[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 226 (Wednesday, November 23, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 84403-84415]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-28177]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

8 CFR Parts 103 and 235

[Docket No. USCBP-2013-0029; CBP Decision No. 16-20]
RIN 1651-AB01


The U.S. Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Card 
Program

AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Department of Homeland 
Security.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This rule adopts as final, with two changes, interim 
amendments to the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) regulations 
published in the Federal Register on May 13, 2014 establishing the U.S. 
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Travel Card Program. 
The U.S. APEC Business Travel Card Program provides qualified U.S. 
business travelers engaged in business in the APEC region, or U.S. 
Government officials actively engaged in APEC business, the ability to 
access fast-track immigration lanes at participating airports in 
foreign APEC economies.

DATES: This rule is effective December 23, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Garret Conover, Office of Field 
Operations, (202) 325-4062, [email protected].

I. Background

A. The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Card Program

    The United States is a member of APEC, which is an economic forum 
comprised of twenty-one members whose primary goal is to support 
sustainable economic growth and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific 
region.\1\ One of APEC's business facilitation initiatives is the APEC 
Business Travel Card (ABTC) Program. The operating procedures for the 
ABTC Program are set out in the APEC Business Travel Card Operating 
Framework (APEC Framework).\2\ Under the ABTC Program, APEC members can 
issue cards to business travelers and senior government officials who 
meet certain criteria. The cards provide simpler, short-term entry 
procedures within the APEC region.
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    \1\ APEC members are also referred to as `economies' since the 
APEC process is primarily concerned with trade and economic issues 
with the members engaging each other as economic entities. The most 
recently updated list of members is available at the APEC Web site 
at www.apec.org/About-Us/About-APEC/Member-Economies.aspx. For 
simplicity, CBP will generally refer to them in the preamble of this 
document as APEC members.
    \2\ Although participating members intend to follow the 
operating principles and procedures outlined, the document is not 
legally binding. The most recent version of the APEC Framework is 
Version 19, dated July 7, 2015.
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B. U.S. Participation in ABTC

    On November 12, 2011, President Obama signed the Asia-Pacific 
Economic Cooperation Business Travel Cards Act of 2011 (APEC Act). 
Public Law 112-54, 125 Stat. 550. The APEC Act authorizes the Secretary 
of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to 
issue ABTCs through September 30, 2018 to any eligible person, 
including business persons and U.S. Government officials actively 
engaged in APEC business. On May 13, 2014, U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection (CBP) published an interim final rule (IFR) in the Federal 
Register (79 FR 27161) amending the DHS regulations to establish the 
U.S. ABTC Program and an application fee. See 8 CFR 235.13 and 8 CFR 
103.7.
    The IFR became effective on June 12, 2014 and on that date CBP 
began issuing its own ABTCs (U.S. ABTCs) to qualified U.S. citizens. As 
provided in the IFR, the U.S. ABTC Program is a voluntary program 
designed to facilitate travel for bona fide U.S. business persons 
engaged in business in the APEC region and U.S. government officials 
actively engaged in APEC business within the APEC region. To 
participate in the program, an individual must be an existing member, 
in good standing, of an eligible CBP trusted traveler program or be 
approved for membership in an eligible CBP trusted traveler program 
during the U.S. ABTC application process.\3\ The application process 
requires the applicant to self-certify that he or she is a bona fide 
business person who is engaged in the trade of goods, the provision of 
services or the conduct of investment activities, or is a U.S. 
Government official actively engaged in

[[Page 84404]]

APEC business. The applicant must also provide a signature, which 
appears on the face of the U.S. ABTC. CBP collects the applicant's 
signature at a CBP trusted traveler enrollment center.
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    \3\ For purposes of the U.S. ABTC Program, eligible CBP trusted 
traveler programs include Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI.
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    Successful applicants receive a U.S. ABTC that enables them to 
access fast-track immigration lanes at participating airports in 
foreign APEC member economies. In order to obtain a U.S. ABTC, an 
individual must meet the eligibility requirements, apply in advance, 
pay the requisite fee and be approved as a card holder. Details about 
the program eligibility criteria, the application process, the fee, the 
benefits, and other aspects of the program, are set forth in the 
preamble of the IFR, 8 CFR 235.13, and 8 CFR 103.7.

II. Discussion of Comments

A. Overview

    Although the interim regulatory amendments were promulgated without 
prior public notice and comment procedures pursuant to the foreign 
affairs exemption in 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(1), the IFR provided for the 
submission of public comments that would be considered before adopting 
the interim regulations as a final rule. The prescribed 30-day public 
comment period closed on June 12, 2014. During this time, CBP received 
submissions from five commenters. All five commenters were strongly in 
support of the U.S. ABTC Program and expressed appreciation for the 
introduction of the program. Nonetheless, the commenters presented 
ideas for how to improve the program, and one commenter noted that our 
calculation of a benefit accrued through the U.S. ABTC was inaccurate. 
CBP has grouped the issues by topic and provides responses below.

B. Discussion

1. Overseas Interviews and Signature Collection
    Comment: All five of the commenters noted that many of the U.S. 
ABTC applicants will be U.S. business people living and working abroad, 
who make limited trips to the United States. The commenters asserted 
that requiring applicants to be physically present in the United States 
to obtain a U.S. ABTC will reduce the number of applicants and will 
limit the accessibility of the program. To address these concerns, four 
of the commenters recommended that CBP conduct enrollment interviews 
for the CBP trusted traveler programs overseas, and all five of the 
commenters asked that CBP provide a way for U.S. ABTC signatures to be 
collected abroad. The commenters suggested several different methods 
for CBP to conduct enrollment interviews and/or collect signatures 
overseas, either on a regular basis or intermittently. Their 
suggestions include having CBP use U.S. embassies or consulates in the 
Asia-Pacific region, having CBP open a regional office in Asia, or 
having CBP schedule appointments for interviews and/or signature 
collections around major U.S. regional business events, such as the 
annual meeting of the Asia Pacific Council of American Chambers of 
Commerce. The commenters remarked that conducting enrollment interviews 
and signature collections overseas would increase the number of 
applicants for U.S. ABTCs and would allow individuals to obtain a U.S. 
ABTC more quickly because individuals will not have to wait until they 
are traveling to the United States to do their interview and provide 
their signature.
    Response: CBP appreciates the commenters' suggestions for 
alternative arrangements for CBP trusted traveler interviews and ABTC 
signature collections, but is unable to implement any of them at this 
time. The personal interview and signature collection process is an 
integral part of the CBP trusted traveler and U.S. ABTC application 
processes and these are done at CBP trusted traveler enrollment centers 
located throughout the United States. CBP does not have the facilities 
or resources to regularly conduct interviews and collect signatures 
outside CBP trusted traveler enrollment centers. Furthermore, in order 
to maintain the integrity of the CBP trusted traveler and ABTC 
programs, only CBP officers are authorized to conduct interviews, 
obtain signatures, and approve applications in the Global On-Line 
Enrollment System (GOES). These functions cannot be delegated to the 
Department of State or any other entity.
    While CBP recognizes that some applicants may find it inconvenient 
to travel to the continental United States for their CBP trusted 
traveler program interview and U.S. ABTC signature collection, CBP 
would like to highlight that there are trusted traveler enrollment 
centers located in Hawaii and Guam. Furthermore, CBP is encouraged by 
the fact that there has been a steady stream of applicants thus far, 
indicating that many people have been able to obtain U.S. ABTCs through 
the current system. As of December 2015, nearly 21,000 applications 
have been submitted for the U.S. ABTC Program.\4\
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    \4\ Source: Email correspondence with CBP's Office of Field 
Operations on February 10, 2016.
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2. Appointment Scheduling for Signature Collection
    Comment: Two commenters asked CBP to definitively state that an 
applicant does not need to schedule an appointment for signature 
collection if the applicant is already a member of a CBP trusted 
traveler program. Both commenters noted that the FAQs explicitly state 
that no appointment is necessary while some of the preamble language in 
the IFR suggests otherwise.
    Response: Applicants for the U.S. ABTC Program who are already 
members of a CBP trusted traveler program do not need to schedule an 
appointment for signature collection. Applicants should be aware, 
however, that if they arrive at an enrollment center without an 
appointment, they may have to wait a considerable length of time before 
a CBP officer is able to process their signature. By scheduling an 
appointment, applicants can prevent long wait-times and allow for 
better time management by CBP officers at enrollment centers. As such, 
although appointments are not necessary, they are encouraged.
3. Benefits of the U.S. ABTC Program
    Comment: One commenter indicated that the average amount of time a 
U.S. ABTC holder saves on account of the expedited entry procedures 
associated with the U.S. ABTC Program is greater than anticipated in 
the IFR. The commenter noted that the actual benefit to a U.S. ABTC 
holder is greater than the average calculated time savings of 43 
minutes per trip because travelers can save a significant amount of 
time by arriving at the airport later and by catching flights that they 
would have otherwise missed if not for the U.S. ABTC Program's fast-
track immigration clearance.
    Response: CBP believes the weighted average time savings of 
approximately 43 minutes is an appropriate estimate of the time savings 
a U.S. ABTC holder will receive when clearing foreign immigration 
services using the fast-track immigration lanes. To the extent that 
this estimate understates the time saved by U.S. ABTC holders, the 
benefits of the rule will be higher. Similarly, to the extent that U.S. 
ABTC holders are able to catch flights they would have otherwise missed 
due to lengthy immigration waits, the benefits of this rule will be 
higher.
4. Self-Certification
    Comment: One commenter asked that CBP ease the ``manner for 
determining business travel eligibility'' by allowing applicants to 
self-certify their status as a business traveler.

