[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 81 (Thursday, April 25, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31786-31789]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-08805]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-99995; File No. SR-NYSEAMER-2024-26]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE American LLC; Notice of 
Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Change To Modify Rule 
980NYP

April 19, 2024
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) \1\ of the Securities Exchange Act of 
1934 (``Act'') \2\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\3\ notice is hereby given 
that, on April 12, 2024, NYSE American LLC (``NYSE American'' or 
``Exchange'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in Items I and 
II below, which Items have been prepared by the self-regulatory 
organization. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit 
comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 15 U.S.C. 78a.
    \3\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    The Exchange proposes to modify Rule 980NYP (Electronic Complex 
Order Trading) to specify that a

[[Page 31787]]

Complex Customer Cross Order received during a Complex Order Auction 
(``COA'') would result in the early end of the COA. The proposed rule 
change is available on the Exchange's website at www.nyse.com, at the 
principal office of the Exchange, and at the Commission's Public 
Reference Room.

II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

    In its filing with the Commission, the self-regulatory organization 
included statements concerning the purpose of, and basis for, the 
proposed rule change and discussed any comments it received on the 
proposed rule change. The text of those statements may be examined at 
the places specified in Item IV below. The Exchange has prepared 
summaries, set forth in sections A, B, and C below, of the most 
significant parts of such statements.

A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and the 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

