Federal Regulations Significant to Veterans [May 2007]

Unless otherwise noted, the numbers listed in this document are not toll-free.

• Department of Veterans Affairs Implementation of OMB Guidance on Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published a final rule in the Federal Register on May 31, 2007, that VA is moving its regulations on nonprocurement debarment and suspension from title 38, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), to title 2 of the CFR, and is adopting the format established by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in its interim final guidance on nonprocurement debarment and suspension, and OMB's final guidance on those matters. Accordingly, in this final rule, VA adopts OMB's guidance and consolidates it with VA's supplemental nonprocurement debarment and suspension provisions, which are codified at 38 CFR part 44. This rule removes part 44 and makes conforming changes to other 38 CFR provisions. This regulatory action is a government-wide administrative initiative for purposes of simplification and clarity, and makes no substantive changes to VA's policy or procedures for nonprocurement debarment and suspension.
  Effective Date: May 31, 2007.
  Contact: Katherine Faliski, Assistant Director for Loan Policy and Valuation (262), Loan Guaranty Service, Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Fifth Floor, Washington, DC 20004; e-mail: katherine.faliski@vba.va.gov.

• Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission; Notice of Meeting - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published a notice in the Federal Register on May 23, 2007, that the Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission will meet in Washington, DC, on June 7 and 8. The agenda will feature updates on the progress of the studies being conducted by the Center for Naval Analyses and the Institute of Medicine. There will be additional discussions with the Center for Naval Analyses on topics of ongoing research and analyses. The Institute of Medicine Committees on Presumptions and Medical Evaluation of Veterans for Disability are expected to provide an overview of each Committee's final report and discuss their findings with the Commission.
  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 Structural Safety of Department of Veterans Affairs Facilities, Notice of Meeting - The Department of Veterans Affairs published a notice in the Federal Register on May 22, 2007, 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 14 and 15, 2007. 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. The Committee will also discuss appropriate structural and fire safety recommendations for inclusion in VA's standards. .
  Contact: Mr. Krishna Banga, Senior Structural Engineer, Facilities Quality Service, Office of Facilities Management (00CFM1A), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone: (202) 565-9370.

• General Evidence Requirements, Effective Dates, Revision of Decisions, and Protection of Existing Ratings - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published a proposed rule in the Federal Register on May 22, 2007, to reorganize and rewrite in plain language general provisions applicable to its compensation and pension regulations, including general evidence requirements, general effective dates for new awards, revision of decisions, and protection of existing ratings. These revisions are proposed as part of the Department's rewrite and reorganization of all of its compensation and pension rules in a logical, claimant-focused, and user-friendly format. The intended effect of the proposed revisions is to assist claimants and VA personnel in locating and understanding these provisions.
  Comments Deadline: July 23, 2007.
  Address: Director, Regulations Management (00REG1), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; or on-line through: http://www.Regulations.gov. Comments should indicate that they are submitted in response to ``RIN 2900-AM01--General Evidence Requirements, Effective Dates, Revision of Decisions, and Protection of Existing Ratings.''
  Contact: William Russo, Director of Regulations Management (00REG), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone: (202) 273-9515.

• 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 May 16, 2007, that the Clinical Science Research and Development Service Cooperative Studies Scientific Merit Review Board scheduled a meeting in Washington, DC, for June 13, 2007. The meeting will deal with qualifications of personnel conducting the studies, staff and consultant critiques of research proposals and similar documents, and the medical records of patients who are study subjects, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.
  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.

• Genomic Medicine Program Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting - The Department of Veterans Affairs published a notice in the Federal Register on May 16, 2007, that the Genomic Medicine Program Advisory Committee will meet on June 11, 2007 in Washington, DC. The Committee will receive an overview of the VA health care system and electronic medical record, and will be asked to provide insight into optimal ways for VA to incorporate genomic information into its health care program while applying appropriate ethical oversight and protecting the privacy of veterans.
  Contact: Dr. Timothy O'Leary; e-mail: timothy.oleary@va.gov.

• Advisory Committee on Women Veterans; Notice of Meeting - The Department of Veterans Affairs published a notice in the Federal Register on May 16, 2007, that the Advisory Committee on Women Veterans will meet on June 4 through 8, 2007, in Palo Alto, California. The agenda will include briefings and updates on the Palo Alto Health Care System and Polytrauma Center, Women's Health Center, resident training, academic affairs/research, quality assurance, and surgical services; Medical Surgical Intensive Care Unit, veteran service organizations, nursing services, and inpatient acute psychiatry building plans for privacy issues.
  Contact: Chanel Bankston-Carter 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.

• Annual Pay Ranges for Physicians and Dentists of the Veterans Health Administration - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published a notice in the Federal Register on May 16, 2007, as required by Public Law 108-445, the ``Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel Enhancement Act of 2004'' that VA is hereby giving notice of annual pay ranges for Veterans Health Administration physicians and dentists. These annual pay ranges are intended to enhance the flexibility of the Department to recruit, develop, and retain the most highly qualified providers to serve our Nation's veterans and maintain a standard of excellence in the VA healthcare system.
  Effective date: July 22, 2007.
  Contact: Donna Schroeder, Director, Compensation and Classification Service (055), Office of Human Resources Management, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone: (202) 273-9803.

