Proposed Collection; Comment Request

RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD

Proposed Collection; Comment Request

SUMMARY: In accordance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of

the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 which provides opportunity for

public comment on new or revised data collections, the Railroad

Retirement Board (RRB) will publish periodic summaries of proposed data

collections.

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed information

collection is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of

the agency, including whether the information has practical utility;

(b) the accuracy of the RRB's estimate of the burden of the collection

of the information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize

the burden related to the collection of information on respondents,

including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of

information technology.

Title and purpose of information collection: Statement of Claimant

or other Person; OMB 3220-0183 To support an application for an annuity

under Section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) or for

unemployment benefits under Section 2 of the Railroad Unemployment

Insurance Act (RUIA), pertinent information and proofs must be furnish

for the RRB to determine benefit entitlement. Circumstances may require

an applicant or other person(s) having knowledge of facts relevant to

the applicant's eligibility for an annuity or benefits to provide

written statements supplementing or changing statements previously

provided by the applicant. Under the railroad retirement program these

statements may relate to changes in annuity beginning date(s), dates

for marriage(s), birth(s), prior railroad or non-railroad employment,

an applicants request for reconsideration of an unfavorable RRB

eligibility determination for an annuity or various other matters. The

statements may also be used by the RRB to secure a variety of

information needed to determine eligibility to unemployment and

sickness benefits. Procedures related to providing information needed

for RRA annuity or RUIA benefit eligibility determinations are

prescribed in 20 CFR 217 and 320 respectively.

The RRB utilizes Form G-93, Statement of Claimant or Other Person

to obtain the supplemental or corrective information from applicants or

other persons needed to determine applicant eligibility for an RRA

annuity or RUIA benefits.

The RRB proposes to add an item that requests the applicant's

railroad retirement annuity claim number, if it is different from their

social security number. A minor editorial change to Form G-93 to

incorporate language required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 is

also being proposed. The completion time for Form G-93 is estimated at

15 minutes per response. The RRB estimates that approximately 900 Form

G-93's are received annually. Completion is voluntary. One response is

requested of each respondent.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: To request more information or to

obtain a copy of the information collection justification, forms, and/

or supporting material, please call the RRB Clearance Officer at (312)

751-3363. Comments regarding the information collection should be

addressed to Ronald J. Hodapp, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North

Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-2092. Written comments should be

received within 60 days of this notice.

Chuck Mierzwa,

Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 97-19193 Filed 7-21-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7905-01-M