1. Purpose
    The Exchange proposes to modify Rule 980NYP (Electronic Complex 
Order Trading) to specify that a Complex Customer Cross (``Complex 
C2C'') Order received during a COA would result in the early end of the 
COA. This proposed functionality is not new or novel and mirrors a 
recently adopted rule requiring that a COA in progress ends early upon 
the receipt of a Complex QCC Order in the same complex strategy as the 
COA.\4\ As discussed below, the reasons justifying the early end of a 
COA upon the receipt of a Complex QCC Order apply equally to the 
required early end of a COA upon receipt of a Complex C2C Order in the 
same complex strategy.\5\
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    \4\ See Rule 980NYP(f)(3)(E). See also Securities Exchange Act 
Release No. 99354 (January 17, 2024), 89 FR 4358 (January 232 [sic], 
2024) (SR-NYSEAMER-2024-03) (adopting, on an immediately effective 
basis, Rule 980NYP(f)(3)(E), which specifies that a COA in progress 
ends early upon receipt of a Complex QCC Order in the same complex 
strategy). The Exchange notes that the same rule change has been 
adopted on its affiliated options exchange, NYSE Arca Inc. See Arca 
Rule 6.91-O(f)(3)(E). See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 99597 
(February 23, 2024), 89 FR 14906 (February 29, 2024) (SR-NYSEARCA-
2024-17) (adopting, on an immediately effective basis, Arca Rule 
6.91P-O (f)(3)(E) which specifies that a COA in progress ends early 
upon receipt of a Complex QCC Order in the same complex strategy).
    \5\ See, e.g., id., 89 FR, at 4359.
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    Rule 980NYP reflects how Electronic Complex Orders (``ECOs'') will 
trade on the Exchange \6\ and paragraph (f) to this rule describes the 
handling of ECOs submitted to the Complex Order Auction (COA) 
process.\7\ When a COA Order initiates a COA, the Exchange disseminates 
a Request for Response (``RFR'') to solicit potentially price-improving 
ECO interest--which solicited interest includes interest designated to 
respond to the COA (i.e., COA GTX Orders) and unrelated price-improving 
ECO interest (resting and newly arriving) that arrives during the 
Response Time Interval (each an ``RFR Response'') (collectively, the 
``auction interest'').\8\ The COA lasts for the duration of the 
Response Time Interval unless, during the COA, the Exchange receives 
certain options trading interest that requires the COA to conclude 
early.\9\ When the COA concludes, the COA Order executes first with 
price-improving ECO interest, next with any contra-side interest, 
including the leg markets (if permissible),\10\ and any remaining 
balance (that is not cancelled) is ranked in the Consolidated Book (the 
``Consolidated Book'' or ``Book'').\11\ Once the COA Order executes to 
the extent possible--whether with the best-priced Complex Orders or the 
best-priced interest in the leg markets--and is placed in the Book, the 
Exchange will update its complex order book and, if applicable, the 
Exchange BBO (as a result of any executions of the COA Order with the 
leg markets).
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    \6\ See generally Rule 980NYP (Electronic Complex Order 
Trading). Unless otherwise specified, all capitalized terms used 
herein have the same meaning as is set forth in Rule 980NYP.
    \7\ See Rules 980NYP(f) (Execution of ECOs During a COA), (f)(1) 
(Initiation of a COA), (f)(2) (Pricing of a COA). See also Rule 
980NYP(a)(3)(A) (defining a ``COA Order'' as an ECO designated as 
eligible to initiate a COA).
    \8\ See Rules 980NYP(a)(3)(B) (defining, and detailing the 
information included in, each RFR); (a)(3)(C) (defining each ``RFR 
