[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 43 (Wednesday, March 4, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12777-12778]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-04423]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Docket No. ED-2020-SCC-0043]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; 
Borrower Defense to Loan Repayment Universal Form

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ED is 
proposing a new information collection.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
May 4, 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-2020-SCC-0043. 
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

[[Page 12778]]

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: Borrower Defense to Loan Repayment Universal 
Form.
    OMB Control Number: 1845-NEW.
    Type of Review: A new 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) amends the 
William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program regulations 
issued under the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), to 
implement changes made to the regulations in Sec.  685.206(e)--Borrower 
responsibilities and defenses. These final regulations are a result of 
negotiated rulemaking and will add a new requirement to the current 
regulations. These final regulations require the collection of this 
information from borrowers who believe they qualify for a borrower 
defense to repayment discharge, as permitted under Section 455(h) of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. The regulations provide, 
among other things, for the Secretary to discharge a borrower's Direct 
Loan based on the loan in question being disbursed after July 1, 2020. 
The Department is attaching a list of elements that we are proposing be 
included on a revised Application for Borrower Defense to Loan 
Repayment form (Universal Borrower Defense Application). This revised 
form will be based on the current Universal Borrower Defense 
Application, OMB control number 1845-0146, and will facilitate 
processing claims from all borrowers who believe that they have a valid 
borrower defense claim.

    Dated: February 28, 2020.
Kate Mullan,
PRA Coordinator, Strategic Collections and Clearance, Governance and 
Strategy Division, Office of Chief Data Officer.
[FR Doc. 2020-04423 Filed 3-3-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4000-01-P