[[Page 84405]]

    Response: The U.S. ABTC Program already allows for such self-
certification. When applying for the U.S. ABTC, an applicant must 
complete and submit an application electronically through the GOES Web 
site. During the application process, the applicant is prompted to 
self-certify that he or she is a bona fide business person who is 
engaged in the trade of goods, the provision of services or the conduct 
of investment activities, or is a U.S. Government official actively 
engaged in APEC business, and that he or she is not a professional 
athlete, news correspondent, entertainer, musician, artist, or person 
engaged in a similar occupation. See 8 CFR 235.13(c)(2).

III. Conclusion--Regulatory Amendments

    After careful consideration of the comments received, CBP is 
adopting the interim regulations published May 13, 2014 as a final rule 
with the following two changes. First, CBP is changing the validity 
period of U.S. ABTCs from three years to five years based on revisions 
in the APEC Framework. Second, CBP is removing all references in the 
U.S. ABTC regulation to suspension from the program because CBP does 
not use suspension as a remedial action. Further details about these 
changes are discussed below. DHS believes that this rule is excluded 
from APA rulemaking requirements as a foreign affairs function of the 
United States pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(1) because it advances the 
President's foreign policy goal of facilitating business travel within 
the APEC region and allows the United States to fulfill its intent 
under the multilateral APEC Framework. Accordingly, these changes are 
exempt from notice and comment rulemaking generally required under 5 
U.S.C. 553.

A. Change in Validity Period

    The IFR provided that the U.S. ABTC is valid for three years or 
until the expiration date of the card holder's passport if that is 
earlier, provided participation is not terminated by CBP prior to the 
end of this period. See 8 CFR 235.13(c)(6). However, the IFR noted that 
any subsequent revisions to the APEC Framework that directly affect the 
U.S. ABTC may require regulatory changes.\5\
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    \5\ Footnote 11 of the IFR states, ``The current version of the 
APEC Framework is Version 17, agreed to on January 30, 2013. Any 
subsequent revisions to the APEC Framework that directly affect the 
U.S. ABTC may require a regulatory change''.
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    The most recent version of the APEC Framework (Version 19) extended 
the validity period of ABTCs to ``a maximum period of five years''. 
(APEC Framework 3.8.1). The Business Mobility Group (BMG), an APEC 
working group comprised of representatives from all member economies, 
is responsible for updating the APEC Framework. The BMG has indicated 
that the ABTC Program is on a trajectory towards requiring a five-year 
validity period for all ABTCs. Given the time constraints of some 
participating members' domestic procedures, however, the BMG 
acknowledges that it may take a significant amount of time for some 
members to be able to comply with this expectation. Accordingly, 
provision 3.8.1 of the APEC Framework allows for some variability in 
validity periods while member economies work towards reaching the goal 
of extending the validity period of new ABTCs to five years.
    In keeping with the United States' intent to follow APEC's 
operating principles and procedures, CBP is changing the validity 
period for U.S. ABTCs to five years. Accordingly, CBP is revising 8 CFR 
235.13(c)(6) by replacing ``3 years'' with ``five years''. Individuals 
who submit a U.S. ABTC application or renewal request on or after 
December 23, 2016 will be eligible to receive a U.S. ABTC with a five-
year validity period.\6\ This change in validity period does not apply 
to current U.S. ABTC holders, whose cards will remain valid only until 
the date printed on their card, subject to earlier revocation by CBP.
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    \6\ If the card holder's passport will expire before the end of 
the validity period, CBP will issue the U.S. ABTC with a shorter 
validity period that matches the passport expiration date. See 8 CFR 
235.13(c)(6).
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    CBP notes that this change in validity period will be beneficial to 
many new U.S. ABTC holders, as they will be able to avail themselves of 
the program for two additional years. The extension in validity period 
will also be beneficial to many U.S. ABTC holders in the event that 
Congress extends the APEC Act.\7\ Should the U.S. ABTC Program be 
extended, individuals who apply concurrently for the U.S. ABTC and a 
CBP trusted traveler program will be able to take advantage of a more 
streamlined renewal process. Currently, Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI 
memberships are all valid for a period of five years, whereas the U.S. 
ABTC Program membership is only valid for three years. Accordingly, 
individuals who apply for both programs concurrently must renew their 
U.S. ABTCs after three years, then renew their CBP trusted traveler 
program membership two years later. By extending the validity period of 
the U.S. ABTC to five years, these individuals will be able to initiate 
the renewal process for both programs at the same time.
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    \7\ The APEC Act authorizes the Secretary to issue U.S. ABTCs 
only through September 30, 2018. Unless the law is amended to extend 
that date, CBP will not issue any new U.S. ABTCs or renew any U.S. 
ABTCs after September 30, 2018. U.S. ABTC holders will retain their 
membership in the U.S. ABTC Program for the full validity period 
(even if the validity period extends past September 30, 2018) unless 
membership is revoked earlier.
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B. Removal of References to Suspension From the Program

    Although 8 CFR 235.13(f) addresses situations in which an applicant 
may be suspended or removed from the program, CBP no longer uses 
suspension as a remedial action. In the event that CBP action is 
necessary under 8 CFR 235.13, CBP removes the U.S. ABTC holder from the 
program. Accordingly, CBP is removing all references to ``suspension'' 
and ``suspended'' from Sec.  235.13(f) and from Sec.  235.13 (c), (g), 
and (h), which also refer to ``suspension'' and ``suspended''. This 
change is also in line with the APEC Framework, which provides for 
cancellation but not suspension of ABTCs.

IV. Statutory and Regulatory Requirements

A. Executive Order 13563 and Executive Order 12866

    Executive Orders 13563 and 12866 direct agencies to assess the 
costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, if 
regulation is necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize 
net benefits (including potential economic, environmental, public 
health and safety effects, distributive impacts, and equity). Executive 
Order 13563 emphasizes the importance of quantifying both costs and 
benefits, of reducing costs, of harmonizing rules, and of promoting 
flexibility. This rule is not a ``significant regulatory action,'' 
under section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866. Accordingly, the Office of 
Management and Budget has not reviewed this rule. CBP has prepared the 
following analysis to help inform stakeholders of the potential impacts 
of this final rule.
1. Synopsis
    This rule adopts as final the interim final rule establishing the 
U.S. ABTC Program with the following changes: It expands the validity 
period for new U.S. ABTCs and it removes all references to

[[Page 84406]]

suspension from the program.\8\ CBP largely adopts the economic 
analysis for the U.S. ABTC Program's IFR for this final rule. However, 
this final rule analysis incorporates recent changes to the IFR's U.S. 
ABTC validity period, applicant projections, application and renewal 
burdens, and program impacts.
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    \8\ 79 FR 27167, May 13, 2014.
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    Pursuant to the authorizing statute, the Secretary of Homeland 
Security is authorized to set a U.S. ABTC Program fee. CBP has 
determined that a $70 fee is necessary to recover its costs of 
administering the U.S. ABTC Program.\9\ As shown in Table 1, initial 
U.S. ABTC applicants incur the $70 U.S. ABTC fee and an opportunity 
cost associated with obtaining a U.S. ABTC. Because participation in a 
CBP trusted traveler program is a prerequisite for obtaining a U.S. 
ABTC, individuals who are not already members of such a program need to 
concurrently apply for a U.S. ABTC and a CBP trusted traveler program, 
and pay the programs' applicable fees. CBP assumes that individuals not 
already in a CBP trusted traveler program will choose to join Global 
Entry because it, like the U.S. ABTC Program, provides expedited 
clearance in the air environment. The application fee for Global Entry 
is currently $100.\10\ CBP estimates the opportunity cost to initially 
obtain a U.S. ABTC for those who are already members of a CBP trusted 
traveler program to be $73.69. CBP estimates the opportunity cost to 
initially obtain a U.S. ABTC for individuals who are not members of a 
CBP trusted traveler program to be $105.27. Accounting for application 
fees and opportunity costs, the total cost of initially obtaining a 
U.S. ABTC ranges from almost $144 for U.S. ABTC applicants who are 
already in a CBP trusted traveler program to $275 for U.S. ABTC 
applicants who are not already in a CBP trusted traveler program, as 
shown in Table 1. Table 1 also shows that the costs to renew U.S. ABTCs 
are much lower than these initial application costs. CBP will provide 
additional details about these estimates later in the analysis.
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    \9\ CBP performed a fee study to determine the yearly costs of 
the program and the cost to establish the program for all relevant 
parties. This fee study, entitled ``Asia-Pacific Economic 
Cooperation Business Travel Card Fee Study,'' is posted on the 
docket as supplemental materials on www.regulations.gov.
    \10\ 8 CFR 103.7.
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    The U.S. ABTC Program is a voluntary program that enables card 
holders to access fast-track immigration lanes at participating 
airports in the 20 other APEC member economies.\11\ CBP estimates that 
U.S. ABTC holders will experience a time savings of approximately 43 
minutes when clearing foreign immigration services using the fast-track 
immigration lanes.\12\ As the U.S. ABTC Program is voluntary, the 
perceived benefits of reduced wait time have to equal or exceed the 
cost of the program over five years (the new validity period of the 
U.S. ABTC) for new potential enrollees to determine whether the program 
is worthwhile. As discussed later in further detail, CBP estimates that 
a U.S. ABTC applicant who is already enrolled in a CBP trusted traveler 
program will need to take a minimum of four trips across the U.S. 
ABTC's five-year validity period for the benefits of the U.S. ABTC 
Program to exceed the costs associated with joining the program. 
Additionally, CBP estimates that a U.S. ABTC applicant who is not 
already a CBP trusted traveler member will need to take a minimum of 
six trips between the United States and an APEC economy over the five-
year validity period for the benefits of the U.S. ABTC Program to 
exceed the costs associated with joining the program. Current U.S. ABTC 
holders will need to take even fewer trips per year for the benefits of 
renewing their program memberships to outweigh the costs.
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    \11\ Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, ``Member Economies.'' 
Available at http://www.apec.org/About-Us/About-APEC/Member-Economies.aspx. Accessed July 8, 2015.
    \12\ Based on data from Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. 
``Reducing Business Travel Costs: The Success of APEC's Business 
Mobility Initiatives.'' November 2011. Available at http://publications.apec.org/publication-detail.php?pub_id=1214. Accessed 
May 23, 2012.

