Notice2026-00420
Proposed Data Collection Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
January 13, 2026
Issuing agencies
Health and Human Services DepartmentCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
Abstract
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as part of its continuing effort to reduce public burden and maximize the utility of government information, invites the general public and other federal agencies the opportunity to comment on a continuing information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This notice invites comments on a proposed information collection project titled Traveler-Based Genomic Surveillance Program (TGS) Traveler Questionnaire. The TGS program monitors for communicable diseases among arriving international travelers at select U.S. airports.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 8 (Tuesday, January 13, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 8 (Tuesday, January 13, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1321-1322]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-00420]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[60 Day-26-1406; Docket No. CDC-2026-0004]
Proposed Data Collection Submitted for Public Comment and
Recommendations
AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS).
ACTION: Notice with comment period.
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SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as part
of its continuing effort to reduce public burden and maximize the
utility of government information, invites the general public and other
federal agencies the opportunity to comment on a continuing information
collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This
notice invites comments on a proposed information collection project
titled Traveler-Based Genomic Surveillance Program (TGS) Traveler
Questionnaire. The TGS program monitors for communicable diseases among
arriving international travelers at select U.S. airports.
DATES: CDC must receive written comments on or before March 16, 2026.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CDC-2026-
0004 by either of the following methods:
<bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>. Follow
the instructions for submitting comments.
<bullet> Mail: Jeffrey M. Zirger, Information Collection Review
Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road
NE, MS H21-8, Atlanta, Georgia 30329.
Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name
and Docket Number. CDC will post, without change, all relevant comments
to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>.
Please note: Submit all comments through the Federal eRulemaking
portal (<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>) or by U.S. mail to the address listed
above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on the
proposed project or to obtain a copy of the information collection plan
and instruments, contact Jeffrey M. Zirger, Information Collection
Review Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton
Road NE, MS H21-8, Atlanta, Georgia 30329; Telephone: 404-639-7570;
Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#cba4a6a98ba8afa8e5aca4bd"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0a6567684a696e69246d657c">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), federal agencies must obtain approval from
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of
information they conduct or sponsor. In addition, the PRA also requires
federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register
concerning each proposed collection of information, including each new
proposed collection, each proposed
[[Page 1322]]
extension of existing collection of information, and each reinstatement
of previously approved information collection before submitting the
collection to the OMB for approval. To comply with this requirement, we
are publishing this notice of a proposed data collection as described
below.
The OMB is particularly interested in comments that will help:
1. Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency,
including whether the information will have practical utility;
2. 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;
3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected;
4. 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
submissions of responses; and
5. Assess information collection costs.
Proposed Project
Traveler-Based Genomic Surveillance Program (TGS) Traveler
Questionnaire (OMB Control No. 0920-1406, Exp. 6/30/2026)--Revision--
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID),
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Background and Brief Description
The goal of CDC's Traveler-Based Genomic Surveillance program (TGS)
is to monitor for communicable diseases among arriving international
travelers at select U.S. airports. Doing so enables the early detection
of communicable disease importations of public health concern. The
program also fills gaps in global biosurveillance by monitoring trends
in global circulation of communicable diseases. Travelers who volunteer
to participate in the program at airports and provide written, informed
consent complete a short, anonymous questionnaire asking for travel
information and general demographics. Two lower nasal swabs are then
self-collected from participants. One swab is pooled with other
traveler swabs in batches of 5-10 samples. Pooled samples undergo
initial testing for pathogens of public health importance (including
SARS-CoV-2, Influenza A virus, and RSV [respiratory syncytial virus])
via reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing.
If any pool of swabs registers with any positive test, then all
secondary swab samples (stored individually) corresponding to those in
the pool are tested individually. Pathogen genomic sequencing may be
performed on samples to determine the pathogen lineage. Some samples
may be sent to CDC for further testing. No human genetic testing will
be performed.
This request is a Revision of the approved collection request
titled: Traveler-Based Genomic Surveillance (OMB Control No. 0920-
1406). The program has since broadened to include testing nasal swabs
for pathogens beyond SARS-CoV-2. The program has also streamlined the
questions asked of participants based on data from previous versions of
the questionnaire, participant feedback received through program staff
at the airports, and direct input from the program staff at the
airports. The new information collection has fewer questions, and
question wording has been updated to improve participant comprehension
and response rates.
Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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Average
Number of Number of burden per Total
Type of respondents Form name respondents responses per response burden (in
respondent (in hours) hours)
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General Public (International Traveler-Based 500,000 1 4/60 33,333
traveler). Genomic
Surveillance
Traveler
Questionnaire.
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Total......................... .................... ............ .............. ........... 33,333
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Jeffrey M. Zirger,
Lead, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Public Health
Ethics and Regulations, Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2026-00420 Filed 1-12-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P
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