Notice of Request for Information To Assist the Department of Veterans Affairs To Determine the Feasibility and Need for Providing Interments in Veterans' National Cemeteries on Saturdays and Sundays, 37293-37294 [2017-16721]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 152 / Wednesday, August 9, 2017 / Notices
POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETRIEVAL OF
RECORDS:
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS
Records may be retrieved by case
number, delivery tracking number, and
name.
POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETENTION AND
DISPOSAL OF RECORDS:
Records are managed in accordance
with National Archives and Records
Administration approved BEP Records
Schedule N1–318–04–16 Currency
Standards.
ADMINISTRATIVE, TECHNICAL, AND PHYSICAL
SAFEGUARDS:
Access is limited to personnel
approved by the Office of Financial
Management, Mutilated Currency
Division. There are both logical and
physical controls in place to protect
access to the data. Records are
maintained in locked file cabinets. Only
authorized users have access to the area
that houses the file cabinets. Rooms are
locked when not manned by cleared
personnel.
RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES:
Individuals seeking to determine
whether this system of records contains
their information should address
written inquiries in accordance with 31
CFR part 1 to the Disclosure Officer,
Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Office
of the Chief Counsel—FOIA and
Transparency Services, 14th & C Streets
SW., Room 419–A, Washington, DC
20228.
CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:
See ‘‘Record Access Procedures’’
above.
NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES:
See ‘‘Record Access Procedures’’
above.
EXEMPTIONS PROMULGATED FOR THE SYSTEM:
None.
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
HISTORY:
Notice of this system of records was
last published in full on April 16, 2013
(78 FR 22617) as the Department of the
Treasury, Bureau of Engraving and
Printing (BEP) .046—Automated
Mutilated Currency Tracking System’’.
[FR Doc. 2017–16789 Filed 8–8–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4840–01–P
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:00 Aug 08, 2017
Jkt 241001
Notice of Request for Information To
Assist the Department of Veterans
Affairs To Determine the Feasibility
and Need for Providing Interments in
Veterans’ National Cemeteries on
Saturdays and Sundays
Department of Veterans Affairs.
Request for Information.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) is requesting feedback to
assist in implementing section 304 of
the Jeff Miller and Richard Blumenthal
Veterans Health Care and Benefits
Improvement Act of 2016, which
requires VA to conduct a study on the
feasibility and need for providing
increased interments in VA national
cemeteries on Saturdays and Sundays.
This notice requests comments from
interested parties to help inform VA as
it conducts this study, to include
specific questions for comment with
regard to the perceived need for such
increased interments.
DATES: Comments in response to this
request for information must be received
by VA on or before September 8, 2017.
ADDRESSES: Written comments may be
submitted through
www.Regulations.gov, or by mail or
hand delivery to the Director, Office of
Regulation Policy and Management
(00REG), Department of Veterans
Affairs, 810 Vermont Ave. NW., Room
1068, Washington, DC 20420; or by fax
to (202) 273–9026 (this is a toll-free
number). Comments should indicate
they are submitted in response to
‘‘Notice of Request for Information to
assist the Department of Veterans
Affairs to determine the feasibility and
need for providing interments in
veterans’ national cemeteries on
Saturdays and Sundays.’’ Copies of
comments received will be available for
public inspection in the Office of
Regulation Policy and Management,
(00REG), Department of Veterans
Affairs, 810 Vermont Ave. NW., Room
1063B, Washington, DC 20420, between
the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.,
Monday through Friday (except Federal
holidays). Please call (202) 461–4902 for
an appointment (this is not a toll-free
number). During the comment period,
comments may also be viewed online
through the Federal Docket Management
System (FDMS) at www.Regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brad
Phillips, Executive Director, Pacific
District, National Cemetery
Administration, Department of Veterans
Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW.,
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00105
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
37293
Washington, DC 20420, (510) 637–6280
(this is not a toll free number).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section
304 of the Jeff Miller and Richard
Blumenthal Veterans Health Care and
Benefits Improvement Act of 2016
(Public Law 114–315, hereafter referred
to as ‘‘the Act’’) requires VA to conduct
a study on the feasibility and need for
providing increased interments in
veterans’ cemeteries on Saturdays and
Sundays. In accordance with section
304(a)(2) of the Act, matters to be
studied include: (1) The number of
requests for interments in veterans’
cemeteries on a Saturday or Sunday
since January 1, 2007; (2) the number of
requests that were granted for
interments in veterans’ cemeteries on a
Saturday or Sunday since January 1,
2007; (3) an estimate of the number of
families that, since January 1, 2007,
would have selected a weekend
interment if such an interment had been
offered; (4) a review of the practices
relating to weekend interments among
non-veterans’ cemeteries, including
private and municipal cemeteries; (5) a
comparison of the costs to veterans’
cemeteries with respect to providing
regular interments only during
weekdays and such costs for providing
regular interments during weekdays and
at least one weekend day; (6) any other
information the Secretary determines
appropriate.