                                      Table 1--Total Cost by Applicant Type
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         Applicant type             Cost category            Initial costs                  Renewal costs
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U.S. ABTC Applicants Already in  U.S. ABTC Fee.....  $70..........................  $70
 a CBP Trusted Traveler Program. Global Entry Fee *  n/a..........................  n/a
                                 U.S. ABTC           $73.69 (1.17 hrs)............  $10.53 (0.17 hrs)
                                  Opportunity Cost
                                  [dagger].
                                                    ------------------------------------------------------------
    Total (rounded to nearest    ..................  $144.........................  $81
     $1).
U.S. ABTC Applicants Not         U.S. ABTC Fee.....  $70..........................  $70
 Already in a CBP Trusted        Global Entry Fee *  $100.........................  $100
 Traveler Program.               U.S. ABTC and       $105.27 (1.67 hrs)...........  $10.53 (0.17 hrs)
                                  Global Entry
                                  Opportunity Cost
                                  [dagger].
                                                    ------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Total (rounded   $275.........................  $181
                                     to nearest $1).
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* CBP anticipates that those U.S. ABTC applicants who must choose a CBP trusted traveler program when applying
  for the U.S. ABTC will choose to join Global Entry because, like the U.S. ABTC Program, Global Entry provides
  expedited clearance in the air environment.
[dagger] This value is based on the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) guidance regarding the valuation
  of travel time for business travelers in 2013 U.S. dollars, adjusted to 2017 U.S. dollars using the DOT's
  recommended annual growth rate of one percent. Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of
  Transportation Policy. The Value of Travel Time Savings: Departmental Guidance for Conducting Economic
  Evaluations Revision 2 (2015 Update). ``Table 4 (Revision 2-corrected): Recommended Hourly Values of Travel
  Time Savings.'' 2015. Available at http://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/docs/Revised%20Departmental%20Guidance%20on%20Valuation%20of%20Travel%20Time%20in%20Economic%20Analysis.pdf.
  Accessed February 16, 2016.
Note: There are two categories of U.S. ABTC applicants: Those who are already in a CBP trusted traveler program
  and those who are not. CBP does not consider the cost of joining a CBP trusted traveler program for those
  applicants who are already members of a CBP trusted traveler program. These applicants have already,
  independent of any decision to join the U.S. ABTC Program, determined that the benefits of a CBP trusted
  traveler program outweigh the costs associated with the program they have chosen to join.

2. Background
    The U.S. ABTC Program is a voluntary program that allows U.S. 
citizens with U.S. ABTCs to access fast-track immigration lanes at 
participating airports in the 20 other APEC member economies. In order 
to be eligible for a U.S. ABTC, a U.S. citizen is required to be a bona 
fide business person engaged in business in the APEC region or a U.S. 
Government official actively engaged in APEC business. Additionally, 
the U.S. ABTC applicant must be a member in good standing of a CBP 
trusted traveler

[[Page 84407]]

program or approved for membership in a CBP trusted traveler program 
during the U.S. ABTC application process. U.S. ABTC applicants who are 
not already CBP trusted traveler program members must also apply for 
membership to a CBP trusted traveler program with their U.S. ABTC 
application.\13\ Since the publication of the U.S. ABTC IFR, APEC 
members (including the United States) endorsed increasing the validity 
period of the ABTC to ``a maximum period of five years.'' However, 
APEC's BMG has indicated that the ABTC Program is on a trajectory 
towards requiring a five-year validity period for all ABTCs. In keeping 
with the United States' intent to follow APEC's operating principles 
and procedures, CBP is changing the validity period for U.S. ABTCs from 
three years to five years (or until the expiration date of the card 
holder's passport if that is earlier) through this rule. With this 
expansion, the U.S. ABTC's validity period will now match that of CBP's 
trusted traveler programs.
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    \13\ As stated in the U.S. ABTC IFR, CBP assumes that a U.S. 
ABTC applicant who is not already a member of a CBP trusted traveler 
program will concurrently apply for a CBP trusted traveler program 
and a U.S. ABTC.
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    Individuals who submit a U.S. ABTC application or renewal request 
on or after this final rule's effective date may be eligible to receive 
a U.S. ABTC with a five-year validity period. If the card holder's 
passport will expire before the end of the five-year validity period, 
CBP will issue the U.S. ABTC with a shorter validity period that 
matches the passport expiration date. If the card holder's CBP trusted 
traveler program membership expires during their U.S. ABTC's validity 
period, CBP may revoke the U.S. ABTC since membership in a CBP trusted 
traveler program is necessary for the entire duration of the U.S. ABTC. 
This change in validity period does not apply to current U.S. ABTC 
holders, whose cards will remain valid only until the date printed on 
their card, subject to earlier revocation by CBP. Similar to CBP 
trusted traveler programs, a U.S. ABTC holder will be required to renew 
his or her membership prior to expiration to continue enjoying the 
benefits of the program.
3. U.S. ABTC Applicant Categories
    There are two categories of initial U.S. ABTC applicants (i.e., 
individuals who are not renewing their U.S. ABTC membership) that CBP 
discusses separately in this analysis: Those who are already part of a 
CBP trusted traveler program and those who are not. This distinction is 
necessary because those applicants who are not already part of a CBP 
trusted traveler program will bear an additional opportunity cost and 
fee associated with applying for a CBP trusted traveler program to be 
eligible for a U.S. ABTC.
a. U.S. ABTC Applicants Who Are Already Members of a CBP Trusted 
Traveler Program
    If an initial U.S. ABTC applicant is already a member of a CBP 
trusted traveler program, the applicant will have to apply for a U.S. 
ABTC by self-certifying, via the GOES Web site, that: He or she is an 
existing member in good standing in a CBP trusted traveler program; he 
or she is either a bona fide U.S. business person engaged in business 
in the APEC region or a U.S. Government official actively engaged in 
APEC business; and he or she is not a professional athlete, news 
correspondent, entertainer, musician, artist, or person engaged in a 
similar occupation. In addition to the self-certification, the U.S. 
ABTC applicant will also be required to pay the U.S. ABTC fee via the 
GOES Web site and visit a CBP trusted traveler enrollment center in 
order for his or her signature to be digitally captured for the U.S. 
ABTC. CBP estimates that U.S. ABTC applicants will experience an 
opportunity cost of 10 minutes to complete the U.S. ABTC self-
certification, pay the U.S. ABTC fee, and have their signature 
digitally captured at an enrollment center.\14\ These applicants will 
also experience a one-hour opportunity cost to travel to and from an 
enrollment center and wait to have their signature digitally captured. 
For the purposes of this rule, CBP does not consider the costs or 
benefits of joining a CBP trusted traveler program as impacts of this 
rule for those U.S. ABTC Program applicants who are already members of 
a CBP trusted traveler program. These applicants have previously, 
independent of any decision to join the U.S. ABTC Program, determined 
that the benefits of a CBP trusted traveler program outweigh the costs 
associated with the program they have chosen to join. They have not 
chosen to join the U.S. ABTC Program as a direct result of this rule.
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    \14\ 80 FR 1650, January 13, 2015.
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b. U.S. ABTC Applicants Who Are Not Already Members of a CBP Trusted 
Traveler Program
    An initial U.S. ABTC applicant who is not already a member of a CBP 
trusted traveler program will be required to apply for a U.S. ABTC and 
a CBP trusted traveler program, and self-certify that: He or she has 
submitted an application to a CBP trusted traveler program; he or she 
is either a bona fide U.S. business person engaged in business in the 
APEC region or a U.S. Government official actively engaged in APEC 
business; and he or she is not a professional athlete, news 
correspondent, entertainer, musician, artist, or person engaged in a 
similar occupation. Because these applicants would not have joined a 
CBP trusted traveler program if not for the U.S. ABTC Program, CBP 
includes the costs and benefits for these applicants to join these 
programs in this analysis.
    CBP anticipates that those initial U.S. ABTC applicants who must 
choose a CBP trusted traveler program when applying for the U.S. ABTC 
Program will choose to join Global Entry because, like the U.S. ABTC 
Program, Global Entry provides expedited clearance in the air 
environment. As described in the Global Entry final rule, CBP estimates 
that a Global Entry applicant will experience an opportunity cost of 40 
minutes to complete the Global Entry application in GOES.\15\ When 
concurrently applying for a U.S. ABTC and Global Entry, CBP anticipates 
that the U.S. ABTC applicant will be able to complete the Global Entry 
application, complete the U.S. ABTC self-certification, schedule their 
required Global Entry enrollment interview, pay the program application 
fees, and have their signature digitally captured for the U.S. ABTC 
Program in the 40 minutes estimated for the Global Entry 
application.\16\ Based on the Global Entry final rule, CBP estimates 
that Global Entry applicants also applying for a U.S. ABTC will 
experience an opportunity cost of one hour to travel to and from a CBP 
trusted traveler enrollment center and undergo the required Global 
Entry interview.\17\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \15\ 77 FR 5681, February 6, 2012.
    \16\ As described above, the self-certification only entails 
certifying in GOES that the U.S. ABTC applicant is an existing 
member in good standing in a CBP trusted traveler program or that he 
or she has submitted an application to a CBP trusted traveler 
program; that he or she is either a bona fide U.S. business person 
engaged in business in the APEC region or a U.S. Government official 
actively engaged in APEC business; and that he or she is not a 
professional athlete, news correspondent, entertainer, musician, 
artist, or person engaged in a similar occupation.
    \17\ 77 FR 5681, February 6, 2012.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. Number of U.S. ABTC Applicants
    In the U.S. ABTC IFR, CBP projected that 12,750 U.S. citizens would 
enroll in the U.S. ABTC Program within the first three years of the 
program's start date based on National Center for Asia-

