83 FR 36591 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request

FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 146 (July 30, 2018)

Page Range		36591-36592
FR Document		2018-16230

In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA or the Agency) is seeking public comments concerning an information collection known as ``Minority and Women Inclusion,'' which has been assigned control number 2590-0014 by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). FHFA intends to submit the information collection to OMB for review and approval of a three-year extension of the control number, which is due to expire on July 31, 2018.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 146 (Monday, July 30, 2018)

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 146 (Monday, July 30, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36591-36592]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-16230]


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FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY

[No. 2018-N-07]


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY: Federal Housing Finance Agency.

ACTION: 30-Day notice of submission of information collection for 
approval from Office of Management and Budget.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA), the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA or the 
Agency) is seeking public comments concerning an information collection 
known as ``Minority and Women Inclusion,'' which has been assigned 
control number 2590-0014 by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). 
FHFA intends to submit the information collection to OMB for review and 
approval of a three-year extension of the control number, which is due 
to expire on July 31, 2018.

DATES: Interested persons may submit comments on or before August 29, 
2018.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs of the Office of Management and Budget, Attention: Desk Officer 
for the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Washington, DC 20503, Fax: 
(202) 395-3047, Email: [email protected]. Please also submit 
comments to FHFA, identified by ``Proposed Collection; Comment Request: 
`Minority and Women Inclusion, (No. 2018-N-07)' '' by any of the 
following methods:
     Agency Website: www.fhfa.gov/open-for-comment-or-input.
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments. If you submit your 
comment to the Federal eRulemaking Portal, please also send it by email 
to FHFA at [email protected] to ensure timely receipt by the agency.
     Mail/Hand Delivery: Federal Housing Finance Agency, Eighth 
Floor, 400 Seventh Street SW, Washington, DC 20219, ATTENTION: Proposed 
Collection; Comment Request: ``Minority and Women Inclusion, (No. 2018-
N-07)''.
    We will post all public comments we receive without change, 
including any personal information you provide, such as your name and 
address, email address, and telephone number, on the FHFA website at 
http://www.fhfa.gov. In addition, copies of all comments received will 
be available for examination by the public through the electronic 
comment docket for this PRA Notice also located on the FHFA website.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sylvia Martinez, Principal Policy 
Analyst, Office of Minority and Women Inclusion, by email at 
[email protected] or by telephone at (202) 649-3301; or Eric 
Raudenbush, Associate General Counsel, [email protected], (202) 
649-3084 (these are not toll-free numbers); Federal Housing Finance 
Agency, 400 Seventh Street SW, Washington, DC 20219. The 
Telecommunications Device for the Hearing Impaired is (800) 877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is 
seeking comments on its collection of information regarding the 
minority and gender classification of individuals serving on the boards 
of directors of the Federal Home Loan Banks (Banks) and of the Office 
of Finance under FHFA's regulations on Minority and Women Inclusion 
(MWI), codified at 12 CFR part 1223, which it will be submitting for 
renewal of the OMB control number under the PRA.

A. Need for and Use of the Information Collection

    The Federal Home Loan Bank System (Bank System) consists of eleven 
regional Banks and the Office of Finance, which issues and services the 
Banks' debt securities. The Banks are wholesale financial institutions, 
organized under authority of the Federal Home Loan Bank Act (Bank Act) 
to serve the public interest by enhancing the availability of 
residential housing finance and community lending credit through their 
member institutions and, to a limited extent, through certain eligible 
non-member entities. Each Bank is structured as a regional cooperative 
that is owned and controlled by member financial institutions located 
within its district, which are also its primary customers. The Bank Act 
vests the management of each Bank in a board of directors that consists 
of two types of directors: (1) Member directors, who are drawn from the 
officers and directors of member institutions located in the Bank's 
district and who are elected to represent members in a particular state 
in that district; and (2) independent directors, who are unaffiliated 
with any of the Bank's member institutions, but who reside in the 
Bank's district and are elected on an at-large basis.\1\ The Office of 
Finance is also governed by a board of directors, which consists of the 
presidents of the eleven Banks and five independent directors.\2\
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    \1\ See 12 U.S.C. 1427(a)(1), (b), (d).
    \2\ See 12 CFR 1273.7(a).
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    Section 1319A of the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety 
and Soundness Act of 1992 (Safety and Soundness Act) requires that each 
of the Banks establish an Office of Minority and Women Inclusion (OMWI) 
to be responsible for all matters relating to diversity in its 
management, employment, and business activities, in accordance with 
requirements established by FHFA.\3\ Section 1319A also requires that 
each Bank implement standards and procedures to ensure, to the maximum 
extent possible, the inclusion and utilization of women and minorities 
``at all levels'' of its business and activities, and submit an annual 
report to FHFA detailing actions taken to achieve those goals.\4\
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    \3\ See 12 U.S.C. 4520(a).
    \4\ See 12 U.S.C. 4520(b), (d).
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    FHFA's MWI regulations implement those statutory requirements and 
also extend the requirements to the Office of Finance. The regulations 
require generally that each Bank and the Office of Finance ``develop, 
implement, and maintain policies and procedures to ensure, to the 
maximum extent possible, in balance with financially safe and sound 
business practices, the inclusion and utilization of minorities, women, 
individuals with disabilities, and minority-, women-, and disabled-
owned businesses in all business and activities and at all levels of 
the regulated entity, including in management, employment, procurement, 
insurance, and all types of contracts.'' \5\ In recognition of the fact 
that each Bank is required by statute to promote diversity and 
inclusion ``at all levels'' of its business and activities, the MWI 
regulations further require that the Banks' policies and procedures (as 
well as those of the Office of Finance) ``[e]ncourage the consideration 
of

