Information Collection Request (ICR) Tracker

Key Information

Federal Register Notices

Authorizing Statutes

Abstract

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is required by 35 U.S.C. § 131 to examine an application for patent and, when appropriate, issue a patent. Also, the USPTO is required to publish patent applications, with certain exceptions, promptly after the expiration of a period of 18 months from the earliest filing date for which a benefit is sought under Title 35, United States Code ("eighteen-month publication"). Certain situations may arise which require that additional information be supplied in order for the USPTO to further process the patent or application. The USPTO administers the statutes through various sections of the rules of practice in 37 CFR Part 1. During the processing of an application for a patent, the applicant or applicant’s representative may be required to submit additional information to the USPTO concerning the examination of a specific application. The specific information required to be submitted includes: requests for extension of time, abandonment of applications and the revival of abandoned applications, disclaimers, appeals, petitions, expedited examination of design applications, requests for continued examinations, request to inspect, copy, and access patent applications, and transmittal forms. The information in this collection can be used by the USPTO to continue the processing of the patent or application to ensure that applicants are complying with the patent regulations and to aid in the prosecution of the application.

Key Information

Federal Register Notices

Authorizing Statutes

Abstract

Section 239 of the Fiscal Year 2016 Appropriations Act, P.L. 114-113 (2016 MTW Expansion Statute), authorizes HUD to expand the Moving to Work (MTW) demonstration program from the current size of 39 Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) to an additional 100 agencies over a period of 7 years. The Statute directs HUD to add new MTW PHAs in cohorts, with each cohort testing a specific policy change so that HUD can conduct a rigorous evaluation of that policy’s effects. A copy of the relevant section of law authorizing the Department to undertake “such programs of research, studies, testing, and demonstration relating to the mission and programs of the Department” (12 USC 1701z-1 et seq.) is included as Appendix H. The second cohort of MTW Expansion PHAs will test alternative ways of setting rents in the public housing and housing choice voucher programs. The traditional rent policy (the Brooke rent) typically sets each household’s rent at 30 percent of their adjusted monthly income. This rent policy is administratively complex and burdensome for PHAs and assisted households. The Brooke rent is hypothesized to be a disincentive for households to increase their earnings, as $100 dollars of increased income would result in $30 of increased rent. In this project—the Stepped and Tiered Rent Demonstration (STRD)—PHAs will implement alternative rents that might be easier to administer and might incentivize assisted households to increase their earnings. Five PHAs will implement a stepped rent, under which a household’s rent will increase modestly each year regardless of their income. Five PHAs will implement a tiered rent, under which households are assigned to income-based tiers and rents are set based on the tier. Both policies will enable households to increase their income without causing an immediate rent increase. Both policies include hardship provisions to prevent high rent burdens. And both policies include less frequent income reexaminations, to reduce the amount of PHA staff time required to administer the program. The STRD will be implemented as a randomized controlled trial (RCT); eligible households (limited to non-elderly, non-disabled households) will be randomly assigned to the new rent policy, or to remain on the traditional rent policy. This design is the gold standard for program evaluation and will enable HUD to conclude whether the new rent policies caused any differences observed between the two groups over time. HUD’s evaluation is expected to last 6 years. HUD has contracted with MDRC to carry out the first phase of HUD’s evaluation, to launch the STRD and lay the foundation for a long-term evaluation. HUD has also allocated resources to support software modifications required by the PHAs to implement the STRD Demonstration. This new information collection has the following components in this collection, all of which are necessary for the evaluation to succeed.