[[Page 84408]]

Pacific Economic Cooperation \18\ estimates.\19\ Between the U.S. ABTC 
IFR's effective date in FY 2014 and December 2015, CBP has received 
nearly 21,000 initial U.S. ABTC Program applications, exceeding the 
IFR's projections.\20\ Based on worldwide ABTC growth, CBP expects to 
receive new, initial U.S. ABTC applications past the first three years 
of the U.S. ABTC's implementation, which contrasts to the U.S. ABTC 
IFR's assumption that initial applicants would occur in only a three-
year period.\21\ To project U.S. ABTC application volumes following 
this final rule's implementation, CBP first uses the latest data 
available to determine a base value for future applications. During the 
first three months of FY 2016 (October 2015 to December 2015), CBP 
received 1,163 U.S. ABTC applications that corresponded to current CBP 
trusted traveler program members and 2,423 that did not.\22\ CBP then 
extrapolates this partial-year data to the full 2016 fiscal year by 
multiplying the three-month totals of historical FY 2016 application 
data according to the applicant type (1,163 for applicants already in a 
CBP trusted traveler program and 2,423 for applicants not already in a 
CBP trusted traveler program) and multiplying each of the totals by 4 
to account for 12 months, or a full year, of application volumes. 
Through this estimation method, CBP finds that 4,652 of the projected 
new, initial U.S. ABTC Program applications in FY 2016, the base year, 
will correspond to individuals who are already CBP trusted traveler 
program members, while 9,692 new, initial U.S. ABTC applications will 
correspond to individuals who are not already CBP trusted traveler 
program members (see Table 2).\23\ CBP chose to use extrapolated FY 
2016 data rather than the FY 2015 statistics as a base for future U.S. 
ABTC demand because the partial-year FY 2016 data indicated an increase 
in the second year of total U.S. ABTC applications, which is consistent 
with CBP expectations of program growth in this time period.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \18\ The National Center for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation 
is a U.S. business association focused on facilitating the private 
sector input into the APEC process.
    \19\ See http://csis.org/publication/why-us-approval-apec-business-travel-card-matters.
    \20\ The total U.S. ABTC applications figure represents 
applications received between the U.S. ABTC Program's interim 
effective date of June 12, 2014 through December 2015. Source: Email 
correspondence with CBP's Office of Field Operations on August 12, 
2015 and February 10, 2016.
    \21\ According to APEC, the ABTC ``has experienced significant 
growth in recent years. The number of active card users in the year 
to 30 June 2015 increased by more than 15 per cent, to over 190,000, 
compared to around 164,000 in mid-2014.'' Source: Asia-Pacific 
Economic Cooperation. ``APEC Business Travel Card to be Extended to 
Five Years from 1 September.'' 2015. Available at http://www.apecsec.org.sg/Press/News-Releases/2015/0728_ABTC.aspx. Accessed 
March 3, 2016.
    \22\ Source: Email correspondence with CBP's Office of Field 
Operations on February 10, 2016.
    \23\ 1,163 U.S. ABTC applications corresponding to individuals 
who are already in a trusted traveler program received during first 
three months of fiscal year 2016 x 4 = 4,652. 2,423 U.S. ABTC 
applications corresponding to individuals who are not already in a 
trusted traveler program received during first three months of 
fiscal year 2016 x 4 = 9,692.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Given the newness of the U.S. ABTC Program and its subsequently 
limited historical data available to establish a specific longer term 
growth rate in U.S. ABTC applications, CBP assumes that the total 
number of U.S. ABTC applications projected for FY 2016 will remain the 
same for FY 2017 and FY 2018. Accordingly, CBP estimates that 4,652 
new, initial U.S. ABTC Program applications each year from individuals 
who are already CBP trusted traveler program members and 9,692 new, 
initial U.S. ABTC applications from individuals who are not already CBP 
trusted traveler program members (see Table 2). In accordance with the 
U.S. ABTC's authorizing law, CBP does not plan to issue any new U.S. 
ABTCs or renew any U.S. ABTCs after September 30, 2018, the end of FY 
2018. Unless the law is amended to extend the duration of U.S. ABTC 
issuance, all U.S. ABTCs will expire within a five-year validity period 
lasting up to September 29, 2023. Therefore, CBP does not forecast any 
new applications beyond FY 2018 and assumes that no new U.S. ABTCs will 
be issued thereafter for the purposes of this analysis. Table 2 
presents the historical and projected initial applications for the U.S. 
ABTC Program. As Table 2 shows, CBP estimates that almost 61,000 U.S. 
citizens will initially apply for the U.S. ABTC Program during the 
period of analysis spanning from FY 2014 through FY 2018, with 21,000 
applicants already possessing a CBP trusted traveler program membership 
and 40,000 applicants not already CBP trusted traveler program members. 
CBP assumes that each application signifies a single, unique applicant.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \24\ Although the accompanying U.S. ABTC fee study includes 
CBP's costs related to the processing and printing of 5,000 Canadian 
ABTCs, CBP excludes these costs from this analysis because Canadian 
ABTC enrollees are not members of the U.S. ABTC Program and CBP is 
reimbursed for the costs associated with processing their 
applications.

   Table 2--Historical and Projected Numbers of U.S. ABTC Applicants Already and Not Already in a CBP Trusted
                                              Traveler Program \24\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    Number of
                                                                  initial U.S.      Number of
                                                                      ABTC         initial U.S.
                                                                   applicants    ABTC applicants   Total initial
                          Fiscal year                             already in a    Not already in     U.S. ABTC
                                                                   CBP trusted    a CBP trusted    applications
                                                                    traveler         traveler
                                                                     program         program
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2014 *.........................................................           2,126           2,477            4,603
2015...........................................................           4,976           8,138           13,114
2016 **........................................................           4,652           9,692           14,344
2017 ***.......................................................           4,652           9,692           14,344
2018 ***.......................................................           4,652           9,692           14,344
                                                                ------------------------------------------------
    Total......................................................          21,058          39,691           60,749
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Partial year of historical data spanning from the U.S. ABTC Program's effective date of June 12, 2014 to the
  end of FY 2014.
** Estimate based on historical data spanning from start of October 2015 to December 2015 and data extrapolated
  for the remaining months of FY 2016.
*** Projection.


