[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 20, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 11308-11309]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-6495]



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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

38 CFR Part 0

RIN 2900-AH80


Standards of Ethical Conduct and Related Responsibilities

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This document amends the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 
regulations captioned ``STANDARDS OF ETHICAL CONDUCT AND

[[Page 11309]]

RELATED RESPONSIBILITIES.'' It removes VA regulations that in essence 
restate Government-wide standards contained in 5 CFR Part 735 and 
Chapter XVI. It also amends the VA regulations to refer VA employees to 
the Government-wide standards. The intended effect of this final rule 
is to delete unnecessary and repetitive material in VA regulations and 
to refer VA employees to the Government-wide standards.

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 20, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Walter A. Hall, Assistant General 
Counsel (023), Office of General Counsel, Department of Veterans 
Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20420, (202) 273-6334.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This final rule involves nonsubstantive 
changes. Accordingly, it is promulgated without regard to the notice-
and-comment and effective-date provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553.
    Because no notice of proposed rulemaking was required in connection 
with the adoption of this final rule, no regulatory flexibility 
analysis is required under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 
et seq.). Nevertheless, the Secretary hereby certifies that this final 
rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial 
number of small entities as they are defined in the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601-612, since the final rule is 
nonsubstantive and does not concern small entities.
    There is no Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance program number.

List of Subjects in 38 CFR Part 0

    Employee ethics and related responsibilities.

    Approved: February 21, 1996.
Jesse Brown,
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

    For the reasons set out in the preamble, 38 CFR part 0 is amended 
as set forth below:

PART 0--STANDARDS OF ETHICAL CONDUCT AND RELATED RESPONSIBILITIES

    1. The authority citation for Part 0 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301; 38 U.S.C. 501; see sections 201, 301, 
and 502 (a) of E.O. 12674, 54 CFR 15159, 3 CFR, 1989 Comp., p. 215 
as modified by E.O. 12731, 55 CFR 42547, 3 CFR, 1990 Comp., p. 306.


Secs. 0.735-1, 0.735-2, 0.735-5, 0.735-6, 0.735-7, 0.735-8  [Removed]

    2. Sections 0.735-1, 0.735-2, 0.735-5, 0.735-6, 0.735-7, and 0.735-
8 are removed.


Secs. 0.735-3 and 0.735-4  [Redesignated as 0.735-1 and 0.735-2]

    3. Sections 0.735-3 and 0.735-4 are redesignated as 0.735-1 and 
0.735-2, respectively.
    4. A new Sec. 0.735-3 is added to read as follows:


Sec. 0.735-3  Government-wide standards.

    For government-wide standards of ethical conduct and related 
responsibilities for Federal employees, see 5 CFR Part 735 and Chapter 
XVI.

[FR Doc. 96-6495 Filed 3-19-96; 8:45 am]
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