[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 76 (Thursday, April 20, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24445-24446]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-08389]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

[OMB Number 1124-0002]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed eCollection 
eComments Requested; Revision of a Previously Approved Collection; 
Supplemental Statement to Registration Statement of Foreign Agents 
(Form NSD-2)

AGENCY: Foreign Agents Registration Act Unit (FARA Unit), 
Counterintelligence and Export Control Section (CES), National Security 
Division (NSD), U.S. Department of Justice.

ACTION: 60-Day notice.

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SUMMARY: The Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) Unit, 
Counterintelligence and Export Control Section (CES), National Security 
Division (NSD), U.S. Department of Justice, is 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.

DATES: The Department of Justice encourages public comment and will 
accept input until June 20, 2023.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have additional comments 
including on the estimated public burden or associated response time, 
suggestions, or need a copy of the proposed information collection 
instrument with instructions or additional information, please contact 
Jennifer K. Gellie, Acting Chief, Counterintelligence and Export 
Control Section, National Security Division, 175 N Street NE, 
Constitution Square Building Three, Suite 1.100, Washington, DC 20002, 
email: [email protected], telephone: (202) 233-0776.

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:

--Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary 
for the proper performance of the functions of the National Security 
Division, including whether the information will have practical 
utility;
--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;
--Evaluate whether and if so, how the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected can be enhanced; and
--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.

    Abstract: Form NSD-2 contains Supplemental Statement to 
Registration Statement information used for registering foreign agents 
under the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 (FARA), as amended, 
22 U.S.C. 611. Beginning September 23, 2019, NSD completed its ongoing 
multi-year design review, testing, and requirements enhancement efforts 
under the FARA e-File 4.0 with a roll out of initial capabilities for 
new registrants only. NSD continues to make progress in enhancing the 
functionality of FARA e-File and Form NSD-1. From January 2022 through 
August 2022, NSD Information Technology (NSD IT) and FARA Unit staff 
worked to migrate all remaining registrant accounts and records into 
the new eFile webform system. As a result, no further registration 
activities can be disclosed using the retired Portable Document Format 
(Adobe *PDF) type FARA registration forms, and instead respondents must 
follow the eFile webform portal system located on the FARA.gov website: 
https://www.justice.gov/nsd-fara/fara-efile.
    Overview of this information collection:
    1. Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved 
collection.
    2. The Title of the Form/Collection: Supplemental Statement to 
Registration Statement (Foreign Agents).
    3. The agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of 
the Department sponsoring the collection: Form name/number is NSD-2. 
The applicable component within the Department of Justice is the 
Foreign Agents Registration Act Unit (FARA Unit), Counterintelligence 
and Export Control Section, National Security Division.
    4. Affected public who will be asked or required to respond as well 
as obligation to respond: Private sector--business or other for-profit, 
not-for-profit institutions. The obligation to respond is mandatory per 
28 CFR 5.
    5. An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount of 
time estimated for an average respondent to respond: Based on the 
projected number of registrations from 2023 to 2026, an estimated 399 
registrants will each complete Form NSD-2 (OMB Control No. 1124-0002) 
twice annually, for a total of 799 submissions. Based on sample 
testing, each respondent will need 1.17 hours to complete the form, 
which takes into consideration the improved e-File 4.0/4.1 webform 
features.
    6. An estimate of the total public burden (in hours) associated 
with the collection: The estimated public burden associated with this 
collection is 934 annual burden hours. It is estimated that respondents 
will take 1.17 hours to complete the form. (399.50 respondents (2 
responses annually) or 799 x 1.17 hours = 934.83 annual burden hours).

[[Page 24446]]



                                               Total Annual Burden
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                                     Number of                     Total annual      Time per      Total annual
            Activity                respondents      Frequency       responses       response     burden (hours)
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NSD-2...........................             399               2             799            1.17             934
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    Unduplicated Totals.........             339  ..............             799  ..............             934
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    If additional information is required contact: John R. Carlson, 
Department Clearance Officer, United States Department of Justice, 
Justice Management Division, Policy and Planning Staff, Two 
Constitution Square, 145 N Street NE, 4W-218, Washington, DC 20530.

    Dated: April 14, 2023.
John R. Carlson,
Department Clearance Officer for PRA, U.S. Department of Justice.
[FR Doc. 2023-08389 Filed 4-19-23; 8:45 am]
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