82 FR 15265 - Notice of Stakeholder Consultations on Responsible Conflict Mineral Sourcing

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 57 (March 27, 2017)

Page Range		15265-15266
FR Document		2017-05972

The United States announces that the United States remains committed to working with our partners to break the links between armed groups and the minerals trade in the Democratic Republic of Congo and other countries in the Great Lakes Region of Africa. The United States has played a leading role encouraging responsible sourcing and supply chain management in the minerals sector in this region as part of broader U.S. efforts to support peace and security, and to ensure that the region's resource wealth helps advance broad, inclusive, and sustainable socio-economic development. The U.S. Department of State (Department), along with other agencies and departments is seeking input from stakeholders to inform recommendations of how best to support responsible sourcing of tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 57 (Monday, March 27, 2017)

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 57 (Monday, March 27, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15265-15266]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-05972]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice: 9929]


Notice of Stakeholder Consultations on Responsible Conflict 
Mineral Sourcing

AGENCY: Department of State.

ACTION: Notice; solicitation of comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The United States announces that the United States remains 
committed to working with our partners to break the links between armed 
groups and the minerals trade in the Democratic Republic of Congo and 
other

[[Page 15266]]

countries in the Great Lakes Region of Africa. The United States has 
played a leading role encouraging responsible sourcing and supply chain 
management in the minerals sector in this region as part of broader 
U.S. efforts to support peace and security, and to ensure that the 
region's resource wealth helps advance broad, inclusive, and 
sustainable socio-economic development. The U.S. Department of State 
(Department), along with other agencies and departments is seeking 
input from stakeholders to inform recommendations of how best to 
support responsible sourcing of tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold.

DATES: The Department will consider requests and comments received or 
postmarked by April 28, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Parties may submit input or request stakeholder 
consultations to: [email protected]. If sent by mail, written 
comments should be addressed to: Ms. Elizabeth Orlando, U.S. Department 
of State, 2201 C Street NW., Room 3843, Washington, DC 20520. All 
comments should include a contact person.
    All comments received during this comment period will be part of 
the official record and may become public, no matter how initially 
submitted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Details on the SEC Final Rule on 
Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Act are available on the following Web 
site: https://www.sec.gov/rules/final/2012/34-67716.pdf. Information on 
the Department's commitment to international responsible sourcing 
standards is available on the following Web sites: https://www.state.gov/documents/organization/168851.pdf, http://www.oecd.org/corporate/mne/mining.htm.
    Please refer to this Web site or contact Ms. Elizabeth Orlando at 
the address listed in the Addresses section of this notice.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Determined to break the link between armed 
groups and minerals in the Africa Great Lakes Region, in 2010 Congress 
enacted Section 1502 of the Wall Street Consumer Reform and Protection 
Act of 2010. That law requires the Securities and Exchange Commission 
to promulgate regulations requiring approximately 6,000 companies 
listed on U.S. exchanges to annually disclose to the SEC whether any 
``conflict minerals'' (tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold) necessary to 
the functionality or production of a product are from the DRC or nine 
adjacent countries.

Andrew Weinschenk,
Director, Office of Threat Finance Countermeasures, Department of 
State.
[FR Doc. 2017-05972 Filed 3-24-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4710-AE-P

Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 57 / Monday, March 27, 2017 / Notices 15265

