Office of the Secretary June 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Transportation (DOT) invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve an information collection regarding the DOT's existing small business Mentor-Prot[eacute]g[eacute] pilot program. If approved by OMB, this information collection would request program participants to submit their mentor-prot[eacute]g[eacute] relationship agreements for review, and file a joint report on an annual basis documenting the assistance they have provided or received. In addition, program participants would be asked to complete an evaluation form at the end of their participation in the program, and prot[eacute]g[eacute]s would be asked to update OSDBU annually for 2 years after they exit the program.

The Department of Defense is publishing this notice to announce that it is re-establishing the charter for the Defense Acquisition University Board of Visitors (``the Board'').

In compliance with section 3507(a)(1)(D) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of the Secretary (OS), Department of Health and Human Services, has submitted an Information Collection Request (ICR), described below, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The ICR is for a new collection. Comments submitted during the first public review of this ICR will be provided to OMB. OMB will accept further comments from the public on this ICR during the review and approval period.

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(4) and (11), the Department of Commerce proposes to amend the system of records entitled ``COMMERCE/DEPT-1, Attendance, Leave, and Payroll Records of Employees and Certain Other Persons,'' to include data fields collected by the Defense Manpower Data Center and previously omitted in this System of Records Notice; to include a new routine use, for the issuance of Common Access Cards (CAC) identification cards to eligible National Oceanic and Atmospheric (NOAA) Commissioned Corps, NOAA civilian employees and NOAA contractors, to support compliance with HSPD-12, PIV-II requirements under Federal Information Processing Standard 201 (FIPS 201); to update notification procedures; and other administrative updates. We invite public comment on the amended system announced in this publication.

The Defense Travel Management Office is publishing Civilian Personnel Per Diem Bulletin Number 293. This bulletin lists revisions in the per diem rates prescribed for U.S. Government employees for official travel in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands and Possessions of the United States when applicable. AEA changes announced in Bulletin Number 194 remain in effect. Bulletin Number 293 is being published in the Federal Register to assure that travelers are paid per diem at the most current rates.

The National Guard Bureau proposes to add a new system of records, INGB 007, entitled, ``Guard Equipment Acquisition Records'' to its inventory of record systems subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended. The information in this system will be used to track designated personnel authorized to manage records for new equipment requirements and distribution to Army National Guard units.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) sponsored information collection request (ICR) revision titled, ``Notice of Recurrence,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for use in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Public comments on the ICR are invited.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act Pre-Hearing Statement,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for continued use, without change, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. Public comments on the ICR are invited.

The Department of Defense has submitted to OMB for clearance, the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).

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 July 21, 1996.

Notice is hereby given that the Office of Research Integrity (ORI) has taken final action in the following case: Melanie Cokonis, Southern Research Institute: Based on the report of an investigation conducted by Southern Research Institute (SRI) and additional analysis conducted by ORI in its oversight review, ORI found that Ms. Melanie Cokonis, former Research Technician, SRI, engaged in research misconduct in research supported by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), contracts N01-AI-30047 (HHSN2722011000009C) and N01-AI-70042 (HHSN272200700042C), and National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), NIH, grant U54 HG005034. ORI found that the Respondent engaged in research misconduct by falsifying assay data that were submitted in reports to NIH. Specifically, ORI found that Respondent knowingly falsified data for cytoprotection assays with antiviral compounds and provided the false data for inclusion in reports submitted to NIH for contracts N01-AI- 30047 and N01-AI-70042 and grant U54 HG005034. Respondent transferred raw data from 8X12 SoftmaxPro matrix files into spreadsheets and then falsified the numbers for cell control, virus control, drug cytotoxicity, drug only, and/or cells+ virus+ drug wells to make 206 assays appear to have been successfully performed when they were not. Ms. Cokonis has voluntarily agreed for a period of three (3) years, beginning on May 29, 2014: (1) To exclude herself from any contracting or subcontracting with any agency of the United States Government and from eligibility or involvement in nonprocurement programs of the United States Government referred to as ``covered transactions'' pursuant to HHS' Implementation (2 CFR part 376 et seq) of OMB Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension, 2 CFR part 180 (collectively the ``Debarment Regulations''); and (2) To exclude herself voluntarily from serving in any advisory capacity to PHS including, but not limited to, service on any PHS advisory committee, board, and/or peer review committee, or as a consultant.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App., the United States Department of Agriculture announces solicitation for nominations to fill 8 vacancies on the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board.

The Department of Defense has submitted to OMB for clearance, the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).

The Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) is considering whether to propose an administrative rule that would facilitate the reestablishment of a government-to-government relationship with the Native Hawaiian community, to more effectively implement the special political and trust relationship that Congress has established between that community and the United States. The purpose of this advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) is to solicit public comments on whether and how the Department of the Interior should facilitate the reestablishment of a government-to- government relationship with the Native Hawaiian community. In this ANPRM, the Secretary also announces several public meetings in Hawaii and several consultations with federally recognized tribes in the continental United States to consider these issues.

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, the Department of Homeland Security proposes to update and reissue a current Department of Homeland Security system of records titled, ``Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency002 Quality Assurance Recording System of Records.'' This system of records allows the Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency to collect and maintain records on the customer service performance of its employees, contractors, and vendors who interact with individuals who apply for the Agency's individual assistance and public assistance programs. As a result of a biennial review of this system, the Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency is updating this system of records notice to include updates to the (1) system location, (2) category of individuals, (3) category of records, (4) routine uses, (5) legal authorities, (6) purpose, (7) retrievability, (8) retention and disposal, and (9) record source categories. Additionally, this notice includes non-substantive changes to simplify the formatting and text of the previously published notice. This updated system will be included in the Department of Homeland Security's inventory of record systems.

