Office of the Secretary 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On April 5, 2000, the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR-21) required DOT to provide a technical assistance manual to air carriers and individuals with disabilities concerning their rights and responsibilities under the Air Carrier Access Act and DOT regulations. Several years after the enactment of AIR-21, DOT received funding to develop the Technical Assistance Manual (TAM). This TAM responds to a Congressional mandate and incorporates input from stakeholders. The TAM is being published in the Federal Register to insure a full opportunity for public comment before the document is published in final form.

This document proposes to amend the Department regulations relating to policy and procedures on personal commercial solicitation on DoD installations. The proposed change incorporates current policy letters that were issued since the last publication of DoD Directive 1344.7 in February 1986. These include: policy on use of on-base financial institutions and non-profit, tax exempt, private organizations to provide financial education; limits on the use of commercial sponsorship to obtain personal contact information for solicitation; and required reporting of solicitation policy violations to higher headquarters. The proposed change also includes a new solicitation evaluation form to help installations detect solicitation policy violations. This document will not have a significant impact on the public.

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), Public Law 96-463, notice is hereby given that the Defense Task Force on Sexual Harassment and Violence at the Military Service Academies will hold an open meeting at The Thayer Hotel, 674 Thayer Road, West Point, New York 10996, on May 2, 2005 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Purpose: The Task Force will meet on May 2, 2005, from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m., and this session will be open to the public, subject to the availability of space. In keeping with the spirit of Federal Advisory Committee Act, it is the desire of the Task Force to provide the public with an opportunity to ask questions of the Task Force or to make comment regarding the current work of the Task Force. The first hour of the meeting will be designated for any public comment. During the final two hours, the Task Force as a whole will discuss findings and recommendations regarding victims' rights and services, accountability, training, and community collaboration at the U.S. Military and Naval Academies. Any interested citizens are encouraged to attend.

In response to several petitions, the Department of Transportation (the Department) is extending the comment period for 90 days until July 18, 2005, for its NPRM on aviation data modernization published in the Federal Register on February 17, 2005. In the NPRM, DOT proposed to revise the rules governing the nature, scope, source, and means for collecting and processing aviation traffic data.

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, the Department of Homeland Security is giving notice that it proposes to add a new system of records to its inventory of record systems, the Homeland Security Operations Center Database.

The Secretary of Health and Human Services is proposing rules for the imposition of civil money penalties on entities that violate rules adopted by the Secretary to implement the Administrative Simplification provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, Pub. L. 104-191 (HIPAA). The proposed rule would amend the existing rules relating to the investigation of noncompliance to make them apply to all of the HIPAA Administrative Simplification rules, rather than exclusively to the privacy standards. It would also amend the existing rules relating to the process for imposition of civil money penalties. Among other matters, the proposed rules would clarify and elaborate upon the investigation process, bases for liability, determination of the penalty amount, grounds for waiver, conduct of the hearing, and the appeal process.

The Department revises the Standard Foreign Fare Level (SFFL) to reflect the latest available fuel and non fuel cost changes experienced by carriers, as required by 40 U.S.C. 41509(e).

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and its implementing regulations, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) hereby announces that it is seeking approval of the following information collection activities. Before submitting these information collection requirements (ICRs) for clearance by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified below.

Pursuant to the E-Government Act of 2002, the Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, is publishing a privacy impact assessment and privacy policy concerning the Advanced Passenger Information System.

The Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the Department of the Interior, intends to renew the Intergovernmental Advisory Committee (IAC). This renewal is in response to the continued need for the IAC to provide intergovernmental advice on coordinating the implementation of the Record of Decision of April 13, 1994, for Management of Habitat for Late-Successional and Old-Growth Forest Related Species Within the Range of the Northern Spotted Owl. The IAC also provides advice and recommendations to promote integration and coordination of forest management activities between Federal and non- Federal entities.

On March 1, 2005, the Department of Commerce (the ``Department'') published a notice in the Federal Register (70 FR 9916) announcing the formation of the Strengthening America's Communities Advisory Committee (the ``Committee'') and soliciting nominations for persons to serve on the Committee. The March 1, 2005 notice provides that all nominations of potential members must be received by the Department no later than 4 p.m. (EST) on March 11, 2005. The March 1, 2005 notice also provides additional information concerning the Committee and membership on the Committee. On March 11, 2005, the Department published a notice in the Federal Register (70 FR 12180) extending the deadline for submitting nominations of potential members until 4 p.m. (EST) on March 25, 2005. This notice reopens the nomination period from 4:01 p.m. (EST) on March 25, 2005 until 4 p.m. (EST) on April 1, 2005, in order to provide the public with a final opportunity to submit nominations. Other than extending the deadline for submitting nominations, the evaluation criteria for selecting members and the specific instructions for submitting nominations contained in the March 1, 2005 notice shall continue to apply.

The Strategic Advisory Group (SAG) will meet in a closed session on April 25 and 26, 2005. The mission of the SAG is to provide timely advice on scientific, intelligence, technical, and policy- related issues to the Commander, U.S. Strategic Command, during the development of the Nation's war plans. Full development of the topics will require discussion of information classified in accordance with Executive Order 12958, dated April 17, 1995, as amended March 25, 2003. Access to this information must be strictly limited to personnel having the requisite security clearances and the specific need-to-know. Unauthorized disclosure of the information to be discussed at the TAG meetings could cause serious damage to our national defense. In accordance with Section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. app. 2), it has been determined that this SAG meeting concerns matters listed in 5 U.S.C. section 552b(c), and that, accordingly, this meeting will be closed to the public.

The Threat Reduction Advisory Committee will meet in closed session on Thursday, April 7, 2005, at the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA), and on Friday, April 8, 2005 in the Pentagon, Washington, DC. The Committee meets twice per year to advise the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology and Logistics) on reducing the threat from weapons of mass destruction. The Committee will receive classified briefings on chemical and biological warfare defense, nuclear deterrence transformation, combating weapons of mass destruction, and intelligence requirements. The Committee will hold classified discussions on these and related national security matters. In accordance with Section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-463, as amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix II), it has been determined that this Committee meeting concerns matters listed in 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(1), and that accordingly the meeting will be closed to the public.