Disruption of Mail Service, 14553-14555 [2018-06766]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 65 / Wednesday, April 4, 2018 / Notices Approved: March 29, 2018. Laurie Brimmer, Senior Tax Analyst. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Disruption of Mail Service [FR Doc. 2018–06892 Filed 4–3–18; 8:45 am] Department of Veterans Affairs. Notice of exception to date of AGENCY: BILLING CODE 4830–01–P ACTION: receipt. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY In late August 2017, Hurricane Harvey interrupted operations at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regional office in Houston, Texas, as well as postal service in multiple Texas communities. In late September 2017, Hurricane Maria interrupted operations at the VA regional office in Puerto Rico, and postal service throughout the Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands area. Correspondence containing claims, information, or evidence sent to VA during these periods was likely delayed due to interrupted operations of the regional office or postal service. VA aims to protect the interest of claimants who sent correspondence to the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) through the normal channels of communication during these periods and prevent them from possibly being deprived of benefits solely because those channels of communication were disrupted due to events outside of the claimants’ control. Therefore, VA is instituting procedures to consider alternative dates as the date of receipt of correspondence. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jonathan Hughes, Acting Assistant Director, Policy and Procedures, Compensation Service, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420, (202) 461– 9700 (this is not a toll-free telephone number). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A VA regulation, 38 CFR 3.1(r), allows the Under Secretary for Benefits to establish exceptions to VA’s rule about date of receipt of claims, information, or evidence. Ordinarily, ‘‘date of receipt’’ means the date on which a claim, information or evidence was received in a VA office. The regulation states that exceptions may be established when a natural or man-made interference with SUMMARY: Internal Revenue Service Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Joint Committee Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury. ACTION: Notice of meeting. AGENCY: An open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Joint Committee will be conducted. The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel is soliciting public comments, ideas, and suggestions on improving customer service at the Internal Revenue Service. DATES: The meeting will be held Wednesday, April 25, 2018. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa Billups at 1–888–912–1227 or (214) 413–6523. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is hereby given pursuant to Section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. (1988) that an open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Joint Committee will be held Wednesday, April 25, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time via teleconference. The public is invited to make oral comments or submit written statements for consideration. For more information please contact Lisa Billups at 1–888– 912–1227 or (214) 413–6523, or write TAP Office 1114 Commerce Street, Dallas, TX 75242–1021, or post comments to the website: https:// www.improveirs.org. The agenda will include various committee issues for submission to the IRS and other TAP related topics. Public input is welcomed. SUMMARY: Dated: March 28, 2018. Antoinette Ross, Acting Director, Taxpayer Advocacy Panel. [FR Doc. 2018–06769 Filed 4–3–18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4830–01–P 14553 the normal channels through which VA ordinarily receives correspondence has resulted in one or more VA regional offices experiencing extended delays in receipt of claims, information or evidence to an extent