[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 57 (Monday, March 24, 2008)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 15468-15469]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-5856]


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SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

13 CFR Part 120


Lender Oversight and Credit Risk Management Program; Public 
Comment Meetings

AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration.

ACTION: Notice of Public Comment Meetings.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announces that it 
will be holding a series of public comment meetings on SBA's proposed 
lender oversight/credit risk management rule. These public comment 
meetings will be held in selected cities across the country. The 
purpose of the meetings is to broaden the opportunity for public 
participation in the rulemaking. Comments presented at these public 
comment meetings will become part of the administrative record for 
SBA's consideration in promulgating SBA's lender oversight/credit risk 
management regulations.

DATES: The public comment meetings will be held on the dates, times and 
at the locations specified in the Meetings Schedule section below. All 
attendees should register at least one week prior to the scheduled 
meeting date.

ADDRESSES: Parties interested in commenting at or attending a public 
comment meeting must register by providing a request to Keri Pessagno, 
SBA Office of Credit Risk Management, at [email protected], or 
(202) 205-6496, or by facsimile to (202) 481-0744.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bryan Hooper, Director, SBA Office of 
Credit Risk Management, at [email protected], or (202) 205-3049, or 
by facsimile (202) 205-6891.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    On October 31, 2007, SBA published a proposed rule to incorporate 
SBA's risk based lender oversight program into SBA regulations (72 FR 
61752) and, on December 20, 2007, extended the comment period on the 
proposed rule to February 29, 2008. (72 FR 72264). SBA included in the 
proposed rule a proposed regulatory framework for SBA's oversight of 
participants in the 7(a), 504 and Microloan lending programs. This 
regulatory framework would enhance SBA's Office of Credit Risk 
Management's (OCRM) ability to maximize the efficiency of SBA's lending 
programs by effectively managing program credit risk, monitoring lender 
performance, and enforcing lending program requirements. It is SBA's 
intent that the proposed framework would also incorporate the mission 
of SBA to assist small business access to credit. While the comments 
received on the proposed rule are greatly assisting SBA with its 
deliberations, SBA would like to broaden public participation by 
offering the public an opportunity to meet with SBA in person and 
communicate their comments. This Notice provides information on the 
purpose, format, scheduling, and registration for the public comment 
meetings.

II. Public Comment Meetings

    The purpose of these public comment meetings is to broaden the 
opportunity for public participation in the rulemaking by providing a 
mechanism beyond the single written round of notice and comment and 
enable SBA to more fully comprehend the views of the public. SBA 
considers public comment meetings a valuable component of its 
deliberations and believes that these comment meetings will allow for 
constructive input by the lending community, their appointed 
representatives, and other members of the public. The comments conveyed 
would assist SBA in assessing and refining SBA's proposed rule.
    The format will consist of a panel of SBA representatives who will 
represent the Agency and moderate the oral comments. The panel will 
listen to the views of the oral commenters on the proposed regulations. 
SBA respectfully

[[Page 15469]]

requests that the comments focus on the regulations as discussed in the 
proposal, SBA's incorporation of the Agency mission into the proposed 
rule, or on any unique concerns of the lending communities and other 
stakeholders potentially affected by this rule. SBA requests that 
commenters do not raise issues pertaining to other SBA small business 
programs or issues outside the scope of the proposed rule. Issues not 
raised in the proposed rule are more properly suited to a different 
forum than these meetings.
    Individuals orally commenting before SBA will be limited to a 5 
minute oral comment. SBA officials may ask questions of a commenter to 
clarify or further explore the oral comments. Since the purpose of the 
meeting is to assist SBA with gathering comments for the proposed rule, 
SBA will not respond as to whether it agrees with the view or position 
of the commenter.
    Commenters may provide a written copy of their comments. SBA will 
accept written material that the commenter wishes to provide that 
further supplements his or her oral comments, at or before the meeting. 
Written comments may be submitted in lieu of oral comments. Electronic 
or digitized copies are encouraged. SBA will consider the comments, 
both oral and written, along with any written comments received. Oral 
and written comments will become part of the rulemaking record for 
SBA's consideration.

