Agencies and Commissions September 23, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Enforcement Bureau (the ``Bureau'') debars Mr. Steven Newton from the schools and libraries universal service support mechanism (or ``E-Rate Program'') for a period of three years based on his conviction of wire fraud, aiding and abetting, and collusion in connection with his participation in the program. The Bureau takes this action to protect the E-Rate Program from waste, fraud and abuse.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') is concerned that the exception for flash orders from quoting requirements under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (``Exchange Act''), which originated in the context of manual trading floors for quotations that were considered ``ephemeral,'' is no longer necessary or appropriate in today's highly automated trading environment. Accordingly, the Commission is proposing to amend Rule 602 of Regulation NMS under the Exchange Act to eliminate an exception for the use of flash orders by equity and options exchanges. In general, flash orders are communicated to certain market participants and either executed immediately or withdrawn immediately after communication. If the proposed amendment were adopted, the Commission would apply Rule 301(b) of Regulation ATS under the Exchange Act in a consistent manner with regard to the use of flash orders by alternative trading systems. The Commission also would apply the restrictions on locking or crossing quotations in Rule 610(d) of Regulation NMS in a consistent manner to prohibit the practice of displaying marketable flash orders.

The Commission is adding Inbound International Expedited Services 2 to the Competitive Product List. This action is consistent with changes in a recent law governing postal operations.

This notice is issued in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 209(c)(1) and 37 CFR 404.7(a)(1)(i). NASA hereby gives notice of its intent to grant an exclusive license worldwide to practice the invention described and claimed in U.S. patent 5,393,634, entitled ``Continuous Phase and Amplitude Holographic Elements'' to Snapshot Spectra, having its principal place of business in Pasadena, California. The patent rights in this invention have been assigned to the United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The prospective exclusive license will comply with the terms and conditions of 35 U.S.C 209 and 37 CFR 404.7.

In accordance with 20 CFR 402.35(b)(1), the Commissioner of Social Security gives notice of the rescission of Social Security Ruling (SSR) 85-3.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (the Commission or EEOC) proposes to revise its Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations and accompanying interpretive guidance in order to implement the ADA Amendments Act of 2008. The Commission is responsible for enforcement of title I of the ADA, as amended, which prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of disability. Pursuant to the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, EEOC is expressly granted the authority to amend these regulations, and is expected to do so, in order to conform certain provisions contained in the regulations to the Amendments Act.