Key Information

Federal Register Notices

Authorizing Statutes

Abstract

The USPTO is required by 35 U.S.C. 131 and 151 to examine applications and, when appropriate, allow applications and issue them as patents. Chapter 30 of Title 35 U.S.C. provides that any person at any time may file a request for reexamination by the USPTO of any claim of a patent on the basis of prior art cited under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 301. Once initiated, the reexamination proceedings under Chapter 30 are substantially ex parte and do not permit input from third parties. The regulations outlining ex parte reexaminations are found at 37 CFR 1.510-1.570. In addition, 35 U.S.C. 257 permits a patent owner to request supplemental examination of a patent by the USPTO to consider, reconsider, or correct information believed to be relevant to the patent. The regulations outlining supplemental examination are found at 37 CFR 1.601-1.625. The Leahy-Smith America Invents Act terminated inter partes reexamination effective September 16, 2012. However, inter partes reexamination proceedings based on inter partes reexamination requests filed before September 16, 2012, continue to be prosecuted. Therefore, this information collection continues to include items related to the prosecution of inter partes reexamination proceedings. The regulations outlining inter partes reexamination are found at 37 CFR 1.903-1.959. The provisions of 35 U.S.C. 301 and 37 CFR 1.501 govern the ability of a person to submit into the file of an issued patent (1) prior art consisting of patents or printed publications which the person making the submission believes to have a bearing on the patentability of any claim of the issued patent and (2) statements of the owner of the issued patent filed in a proceeding before a Federal court or the USPTO in which the owner of the issued patent took a position on the scope of any claim of the issued patent. This information collection covers information contained in: (1) requests for ex parte reexamination, (2) requests for supplemental examination, (3) submissions made by patent owners and third-party requesters related to the prosecution of an ex parte or inter partes reexamination proceeding, (4) information submitted by the public to aid in ascertaining the patentability and/or scope of the claims of the issued patent, and (5) information submitted by patent owners regarding a position taken before the USPTO or a Federal court regarding the scope of any claim in their issued patent. The USPTO’s use of the statements of the patent owners ((5) above) will be limited to determining the meaning of a patent claim in ex parte reexamination proceedings that already have been ordered and in inter partes review and post grant review proceedings that already have been instituted. The purpose of this information collection is to facilitate requests for ex parte reexamination and supplemental examination, to facilitate prosecution of reexamination and reissue proceedings, and to ensure that the associated documentation is submitted to the USPTO, and to permit relevant post-patent prior art and claim scope information to be entered into a patent file.

Key Information

Federal Register Notices

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This information collection documents the native status of Hawaiian borrowers to meet statutory requirements of the Single-Family Mortgage Insurance program for Hawaiian Homelands and to assist borrowers in resolving defaults.

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Key Information

Federal Register Notices

Authorizing Statutes

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FMCSA is seeking approval of a revision of the “National Consumer Complaint Database (NCCDB)" ICR. FMCSA is modernizing its NCCDB complaint system and expanding the program. The six current collection instruments are being combined in one, central collection that can accommodate a total of 12 complaint categories. FMCSA maintains online information and resources to assist consumers, drivers, and others associated with the motor carrier industry to file complaints regarding household goods carriers, third party intermediaries (brokers and freight forwarders) and their financial responsibility providers, hazardous material (HM) carriers, property carriers, cargo tank facilities, and passenger carriers. The respondents of the collection therefore are the public, consumers, drivers, and the motor carrier industry. The NCCDB allows the public and FMCSA staff to submit complaints using an online form which lists individual violations of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety, Hazardous Material, and Commercial Regulations. The collection is voluntary and is one of reporting and disclosure. The purpose of the collection is to collect data by this system for FMCSA enforcement staff and state agencies to, among other things: help improve motor carrier safety enforcement; improve consumer protection by ensuring that moving companies use fair business practices; and identify and address passenger carrier discrimination and service issues. There is no determined collection frequency, the information is collected as needed. Complainants may visit the NCCDB online at http://nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov, where they will be guided through the process of filing a complaint. The information reported and disclosed is information concerning the incident(s) that lead to different types of complaints concerning truck safety, moving companies, brokers, violations of the American Disabilities Act, bus safety, bus service, cargo tank facilities, and/or hazardous materials regulations. The online interface then leads them through the process by soliciting information about the incident giving rise to the complaint, contact information for the complainant (for follow up purposes), and company information. They also have the ability to upload supporting files/documents if any exist. DOT receives the information. At the end of the process, each complaint is submitted to the NCCDB, where it is directed to the proper FMCSA or DOT office for investigation.

Key Information

Federal Register Notices

Authorizing Statutes

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HUD funded projects involving the acquisition of real property or the displacement of persons as a direct result of acquisition, rehabilitation or demolition are subject to the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 (URA). Agencies receiving HUD funding for such projects are required to document their compliance with applicable requirements of the URA and its implementing government-wide regulations at 49 CFR Part 24.

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Federal Register Notices

Authorizing Statutes

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Section 4062(e) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) imposes reporting obligations in the event of a “substantial cessation of operations.” This form series is used to fulfill these reporting obligations.

Key Information

Federal Register Notices

Authorizing Statutes

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BSEE requires the information to ensure compliance with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA). BSEE uses the information to determine effectiveness of spill-response capability; to verify that State plans meet the minimum OPA requirements; to verify OSR training of personnel; to assess availability and quantities of contractor equipment; to oversee spill-response efforts; to assess efforts to prevent oil spills or substantial threats of such discharges, etc. Respondents are primarily owners or operators of facilities located in both State and Federal waters seaward of the coast line.