that, if not addressed, the delay would adversely affect such claimants, through no fault of their own. In late August 2017, Hurricane Harvey interrupted operations at the VA regional office in Houston, Texas, as well as postal service in multiple surrounding Texas communities. In late September 2017, Hurricane Maria interrupted operations at the VA regional office in Puerto Rico, as well as postal service in the Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands areas. Correspondence containing claims, information or evidence sent to VA during these periods was likely delayed due to interrupted operations of the regional office or postal service. Because regional offices and the mail system were impacted, VA established the following exceptions to the standard rule, on date of receipt. Exceptions to Date of Receipt for Claimants Affected By Hurricane Harvey VA hereby gives notice that, for purposes of determining the date of entitlement, any correspondence received by VA during the period September 1 through September 7, 2017, from individuals in zip codes designated to have been impacted by Hurricane Harvey that contained claims, information or evidence will be considered received no later than August 31, 2017. Alternatively, if the correspondence was received during the period September 1 through September 7, 2017, but the postmark date is prior to August 31, 2017, the correspondence will be considered received on the date of postmark. This guidance applies to correspondence received during the designated period from the zip codes designated below. amozie on DSK30RV082PROD with NOTICES ZIP CODES IMPACTED BY HURRICANE HARVEY 75928 75930 75931 75932 75933 75934 75936 75938 75939 75942 VerDate Sep<11>2014 77062 77063 77064 77065 77066 77067 77068 77069 77070 77071 18:12 Apr 03, 2018 77252 77253 77254 77255 77256 77257 77258 77259 77261 77262 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 77364 77365 77367 77368 77369 77371 77372 77373 77374 77375 Frm 00144 Fmt 4703 77467 77468 77469 77470 77471 77473 77474 77475 77476 77477 Sfmt 4703 77573 77574 77575 77577 77578 77580 77581 77582 77583 77584 E:\FR\FM\04APN1.SGM 77950 77951 77954 77957 77960 77961 77962 77963 77964 77967 04APN1 78393 78401 78402 78403 78404 78405 78406 78407 78408 78409 14554 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 65 / Wednesday, April 4, 2018 / Notices amozie on DSK30RV082PROD with NOTICES ZIP CODES IMPACTED BY HURRICANE HARVEY—Continued 75948 75951 75956 75959 75960 75966 75968 75977 75979 75990 77001 77002 77003 77004 77005 77006 77007 77008 77009 77010 77011 77012 77013 77014 77015 77016 77017 77018 77019 77020 77021 77022 77023 77024 77025 77026 77027 77028 77029 77030 77031 77032 77033 77034 77035 77036 77037 77038 77039 77040 77041 77042 77043 77044 77045 77046 77047 77048 77049 77050 77051 77052 77053 77054 77055 77056 77057 77058 77059 77060 77061 VerDate Sep<11>2014 77072 77073 77074 77075 77076 77077 77078 77079 77080 77081 77082 77083 77084 77085 77086 77087 77088 77089 77090 77091 77092 77093 77094 77095 77096 77098 77099 77201 77202 77203 77204 77205 77206 77207 77208 77209 77210 77212 77213 77215 77216 77217 77218 77219 77220 77221 77222 77223 77224 77225 77226 77227 77228 77229 77230 77231 77233 77234 77235 77236 77237 77238 77240 77241 77242 77243 77244 77245 77248 77249 77251 18:12 Apr 03, 2018 77263 77265 77266 77267 77268 77269 77270 77271 77272 77273 77274 77275 77277 77279 77280 77282 77284 77287 77288 77289 77290 77291 77292 77293 77297 77299 77301 77302 77303 77304 77305 77306 77315 77316 77318 77320 77325 77326 77327 77328 77331 77332 77333 77334 77335 77336 77337 77338 77339 77340 77341 77342 77343 77344 77345 77346 77347 77348 77349 77350 77351 77353 77354 77355 77356 77357 77358 77359 77360 77362 77363 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 77376 77377 77378 77379 77380 77381 77382 77383 77384 77385 77386 77387 77388 77389 77391 77393 77396 77399 77401 77402 77404 77406 77407 77410 77411 77412 77413 77414 77415 77417 77418 77419 77420 77422 77423 77428 77429 