This proposed rule revises the process and criteria for Federal acknowledgment of Indian tribes. This rulemaking would establish procedures for a new category of expedited hearing for petitioners who receive a negative proposed finding for Federal acknowledgment and request a hearing. This rule would also establish procedures for a new re-petition authorization process for petitioners whose petitions have been denied. This proposed rule is related to a Bureau of Indian Affairs proposed rule that would revise processing of petitions for Federal acknowledgment of Indian tribes.

On June 30, 2014, the Department of Labor (DOL) will submit the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management (OASAM) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Department of Labor Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for continued use, without change, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. Public comments on the ICR are invited.

In compliance with section 3507(a)(1)(D) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of the Secretary (OS), Department of Health and Human Services, has submitted an Information Collection Request (ICR), described below, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The ICR is for a new collection. Comments submitted during the first public review of this ICR will be provided to OMB. OMB will accept further comments from the public on this ICR during the review and approval period.

The Department of Commerce is currently seeking applications for membership on the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Council). The purpose of the Council is to advise the Secretary of Commerce on matters related to accelerating innovation and entrepreneurship.

This document proposes regulations to implement Executive Order 13658, Establishing a Minimum Wage for Contractors, which was signed by President Barack Obama on February 12, 2014. Executive Order 13658 states that the Federal Government's procurement interests in economy and efficiency are promoted when the Federal Government contracts with sources that adequately compensate their workers. The Executive Order therefore seeks to increase efficiency and cost savings in the work performed by parties that contract with the Federal Government by raising the hourly minimum wage paid by those contractors to workers performing on covered Federal contracts to: $10.10 per hour, beginning January 1, 2015; and beginning January 1, 2016, and annually thereafter, an amount determined by the Secretary of Labor. The Executive Order directs the Secretary to issue regulations by October 1, 2014, to the extent permitted by law and consistent with the requirements of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act to implement the Order's requirements. This proposed rule therefore establishes standards and procedures for implementing and enforcing the minimum wage protections of Executive Order 13658. As required by the Order and to the extent practicable, the proposed rule incorporates existing definitions, procedures, remedies, and enforcement processes under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Service Contract Act, and the Davis-Bacon Act.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Records of Tests and Examinations of Mine Personnel Hoisting Equipment,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for continued use, without change, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. Public comments on the ICR are invited.

This notice is to advise interested parties of a Military Health System (MHS) demonstration project entitled Comprehensive Autism Care Demonstration (``Autism Care Demonstration''). The purpose of the Autism Care Demonstration is to further analyze and evaluate the appropriateness of the ABA tiered-delivery model under TRICARE in light of current and anticipated Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BCBA) Guidelines. Currently, there are no established uniform ABA coverage standards in the United States. Therefore, the demonstration seeks to determine the appropriate provider qualifications for the proper diagnosis of ASD and the provision of ABA, assess the feasibility and advisability of establishing a beneficiary cost share for the treatment of ASD, and develop more efficient and appropriate means of increasing access and delivering ABA services under TRICARE while creating a viable economic model and maintaining administrative simplicity. Faced with various temporary authorities and the resulting complexity of the current interim TRICARE policies concerning coverage of ABA for ASD, the Department will create a new comprehensive Autism Care Demonstration providing all TRICARE-covered ABA under one new demonstration. This will encompass ABA services that recently have been provided under a patchwork of the TRICARE Basic Program (i.e., the medical benefits authorized under Section 199.4 of title 32, Code of Federal Regulations), the Extended Care Health Option (ECHO) Autism Demonstration (i.e., the supplemental ABA benefits authorized for certain active duty family members under Section 199.5 of title 32, Code of Federal Regulations), and the ABA Pilot (i.e., the supplemental ABA benefits authorized for certain non- active duty family membersincluding retiree dependents and others under Section 705 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2013). It will preserve most of the terms and conditions of coverage under that patchwork, incorporating some lessons learned. Coverage of ABA and related services under this new demonstration will apply comprehensively to all TRICARE eligible beneficiaries with a diagnosis of ASD. Eligible beneficiaries'' include dependents of active duty, retired, TRICARE-eligible Reserve Component, and certain other non-active duty members. Because there has been insufficient time to accomplish the congressional intent behind Section 705 of the FY13 NDAA, reconcile the various temporary authorities, and address the resulting complexity of the current interim TRICARE policies concerning coverage of ABA for ASD, this demonstration will consolidate TRICARE coverage of ABA based on the Department's demonstration authority in section 1092 of title 10, U.S. Code. The overarching goal is to analyze, evaluate, and compare the quality, efficiency, convenience and cost effectiveness of those autism-related services that do not constitute the proven medical care provided under the medical benefit coverage requirements that govern the TRICARE Basic Program.

The Defense Information Systems Agency is amending three systems of records notices in its existing inventory of record systems subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended. These systems are updating their retention and disposal category. The systems are KWHC 08, DefenseReady, K890.15 DoD, Active Directory Enterprise Application and Services Forest (AD EASF), and KD3D.01, Continuity of Operations Plans.