[October 2006]

• Notice and Assistance Requirements - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published a proposed rule in the Federal Register on October 31, 2006, to amend its regulation governing VA's duty to provide a claimant with notice of the information and evidence necessary to substantiate a claim and VA's duty to assist a claimant in obtaining the evidence necessary to substantiate the claim. The purpose of these proposed changes is to clarify when VA has no duty to notify a claimant of how to substantiate a claim for benefits, to make the regulation comply with statutory changes, and to streamline the development of claims.
  Comments Deadline: January 2, 2007.
  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-AM17.''
  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.

• Advisory Committee on CARES Business Plan Studies, Notice of Meeting - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published a notice in the Federal Register on October 30, 2006, that the Advisory Committee on CARES Business Plan Studies will meet on November 15, 2006 in Canandaigua, New York.
  The objectives of the meeting are to communicate the Secretary's decision on the specific options to be evaluated and the timeframe for the completion of the study. Additional presentations will focus on the VA-selected contractor's methodology and tools to evaluate the remaining options. The agenda will also accommodate public commentary on implementation issues associated with each option.
  Contact: Jay Halpern, Designated Federal Officer, (00CARES), 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone: (202) 273-5994; e-mail: jay.halpern@hq.med.va.gov.

• VA Directive and Handbook 5021, Employee/Management Relations - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published a notice with request for comments in the Federal Register October 27, 2006, that VA is making a technical amendment to VA Handbook 5021, Employee/Management Relations, dated April 15, 2002, to correct the citation for the Secretary's authority to issue regulations. Section 7421 of Title 38 provides the authority for the Secretary to prescribe by regulation the hours and conditions of employment and leaves of absence of certain employees of the Veterans Health Administration.
  Comment Deadline: November 27, 2006.
  Address: Director, Office of Regulations Management (02D), 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420.
  Contact: Catherine Baranek, Employee Relations Specialist, Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Human Resources Management (051E), 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20480; telephone: (336) 631-5019.

• Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses; Notice of Meeting - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published a notice in the Federal Register on October 26, 2006, that the Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses will meet at Community Center of the VA Medical Center, in Dallas, Texas on November 6 and 7, 2006. The Committee will review VA program activities related to Gulf War veterans' illnesses and updates on scientific research on Gulf War illnesses published since the last Committee meeting. Additionally, there will be scientific presentations on research programs and studies related to Gulf War illnesses at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, an update on the VA Gulf War tissue repository, and discussion of committee business and activities.
  Contact: Dr. William Goldberg, Designated Federal Officer, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone: (202) 254-0294.

• Special Medical Advisory Group; Notice of Meeting - The Department of Veterans Affairs published a notice in the Federal Register on October 26, 2006, that the Special Medical Advisory Group will meet at the Department of Veterans Affairs, in Washington, DC, on November 13, 2006. The agenda for the meeting will include discussion of the Veterans Health Administration's leadership transition, an update of the information technology reorganization, CARES, Project HERO, graduate medical education, staff tenure, the physician pay bill, and public relations with regard to the Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom population.
  Contact: Juanita Leslie, Office of Administrative Operations (10B2), Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone: (202) 273-5882.

• 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 October 17, 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 November and December 2006, in Washington, DC. The purpose of the Merit Review Board is to provide advice on the scientific quality, budget, safety and mission relevance of investigator-initiated research proposals submitted for VA merit review consideration. Proposals submitted for review by the Board involve a wide range of medical specialties within the general areas of biomedical, behavioral and clinic science research.
  Contact: LeRoy Frey, PhD, Chief, Program Review (121F), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone: (202) 254-0288.

• Privacy Act of 1974; Report of Matching Program - The Department of Veterans Affairs published a notice in the Federal Register on October 16, 2006, that it intends to continue a recurring computer-matching program with the Social Security Administration. The Department of Veterans Affairs will match pension and parents' dependency and indemnity compensation records with Social Security Administration records.
  Effective Date: November 13, 2006.
  Address: Director, Regulations Management (00REG1), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420.
  Contact: Pamela Liverman (212A); telephone: (757) 858-6148, ext. 107.

• Advisory Committee on Women Veterans; Notice of Meeting - The Department of Veterans Affairs published a notice in the Federal Register on October 13, 2006, that the Advisory Committee on Women Veterans will meet on October 31 through November 2, 2006, in Washington, DC. The agenda will include briefings and updates presented by the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), highlighting VA research and studies related to women's health issues, a briefing from VHA's Women Veterans Health Program Director, legislative issues related to veterans, presentation of Certificates of Appointment to six new Committee members, upcoming initiatives of the Center for Women Veterans; briefings and updates presented on VA's polytrauma program, VHA's Office of Seamless Transition, VA's HealthierUS Veterans Initiative, VA Homeless Programs and Initiatives, and an ethics briefing for Committee members; also, the committee will be briefed and updated on issues in the Veterans Benefits Administration, from the VA Chief of Staff, on VA mental health programs, and from the 2005 Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Service (DACOWITS) Report.
  Contact: Desiree Long at the Department of Veterans Affairs, Center for Women Veterans (OOW), 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone: (202) 273-6193; fax: (202) 273-7092, or e-mail: OOW@mail.va.gov.

