[Federal Register: November 9, 1995 (Volume 60, Number 217)] [Proposed Rules] [Page 56538] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr09no95-21] ======================================================================== Proposed Rules Federal Register ________________________________________________________________________ This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules. ======================================================================== [[Page 56538]] OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT 5 CFR Part 179 RIN 3206-AH21 Claims Collection Standards Debt Collection Act of 1982: Salary Offset AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management. ACTION: Proposed rule. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) proposes to revise the delegations of authority for matters affecting debt collection reflected in Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations. The proposed amendment will clearly reflect the Chief Financial Officer's (CFO) responsibility for providing policies, standards, and guidelines concerning agency financial administration of all programs, and the shared responsibility held by the CFO and the Associate Director for the Retirement and Insurance Service for matters affecting debts owed to the retirement, health, and life insurance programs. DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before January 8, 1996. ADDRESSES: Send comments to J. Gilbert Seaux, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Office of Personnel Management, Room 5489, 1900 E Street NW., Washington, DC 20415. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Loring, Accounting Officer, Office of the CFO, (202) 606-5028. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 11, 1994, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) published final rules (59 FR 35215) establishing procedures for salary and administrative offsets for the administrative accounts of this agency. In the final rules, 5 CFR 179.102 provided specific delegations of authority to the CFO and to the Associate Director for Retirement and Insurance. Since then, OPM has reviewed all internal relationships and delegations. This revision clarifies the agency's delegation of authority with regard to the provisions of the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990. The CFO has full responsibility for providing policies, standards, and guidelines for OPM action on all claims, including claims affecting the retirement, health, or life insurance programs. For matters affecting debts caused by or to be collected from payments from the retirement, health or life insurance funds, the Associate Director has operating responsibility for administration of these programs, subject to the CFO's policies, standards, and guidelines. Regulatory Flexibility Act I certify that this regulation will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities because the regulation only provides information about the division of responsibility within the agency's organizational structure. List of Subjects in 5 CFR Part 179 Claims. Office of Personnel Management. James B. King, Director. Accordingly, OPM proposes to amend Part 179 of Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, as follows. PART 179--CLAIMS COLLECTION STANDARDS 1. The authority citation for part 179 continues to read as follows: Authority: 31 U.S.C. 952; 5 U.S.C. 1103; Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1978; 5 U.S.C. 5514; 5 CFR part 550 subpart K; 31 U.S.C. 3701; 31 U.S.C. 3711; 31 U.S.C. 3716; 31 U.S.C. 3720A. 2. Section 179.102 of subpart A is revised to read as follows: Sec. 179.102 Delegation of authority. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, the Chief Financial Officer and his or her delegatees are designated by the Director and authorized to perform all the duties for which the Director is responsible under the Debt Collection Act of 1982 and Office of Personnel Management regulations. For administrative accounts of the agency, the Chief Financial Officer and his or her delegatees will request a review by the General Counsel or his or her designee for claims processed (in amounts of $2500 or more) for compromise, suspension, and termination of collection action. (b) The Chief Financial Officer and the Associate Director for Retirement and Insurance share responsibilities in matters affecting debts caused by or to be collected from payments from the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund (Subchapter III of chapter 83 or chapter 84), and claims under the provisions of the Federal Employees' Life Insurance Fund (chapter 87), the Retired Federal Employees Health Benefits Act (74 Stat. 849), the Employees Health Benefits Fund (chapter 89), the Panama Canal Construction Annuity Act (58 Stat. 257), and the Lighthouse Service Widows' Annuity Act (64 Stat. 465). To ensure efficient administration, the Director delegates operating responsibility for these matters to the Associate Director and his or her delegatees, who, in the performance of this responsibility, shall be subject to the policies, standards, and guidelines of the Chief Financial Officer concerning financial administration. [FR Doc. 95-27725 Filed 11-8-95; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6325-01-M