Department of Veterans Affairs October 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Notice is hereby given that the Department of Veterans Affairs intends to conduct a recurring computer matching program. This will match personnel records of the Department of Defense with VA records of benefit recipients under the Montgomery GI Bill. The goal of these matches is to identify the eligibility status of veterans, servicemembers, and reservists who have applied for or who are receiving education benefit payments under the Montgomery GI Bill. The purpose of the match is to enable VA to verify that individuals meet the conditions of military service and eligibility criteria for payment of benefits determined by VA under the Montgomery GI Bill. The authority to conduct this match is found in 38 U.S.C. 3684A(a)(1). The records covered include eligibility records extracted from DOD personnel files and benefit records that VA establishes for all individuals who have applied for and/or are receiving, or have received education benefit payments under the Post-9/11 GI Bill. These benefit records are contained in a VA system of records identified as 58VA21/ 22/28 entitled: Compensation, Pension, Education and Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment RecordsVA, first published in the Federal Register at 74 FR 9294 (March 3, 1976), and last amended at 74 FR 29275 (June 19, 2009), with other amendments as cited therein.

The Secretary of VA intends to enter into an EUL on an approximately 5.0-acre parcel of land at the VA South Texas Healthcare SystemKerrville campus in Kerrville, Texas. The selected lessee will finance, design, develop, construct, manage, maintain and operate the EUL development. As consideration for the lease, the lessee will be required to construct, renovate, operate and maintain a senior housing facility; provide preference and priority placement for senior and disabled Veterans and their families; and provide a supportive services program.

The Secretary of VA intends to enter into an EUL on an approximately 9.0-acre parcel of land at the Northampton VA Medical Center in Northampton, Massachusetts. The selected lessee will finance, design, develop, construct, manage, maintain and operate the EUL development. As consideration for the lease, the lessee will be required to construct, renovate, operate and maintain a permanent housing facility and provide preference and priority placement for Veterans, as well as a supportive services program.

The Secretary of VA intends to enter into an EUL on an approximately 9.3-acre parcel of land at the Roseburg VAMC in Roseburg, Oregon. The selected lessees will finance, design, develop, construct, manage, maintain and operate the EUL development. As consideration for the lease, the lessees will be required to construct, renovate, operate, and maintain a permanent and transitional housing facility; provide preference and priority placement for homeless Veterans and Veterans at risk of homelessness and their families; and provide a supportive services program that guides resident Veterans toward attaining long-term independence and self-sufficiency.

This document amends the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regulation pertaining to the applicability of certain VA regulations that restrict the disclosure of certain medical information to the Department of Defense (DoD). This interim final rule removes a restriction that is not required by the applicable statute, 38 U.S.C. 7332(e), and is inconsistent with the intent and purpose of that statute.

Under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 4314(c)(4), agencies are required to publish a notice in the Federal Register of the appointment of Performance Review Board (PRB) members. This notice announces the appointment of persons to serve on the Performance Review Board of the Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2011.

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of a currently approved collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments for information needed to determine locality pay rates for nurses at VA facilities.

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of a currently approved collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments for information needed to identify the patterns of depression in heart failure patients.

The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of currently approved collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments for information needed to evaluate a trainee's request for leave from Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program training.

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of a currently approved collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments for information needed to plan and provide better health care for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom veterans.

The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) and Veterans Health Administration (VHA) will co-host the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VASRD) Improvement Forum Updating Disability Criteria for the Respiratory System, Cardiovascular System, Hearing Impairment, and Ear, Nose and Throat Diseases. The purpose of this VASRD Improvement Forum is to capture public comment and current medical science information from presentations made by subject matter experts. VA plans to use this information to update the sections of the VASRD that pertain to the following four body systems: (1) Respiratory System (38 CFR 4.96-4.97), (2) the Cardiovascular System (38 CFR 4.100-4.104), (3) the Impairment of Auditory Acuity (38 CFR 4.85 and 4.86) and (4) Ear, Nose and Throat Diseases (38 CFR 4.87 and 4.97 currently under Schedule of Respiratory System). Specifically, diagnostic code descriptors and evaluation criteria will be discussed. Contingent upon available capacity and time, individuals wishing to make oral statements will be accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521), this notice announces that the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs, will submit the collection of information abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The PRA submission describes the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and burden; it includes the actual data collection instrument.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521), this notice announces that the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs, will submit the collection of information abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The PRA submission describes the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and burden; it includes the actual data collection instrument.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521), this notice announces that the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs, will submit the collection of information abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The PRA submission describes the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and burden; it includes the actual data collection instrument.

The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of a currently approved collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments for information necessary to determine entitlement to compensation and pension benefits for a child between the ages of 18 and 23 attending school.

The Secretary of VA intends to enter into an EUL on an 11.2- acre parcel of land and improvements to include renovating an existing building at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System, Newington campus. The selected lessee will finance, design, develop, renovate, manage, maintain and operate the EUL development. As consideration for the lease, the lessee will be required to renovate, operate, and maintain a permanent supportive housing facility; provide preference and priority placement for homeless Veterans and Veterans at risk of homelessness; and provide a supportive services program that guides resident Veterans toward attaining long-term self-sufficiency.