Published 30 Day FRN

3066

Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 12 / Friday, January 17, 2020 / Notices

Dated: January 13, 2020.
Miguelina Perez,
Program Analyst, Office of Federal Advisory
Committee Policy.
[FR Doc. 2020–00686 Filed 1–16–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY
Federal Emergency Management
Agency
[Docket ID: FEMA–2019–0022; OMB No.
1660–0134]

Agency Information Collection
Activities: Submission for OMB
Review; Comment Request;
Preparedness Activity Registration and
Feedback
Federal Emergency
Management Agency, DHS.
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.
AGENCY:

The Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) will
submit the information collection
abstracted below to the Office of
Management and Budget for review and
clearance in accordance with the
requirements of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995. The submission
will describe the nature of the
information collection, the categories of
respondents, the estimated burden (i.e.,
the time, effort and resources used by
respondents to respond) and cost, and
the actual data collection instruments
FEMA will use.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on
or before February 18, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Submit written comments
on the proposed information collection
to the Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs, Office of
Management and Budget. Comments
should be addressed to the Desk Officer
for the Department of Homeland
Security, Federal Emergency
Management Agency, and sent via
electronic mail to dhsdeskofficer@
omb.eop.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Requests for additional information or
copies of the information collection
should be made to Director, Information
Management Division, 500 C Street SW,
Washington, DC 20472, email address
FEMA-Information-CollectionsManagement@fema.dhs.gov or Christi
Collins, AICP, Branch Chief,
Preparedness Behavior Change,
Individual and Community
Preparedness Division (ICPD), National
Preparedness Directorate, FEMA, DHS,

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• Collections where ICPD partners with
other National Preparedness
Directorate (NPD) offices
As new programs or initiatives are
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
created, ICPD will leverage the preproposed information collection
approved questions in the question bank
previously published in the Federal
provided for this collection. Known
Register on November 8, 2019 at 84 FR
60403. No comments were received. The future activities include:
• Community-Based Organization
purpose of this notice is to notify the
Continuity and Resilience Training
public that FEMA will submit the
information collection abstracted below • Website User Experience Feedback
ICPD uses this information to inform
to the Office of Management and Budget
the continuous improvement of the
for review and clearance.
programs and the Division’s outreach.
Collection of Information
Further, the information allows the
Title: Preparedness Activity
Division to analyze seasonal trends in
Registration and Feedback.
preparedness across the variety of
Type of Information Collection:
programs. Raw data is not shared
Revision of a currently approved
outside of the database; only results of
information collection.
the data assessment is shared. The data
OMB Number: 1660–0134 (and
is used for internal reports as well as
moving a survey from Generic
public-facing talking points.
As new programs or initiatives are
Clearance, 1660–0130).
created, ICPD will leverage the preForm Titles and Numbers: FEMA
approved questions in the question bank
Form 008–0–8 (Preparedness Activity
Registration) and FEMA Form 519–0–11 provided for this collection. Known
(Preparedness Activity Feedback Form). future activities include:
Abstract: This collection will allow
• Community-Based Organization
ICPD to gather the following
Continuity and Resilience Training
information from the public via web
• Website User Experience Feedback
form(s):
ICPD uses this information to inform
• Feedback: General feedback on the
the continuous improvement of the
effectiveness of national FEMA
programs and the Division’s outreach.
preparedness programs and initiatives Further, the information allows the
and website user experience
Division to analyze seasonal trends in
• Activity Details: Information regarding preparedness across the variety of
programs. Raw data is not shared
the type, size and location of
outside of the database; only results of
preparedness activities hosted by
the data assessment is shared. The data
members of the public and
is used for internal reports as well as
community organizers
public-facing talking points.
• POC Information: For registration
Affected Public: Individuals,
within the site and follow-on
organizations and groups who wish to
communication, if needed
register for ICPD Preparedness activities
• Future Engagement Requests: Allow
to take advantage of FEMA’s related
for the public to enroll in the ICPD
resources and available supporting
newsletter or other public
materials.
communications
Estimated Number of Respondents:
• Publication Ordering: Submitting
86,115.
requests to the FEMA publication
Estimated Number of Responses:
warehouse to have materials shipped
86,115.
directly to members of the public
Estimated Total Annual Burden
To fulfill its mission FEMA’s ICPD
Hours:
7,174.
collects information from individuals
Estimated Total Annual Respondent
and organizations by the Preparedness
Cost: $196,424.
Activity Registration Form and the
Estimated Respondents’ Operation
Preparedness Activity Feedback Form
and Maintenance Costs: There are no
located within a public website (called
operation and maintenance costs for
the ‘‘Preparedness Portal’’). This
respondents.
collection facilitates FEMA’s ability to
Estimated Respondents’ Capital and
assess its progress for the following
Start-Up Costs: There are no capital and
programs:
start-up costs for respondents.
• Ready 2 Help (www.ready.gov/game)
Estimated Total Annual Cost to the
• You Are the Help Until Help Arrives
Federal Government: $12,205.
(www.ready.gov/until-help-arrives)
Comments
• Event Registration (www.ready.gov/
Comments may be submitted as
prepare) (includes Prepareathon event
indicated in the ADDRESSES caption
registration)
400 C Street SW, Washington, DC
20024, 202.615.9865. Christi.collins@
fema.dhs.gov.

