Proposed Collection: Comment Request

CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE

Proposed Collection: Comment Request

June 25, 1997.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) , as

part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent

burden, conducts a preclearance consultation program to provide the

general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on

proposed and/or continuing collections of information in accordance

with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA95) (44 U.S.C.

Sec. 3508(c)(2)(A)). This program helps to ensure that requested data

can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and

financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly

understood, and the impact of collection requirement on respondents can

be properly assessed. Currently, the Corporation for National and

Community Service is soliciting comments concerning its proposed

revision of its Voucher and Payment Request Form. Copies of the form

can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the address

section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the

addresses section on or before August 24, 1997.

The Corporation for National and Community Service is particularly

interested in comments which:

Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is

necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the

Corporation, 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;

Enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the

information to be collected; 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 submissions of responses.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Levon Buller, National Service Trust,

Corporation for National and Community Service, Mail Stop 7200, 1201

New York Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C., 20525.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Levon Buller, (202) 606-5000, ext.

383.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

After AmeriCorps participants complete periods of national service,

they receive ``education awards'' that can be used to pay against

qualified student loans or pay for post secondary educational expenses.

This award is an amount of money set aside in their ``account'' in the

National Service Trust Fund. They have seven years in which to draw

against any unused balance.

The Voucher and Payment Request Form is the document that an

AmeriCorps participant uses to authorize and request that a payment be

made from his or her account. The form serves three purposes: (1) the

AmeriCorps participant uses it to request that a specific payment be

made from the participant's account, (2) the school or loan company

uses it to indicate the amount for which the individual is eligible,

and (3) the school or loan company and participant use it to certify

that the payment meets various legislative requirements. When the

Corporation receives a voucher, it is processed and a payment is issued

by the U.S. Treasury to the loan holder or school on behalf of the

participant.

The form was designed and has been in use since the summer of 1994.

During that time, CNCS has learned, through experience, the strengths

and weaknesses of the form. The revisions are being proposed to rectify

the weaknesses.

II. Current Action

The purposes of the revisions are to (1) eliminate unnecessary

responses contained in the original form, (2) clarify instructions for

completing the form, (3) simplify technical language on the original

form, and (4) put onto one document space for signatures and the

statements for which the signatories indicate affirmation. Regarding

this last point, the current form refers those who complete the form to

certain statements contained in a separate document. It is assumed

that, by signing the form, the signatories are verifying agreement with

those statements. On the proposed revised form, the statements and the

signatures will be on one document. This will clearly bind the

statements to the affirming signatures.

The Corporation for National and Community Service seeks to

continue using this particular form, albeit in a revised version, to

request and authorize payments from an AmeriCorps participant's

account. The current Voucher and Payment Request Form is due to expire

July 31, 1997. CNCS has asked for a 60-day extension to use the

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existing form until a revised form is approved.

Type of Review: Renewal.

Agency: Corporation for National and Community Service.

Title: Voucher and Payment Request Form.

OMB Number: 3045-0014.

Agency Number: N/A.

Affected Public: AmeriCorps participants and the loan holders or

schools to which they wish to make payments.

Total Respondents: 35,000 annually.

Frequency: Average of once per year.

Average Time Per Response: Two minutes (\1/4\ minute for AmeriCorps

participants and 1 \3/4\ minute for school/loan holder).

Estimated Total Burden Hours: 1,167 hours.

Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): N/A.

Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): N/A.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized

and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget

approval of the information collection request; they will also become a

matter of public record.

Dated: June 25, 1997.

David Spevacek,

Director, Financial Operations.

[FR Doc. 97-16991 Filed 6-27-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6050-28-P