[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 59 (Wednesday, March 28, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14627-14628]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-5632]


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RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

SUMMARY: In accordance with the requirement of Section 3506 (c)(2)(A) 
of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 which provides opportunity for 
public comment on new or revised data collections, the Railroad 
Retirement Board (RRB) will publish periodic summaries of proposed data 
collections.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed information 
collection is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information has practical utility; 
(b) the accuracy of the RRB's estimate of the burden of the collection 
of the information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize 
the burden related to the collection of information on respondents, 
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.
    Title and purpose of information collection: Public Service Pension 
Questionnaires; OMB 3220-0136.
    Public Law 95-216 amended the Social Security Act of 1977 by 
providing, in part, that spouse or survivor benefits may be reduced 
when the beneficiary is in receipt of a pension based on employment 
with a Federal, State, or local governmental unit. Initially, the 
reduction was equal to the full amount of the government pension.
    Public Law 98-21 changed the reduction to two-thirds of the amount 
of the government pension. Public Law 108-203 amended the Social 
Security Act by changing the requirement for exemption to public 
service offset, that Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes 
be deducted from the public service wages for the last 60 months of 
public service employment, rather than just the last day of public 
service employment.
    Sections 4(a)(1) and 4(f)(1) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) 
provides that a spouse or survivor annuity should be equal in amount to 
what the annuitant would receive if entitled to a like benefit from the 
Social Security

[[Page 14628]]

Administration. Therefore, the public service pension (PSP) provisions 
apply to RRA annuities.
    RRB Regulations pertaining to the collection of evidence relating 
to public service pensions or worker's compensation paid to spouse or 
survivor applicants or annuitants are found in 20 CFR 219.64c.
    The RRB utilizes Form G-208, Public Service Pension Questionnaire, 
and Form G-212, Public Service Monitoring Questionnaire, to obtain 
information used to determine whether an annuity reduction is in order. 
The RRB proposes no changes to Form G-208. Non-burden impacting 
editorial and formatting changes are proposed to Form G-212.
    Completion of the forms is voluntary. However, failure to complete 
the forms could result in the nonpayment of benefits. One response is 
requested of each respondent. The completion time for the G-208 is 
estimated at 16 minutes and the G-212 is estimated at 15 minutes. The 
RRB estimates that approximately 70 Form G-208's and 1,100 Form G-212's 
are completed annually.
    Additional Information or Comments: To request more information or 
to obtain a copy of the information collection justification, forms, 
and/or supporting material, please call the RRB Clearance Officer at 
(312) 751-3363 or send an e-mail request to [email protected]. 
Comments regarding the information collection should be addressed to 
Ronald J. Hodapp, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, 
Chicago, Illinois 60611-2092 or send an e-mail to 
[email protected]. Written comments should be received within 60 
days of this notice.

Charles Mierzwa,
Clearance Officer.
 [FR Doc. E7-5632 Filed 3-27-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P