Department of Veterans Affairs 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

VA OSDBU 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 new collection of information and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on information needed to (1) determine the return on investment (ROI) provided by the National Veterans Small Business Engagement (NVSBE) to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), other Federal agencies, and small and large business attendees, (2) have a mechanism that allows to share ROI and satisfaction levels with potential attendees in order to make informed decisions regarding their participation in future NVSBEs.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-21), this notice announces that the Veterans Benefits Administration, 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 and 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 Office of Management, 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.

This final rule amends Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regulations to establish a new program to provide grants to eligible entities to provide adaptive sports activities to disabled veterans and disabled members of the Armed Forces. This rulemaking is necessary to implement a change in the law that authorizes VA to make grants to entities other than the United States Olympic Committee for adaptive sports programs. It establishes procedures for evaluating grant applications under this grant program, and otherwise administering the grant program. This rule implements section 5 of the VA Expiring Authorities Extension Act of 2013.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) amends its medical regulations concerning eligibility for the Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) program. The HCHV program provides per diem payments to non-VA community-based facilities that provide housing, outreach services, case management services, and rehabilitative services, and may provide care and/or treatment to homeless veterans who are enrolled in or eligible for VA health care. The rule modifies VA's HCHV regulations to conform to changes enacted in the Honoring America's Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012. Specifically, the rule removes the requirement that homeless veterans be diagnosed with a serious mental illness or substance use disorder to qualify for the HCHV program. This change makes the program available to all homeless veterans who are enrolled in or eligible for VA health care. The rule also updates the definition of homeless to match in part the one used by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The rule further clarifies that the services provided by the HCHV program through non-VA community-based providers must include case management services, including non-clinical case management, as appropriate.

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 (VA), 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 Office of Operations, Security, and Preparedness, 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 it's expected cost and burden; it includes the actual data collection instrument.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is making technical amendments to its medical regulations by updating certain delegations of authority to be consistent with the statutory authority that established the Consolidated Patient Account Centers (CPACs). VA is, through this final rule, specifying delegations of authority for the collection of debts owed VA to the Chief Financial Officers of the CPACs.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) amends its medical regulations implementing section 101 of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014, which directed VA to establish a program to furnish hospital care and medical services through eligible non-VA health care providers to eligible veterans who either cannot be seen within the wait-time goals of the Veterans Health Administration or who qualify based on their place of residence (hereafter referred to as the Veterans Choice Program, or the ``Program''). VA published an interim final rule implementing the Veterans Choice Program on November 5, 2014. Under current law, VA uses a straight-line or geodesic distance to determine eligibility based on place of residence. This interim final rule modifies how VA measures the distance from a veteran's residence to the nearest VA medical facility. This modified standard will consider the distance the veteran must drive to the nearest VA medical facility, rather than the straight-line or geodesic distance to such a facility.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Cemetery Administration (NCA) amends its regulations to establish a new program to provide reimbursement for caskets and urns for the interment of the remains of veterans with no known next-of-kin and where sufficient financial resources are not available for this purpose.

This notice corrects a provision requiring grantees to have spent a certain amount of their previous grant award by a certain date, as stated in the Department of Veterans Affairs' February 3, 2015 NOFA, as amended on March 17, 2015, Announcement Type: Amendment. Funding Opportunity Number: VA-SSVF-021015. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 64.033, VA Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program.

This document adopts as a final rule, without change, the interim final rule published in the Federal Register on September 30, 2013. This document implements a portion of the Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006, which requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to verify ownership and control of Veteran-owned small businesses (VOSBs), including service-disabled Veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs), in order for these firms to participate in VA acquisitions set asides for SDVOSB/VOSBs. Specifically, VA amends its adjudication procedures for SDVOSB and VOSB status protests, to provide that VA's Director, Center for Verification and Evaluation (CVE), shall initially adjudicate SDVOSB and VOSB status protests, and to provide that protested businesses, if they are denied status, may appeal to VA's Executive Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU). SDVOSB/VOSB status protests occur when during a particular SDVOSB/VOSB set aside acquisition, a competing vendor in acquisition challenges the status of the putative awardee as an actual SDVOSB or VOSB, as applicable. Additionally, VA amends the title of CVE from the Center for Veterans Enterprise to the Center for Verification and Evaluation, to more appropriately represent the function of this office.

Notice is hereby given that the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Research and Development, intends to grant to Rubicon Biotechnology, LLC, 26212 Dimension Dr. Suite 260, Lake Forest, CA 92630, USA, an exclusive license to practice the following: U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 13/815,829 (``ANTIBODY-MEDIATED TRANSDUCTION OF HEAT SHOCK PROTEINS INTO LIVING CELLS''), filed March 15, 2013, which claimed the priority of U.S. Serial No. 61/618,594, filed March 30, 2012. Copies of the published patent applications may be obtained from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office at www.uspto.gov.

As required by the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a(e), notice is hereby given that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is amending the system of records currently entitled ``Customer Relationship Management System (CRMS)-VA'' (155VA16) as set forth in the Federal Register 77 FR 72123. VA is amending the system by revising the System Number, System Location, Categories of Individuals Covered by the System, Categories of Records in the System, Safeguards, and System Managers and Address. VA is republishing the system of records notice in its entirety.

As required by the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a(e), notice is hereby given that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is amending the system of records currently entitled ``Consolidated Data Information System-VA'' (97VA105) as set forth in the Federal Register 76 FR 25409. VA is amending the system by revising the System Number and Appendix 5.