[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 8 (Monday, January 13, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1832-1833]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-00324]


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RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD


Civil Monetary Penalty Inflation Adjustment

AGENCY: Railroad Retirement Board.

ACTION: Notice announcing updated penalty inflation adjustments for 
civil monetary penalties for 2020.

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SUMMARY: As required by Section 701 of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 
2015, entitled the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act 
Improvements Act of 2015, the Railroad Retirement Board (Board) hereby 
publishes its 2020 annual adjustment of civil penalties for inflation.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marguerite P. Dadabo, Assistant 
General Counsel, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, 
Chicago, IL 60611-1275, (312) 751-4945, TTD (312) 751-4701.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 701 of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 
2015, Public Law 114-74 (Nov. 2, 2015), entitled the Federal Civil 
Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (the 2015 
Act), amended the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 
1990 (28 U.S.C. 2461 note) (Inflation Adjustment Act) to require 
agencies to publish regulations adjusting the amount of civil monetary 
penalties provided by law within the jurisdiction of the agency not 
later than January 15th of every year.
    For the 2020 annual adjustment for inflation of the maximum civil 
penalty under the Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act of 1986, the Board 
applies the formula provided by the 2015 Act and the Board's 
regulations at Title 20, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 356. In 
accordance with the 2015 Act, the amount of the adjustment is based on 
the percent increase between the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) for the 
month of October preceding the date of the adjustment and the CPI-U for 
the October one year prior to the October immediately preceding the 
date of the adjustment. If there is no increase, there is no adjustment 
of civil penalties. The percent increase between the CPI-U for October 
2019 and October 2018, as provided by Office of Management and Budget 
Memorandum M-20-05 (December 16, 2019) is 1.01764 percent. Therefore, 
the new maximum penalty under the Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act is 
$11,665 (the 2019 maximum penalty of $11,463 multiplied by 1.01764, 
rounded to the nearest dollar). The new minimum penalty under the False 
Claims Act is $11,665 (the 2019 minimum penalty of $11,463 multiplied 
by 1.01764, rounded to the

[[Page 1833]]

nearest dollar), and the new maximum penalty is $23,331 (the 2019 
maximum penalty of $22,927 multiplied by 1.01764, rounded to the 
nearest dollar). The adjustments in penalties will be effective January 
13, 2020.

    Dated: January 8, 2020.

    By Authority of the Board.
Stephanie Hillyard,
Secretary to the Board.
[FR Doc. 2020-00324 Filed 1-10-20; 8:45 am]
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