determines whether an individual’s When an adjudicator at the hearings three methods specified in 20 CFR
impairment(s) meets or medically level obtains ME testimony or written 404.1526 and 416.926. An adjudicator
equals a listing. The AC may ask its responses to interrogatories about must provide a rationale for a finding of
medical support staff to help decide whether an individual’s impairment(s) medical equivalence in a decision that
whether an individual’s impairment(s) medically equals a listing, the is sufficient for a subsequent reviewer or
medically equals a listing. adjudicator cannot rely on an ME’s court to understand the decision.
conclusory statement that an Generally, this will entail the
POLICY INTERPRETATION
individual’s impairment(s) medically adjudicator identifying the specific
Evidentiary requirements equals a listed impairment(s). Whether listing section involved, articulating
At the hearings level or at the AC an impairment(s) medically equals the how the record does not meet the
level when the AC issues its own requirements of a listed impairment is requirements of the listed
decision, the adjudicator is responsible an issue reserved to the Commissioner. impairment(s), and how the record,
for the finding of medical equivalence. If the ME states that the individual’s including ME or medical support staff
The adjudicator must base his or her impairment(s) medically equals a listed evidence, establishes an impairment of
decision about whether the individual’s impairment, the adjudicator must ask equivalent severity.
impairment(s) medically equals a listing the ME to identify medical evidence in Similarly, an adjudicator at the
on the preponderance of the evidence in the record that supports the ME’s hearings or AC level must consider all
the record. To demonstrate the required statements. Adjudicators will consider evidence in making a finding that an
support of a finding that an individual ME testimony and interrogatories using individual’s impairment(s) does not
is disabled based on medical our rules for considering evidence. The medically equal a listing. If an
equivalence at step 3, the record must adjudicator will then consider whether adjudicator at the hearings or AC level
contain one of the following: an individual’s impairment(s) medically believes that the evidence already
1. A prior administrative medical equals a listing using one of the three received in the record does not
finding from an MC or PC from the methods specified in 20 CFR 404.1526 reasonably support a finding that the
initial or reconsideration adjudication and 416.926. individual’s impairment(s) medically
levels supporting the medical Similarly, when the AC obtains a equals a listed impairment, the
equivalence finding, or report from its medical support staff to adjudicator is not required to articulate
2. ME evidence, which may include evaluate medical equivalence, the AC specific evidence supporting his or her
testimony or written responses to retains final responsibility for finding that the individual’s
interrogatories, obtained at the hearings determining whether an individual’s impairment(s) does not medically equal
level supporting the medical impairment(s) medically equals a listed a listed impairment. Generally, a
equivalence finding, or impairment. The AC will consider the statement that the individual’s
3. A report from the AC’s medical medical support staff’s report and all impairment(s) does not medically equal
support staff supporting the medical other supporting medical evidence a listed impairment constitutes
equivalence finding. using our rules for considering sufficient articulation for this finding.
When an MC or PC makes evidence. The AC will then consider An adjudicator’s articulation of the
administrative medical findings at the whether an individual’s impairment(s) reason(s) why the individual is or is not
initial or reconsideration levels, the medically equals a listing using one of disabled at a later step in the sequential
findings are part of the Commissioner’s the three methods specified in 20 CFR evaluation process will provide
determination; therefore, they are not 404.1526 and 416.926. rationale that is sufficient for a
evidence at that level of adjudication.11 If an adjudicator at the hearings or AC subsequent reviewer or court to
At subsequent levels of the level believes that the evidence does not determine the basis for the finding about
administrative review process, the MCs’ reasonably support a finding that the medical equivalence at step 3.
or PCs’ administrative medical findings individual’s impairment(s) medically EFFECTIVE DATE: This SSR is
made at the initial or reconsideration equals a listed impairment, we do not effective on March 27, 2017.
levels are prior administrative medical require the adjudicator to obtain ME CROSS-REFERENCES: 20 CFR
findings, which are evidence.12 evidence or medical support staff input 404.1526 and 416.926.
Although adjudicators at the hearings prior to making a step 3 finding that the [FR Doc. 2017–05959 Filed 3–24–17; 8:45 am]
and AC levels are not required to adopt individual’s impairment(s) does not BILLING CODE 4191–02–P
prior administrative medical findings medically equal a listed impairment.
when issuing decisions, adjudicators Articulation requirements
must consider them and articulate how DEPARTMENT OF STATE
they considered them in the decision.13 An adjudicator at the hearings or AC
level must consider all evidence in [Public Notice: 9929]
Council may also make a decision after a Federal making a finding that an individual’s
court remands a case. See 20 CFR 404.983 and impairment(s) medically equals a Notice of Stakeholder Consultations
416.1483. listing. To make a finding of medical on Responsible Conflict Mineral
11 See 20 CFR 404.1513a(a)(1) and 416.913a(a)(1).
equivalence, the adjudicator must Sourcing
12 See 20 CFR 404.1513a(b)–(c) and 416.913a(b)–

