[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 249 (Monday, December 30, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71907-71908]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-28093]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Docket No. ED-2019-ICCD-0136]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Application for Borrower Defense to Loan Repayment Form

AGENCY: Department of Education (ED), Federal Student Aid (FSA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ED is 
proposing an extension of an existing information collection.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
January 29, 2020.

ADDRESSES: To access and review all the documents related to the 
information collection listed in this notice, please use http://www.regulations.gov by searching the Docket ID number ED-2019-ICCD-
0136. Comments submitted in response to this notice should be submitted 
electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov by selecting the Docket ID number or via postal 
mail, commercial delivery, or hand delivery. If the regulations.gov 
site is not available to the public for any reason, ED will temporarily 
accept comments at [email protected]. Please include the docket ID 
number and the title of the information collection request when 
requesting documents or submitting comments. Please note that comments 
submitted by fax or email and those submitted after the comment period 
will not be accepted. Written requests for information or comments 
submitted by postal mail or delivery should be addressed to the 
Director of the Strategic Collections and Clearance Governance and 
Strategy Division, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave. SW, 
LBJ, Room 6W-208D, Washington, DC 20202-4537.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For specific questions related to 
collection activities, please contact Beth Grebeldinger, 202-377-4018.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Education (ED), in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general public and Federal agencies with 
an opportunity to comment on proposed, revised, and continuing 
collections of information. This helps the Department assess the impact 
of its information collection requirements and minimize the public's 
reporting burden. It also helps the public understand the Department's 
information collection requirements and provide the requested data in 
the desired format. ED is soliciting comments on the proposed 
information collection request (ICR) that is described below. The 
Department of Education is especially interested in public comment 
addressing the following issues: (1) Is this collection necessary to 
the proper functions of the Department; (2) will this information be 
processed and used in a timely manner; (3) is the estimate of burden 
accurate; (4) how might the Department enhance the quality, utility, 
and clarity of the information to be collected; and (5) how might the 
Department minimize the burden of this collection on the respondents, 
including through the use of information technology. Please note that 
written comments received in response to this notice will be considered 
public records.
    Title of Collection: Application for Borrower Defense to Loan 
Repayment Form.
    OMB Control Number: 1845-0146.
    Type of Review: An extension of an existing information collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals or Households.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 96,000.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 48,000.
    Abstract: The Department of Education (the Department) requests 
approval of this extension without change of the Application for 
Borrower Defense to Loan Repayment form

[[Page 71908]]

(``Universal Borrower Defense Form'') to ensure that all borrowers have 
a consistent platform to petition for relief, and to facilitate the 
Department's receipt of clear and complete information necessary to 
process applications efficiently. This form will facilitate processing 
claims from student borrowers who believe that they have a Borrower 
Defense claim regarding their Federal Loans. The form will provide 
borrowers with an easily accessible and clear method to provide the 
information necessary for the Department to review and process claim 
applications efficiently. A successful Borrower Defense claim would 
provide a full or partial discharge of a borrower's loans, and if 
appropriate, reimbursement of amounts previously paid.

    Dated: December 23, 2019.
Kate Mullan,
PRA Coordinator, Strategic Collections and Clearance, Governance and 
Strategy Division, Office of Chief Data Officer.
[FR Doc. 2019-28093 Filed 12-27-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P