[[Page 36592]]

diversity in nominating or soliciting nominees for positions on boards 
of directors and engage in recruiting and outreach directed at 
encouraging individuals who are minorities, women, and individuals with 
disabilities to seek or apply for employment with the regulated 
entity.'' \6\
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    \5\ See 12 CFR 1223.21(b).
    \6\ See 12 CFR 1223.21(b)(7).
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    In conformity with the statutory requirements, FHFA's MWI 
regulations require that each Bank and the Office of Finance submit to 
FHFA an annual report describing, among other things, its efforts to 
promote diversity at all levels of management and employment, and the 
results of those efforts.\7\ In order to provide a quantitative basis 
upon which to assess the results of those efforts, FHFA's regulations 
require that each Bank and the Office of Finance set forth in in their 
respective annual reports the demographic data reported on the EEO-1 
form, which they are required to file annually with the Equal 
Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).\8\ The EEO-1 form requires 
that each respondent provide race, ethnicity, and gender information 
for its employees, broken down into various job categories. Because the 
EEO-1 form does not require that a respondent provide information on 
board directors, FHFA cannot use the EEO-1 data to assess the 
effectiveness of the Bank System's efforts to ``encourage the 
consideration of diversity in nominating or soliciting nominees for 
positions on boards of directors.''
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    \7\ See 12 CFR 1223.22(a).
    \8\ See 12 CFR 1223.23(b)(1). As required by 29 CFR 1602.7, each 
Bank and the Office of Finance annually files an EEO-1 form with the 
EEOC.
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    Therefore, in order to enable FHFA to assess those efforts, the MWI 
regulations separately require that the annual reports set forth 
``[d]ata showing for the reporting year by minority and gender 
classification, the number of individuals on the board of directors of 
each Bank and the Office of Finance,'' using the same racial and ethnic 
classifications that are used on the EEO-1 form (which comply with 
OMB's ``Statistical Policy Directive No. 15, Race and Ethnic Standards 
for Federal Statistics and Administrative Reporting'').\9\ The 
regulation requires that each Bank and the Office of Finance collect 
that data ``through an information collection requesting each 
director's voluntary self-identification of his or her minority and 
gender classification without personally identifiable information.''
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    \9\ See 12 CFR 1223.23(b)(10)(i).
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    FHFA uses the information collected under this control number to 
assess the effectiveness of the policies and procedures that each Bank 
and the Office of Finance is required to implement to promote diversity 
in all of its business and activities ``at all levels'' and, 
specifically, to encourage diversity in the nomination and solicitation 
of nominees for members of its boards of directors. FHFA also uses the 
information to establish a baseline to analyze future trends related to 
the diversity of the boards of directors of the Banks and the Office of 
Finance and to assess the effectiveness of the strategies developed by 
the Banks and the Office of Finance for promoting, developing, and 
retaining diverse board talent.

B. Burden Estimate

    FHFA estimates the total annual hour burden imposed upon 
respondents by this information collection to be 20 hours. This is 
based on estimates that 200 Bank and Office of Finance Directors will 
respond annually, with each response taking an average of 0.1 hours (6 
minutes) (200 respondents x 0.1 hours = 20 hours).

