Federal Regulations Significant to Veterans [June 2006]

• National Research Advisory Council, Notice of Meeting -The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published a notice in the Federal Register on June 29, 2006, that the National Research Advisory Council will meet on July 31, 2006, in Washington, DC. The agenda will include a review and discussion of the council's annual report for 2006 and a strategic overview of VA research.
  Contact: Dr. Jay Freedman, Designated Federal Officer, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone: (202) 254-0267; e-mail: jay.freedman@va.gov.

• Accrued Benefits - The Department of Veterans Affairs published a proposed rule in the Federal Register on June 29, 2006, to amend adjudication regulations relating to accrued benefits.
  Comments Deadline: August 28, 2006.
  Address: Director, Regulations Management (00REG1), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Room 1068, Washington, DC 20420; or fax comments to (202) 273-9289; or e-mail through: http://www.Regulations.gov. Comments should indicate that they are submitted in response to ``RIN 2900-AM28.''
  
  Contact: Maya Ferrandino, Consultant, Policy and Regulations Staff, Compensation and Pension Service, Veterans Benefits Administration, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone: (202) 273-7211.

• Computer Matching Program Between the Department of Veterans Affairs ( VA ) and the Department of Defense (DoD) - The Department of Veterans Affairs published a notice in the Federal Register on June 16, 2006, that the Department will conduct a recurring computer matching program. This will match personnel records of the Department of Defense with VA records of benefit recipients under the Montgomery GI Bill. The goal of these matches is to identify the eligibility status of veterans, servicemembers, and reservists who have applied for or who are receiving education benefit payments under the Montgomery GI Bill. The goal of these matches is to identify the eligibility status of veterans, servicemembers, and reservists who have applied for or who are receiving education benefit payments under the Montgomery GI Bill. The purpose of the match is to enable VA to verify that individuals meet the conditions of military service and eligibility criteria for payment of benefits determined by VA under the Montgomery GI Bill--Active Duty and the Montgomery GI Bill--Selected Reserve.
  Effective Date: July 17, 2006; at the expiration of 18 months after the commencing date the Departments may renew the agreement for another 12 months.
  Contact: Michael Yunker (225B), Strategy and Legislative Development Team Leader, Education Service, Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone: (202) 273-7180.

• Joint Biomedical Laboratory Research and Development and Clinical Science Research and Development Services Scientific Merit Review Board; Notice of Meeting - The Department of Veterans Affairs published a notice in the Federal Register on June 14, 2006, that the subcommittees of the Joint Biomedical Laboratory Research and Development and Clinical Sciences Research and Development Services Scientific Merit Review Board will meet during August 2006, in Washington, DC. The meeting will focus on evaluating Pharmacogenomics Analysis Laboratory proposals submitted by VA investigators.
  Contact: LeRoy Frey, PhD, Chief, Program Review (121F), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone: (202) 254-0288.

• Veterans' Preference - The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) published an interim rule with requests for comments in the Federal Register on June 9, 2006, to implement statutory changes to veterans' preference contained in the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2006. These changes expand the definition of a veteran and clarify veterans' preference eligibility for individuals discharged or released from active duty. The intended effect of these changes is to provide conformity between veterans' preference laws and Office of Personnel Management regulations.
  Effective date: June 9, 2006.
  Comments Deadline: August 8, 2006.
  Address: Send or deliver written comments to Mark Doboga, Deputy Associate Director for Talent and Capacity Policy, U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Room 6551, 1900 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20415-9700. Comments may also be sent through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at: http://www.regulations.gov. All submissions received through the Portal must include the agency name and docket number or Regulation Identifier Number (RIN) for this rulemaking (RIN 3206-ALOO).
  OPM Contact: Scott A. Wilander; telephone: (202) 606-0960; facsimile: (202) 606-0390; TTY: (202) 606-3134; e-mail at: linda.watson@opm.gov.

• Joint Biomedical Laboratory Research and Development and Clinical Science Research and Development Services Scientific Merit Review Board; Notice of Meeting - The Department of Veterans Affairs published a notice in the Federal Register on June 2, 2006, that the subcommittees of the Joint Biomedical Laboratory Research and Development and Clinical Sciences Research and Development Services Scientific Merit Review Board will meet during June 2006, in Washington, DC. The meetings will involve discussion, examination, reference to staff and consultant critiques of research protocols.
  Contact: LeRoy Frey, PhD, Chief, Program Review (121F), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone: (202) 254-0288.

• Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission; Notice of Meeting - The Department of Veterans Affairs published a notice in the Federal Register on June 2, 2006, that the Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission scheduled a meeting for June 21 and 22, 2006, in Washington, DC. The agenda clude an overview of the Department of Veterans Affairs National Compensation and Pension Exam Program; with additional briefings by QTC, Veterans Benefits Administration and Veterans Health Administration to address the process, quality, timeliness and cost of compensation and pension examinations; a summary report of the Commission's site visit to California; a Government Accountability Office presentation on its findings on a study conducted to assess VA's Individual Unemployability program; and updates on the progress of the research and studies being conducted by the Institute of Medicine and the Center for Naval Analyses.
  Contact: Ray Wilburn, Executive Director, Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission, 1101 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Fifth Floor, Washington, DC 20004; e-mail: veterans@vetscommission.intranets.com.

• Advisory Committee on Structural Safety of Department of Veterans Affairs Facilities, Notice of Meeting - The Department of Veterans Affairs published a notice in the Federal Register on June 1, 2006, that the Advisory Committee on Structural Safety of Department of Veterans Affairs Facilities will meet at the Export Import Bank, in Washington, DC, on June 19 and 20, 2006. The Committee will review developments in the fields of fire safety issues and structural design as they relate to seismic and other natural hazards impact on the safety of buildings; and receive appropriate briefings and presentations on current seismic, natural hazards and fire safety issues that are particularly relevant to facilities owned and leased by the Department.
  Contact: Mr. Krishna Banga, Senior Structural Engineer, Facilities Quality Service, Office of Facilities Management (181A), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone: (202) 565-9370.

• Veterans' Advisory Committee on Environmental Hazards; Notice of Meeting - The Department of Veterans Affairs published a notice in the Federal Register on June 1, 2006, that the Veteran's Advisory Committee on Environmental Hazards will meet on June 26 and 27, 2006 in Washington, DC. The agenda will include analyses of medical and scientific papers concerning the health effects of exposure to ionizing radiation and a presentation by the Department's Public Health and Environmental Hazards Office.
  Contact: Bernice Green, Compensation and Pension Service, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone: (202) 273-7211; fax: (202) 275-1728.

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