[[Page 84409]]

    Although CBP received nearly 21,000 initial U.S. ABTC applications 
between June 2014 and December 2015, the agency only processed around 
18,000 applications during that time period. Of those applications 
processed, CBP approved 88 percent on average.\25\ During FY 2016, and 
before the implementation of this final rule and its establishment of a 
new U.S. ABTC validity period in FY 2017, CBP assumes that the agency 
will process the backlog of U.S. ABTC Program applications as well as 
new applications submitted in FY 2016. This would result in the 
processing of 17,370 initial U.S. ABTC applications in FY 2016. CBP 
also assumes that the agency will approve 88 percent of these 
applications, which would bring the total U.S. ABTC Program membership 
up to 28,303 by the end of FY 2016 (see Table 3). For initial U.S. ABTC 
applications received from FY 2017 to FY 2018, CBP assumes that it 
would maintain a processing rate equal to its projected application 
rate, with 14,344 U.S. ABTC applications received and processed each 
year. Among the projected applications processed between FY 2017 and FY 
2018, CBP believes that 88 percent will receive approvals based on the 
historical U.S. ABTC application approval rate. Thus, about 25,000 new 
individuals will become members of the U.S. ABTC Program from FY 2017 
to FY 2018, as Table 3 illustrates. CBP assumes that these 25,000 
individuals will generally receive U.S. ABTCs with five-year validity 
rates and maintain their program membership for the full validity 
period.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \25\ From June 2014 through December 2015, CBP approved 15,854 
U.S. ABTC applications and denied 2,166 U.S. ABTC applications, for 
an approval rate of 88 percent. Source: Email correspondence with 
CBP's Office of Field Operations on August 12, 2015 and February 10, 
2016.

                 Table 3--Projected Number of Initial U.S. ABTC Membership Approvals and Denials
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    Number of
                                                                  initial U.S.
                                                                      ABTC          Number of
                                                                  applications     initial U.S.    Total initial
                          Fiscal year                               approved           ABTC          U.S. ABTC
                                                                   (i.e., new      applications    applications
                                                                    U.S. ABTC         denied         processed
                                                                     program
                                                                    members)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2014 *.........................................................           2,619             273            2,892
2015...........................................................          10,398           1,401           11,799
2016 **........................................................          15,286           2,084           17,370
2017 ***.......................................................          12,623           1,721           14,344
2018 ***.......................................................          12,623           1,721           14,344
                                                                ------------------------------------------------
    Total......................................................          53,549           7,200           60,749
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Partial year of historical data spanning from the U.S. ABTC Program's effective date of June 12, 2014 to the
  end of FY 2014.
** Estimate based on historical data spanning from start of October 2015 to December 2015 and data extrapolated
  for the remaining months of FY 2016.
*** Projection.
Note: Estimates may not sum to total due to rounding.

    Without complete data on the number of approved U.S. ABTC 
applications that corresponded to existing CBP trusted traveler program 
members, CBP assumes that all of the U.S. ABTC applications submitted 
between FY 2014 and FY 2018 from individuals already in a CBP trusted 
traveler program will correspond to an approved application in those 
respective application years. CBP assumes this because these applicants 
have already been approved for a trusted traveler program (see Table 
2). The remaining U.S. ABTC applications approved during the period of 
analysis will correspond to individuals who concurrently applied, or 
will concurrently apply, for the U.S. ABTC program and a CBP trusted 
traveler program. Table 4 summarizes the number of new, initial U.S. 
ABTC applications approved according to applicants' CBP trusted 
traveler membership statuses. As illustrated, CBP estimates that 21,000 
initial U.S. ABTC members are expected to already be CBP trusted 
traveler program members prior to applying for a U.S. ABTC between FY 
2014 and FY 2018, while 32,000 are not expected to be current members 
of a CBP trusted traveler program during that period (see Table 4).

    Table 4--Projected Number of U.S. ABTC Applications Approved for Members Already and Not Already in a CBP
                                            Trusted Traveler Program
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    Number of       Number of
                                                                  initial U.S.     initial U.S.    Total initial
                                                                      ABTC             ABTC          U.S. ABTC
                                                                  applications     applications    applications
                                                                  approved for     approved for      approved
                          Fiscal year                                members       members Not      (i.e., U.S.
                                                                  already in a     already in a    ABTC program
                                                                   CBP trusted     CBP trusted    members) (from
                                                                    traveler         traveler        Table 3)
                                                                     program         program
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2014 *.........................................................           2,126             493            2,619
2015...........................................................           4,976           5,422           10,398
2016 **........................................................           4,652          10,634           15,286

[[Page 84410]]

 
2017 ***.......................................................           4,652           7,971           12,623
2018 ***.......................................................           4,652           7,971           12,623
                                                                ------------------------------------------------
    Total......................................................          21,058          32,491           53,549
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Partial year of historical data spanning from the U.S. ABTC Program's effective date of June 12, 2014 to the
  end of FY 2014.
** Estimate based on historical data spanning from start of October 2015 to December 2015 and data extrapolated
  for the remaining months of FY 2016.
*** Projection.
Note: Estimates may not sum to total due to rounding.

    As previously mentioned, the statute authorizing U.S. ABTC issuance 
currently expires at the end of FY 2018. Consistent with the U.S. ABTC 
IFR, CBP estimates that the 2,619 members approved for the U.S. ABTC 
Program in FY 2014 will renew their memberships in FY 2017 upon the 
expiration of their three-year validity periods (see Table 4). 
Likewise, CBP estimates that the 10,398 members approved for the U.S. 
ABTC Program in FY 2015 will renew their memberships in FY 2018 upon 
the expiration of their three-year validity periods (see Table 4). For 
continued program use after FY 2018, CBP estimates that the 15,286 U.S. 
ABTC applicants approved in FY 2016 will renew their U.S. ABTC Program 
memberships in FY 2018 before their initial U.S. ABTC validity periods 
end (see Table 4). As stated in the U.S. ABTC IFR, it is possible that 
individuals initially approved for the U.S. ABTC Program will change to 
a job function that does not require conducting APEC business, making 
them ineligible for a U.S. ABTC. In these cases, CBP assumes that the 
individual's replacement in that position will enroll in the U.S. ABTC 
Program, in lieu of the original enrollee, in order to benefit from the 
expedited immigration process while visiting APEC member economies. Due 
to the short timeframe between this final rule's implementation and the 
expiration of the U.S. ABTC Program, CBP does not believe that 
individuals who enroll in the U.S. ABTC Program between FY 2017 and FY 
2018 will renew their memberships during the period of analysis. This 
is because CBP thinks it is unlikely that these individuals will incur 
U.S. ABTC application fees and time costs to get less than two years of 
additional U.S. ABTC use.
    Table 5 shows the projected number of U.S. ABTC members who will 
renew their U.S. ABTC Program memberships during the period of analysis 
according to their current CBP trusted traveler program membership 
status. As illustrated, all 28,303 U.S. ABTC applicants approved for 
memberships prior to FY 2017 will renew their U.S. ABTC memberships by 
FY 2018's end. In accordance with this rule's extended U.S. ABTC 
validity period, these members will generally receive U.S. ABTCs that 
will expire within a five-year validity period lasting up to September 
29, 2023. For simplicity of the analysis, CBP counts both the original 
U.S. ABTC holder who renews and any replacement applicants, if 
applicable, as a renewal in Table 5. Note that renewals are not 
forecasted beyond FY 2018 because the statute authorizing the U.S. ABTC 
expires at the end of that year.

 Table 5--Projected Number of U.S. ABTC Program Membership Renewals for Members Already and Not Already in a CBP
                                            Trusted Traveler Program
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                  Number of U.S.
                                                                 Number of U.S.   ABTC  renewals
                                                                 ABTC  renewals    from members
                                                                  from members    Not previously    Total U.S.
                          Fiscal year                             previously in      in a CBP     ABTC  renewals
                                                                  a CBP trusted      trusted
                                                                    traveler         traveler
                                                                     program         program
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2014...........................................................  ..............  ...............  ..............
2015...........................................................  ..............  ...............  ..............
2016 **........................................................  ..............  ...............  ..............
2017 ***.......................................................           2,126             493            2,619
2018 ***.......................................................           9,628          16,056           25,684
                                                                ------------------------------------------------
    Total......................................................          11,754          16,549           28,303
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
** Estimate based on historical data spanning from start of October 2015 to December 2015 and data extrapolated
  for the remaining months of FY 2016.
*** Projection.
Note: Estimates may not sum to total due to rounding.


[[Page 84411]]