C. Comments Request

    In accordance with the requirements of 5 CFR 1320.8(d), FHFA 
published an initial notice and request for public comments regarding 
this information collection in the Federal Register on May 16, 
2018.\10\ The 60-day comment period closed on July 16, 2018. FHFA 
received no comments.
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    \10\ See 83 FR 22684 (May 16, 2018).
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    FHFA requests written comments on the following: (1) Whether the 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
FHFA functions, including whether the information has practical 
utility; (2) the accuracy of FHFA's estimates of the burdens of the 
collection of information; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, 
and clarity of the information collected; and (4) 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.

    Dated: July 24, 2018.
Kevin Winkler,
Chief Information Officer, Federal Housing Finance Agency.
[FR Doc. 2018-16230 Filed 7-27-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8070-01-P

Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 146 / Monday, July 30, 2018 / Notices 36591

Management and Administrative Federal eRulemaking Portal, please also financial institutions located within its
Matters send it by email to FHFA at district, which are also its primary
CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION: RegComments@fhfa.gov to ensure customers. The Bank Act vests the
Judith Ingram, Press Officer, Telephone: timely receipt by the agency. management of each Bank in a board of
(202) 694–1220. • Mail/Hand Delivery: Federal directors that consists of two types of
Individuals who plan to attend and Housing Finance Agency, Eighth Floor, directors: (1) Member directors, who are
require special assistance, such as sign 400 Seventh Street SW, Washington, DC drawn from the officers and directors of
language interpretation or other 20219, ATTENTION: Proposed member institutions located in the
reasonable accommodations, should Collection; Comment Request: Bank’s district and who are elected to
contact Dayna C. Brown, Secretary and ‘‘Minority and Women Inclusion, (No. represent members in a particular state
Clerk, at (202) 694–1040, at least 72 2018–N–07)’’. in that district; and (2) independent
hours prior to the meeting date. We will post all public comments we directors, who are unaffiliated with any
receive without change, including any of the Bank’s member institutions, but
Dayna C. Brown, personal information you provide, such who reside in the Bank’s district and are
Secretary and Clerk of the Commission. as your name and address, email elected on an at-large basis.1 The Office
[FR Doc. 2018–16399 Filed 7–26–18; 4:15 pm] address, and telephone number, on the of Finance is also governed by a board
BILLING CODE 6715–01–P FHFA website at http://www.fhfa.gov. In of directors, which consists of the
addition, copies of all comments presidents of the eleven Banks and five
received will be available for independent directors.2
FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE examination by the public through the Section 1319A of the Federal Housing
AGENCY electronic comment docket for this PRA Enterprises Financial Safety and
Notice also located on the FHFA Soundness Act of 1992 (Safety and
[No. 2018–N–07] website. Soundness Act) requires that each of the
Banks establish an Office of Minority
Proposed Collection; Comment FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
and Women Inclusion (OMWI) to be
Request Sylvia Martinez, Principal Policy
responsible for all matters relating to
Analyst, Office of Minority and Women
AGENCY: Federal Housing Finance diversity in its management,
Inclusion, by email at Sylvia.Martinez@
Agency. employment, and business activities, in
fhfa.gov or by telephone at (202) 649–
ACTION: 30-Day notice of submission of accordance with requirements
3301; or Eric Raudenbush, Associate
information collection for approval from established by FHFA.3 Section 1319A
General Counsel, Eric.Raudenbush@
Office of Management and Budget. also requires that each Bank implement
fhfa.gov, (202) 649–3084 (these are not
standards and procedures to ensure, to
toll-free numbers); Federal Housing
SUMMARY: In accordance with the the maximum extent possible, the
Finance Agency, 400 Seventh Street
requirements of the Paperwork inclusion and utilization of women and
SW, Washington, DC 20219. The
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the minorities ‘‘at all levels’’ of its business
Telecommunications Device for the
Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA and activities, and submit an annual
Hearing Impaired is (800) 877–8339.
or the Agency) is seeking public report to FHFA detailing actions taken
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The to achieve those goals.4
comments concerning an information
collection known as ‘‘Minority and Federal Housing Finance Agency FHFA’s MWI regulations implement
Women Inclusion,’’ which has been (FHFA) is seeking comments on its those statutory requirements and also
assigned control number 2590–0014 by collection of information regarding the extend the requirements to the Office of
the Office of Management and Budget minority and gender classification of Finance. The regulations require
(OMB). FHFA intends to submit the individuals serving on the boards of generally that each Bank and the Office
information collection to OMB for directors of the Federal Home Loan of Finance ‘‘develop, implement, and
review and approval of a three-year Banks (Banks) and of the Office of maintain policies and procedures to
extension of the control number, which Finance under FHFA’s regulations on ensure, to the maximum extent possible,
is due to expire on July 31, 2018. Minority and Women Inclusion (MWI), in balance with financially safe and
codified at 12 CFR part 1223, which it sound business practices, the inclusion
DATES: Interested persons may submit will be submitting for renewal of the
comments on or before August 29, 2018. and utilization of minorities, women,
OMB control number under the PRA. individuals with disabilities, and
ADDRESSES: Submit comments to the
A. Need for and Use of the Information minority-, women-, and disabled-owned
Office of Information and Regulatory businesses in all business and activities
Affairs of the Office of Management and Collection
and at all levels of the regulated entity,
Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for the The Federal Home Loan Bank System including in management, employment,
Federal Housing Finance Agency, (Bank System) consists of eleven procurement, insurance, and all types of
Washington, DC 20503, Fax: (202) 395– regional Banks and the Office of contracts.’’ 5 In recognition of the fact
3047, Email: OIRA_submission@ Finance, which issues and services the
that each Bank is required by statute to
omb.eop.gov. Please also submit Banks’ debt securities. The Banks are
promote diversity and inclusion ‘‘at all
comments to FHFA, identified by wholesale financial institutions,
levels’’ of its business and activities, the
‘‘Proposed Collection; Comment organized under authority of the Federal
MWI regulations further require that the
Request: ‘Minority and Women Home Loan Bank Act (Bank Act) to
Banks’ policies and procedures (as well
Inclusion, (No. 2018–N–07)’ ’’ by any of serve the public interest by enhancing
as those of the Office of Finance)
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES

