[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 32 (Thursday, February 15, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11944-11945]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-03132]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

[OMB Control No. 2900-0862]


Agency Information Collection Activity: Decision Review Request: 
Higher-Level Review

AGENCY: Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans 
Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 
this notice announces that the Veterans Benefits Administration, 
Department of Veterans Affairs, will submit the collection of 
information abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for review and comment. The PRA submission describes the nature 
of the information collection and its expected cost and burden and it 
includes the actual data collection instrument.

DATES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice by clicking on the following link www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain, and select ``Currently under Review--Open for Public 
Comments'', then search the list for the information collection by 
Title or ``OMB Control No. 2900-0862.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maribel Aponte, Office of Enterprise 
and Integration, Data Governance Analytics (008), 810 Vermont Ave. NW, 
Washington, DC 20420, (202) 266-4688 or email [email protected]. 
Please refer to ``OMB Control No. 2900-0862'' in any correspondence.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Authority: Public Law 115-55; 44 U.S.C. 3501-21.
    Title: Decision Review Request: Higher-Level Review (VA Form 20-
0996).
    OMB Control Number: 2900-0862.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: VA Form 20-0996, Decision Review Request: Higher-Level 
Review is used by a claimant to formally request a higher-level review 
of a VA decision as the agency of original jurisdiction, in accordance 
with the Appeals Modernization Act. The information collected is used 
by VA to identify the issues which the claimant wishes to dispute in 
their request for a higher-level review. Additionally, the information 
collected is used to schedule a telephonic informal conference, when 
requested.
    This is an extension of a currently approved collection which was 
due for renewal. No substantive changes were made to the collection. 
Minor changes were made to the instructions to make the instructions 
easier to understand. The requirement to sign in ink was removed. 
Changes were made to the Optional Informal Conference and Issues For 
Higher-Level Review sections to make these sections easier for 
claimants to understand and complete.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB

[[Page 11945]]

control number. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment 
period soliciting comments on this collection of information was 
published at 88 FR 86449 on December 13, 2023.
    Affected Public: Individuals and households.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 49,650 hours.
    Estimated Average Burden per Respondent: 15 minutes.
    Frequency of Response: One time.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 198,600.

    By direction of the Secretary.
Dorothy Glasgow,
VA PRA Clearance Officer, (Alt), Office of Enterprise and Integration, 
Data Governance Analytics, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2024-03132 Filed 2-14-24; 8:45 am]
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