Office of the Secretary January 2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The DoD has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Pentagon Force Protection Agency announces a proposed public information collection and seeks public comment on the provisions thereof. Comments are invited on: whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize the burden of the information collection on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, the DoD is providing notice to rescind 23 Privacy Act SORNs. A description of these systems can be found in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section. Additionally, the DoD is issuing a direct final rule, published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, to amend its regulation and remove the Privacy Act exemptions rule for four SORNs [items (i) through (k), and (t)] rescinded in this notice.

On January 18, 2024, the DoD published a notice announcing a Federal Advisory Committee meeting of the Defense Science Board (DSB) that was to take place on January 18, 2024. The meeting has been cancelled.

Defense Human Resources Activity publishes this Civilian Personnel Per Diem Bulletin Number 325. Bulletin Number 325 lists current per diem rates prescribed for reimbursement of subsistence expenses while on official Government travel to Alaska, Hawaii, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the possessions of the United States. The Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 lodging rate review for Alaska resulted in rate changes for multiple locations.

This document extends the comment period for the Notice and Request for Comments on the Implications of Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) Commitments/Regimes and Other Proposed Commitments Being Considered Under a WHO Convention, Agreement or Other International Instrument on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response that appeared in the December 22, 2023, issue of the Federal Register. The comment period for the notice, which is due to close on January 22, 2024, is extended to January 31, 2024.

The DoD is publishing this notice to announce that the following Federal Advisory Committee meeting of the Defense Business Board (``the Board'') will take place.

The DoD is publishing this notice to announce that the following Federal Advisory Committee meeting of the Defense Science Board (DSB) will take place.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Force Education & Training) announces a proposed public information collection and seeks public comment on the provisions thereof. Comments are invited on: whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize the burden of the information collection on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

The DoD has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act.

The DoD is issuing this final rule to adjust each of its statutory civil monetary penalties (CMP) to account for inflation. The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended by the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 and the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (the 2015 Act), requires the head of each agency to adjust for inflation its CMP levels in effect as of November 2, 2015, under a revised methodology that was effective for 2016 and for each year thereafter.

The Department of the Interior (DOI) is issuing a final rule to amend its regulations to exempt certain records in the INTERIOR/OIG- 02, Investigative Records, system of records from one or more provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 because of criminal, civil, and administrative law enforcement requirements.

The U.S. Department of Labor (Department) is publishing this final rule to adjust for inflation the civil monetary penalties assessed or enforced by the Department, pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 as amended by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (Inflation Adjustment Act). The Inflation Adjustment Act requires the Department to annually adjust its civil money penalty levels for inflation no later than January 15 of each year. The Inflation Adjustment Act provides that agencies shall adjust civil monetary penalties notwithstanding Section 553 of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). Additionally, the Inflation Adjustment Act provides a cost- of-living formula for adjustment of the civil penalties. Accordingly, this final rule sets forth the Department's 2024 annual adjustments for inflation to its civil monetary penalties.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, the Department of the Interior (DOI, Department) is issuing a public notice of its intent to modify the Privacy Act system of records, INTERIOR/DOI-10, Incident Management, Analysis and Reporting System. DOI is revising this notice to change the title of the system, propose new and modified routine uses, and update all sections of the system notice to accurately reflect the scope of the system. This modified system will be included in DOI's inventory of systems of records.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Defense Health Agency announces a proposed public information collection and seeks public comment on the provisions thereof. Comments are invited on: whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize the burden of the information collection on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

This final rule implements the Electronic Health Record (EHR) Reporting Program provision of the 21st Century Cures Act by establishing new Conditions and Maintenance of Certification requirements for health information technology (health IT) developers under the ONC Health IT Certification Program (Program). This final rule also makes several updates to certification criteria and standards recognized by the Program. The Program updates include revised certification criteria for ``decision support interventions,'' ``patient demographics and observations,'' and ``electronic case reporting,'' as well as a new baseline version of the United States Core Data for Interoperability (USCDI) standard to Version 3. Additionally, this final rule provides enhancements to support information sharing under the information blocking regulations. The implementation of these provisions advances interoperability, improves algorithm transparency, and supports the access, exchange, and use of electronic health information (EHI). This final rule also updates numerous technical standards in the Program in additional ways to advance interoperability, enhance health IT certification, and reduce burden and costs for health IT developers and users of health IT.

The DoD has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act.

The Office of Restoration and Damage Assessment is seeking comments and suggestions from State, Tribal, and Federal natural resource co-trustees, other affected parties, and the interested public on revising the simplified Type A procedures in the regulations for conducting natural resource damage assessment and restoration for hazardous substance releases.