Response'' as, among other things, ``any ECO'' received during the 
Response Time Interval that is in the same complex strategy as, and 
is marketable against, the COA Order); and (a)(3)(D) (defining the 
Response Time Interval as the period during which RFR Responses may 
be entered, which period ``will not be less than 100 milliseconds 
and will not exceed one (1) second,'' as determined by the Exchange 
and announced by Trader Update). See Rule 980NYP(b)(2)(C) (defining 
a ``COA GTX Order,'' including that such order is submitted in 
response to an RFR announcing a COA and will trade with the COA 
Order to the extent possible and then cancel).
    \9\ See Rule 980NYP(f)(3)(A)-(E) (setting forth the 
circumstances under which a COA will conclude before the end of the 
Response Time Interval, including, as discussed infra, upon receipt 
of a Complex QCC Order in the same complex strategy as the COA).
    \10\ The Exchange notes that there are certain limitations to 
how an ECO, including a COA Order post-COA, may interact with the 
leg markets. See, e.g., Rule 980NYP(e)(1)(A) (providing, in relevant 
part, that the leg markets will trade first with an ECO, but only if 
the legs can execute with the ECO ``in full or in a permissible 
ratio,'' and, once the leg markets trade with the ECO to the extent 
possible, such ECO will trade with same-priced ECOs resting in the 
Book). See also Rule 980NYP(e)(1)(C)-(D) (describing ECOs that are 
not permitted to trade with the leg markets).
    \11\ See Rule 980NYP(f)(4)(A)-(C) (Allocation of COA Orders) 
(providing, in relevant part, that when a COA ends early or at the 
end of the Response Time Interval, a COA Order trades first with 
price-improving interest, next ``with any contra-side interest, 
including the leg markets, unless the COA is designated as a Complex 
Only Order'' and any remaining portion is ranked in the Consolidated 
Book and the COA Order is processed as an ECO pursuant to Rule 
980NYP(e) (Execution of ECOs During Core Trading Hours). See Rule 
900.2NY (defining Consolidated Book as ``the Exchange's electronic 
book of orders and quotes.'').
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    The Exchange proposes to modify Rule 980NYP(f)(3)(E) to add an 
additional early end scenario to specify that a COA in progress will 
end early any time there is a Complex C2C Order submitted in the same 
complex strategy as the COA Order.\12\ By its terms, a Complex C2C 
Order ``that is not rejected'' by the Exchange, ``will immediately 
trade in full at its limit price.'' \13\
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    \12\ See proposed Rule 980NYP(f)(3)(E).
    \13\ See Rule 900.3NYP(g)(2)(A) (providing that a Customer Cross 
(``C2C'') Order, including a Complex C2C Order, ``that is not 
rejected per paragraph (g)(2)(B) [Execution of C2C Orders] or (C) 
[Execution of Complex C2C Orders] below will immediately trade in 
full at its limit price'').
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    To avoid rejection, a Complex C2C Order must satisfy certain price 
validations, including that each option leg may not be priced worse 
than the Exchange BBO; and, that the transaction price must be equal to 
or better than the best-priced Complex Orders, unless the best-priced 
Complex Orders contains displayed Customer interest, in which case the 
transaction price must improve such interest.\14\ In addition, the 
price of a Complex C2C Order must be priced at or between the DBBO; 
\15\ provided, however, that the Complex C2C Order may not equal the 
DBBO if the DBBO is calculated using the Exchange BBO and the Exchange 
BBO for any component of the complex strategy on either side of the 
market includes displayed Customer

