[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 142 (Tuesday, July 24, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38446-38447]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-18368]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request and 
Comment Request

    The Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes a list of 
information collection packages that will require clearance by the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with Pub. L. 104-13 
effective October 1, 1995, The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. SSA is 
soliciting comments on the accuracy of the agency's burden estimate; 
the need for the information; its practical utility; ways to enhance 
its quality, utility and clarity; and on ways to minimize burden on 
respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
    Written comments and recommendations regarding the information 
collection(s) should be submitted to the OMB Desk Officer and the SSA 
Reports Clearance Officer and at the following addresses: (OMB), Office 
of Management and Budget, Attn: Desk Officer for SSA, New Executive 
Office Building, Room 10230, 725 17th St., NW, Washington, D.C. 20503; 
(SSA), Social Security Administration, DCFAM, Attn: Frederick W. 
Brickenkamp, 1-A-21 Operations Bldg., 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, 
MD 21235.
    I. The information collections listed below will be submitted to 
OMB within 60 days from the date of this notice. Therefore, your 
comments should be submitted to SSA within 60 days from the date of 
this publication. You can obtain copies of the collection instruments 
by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer at 410-965-4145, or by 
writing to him at the address listed above.
    1. Survey of Adults to Determine Public Understanding of Social 
Security Programs--0960-0612. As a result of the Government Performance 
and Results Act (GPRA), SSA must measure its progress in achieving 
Agency-level goals. One of SSA's strategic goals is to ``Strengthen 
public understanding of Social Security programs.'' In order to measure 
its performance in meeting this strategic objective, SSA established 
the Public Understanding Measurement System (PUMS) which involves 
surveying the public about their knowledge of Social Security programs. 
The Gallup Organization has been conducting PUMS surveys, on behalf of 
SSA, since fiscal year 1999.
    For the next series of surveys, SSA has made some modifications to 
the PUMS survey process to bring it in compliance with its recent 
Agency Strategic Plan, Mastering the Challenge and plans to conduct 
22,000 surveys beginning this fall as shown below:
     1,000 national surveys will be used to determine the FY 
2001 performance level; e.g., the percent of Americans knowledgeable 
about Social Security programs.
     1,050 national surveys will be used to ensure that SSA has 
equal data for specific demographic groups (African Americans, Hispanic 
Americans, and Asian Americans) that have been underrepresented in 
previous national surveys. This data will be used to improve SSA's 
public education programs directed to these populations.
     19,950 ``area'' surveys will provide area managers with 
statistically valid local GPRA performance data. This data will be used 
to measure local progress and to improve SSA public education programs 
in those areas. This will ensure that SSA's resources are used 
effectively and that it continues to make progress in meeting its 
strategic objective.
    The respondents will be randomly selected adults residing in the 
United States.

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                                   National surveys      Area surveys
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Number of respondents...........  2,050.............  19,950.
Frequency of response...........  1.................  1.
Average burden per response.....  10.5 min..........  10.5 min.
Estimated annual burden.........  359 hrs...........  3,491 hrs.
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    2. Representative Payee Report--0960-0068. Sections 205(j) and 
1631(a)(2) provide for the payment of Social Security and Supplemental 
Security Income benefits to a relative, another person or an 
organization (referred to as representative payee) when the best 
interests of the beneficiary would be served. These sections also 
provide that SSA monitor how the benefits were used. SSA uses forms 
SSA-623 and SSA-6230 to collect this information. SSA needs the 
information to determine whether the payments provided to the 
representative payee have been used for the beneficiary's current 
maintenance and

[[Page 38447]]

personal needs and whether the representative payee continues to be 
concerned with the beneficiary's welfare. The respondents are 
representative payees designated to receive funds on behalf of Social 
Security and Supplemental Security Income recipients.
    Number of Respondents: 5,527,755.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 1,381,939 hours.
    II. The information collections listed below have been submitted to 
OMB for clearance. Your comments on the information collections would 
be most useful if received by OMB and SSA within 30 days from the date 
of this publication. You can obtain a copy of the OMB clearance 
packages by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer on (410) 965-
4145, or by writing to him at the address listed above.
    1. Report of Student Beneficiary About to Attain Age 19--0960-0274. 
The information collected by the Social Security Administration (SSA) 
on form SSA-1390 is used to determine a student's eligibility for 
Social Security benefits for those attaining age 19. The affected 
public is comprised of student beneficiaries about to attain age 19.
    Number of Respondents: 50,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 5 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 4,167 hours.
    2. Certificate of Coverage Request Form--0960-0554. The United 
States (U.S.) has Social Security agreements with 18 countries. These 
agreements eliminate double Social Security coverage and taxation where 
a period of work would be subject to coverage and taxes in both 
countries. The individual agreements contain rules for determining the 
country under whose laws the period of work will be covered and to 
whose system taxes will be paid. The agreements further provide that 
upon the request of the worker or employer, the country under whose 
system the period of work is covered will issue a certificate of 
coverage. The certificate serves as proof of exemption from coverage 
and taxation under the system of the other country. The information 
collected is needed to determine if a period of work is covered by the 
U.S. system under an agreement and to issue a certificate of coverage. 
The respondents are workers and employers wishing to establish an 
exemption from foreign Social Security taxes.
    Number of Respondents: 40,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 30 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 20,000 hours.
    3. Medical Report (General)--0960-0052. The information collected 
on form SSA-3826-F4 is used by SSA to determine the claimant's physical 
status prior to making a disability determination and to document the 
disability claims folder with the medical evidence. The respondents are 
physicians, hospitals, directors and medical records librarians.
    Number of Respondents: 750,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 30 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 375,000 hours.
    4. Representative Payee Evaluation Report--0960-0069. The 
information on form SSA-624 is used by SSA to accurately account for 
the use of Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income 
payments received by representative payees on behalf of an individual. 
The respondents are individuals and organizations, designated as 
representative payees, who received form SSA-623 or SSA-6230 and failed 
to respond, provided unacceptable responses that could not be resolved 
or reported a change in custody.
    Number of Respondents: 250,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 30 minutes.
    Estimated Average Burden: 125,000 hours.

    Dated: July 18, 2001.
Frederick W. Brickenkamp,
Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 01-18368 Filed 7-23-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-U