Department of State 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Notice is hereby given of the following determinations: Pursuant to the authority vested in me by the Act of October 19, 1965 (79 Stat. 985; 22 U.S.C. 2459), Executive Order 12047 of March 27, 1978, the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 (112 Stat. 2681, et seq.; 22 U.S.C. 6501 note, et seq.), Delegation of Authority No. 234 of October 1, 1999, Delegation of Authority No. 236-3 of August 28, 2000 (and, as appropriate, Delegation of Authority No. 257 of April 15, 2003), I hereby determine that the objects to be included in the exhibition ``Projects 96: Haris Epaminonda'' imported from abroad for temporary exhibition within the United States, are of cultural significance. The objects are imported pursuant to a loan agreement with the foreign owner or custodian. I also determine that the exhibition or display of the exhibit objects at The Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY, from on or about November 17, 2011, until on or about February 20, 2012, and at possible additional exhibitions or venues yet to be determined, is in the national interest. I have ordered that Public Notice of these Determinations be published in the Federal Register.

Notice is hereby given of the following determinations: Pursuant to the authority vested in me by the Act of October 19, 1965 (79 Stat. 985; 22 U.S.C. 2459), Executive Order 12047 of March 27, 1978, the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 (112 Stat. 2681, et seq.; 22 U.S.C. 6501 note, et seq.), Delegation of Authority No. 234 of October 1, 1999, Delegation of Authority No. 236-3 of August 28, 2000 (and, as appropriate, Delegation of Authority No. 257 of April 15, 2003), I hereby determine that the objects to be included in the exhibition ``Diego Rivera: Murals for The Museum of Modern Art,'' imported from abroad for temporary exhibition within the United States, are of cultural significance. The objects are imported pursuant to loan agreements with the foreign owners or custodians. I also determine that the exhibition or display of the exhibit objects at The Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY, from on or about November 13, 2011, until on or about May 14, 2012, and at possible additional exhibitions or venues yet to be determined, is in the national interest. I have ordered that Public Notice of these Determinations be published in the Federal Register.

Notice is hereby given of the following determinations: Pursuant to the authority vested in me by the Act of October 19, 1965 (79 Stat. 985; 22 U.S.C. 2459), Executive Order 12047 of March 27, 1978, the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 (112 Stat. 2681, et seq.; 22 U.S.C. 6501 note, et seq.), Delegation of Authority No. 234 of October 1, 1999, and Delegation of Authority No. 236-3 of August 28, 2000 (and, as appropriate, Delegation of Authority No. 257 of April 15, 2003), I hereby determine that the objects to be included in the exhibition ``Anglo-Saxon Hoard: Gold From England's Dark Ages,'' imported from abroad for temporary exhibition within the United States, are of cultural significance. The objects are imported pursuant to loan agreements with the foreign owners or custodians. I also determine that the exhibition or display of the exhibit objects at the National Geographic Society, Washington, DC, from on or about October 29, 2011, until on or about March 4, 2012, and at possible additional exhibitions or venues yet to be determined, is in the national interest. I have ordered that Public Notice of these Determinations be published in the Federal Register.

Notice is hereby given of the following determinations: Pursuant to the authority vested in me by the Act of October 19, 1965 (79 Stat. 985; 22 U.S.C. 2459), Executive Order 12047 of March 27, 1978, the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 (112 Stat. 2681, et seq.; 22 U.S.C. 6501 note, et seq.), Delegation of Authority No. 234 of October 1, 1999, Delegation of Authority No. 236-3 of August 28, 2000 (and, as appropriate, Delegation of Authority No. 257 of April 15, 2003), I hereby determine that the objects to be included in the exhibition ``The Dead Sea Scrolls: Life and Faith in Biblical Times'' imported from abroad for temporary exhibition within the United States, are of cultural significance. The objects are imported pursuant to a loan agreement with the foreign owner or custodian. I also determine that the exhibition or display of the exhibit objects at the Discovery Times Square, New York, NY, from on or about October 27, 2011, until on or about April 15, 2012; The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, PA, from on or about May 12, 2012, until on or about October 7, 2012, and at possible additional exhibitions or venues yet to be determined, is in the national interest. I have ordered that Public Notice of these Determinations be published in the Federal Register.

