2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The International Trade Administration (ITA) creates prosperity by strengthening the international competitiveness of U.S. industry, promoting trade and investment, and ensuring fair trade and compliance with trade laws and agreements. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) promotes U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) plays an important role in incentivizing and protecting innovation, including innovations contributed to international standards bodies. In May 2023, the White House announced the United States Government National Standards Strategy for Critical and Emerging Technology (``the Strategy''), which, among other things, seeks to strengthen U.S. engagement in standards for critical and emerging technologies. As a means to further the implementation of the Strategy, and pursuant to a Request for Information on Implementation of the United States Government National Standards Strategy for Critical and Emerging Technology published by NIST (Docket No. NIST-2023-0005), ITA, NIST, and the USPTO (``the Agencies'') are initiating a listening session with stakeholders focused on issues at the intersection of standards and intellectual property. The Agencies are seeking stakeholder input on the current state of U.S. firm participation in standard setting, and the ability of U.S. industry to readily adopt standards to grow and compete, especially as that relates to the standardization of critical and emerging technologies.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting this the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management (OASAM)- sponsored information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA). Public comments on the ICR are invited.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of a draft comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and draft environmental assessment (EA) for San Luis and Merced National Wildlife Refuges and the Grasslands Wildlife Management Area (collectively, the refuges) for review and comment. The draft CCP/EA, prepared under the National Wildlife Refuge Improvement Act of 1997, and in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, describes how the Service proposes to manage the refuges for the next 15 years. Draft compatibility determinations for multiple existing and proposed uses, a revised hunt plan, and a visitor services plan are also available for review and public comment. We invite comment from the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974, notice is given that the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) proposes to modify an existing system of records, entitled BGFRS-26, ``FRBEmployee Relations Records.'' BGFRS-26 includes written communications and related documents involved in adjusting work-related problems, including records such as interpersonal and organizational conflicts and related documentation.

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is providing notice of the re-establishment of a matching program between CMS and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), ``Verification of Eligibility for Minimum Essential Coverage Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Through a Veterans Health Administration Plan.''

This rule establishes provisions for providing agricultural disaster assistance as authorized by the Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act of 2021 and the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023. The assistance will be for 2020, 2021, and 2022 milk losses. The Milk Loss Program will provide payments to eligible dairy operations for milk that was dumped or removed without compensation from the commercial milk market due to disaster events including droughts, wildfires, hurricanes, floods, derechos, excessive heat, winter storms, freeze (including a polar vortex), and smoke exposure that occurred in the 2020, 2021, and 2022 calendar years. Additionally, the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023, also authorizes assistance for eligible milk losses due to tornadoes that occurred in 2022. This rule specifies the administrative provisions, eligibility requirements, application procedures, and payment calculations for the Milk Loss Program. This rule also makes corrections to Phase 2 of the Emergency Relief Program (ERP).

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Department is proposing a revision of a currently approved information collection request (ICR).

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council has submitted amendments to three fishery management plans (FMPs) for review, approval, and implementation by NMFS. If approved by the Secretary of Commerce, the amendments would revise the FMPs for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery and the Golden Crab Fishery of the South Atlantic Region, and the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery of the Atlantic, referenced here as the Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) Control Rule Amendments. The ABC Control Rule Amendments would modify the ABC control rules, allow phase-in of ABC changes, allow for some carry-over of an unharvested portion of the annual catch limit (ACL) to the following fishing year, and modify the FMP framework procedures to implement carry-overs of ACLs when appropriate. The purpose of the ABC Control Rule Amendments is to ensure catch level recommendations are based on the best scientific information available, prevent overfishing while achieving optimum yield, and increase flexibility in setting catch limits.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is publishing the names of one or more persons whose property and interests in property have been unblocked and who have been removed from the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List).

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting this Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP)-sponsored information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA). Public comments on the ICR are invited.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) is announcing the availability of a final guidance for institutional review boards (IRBs) and clinical investigators entitled ``Institutional Review Board (IRB) Review of Individual Patient Expanded Access Submissions for Investigational Drugs and Biological Products.'' FDA is issuing this final guidance to provide recommendations regarding the key factors and procedures IRBs should consider when reviewing individual patient expanded access submissions, including for reviews conducted by a single member of the IRB, to fulfill its obligations under FDA regulations. Although FDA has issued guidance on expanded access requests, including expanded access for individual patients, the Agency is aware that IRBs seek further clarity on this topic.

The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) invites comment on a proposal to extend for three years, with revision, the Recordkeeping and Disclosure Requirements Associated with Regulation R (FR R; OMB No. 7100-0316).

The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) invites comment on a proposal to extend for three years, with revision, the Single-Counterparty Credit Limits (FR 2590; OMB No. 7100-0377).

The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) is adopting a proposal to extend for three years, with revision, the Compensation and Salary Surveys (FR 29; OMB No. 7100-0290).

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is requesting nominations for a nonvoting representative of the interests of the tobacco manufacturing industry to serve on the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC), in the Center for Tobacco Products. FDA seeks to include the views of women and men, members of all racial and ethnic groups, and individuals with and without disabilities on its advisory committees and, therefore encourages nominations of appropriately qualified candidates from these groups. A nominee may either be self-nominated or nominated by an organization. In addition, FDA is requesting that any industry organizations interested in participating in the selection of a nonvoting representative of the interests of the tobacco manufacturing industry to serve on the TPSAC, notify FDA in writing. Nominations will be accepted for either the representative to serve on TPSAC or for the selection group effective with this notice.

The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2024 for the Research Training Programs in the Education Sciences, Research Networks Focused on Critical Problems of Education Policy and Practice, and Statistical and Research Methodology in Education Grant Programs, Assistance Listing Numbers (ALNs) 84.305B, 84.305D, and 84.305N. This notice relates to the approved information collection under OMB control number 4040-0001.

In prior notices, the U.S. Trade Representative modified the actions in the section 301 investigation of China's acts, policies, and practices related to technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation by excluding from additional duties certain products of China, including medical-care products needed to address COVID. In December 2022, the U.S. Trade Representative determined to extend 352 previously reinstated exclusions through September 30, 2023 and in May 2023 determined to extend 77 COVID-related exclusions through September 30, 2023. This notice announces the U.S. Trade Representative's determination to further extend the 352 reinstated exclusions and 77 COVID-related exclusions until December 31, 2023.

The DoD is publishing this notice to announce that the following Federal Advisory Committee meeting of the Department of the Navy Science and Technology Board (DON STB) will take place.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that countervailable subsidies were provided to producers and exporters of wood mouldings and millwork products (millwork products) from the People's Republic of China (China) during the period of review (POR) from June 12, 2020, through December 31, 2021. Commerce is also rescinding the review with respect to five companies that had no reviewable entries during the POR.