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: Supplement to Claim of

Person Outside the United States; OMB 3220-0155.

Under the Social Security Amendments of 1983 (Public Law 98-21),

which amends Section 202(t) of the Social Security Act, the Tier I or

the O/M (overall minimum) portion of an annuity and Medicare benefits

payable under the Railroad Retirement Act to certain beneficiaries

living outside the U.S., may be withheld effective January 1, 1985. The

benefit withholding provision of P.O. 98-21 applies to divorces

spouses, spouses, minor or disabled children, students, and survivors

of railroad employees who (1) initially became eligible for Tier I

amounts, O/M shares, and Medicare benefits after the December 31, 1984;

(2) are not U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals; and (3) have resided

outside the U.S. for more than six consecutive months starting with the

annuity beginning date. The benefit withholding provision does not

apply, however to a beneficiary who is exempt under either a treaty

obligation of the U.S., in effect on August 1, 1956, or a totalization

agreement between the U.S. and the country in which the beneficiary

resides, or to an individual who is exempt under other criteria

specified in P.L. 98-21.

RRB Form G-45, Supplement to Claim of Person Outside the United

States, is used by the RRB to determine applicability of the

withholding provision of P.L. 98-21. Completion of the form is required

to obtain or retain

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a benefit. One response is requested of each respondent.

The RRB proposes to revise Form G-45 to add language required by

the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Non-burden impacting reformatting

and minor editorial changes are also proposed. The RRB estimates that

100 Form G-45's are completed annually. The completion time for Form G-

45 is estimated at 10 minutes per response.

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 N. Rush

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

received on or before April 7, 1998.

Chuck Mierzwa,

Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 98-2965 Filed 2-5-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7905-01-M