[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 251 (Monday, December 30, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 68665]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-33075]



[[Page 68665]]

=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

38 CFR Part 2

RIN 2900-AH00


Delegation of Subpoena Authority and Description of Means of 
Service

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This document adopts as a final rule an interim rule amending 
the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regulations concerning 
authority of VA officials to issue subpoenas by revoking the delegation 
of authority to the Inspector General and subordinate officials and by 
adding a delegation of authority to the Under Secretary for Health and 
certain subordinate officials. The interim rule also amended the 
regulations by specifying the means of service for VA subpoenas. The 
intended effect of this rule is to make the Department's delegations of 
subpoena power consistent with legal authority and to ensure that VA 
has the means to obtain information necessary to determine whether 
individuals are entitled to income-based benefits.

EFFECTIVE DATE: December 30, 1996.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 10, 1995, VA published in the 
Federal Register (60 FR 40756) an interim rule as described in the 
Summary portion of this document. A 61-day comment period ended October 
10, 1995, and no comments were received.
    This final rule affirms the information in the interim rule 
document concerning the Regulatory Flexibility Act.
    Accordingly, the interim rule amending 38 CFR part 2 which was 
published at 60 FR 40756 on August 10, 1995, is adopted as a final rule 
without change; except that the authority citation for the provisions 
in this final rule was changed in a document published in the Federal 
Register on May 7, 1996 (1 FR 20438), and this document leaves in place 
the new authority citation.

    Approved: November 19, 1996.
Jesse Brown,
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 96-33075 Filed 12-27-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P