[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 5, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 17075]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-4888]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Economic Analysis


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Foreign Airline 
Operators' Revenues and Expenses in the United States

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before 5 p.m. June 5, 
2006.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diane Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Edward Dozier, Current Account 
Services Branch, Balance of Payments Division, (BE-58), Bureau of 
Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230; 
phone: (202) 606-9559; fax: (202) 606-5314; or via the Internet at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) is responsible for the 
compilation of the U.S. international transactions accounts (ITA), 
which it publishes quarterly in news releases, on its Web site, and in 
its monthly journal, the Survey of Current Business. These accounts 
provide a statistical summary of all U.S. international transactions 
and, as such, are one of the major statistical products of BEA. They 
are used extensively by both government and private organizations for 
national and international economic policy formulation and for 
analytical purposes. The information collected in this survey is used 
to develop the ``transportation'' portion of the ITA. Without this 
information, an integral component of the ITA would be omitted. No 
other Government agency collects comprehensive quarterly data on 
foreign airline operators' revenues and expenses in the United States.
    The survey requests information from U.S. agents of foreign air 
carriers operating in the United States. The information is collected 
on a quarterly basis from foreign air carriers with annual total 
covered revenues or annual total covered expenses incurred in the 
United States of $5,000,000 or more. Foreign air carriers with annual 
total covered revenues and annual total covered expenses each below 
$5,000,000 are exempt from reporting. There are no changes proposed to 
the form or instructions.

II. Method of Collection

    Form BE-9 is a quarterly report that must be filed within 50 days 
after the end of each quarter. Potential respondents are U.S. offices, 
agents, or other representatives of foreign airline operators that 
transport passengers or freight and express to or from the United 
States, and that have total covered revenues or total covered expenses 
incurred in the United States of $5 million or more during the previous 
year, or are expected to have total covered revenues or total covered 
expenses of $5 million or more during the current year.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0608-0068.
    Form Number: BE-9.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 60 per quarter; 240 annually.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 8 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,920.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $76,800 (based on an estimated 
reporting burden of 1,920 hours and an estimated hourly cost of $40).
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: The International Investment and Trade in Services 
Survey Act, 22 U.S.C. 3101-3108, as amended.

IV. Request for Comments

    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 will have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) 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 or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: March 30, 2006.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. E6-4888 Filed 4-4-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-06-P