the following methods: the availability of residential housing
‘‘[e]ncourage the consideration of
• Agency Website: www.fhfa.gov/ finance and community lending credit
open-for-comment-or-input. through their member institutions and, 1 See 12 U.S.C. 1427(a)(1), (b), (d).
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// to a limited extent, through certain 2 See 12 CFR 1273.7(a).
www.regulations.gov. Follow the eligible non-member entities. Each Bank 3 See 12 U.S.C. 4520(a).

instructions for submitting comments. If is structured as a regional cooperative 4 See 12 U.S.C. 4520(b), (d).

you submit your comment to the that is owned and controlled by member 5 See 12 CFR 1223.21(b).

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36592 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 146 / Monday, July 30, 2018 / Notices

diversity in nominating or soliciting procedures that each Bank and the FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
nominees for positions on boards of Office of Finance is required to
directors and engage in recruiting and implement to promote diversity in all of Proposed Agency Information
outreach directed at encouraging its business and activities ‘‘at all levels’’ Collection Activities: Submission for
individuals who are minorities, women, and, specifically, to encourage diversity OMB Review; Comment Request
and individuals with disabilities to seek in the nomination and solicitation of AGENCY: Board of Governors of the
or apply for employment with the nominees for members of its boards of Federal Reserve System (Board).
regulated entity.’’ 6 directors. FHFA also uses the ACTION: Notice and request for comment.
In conformity with the statutory information to establish a baseline to
requirements, FHFA’s MWI regulations analyze future trends related to the SUMMARY: In accordance with the
require that each Bank and the Office of diversity of the boards of directors of the requirements of the Paperwork
Finance submit to FHFA an annual Banks and the Office of Finance and to Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Board,
report describing, among other things, the Federal Deposit Insurance
assess the effectiveness of the strategies
its efforts to promote diversity at all Corporation (FDIC), and the Office of
developed by the Banks and the Office
levels of management and employment, the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC)
and the results of those efforts.7 In order of Finance for promoting, developing,
and retaining diverse board talent. (collectively, the ‘‘agencies’’) may not
to provide a quantitative basis upon conduct or sponsor, and the respondent
which to assess the results of those B. Burden Estimate is not required to respond to, an
efforts, FHFA’s regulations require that information collection unless it displays
each Bank and the Office of Finance set FHFA estimates the total annual hour a currently valid Office of Management
forth in in their respective annual burden imposed upon respondents by and Budget (OMB) control number. On
reports the demographic data reported this information collection to be 20 April 27, 2018, the Board, under the
on the EEO–1 form, which they are hours. This is based on estimates that auspices of the Federal Financial
required to file annually with the Equal 200 Bank and Office of Finance Institutions Examination Council
Employment Opportunity Commission Directors will respond annually, with (FFIEC), requested public comment for
(EEOC).8 The EEO–1 form requires that each response taking an average of 0.1 60 days on a proposal to extend for
each respondent provide race, ethnicity, hours (6 minutes) (200 respondents × three years, without revision, the
and gender information for its 0.1 hours = 20 hours). Country Exposure Report for U.S.
employees, broken down into various Branches and Agencies of Foreign Banks
job categories. Because the EEO–1 form C. Comments Request (FFIEC 019), which is currently an
does not require that a respondent approved collection of information. The
In accordance with the requirements
provide information on board directors, Board is publishing this proposal on
FHFA cannot use the EEO–1 data to of 5 CFR 1320.8(d), FHFA published an
