Department of Veterans Affairs June 2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

VA is rescinding an outdated system of records entitled, ``National Chaplain Management Information System (NCMIS)-VA'' (84VA111K).

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) proposes to amend the regulation defining ``member's stillborn child'' for purposes of the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI) program. The current definition of a ``member's stillborn child'' is that a fetus must weigh at least 350 grams or, if the fetal weight is unknown, duration in utero is at least 20 completed weeks of gestation. VA proposes to amend the definition to allow reliance upon the fetus' gestational age even if the fetus' weight is known. As a result, a fetus whose duration in utero is 20 completed weeks of gestation but who weighs less than 350 grams would qualify as a ``member's stillborn child.''

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) adopts as final, with no changes, an interim final rule amending its regulations that govern programs benefitting homeless veterans to implement a new statutory requirement. The statute requires VA to establish a new grant program that will provide case management services to improve the retention of housing by veterans who were previously homeless and are transitioning to permanent housing and to veterans who are at risk of becoming homeless. The grant program established by the interim final rule, which is now adopted as final, will be an essential part of VA's attempts to eliminate homelessness among the veteran population.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) proposes to amend its regulations that govern the Health Professional Scholarship Program (HPSP). This rule would ensure that VA award not less than 50 HPSP scholarships each year to students who are accepted for enrollment or are enrolled in a program of education or training that leads to employment as a physician or dentist until such a date as VA determines the current staffing shortage is reduced. This rule would also expand the number of years of obligated service that a HPSP participant would have to serve in VA in the discipline for which the HPSP was awarded. This rulemaking would implement the mandates of the VA MISSION Act of 2018.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is amending and updating its VA Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) in phased increments to revise or remove any policy superseded by changes in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), to remove procedural guidance internal to VA into the VA Acquisition Manual (VAAM), and to incorporate any new agency specific regulations or policies. These changes seek to align the VAAR with the FAR and remove outdated and duplicative requirements and reduce burden on contractors. The VAAM incorporates portions of the removed VAAR as well as other internal agency acquisition policy. VA will rewrite certain parts of the VAAR and VAAM, and as VAAR parts are rewritten, VA will publish them in the Federal Register. In particular, this rulemaking revises VAAR coverage concerning Special Contracting Methods as well as an affected part covering Solicitation Provisions and Contract Clauses.

VA announces its intent to adopt the following National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents developed by the Federal Transit Administration and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) related to Westside Purple Line Extension Project: March 2012 Final Environmental Impact Statement/ Final Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR), November 2017 Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS), and the December 2018 Section 130(c) Technical Memorandum (``Purple Line NEPA Documents''). Pursuant to NEPA of 1969, as amended, and the Council on Environmental Quality's regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of NEPA, VA may adopt another Federal agency's NEPA documents if the proposed actions of each agency are substantially the same. VA's Proposed Action is the granting of (i) surface level permanent easements comprised of approximately 2.19 acres; (ii) surface level temporary construction easements comprised of approximately 6.56 acres; and (iii) additional subsurface permanent and construction easements to LA Metro in conjunction with the Westwood/VA Hospital subway station which involves the construction, maintenance, repair, operation of a surface level and subsurface level transit facility, a subsurface level transit tunnel, entrances and other appurtenances including but not limited to tunnels, supports, rails, air circulation systems, air pressure relief systems and equipment, blast relief shafts, safety and emergency systems, electric transmission, and communication lines (the ``Transit Facilities''). The Transit Facilities will be on the VA West Los Angeles Campus located at 11301 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90073, adjacent to the Main Hospital (Building 500), as part of Section 3 of the Westside Purple Line Extension. VA has the authority to grant easements for the Transit Facilities pursuant to the West Los Angeles Leasing Act of 2016 (Pub. L. 114-226). The Purple Line NEPA documents evaluate the construction and operation of the Westside Purple Line Extension on the VA West Los Angeles Campus. After thorough review and consideration, VA has concluded that the Purple Line NEPA documents sufficiently identify and evaluate the environmental impacts related to its proposed action. This Notice informs the reader of the availability of the Final Purple Line NEPA documents and of VA's intent to adopt the Purple Line NEPA documents for VA's proposed action. VA will publish a Record of Decision no sooner than 30 days after publication of the Environmental Protection Agency's Notice of Intent in the Federal Register. Availability: Copies of the 2012 EIS/EIR, 2017 SEIS, and the Section 130(c) Technical Memorandum related to Westside Purple Line Extension are available for public review at: VA GLAHS WLA Medical Center: 11301 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90073, Building 500/Room 6429K; and On the website at www.losangeles.va.gov/masterplan/.

Veterans Benefits Administration, 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 document amends the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VASRD) by revising the portion of the schedule that addresses infectious diseases, immune disorders, and nutritional deficiencies. The effect of this action is to ensure that the rating schedule uses current medical terminology and to provide detailed and updated criteria for evaluation of infectious diseases, immune disorders, and nutritional deficiencies for disability rating purposes.

Veterans Health Administration, 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.

In accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee ACT (FACA) and after consultation with the General Services Administration, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs has determined that the following Federal advisory committee is vital to the mission of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and renewing its charter would be in the public interest. Consequently, the charter for the following Federal advisory committee is renewed for a two-year period, beginning on the dates listed below:

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) adopts as final a proposed rule amending its regulations that govern VA health care. This final rule implements its authority from the VA MISSION ACT of 2018 for covered veterans to receive necessary hospital care, medical services, and extended care services from non-VA entities or providers in the community.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 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.