This public notice provides information on how to apply for the DV-2013 Program. This notice is issued pursuant to 22 CFR 42.33(b)(3) which implements sections 201(a)(3), 201(e), 203(c), and 204(a)(1)(I) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended, (8 U.S.C. 1151, 1153, and 1154(a)(1)(I)).

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES), Office of Marine Conservation announces that the Advisory Panel to the U.S. Section of the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission will meet on October 6, 2011. Dates: The meeting will take place via teleconference on October 6th, 2011, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time. Meeting Details: The teleconference call-in number is toll-free 1- 888-989-7597, passcode 21898, and will have a limited number of lines for members of the public to access from anywhere in the United States. Callers will hear instructions for using the passcode and joining the call after dialing the toll-free number noted. Members of the public wishing to participate in the teleconference must contact the OES officer in charge as noted in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section below no later than close of business on Tuesday, October 4th, 2011. For Further Information Contact: John Field, Office of Marine Conservation, OES, Room 2758, U.S. Department of State, 2201 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20520. Telephone (202) 647-3263, fax (202) 736- 7350, e-mail fieldjd@state.gov. Supplementary Information: In accordance with the requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, notice is given that the Advisory Panel to the U.S. Section of the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission (NPAFC) will meet on the date and time noted above. The panel consists of members from the states of Alaska and Washington who represent the broad range fishing and conservation interests in anadromous and ecologically related species in the North Pacific. Certain members also represent relevant state and regional authorities. The panel was established in 1992 to advise the U.S. Section of the NPAFC on research needs and priorities for anadromous species, such as salmon, and ecologically related species occurring in the high seas of the North Pacific Ocean. The upcoming Panel meeting will focus on two major topics: (1) Review of the agenda for the 2011 annual meeting of the NPAFC (October 24-28; Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada); and (2) logistics for the U.S. Section at the NPAFC meeting. Background material is available from the point of contact noted above and by visiting https://www.npafc.org. This announcement will appear in the Federal Register less than 15 days prior to the meeting. The Department of State finds that there is an exceptional circumstance in that this advisory committee meeting must be held on October 6th in order to adequately prepare for the NPAFC to be convened in Canada beginning October 24th, including the logistics involved in attending the meeting.

Pursuant to the provisions of the rules and regulations of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), the Advisory Committee on the Secretary of State's Strategic Dialogue with Civil Society will convene in Washington, DC on October 4, 2011. The Committee provides advice and assists with the formulation of U.S. policies, proposals, and strategies for engagement with, and protection of, civil society worldwide. The objective of this inaugural meeting is to discuss the general purposes of the Committee and its five subcommittees and set an agenda for future Committee meetings. The meeting is open to the public and will be streamed live at https://statedept.connectsolutions.com/ csenglish.

Notice is hereby given of the following determinations: Pursuant to the authority vested in me by the Act of October 19, 1965 (79 Stat. 985; 22 U.S.C. 2459), Executive Order 12047 of March 27, 1978, the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 (112 Stat. 2681, et seq.; 22 U.S.C. 6501 note, et seq.), Delegation of Authority No. 234 of October 1, 1999, and Delegation of Authority No. 236-3 of August 28, 2000 (and, as appropriate, Delegation of Authority No. 257 of April 15, 2003), I hereby determine that the objects to be included in the exhibition ``Byzantium and Islam: Age of Transition (7th-9th Century),'' imported from abroad for temporary exhibition within the United States, are of cultural significance. The objects are imported pursuant to loan agreements with the foreign owners or custodians. I also determine that the exhibition or display of the exhibit objects at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York, from on or about March 12, 2012, until on or about July 8, 2012, and at possible additional exhibitions or venues yet to be determined, is in the national interest. I have ordered that Public Notice of these Determinations be published in the Federal Register.

The Department of State gives notice of cancellation of the meeting of the Advisory Committee on International Postal and Delivery Services scheduled for September 29, 2011, and announced in the Federal Register on Friday, September 2, 2011. The meeting will be rescheduled for a date to be announced in the future.

