[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 60 (Friday, March 28, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 14822]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-7834]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

38 CFR Part 1

RIN 2900-AI75


Delegation of Authority to Deputy General Counsel and Assistant 
General Counsel for Professional Staff Group IV in Matters Concerning 
Employee Inventions and Patents

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This document amends the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 
regulations in 38 CFR Part 1 by amending the delegation of authority 
for making determinations regarding right, title and interest in 
employee inventions. The General Counsel has determined that these 
Departmental determinations could be made more efficiently by including 
the Assistant General Counsel as an official authorized to make such 
decisions. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 512, this document delegates to 
the Assistant General Counsel for Professional Staff Group IV the same 
authority and responsibility to act for VA as was previously granted to 
the General Counsel and Deputy General Counsel.

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 28, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Neal C. Lawson, Assistant General 
Counsel (024), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20420, (202) 273-6356.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This final rule consists of a delegation of 
authority and, therefore, is not subject to the notice and comment and 
effective date provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553.
    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. This rule merely consists of a delegation of authority.
    There is no Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number.

List of Subjects in 38 CFR Part 1

    Administrative practice and procedure, Archives and records, 
Cemeteries, Claims, Courts, Flags, Freedom of information, Government 
employees, Government property, Infants and children, Inventions and 
patents, Investigations, Parking, Penalties, Postal Service, Privacy, 
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Seals and insignia, Security 
measures, Wages.

    Approved: March 4, 1997.
Jesse Brown,
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

    For the reasons set out in the preamble, 38 CFR part 1 is amended 
as set forth below:

PART 1--GENERAL PROVISIONS

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

    Authority: 38 U.S.C. Sec. 501(a), unless otherwise noted.

    2. Section 1.653 is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 1.653  Delegation of authority.

    The General Counsel, Deputy General Counsel or Assistant General 
Counsel for Professional Staff Group IV is authorized to act for the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs in matters concerning patents and 
inventions, unless otherwise required by law. The determination of 
rights to an invention as between the Government and the employee where 
there is no cooperative research and development agreement shall be 
made by the General Counsel, Deputy General Counsel or the Assistant 
General Counsel for Professional Staff Group IV, in accordance with 37 
CFR part 500.


Sec. 1.164  [Amended]

    3. In Sec. 1.654, the first sentence is revised by adding ``Deputy 
General Counsel or Assistant General Counsel for Professional Staff 
Group IV,'' following ``General Counsel,''.


Sec. 1.657  [Amended]

    4. Section 1.657 is revised by adding ``, Deputy General Counsel or 
Assistant General Counsel for Professional Staff Group IV'' following 
``The General Counsel''.

[FR Doc. 97-7834 Filed 3-27- 97; 8:45 am]
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