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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 12 / Friday, January 17, 2020 / Notices
above. Comments are solicited to (a)
evaluate whether the proposed data
collection is necessary for the proper
performance of the agency, including
whether the information shall have
practical utility; (b) evaluate the
accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the
burden of the proposed collection of
information, including the validity of
the methodology and assumptions used;
(c) enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) minimize the burden
of the collection of information on those
who are to respond, including through
the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other
technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology,
e.g., permitting electronic submission of
responses.
Maile Arthur,
Deputy Director of Information Management,
Mission Support, Federal Emergency
Management Agency, Department of
Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2020–00711 Filed 1–16–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111–27–P

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY
[Docket No. DHS–2011–0108]
RIN 1601–ZA11

Identification of Foreign Countries
Whose Nationals Are Eligible To
Participate in the H–2A and H–2B
Nonimmigrant Worker Programs
Office of the Secretary, DHS.
Notice.

AGENCY:
ACTION:

Under Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) regulations,
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services (USCIS) may generally only
approve petitions for H–2A and H–2B
nonimmigrant status for nationals of
countries that the Secretary of
Homeland Security, with the
concurrence of the Secretary of State,
has designated by notice published in
the Federal Register. That notice must
be renewed each year. This notice
announces that the Secretary of
Homeland Security, in consultation
with the Secretary of State, is
identifying 84 countries whose
nationals are eligible to participate in
the H–2A program and 81 countries
whose nationals are eligible to
participate in the H–2B program for the
coming year.
DATES: The designations in this notice
are effective from January 19, 2020, and
shall be without effect after January 18,
2021.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ihsan Gunduz, Office of Strategy, Policy,
and Plans, Department of Homeland
Security, Washington, DC 20528, (202)
282–9708.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background
Generally, USCIS may approve H–2A
and H–2B petitions for nationals of only
those countries that the Secretary of
Homeland Security, with the
concurrence of the Secretary of State,
has designated as participating
countries.1 Such designation must be
published as a notice in the Federal
Register and expires after one year. In
designating countries to include on the
list, the Secretary of Homeland Security,
with the concurrence of the Secretary of
State, will take into account factors
including, but not limited to: (1) The
country’s cooperation with respect to
issuance of travel documents for
citizens, subjects, nationals, and
residents of that country who are subject
to a final order of removal; (2) the
number of final and unexecuted orders
of removal against citizens, subjects,
nationals, and residents of that country;
(3) the number of orders of removal
executed against citizens, subjects,
nationals, and residents of that country;
and (4) such other factors as may serve
the U.S. interest. See 8 CFR
214.2(h)(5)(i)(F)(1)(i) and 8 CFR
214.2(h)(6)(i)(E)(1). Examples of factors
serving the U.S. interest that could
result in the exclusion of a country or
the removal of a country from the list
include, but are not limited to: Fraud,
abuse, nonimmigrant overstay 2 rates
(including but not limited to H–2
nonimmigrants), and other forms of
non-compliance with the terms and
conditions of the H–2 visa programs by
nationals of that country.
1 With respect to all references to ‘‘country’’ or
‘‘countries’’ in this document, it should be noted
that the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, Public Law
96–8, Section 4(b)(1), provides that ‘‘[w]henever the
laws of the United States refer or relate to foreign
countries, nations, states, governments, or similar
entities, such terms shall include and such laws
shall apply with respect to Taiwan.’’ 22 U.S.C.
3303(b)(1). Accordingly, all references to ‘‘country’’
or ‘‘countries’’ in the regulations governing whether
nationals of a country are eligible for H–2 program
participation, 8 CFR 214.2(h)(5)(i)(F)(1)(i) and 8
CFR 214.2(h)(6)(i)(E)(1), are read to include Taiwan.
This is consistent with the United States’ one-China
policy, under which the United States has
maintained unofficial relations with Taiwan since
1979.
2 An overstay occurs when a nonimmigrant who
was lawfully admitted to the United States for an
authorized period remains in the United States
beyond his or her authorized period of admission.
For purposes of this Federal Register Notice, DHS
uses FY 2018 U.S. Customs and Border Protection
H–2A and H–2B nonimmigrant overstay data.

