Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

[OMB Control No. 2900-0025]

Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review

AGENCY: Office of Management, Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995

(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Office of

Management, Department of Veterans Affairs, has submitted 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; it includes the actual data collection instrument.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 15, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY OF THE SUBMISSION CONTACT: Ron

Taylor, Information Management Service (045A4), Department of Veterans

Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420, (202) 273-8015

or FAX (202) 273-5981. Please refer to ``OMB Control No. 2900-0025'' in

any correspondence.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Request for Consent to Release of Information, VA Form 3288.

OMB Control Number: 2900-0025.

Type of Review: Reinstatement, without change, of a previously

approved collection for which approval has expired.

Abstract: Veterans and their beneficiaries regularly request that

copies of documents or information contained in their benefits or

medical records be released to third parties, such as insurance

companies, physicians and other individuals. The Privacy Act of 1974 (5

U.S.C. 552a) and the VA's confidentiality statue (38 U.S.C. 5701) as

implemented by 38 CFR 1.526(a) and 38 CFR 1.576(b) require individuals

to provide written consent before documents or information can be

disclosed to third parties not allowed to receive records or

information under any other provision of law, i.e., routine use of a

record in a system of records.

VA Form 3288 is completed by veterans or beneficiaries to provide

the VA with a written consent to release records or information. Use of

the form ensures an individual gives an informed written consent for

the release of records or information about himself/herself that is

consistent with the statutory requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974

and the VA's confidentiality statute.

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 control number. The Federal Register Notice with a

60-day comment period soliciting comments on this collection of

information was published on December 30, 1996 at page 68818.

Affected Public: Individuals or households.

Estimated Annual Burden: 18,875 hours.

Estimated Average Burden Per Respondent: 7.5 minutes.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 151,000.

Send comments and recommendations concerning any aspect of the

information collection to VA's OMB Desk Officer, Allison Eydt, OMB

Human Resources and Housing Branch, New Executive Office Building, Room

10235, Washington, DC 20503, (202) 395-4650. Please refer to ``OMB

Control No. 2900-0025'' in any correspondence.

Dated: June 25, 1997.

By direction of the Secretary.

Donald L. Neilson,

Director, Information Management Service.

[FR Doc. 97-18636 Filed 7-15-97; 8:45 am]

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