[Federal Register: January 31, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 20)]
[Notices]               
[Page 5062]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr31ja06-46]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families

 
Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

Proposed Projects

    Title: Office of Refugee Resettlement--Authorization for Release of 
Information (R-317).
    OMB No.: OMB 0970-0278.
    Description: The 2002 Homeland Security Act (Pub. L. 107-296) 
charged the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of 
Refugee Resettlement (ORR) with the care and placement of unaccompanied 
alien children (UAC) in Federal custody. The 2002 Homeland Security Act 
also charged ORR with the development and implementation of a policy 
that permits suitable sponsors to request that ORR release these 
children to the sponsors while the children await immigration 
proceedings.
    Before ORR can decide whether the children may be released, the 
potential sponsors must meet certain conditions pursuant to Section 462 
of the Homeland Security Act and the Flores v. Reno settlement 
agreement, No. CV85-4544-RJK (C.D. Cal 1997). When ORR assesses the 
suitability of sponsors, it considers the sponsors' ability and 
willingness to provide for the physical, mental and financial well-
being of an unaccompanied alien child. Also, ORR considers the 
sponsors' assurances that they will ensure the children's appearance 
before the immigration courts. To ensure the safety of the children, 
sponsors must undergo a background check. In this Notice, ACF announces 
that it proposes to revise the Office of Refugee Resettlement 
Authorization for Release of Information (R-317), a currently employed 
information collection instrument, to improve the efficacy of its 
background check procedures.
    Respondents: Potential sponsors of unaccompanied alien children 
referred by the Department of Homeland Security to ORR for care and 
placement by reason of their immigration status.

                                             Annual Burden Estimates
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     Number of        Average
                   Instrument                        Number of     responses per   burden hours    Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent     per response        hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Authorization for Release of Information........           3,000              13             .05           1,950
                                                 -----------------
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours.........  ..............  ..............  ..............           1,950
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    In compliance with the requirements of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Administration for Children and 
Families is soliciting public comment on the specific aspects of the 
information collection described above. Copies of the proposed 
collection of information can be obtained and comments may be forwarded 
by writing to the Administration for Children and Families, Office of 
Administration, Office of Information Services, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, 
SW., Washington, DC 20447, Attn: ACF Reports Clearance Officer. E-mail 
address: infocollection@acf.hhs.gov. All requests should be identified 
by the title of the information collection.
    The Department specifically requests comments on: (a) Whether the 
proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper 
performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the 
information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the 
agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information; (c) the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection 
of information on respondents, including through the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology. 
Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted 
within 60 days of this publication.

    Dated: January 23, 2006.
Robert Sargis,
Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 06-865 Filed 1-30-06; 8:45 am]

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