(c). It is possible for an MC or PC to have found
articulate how the record establishes Department of State.
AGENCY:
that an individual’s impairment(s) medically medical equivalency using one of the
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

equal(s) the requirements of a listed impairment(s),
Notice; solicitation of
ACTION:
but we would still not make a favorable equivalence that an adjudicator is able to consider. comments.
determination. For example, we could find that the In these situations, the adjudicator may find that an
individual does not meet nonmedical requirements individual’s impairment(s) medically equals a listed SUMMARY: The United States announces
for eligibility. impairment using the second or third method, but that the United States remains
13 See 20 CFR 404.1513a(b)–(c), 404.1520c, not the first method. In these situations, the committed to working with our partners
416.913a(b)–(c), and 416.920c. In States using the adjudicator is not required to obtain ME evidence
two testing modifications discussed in footnote 7, or medical support staff input before making a
to break the links between armed groups
the record may not contain any MC or PC prior finding that the claimant’s impairment(s) do not and the minerals trade in the
administrative medical finding about medical medically equal a listing. Democratic Republic of Congo and other

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15266 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 57 / Monday, March 27, 2017 / Notices

countries in the Great Lakes Region of production of a product are from the the specified forms of ID, please consult
Africa. The United States has played a DRC or nine adjacent countries. with Julie Fort for acceptable alternative
leading role encouraging responsible forms of picture identification.
Andrew Weinschenk,
sourcing and supply chain management Personal data is requested pursuant to
Director, Office of Threat Finance Public Law 99–399 (Omnibus
in the minerals sector in this region as Countermeasures, Department of State.
part of broader U.S. efforts to support Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism
[FR Doc. 2017–05972 Filed 3–24–17; 8:45 am] Act of 1986), as amended; Public Law
peace and security, and to ensure that
the region’s resource wealth helps
BILLING CODE 4710–AE–P 107–56 (USA PATRIOT Act); and
advance broad, inclusive, and Executive Order 13356. The purpose of
sustainable socio-economic the collection is to validate the identity
DEPARTMENT OF STATE of individuals who enter Department
development. The U.S. Department of
State (Department), along with other [Public Notice 9927] facilities. The data will be entered into
agencies and departments is seeking the Visitor Access Control System
Advisory Committee on Historical (VACS–D) database. Please see the
input from stakeholders to inform Diplomatic Documentation—Notice of Security Records System of Records
recommendations of how best to Closed and Open Meeting for 2017 Notice (State-36) at https://
support responsible sourcing of tin,
SUMMARY: The Advisory Committee on foia.state.gov/_docs/SORN/State-36.pdf,
tantalum, tungsten and gold.
Historical Diplomatic Documentation for additional information.
DATES: The Department will consider Questions concerning the meeting
will meet on May 15, 2017, in open
requests and comments received or should be directed to Dr. Stephen P.
session to discuss unclassified matters
postmarked by April 28, 2017. Randolph, Executive Secretary,
concerning declassification and transfer
Advisory Committee on Historical
ADDRESSES: Parties may submit input or of Department of State records to the
Diplomatic Documentation, Department
request stakeholder consultations to: National Archives and Records
of State, Office of the Historian,
ConflictMineral@state.gov. If sent by Administration and the status of the
Washington, DC 20372, telephone (202)
mail, written comments should be Foreign Relations series.
The Committee will meet in open 955–0214, (email history@state.gov).
addressed to: Ms. Elizabeth Orlando, Note that requests for reasonable
U.S. Department of State, 2201 C Street session from 9:30 a.m. until 10:30 a.m.
accommodation received after the date
NW., Room 3843, Washington, DC in SA–4D Conference Room,
indicated in this notice will be
20520. All comments should include a Department of State, 2300 E Street NW.,
considered, but might not be possible to
contact person. Washington DC, 20372 (Potomac Navy
fulfill.
Hill Annex). RSVP should be sent not