77430 77431 77432 77433 77434 77435 77436 77437 77440 77441 77442 77443 77444 77445 77446 77447 77448 77449 77450 77451 77452 77453 77454 77455 77456 77457 77458 77459 77460 77461 77463 77464 77465 77466 Frm 00145 Fmt 4703 77478 77479 77480 77481 77482 77483 77484 77485 77486 77487 77488 77489 77491 77492 77493 77494 77496 77497 77498 77501 77502 77503 77504 77505 77506 77507 77508 77510 77511 77512 77514 77515 77516 77517 77518 77519 77520 77521 77522 77523 77530 77531 77532 77533 77534 77535 77536 77538 77539 77541 77542 77545 77546 77547 77549 77550 77551 77552 77553 77554 77555 77560 77561 77562 77563 77564 77565 77566 77568 77571 77572 Sfmt 4703 77585 77586 77587 77588 77590 77591 77592 77597 77598 77611 77612 77613 77614 77615 77616 77617 77619 77622 77623 77624 77625 77626 77627 77629 77630 77631 77632 77639 77640 77641 77642 77643 77650 77651 77655 77656 77657 77659 77660 77661 77662 77663 77664 77665 77670 77701 77702 77703 77704 77705 77706 77707 77708 77710 77713 77720 77725 77726 77830 77831 77853 77861 77868 77873 77875 77876 77901 77902 77903 77904 77905 E:\FR\FM\04APN1.SGM 77968 77969 77970 77971 77973 77974 77975 77976 77977 77978 77979 77982 77983 77984 77986 77987 77988 77989 77990 77991 77993 77994 77995 78102 78104 78107 78111 78113 78116 78117 78118 78119 78122 78125 78140 78141 78142 78144 78145 78146 78151 78159 78162 78164 78330 78335 78336 78339 78340 78343 78347 78351 78352 78358 78359 78362 78363 78364 78368 78370 78373 78374 78377 78379 78380 78381 78382 78387 78389 78390 78391 04APN1 78410 78411 78412 78413 78414 78415 78416 78417 78418 78419 78426 78427 78460 78463 78465 78466 78467 78468 78469 78472 78480 78602 78604 78612 78614 78616 78621 78622 78629 78632 78644 78648 78650 78655 78656 78658 78659 78661 78662 78677 78931 78932 78933 78934 78935 78938 78940 78941 78942 78943 78944 78945 78946 78947 78948 78949 78950 78951 78952 78953 78954 78956 78957 78959 78960 78961 78962 78963 .......................... .......................... .......................... Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 65 / Wednesday, April 4, 2018 / Notices Exceptions to Date of Receipt for Claimants Affected By Hurricane Maria amozie on DSK30RV082PROD with NOTICES VA hereby gives notice that, for purposes of determining the date of entitlement, any correspondence received by VA during the period October 1 through October 31, 2017, from claimants under the jurisdiction of the Puerto Rico Regional Office that contained claims, information or evidence will be considered received no later than September 30, 2017. Claimants under the jurisdiction of the Puerto Rico Regional Office include residents of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as those VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:12 Apr 03, 2018 Jkt 244001 claimants receiving pension or survivor benefits who are in the geographic region covered by the Puerto Rico Regional Office, but serviced by the Philadelphia Pension Management Center. Alternatively, if the correspondence was received between October 1 and 31, 2017, and the postmark date is prior to September 30, 2017, the correspondence will be considered received on the date of postmark. Signing Authority The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or designee, approved this document and PO 00000 Frm 00146 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 9990 14555 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. Jacquelyn Hayes-Byrd, Deputy Chief of Staff, Department of Veterans Affairs, approved this document on March 13, 2018, for publication. Dated: March 29, 2018. Jeffrey Martin, Impact Analyst, Office of Regulation Policy & Management, Office of the Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs. [FR Doc. 2018–06766 Filed 4–3–18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8320–01–P E:\FR\FM\04APN1.SGM 04APN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 4, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14553-14555]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-06766]