Pursuant to the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 (the ``Act''), the Department of State (Department) is authorized to facilitate and direct educational and cultural exchange activities in order to develop and promote mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries by means of educational and cultural exchanges. These exchanges, conducted by Department-designated sponsors assist the Department in furthering the foreign policy objectives of the United States. By this Notice, and in order to enhance its continued oversight and monitoring of designated sponsors, the Department announces its intent to conduct on- site reviews of sponsors in the Summer Work Travel Program to evaluate regulatory compliance with Program regulations set forth at 22 CFR Part 62. The Summer Work Travel Program provides foreign college and university students the opportunity to work and travel in the United States during their extended academic break (i.e., summer vacation) for a period not to exceed four months. On April 26, 2011, the Department published in the Federal Register, an Interim Final Rule governing the Summer Work Travel category of the Exchange Visitor Program. In that rulemaking, the Department explained its three-step approach to addressing a number of concerns regarding sponsor administration of this program. Step one occurred in January 2011 when the Department adopted a pilot program to enhance protections for foreign nationals from Belarus, Bulgaria, Moldova, Romania, Russia, and the Ukraine (``Pilot Program''). Step two was the Interim Final Rule, which incorporated many of the concepts of the Pilot Program into the overall Summer Work Travel program regulations. Now, as step three, the Department intends to conduct on-site reviews of the largest Summer Work Travel program sponsors to monitor sponsor performance, ``to assess category-wide regulatory compliance and to consult with sponsors about implementation of the Interim Final Rule.'' The Department's close monitoring of Summer Work Travel sponsors during the summer of 2011 has resulted in a modification to its plans for on-site reviews. Specifically, the Department evaluated all Summer Work Travel sponsors' compliance with program regulations regarding the maintenance of current and accurate records in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) for the period September 1, 2009 through August 30, 2010. It also reviewed Summer Work Travel-related complaints for the 2011 summer season and monitored the media for additional reports of program problems. As a result of these efforts, the Department has determined that it will not visit sponsors based solely on their size, but instead will conduct compliance reviews of those designated sponsors whose compliance with the relevant Exchange Visitor Program regulations deserve closer examination by the Department. Currently there are 51 designated exchange sponsor entities in the Summer Work Travel category. Of those, the Department has identified 14 sponsors that will be part of in the upcoming compliance review. Although the Department may later decide to evaluate additional sponsors, at this time, it intends to visit these 14 sponsors (which together sponsor approximately 65% of all Summer Work Travel participants) sometime between October and December 2011. On average, it is expected that each on-site review will take two full business days and will be preceded ten work days' in advance by written notice and a request for certain specified documents. As noted above, these on-site reviews will focus on evaluating the overall program administration and the effectiveness of the modifications to sponsors' program administration resulting from implementation of the Interim Final Rule and the Pilot Program. A primary goal of these reviews is to assess whether the sponsors have been able ``to comply and remain in continual compliance with all provisions of Part 62'' (22 CFR 62.3(b)(1)). To this end, the reviews will focus on sponsor compliance with the Pilot Program guidelines and participant monitoring requirements, maintenance of accurate SEVIS records, and sponsors' relationships with third parties they have engaged to assist in carrying out the core programmatic functions inherent in the administration of exchange visitor programs, as set forth in the regulations in Part 62 (i.e., screening, selection, orientation, placement, monitoring, and the promotion of mutual understanding). Other areas of interest may include sponsors' roles in assisting participants in finding suitable housing; decision-making processes (including the numbers of participants accepted); self- imposed compliance mechanisms; procedures for handling student participant problems (including finding new jobs for those whose pre- arranged placements were unsatisfactory); and policies for refunding deposits or payments to student participants. Finally, the Department intends to use these reviews as an opportunity for sponsors to provide feedback on the Pilot Program and the Interim Final Rule in general, and more specifically, sponsors' experience with the relevant new regulatory provisions during the summer season of 2011. Feedback will be used to assist in issuing the Final Rule. Best practices will be collected from the on-site reviews and shared with the wider sponsor community. Sponsors who are not included in these reviews and wish to comment should address their comments and concerns to the Department at JVisas@State.gov. The Department believes these compliance reviews are one of many critical steps that can help ensure the Summer Work Travel program meets the underlying goals of the Act while also allowing participants to enjoy safe and successful exchange program experiences conducted within the parameters of the Exchange Visitor Program regulations.