[[Page 31788]]

interest.\16\ Specifically, if the DBB (DBO) includes a displayed 
Customer interest on the Exchange, the transaction price must improve 
the DBB (DBO) by at least one cent ($0.01).\17\
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    \14\ See Rule 900.3NYP(g)(2)(C).
    \15\ The DBBO establishes a derived (theoretical) bid or offer 
for a particular complex strategy. See Rule 980NYP(a)(5) (defining 
the DBBO and providing that the bid (offer) price used to calculate 
the DBBO on each leg will be the Exchange BB (BO) (if available), 
bound by the maximum allowable Away Market Deviation). The Away 
Market Deviation, as defined in Rule 980NYP(a)(1), ensures that an 
ECO does not execute too far away from the prevailing market. Rule 
980NYP(a)(5) also provides for the establishment of the DBBO in the 
absence of an Exchange BB (BO), or ABB (ABO), or both. A Complex C2C 
Order will not be processed if there is no DBBO for any leg of the 
strategy either because there is no Exchange BBO or Away BBO for a 
leg of the complex strategy, or the best bid and offer prices for a 
leg are locked or crossed, per Rule 980NYP(a)(5)(B) or (a)(5)(C). 
See Rule 900.3NYP(g)(2)(C).
    \16\ See Rule 900.3NYP(g)(2)(C) & (g)(2)(C)(i).
    \17\ See id.
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    As noted above, until a COA concludes, the Book is not updated to 
reflect any COA Order executions (with price-improving auction interest 
or with resting ECO or leg market interest) or any balance of the COA 
Order ranking in the Book. Thus, to allow the later-arriving Complex 
C2C Order to be evaluated based on the most up-to-date Book, the 
Exchange proposes to end a COA upon the arrival of a Complex C2C Order 
in the same complex strategy. This proposed early termination would 
allow the Exchange to incorporate executions from the COA, or any 
remaining balance of the COA Order, to conduct the requisite price 
validations per Rule 900.3NYP(g)(2)(C) for the Complex C2C Order--
including based on the Exchange BBO, the DBBO, and best-priced Complex 
Orders on the Exchange following the COA Order executions and ranking.
    Like current Rule 980NYP(3)(f)(E), the proposed rule change would 
be consistent with current Rule 980NYP(f)(3)(A)-(D), which describes 
four circumstances that cause the early end of a COA to ensure that 
later-arriving interest does not trade ahead of a COA Order and to 
ensure that the Book is updated to reflect executions resulting from 
the COA. The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change achieves 
this same objective. As with the existing early end scenarios, the 
proposed early end of a COA does not prevent the COA Order from trading 
with any interest, including price-improving interest, that arrived 
prior to the early termination (i.e., because of a Complex C2C Order in 
the same complex strategy as the COA). In addition, any portion of the 
COA Order that does not trade in the COA is placed on the Consolidated 
Book where it continues to have opportunities to trade.\18\
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    \18\ See note 11, supra (describing that any remaining portion 
of a COA Order following the COA will be placed on the Consolidated 
Book and will be processed as an ECO).
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2. Statutory Basis
    The proposed rule change is consistent with Section 6(b) of the 
Act,\19\ in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 
6(b)(5),\20\ in particular, because it is designed to prevent 
fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and 
equitable principles of trade, to foster cooperation and coordination 
with persons engaged in facilitating transactions in securities, to 
remove impediments to, and perfect the mechanism of, a free and open 
market and a national market system and, in general, to protect 
investors and the public interest.
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    \19\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \20\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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    The Exchange believes that the proposed amendment to Rule 
980NYP(f)(3) regarding the additional circumstance that would cause a 
COA to end early would promote just and equitable principles of trade 
because it would ensure that the COA Order is executed to the extent 
possible and, if applicable, is ranked in the Consolidated Book before 
the Exchange evaluates the later-arriving Complex C2C Order. As noted 
above, until the COA concludes, the Book is not updated to reflect any 
COA Order executions (with price-improving auction interest or with 
resting ECO or leg market interest) or any balance of the COA Order 
ranking in the Book. This proposed early termination would then allow 
the Exchange to incorporate executions from the COA, or any remaining 
balance of the COA Order, to conduct the requisite price validations 
for the Complex C2C Order (per Rule 900.3NYP(g)(2)(C)) based on the 
most up-to-date Book (i.e., based on the DBBO, Exchange BBO, and best-
priced Complex Orders on the Exchange following the COA).
    As noted herein, the proposed change is being made for the same 
reasons that a COA in progress would end early upon the receipt of 
another Cross Order--a Complex QCC Order, per Rule 980NYP(f)(3)(E)--and 
therefore raises no new or novel issues and would ensure internal 
consistency of Exchange rules. In addition, Rule 908NYP(f)(A)-(D) 
describes the other four circumstances under which a COA must end early 
to ensure that later-arriving interest does not trade ahead of a COA 
Order and to ensure that the Book is updated to reflect executions 
resulting from the COA. The Exchange believes that the proposed rule 
change achieves this same objective. As with each of the early end 
scenarios, the proposed early end of a COA does not prevent the COA 
Order from trading with any interest, including price-improving 
interest, that arrived prior to the early termination (i.e., because of 
a Complex C2C Order in the same complex strategy as the COA). As such, 
the proposed change would benefit investors because it would ensure the 
timely executions of COA Orders (at potentially improved prices) and 
would also allow a timely execution of the Complex C2C Orders in the 
same complex strategy as the COA Order. In addition, the proposal would 
ensure that the prices used to validate a Complex C2C Order would 
incorporate executions from the COA, or any remaining balance of the 
COA Order.\21\
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    \21\ As noted, any portion of the COA Order that does not trade 
in the COA is placed in the Consolidated Book where it continues to 
have opportunities to trade. See, e.g., note 12 [sic], supra.
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    For the same reasons articulated when the Exchange adopted Rule 
980NYP(f)(3)(E) (early end of a COA upon receipt of a Complex QCC 
Order), the Exchange believes that its proposed approach would provide 
the best protection to investors because ending a COA upon receipt of a 
C2C Order would ensure that the COA Order executes to the extent 
possible and that the Exchange relies on the most-up-to-date Book 
(following executions in the COA) to validate the price of the Complex 
QCC [sic] Order. Thus, the Exchange believes the proposed rule change 
would promote just and equitable principles of trade because it would 
help preserve--and maintain investor's confidence in--the integrity of 
the Exchange's local market.
    Finally, the Exchange believes that modifying the rule as proposed 
would add clarity and transparency to Rule 980NYP regarding the 
handling of COA Orders.