III. Meeting Schedule

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            Location                     Address            Meeting date          Registration closing date
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San Francisco, CA..............  SBA District Office,    Tuesday, April 1,  Tuesday, March 25, 2008.
                                  455 Market Street,      2008. Begins
                                  6th Floor, San          9:30 a.m., Ends
                                  Francisco, CA 94105.    12:30 p.m.
Los Angeles, CA................  SBA District Office,    Thursday, April    Thursday, March 27, 2008.
                                  330 N. Brand Blvd.,     3, 2008. Begins
                                  Suite 1200, Glendale,   9:30 a.m., Ends
                                  CA 91203.               12:30 p.m.
Boston, MA.....................  O'Neil Federal Office   Tuesday, April 8,  Tuesday, April 1, 2008.
                                  Building, 10 Causeway   2008. Begins
                                  Street, Auditorium,     9:30 a.m., Ends
                                  Boston, MA 02222.       12:30 p.m.
Philadelphia, PA...............  Robert N.C. Nix         Wednesday, April   Wednesday, April 2, 2008.
                                  Building, 900 Market    9, 2008. Begins
                                  Street, 2nd Floor,      9:30 a.m., Ends
                                  Courtroom Number 7,     12:30 p.m.
                                  Philadelphia, PA
                                  19107.
Atlanta, GA....................  Kennesaw State          Tuesday, April     Tuesday, April 8, 2008.
                                  University,             15, 2008. Begins
                                  Continuing Education    10 a.m., Ends 1
                                  Center, 3333 Busbee     p.m.
                                  Drive, Room 400,
                                  Kennesaw, GA 30144-
                                  3089.
Dallas, TX.....................  SBA Disaster Office,    Wednesday, April   Wednesday, April 9, 2008.
                                  14925 Kingsport Road,   16, 2008. Begins
                                  Ft. Worth, TX 76155.    9:30 a.m., Ends
                                                          12:30 p.m.
Kansas City, MO................  SBA District Office,    Thursday, April    Thursday, April 10, 2008.
                                  1000 Walnut Street,     17, 2008. Begins
                                  Suite 500, Kansas       8 a.m., Ends 11
                                  City, MO 64106.         a.m.
Chicago, IL....................  Citicorp Center, 500    Friday, April 18,  Friday, April 11, 2008.
                                  West Madison Street,    2008. Begins
                                  3rd Floor Conference    9:30 a.m., Ends
                                  Center, Chicago, IL     12:30 p.m.
                                  60661.
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    Each public comment meeting will begin 9:30 a.m. and end at 12:30 
p.m. (local time) for San Francisco, CA, Los Angeles, CA, Boston, MA, 
Philadelphia, PA, Dallas, TX and Chicago, IL. For Atlanta, GA, the 
meeting will begin at 10 a.m. and end at 1 p.m. For Kansas City, MO the 
meeting will begin at 8 a.m. and end at 11 a.m. SBA will adjourn early 
if all those scheduled have delivered their testimony.

IV. Registration

    SBA respectfully requests that any elected or appointed 
representative of any lender or other stakeholder communities that is 
interested in attending please register in advance and indicate whether 
you would like to orally comment at the meeting. Registration requests 
should be received by SBA at least one week prior to the respective 
public comment meeting date. Please contact Keri Pessagno of SBA's 
Office of Credit Risk Management at [email protected], or (202) 
205-6496, or by facsimile to (202) 481-0744. If you are interested in 
orally commenting please include the following information relating to 
the person orally commenting and the location they will be attending: 
Name, Title, Organization affiliation, Address, Telephone number, E-
mail address and Fax number.
    SBA will attempt to accommodate all interested parties that wish to 
orally comment. However, time considerations limit the total number of 
oral commenters at each meeting. If the number of individuals seeking 
to orally comment at a specific meeting exceeds the number permitted 
due to time limitations, SBA will ask if any interested parties are 
able to attend a different meeting, and if that is not possible, will 
ask those requesting to orally comment last in time to submit their 
comments in writing. To afford all interested parties an opportunity to 
orally comment at the meetings, an individual can register for only one 
meeting location.
    Parties that plan to attend the meeting but not orally comment must 
also pre-register. For those parties, please indicate in your 
registration that you will be attending the meeting but not making an 
oral comment.
    SBA will confirm in writing the registration of commenters and 
attendees for the meetings.

Eric Zarnikow,
Associate Administrator, Office of Capital Access.
 [FR Doc. E8-5856 Filed 3-21-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8025-01-P