Agencies and Commissions June 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We are proposing to revise our disability regulations under titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act to incorporate a new, special rule that would affect individuals who are receiving payments or providing services as members or consultants of a committee, board, commission, council or similar group established under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). Under this special rule, we would not count any earnings an individual is receiving from serving as a member or consultant of a FACA advisory committee when we determine if the individual is engaging in substantial gainful activity under titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act (the Act). In addition, we would not evaluate any of the services the individual is providing as a member or consultant of the FACA advisory committee when determining if the individual has engaged in substantial gainful activity under titles II and XVI of the Act. Based on our experience with FACA advisory committees and the frequency and level of activity required by these committees, we believe that performance of activity on these committees does not demonstrate the ability to perform substantial gainful activity. We believe this to be consistent with Congress's view as it has recognized in creating the Ticket to Work advisory committee, for example, that current disability beneficiaries should be considered for membership. This also will encourage individuals with disabilities to serve on FACA advisory committees, thereby providing the benefit of their unique perspective on policies and programs to the Federal Government.

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. International Trade Commission has determined not to review the presiding administrative law judge's (``ALJ's'') initial determination (``ID'') granting a joint motion to terminate the above-captioned investigation on the basis of a settlement agreement.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) has submitted the following proposal(s) for the collection of information to the Office of Management and Budget for review and approval.

The General Services Administration (GSA) is amending the General Services Administration Acquisition Regulation (GSAR) in order to be consistent with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), to update GSAR clauses pertaining to subcontracting plans to include veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses.

The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 established the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) and gave the Comptroller General responsibility for appointing its members. This notice announces two new appointments and three reappointments to fill the vacancies occurring this year.

In this document, the Commission adopts new rules to facilitate the exchange of customer account information between Local Exchange Carriers (LECs) and Interexchange Carriers (IXCs) and to establish carriers' responsibilities with respect to such exchanges.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or Commission) is amending its regulations to broaden the scope of the regulations applicable to persons who may require access to classified information, to include persons who may need access in connection with licensing and regulatory activities under the regulations that govern the disposal of high-level radioactive waste in geologic repositories, and persons who may need access in connection with other activities as the Commission may determine, such as vendors of advanced reactor designs. The Commission is also amending its regulations to broaden the scope of the regulations applicable to procedures for obtaining facility security clearances, to include persons who may need to use, process, store, reproduce, transmit, transport, or handle NRC classified information in connection with the above-identified activities. In addition, NRC is correcting the scope section of the regulations that govern access authorization for licensee personnel to include certificate holders and applicants for a certificate; clarifying the definition of ``license'' in the regulations that govern access authorization for licensee personnel and govern facility security clearance to include a reference to the regulations that govern combined licenses; correcting a typographical error in the definition of ``security container'' in its facility security regulations; and updating the references to Executive Order 12958 which has been amended.