=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Disruption of Mail Service

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice of exception to date of receipt.

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SUMMARY: In late August 2017, Hurricane Harvey interrupted operations 
at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regional office in Houston, 
Texas, as well as postal service in multiple Texas communities. In late 
September 2017, Hurricane Maria interrupted operations at the VA 
regional office in Puerto Rico, and postal service throughout the 
Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands area. Correspondence containing 
claims, information, or evidence sent to VA during these periods was 
likely delayed due to interrupted operations of the regional office or 
postal service. VA aims to protect the interest of claimants who sent 
correspondence to the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) through 
the normal channels of communication during these periods and prevent 
them from possibly being deprived of benefits solely because those 
channels of communication were disrupted due to events outside of the 
claimants' control. Therefore, VA is instituting procedures to consider 
alternative dates as the date of receipt of correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jonathan Hughes, Acting Assistant 
Director, Policy and Procedures, Compensation Service, Department of 
Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420, (202) 
461-9700 (this is not a toll-free telephone number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A VA regulation, 38 CFR 3.1(r), allows the 
Under Secretary for Benefits to establish exceptions to VA's rule about 
date of receipt of claims, information, or evidence. Ordinarily, ``date 
of receipt'' means the date on which a claim, information or evidence 
was received in a VA office. The regulation states that exceptions may 
be established when a natural or man-made interference with the normal 
channels through which VA ordinarily receives correspondence has 
resulted in one or more VA regional offices experiencing extended 
delays in receipt of claims, information or evidence to an extent that, 
if not addressed, the delay would adversely affect such claimants, 
through no fault of their own.
    In late August 2017, Hurricane Harvey interrupted operations at the 
VA regional office in Houston, Texas, as well as postal service in 
multiple surrounding Texas communities. In late September 2017, 
Hurricane Maria interrupted operations at the VA regional office in 
Puerto Rico, as well as postal service in the Puerto Rico and U.S. 
Virgin Islands areas. Correspondence containing claims, information or 
evidence sent to VA during these periods was likely delayed due to 
interrupted operations of the regional office or postal service. 
Because regional offices and the mail system were impacted, VA 
established the following exceptions to the standard rule, on date of 
receipt.

Exceptions to Date of Receipt for Claimants Affected By Hurricane 
Harvey

    VA hereby gives notice that, for purposes of determining the date 
of entitlement, any correspondence received by VA during the period 
September 1 through September 7, 2017, from individuals in zip codes 
designated to have been impacted by Hurricane Harvey that contained 
claims, information or evidence will be considered received no later 
than August 31, 2017. Alternatively, if the correspondence was received 
during the period September 1 through September 7, 2017, but the 
postmark date is prior to August 31, 2017, the correspondence will be 
considered received on the date of postmark.
    This guidance applies to correspondence received during the 
designated period from the zip codes designated below.

                                     Zip Codes Impacted by Hurricane Harvey
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      75928          77062         77252         77364         77467         77573         77950         78393
      75930          77063         77253         77365         77468         77574         77951         78401
      75931          77064         77254         77367         77469         77575         77954         78402
      75932          77065         77255         77368         77470         77577         77957         78403
      75933          77066         77256         77369         77471         77578         77960         78404
      75934          77067         77257         77371         77473         77580         77961         78405
      75936          77068         77258         77372         77474         77581         77962         78406
      75938          77069         77259         77373         77475         77582         77963         78407
      75939          77070         77261         77374         77476         77583         77964         78408
      75942          77071         77262         77375         77477         77584         77967         78409

[[Page 14554]]