Under section 304(a)(3) of the Act, VA
must consult with the following groups
in conducting this study: veterans who
are eligible to be interred in a veterans’
cemetery; family members of
individuals interred in a veterans’
cemetery; veterans service
organizations; associations representing
cemetery and funeral home
professionals; the heads of agencies of
State governments relating to veterans
affairs; the directors of veterans’
cemeteries; and any other person the
Secretary determines appropriate. This
notice of request for information serves
as the means for VA to consult with
these groups and entities by soliciting
their input on two specific matters: the
number of families that, since January 1,
2007, would have selected a weekend
interment if such an interment had been
offered (in accordance with section
304(a)(2)(C) of the Act); and the
practices relating to weekend interments
among non-veterans’ cemeteries,
including private and municipal
cemeteries (in accordance with section
304(a)(2)(D) of the Act). VA will use
comments it receives as part of
conducting the study required in section
304(a) of the Act. VA will then submit
a final report to Congress regarding the
E:\FR\FM\09AUN1.SGM
09AUN1
37294
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 152 / Wednesday, August 9, 2017 / Notices
study, as required by section 304(b) of
the Act. VA notes that due to the
requirement in section 304(b) of the Act
to submit a report to Congress within
180 days of enactment of the Act, VA
has submitted an interim report to
Congress with internal administrative
information related to the feasibility of
and need for providing these increased
interments, as well as summaries of
similar information that some external
groups anecdotally provided to VA.
This notice of request for information
ensures that all groups with which VA
is required to consult in section
304(a)(3) have an opportunity to
comment on those matters listed in
section 304(a)(2)(C) and (D) of the Act.
VA has been able to gather information
from its internal administrative systems
as relates to the other matters listed in
the Act.
This notice of request for information
has a comment period of 30 days in
which commenters may reply to the
questions presented in the next section
below. VA believes that 30 days are
sufficient to provide comments, as some
groups and entities with expertise in the
feasibility of and need for providing
these increased interments have already
provided anecdotal information that has
informed VA’s interim report to
Congress.
This notice is a request for
information only. This does not
constitute a Request for Proposal,
applications, proposal abstracts, or
quotations, and VA will not accept
unsolicited proposals. Commenters are
encouraged to provide complete but
concise responses to the questions
outlined below. Please note that VA will
not respond to comments or other
questions regarding policy plans,
decisions, or issues with regard to this
notice. VA may choose to contact
individual commenters, and such
communications would only serve to
further clarify their written comments.
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
Request for Information
This request for information will
assist VA to conduct the study required
in section 304(a) of the Act. Because VA
is required to consult with specific
groups as listed in section 304(a)(3) of
the Act, and because some questions
solicit information from these specific
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:00 Aug 08, 2017
Jkt 241001
groups, VA requests that all commenters
identify in their comments if they are
members of one of the following groups:
Veterans who are eligible to be interred
in a veterans’ cemetery; family members
of individuals interred in a veterans’
cemetery; veterans service
organizations; associations representing
cemetery and funeral home
professionals; and the heads of agencies
of State governments relating to veterans
affairs. VA welcomes comments from
individuals outside of these groups as
well. VA requests information related to
the questions below:
1. If you are a family member of an
individual who was interred in a VA
national cemetery since January 1, 2007,
would you likely have selected a
weekend interment option (interment
on Saturday or Sunday) if one had been
offered? Why or why not?
2. If you are a veteran or other
individual eligible for interment at a VA
national cemetery, or family member of
such an individual:
a. Would you prefer a weekend
interment (Saturday or Sunday) if such
an option were offered? Why or why
not?
b. Would you prefer interment on a
Saturday or on a Sunday, and why
might you have a preference for one day
or the other?
3. If you belong to an association,
entity, or business representing
cemetery and funeral home
professionals, or are a director of a State
or tribal veterans’ cemetery, please
provide a review of practices relating to
weekend interment options offered in
private and other cemeteries (that are
not VA national cemeteries).
Specifically:
a. Do your members, or does your
organization or business, offer a
Saturday or Sunday interment option?
Why or why not?
b. If a weekend interment option is
offered, is it offered on either or both
Saturday or Sunday? Why is it offered
on only one day or both days?
c. Is there a difference in costs to the
entity to offer and conduct weekend
interments versus weekday interments
(to include resources like staffing and
use of buildings and grounds)? Are
these costs passed on to the family in
the form of higher fees or charges?
PO 00000
Frm 00106
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 9990
d. What do you perceive to be the
advantages or disadvantages of offering
weekend interment options in
cemeteries and also, specifically, in VA
national cemeteries?