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USCIS, however, may allow, on a
case-by-case basis, a national from a
country that is not on the list to be
named as a beneficiary of an H–2A or
H–2B petition based on a determination
that such participation is in the U.S.
interest. Determination of such U.S.
interest will take into account factors,
including but not limited to: (1)
Evidence from the petitioner
demonstrating that a worker with the
required skills is not available either
from among U.S. workers or from among
foreign workers from a country
currently on the list described in 8 CFR
214.2 (h)(5)(i)(F)(1)(i) (H–2A
nonimmigrants) or 214.2(h)(6)(1)(E)(1)
(H–2B nonimmigrants), as applicable;
(2) evidence that the beneficiary has
been admitted to the United States
previously in H–2A or H–2B status; (3)
the potential for abuse, fraud, or other
harm to the integrity of the H–2A or H–
2B visa program through the potential
admission of a beneficiary from a
country not currently on the list; and (4)
such other factors as may serve the U.S.
interest. See 8 CFR
214.2(h)(5)(i)(F)(1)(ii) and 8 CFR
214.2(h)(6)(i)(E)(2).
In December 2008, DHS published in
the Federal Register two notices,
‘‘Identification of Foreign Countries
Whose Nationals Are Eligible to
Participate in the H–2A Visa Program,’’
and ‘‘Identification of Foreign Countries
Whose Nationals Are Eligible to
Participate in the H–2B Visa Program,’’
which designated 28 countries whose
nationals were eligible to participate in
the H–2A and H–2B programs. See 73
FR 77043 (Dec. 18, 2008); 73 FR 77729
(Dec. 19, 2008). The notices ceased to
have effect on January 17, 2010, and
January 18, 2010, respectively. See 8
CFR 214.2(h)(5)(i)(F)(2) and 8 CFR
214.2(h)(6)(i)(E)(3). In implementing
these regulatory provisions, the
Secretary of Homeland Security, with
the concurrence of the Secretary of
State, has published a series of notices
on a regular basis. See 75 FR 2879 (Jan.
19, 2010) (adding 11 countries); 76 FR
2915 (Jan. 18, 2011) (removing 1 country
and adding 15 countries); 77 FR 2558
(Jan. 18, 2012) (adding 5 countries); 78
FR 4154 (Jan. 18, 2013) (adding 1
country); 79 FR 3214 (Jan.17, 2014)
(adding 4 countries); 79 FR 74735 (Dec.
16, 2014) (adding 5 countries); 80 FR
72079 (Nov. 18, 2015) (removing 1
country from the H–2B program and
adding 16 countries); 81 FR 74468 (Oct.
26, 2016) (adding 1 country); 83 FR
2646 (Jan. 18, 2018) (removing 3
countries and adding 1 country); 84 FR
133 (Jan. 18, 2019) (removing 2
countries from both the H–2A program

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