[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 20, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S26]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING

  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the attached 
statement from the Office of Compliance be printed in the Record today 
pursuant to section 4(c)(4) of the Veterans Employment Opportunities 
Act of 1998 (``VEOA'') (2 U.S.C. 1316a(4)), and section 304(b) of the 
Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1384(b)).
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                                    U.S. Congress,


                                         Office of Compliance,

                                 Washington, DC, December 8, 2003.
     Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
     Speaker of the House, House of Representatives, Washington, 
         DC.
       Dear Mr. Speaker:


 WITHDRAWAL OF NOTICE OF PROPOSED SUBSTANTIVE RULE MAKING, AND ADVANCE 
                     NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE MAKING

       On November 13, 2001, the Board of Directors of the Office 
     of Compliance submitted proposed substantive rules for 
     comment, pursuant to section 4(c)(4) of the Veterans 
     Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (``VEOA'') (2 U.S.C. 
     1316a(4)), and section 304(b) of the Congressional 
     Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1384(b)). The proposed 
     substantive rules would implement section 4(c) of the VEOA, 
     which affords to covered employees of the legislative branch 
     the rights and protections of selected provisions of 
     veterans' preference law. The Notice of Proposed Rule Making 
     was printed in the Congressional Record on December 6, 2001 
     at H9065, et seq., and S12539 et seq.
       In response to that Notice, the Board of Directors received 
     comments which addressed the difficulty in promulgating 
     regulations applying substantive veterans' preference rights 
     in the absence of formal civil service merit personnel 
     systems in the legislative branch. In view of the comments, 
     and upon further consideration, the Board has decided to 
     withdraw the notice of proposed rule making of November 13, 
     2001, printed in the Congressional Record of December 6, 
     2001.
       The Board of Directors has initiated a new process of 
     drafting proposed substantive regulations which would 
     implement section 4(c) of the VEOA. The Board invites the 
     informal input of interested parties in advance of the 
     Board's completion of new draft regulations and publication 
     of a new Notice of Proposed Rule Making in the future. 
     Interested parties are invited to contact the Executive 
     Director of the Office of Compliance, Room LA-200, 110 2nd 
     Street, SE., Washington, DC 20540; 202-724-9250, TDD 202-426-
     1912.
       We request that this notice be published in the 
     Congressional Record. Any inquiries regarding this notice 
     should be addressed to the Office of Compliance at our 
     address above, or by telephone or TDD.
           Sincerely,
                                                Susan S. Robfogel,
     Chair.

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