[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 49 (Tuesday, March 13, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14831-14832]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-5965]



[[Page 14831]]

=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Emergency Review: Comment Request Veterans' Retraining Assistance 
Program

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL) has submitted the Employment and 
Training Administration (ETA) sponsored information collection request 
(ICR) proposal titled, ``Veterans' Retraining Assistance Program,'' to 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance 
utilizing emergency review procedures in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) and 5 CFR 
1320.13.

DATES: OMB approval has been requested by March 20, 2012. Submit 
comments on or before March 16, 2012.

ADDRESSES: A copy of this ICR, with applicable supporting 
documentation; including a description of the likely respondents, 
proposed frequency of response, and estimated total burden may be 
obtained from the RegInfo.gov Web site, http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain or by contacting Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-4129 
(this is not a toll-free number) or sending an email to [email protected].
    Submit comments about this request to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for the Department of Labor, 
Employment and Training Administration, Office of Management and 
Budget, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, Telephone: 202-395-6929/Fax: 
202-395-6881 (these are not toll-free numbers), email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-
4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The ETA seeks approval to collect individual 
applicant data for the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) as 
part of the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 (Pub. L. 112-56), which was 
signed into law on November 21, 2011. This benefit directs the 
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), in cooperation with the DOL, to 
pay for up to 12 months of a training program in a high demand 
occupation for unemployed eligible veterans. The program is to serve up 
to 45,000 veterans in fiscal year 2012, beginning July 1, 2012, and up 
to 54,000 veterans from October 1, 2012, through March 31, 2014.
    The VRAP provides the benefit to veterans who fulfill the following 
eligibility criteria: As of date of application, is at least 35 years 
old and less than 60; discharged from active duty under conditions 
other than dishonorable; is unemployed as of date of application; is 
not eligible to receive other educational assistance from the VA; is 
not in receipt of compensation for a service-connected disability rated 
totally disabling by reason of unemployability; was not and is not 
enrolled in any Federal or State job training program within the 
previous 180 days; and, the application must be submitted not later 
than October 1, 2013.
    The VA is responsible for determining the following eligibility 
criteria: Discharged from active duty under conditions other than 
dishonorable; is not eligible to receive other educational assistance 
from the VA; is not in receipt of compensation for a service-connected 
disability rated totally disabling by reason of unemployability. The VA 
will be collecting information required for their eligibility criteria 
through the ``Application for VA Educational Benefits'' (OMB Control 
Number 2900-0154, VA Form 22-1990). The DOL is required to determine 
whether each veteran applying for the program is between 35 and 60 
years old, is unemployed as of the date of the application, has not and 
is not enrolled in a Federal or state job training program within 180 
days of the application, and has applied for the program no later than 
October 1, 2013. The DOL does not currently have an approved OMB 
information collection for determining eligibility under the statute. 
The DOL is proposing to determine its eligibility requirements by 
collecting individual applicant data. The data will be linked to the 
VA's Veterans On-line Application (VONAPP, VA Form 22-1990) to complete 
the application. The VA will transmit a report to the DOL about the 
completion status of the veterans, so that the DOL can make contact 
with the veteran to offer employment services.
    This information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency 
generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and 
the public is generally not required to respond to an information 
collection, unless it is approved by the OMB under the PRA and displays 
a currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any 
other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to 
penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if the 
collection of information does not display a valid OMB Control Number. 
See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6.
    The ETA seeks OMB approval under the PRA emergency clearance 
process for the individual applicant data collection, because the VRAP 
program has a required start date of July 1, 2012. The application 
system must be in place well before the program start date in order to 
provide program outreach to veterans and technical assistance to DOL 
grantees. This requires an expedited process for building a system for 
collecting individual data that has the capacity to serve up to 45,000 
veterans between July 1, 2012 and September 30, 2012. Failure to be 
able to collect individual data would jeopardize the ability for 
applicants to complete an application in time to begin educational 
services by the statutory start date of July 1, 2012. The application 
collects eligibility information required by the statute. Inability to 
collect individual applicant information will also jeopardize the 
ability of the DOL to offer employment services the statute requires.
    Interested parties are encouraged to send comments to the OMB, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the address shown in 
the ADDRESSES section by March 16, 2012. In order to help ensure 
appropriate consideration, comments should mention OMB ICR Reference 
Number 201202-1205-005. The OMB is particularly interested in comments 
that:
     Evaluate 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;
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submission of responses.
    Agency: Employment and Training Administration.
    Title of Collection: Veterans' Retraining Assistance Program.

[[Page 14832]]

    OMB ICR Reference Number: 201202-1205-005.
    Type of Review: New collection (Request for a new OMB Control 
Number).
    Requested Duration of Authorization: Six (6) months from date of 
approval.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 100,000.
    Frequency of Collection: Once.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 100,000.
    Estimated Time per Response: Five (5) minutes.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 8,333.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $0.

    Dated: March 7, 2012.
Michel Smyth,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-5965 Filed 3-12-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-23-P