Key Information

Federal Register Notices

Authorizing Statutes

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The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration is submitting this non-substantive change request in order to bring the demographic questions in line with the OPM issued memorandum titled, "Initial Guidance Regarding President Trump’s Executive Order Defending Women. The only changes were to the questions in the Coral Reef Conservation Question Bank regarding an individual’s sex. This question was updated by changing ‘gender’ to ‘sex’ and removing two noncompliant responses. There are no other changes to this collection and these changes do not affect the burden to the public.

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Federal Register Notices

Authorizing Statutes

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FinCEN is issuing this statement to support its request that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approve the Real Estate Report (RER) — the form that will be used to collect information about certain residential real estate (RRE) transfers, as required by the Anti-Money Laundering Regulations for Residential Real Estate Transfers final rule, hereafter referred to as the Residential Real Estate Rule (RRE Rule). FinCEN issued the RRE Rule on August 29, 2024, and the RRE Rule has an effective date of December 1, 2025. Briefly, the RRE Rule requires certain persons involved in real estate closings and settlements (reporting persons) to submit reports to FinCEN and keep records on certain non-financed transfers of residential real property. Reporting from the RRE Rule is expected to curtail the ability of illicit actors to launder illicit proceeds anonymously through transfers of residential real property, which threatens U.S. economic and national security. More broadly, this reporting is expected to assist the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury), law enforcement, and national security agencies in addressing illicit finance vulnerabilities in the U.S. residential real estate sector. The RRE Rule describes the circumstances in which a report must be filed, who must file a report, what information must be provided, and when a report is due.

Key Information

Federal Register Notices

Authorizing Statutes

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The Director of the USPTO has the authority to establish regulations governing the conduct and discipline of agents, attorneys, or other persons representing applicants and other parties before the USPTO (35 U.S.C. § 2 and §§ 32–33). The USPTO Rules of Professional Conduct (Rules), set forth in subpart D, part 11 of title 37 of the Code of Federal Regulations, prescribe the manner in which agents, attorneys, and other persons (collectively, ‘‘practitioners’’) representing applicants and other parties before the USPTO should conduct themselves professionally. Part 11 outlines practitioners’ responsibilities for recordkeeping and reporting violations or complaints of misconduct to the USPTO. Subpart C of part 11 sets forth the manner by which the USPTO investigates misconduct and imposes discipline. The USPTO Rules of Professional Conduct require all practitioners to maintain complete records of all funds, securities, and other properties of clients coming into his or her possession, and to render appropriate accounts to the client regarding the funds, securities, and other properties of clients coming into the practitioner’s possession, collectively known as ‘‘client property.’’ These recordkeeping requirements are necessary to maintain the integrity of client property. State bars require attorneys to perform similar recordkeeping. Part 11 also requires a practitioner to report knowledge of certain violations of the USPTO Rules of Professional Conduct to the USPTO. The OED Director may, after notice and opportunity for a hearing, suspend, exclude, or disqualify any practitioner from further practice before the USPTO based on non-compliance with the USPTO Rules of Professional Conduct. Practitioners who have been excluded or suspended from practice before the USPTO, practitioners transferred to disability inactive status, and practitioners who have resigned must maintain records of their compliance with the suspension or exclusion order, transfer to disability inactive status, or resignation. These records are necessary to demonstrate eligibility for reinstatement. Reports of alleged violations of the USPTO Rules of Professional Conduct are used by the Director of OED to conduct investigations and disciplinary hearings, as appropriate. This information collection covers the various reporting and recordkeeping requirements set forth in Part 11 for practitioners representing applicants and other parties before the USPTO. Also covered are petitions for reinstatement for suspended or excluded practitioners and the means for reporting violations or complaints of misconduct to the USPTO.

Key Information

Federal Register Notices

Authorizing Statutes

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The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration is submitting this non-substantive change request in order to bring the demographic questions in line with the OPM issued memorandum titled, "Initial Guidance Regarding President Trump’s Executive Order Defending Women. The only changes were to the questions regarding an individual’s sex to remove two response options on the Post-Tornado Interview Questions and the Tornado Survey instrument. These changes do not affect the burden of the public.

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Federal Register Notices

Authorizing Statutes

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USAJOBS web site is utilized to apply for Federal employment. The Applicant Profile and Resume Builder are two components of the USAJOBS application system. USAJOBS reflects the minimal critical elements collected across the Federal Government to assess an applicant's qualifications for Federal jobs under the authority of sections 1104, 1302, 3301, 3304, 3320, 3361, 3393, and 3394 of title 5, United States Code. This ICR is not related to A11 Section 280 CX or UX activities.