5. Costs
    CBP has determined that a $70 fee is necessary to recover its costs 
associated with the U.S. ABTC Program. These costs include the cost to 
issue the U.S. ABTCs and the information technology infrastructure 
costs, initial and recurring, required to run the U.S. ABTC 
Program.\26\ In addition to the U.S. ABTC fee, initial U.S. ABTC 
applicants will also experience an opportunity cost associated with 
obtaining a U.S. ABTC. As previously discussed, CBP estimates that new, 
initial U.S. ABTC applicants who are already members of a CBP trusted 
traveler program will experience a 1 hour and 10-minute (70-minute) 
application-related opportunity cost, while U.S. ABTC applicants who 
are not already members of a CBP trusted traveler program will 
experience a 1 hour and 40-minute (100-minute) application-related 
opportunity cost. U.S. ABTC applicants who are not already members of a 
CBP trusted traveler program are required to pay another fee to join 
the U.S. ABTC Program--the $100 application fee associated with the 
Global Entry program.\27\ The Department of Transportation's guidance 
on the valuation of travel time for air passengers estimates a business 
traveler's value to be $63.16 per hour.\28\ Using this estimate as well 
as the opportunity cost and fees just described, CBP estimates that it 
will cost a new, initial U.S. ABTC applicant who is already a CBP 
trusted traveler program member approximately $144 to join the U.S. 
ABTC Program.\29\ For new, initial U.S. ABTC applicants who are not 
already members of a CBP trusted traveler program, CBP estimates that 
it will cost approximately $275 to join the U.S. ABTC Program.\30\ By 
applying the U.S. ABTC applicant projections according to CBP trusted 
traveler program membership statuses (see Table 2) to their respective 
U.S. ABTC application costs ($144 for applicants already in a CBP 
trusted traveler program and $275 for applicants not already in a CBP 
trusted traveler program), CBP finds that new, initial U.S. ABTC 
applicants have incurred or will incur undiscounted costs totaling 
$13.9 million during this rule's period of analysis (see Table 6).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \26\ The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Card 
Fee Study is posted in the docket for this rulemaking on 
www.regulations.gov.
    \27\ As previously discussed, CBP anticipates U.S. ABTC 
applicants who are not already members of a CBP trusted traveler 
program will join the Global Entry program.
    \28\ As previously mentioned, this value is based on the U.S. 
Department of Transportation's (DOT) guidance regarding the 
valuation of travel time for business travelers in 2013 U.S. 
dollars, adjusted to 2017 U.S. dollars using the DOT's recommended 
annual growth rate of one percent. Source: U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Office of Transportation Policy. The Value of Travel 
Time Savings: Departmental Guidance for Conducting Economic 
Evaluations Revision 2 (2015 Update). ``Table 4 (Revision 2-
corrected): Recommended Hourly Values of Travel Time Savings.'' 
2015. Available at http://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/docs/Revised%20Departmental%20Guidance%20on%20Valuation%20of%20Travel%20Time%20in%20Economic%20Analysis.pdf. Accessed February 16, 2016.
    \29\ $63.16 x (70 minutes/60 minutes per hour) = $73.69; $73.69 
+ $70 U.S. ABTC fee = $143.69, or $144 when rounded to the nearest 
dollar. CBP estimates that U.S. ABTC applicants who are already in a 
CBP trusted traveler program will experience an opportunity cost of 
10 minutes to complete a self-certification, schedule an appointment 
at an enrollment center, and have their signature digitally 
captured. Additionally, CBP estimates these applicants will 
experience an opportunity cost of 1 hour (60 minutes) to travel to 
and from an enrollment center and wait to have their signature 
digitally captured. In total, CBP estimates U.S. ABTC applicants who 
are already members of a CBP trusted traveler program will 
experience an opportunity cost of 70 minutes with this rule.
    \30\ $63.16 x (100 minutes/60 minutes per hour) = $105.27; 
$105.27 + $100 Global Entry program fee + $70 U.S. ABTC fee = 
$275.27, or $275 when rounded to the nearest dollar. CBP estimates 
that U.S. ABTC applicants who are not already in a CBP trusted 
traveler program will experience an opportunity cost of 40 minutes 
to complete the Global Entry application and the U.S. ABTC self-
certification, schedule their required Global Entry enrollment 
interview, pay the program application fees, and have their 
signature digitally captured for the U.S. ABTC Program. 
Additionally, CBP estimates these applicants will experience an 
opportunity cost of 1 hour (60 minutes) to travel to and from an 
enrollment center and complete the interview for Global Entry. In 
total, CBP estimates U.S. ABTC applicants who are not already 
members of a CBP trusted traveler program will experience an 
opportunity cost of 100 minutes with this rule.

                     Table 6--U.S. ABTC Program Application Costs to New, Initial Applicants
                                                 [Undiscounted]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Total                            Total
                                                   Number of       application      Number of       application
                                                  initial U.S.    cost for U.S.    initial U.S.    cost for U.S.
                                                ABTC applicants       ABTC       ABTC applicants       ABTC
                  Fiscal year                     already in a     applicants     Not already in  applicants Not
                                                  CBP trusted     already in a    a CBP trusted    already in a
                                                    traveler       CBP trusted       traveler       CBP trusted
                                                    program         traveler         program         traveler
                                                                     program                          program
                                                           (A)       ($144 x A)             (B)       ($275 x B)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2014..........................................           2,126         $306,144           2,477         $681,175
2015..........................................           4,976          716,544           8,138        2,237,950
2016..........................................           4,652          669,888           9,692        2,665,300
2017..........................................           4,652          669,888           9,692        2,665,300
2018..........................................           4,652          669,888           9,692        2,665,300
                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.....................................          21,058        3,032,352          39,691       10,915,025
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As mentioned earlier, CBP estimates that 28,303 U.S. ABTC 
applicants approved for memberships prior to FY 2017 will successfully 
renew their U.S. ABTC memberships by FY 2018's end (see Table 5). 
However, these members will incur different renewal costs according to 
their initial CBP trusted traveler program membership status. U.S. ABTC 
members already in a CBP trusted traveler program must complete the 
U.S. ABTC application (i.e., a self-certification) and pay the U.S. 
ABTC fee using GOES to renew their U.S. ABTC membership. These members 
will spend an estimated 10 minutes completing such renewal steps, at an 
opportunity cost of $10.53 per renewal.\31\ This contrasts to the IFR's 
analysis, which assumed that individuals would incur the same time 
burden when initially

[[Page 84412]]

applying for or renewing a U.S. ABTC. Because the U.S. ABTC Program's 
initial digital signature capture requirement is generally not 
necessary for program membership renewal, CBP no longer believes that 
the time burdens to apply for and renew U.S. ABTC applications are the 
same. With U.S. ABTC renewals, members will not have to travel to a CBP 
trusted traveler enrollment center to have their signature digitally 
captured, thus decreasing their renewal burden assumed in the IFR. 
Along with the $10.53 renewal opportunity cost, U.S. ABTC applicants 
who were already members of a CBP trusted traveler program will be 
required to pay the $70 U.S. ABTC fee upon membership renewal, for a 
total U.S. ABTC renewal cost of approximately $81.\32\ Note that CBP 
does not consider the costs for current CBP trusted traveler program 
members to renew their CBP trusted traveler program memberships because 
they would presumably incur those costs even in the absence of this 
rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \31\ $63.16 hourly time for business traveler x (10 minutes/60 
minutes per hour) = $10.53.
    \32\ $10.53 opportunity cost to renew U.S. ABTC Program 
membership + $70 U.S. ABTC fee = $80.53, or $81 when rounded to the 
nearest dollar.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Although CBP's trusted traveler program and U.S. ABTC Program 
validity periods previously differed (five years vs. three years for 
memberships approved before FY 2017), CBP continues to assume for the 
simplicity of this analysis that U.S. ABTC applicants who joined a CBP 
trusted traveler program exclusively for the ability to obtain a U.S. 
ABTC will concurrently renew their U.S. ABTC and trusted traveler 
program memberships during the period of analysis. As such, CBP 
believes that to renew their U.S. ABTC memberships, U.S. ABTC members 
not previously in a CBP trusted traveler program will concurrently 
complete the U.S. ABTC application (i.e., a self-certification), Global 
Entry renewal, and pay the U.S. ABTC and Global Entry fees using GOES. 
These members will spend an estimated 10 minutes completing such 
renewal steps, at an opportunity cost of $10.53 per renewal.\33\ This 
burden contrasts to the IFR's analysis, which assumed that individuals 
would incur the same time burden when initially applying for or 
renewing a U.S. ABTC. Because the initial CBP trusted traveler program 
interview and the U.S. ABTC Program's digital signature capture 
requirements are generally not necessary for program membership 
renewals, CBP no longer believes that the time burdens to apply for and 
renew U.S. ABTC applications are the same. With U.S. ABTC renewals, 
members will not have to travel to a CBP trusted traveler enrollment 
center to have their signature digitally captured or undergo another 
interview, thus decreasing their renewal burden assumed in the IFR. 
Individuals concurrently renewing their U.S. ABTC and Global Entry 
memberships will also be required to pay the $70 U.S. ABTC fee and the 
$100 fee associated with the Global Entry program, for a total U.S. 
ABTC and Global Entry membership renewal cost of about $181.\34\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \33\ $63.16 hourly time for business traveler x (10 minutes/60 
minutes per hour) = $10.53.
    \34\ $10.53 opportunity cost to concurrently renew U.S. ABTC and 
Global Entry Program memberships + $100 Global Entry program fee + 
$70 U.S. ABTC fee = $180.53, or $181 when rounded to the nearest 
dollar.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    By applying the U.S. ABTC renewal projections according to CBP 
trusted traveler program membership statuses (see Table 5) to their 
respective U.S. ABTC membership renewal costs ($81 for applicants 
already in a CBP trusted traveler program and $181 for applicants not 
already in a CBP trusted traveler program), CBP finds that U.S. ABTC 
Program members will incur a total undiscounted cost of $3.9 million to 
renew their memberships during the period of analysis (see Table 7).

