Office of the Secretary September 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This rule identifies policy and assigns responsibilities for considering applications for the waiver of debts resulting from erroneous payments of pay and allowances (including travel and transportation allowances) to or on behalf of members of the Uniformed Services and civilian Department of Defense (DoD) employees. The Legislative Branch Appropriations Act of 1996 transferred to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) the Comptroller General's authority to settle claims. The OMB Director subsequently delegated some of these authorities to the Department of Defense. Later, the General Accounting Office Act of 1996 codified many of these delegations to the Secretary of Defense and others and transferred to the OMB Director the authority of the Comptroller General to waive uniformed service member and employee debts arising out of the erroneous payment of pay or allowances exceeding $1,500. The OMB Director subsequently delegated the authority to waive such debts of uniformed service members and DoD employees to the Secretary of Defense. The Secretary of Defense further delegated his claims settlement and waiver authorities to the General Counsel. This rule implements the reassignment of the Comptroller General's former duties within the Department of Defense with little impact on the public. On Thursday, November 14, 2002, the Department of Defense published appropriate proposed rules with request for public comments. Formatting and editorial changes were made to create this final document, including acknowledging that the Coast Guard is now part of the Department of Homeland Security rather than the Department of Transportation. Although these changes were made in 2003, a decision was made at that time to hold publication of these regulations so accompanying rules would be published at the same time. Addressing internal comments and coordinating numerous editorial changes throughout the Department of Defense on the accompanying rulemaking took until 2006.

The Defense Science Board Task Force on Directed Energy will meet in closed session on November 2 and 3, 2006. The location is to be determined. The task force will review directed energy weapon systems and technology application. The mission of the Defense Science Board is to advise the Secretary of Defense and the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology & Logistics on scientific and technical matters as they affect the perceived needs of the Department of Defense. At these meetings, the Defense Science Board Task Force will: Review all surface, sub-surface, air and space DE programs in the Department and other organizations; examine recent supporting technology advancements and their applications with respect to supporting military DE weapon system developments; as well as make recommendations on potential strategic advantage DE weapons can provide with regards to the delivery of precision effects, decreased collateral damage, limiting unintended effects, and decreasing post combat reconstitution costs and efforts. In accordance with Section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Pub. L. No. 92-463, as amended (5 U.S.C. App. II), it has been determined that these Defense Science Board Task Force meetings concern matters listed in 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(1) and that, accordingly, the meetings will be closed to the public.

The Defense Science Board Task Force on Energy Strategy will meet in closed session on October 6, 2006; November 29, 2006; and December 14, 2006; at Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC); 8301 Greensboro Drive, McLean, VA. This meeting will specifically identify strategic transition-opportunities inherently offered by technologies that have implications for energy and their systemic second- and third-order effects. The briefings will contain proprietary material from the private business sector. The mission of the Defense Science Board is to advise the Secretary of Defense and the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology & Logistics on scientific and technical matters as they affect the perceived needs of the Department of Defense. At these meetings, the Defense Science Board Task Force will: identify DoD operational and strategic constraints and vulnerabilities created by optimizing tactical platforms and capabilities without regard to energy usage; programs and means for the DoD to reduce its energy demand, particularly on petroleum-based fuels; and examine implications of alternative. In accordance with Section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, P.L. No. 92-463, as amended (5 U.S.C. App. II), it has been determined that these Defense Science Board Task Force meetings concern matters listed in 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(4) and that, accordingly, the meetings will be closed to the public.

This notice announces the appointment of the members of the Senior Executive Services (SES) Performance Review Board (PRB) for the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DoD OIG), as required by 5 U.S.C. 4314(c)(4). The PRB provides fair and impartial review of SES performance appraisals and makes recommendations regarding performance ratings and performance awards to the Inspector General.

The Department of the Interior, Office of the Secretary is announcing a public meeting of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Public Advisory Committee.

The Department of Defense is publishing the unclassified text of a section 36(b)(1) arms sales notification. This is published to fulfill the requirements of section 155 of Public Law 104-164 dated 21 July 1996.

The Department of Defense is publishing the unclassified text of a section 36(b)(1) arms sales notification. This is published to fulfill the requirements of section 155 of Public Law 104-164 dated 21 July 1996.