Key Information

Federal Register Notices

Authorizing Statutes

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The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) intends to collect demographic, programmatic, and outcome data on Services for Survivors of Torture (SOT) grant recipients and the clients they serve. This collection of information is necessary for grant monitoring and is authorized under Section 5(a) of the "Torture Victims Relief Act of 1998," Pub. L. 105-320 (22 U.S.C. § 2152 note) Assistance for Treatment of Torture Victims. ORR will collect these data on the new cohort of Services for SOT grant recipients. Grant recipients submit aggregated data on new and continuing clients annually, including demographic information, characteristics related to experiences of torture, services received, and well-being across six outcome domains. Grant recipients will also provide information about community attendance at trainings and pro-bono services donated to the program. This data collection will allow ORR to learn more about the populations served by SOT grant recipients; the types and effectiveness of services provided; methods, challenges, and facilitators of implementing services; and grant recipients’ progress towards programmatic goals. The data collected will also be used for collaborative research projects to provide technical assistance to grant recipients. A summary of the information collected will be used by ORR in reports to stakeholders, including a required report to Congress, and in responses to funding requests. In January 2025, the current Administration released multiple Executive Orders (EO) and memoranda requiring updates to information collections that request gender and/or gender identity, to only request “Sex” with the options Male/Female. Additionally, presidential actions focused on the removal of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)-specific activities. To be responsive to the new administration, ACF is submitting change requests for a number of implicated information collections. This request is specific to updates related to a recent presidential action, as detailed in the accompanying Justification for a NonSubstantive Change Memo.

Key Information

Federal Register Notices

Authorizing Statutes

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Section 1413 of the Affordable Care Act directs the Secretary of HHS to develop and provide to each State a single, streamlined form that may be used to apply for coverage through the Exchange and Insurance Affordability Programs. A state may develop and use its own single streamlined application if approved by the Secretary in accordance with section 1413 and if it meets the standards established by the Secretary.

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Federal Register Notices

Authorizing Statutes

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The BLS signs cooperative agreements with States, and political subdivisions thereof, to assist them in developing and administering programs that deal with occupational safety and health statistics and to arrange through these agreements for research to further the objectives of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

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Federal Register Notices

Authorizing Statutes

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In order to participate in the Medicare program as a CORF, providers must meet federal conditions of participation. The certification form is needed to determine if providers meet at least preliminary requirements. The survey form is used to record provider compliance with the individual conditions and report findings to CMS.

Key Information

Federal Register Notices

Authorizing Statutes

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The Black Lung Benefits Act (BLBA), 30 U.S.C. 901 et seq., may require parties to exchange all medical information about the miner they develop in connection with a claim for benefits, including information parties do not intent to submit as evidence in the claim. BLBA regulations help protect a miner's health, assist unrepresented parties, and promote accurate benefit determinations. The potential parties to a BLBA claim include the benefits claimant, the responsible coal mine operator and its insurance carrier, and the Director of OWCP. Under BLBA, a party of a party's agent who receives medical information about the miner must send a copy to all other parties within 30 days after receipt or, if a hearing before an administrative law judge has already been scheduled, at least 20 days before the hearing. The exchanged information is entered into the record of the claim only if a party submits it into evidence.

Key Information

Federal Register Notices

Authorizing Statutes

Abstract

On June 21, 2018, the Department published the Definition of Employer under Section 3(5) of ERISA—Association Health Plans final rule. On August 3, 2018, the Department of Labor, HHS and the Treasury Department (the Departments) published the Short-Term, Limited-Duration Insurance final rule. These final rules remove the prohibition on integrating health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) with individual health insurance coverage, if certain conditions are met. The final rules also set forth conditions under which certain HRAs are as limited excepted benefits. In addition, the Treasury Department and the IRS finalized rules regarding premium tax credit (PTC) eligibility for individuals offered coverage under an HRA integrated with individual health insurance coverage, and DOL finalized a safe harbor to provide HRA plan sponsors with assurance that the individual health insurance coverage that is integrated with an HRA would not become part of an ERISA plan if the conditions of the safe harbor are met. Finally, HHS finalized rules that provide a special enrollment period in the individual market for individuals who gain access to an HRA that is integrated with individual health insurance coverage or who are provided a qualified small employer health reimbursement arrangement (QSEHRA). The following five information Collections are contained in the final rules: (1) Verification of Enrollment in Individual Coverage; (2) HRA Notice to Participants; (3) Notice to Participants that Individual Policy is not Subject to Title I of ERISA; (4) Participant Notification of Individual Coverage HRA of Cancelled or Discontinued Coverage; (5) Notice for Excepted Benefit HRAs. These information collections notify the HRA that participants are enrolled in individual health insurance coverage, help individuals understand the impact of enrolling in an HRA on their eligibility for the PTC, and help individuals understand that coverage is not subject to the rules and consumer protections of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).