4. If you belong to or represent
veterans service organizations, or heads
of agencies of State governments related
to veterans affairs:
a. Have veterans or their family
members in the areas you serve
expressed a preference for a weekend
interment option in VA national
cemeteries? Did those veterans or their
family members provide reasons why
they would or would not prefer such an
option, and if so, what were the reasons
provided?
b. What do you perceive to be the
advantages or disadvantages of VA
offering weekend interment options in
VA national cemeteries?
Paperwork Reduction Act
This request for information
constitutes a general solicitation of
public comments as stated in the
implementing regulations of the
Paperwork Reduction Act at 5 CFR
1320.3(h)(4). Therefore, this request for
information does not impose
information collection requirements (i.e.
reporting, recordkeeping, or third-party
disclosure requirements). Consequently,
there is no need for review by the Office
of Management and Budget under the
authority of the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).
Signing Authority
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or
designee, approved this document and
authorized the undersigned to sign and
submit the document to the Office of the
Federal Register for publication
electronically as an official document of
the Department of Veterans Affairs. Gina
S. Farrisee, Deputy Chief of Staff,
Department of Veterans Affairs,
approved this document on August 3,
2017, for publication.
Dated: August 3, 2017.
Michael Shores,
Director, Regulation Policy & Management,
Office of the Secretary, Department of
Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2017–16721 Filed 8–8–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320–01–P
E:\FR\FM\09AUN1.SGM
09AUN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 152 (Wednesday, August 9, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37293-37294]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-16721]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Notice of Request for Information To Assist the Department of
Veterans Affairs To Determine the Feasibility and Need for Providing
Interments in Veterans' National Cemeteries on Saturdays and Sundays
AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.
ACTION: Request for Information.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is requesting feedback
to assist in implementing section 304 of the Jeff Miller and Richard
Blumenthal Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2016,
which requires VA to conduct a study on the feasibility and need for
providing increased interments in VA national cemeteries on Saturdays
and Sundays. This notice requests comments from interested parties to
help inform VA as it conducts this study, to include specific questions
for comment with regard to the perceived need for such increased
interments.
DATES: Comments in response to this request for information must be
received by VA on or before September 8, 2017.
ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted through
www.Regulations.gov, or by mail or hand delivery to the Director,
Office of Regulation Policy and Management (00REG), Department of
Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Ave. NW., Room 1068, Washington, DC
20420; or by fax to (202) 273-9026 (this is a toll-free number).
Comments should indicate they are submitted in response to ``Notice of
Request for Information to assist the Department of Veterans Affairs to
determine the feasibility and need for providing interments in
veterans' national cemeteries on Saturdays and Sundays.'' Copies of
comments received will be available for public inspection in the Office
of Regulation Policy and Management, (00REG), Department of Veterans
Affairs, 810 Vermont Ave. NW., Room 1063B, Washington, DC 20420,
between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday
(except Federal holidays). Please call (202) 461-4902 for an
appointment (this is not a toll-free number). During the comment
period, comments may also be viewed online through the Federal Docket
Management System (FDMS) at www.Regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brad Phillips, Executive Director,
Pacific District, National Cemetery Administration, Department of
Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20420, (510)
637-6280 (this is not a toll free number).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 304 of the Jeff Miller and Richard
Blumenthal Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2016
(Public Law 114-315, hereafter referred to as ``the Act'') requires VA
to conduct a study on the feasibility and need for providing increased
interments in veterans' cemeteries on Saturdays and Sundays. In
accordance with section 304(a)(2) of the Act, matters to be studied
include: (1) The number of requests for interments in veterans'
cemeteries on a Saturday or Sunday since January 1, 2007; (2) the
number of requests that were granted for interments in veterans'
cemeteries on a Saturday or Sunday since January 1, 2007; (3) an
estimate of the number of families that, since January 1, 2007, would
have selected a weekend interment if such an interment had been
offered; (4) a review of the practices relating to weekend interments
among non-veterans' cemeteries, including private and municipal
cemeteries; (5) a comparison of the costs to veterans' cemeteries with
respect to providing regular interments only during weekdays and such
costs for providing regular interments during weekdays and at least one
weekend day; (6) any other information the Secretary determines
appropriate.