On Thursday, August 17, 2006 (71 FR 47491) the Department of Defense announced a meeting of the Defense Science Board (DSB) Task Force on Defense Industrial Structure for Transformation. The October 2006 meeting date have been revised from October 10, 2006 to October 10 and 11, 2006. The task force will meet in closed session. The meeting will be held at the Pentagon on October 10, 2006; and Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), 4001 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA on October 11, 2006.

On September 20, 2006, the Department of Defense published a notice of meeting (71 FR 54980) scheduled for September 28, 2006. Due to inability to achieve a quorum the meeting was cancelled. This notice announces the cancellation. This meeting may be rescheduled and announced at a later date.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended), this notice announces the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) intention to request renewal of a previously approved information collection.

The Department of Transportation published in the Federal Register of August 23, 2006, a final rule (effective September 22, 2006) which added state-licensed or certified marriage and family therapists to the list of credentialed professionals eligible to serve as substance abuse professionals under subpart O of 49 CFR part 40. The final rule also made a series of technical amendments to its drug and alcohol testing procedural rule. This notice corrects a misspelling in the final rule and adds text that was discussed in the preamble but omitted in the rule text.

This document withdraws the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that sought comments on whether and, if so, how the Department should amend 14 CFR 399.84, its air-transportation price-advertising rule. As a matter of enforcement policy, the Department has long allowed limited exceptions to the strict terms of the rule. The NPRM called for comments on several options: Maintain the current practice with or without codifying all of its elements in the rule, enforce the rule as written, revise the rule to eliminate most or all requirements for airfare advertisements but to specify that consumers must be told the total price before any purchase is made, or eliminate the rule altogether. The Department has decided based on the comments that the public interest will best be served by maintaining the status quo.

The Transformation Advisory Group (TAG) will meet in closed session on 12-13 December 2006. The establishment date was already published in the Federal Register on 28 May 2003, in accordance with 41 CFR 102-3.150. The mission of the TAG is to provide timely advice on scientific, technical, and policy-related issues to the Commander, U.S. Joint Forces Command as he develops and executes the DOD transformation strategy. Full development of the topics will require discussion of information classified in accordance with Executive Order 12958, dated 17 April 1995, as amended March 2003. Access to the information must be strictly limited to personnel having the requisite clearances and specific need-to-know, unauthorized disclosure of the information to be discussed at the TAG meetings could cause serious damage to our national defense. The meeting will be closed for security reasons, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552, Exemption(b)1, Protection of National Security, and Exemption(b)3 regarding information protected under the Homeland Security Act of 2002. In accordance with Section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act and 41 CFR 102-3.155 this meeting will be closed.

The Department of Transportation is directing all interested persons to show cause why it should not issue orders finding Swift Air, LLC fit, willing, and able, and awarding it certificates of public convenience and necessity to engage in interstate and foreign charter air transportation of persons, property and mail.

The next meeting of the Defense Acquisition University (DAU) Board of Visitors (BoV) will be held at Defense Acquisition University, Fort Belvoir, VA. The purpose of this meeting is to report back to the BoV on continuing items of interest.

The Department of Defense is publishing the unclassified text of a section 36(b)(1) arms sales notification. This is published to fulfill the requirements of section 155 of Public Law 104-164 dated 21 July 1996.

The Department is changing the due dates for comments and reply comments on the legal and policy questions presented by a petition submitted by Hawaiian Airlines for a declaratory order regarding an Executive Order issued by the Honorable Togiola T.A. Tulafono, the Governor of American Samoa. The Governor's order proposes to block Hawaiian from continuing to serve American Samoa if another airline replaces Hawaiian's service between Honolulu and Pago Pago. Comments will now be due October 31, and reply comments will be due November 21, 2006.

Pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974, the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Security, proposes to add a new system of records to the Department's inventory, entitled ``Office of Security File System.'' This system will support the administration of a program which provides security for the Department by safeguarding and protecting the Department's personnel, property, facilities, and information.

The Department of Defense published proposed changes to the Manual for Courts-Martial (2005 ed.) on August 10, 2006, in the Federal Register (Volume 71, Number 154)] [Notices] [Page 45780-45797]. This announcement modifies that former publication to include information concerning submitting comments, and extends the time period for submission.