[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 212 (Thursday, November 1, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66075-66076]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-26101]


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OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT ETHICS


Agency Information Collection Activities; Emergency Clearance 
Submission for Expedited OMB Review; Proposed Information Collection; 
Comment Request for a Proposed OGE Form 201-A Ethics in Government Act 
Access Form

AGENCY: Office of Government Ethics (OGE).

ACTION: Emergency clearance notice and request for agency and public 
comments.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Government Ethics (OGE) is submitting a request 
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for an expedited emergency 
clearance for the proposed OGE Form 201-A Ethics in Government Act 
access form under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
chapter 35). OGE is requesting a temporary 180-day approval, effective 
November 9, 2012.

DATES: Written comments by the public and the agencies on this proposed 
information collection are invited and must be received on or before 
November 6, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Comments, identified by the title of the information 
collection activity, may be submitted to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Attn: Mr. Kevin Herms, OMB Desk Officer for the 
Office of Government Ethics:
    FAX: 202-395-5167, Attn: Mr. Kevin Herms, OMB Desk Officer for the 
Office of Government Ethics; Email: [email protected].
    Comments should also be submitted to the Office of Government 
Ethics, Attn: Mr. Paul Ledvina, Agency Clearance Officer:
    FAX: 202-482-9237, Attn: Mr. Paul Ledvina, Agency Clearance 
Officer; Email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Ledvina at the Office of 
Government Ethics; telephone: 202-482-9247; TTY: 800-877-8339; FAX: 
202-482-9237; Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Request to Inspect or Receive Electronic Copies of Executive 
Branch Personnel Public Financial Disclosure Reports, including 
Periodic Transaction Reports, filed on or after January 1, 2012.
    Agency Form Number: OGE Form 201-A.
    OMB Control Number: 3209-0002.
    Type of Information Collection: New collection.
    Type of Review Request: Emergency expedited review for temporary 
180-day approval.
    Respondents: Individuals requesting electronic access to executive 
branch public financial disclosure reports, including periodic 
transaction reports, filed on or after January 1, 2012, and posted to 
the Internet in accordance with section 11(a) of Public Law 112-105, 
126 Stat. 291 (2012).
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 1,246.
    Estimated Time per Response: 5 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 104 hours.
    Abstract: The proposed OGE Form 201-A would collect certain 
information from, and provide certain information to, persons who seek 
access to electronic copies of public financial disclosure reports, 
including periodic transaction reports, filed on or after January 1, 
2012, and posted on the Internet in accordance with section 11(a) of 
Public Law 112-105, 126 Stat. 291 (2012). Specifically, the OGE Form

[[Page 66076]]

201-A would collect the following information from any requesting 
person seeking access to such reports: the person's name and the 
person's city, state and country of residence. OGE has the authority 
under section 402(b)(1) of the Ethics in Government Act to require 
executive branch agencies to collect such information before requested 
reports are made available to the requester. See 5 U.S.C. appendix 
section 402(b)(1), and 5 CFR 2634.603(c) and (f). The proposed OGE Form 
201-A would be used solely in an automated, Web-based application. No 
statistics of previous usage are available upon which to base an 
estimated annual number of respondents because this proposed 
information collection is a new form. OGE's annual estimate is based 
upon the number of requests OGE has received for access to public 
financial disclosure reports of presidential appointees confirmed by 
the Senate through OGE's Web site via the new automated Office of 
Government Ethics Form 201 access request form. OGE received 408 
requests during the six-month period from the initial launch of the new 
automated Office of Government Ethics Form 201 in March through August 
2012. OGE then added the total number of access requests received by 
all other executive branch agencies, for a similar length of time, 
during the most recent period (calendar year 2011) for which executive 
branchwide statistics are available, which was 215 such requests. The 
total number of access request forms received by all executive branch 
agencies, including OGE, in a 6-month period totaled 623. This number 
was multiplied by two to provide the estimate of 1,246 annual 
respondents.
    Request for Comments: Agency and public comment is invited 
specifically on the need for, and practical utility of, this 
information collection; the accuracy of OGE's burden estimate; the 
enhancement of quality, utility and clarity of the information 
collected; and the minimization of burden (including the use of 
information technology). Comments received in response to this notice 
will be summarized for, and may be included with, OGE's subsequent 
request to OMB for a 3-year paperwork approval. The comments will also 
become a matter of public record.

    Approved: October 17, 2012.
Don W. Fox,
Acting Director, Office of Government Ethics.
[FR Doc. 2012-26101 Filed 10-31-12; 8:45 am]
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