• Change in Secretary's Delegation of Authority and Clarification of that Authority - The Department of Veterans Affairs published a final rule in the Federal Register on May 15, 2007, to amend the delegation regulation, which authorizes a VA official to take final action on complaints of employment discrimination when the Office of Employment Discrimination Complaint Adjudication recuses itself due to a conflict of interest. The amendment provides that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs has delegated authority to take such action to the Chairman, Board of Veterans' Appeals, and clarifies that such authority includes awarding remedial relief in cases where there has been a finding of discrimination.
  Effective Date: This final rule is effective May 15, 2007.
  Contact: Charles Delobe, Director, Office of Employment Discrimination Complaint Adjudication (00D), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone: (202) 254-0063.

• Rehabilitation Research and Development Service Scientific Merit Review Board; Notice of Meeting - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published a notice in the Federal Register May 8, 2007, that the Rehabilitation Research and Development Service Scientific Merit Review Board will meet on August 29 through 30, 2007 and September 5 through 6, 2007, in Washington, DC. The meeting will be open to the public for the discussion of administrative matters, the general status of the program and the administrative details of the review process. The meeting will be closed for the Board's review of research and development applications.
  Contact: Terrilynn Carlton, Federal Designated Officer, Portfolio Manager, Rehabilitation Research and Development Service (122P), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20480; telephone: (202) 254-0265.

• Accreditation of Agents and Attorneys; Agent and Attorney Fees - Department of Veterans Affairs published a proposed rule in the Federal Register on May 7, 2007, to amend its regulations governing the representation of claimants for veterans benefits in order to implement provisions of the Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006, and to reorganize and clarify existing regulations. The proposed regulations would establish the procedures and rules necessary for VA to facilitate the paid representation of claimants by accredited agents and attorneys after a notice of disagreement has been filed with respect to a case. The intended effect of these regulations is to fulfill Congress' direction that agents and attorneys may be paid for services rendered after a notice of disagreement is filed with respect to a decision by an agency of original jurisdiction while ensuring that claimants for veterans benefits have responsible qualified representation in the preparation, presentation, and prosecution of claims for veterans benefits.
  Comments Deadline: June 6, 2007.
  Address: Director, Regulations Management (00REG), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; or on-line through: http://www.Regulations.gov. Comments should indicate that they are submitted in response to ``RIN 2900-AM62--Accreditation of Agents and Attorneys; Agent and Attorney Fees.''
  Contact: Michael Daugherty, Staff Attorney, Office of the General Counsel (022G2), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone: (202) 273-6315.

• Fund Availability Under the Department of Veterans Affairs Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published four notices in the Federal Register on May 4, 2007, to announce the availability of funds for applications for assistance under the Capital Grant component of VA's Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program. This notice contains information concerning the program, funding priorities, application process, and amount of funding available Application packages on-line: http://www1.va.gov/homeless/page.cfm?pg=3
  Deadline: An original completed and collated grant application (plus three completed collated copies) for assistance under the VA's Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program must be received in the Grant and Per Diem Field Office, by 4 p.m. Eastern Time on June 28, 2007. Applications may not be sent by facsimile (FAX).
  Contact: Dr. Guy Liedke, VA Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program, Department of Veterans Affairs; Office of Research and Development (12TT), Department of Veterans Affairs, 10770 North 46th Street, Suite C-200, Tampa, FL 33617; toll-free telephone: 1-877-332-0334.

• Advisory Committee on OIF/ OEF Veterans and Families; Notice of Meeting - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published a notice in the Federal Register on May 1, 2007, that the Advisory Committee on OIF/OEF Veterans and Families will meet in Alexandria, Virginia, on May 14 through 16, 2007. The agenda for the meeting will include briefings by senior officials of the Veterans Health Administration, Veterans Benefits Administration, and National Cemetery Administration on VA programs and policies that particularly affect OIF/OEF veterans. Other presentations will focus on the ongoing activities of VA's Office of Seamless Transition, and deliberations of the Joint (VA-DoD) Executive Council. The May 16 session will be devoted to Committee discussion of its general workplan, possible site visits to VA facilities, and future meeting dates.
  Contact: Ronald Thomas, Esquire, Designated Federal Officer, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone: (202) 273-5182.

• Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission; Notice of Meeting - The Department of Veterans Affairs published a notice in the Federal Register on May 1, 2007, that the Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission will meet in Washington, DC, on May 9 through 11, 2007. The agenda for the meeting will feature updates on the progress of the studies being conducted by the Center for Naval Analyses and the Institute of Medicine. There will be additional discussions with the Center for Naval Analyses on topics of ongoing research and analyses, and the Institute of Medicine Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Compensation Committee will provide an overview of its final report. The Commission will receive presentations on several draft Issue Papers in various stages of development and discuss the composition of sections of the Commission's final report.
  Contact: Ray Wilburn, Executive Director, Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission, 1101 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Fifth Floor, Washington, DC 20004; e-mail: veterans@vetscommission.com.

Unless otherwise noted, the numbers listed in this document are not toll-free.

Search the Federal Register on GPO Access