Under section 304(a)(3) of the Act, VA must consult with the
following groups in conducting this study: veterans who are eligible to
be interred in a veterans' cemetery; family members of individuals
interred in a veterans' cemetery; veterans service organizations;
associations representing cemetery and funeral home professionals; the
heads of agencies of State governments relating to veterans affairs;
the directors of veterans' cemeteries; and any other person the
Secretary determines appropriate. This notice of request for
information serves as the means for VA to consult with these groups and
entities by soliciting their input on two specific matters: the number
of families that, since January 1, 2007, would have selected a weekend
interment if such an interment had been offered (in accordance with
section 304(a)(2)(C) of the Act); and the practices relating to weekend
interments among non-veterans' cemeteries, including private and
municipal cemeteries (in accordance with section 304(a)(2)(D) of the
Act). VA will use comments it receives as part of conducting the study
required in section 304(a) of the Act. VA will then submit a final
report to Congress regarding the
[[Page 37294]]
study, as required by section 304(b) of the Act. VA notes that due to
the requirement in section 304(b) of the Act to submit a report to
Congress within 180 days of enactment of the Act, VA has submitted an
interim report to Congress with internal administrative information
related to the feasibility of and need for providing these increased
interments, as well as summaries of similar information that some
external groups anecdotally provided to VA. This notice of request for
information ensures that all groups with which VA is required to
consult in section 304(a)(3) have an opportunity to comment on those
matters listed in section 304(a)(2)(C) and (D) of the Act. VA has been
able to gather information from its internal administrative systems as
relates to the other matters listed in the Act.
This notice of request for information has a comment period of 30
days in which commenters may reply to the questions presented in the
next section below. VA believes that 30 days are sufficient to provide
comments, as some groups and entities with expertise in the feasibility
of and need for providing these increased interments have already
provided anecdotal information that has informed VA's interim report to
Congress.
This notice is a request for information only. This does not
constitute a Request for Proposal, applications, proposal abstracts, or
quotations, and VA will not accept unsolicited proposals. Commenters
are encouraged to provide complete but concise responses to the
questions outlined below. Please note that VA will not respond to
comments or other questions regarding policy plans, decisions, or
issues with regard to this notice. VA may choose to contact individual
commenters, and such communications would only serve to further clarify
their written comments.
Request for Information
This request for information will assist VA to conduct the study
required in section 304(a) of the Act. Because VA is required to
consult with specific groups as listed in section 304(a)(3) of the Act,
and because some questions solicit information from these specific
groups, VA requests that all commenters identify in their comments if
they are members of one of the following groups: Veterans who are
eligible to be interred in a veterans' cemetery; family members of
individuals interred in a veterans' cemetery; veterans service
organizations; associations representing cemetery and funeral home
professionals; and the heads of agencies of State governments relating
to veterans affairs. VA welcomes comments from individuals outside of
these groups as well. VA requests information related to the questions
below:
1. If you are a family member of an individual who was interred in
a VA national cemetery since January 1, 2007, would you likely have
selected a weekend interment option (interment on Saturday or Sunday)
if one had been offered? Why or why not?
2. If you are a veteran or other individual eligible for interment
at a VA national cemetery, or family member of such an individual:
a. Would you prefer a weekend interment (Saturday or Sunday) if
such an option were offered? Why or why not?
b. Would you prefer interment on a Saturday or on a Sunday, and why
might you have a preference for one day or the other?
3. If you belong to an association, entity, or business
representing cemetery and funeral home professionals, or are a director
of a State or tribal veterans' cemetery, please provide a review of
practices relating to weekend interment options offered in private and
other cemeteries (that are not VA national cemeteries). Specifically:
a. Do your members, or does your organization or business, offer a
Saturday or Sunday interment option? Why or why not?
b. If a weekend interment option is offered, is it offered on
either or both Saturday or Sunday? Why is it offered on only one day or
both days?
c. Is there a difference in costs to the entity to offer and
conduct weekend interments versus weekday interments (to include
resources like staffing and use of buildings and grounds)? Are these
costs passed on to the family in the form of higher fees or charges?
d. What do you perceive to be the advantages or disadvantages of
offering weekend interment options in cemeteries and also,
specifically, in VA national cemeteries?
4. If you belong to or represent veterans service organizations, or
heads of agencies of State governments related to veterans affairs:
a. Have veterans or their family members in the areas you serve
expressed a preference for a weekend interment option in VA national
cemeteries? Did those veterans or their family members provide reasons
why they would or would not prefer such an option, and if so, what were
the reasons provided?
b. What do you perceive to be the advantages or disadvantages of VA
offering weekend interment options in VA national cemeteries?
Paperwork Reduction Act
This request for information constitutes a general solicitation of
public comments as stated in the implementing regulations of the
Paperwork Reduction Act at 5 CFR 1320.3(h)(4). Therefore, this request
for information does not impose information collection requirements
(i.e. reporting, recordkeeping, or third-party disclosure
requirements). Consequently, there is no need for review by the Office
of Management and Budget under the authority of the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).
Signing Authority
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or designee, approved this
document and authorized the undersigned to sign and submit the document
to the Office of the Federal Register for publication electronically as
an official document of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Gina S.
Farrisee, Deputy Chief of Staff, Department of Veterans Affairs,
approved this document on August 3, 2017, for publication.
Dated: August 3, 2017.
Michael Shores,
Director, Regulation Policy & Management, Office of the Secretary,
Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2017-16721 Filed 8-8-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P