 
      75948          77072         77263         77376         77478         77585         77968         78410
      75951          77073         77265         77377         77479         77586         77969         78411
      75956          77074         77266         77378         77480         77587         77970         78412
      75959          77075         77267         77379         77481         77588         77971         78413
      75960          77076         77268         77380         77482         77590         77973         78414
      75966          77077         77269         77381         77483         77591         77974         78415
      75968          77078         77270         77382         77484         77592         77975         78416
      75977          77079         77271         77383         77485         77597         77976         78417
      75979          77080         77272         77384         77486         77598         77977         78418
      75990          77081         77273         77385         77487         77611         77978         78419
      77001          77082         77274         77386         77488         77612         77979         78426
      77002          77083         77275         77387         77489         77613         77982         78427
      77003          77084         77277         77388         77491         77614         77983         78460
      77004          77085         77279         77389         77492         77615         77984         78463
      77005          77086         77280         77391         77493         77616         77986         78465
      77006          77087         77282         77393         77494         77617         77987         78466
      77007          77088         77284         77396         77496         77619         77988         78467
      77008          77089         77287         77399         77497         77622         77989         78468
      77009          77090         77288         77401         77498         77623         77990         78469
      77010          77091         77289         77402         77501         77624         77991         78472
      77011          77092         77290         77404         77502         77625         77993         78480
      77012          77093         77291         77406         77503         77626         77994         78602
      77013          77094         77292         77407         77504         77627         77995         78604
      77014          77095         77293         77410         77505         77629         78102         78612
      77015          77096         77297         77411         77506         77630         78104         78614
      77016          77098         77299         77412         77507         77631         78107         78616
      77017          77099         77301         77413         77508         77632         78111         78621
      77018          77201         77302         77414         77510         77639         78113         78622
      77019          77202         77303         77415         77511         77640         78116         78629
      77020          77203         77304         77417         77512         77641         78117         78632
      77021          77204         77305         77418         77514         77642         78118         78644
      77022          77205         77306         77419         77515         77643         78119         78648
      77023          77206         77315         77420         77516         77650         78122         78650
      77024          77207         77316         77422         77517         77651         78125         78655
      77025          77208         77318         77423         77518         77655         78140         78656
      77026          77209         77320         77428         77519         77656         78141         78658
      77027          77210         77325         77429         77520         77657         78142         78659
      77028          77212         77326         77430         77521         77659         78144         78661
      77029          77213         77327         77431         77522         77660         78145         78662
      77030          77215         77328         77432         77523         77661         78146         78677
      77031          77216         77331         77433         77530         77662         78151         78931
      77032          77217         77332         77434         77531         77663         78159         78932
      77033          77218         77333         77435         77532         77664         78162         78933
      77034          77219         77334         77436         77533         77665         78164         78934
      77035          77220         77335         77437         77534         77670         78330         78935
      77036          77221         77336         77440         77535         77701         78335         78938
      77037          77222         77337         77441         77536         77702         78336         78940
      77038          77223         77338         77442         77538         77703         78339         78941
      77039          77224         77339         77443         77539         77704         78340         78942
      77040          77225         77340         77444         77541         77705         78343         78943
      77041          77226         77341         77445         77542         77706         78347         78944
      77042          77227         77342         77446         77545         77707         78351         78945
      77043          77228         77343         77447         77546         77708         78352         78946
      77044          77229         77344         77448         77547         77710         78358         78947
      77045          77230         77345         77449         77549         77713         78359         78948
      77046          77231         77346         77450         77550         77720         78362         78949
      77047          77233         77347         77451         77551         77725         78363         78950
      77048          77234         77348         77452         77552         77726         78364         78951
      77049          77235         77349         77453         77553         77830         78368         78952
      77050          77236         77350         77454         77554         77831         78370         78953
      77051          77237         77351         77455         77555         77853         78373         78954
      77052          77238         77353         77456         77560         77861         78374         78956
      77053          77240         77354         77457         77561         77868         78377         78957
      77054          77241         77355         77458         77562         77873         78379         78959
      77055          77242         77356         77459         77563         77875         78380         78960
      77056          77243         77357         77460         77564         77876         78381         78961
      77057          77244         77358         77461         77565         77901         78382         78962
      77058          77245         77359         77463         77566         77902         78387         78963
      77059          77248         77360         77464         77568         77903         78389    ............
      77060          77249         77362         77465         77571         77904         78390    ............
      77061          77251         77363         77466         77572         77905         78391    ............
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 14555]]

Exceptions to Date of Receipt for Claimants Affected By Hurricane Maria

    VA hereby gives notice that, for purposes of determining the date 
of entitlement, any correspondence received by VA during the period 
October 1 through October 31, 2017, from claimants under the 
jurisdiction of the Puerto Rico Regional Office that contained claims, 
information or evidence will be considered received no later than 
September 30, 2017. Claimants under the jurisdiction of the Puerto Rico 
Regional Office include residents of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin 
Islands, as well as those claimants receiving pension or survivor 
benefits who are in the geographic region covered by the Puerto Rico 
Regional Office, but serviced by the Philadelphia Pension Management 
Center. Alternatively, if the correspondence was received between 
October 1 and 31, 2017, and the postmark date is prior to September 30, 
2017, the correspondence will be considered received on the date of 
postmark.

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. Jacquelyn 
Hayes-Byrd, Deputy Chief of Staff, Department of Veterans Affairs, 
approved this document on March 13, 2018, for publication.

    Dated: March 29, 2018.
Jeffrey Martin,
Impact Analyst, Office of Regulation Policy & Management, Office of the 
Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2018-06766 Filed 4-3-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P
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