All comments received during this later than May 8, 2017. Requests for Stephen P. Randolph,
comment period will be part of the reasonable accommodation should be Executive Secretary, Advisory Committee on
official record and may become public, made by May 1, 2017. Requests made Historical, Diplomatic Documentation.
no matter how initially submitted. after that date will be considered, but [FR Doc. 2017–05906 Filed 3–24–17; 8:45 am]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: might not be possible to fulfill. BILLING CODE 4710–11–P
Details on the SEC Final Rule on Closed Session. The Committee’s
Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Act are session in the afternoon of Monday,
available on the following Web site: May 15, 2017 will be closed in DEPARTMENT OF STATE
https://www.sec.gov/rules/final/2012/ accordance with Section 10(d) of the
[Public Notice: 9780]
Federal Advisory Committee Act (Public
34-67716.pdf. Information on the
Law 92–463). The agenda calls for 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information
Department’s commitment to
review of classified documentation Collection: Medical History and
international responsible sourcing
concerning the Foreign Relations series Examination for Foreign Service
standards is available on the following
and other declassification issues. These
Web sites: https://www.state.gov/
are matters properly classified and not Notice of request for public
ACTION:
documents/organization/168851.pdf, subject to public disclosure under 5 comment.
http://www.oecd.org/corporate/mne/ U.S.C. 552b(c)(1) and the public interest
mining.htm. requires that such activities be withheld SUMMARY: The Department of State is
Please refer to this Web site or contact from disclosure. seeking Office of Management and
Ms. Elizabeth Orlando at the address RSVP Instructions. Prior notification Budget (OMB) approval for the
listed in the Addresses section of this and a valid government-issued photo ID information collection described below.
notice. (such as driver’s license, passport, U.S. In accordance with the Paperwork
Government or military ID) are required Reduction Act of 1995, we are
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: for entrance into the Department of requesting comments on this collection
Determined to break the link between State building. Members of the public from all interested individuals and
armed groups and minerals in the Africa planning to attend the open meetings organizations. The purpose of this
Great Lakes Region, in 2010 Congress should RSVP, by the dates indicated notice is to allow 60 days for public
enacted Section 1502 of the Wall Street above, to Julie Fort, Office of the comment preceding submission of the
Consumer Reform and Protection Act of Historian (202–955–0214). When collection to OMB.
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

2010. That law requires the Securities responding, please provide date of birth, DATES: The Department will accept
and Exchange Commission to valid government-issued photo comments from the public up to May
promulgate regulations requiring identification number and type (such as 26, 2017.
approximately 6,000 companies listed driver’s license number/state, passport ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
on U.S. exchanges to annually disclose number/country, or U.S. Government ID by any of the following methods:
to the SEC whether any ‘‘conflict number/agency or military ID number/ • Web: Persons with access to the
minerals’’ (tin, tantalum, tungsten and branch), and relevant telephone Internet may comment on this notice by
gold) necessary to the functionality or numbers. If you cannot provide one of going to www.Regulations.gov. You can

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Document Created: 2017-03-25 00:21:59
Document Modified: 2017-03-25 00:21:59

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice; solicitation of comments.
Dates		The Department will consider requests and comments received or postmarked by April 28, 2017.
Contact		Details on the SEC Final Rule on Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Act are available on the following Web site: https://www.sec.gov/rules/final/2012/34-67716.pdf. Information on the Department's commitment to international responsible sourcing standards is available on the following Web sites: https:// www.state.gov/documents/organization/168851.pdf, http://www.oecd.org/ corporate/mne/mining.htm.
FR Citation		82 FR 15265