B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change will 
impose any burden on intra-market competition that is not necessary or 
appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. The proposed 
rule change would apply in the same manner to all similarly-situated 
market participants that opt to utilize the COA process, the use of 
which is voluntary and, as such, market participants are not required 
to avail themselves of this process.
    The Exchange does not believe that its proposed rule change will 
impose any burden on inter-market competition that is not necessary or 
appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act because the 
proposed change is designed to ensure that both a COA Order and a C2C 
Order receive timely executions based on current market conditions. To 
the extent that other options exchanges offer complex order auctions 
and Complex C2C Orders, such exchanges are free to adopt (if they have 
not already done so) the early termination provision proposed herein.

[[Page 31789]]

C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed 
Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others

    No written comments were solicited or received with respect to the 
proposed rule change.

III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for 
Commission Action

    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \22\ and Rule 19b-
4(f)(6) \23\ thereunder, the Exchange has designated this proposal as 
one that effects a change that: (i) does not significantly affect the 
protection of investors or the public interest; (ii) does not impose 
any significant burden on competition; and (iii) by its terms, does not 
become operative for 30 days after the date of the filing, or such 
shorter time as the Commission may designate if consistent with the 
protection of investors and the public interest.\24\
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    \22\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
    \23\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
    \24\ In addition, Rule 19b-4(f)(6) requires a self-regulatory 
organization to give the Commission written notice of its intent to 
file the proposed rule change at least five business days prior to 
the date of filing of the proposed rule change, or such shorter time 
as designated by the Commission. The Exchange has satisfied this 
requirement.
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    A proposed rule change filed pursuant to Rule 19b-4(f)(6) under the 
Act normally does not become operative for 30 days after the date of 
its filing. However, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) \25\ permits the Commission 
to designate a shorter time if such action is consistent with the 
protection of investors and the public interest. The Exchange has asked 
the Commission to waive the 30-day operative delay. The Exchange states 
that waiver of the operative delay would allow the Exchange to 
immediately implement the Complex C2C functionality, including the 
associated early end scenarios in proposed Exchange Rule 
980NYP(f)(3)(E). The Commission finds that waiving the operative delay 
is consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest 
because it will allow a COA Order in a complex strategy to execute to 
the extent possible after the Exchange receives a Complex C2C Order in 
the same strategy while allowing the Exchange to conduct the required 
price validations for the Complex C2C Order \26\ based on a Book that 
has been updated to reflect any executions of the COA Order, thereby 
ensuring that the required price validations for the Complex C2C Order 
have accounted for all trading interest on the Exchange.\27\ In 
addition, any portion of the COA Order that does not execute during the 
COA may be placed in the Consolidated Book, where it will continue to 
have opportunities to trade. For these reasons, the Commission 
designates the proposal operative upon filing.\28\
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    \25\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).
    \26\ See Exchange Rule 900.3NYP(g)(2)(C).
    \27\ The Exchange's proposal to end a COA early when it receives 
a Complex C2C Order for the same strategy as the COA Order is 
consistent with current Exchange Rule 980NYP(f)(3)(E). Specifically, 
as discussed above, Exchange Rule 980NYP(f)(3)(E) currently states 
that a COA will end early if the Exchange receives a Complex QCC 
Order in the same complex strategy as the COA order The Exchange 
proposes to amend Exchange Rule 980NYP(f)(3)(E) to provide that a 
COA also will end early if the Exchange receives a Complex C2C Order 
in the same complex strategy as the COA Order. The Exchange states 
that the purpose of the early termination is the same for both 
Complex QCC and Complex C2C Orders--to allow the Exchange to conduct 
the required price validations for a Complex QCC Order or Complex 
C2C Order based on a Book that has been updated to include any 
executions from the COA for the same complex strategy. The Exchange 
states that ending the COA upon receipt of a Complex C2C Order in 
the same strategy as the COA Order protects investors by ensuring 
that the COA Order executes to the extent possible and that the 
Exchange relies on the most-up-to-date Book (following executions in 
the COA) to validate the price of the Complex C2C Order, which the 
Exchange believes will help to preserve the integrity of the 
Exchange's local market.
    \28\ For purposes only of accelerating the operative date of 
this proposal, the Commission has considered the proposed rule's 
impact on efficiency, competition, and capital formation. 15 U.S.C. 
78c(f).
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    At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule 
change, the Commission summarily may temporarily suspend such rule 
change if it appears to the Commission that such action is necessary or 
appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors, or 
otherwise in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. If the Commission 
takes such action, the Commission shall institute proceedings to 
determine whether the proposed rule should be approved or disapproved.

IV. Solicitation of Comments

    Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views and 
arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule 
change is consistent with the Act. Comments may be submitted by any of 
the following methods:

Electronic Comments

     Use the Commission's internet comment form (https://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml); or
     Send an email to [email protected]. Please include 
file number SR-NYSEAMER-2024-26 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

     Send paper comments in triplicate to Secretary, Securities 
and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549-1090.

All submissions should refer to file number SR-NYSEAMER-2024-26. This 
file number should be included on the subject line if email is used. To 
help the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently, 
please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on 
the Commission's internet website (https://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the submission, all subsequent amendments, all 
written statements with respect to the proposed rule change that are 
filed with the Commission, and all written communications relating to 
the proposed rule change between the Commission and any person, other 
than those that may be withheld from the public in accordance with the 
provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for website viewing and 
printing in the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE, 
Washington, DC 20549, on official business days between the hours of 10 
a.m. and 3 p.m. Copies of the filing also will be available for 
inspection and copying at the principal office of the Exchange. Do not 
include personal identifiable information in submissions; you should 
submit only information that you wish to make available publicly. We 
may redact in part or withhold entirely from publication submitted 
material that is obscene or subject to copyright protection. All 
submissions should refer to file number SR-NYSEAMER-2024-26 and should 
be submitted on or before May 16, 2024.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\29\
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    \29\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12), (59).
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Sherry R. Haywood,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-08805 Filed 4-24-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P