/or Recordkeeping burden. ED invites public comment.
    The Department of Education is especially interested in public 
comment addressing the following issues: (1) Is this collection 
necessary to the proper functions of the Department; (2) will this 
information be processed and used in a timely manner; (3) is the 
estimate of burden accurate; (4) how might the Department enhance the 
quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and 
(5) how might the Department minimize the burden of this collection on 
respondents, including through the use of information technology.

    Dated: January 26, 2004.
Angela C. Arrington,
Leader, Regulatory Information Management, Office of the Chief 
Information Officer.

Federal Student Aid

    Type of Review: New Collection.
    Title: Pell Grant reporting under the Common Origination and 
Disbursement (COD) system.
    Abstract: The Federal Pell Grant Program is a student financial 
assistance program authorized under the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(HEA), as amended. This program provides grant assistance to an 
eligible student attending an institution of higher education. The 
institution determines the student's award (based on a formula 
established in statute) and disburses program funds to the student on 
behalf of the Department (ED). To account for the funds disbursed, 
institutions report student payment information to ED electronically. 
Electronic reporting was formerly done through the Recipient Financial 
Management System (RFMS), but is now done through the Common 
Origination and Disbursement (COD) system. COD is a simplified process 
for requesting, reporting, and reconciling Pell Grant funds.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: An emergency request for clearance has been 
requested for approval by February 9, 2004. Collection activity for 
this collection is ongoing. Approval is requested to ensure that 
program funding could be disbursed to students.
    Frequency: On Occasion; Monthly.
    Affected Public: Not-for-profit institutions (primary), Businesses 
or other for-profit, State, Local, or Tribal Gov't, SEAs or LEAs.
    Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden:
     Responses: 5,000,000.
     Burden Hours: 350,000.
    Requests for copies of the proposed information collection request 
may be accessed from http://edicsweb.ed.gov, by selecting the ``Browse 
Pending Collections'' link and by clicking on link number 2446. When 
you access the information collection, click on ``Download 
Attachments'' to view. Written requests for information should

[[Page 4298]]

be addressed to Vivian Reese, Department of Education, 400 Maryland 
Avenue, SW., Room 4050, Regional Office Building 3, Washington, DC 
20202-4651 or to the e-mail address [email protected]. Requests may 
also be electronically mailed to the Internet address [email protected] 
or faxed to 202-708-9346. Please specify the complete title of the 
information collection when making your request.
    Comments regarding burden and/or the collection activity 
requirements, contact Joe Schubart at 202-708-9266. Individuals who use 
a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.

[FR Doc. 04-1928 Filed 1-28-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P