• Notice of a Computer Matching Agreement - The Department of Defense published a notice in the Federal Register on October 12, 2006, that Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) records are being matched by computer. The purpose is to verify eligibility for the DoD/USCG members of the Reserve forces who receive VA disability compensation or pension to also receive military pay and allowances when performing reserve duty.
  Effective Date: November 13, 2006.
  DoD Address: Director, Defense Privacy Office, 1901 South Bell Street, Suite 920, Arlington, Virginia 22202-4512.
  DoD Contact: Mr. Vahan Moushegian; telephone: (703) 607-29437.

• Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission; Notice of Meeting - The Department of Veterans Affairs published a notice in the Federal Register on October 6, 2006, that the Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission will meet in Washington, DC, on October 19 and 20, 2006. The agenda will include updates on the progress of the studies being conducted by the Center for Naval Analyses; comments from stakeholders and the public on the Center for Naval Analyses' draft report on lump sum payments as an option for compensating veterans with disabilities; a continuing discussion of the line of duty and concurrent receipt issue papers presented at the September 14 meeting of the Commission; a new draft issue paper on character at discharge; a summary of the final site visit to the Southern Region conducted in Atlanta and Augusta, Georgia; and updates on the progress of the studies being conducted by the Institute of Medicine.
  Website: http://www.vetscommission.org/
  Contact: Ray Wilburn, Executive Director, Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission, 1101 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Fifth Floor, Washington, DC 20004; e-mail: veterans@vetscommission.com.
  

• Advisory Committee on Cemeteries and Memorials, Notice of Meeting - The Department of Veterans Affairs published a notice in the Federal Register on October 5, 2006, that the Advisory Committee on Cemeteries and Memorials scheduled a meeting on November 8 and 9, 2006, in Washington, DC. The Committee will receive updates on National Cemetery Administration issues; tour the Crownsville Veterans Cemetery, the Annapolis National Cemetery and the United States Naval Academy Cemetery, in Maryland; and discuss Committee recommendations, future meeting sites, and potential agenda topics.
  Contact: Michael Nacincik, Designated Federal Officer, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone: (202) 273-5221; e-mail: mike.nacincik @mail.va.gov.
  

• Professional Certification and Licensure Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting - The Department of Veterans Affairs published a notice in the Federal Register on October 5, 2006, that the Professional Certification and Licensure Advisory Committee will meet on October 26, 2006, in Washington, DC. The Committee will discuss their final report to the Secretary, review current licensure and certification data, receive certificates of appreciation, discuss recommendations to the Secretary, statements from the public, old business, and any new business.
  Contact: Sal Garner, Education Service (225B), Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone: (202) 273-7187.
  

• Clinical Science Research and Development Service Cooperative Studies Scientific Merit Review Board; Notice of Meeting - The Department of Veterans Affairs published a notice in the Federal Register on October 3, 2006, that the Clinical Science Research and Development Service Cooperative Studies Scientific Merit Review Board scheduled a meeting in Washington, DC, for October 17 and 18, 2006. The meeting will feature discussion of qualifications of the personnel conducting the studies (the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy), as well as research information (the premature disclosure of which would be likely to compromise significantly the implementation of proposed agency action regarding such research projects).
  Contact: Dr. Grant Huang, Deputy Director, Cooperative Studies Program (125), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone: (202) 254-0183.
  

• Advisory Committee on CARES Business Plan Studies, Notice of Meeting - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published a notice in the Federal Register on October 3, 2006, that the Advisory Committee on CARES Business Plan Studies will meet on October 19, 2006 in Saint Albans, New York.
  The agenda will include a discussion of the summary of the proposed space plan and siting of new multi-specialty outpatient clinic on the VA Medical Center Saint Albans campus.
  Contact: Jay Halpern, Designated Federal Officer, (00CARES), 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone: (202) 273-5994; e-mail: jay.halpern@hq.med.va.gov.
  

• Veterans' Advisory Committee on Environmental Hazards; Notice of Meeting - The Department of Veterans Affairs published a notice in the Federal Register on October 3, 2006, that the Veteran's Advisory Committee on Environmental Hazards will meet on ember 13 and 14, 2006 in Washington, DC. The agenda will include discussions of medical and scientific papers concerning the health effects of exposure to ionizing radiation. On the basis of the discussions, the Committee may make recommendations to the Secretary concerning the relationship of certain diseases to exposure to ionizing radiation. On November 13, there will be a presentation by Department of Veterans Affairs' 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.