[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 122 (Monday, June 25, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 37892]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-15418]



[[Page 37892]]

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests; Federal 
Student Aid; Electronic Debit Payment Option for Student Loans

SUMMARY: The Preauthorized Debit Account (PDA) Application is used to 
establish electronic debiting for individuals who have requested to 
have their defaulted federal education debt payments debited from their 
bank accounts.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
August 24, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Written comments regarding burden and/or the collection 
activity requirements should be electronically mailed to 
[email protected] or mailed to U.S. Department of Education, 400 
Maryland Avenue SW, LBJ, Washington, DC 20202-4537. Copies of the 
proposed information collection request may be accessed from http://edicsweb.ed.gov, by selecting the ``Browse Pending Collections'' link 
and by clicking on link number 04879. When you access the information 
collection, click on ``Download Attachments'' to view. Written requests 
for information should be addressed to U.S. Department of Education, 
400 Maryland Avenue SW., LBJ, Washington, DC 20202-4537. Requests may 
also be electronically mailed to [email protected] or faxed to 202-
401-0920. Please specify the complete title of the information 
collection and OMB Control Number when making your request.
    Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-
8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) requires that Federal agencies provide 
interested parties an early opportunity to comment on information 
collection requests. The Director, Information Collection Clearance 
Division, Privacy, Information and Records Management Services, Office 
of Management, publishes this notice containing proposed information 
collection requests at the beginning of the Departmental review of the 
information collection. The Department of Education is especially 
interested in public comment addressing the following issues: (1) Is 
this collection necessary to the proper functions of the Department; 
(2) will this information be processed and used in a timely manner; (3) 
is the estimate of burden accurate; (4) how might the Department 
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be 
collected; and (5) how might the Department minimize the burden of this 
collection on the respondents, including through the use of information 
technology. Please note that written comments received in response to 
this notice will be considered public records.
    Title of Collection: Electronic Debit Payment Option for Student 
Loans.
    OMB Control Number: 1845-0025.
    Type of Review: Revision and Extension.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 1,600.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 133.
    Abstract: An Electronic Debit Account Program gives the borrower 
the option to repay federally funded student loans via automatic debit 
deductions from their checking or savings accounts. The PDA payment 
option allows individuals with defaulted federal education debts 
(student loans or grant overpayments) held by the U.S. Department of 
Education's (ED's) Federal Student Aid Default Resolution Group to have 
their payments automatically debited from their checking or savings 
accounts and sent to ED. Individuals who choose the use the PDA option 
to make their payments must authorize ED to debit their bank accounts. 
The PDA Brochure and Application (PDA Application) explains the PDA 
payment option and collects the applicant's authorization for 
electronic debiting of payments and the bank account information needed 
by ED to debit the applicant's account.
    The authority for the PDA option is provided under the Deficit 
Reduction Act of 1984, Public Law 98-368, and 31 CFR part 202, 
Depositaries and Financial Agents of the Government. Operating rules 
and regulations approved and published by the National Automated 
Clearing House Association (NACHA) and 31 CFR part 210 also govern the 
use of the PDA Application. Finally, Regulation E, issued and 
maintained by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 
implements Title IX of the Consumer Credit Protection Act, as amended 
in 15 U.S.C. 1601. This regulation is designed to implement the act, 
which primarily serves to protect the interests of the individual 
consumer participating in electronic transfers.
    ED has used the collection of information on the currently approved 
PDA Application to establish electronic debiting for individuals who 
have requested to have their defaulted federal education debt payments 
debited from their bank accounts.

    Dated: June 15, 2012.
Darrin A. King,
Director, Information Collection Clearance Division, Privacy, 
Information and Records Management Services, Office of Management.
[FR Doc. 2012-15418 Filed 6-22-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P