[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 33 (Friday, February 16, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12329-12330]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-03230]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Docket No.: ED-2024-SCC-0026]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; PLUS 
Adverse Credit Reconsideration Loan Counseling

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 
the Department is proposing an extension without change of a currently 
approved information collection request (ICR).

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
April 16, 2024 .

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-2024-SCC-0026. 
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, the Department 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 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 Manager of the Strategic 
Collections and Clearance Governance and Strategy Division, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave. SW, LBJ, Room 6W203, 
Washington, DC 20202-8240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For specific questions related to 
collection activities, please contact Beth Grebeldinger, (202) 377-
4018.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department, 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 Department's 
information collection requirements and provide the requested data in 
the desired format. The Department is soliciting comments on the 
proposed information collection request (ICR) that is described below. 
The Department 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: PLUS Adverse Credit Reconsideration Loan 
Counseling.
    OMB Control Number: 1845-0129.
    Type of Review: Extension without change of a currently approved 
ICR.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals or Households Total 
Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 142,824.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 107,119.
    Abstract: Section 428B(a)(1)(A) of the Higher Education Act of 
1965, as amended (HEA), provides that to be eligible to receive a 
Federal PLUS Loan under the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) 
Program, the applicant must not have an adverse credit history, as 
determined pursuant to regulations promulgated by the Secretary. In 
accordance with section 455(a)(1) of the HEA, this same eligibility 
requirement applies to applicants for PLUS loans under the Direct Loan 
Program. Since July 1, 2010, there have been no new FFEL Program loans 
originated and the Direct Loan Program is the only Federal loan program 
that offers Federal PLUS Loans.
    The adverse credit history section of the eligibility regulations 
in 34 CFR 685.200(b) and (c) were updated in 2014 by the Department of 
Education (the Department) when a review of and a change to the 
regulations was made.

[[Page 12330]]

Specifically, an applicant for a PLUS loan who is determined to have an 
adverse credit history must complete loan counseling offered by the 
Secretary before receiving the Federal PLUS loan.
    The Department is requesting an extension to the information 
collection regarding the adverse credit history regulations in 34 CFR 
685.200 (b) and (c) and the burden these changes create for Federal 
PLUS loan borrowers, both parent and graduate/professional students.

    Dated: February 13, 2024.
Kun 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. 2024-03230 Filed 2-15-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P