[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 50 (Tuesday, March 15, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14525-14526]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-05462]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Docket No.: ED-2022-SCC-0037]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; 
William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program (Direct Loan Program) 
Promissory Notes and Related Forms

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 revision of a currently approved collection.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
May 16, 2022.

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-2022-SCC-0037. 
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 PRA 
Coordinator of the Strategic Collections and Clearance Governance and 
Strategy Division, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave. SW, 
LBJ, Room 6W208D, Washington, DC 20202-8240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For specific questions related to 
collection activities, please contact Jon Utz, 202-377-4040.

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

[[Page 14526]]

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: William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program 
(Direct Loan Program) Promissory Notes and related forms.
    OMB Control Number: 1845-0007.
    Type of Review: A revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals and Households.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 9,862,685.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 4,021,665.
    Abstract: The Direct Subsidized Loan and Direct Unsubsidized Loan 
Master Promissory Note (Subsidized/Unsubsidized MPN) serves as the 
means by which an individual agrees to repay a Direct Subsidized Loan 
and/or Direct Unsubsidized Loan.
    The Direct PLUS Loan Master Promissory Note (PLUS Loan MPN) serves 
as the means by which an individual applies for and agrees to repay a 
Direct PLUS Loan. If a Direct PLUS Loan applicant is determined to have 
an adverse credit history, the applicant may qualify for a Direct PLUS 
Loan by obtaining an endorser who does not have an adverse credit 
history. The Endorser Addendum serves as the means by which an endorser 
agrees to repay the Direct PLUS Loan if the borrower does not repay it.
    An MPN is a promissory note under which a borrower may receive 
loans for a single or multiple academic years. The MPN explains the 
terms and conditions of the loans that are made under the MPN.
    The Direct Consolidation Loan Application and Promissory Note 
(Consolidation Note) serves as the means by which a borrower applies 
for a Direct Consolidation Loan and promises to repay the loan. It also 
explains the terms and conditions of the Direct Consolidation Loan. The 
Consolidation Note Instructions explain to the borrower how to complete 
the Consolidation Note. The Consolidation Additional Loan Listing Sheet 
provides additional space for a borrower to list loans that he or she 
wishes to consolidate. The Consolidation Request to Add Loans serves as 
the means by which a borrower may add other loans to an existing Direct 
Consolidation Loan within a specified time period. The Consolidation 
Loan Verification Certificate serves as the means by which the U.S. 
Department of Education obtains the information needed to pay off the 
holders of the loans that the borrower wants to consolidate.
    This revision updates the Subsidized/Unsubsidized MPN and the 
Consolidation Note by removing information related to the 150% 
Subsidized Usage Limit requirements. This previous statutory provision 
was repealed by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) 
Simplification Act, part of the part of the Consolidated Appropriations 
Act, 2021 (Pub. L. 116-260), and no longer applies to borrowers of 
Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Consolidation Loans. There are no 
proposed changes to the PLUS MPN or to any of the other forms included 
in this submission.

    Dated: March 10, 2022.
Kate Mullan,
PRA Coordinator, Strategic Collections and Clearance, Governance and 
Strategy Division, Office of Chief Data Officer, Office of Planning, 
Evaluation and Policy Development.
[FR Doc. 2022-05462 Filed 3-14-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P