initial notice and request for public behalf of the agencies. The comment
assess the effectiveness of the Bank period for this proposal ended on June
System’s efforts to ‘‘encourage the comments regarding this information
collection in the Federal Register on 26, 2018, and no comments were
consideration of diversity in nominating received. The Board is giving notice that
or soliciting nominees for positions on May 16, 2018.10 The 60-day comment
it is sending the collection to OMB for
boards of directors.’’ period closed on July 16, 2018. FHFA
review.
Therefore, in order to enable FHFA to received no comments.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on
assess those efforts, the MWI regulations FHFA requests written comments on or before August 29, 2018.
separately require that the annual the following: (1) Whether the collection ADDRESSES: Interested parties are
reports set forth ‘‘[d]ata showing for the of information is necessary for the invited to submit written comments to
reporting year by minority and gender proper performance of FHFA functions, the agency listed below. All comments,
classification, the number of individuals including whether the information has which should refer to the OMB control
on the board of directors of each Bank practical utility; (2) the accuracy of number, will be shared among the
and the Office of Finance,’’ using the FHFA’s estimates of the burdens of the agencies.
same racial and ethnic classifications collection of information; (3) ways to You may submit comments, which
that are used on the EEO–1 form (which enhance the quality, utility, and clarity should refer to ‘‘FFIEC 019,’’ by any of
comply with OMB’s ‘‘Statistical Policy
of the information collected; and (4) the following methods:
Directive No. 15, Race and Ethnic • Agency Website: http://
ways to minimize the burden of the
Standards for Federal Statistics and www.federalreserve.gov. Follow the
Administrative Reporting’’).9 The collection of information on
respondents, including through the use instructions for submitting comments at:
regulation requires that each Bank and http://www.federalreserve.gov/
the Office of Finance collect that data of automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology. generalinfo/foia/ProposedRegs.cfm.
‘‘through an information collection • Email: regs.comments@
requesting each director’s voluntary Dated: July 24, 2018. federalreserve.gov. Include the reporting
self-identification of his or her minority Kevin Winkler, form number in the subject line of the
and gender classification without Chief Information Officer, Federal Housing message.
personally identifiable information.’’ Finance Agency. • Fax: (202) 452–3819 or (202) 452–
FHFA uses the information collected 3102.
[FR Doc. 2018–16230 Filed 7–27–18; 8:45 am]
under this control number to assess the • Mail: Ann E. Misback, Secretary,
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES

BILLING CODE 8070–01–P
effectiveness of the policies and Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System, 20th Street and
6 See 12 CFR 1223.21(b)(7).
7 See
Constitution Avenue NW Washington,
12 CFR 1223.22(a).
8 See 12 CFR 1223.23(b)(1). As required by 29
DC 20551.
CFR 1602.7, each Bank and the Office of Finance All public comments are available
annually files an EEO–1 form with the EEOC. from the Board’s website at
9 See 12 CFR 1223.23(b)(10)(i). 10 See 83 FR 22684 (May 16, 2018). www.federalreserve.gov/generalinfo/

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Document Created: 2018-07-28 01:43:29
Document Modified: 2018-07-28 01:43:29

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		30-Day notice of submission of information collection for approval from Office of Management and Budget.
Dates		Interested persons may submit comments on or before August 29, 2018.
Contact		Sylvia Martinez, Principal Policy Analyst, Office of Minority and Women Inclusion, by email at [email protected] or by telephone at (202) 649-3301; or Eric Raudenbush, Associate General Counsel, [email protected], (202) 649-3084 (these are not toll-free numbers); Federal Housing Finance Agency, 400 Seventh Street SW, Washington, DC 20219. The Telecommunications Device for the Hearing Impaired is (800) 877-8339.
FR Citation		83 FR 36591