                               Table 7--U.S. ABTC Program Renewal Costs to Members
                                                 [Undiscounted]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                   Number of      Total renewal     Number of      Total renewal
                                                 renewals from      cost for      renewals from      cost from
                                                    members          members       members Not      members Not
                  Fiscal year                   previously in a   previously in  previously in a   previously in
                                                  CBP trusted     a CBP trusted    CBP trusted     a CBP trusted
                                                    traveler        traveler         traveler        traveler
                                                    program          program         program          program
                                                           (A)        ($81 x A)             (B)       ($181 x B)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2014..........................................  ...............  ..............  ...............  ..............
2015..........................................  ...............  ..............  ...............  ..............
2016..........................................  ...............  ..............  ...............  ..............
2017..........................................           2,126         $172,206             493          $89,233
2018..........................................           9,628          779,868          16,056        2,906,136
                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.....................................          11,754          952,074          16,549        2,995,369
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Accounting for initial application and renewal costs, the total 
undiscounted cost of this rule is $17.9 million. In present value 
terms, the overall cost of this rule will range from approximately 
$18.1 million to $18.3 million from FY 2014 to FY 2018 (see Table 8). 
The total annualized cost of this rule over the period of analysis will 
equal between $3.4 million and $3.5 million. These estimates vary 
according to the discount rate applied.

              Table 8--Total Cost of Rule, FY 2014-FY 2018
                           [2017 U.S. dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                            3% Discount     7% Discount
                                               rate            rate
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Present Value Cost......................     $18,061,855     $18,319,248

[[Page 84413]]

 
Annualized Cost.........................       3,504,094       3,408,535
------------------------------------------------------------------------

6. Benefits
    As stated earlier, the U.S. ABTC Program will enable card holders 
to access fast-track immigration lanes at participating airports in the 
20 other APEC member economies. Although the ABTC Program is relatively 
new for U.S. citizens, it is a well-established program for the other 
APEC member economies. In an effort to quantify the benefits of the 
ABTC, APEC commissioned the report ``Reducing Business Travel Costs: 
The Success of APEC's Business Mobility Initiatives'' (APEC 
Report).\35\ The APEC Report quantified seven key performance 
indicators, one of which quantifies the time savings an ABTC holder 
receives by using its fast-track immigration lanes. As shown in Table 
9, the time savings each member economy's ABTC holders receive can vary 
greatly. Like in the U.S. ABTC IFR, CBP believes the weighted average 
time savings of approximately 43 minutes is an appropriate estimate of 
the time savings a U.S. ABTC holder will receive when clearing foreign 
immigration services using the fast-track immigration lanes. To the 
extent that our estimate understates the time saved by U.S. ABTC 
holders, the benefits of the rule will be higher. Similarly, to the 
extent that U.S. ABTC holders are able to catch flights they would have 
otherwise missed due to lengthy immigration waits, the benefits of this 
rule will be higher.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \35\ Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. ``Reducing Business 
Travel Costs: The Success of APEC's Business Mobility Initiatives.'' 
November 2011. Available at http://publications.apec.org/publication-detail.php?pub_id=1214. Accessed May 23, 2012.

   Table 9--Key Performance Indicator 4--Total Time Savings Clearing Immigration at the Border by ABTC Holders
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                   Average time                     Total time
                                                                   savings/ABTC    ABTC holders     savings by
                             Economy                                  holder          (2011)       ABTC holders
                                                                     (minutes)                       (minutes)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Australia.......................................................           46.52          24,286       1,129,713
Brunei Darussalam...............................................           32.81              43           1,411
Chile...........................................................           49.33             416          20,520
China...........................................................           38.74           3,895         150,882
Hong Kong China.................................................           26.28          10,659         280,137
Indonesia.......................................................            60.2           1,495          90,003
Japan...........................................................           51.49           2,541         130,840
South Korea.....................................................           43.26           8,422         364,351
Malaysia........................................................           66.19           4,140         274,043
Mexico..........................................................          103.51             185          19,149
New Zealand.....................................................           48.11           6,538         314,527
Papua New Guinea................................................           27.03              22             595
Peru............................................................           40.78           1,277          52,082
Philippines.....................................................           45.22             476          21,525
Singapore.......................................................           64.15           8,137         522,013
Thailand........................................................           28.94           5,564         161,006
Vietnam.........................................................           24.29           8,730         212,011
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................             n/a          86,826       3,744,808
    Weighted Average............................................           43.13             n/a             n/a
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. ``Reducing Business Travel Costs: The Success of APEC's Business
  Mobility Initiatives.'' October 2011. Available at http://publications.apec.org/publication-detail.php?pub_id=1214. Accessed May 23, 2012.

    As previously discussed, the DOT's guidance regarding the valuation 
of travel time estimates a business air traveler's value to be $63.16 
per hour. Using this hourly time value and the 43 minutes in time 
savings from the ABTC per trip, CBP estimates each U.S. ABTC holder 
will save approximately $45 per visit to an APEC member economy.\36\ In 
addition to the time savings per trip to an APEC member economy, CBP 
estimates a new, initial U.S. ABTC applicant who is not already a CBP 
trusted traveler member will also save an additional 7 minutes on net, 
or $7 in opportunity costs, by using a Global Entry kiosk for expedited 
CBP clearance upon returning to the United States from an APEC 
economy.\37\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \36\ $63.16 x (43 minutes/60 minutes per hour) = $45.26, or $45 
when rounded to the nearest dollar.
    \37\ $63.16 x (7 minutes/60 minutes per hour) = $7.37, or $7 
when rounded to the nearest dollar. Source: 77 FR 5681, February 6, 
2012.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

7. Net Benefits
    Because participation in the U.S. ABTC Program is voluntary, the 
perceived benefits of its reduced wait times have to equal or exceed 
the cost of the program over five years for potential enrollees to 
determine whether or not the program is worthwhile to join. As 
previously discussed, CBP estimates that each U.S. ABTC holder will 
save approximately $45 per trip by using the fast-track immigration 
lanes in foreign APEC member economies. Although CBP is unable to 
estimate the number of trips each individual U.S. ABTC holder will

[[Page 84414]]

take to an APEC member economy, CBP can estimate the minimum number of 
trips a U.S. ABTC holder will have to take over the five-year U.S. ABTC 
validity period for the benefits of initial U.S. ABTC membership to 
equal or exceed the costs of initially obtaining a U.S. ABTC by using 
the estimated savings per trip ($45) previously described. CBP 
estimates that a new, initial U.S ABTC applicant who is already 
enrolled in a CBP trusted traveler program will need to take a minimum 
of four trips between the United States and an APEC member economy over 
five years for the benefits of the U.S. ABTC Program to exceed the 
costs associated with joining the program.\38\ Accounting for the $45 
in time savings per trip to an APEC member economy and the $7 in time 
savings by using a Global Entry kiosk for expedited CBP clearance upon 
returning to the United States from an APEC economy, CBP estimates that 
a new, initial U.S. ABTC applicant who is not already a CBP trusted 
traveler member will need to take a minimum of six trips between the 
United States and an APEC member economy over five years for the 
benefits of the U.S. ABTC Program to exceed the costs associated with 
joining the program and Global Entry.\39\ Current U.S. ABTC holders 
will need to take even fewer trips per year for the benefits of 
renewing their program memberships to outweigh the costs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \38\ (Rounded) $143 U.S. ABTC opportunity cost and fee/$45 
savings per trip = 3.2 trips.
    \39\ (Rounded) $45 fast-track immigration clearance savings + $7 
expedited CBP clearance savings from Global Entry = $52 U.S. ABTC 
holder savings; (Rounded) $274 U.S. ABTC and Global Entry 
opportunity cost and fees/$52 U.S. ABTC holder savings = 5.3 trips.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

B. The Regulatory Flexibility Act

    This section examines the impact of the rule on small entities as 
required by the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et. seq.), as 
amended by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 
1996. A small entity may be a small business (defined as any 
independently owned and operated business not dominant in its field 
that qualifies as a small business per the Small Business Act); a small 
not-for-profit organization; or a small governmental jurisdiction 
(locality with fewer than 50,000 people). Although this rule regulates 
people and not businesses, a U.S. citizen is required to be either a 
bona fide U.S. business person engaged in business in the APEC region 
or a U.S. Government official actively engaged in APEC business in 
order to qualify for a U.S. ABTC. Therefore, CBP has considered the 
impact of this rule on small entities.
    The U.S. ABTC Program is voluntary and has an initial application 
cost of approximately $144 if a U.S. ABTC applicant is a current member 
of a CBP trusted traveler program or approximately $275 if a U.S. ABTC 
applicant must concurrently apply for a U.S. ABTC and a CBP trusted 
traveler program. While the U.S. ABTC applicant will bear the cost 
associated with obtaining a U.S. ABTC, a business may voluntarily 
reimburse the applicant for the fee and his or her opportunity cost. 
CBP cannot estimate the number of small entities that will voluntarily 
reimburse its employees. CBP recognizes that it is possible that a 
substantial number of small entities will be impacted by this 
regulation. However, CBP does not believe an application cost of either 
$144 or $275, depending on whether a U.S. ABTC applicant is currently 
enrolled in a CBP trusted traveler program, constitutes a significant 
economic impact. Moreover, as previously discussed, each U.S. ABTC 
holder will save approximately 43 minutes, or approximately $45 in 
opportunity costs, per trip, while new, initial U.S. ABTC applicants 
who are not already CBP trusted traveler members will also save an 
additional 7 minutes on net, or $7 in opportunity costs, by using a 
Global Entry kiosk for expedited CBP clearance upon returning to the 
United States from an APEC economy. U.S. ABTC Program members can 
dedicate these time savings to productive, APEC business-related use. 
After approximately four or six trips to an APEC member economy, the 
benefits of an ABTC will exceed the full cost of obtaining a U.S. ABTC 
(fees + opportunity costs). CBP also notes that a one-time expense of 
$144 or $275, depending on whether the U.S. ABTC applicant is already 
enrolled in a CBP trusted traveler program, is a fraction of the cost 
of frequent trans-Pacific travel. Thus, CBP certifies this regulation 
will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of 
small entities. CBP received no public comments challenging this 
certification.

C. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995

    This rule will not result in the expenditure by State, local, and 
tribal governments, in the aggregate, or by the private sector, of $100 
million or more in any one year, and it will not significantly or 
uniquely affect small governments. Therefore, no actions are necessary 
under the provisions of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995.

D. Executive Order 13132

    The rule will not have substantial direct effects on the States, on 
the relationship between the National Government and the States, or on 
the distribution of power and responsibilities among the various levels 
of government. Therefore, in accordance with section 6 of Executive 
Order 13132, this rule does not have sufficient federalism implications 
to warrant the preparation of a federalism summary impact statement.

E. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The collections of information in this document will be submitted 
for review by OMB in accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3507) under control number 1651-0121. An 
agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to 
respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid 
control number assigned by OMB. The collections of information in these 
regulations are contained in Title 8, Part 235 of the CFR. The 
revisions to OMB clearance 1651-0121 for the U.S. ABTC Program 
application \40\ reflect the following changes:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \40\ Source: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Customs and 
Border Protection. Supporting Statement for Paperwork Reduction Act 
Submission: 1651-0121, Trusted Traveler Programs and U.S. APEC 
Business Travel Card. September 2015. Available at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewDocument?ref_nbr=201509-1651-002. 
Accessed March 29, 2016.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    U.S. ABTC Applications: \41\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \41\ CBP estimates that a total of 14,344 applicants will 
initially apply for U.S. ABTC Program membership each year (see 
``Executive Order 13563 and Executive Order 12866'' section, Table 
2-- ``Total Initial U.S. ABTC Applications'' in FY 2017). However, 
as described in the ``Executive Order 13563 and Executive Order 
12866'' section above, an estimated 4,652 of these applicants will 
already be current CBP trusted traveler program members, while 9,692 
will not. Because the U.S. ABTC Program application requirements 
differ according to an applicant's CBP trusted traveler program 
membership status, the U.S. ABTC application time burdens for 
individuals will differ. The estimated 4,652 U.S. ABTC applicants 
who are already CBP trusted traveler program members will incur a 
time burden of 10 minutes to complete the U.S. ABTC self-
certification and have their signature digitally captured at a CBP 
trusted traveler enrollment center for their U.S. ABTC application. 
These U.S. ABTC application estimates account for the 4,652 
individuals who are already in a CBP trusted traveler program and 
their related U.S. ABTC application burdens. CBP considers the 
remaining additional burden to the 9,692 individuals who will 
concurrently apply for an initial U.S. ABTC and a CBP trusted 
traveler program membership in the following ``Global Entry 
Applications'' estimates. Additionally, CBP estimates that a total 
of 2,619 existing U.S. ABTC Program members will choose to renew 
their U.S. ABTC memberships and Global Entry memberships (if they 
were not already in a CBP trusted traveler program at the time of 
their initial ABTC application) (see ``Executive Order 13563 and 
Executive Order 12866'' section, Table 5-- ``Total U.S. ABTC 
Renewals'' in FY 2017). For the purposes of this information 
collection, CBP includes the renewal figures in the overall U.S. 
ABTC application estimates because the burden for initial U.S. ABTC 
Program application and renewal are both assumed to be 10 minutes.

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

[[Page 84415]]

    Increase in estimated number of annual respondents: 1,643.
    Increase in estimated number of annual responses: 1,643.
    Estimated average time burden per response: 10 minutes (0.17 
hours).
    Increase in estimated total annual time burden: 279 hours.
    Initial U.S. ABTC applicants who join Global Entry to meet a U.S. 
ABTC Program membership requirement increased the number of Global 
Entry applications and burden hours as follows:
    Global Entry Applications: \42\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \42\ Individuals interested in joining the U.S. ABTC Program who 
are not already CBP trusted traveler members will need to initially 
apply for a CBP trusted traveler program membership to meet one of 
the U.S. ABTC Program's membership requirements. CBP estimates that 
the 9,692 initial applicants who are not already in a CBP trusted 
traveler program will concurrently apply for the U.S. ABTC Program 
and CBP's Global Entry trusted traveler program, incurring a 40-
minute time burden to complete the Global Entry application, 
complete the U.S. ABTC self-certification, schedule their required 
Global Entry enrollment interview, pay the program application fees, 
and have their signature digitally captured for the U.S. ABTC 
Program. These initial Global Entry application estimates account 
for the 9,692 individuals who are not already in a CBP trusted 
traveler program and their related U.S. ABTC application burdens.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Increase in estimated number of annual respondents: 2,099.
    Increase in estimated number of annual responses: 2,099.
    Estimated average time burden per response: 40 minutes (0.67 
hours).
    Increase in estimated total annual time burden: 1,407 hours.
    Approved U.S. ABTC members who joined Global Entry for their U.S. 
ABTC Program membership also increased the Global Entry kiosk usage 
rate and burden hours through their use of the kiosks for expedited CBP 
clearance upon returning to the United States from an APEC economy. The 
additional Global Entry kiosk burden hours directly resulting from the 
U.S. ABTC Program are as follows:
    Global Entry Kiosk Use: \43\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \43\ CBP now estimates that by the end of FY 2017, 24,520 
individuals who were not already members of a CBP trusted traveler 
program will become joint members of the U.S. ABTC Program and 
Global Entry (see ``Executive Order 13563 and Executive Order 
12866'' section, Table 4-- ``Number of Initial U.S. ABTC 
Applications Approved for Members Not Already in a CBP Trusted 
Traveler Program'' in FY 2014-FY 2017). Due to data limitations, CBP 
assumes that these 24,520 U.S. ABTC Program members will use Global 
Entry kiosks twice per year as this is the minimum number of annual 
trips one of these members would have to take for the benefits of 
joining the U.S. ABTC Program to outweigh its costs. This translates 
to an additional 49,040 kiosk responses per year. These Global Entry 
kiosk use estimates account for the 49,040 kiosk responses and the 
related burdens.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Increase in estimated number of annual respondents: 11,106.
    Increase in estimated number of annual responses: 22,212.
    Estimated average time burden per response: 1 minute (0.016 hours).
    Increase in estimated total annual time burden: 356 hours.

F. Privacy

    DHS will ensure that all Privacy Act requirements and policies are 
adhered to in the implementation of this rule. In this regard, DHS has 
updated the Privacy Impact Assessment for the Global Enrollment System 
(GES) on November 1, 2016, which fully outlines processes to ensure 
compliance with Privacy Act protections relevant to this rule. See 
https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/privacy-pia-cbp-ges-november2016.pdf.

VII. Authority

    This regulation is issued under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 301, 6 
U.S.C. 112, 203 and 211, 8 U.S.C. 1103 and 19 U.S.C. 2, 66 and 1624, 
and Public Law 112-54.

List of Subjects in 8 CFR Part 235

    Administrative practice and procedure, Aliens, Immigration, 
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

Amendments to Regulations

    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, the IFR amending 8 CFR 
103.7(b)(1)(ii)(N) and adding a new section 235.13, which was published 
at 79 FR 27161 on May 13, 2014, is adopted as final with the following 
changes:

PART 235--INSPECTION OF PERSONS APPLYING FOR ADMISSION

0
1. The authority citation for part 235 continues to read as follows: 8 
U.S.C. 1101 and note, 1103, 1183, 1185 (pursuant to E.O.13323, 69 FR 
241, 3 CFR, 2004 Comp., p.278), 1201, 1224, 1225, 1226, 1228, 1365a 
note, 1365b, 1379, 1731-32; Title VII of Public Law 110-229; 8 U.S.C. 
1185 note (section 7209 of Pub. L. 108-458); Public Law 112-54.


Sec.  235.13   [Amended]

0
2. Amend Sec.  235.13 as follows:
0
a. In paragraph (c)(6), first sentence, remove the number ``3'' and add 
in its place the word ``five'' and remove the words ``suspended or'';
0
b. Revise the paragraph (f) subject heading to read ``Denial and 
removal'';
0
c. In paragraph (f)(2) introductory text, first sentence, remove the 
words ``suspended or'';
0
d. In paragraph (f)(3), first and second sentences, remove the words 
``suspension or'';
0
e. In paragraph (f)(4), remove ``, suspended,'';
0
f. In paragraph (g)(1), remove all occurrences of the phrase ``denial, 
suspension or removal'' and add in its place ``denial or removal'' and 
remove the words ``date of suspension or removal'' and add in their 
place ``date of removal'';
0
g. In paragraph (g)(2), remove the phrase ``denial, suspension or 
removal'' and add in its place ``denial or removal''; and
0
h. In paragraph (h), second sentence, remove the words ``suspended 
or''.

    Dated: November 17, 2016.
 Jeh Charles Johnson,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-28177 Filed 11-22-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9111-14-P