Federal Regulations Significant to Veterans [January 2007]

• Geriatrics and Gerontology Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting - The Department of Veterans Affairs published a notice in the Federal Register on January 29, 2007, that the Geriatrics and Gerontology Advisory Committee will meet in Washington, DC on April 25 and 26, 2007. The agenda will include presentations on VA research initiatives in areas that affect aging and dementia treatment initiatives. Other topics will include Primary Care Geriatrics Performance Measures and Geriatric Primary Care Panel Size Analysis, and performance oversight of the VA Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Centers.
  Contact: Marcia Holt-Delaney, Office of Geriatrics and Extended Care (114), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone: (202) 273-8540.

• Headstone and Marker Application Process - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published a proposed rule in the Federal Register on January 19, 2007, that it intends to amend its regulations concerning headstones and markers furnished by the Government through the National Cemetery Administration headstone and marker program. The proposed amendments are necessary to update ordering procedures for headstones and markers and to provide instructions for requesting the addition of a new emblem of belief to VA's list of emblems of belief available for inscription on Government-furnished headstones and markers. The proposed amendments would also establish criteria to guide VA's decisions on requests to add new emblems of belief to the list.
  Comments Deadline: March 20, 2007.
  Address: Director, Regulations Management (00REG1), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; or on-line through: http://www.Regulations.gov. Comments should indicate that they are submitted in response to ``RIN 2900-AM53--Headstone and Marker Application Process.''
  Contact: Lindee Lenox, Director, Memorial Programs Service, Office of Field Programs, National Cemetery Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone: (202) 501-3100.

• Advisory Committee on CARES Business Plan Studies, Notice of Meeting - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published two notices in the Federal Register on January 18, 2007, that the Advisory Committee on CARES Business Plan Studies will meet on (1) February 1, 2007, at the VA Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky; and (2) February 9, 2007, at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Livermore Division, Livermore, California.
  The objective of the meeting in Lexington is to provide the Secretary with advice regarding the selection of a business planning option from the business planning options selected by the Secretary for further study.
  The objective of the meeting in Livermore is to provide the Secretary with advice regarding the selection of a business planning option from the business planning options selected by the Secretary for further study.
  Contact: Jay Halpern, Designated Federal Officer, (CARES), 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone: (202) 273-5994; e-mail: jay.halpern@va.gov.

• National Research Advisory Council; Notice of Meeting - The Department of Veterans Affairs published a notice in the Federal Register on January 18, 2007, that the National Research Advisory Council will meet on February 1, 2007, in Washington, DC. The agenda will include a review of the VA research portfolio and a summary of current budget allocations. The Council will also provide feedback on the direction/focus of VA's research initiatives.
  Contact: Jay Freedman, PhD, Designated Federal Officer, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone: (352) 392-8066; e-mail: jay.freedman@va.gov.

• Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans; Notice of Availability of Report - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published a notice in the Federal Register January 18, 2007, that the 2006 Annual Report of the VA Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans has been issued. The report summarizes activities and recommendations of the Committee on matters relative to VA programs and policies affecting Homeless veterans.
  Availability: Federal Advisory Committee Desk, Library of Congress, Washington DC 20540; and the Center for Minority Veterans, Suite 435, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20480.

• Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans; Notice of Availability of Report - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published a notice in the Federal Register January 18, 2007, that the 2006 Annual Report of the VA Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans has been issued. The report summarizes activities and recommendations of the Committee on matters relative to VA programs and policies affecting minority veterans.
  Availability: Federal Advisory Committee Desk, Library of Congress, Washington DC 20540; and the Center for Minority Veterans, Suite 435, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20480.

• Notice of Matching Program - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published a notice in the Federal Register on January 16, 2007, that it intends to conduct a recurring computer-matching program with the Office of Personnel Management. The VA will match pension and parents' dependency and indemnity compensation records with Office of Personnel Management recipient records. The goal of this match is to compare income status as reported to the VA with benefit records maintained by the Office of Personnel Management.
  Effective Date: February 15, 2007.
  Address: Director, Regulations Management (00REG1), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; or on-line through: http://www.Regulations.gov.
  Contact: Pamela Liverman (212A); telephone: (202) 273-7280.

• Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans, Notice of Meeting - The Department of Veterans Affairs published a notice in the Federal Register on January 10, 2007, that the Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans will meet on January 22 and 23, 2007, at the Phoenix Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The Committee shall assemble and review information relating to the needs of homeless veterans and provide advice on the most appropriate means of offering assistance to homeless veterans. The Committee will make recommendations to the Secretary regarding such activities.
  Contact: Pete Dougherty, Designated Federal Officer, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone: (202) 273-5764.

• Rehabilitation Research and Development Service Scientific Merit Review Board; Notice of Meeting - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published a notice in the Federal Register January 9, 2007, that the Rehabilitation Research and Development Service Scientific Merit Review Board will meet on March 5 through 8, 2007, in Arlington, Virginia. The meeting will be open to the public for the discussion of administrative matters, the general status of the program and the administrative details of the review process. The meeting will be closed for the Board's review of research and development applications.
  Contact: Dr. Denise Burton, Federal Designated Officer, Portfolio Manager, Rehabilitation Research and Development Service (122P), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20480; telephone: (202) 254-0268.

• Veteran's Disability Benefits Commission - The Department of Veterans Affairs published a notice in the Federal Register on January 5, 2007, that theVeteran's Disability Benefits Commission will meet on January 18 and 19, 2007, in Washington, DC The agenda for the meeting will include updates on the progress of the studies being conducted by the Center for Naval Analyses and the Insititue of Medicine.
  Contact: Ray Wilburn, Executive Director, Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission, 1101 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004.

• Filipino Veterans' Benefits Improvements - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published a final rule in the Federal Register on January 3, 2007, to amend adjudication regulations to reflect changes made by Public Law 108-183, the Veterans Benefits Act of 2003. This public law added service in the Philippine Scouts as qualifying service for payment of compensation, dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC), and monetary burial benefits at the full-dollar rate, and provided for payment of DIC at the full-dollar rate to survivors of certain veterans of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and recognized guerrilla forces who lawfully reside in the United States. This document adopts the interim final rule, which was published in the Federal Register on February 16, 2006 at 71 FR</ acronym> 8215, as a final rule with a technical correction.
  Effective Date: January 3, 2007.
  Contact: Bill Russo, Chief, Regulations Staff (211D), Compensation and Pension Service, Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone: (202) 273-7210.
  

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