[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 15 (Tuesday, January 24, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 4561-4562]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-1659]



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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

38 CFR Part 21

RIN 2900-AH17


Vocational Rehabilitation: Increase in Rates of Subsistence 
Allowance Payable

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This document amends the Department of Veterans Affairs 
regulations regarding the monthly rates of subsistence allowance 
payable under the Vocational Rehabilitation Program to reflect a 2.44% 
increase in these rates pursuant to statutory formula. This amendment 
is necessary to establish the correct rate in accordance with the 
statutory formula.

EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Charles A. Graffam, Rehabilitation Program Specialist, Policy and 
Program Development, Vocational Rehabilitation and Counseling Service 
(281), Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans 
Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420, (202) 273-7410.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 38 U.S.C. 3108 provides that, for all fiscal 
years beginning on or after October 1, 1994, the rate of subsistence 
allowance payable to VA Rehabilitation Program participants must be 
increased by the percentage that the Consumer Price Index for all 
items, United States city average (CPI-W), for the 12-month period 
ending on the preceding June 30 exceeds the CPI-W for the previous 12-
month period. The CPI-W increase as of June 30, 1994, was 2.44%. Hence, 
the regulations setting the rates of subsistence allowance payable 
under the Vocational Rehabilitation Program are amended to reflect this 
2.44% increase. This amendment to regulations merely conforms to the 
statutory formula.
    VA has determined that prior publication for notice and public 
comment is unnecessary since the amendment merely reflects a change 
pursuant to statutory formula and is not subject to rule-making 
requirements.
    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs hereby certifies that this final 
regulation will not have a significant impact on a substantial number 
of small entities as they are defined in the Regulatory Flexibility Act 
(RFA), 5 U.S.C. 601-612. The reason for this certification is that this 
final regulation merely reflects a change pursuant to statutory 
formula.

    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program number for 
these regulations is 64.116.

List of Subjects in 38 CFR Part 21

    Civil rights, Claims, Education, Grant programs, Loan programs, 
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Schools, Veterans, Vocational 
education, Vocational rehabilitation.

    Approved: January 11, 1995.
Jesse Brown,
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
    For the reason set forth in the preamble, 38 CFR, Part 21, is 
amended as follows:

PART 21--VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AND EDUCATION

Subpart A--Vocational Rehabilitation Under U.S.C. Chapter 31

    1. The authority citation for part 21, subpart A is revised to read 
as follows:

    Authority: 38 U.S.C. 501(a); 38 U.S.C. 3108.

    2. In Sec. 21.260, paragraph (b) is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 21.260  Subsistence allowance.

* * * * *
    (b) Rate of payment. Subsistence allowance is paid at the following 
rates effective October 1, 1994.

                                      Monthly Rate of Subsistence Allowance                                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                        Addt'l  
                                                                                                      amount for
                         Type of program                              No          One         Two        each   
                                                                  dependents   dependent  dependents   dependent
                                                                                                       over two 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Institutional\1\:                                                                                               
    Full-time...................................................     $374.93     $465.08     $548.05      $39.95
    \3/4\ time..................................................      281.71      349.32      409.76       30.73
    \1/2\ time..................................................      188.49      233.56      274.54       20.49
Nonpay on-job training in a Federal, state, or local agency,                                                    
 training in the home; vocational course in a rehabilitation                                                    
 facility or sheltered workshop; independent instructor:                                                        
    Full-time only..............................................      374.93      465.88      548.05       39.95
Nonpay work experience in a Federal, state or local agency:                                                     
    Full-time...................................................      374.93      465.08      548.05       39.95
    \3/4\ time..................................................      281.71      349.32      409.76       30.73
    \1/2\ time..................................................      188.49      233.56      274.54       20.49
Farm cooperative, apprenticeship, or other on-job training\2\:                                                  
    Full-time only..............................................      327.81      396.44      456.88       29.71
Combination of Institutional and OJT (Full-time only):                                                          
    Institutional greater than \1/2\ time.......................      374.93      465.08      548.05       39.95
    OJT greater than \1/2\ time.................................      327.81      396.44      456.88       29.71
Non-farm cooperative (Full-time only):                                                                          
    Institutional...............................................      374.93      465.08      548.05       39.95
    On-job......................................................      327.81      396.44      456.88       29.71
[[Page 4562]]                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                
Improvement of rehabilitation potential:                                                                        
    Full-time only..............................................      374.93      465.08      548.05       39.95
    \3/4\ time..................................................      281.71      349.32      409.76       30.73
    \1/2\ time..................................................      188.49      233.56      274.54       20.49
    \1/4\ time\3\...............................................       94.24      116.78      137.27       10.24
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\For measurement of rate of pursuit, see Secs. 21.4270 through 21.4275.                                       
\2\For on-job training, subsistence allowance may not exceed the difference between the monthly training wage,  
  not including overtime, and the entrance journeyman wage for the veteran's objective.                         
\3\The quarter-time rate may be paid only during extended evaluation. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3108; Pub. L. 102-  
  568)                                                                                                          

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[FR Doc. 95-1659 Filed 1-23-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P-M