[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 69 (Monday, April 11, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-8538]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: April 11, 1994]


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UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY

22 CFR Part 514

[Rulemaking No. 102]

 

Camp Counselors; Limitation of Program Participation

AGENCY: United States Information Agency.

ACTION: Interim rule with request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Agency hereby amends existing regulations governing camp 
counselor exchanges in order to permit a limited opportunity for 
program participation in excess of two summers.

DATES: This interim rule will take effect April 11, 1994. The Agency 
will accept written comments regarding this rule for thirty days from 
date of publication.

ADDRESSES: Comments regarding this rule should be addressed as follows: 
United States Information Agency, Office of the General Counsel, 
Rulemaking 102, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Stanley S. Colvin, Assistant General Counsel, United States Information 
Agency, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547; telephone, (202) 
619-6829.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 19, 1993, the Agency formally 
promulgated final regulations governing its administration of the 
Exchange Visitor Program. Set forth in this final rule were regulations 
affecting camp counselor exchanges including a provision which 
specifically limited camp counselor exchange participation to no more 
than two summers.
    In an effort to adopt consensus regulations, the Agency discussed 
proposed regulations with all sponsors conducting camp counselor 
exchange programs. Consensus regulations were in fact adopted as a 
result of these lengthy discussions. However, subsequent to the 
publication of final regulations, objections regarding the limitations 
placed upon repeat program participation were raised. These objections 
were brought to the Agency's attention and in an effort to resolve them 
the Agency agreed to review the policy underlying its decision to limit 
program participation to not more than two summers.
    The Agency's interest in setting forth a limitation on 
participation in camp counselor exchanges is twofold:
    (i) To ensure that the Exchange Visitor Program does not become a 
vehicle for the staffing of camps with inexpensive foreign labor; and
    (ii) To ensure that the opportunity for program participation is 
extended to the widest possible number of interested persons. Seeking 
to reach an acceptable balance, the Agency elected to impose a two 
summers of participation rule to meet these dual policy objectives. All 
program sponsors acquiesced in this limitation which was in fact a 
relaxation of the then existing rule which limited participation to one 
summer.
    Although consensus had been reached between the Agency and 
designated camp counselor exchange sponsors, camps throughout the 
United States found the two summers of participation limitation to be 
unworkable. The camps brought these problems forward and the Agency 
again examined the relative interests of the participants, sponsors, 
and camps and determined that a modification of the limitation was 
appropriate.
    Accordingly, the Agency has determined that Sec. 514.30 should be 
amended in order to permit repeat participation in excess of two 
summers for a percentage of each sponsor's camp counselor exchange 
participants. Based upon representations made to the Agency by the 
American Camping Association, the Agency is satisfied that provisions 
which allow no more than ten percent of a sponsor's participants to 
participate more than twice is sufficient to meet the needs of the 
United States camping community. The Agency is also satisfied, in light 
of representations made by the American Camping Association that repeat 
counselors will not be used for inappropriate staffing purposes.

Public Comment

    The Agency invites comment from the public on this regulation 
notwithstanding that it is under no legal requirement to do so. The 
designation of exchange visitor sponsors and the administration of the 
Exchange Visitor Program are deemed to be foreign affairs functions of 
the United States. The Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. 
553(a)(1)(1989) specifically exempts such functions from the 
requirements of the Act.
    The information collection requirement contained in this regulation 
will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
review and approval under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act. In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 605(b), the Agency certifies that this 
rule does not have a significant adverse economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities. This rule is not considered to be 
a major rule within the meaning of section 1(b) of E.O. 12291, nor does 
this rule have Federalism implications warranting the preparation of a 
Federalism Assessment in accordance with E.O. 12612.

List of Subjects in 22 CFR Part 514

    Cultural exchange programs.

    Dated: March 17, 1994.
Les Jin,
General Counsel.

    Accordingly, 22 CFR part 514 is amended as follows:
    1. The authority citation for part 514 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(J), 1182, 1258; 22 U.S.C. 1431-
1442, 2451-2460; Reorg. Plan. No. 2 of 1977; E.O. 12048; USIA 
Delegation Order No. 85-5 (50 FR 27393).

    2. Section 514.30 is amended by removing paragraph (b)(3); by 
revising the last sentence of paragraph (i) to read as set forth below; 
and by adding paragraph (j) to read as follows:


Sec. 514.30  Camp counselors.

* * * * *
    (1) * * * Such report shall reflect the participant's name, camp 
placement, and the number of times the participant has previously 
participated in a camp counselor exchange.
    (j) In order to ensure that as many different individuals as 
possible are recruited for participation in camp counselor programs, 
sponsors shall limit the number of participants who have previously 
participated more than once in any camp counselor exchange to not more 
than ten percent of the total number of participants that the sponsor 
placed in the immediately preceding year.

[FR Doc. 94-8538 Filed 4-8-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8230-01-M