[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 189 (Monday, September 30, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51620-51621]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-21032]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

[OMB Number 1123-0013]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed eCollection 
eComments Requested; United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism 
Fund Application Form

AGENCY: Criminal Division, Department of Justice.

ACTION: 30-Day notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division, United 
States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund, will be submitting 
the following information collection request to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This proposed information 
collection was previously published in the Federal Register.

DATES: Comments are encouraged and will be accepted for an additional 
days until October 30, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Written comments and/or suggestions 
regarding the items contained in this notice, especially the estimated 
public burden and associated response time, should be directed to 
either the Special Master, United States Victims of State Sponsored 
Terrorism Fund, or the Chief, Program Management and Training Unit, 
Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Criminal Division, U.S. 
Department of Justice, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 
20530-0001, telephone (202) 353-2046. Written comments and/or 
suggestions can also be sent to the Office of Management and Budget, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention Department of 
Justice Desk Officer, Washington, DC 20503, or

[[Page 51621]]

sent to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Written comments and suggestions from the 
public and affected agencies concerning the proposed collection of 
information are encouraged. Your comments should address one or more of 
the following four points:
    1. Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    2. Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    3. Evaluate whether and if so how the quality, utility, and clarity 
of the information to be collected can be enhanced; and
    4. Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses.

Overview of This Information Collection

    1. Type of Information Collection: Extension of a currently 
approved collection.
    2. The Title of the Form/Collection: Application Form for the U.S. 
Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund.
    3. The agency form number: N/A. The U.S. Victims of State Sponsored 
Terrorism Fund, U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division.
    4. Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as 
well as a brief abstract:
    Primary: Individuals or households.
    Abstract: The U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund (the 
``USVSST Fund'') was established to provide compensation to certain 
individuals who were injured as a result of acts of international 
terrorism by a state sponsor of terrorism. Under the Justice for United 
States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Act (``Act''), 34 U.S.C. 
20144(c), an eligible claimant is (1) a U.S. person, as defined in 34 
U.S.C. 20144(j)(8), with a final judgment issued by a U.S. district 
court under state or federal law against a state sponsor of terrorism 
and arising from an act of international terrorism, for which the 
foreign state was found not immune under provisions of the Foreign 
Sovereign Immunities Act, codified at 28 U.S.C. 1605A or 1605(a)(7) (as 
such section was in effect on January 27, 2008); (2) a U.S. person, as 
defined in 34 U.S.C. 20144(j)(8), who was taken and held hostage from 
the United States Embassy in Tehran, Iran, during the period beginning 
November 4, 1979, and ending January 20, 1981, or the spouse and child 
of that U.S. person at that time, and who is also identified as a 
member of the proposed class in case number 1:00-CV-03110 (EGS) of the 
United States District Court for the District of Columbia; or (3) the 
personal representative of a deceased individual in either of those two 
categories.
    The information collected from the USVSST Fund's Application Form 
will be used to determine whether applicants are eligible for 
compensation from the USVSST Fund, and if so, the amount of 
compensation to be awarded. The Application Form consists of parts 
related to eligibility and compensation. The eligibility parts seek the 
information required by the Act to determine whether a claimant is 
eligible for payment from the USVSST Fund, including information 
related to participation in federal lawsuits against a state sponsor of 
terrorism under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. The compensation 
parts seek the information required by the Justice for United States 
Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Act to determine the amount of 
compensation for which the claimant is eligible. Specifically, the 
compensation parts seek information regarding any payments from sources 
other than the USVSST Fund that the claimant received, is entitled to 
receive, or is scheduled to receive, as a result of the act of 
international terrorism by a state sponsor of terrorism and the amount 
of compensatory damages awarded to the claimant in a final judgment. 
The Application Form was revised with minor formatting changes. There 
are no substantive changes in the revised Application Form, which 
contains the same information regarding eligibility and compensation.
    The USVSST Fund may require an eligible claimant to supplement his 
or her application by submitting additional forms. These additional 
supplementary forms include information related to: (1) An 
acknowledgment and certification by applicants and their attorneys 
regarding the statutory provision on the amount of attorneys' fees; (2) 
an authorization for the USVSST Fund to communicate with individuals 
identified by an applicant regarding his or her claim; (3) a proposed 
distribution plan and corresponding consent to the proposed 
distribution plan in claims filed by a personal representative of a 
deceased individual; (4) a Notice of Filing Claim for use by those 
applicants filing claims on behalf of deceased individuals; (5) a 
claimant's decision to change an attorney or representative; (6) a 
hearing request upon receipt of a decision denying the claim in whole 
or in part; and (7) electronic payment information.
    5. An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount of 
time estimated for an average respondent to respond: It is estimated 
that 700 respondents may complete the Application Form. It is estimated 
that respondents will complete the paper form or the electronic form in 
an average of 1.5 hours.
    6. An estimate of the total public burden (in hours) associated 
with the collection: The estimated public burden associated with this 
collection is 1,050 hours.
    If additional information is required contact: Melody Braswell, 
Department Clearance Officer, United States Department of Justice, 
Justice Management Division, Policy and Planning Staff, Two 
Constitution Square, 145 N Street NE, 3E.405A, Washington, DC 20530.

    Dated: September 24, 2019.
Melody Braswell,
Department Clearance Officer for PRA, U.S. Department of Justice.
[FR Doc. 2019-21032 Filed 9-27-19; 8:45 am]
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