[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 202 (Thursday, October 20, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61173-61174]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-5781]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

[OMB Control No. 2900-0028]


Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review

AGENCY: Office of Information and Technology, Department of Veterans 
Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 
(44 U.S.C. 3501-21), this notice announces that the Veterans Health 
Administration (VHA), Department of Veterans Affairs, has submitted the 
collection of information abstracted below to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The PRA submission describes 
the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and 
burden and includes the actual data collection instrument.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before November 21, 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY OF THE SUBMISSION CONTACT: Denise 
McLamb, Records Management Service (005E3), Department of Veterans 
Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420, (202) 565-8374, 
FAX (202) 565-6950 or e-mail: [email protected]. Please refer 
to ``OMB Control No. 2900-0028''.
    Send comments and recommendations concerning any aspect of the 
information collection to VA's Desk Officer, OMB Human Resources and 
Housing Branch, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, 
DC 20503 (202) 395-7316. Please refer to ``OMB Control No. 2900-0028''.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Titles:
    a. Application of Service Representative for Placement on Mailing 
List, VA Form 3215.
    b. Request for and Consent to Release of Information from 
Claimant's Records, VA Form 3288.
    c. Request to Correspondent for Identifying Information, VA Form 
Letter 70-2.
    d. 38 CFR 1.519(A) Lists of Names and Addresses.
    OMB Control Number: 2900-0028.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract:
    a. VA operates an outreach services program to ensure veterans and 
beneficiaries have information about benefits and services to which 
they may be entitled. To support the program, VA

[[Page 61174]]

distributes copies of publications to Veterans Service Organizations' 
representatives to be used in rendering services and representation of 
veterans, their spouses and dependents. Service organizations complete 
VA Form 3215 to request placement on a mailing list for specific VA 
publications.
    b. Veterans or beneficiaries complete VA Form 3288 to provide VA 
with a written consent to release his or her records or information to 
third parties such as insurance companies, physicians and other 
individuals.
    c. VA Form Letter 70-2 is used to obtain additional information 
from a correspondent when the incoming correspondence does not provide 
sufficient information to identify a veteran. VA personnel use the 
information to identify the veteran, determine the location of a 
specific file, and to accomplish the action requested by the 
correspondent such as processing a benefit claim or file material in 
the individual's claims folder.
    d. Title 38 U.S.C.5701(f)(1) authorized the disclosure of names or 
addresses, or both of present or former members of the Armed Forces 
and/or their beneficiaries to nonprofit organizations (including 
members of Congress) to notify veterans of Title 38 benefits and to 
provide assistance to veterans in obtaining these benefits. This 
release includes VA's Outreach Program for the purpose of advising 
veterans of non-VA Federal, State and local benefits and programs.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number. The Federal Register Notice with a 
60-day comment period soliciting comments on this collection of 
information was published on June 30, 2005, at pages 37898-37899.
    Affected Public: Individuals or Households, Not for Profit 
Institutions, and State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 22,700 hours.
    a. Application of Service Representative for Placement on Mailing 
List, VA Form 3215--25 hours.
    b. Request for and Consent to Release of Information From 
Claimant's Records, VA Form 3288--18,875 hours.
    c. Request to Correspondent for Identifying Information, VA Form 
Letter 70-2--3,750 hours.
    d. 38 CFR(A) 1.519 Lists of Names and Addresses--50 hours.
    Estimated Average Burden Per Respondent:
    a. Application of Service Representative for Placement on Mailing 
List, VA Form 3215--10 minutes.
    b. Request for and Consent to Release of Information From 
Claimant's Records, VA Form 3288--7.5 minutes.
    c. Request to Correspondent for Identifying Information, VA Form 
Letter 70-2--5 minutes.
    d. 38 CFR(A) 1.519 Lists of Names and Addresses--60 minutes.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 196,200.
    a. Application of Service Representative for Placement on Mailing 
List, VA Form 3215--150.
    b. Request for and Consent to Release of Information from 
Claimant's Records, VA Form 3288--151,000.
    c. Request to Correspondent for Identifying Information, VA Form 
Letter 70-2--45,000.
    d. 38 CFR(A) 1.519 Lists of Names and Addresses--50.

    Dated: October 6, 2005.

    By direction of the Secretary.
Denise McLamb,
Program Analyst, Records Management Service.
[FR Doc. E5-5781 Filed 10-19-05; 8:45 am]
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