[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 248 (Thursday, December 27, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 66982]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-31829]



[[Page 66982]]

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

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Rehabilitation Research and Development Service Scientific Merit 
Review Board, Notice of Meeting

    The Department of Veterans Affairs gives notice under Public Law 
92-463 (Federal Advisory Committee Act) as amended, by section 5(c) of 
Public Law 94-409 that a meeting of the Rehabilitation Research and 
Development Service Scientific Merit Review Board will be held at the 
Crowne Plaza Hotel, 1001 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC on January 23-
24, 2002.
    The sessions on January 23-24, 2002, are scheduled to begin at 8:00 
a.m. and end at 6:30 p.m. The purpose of the meeting is to review 
rehabilitation research and development applications for scientific and 
technical merit and to make recommendations to the Director, 
Rehabilitation and Development Service, regarding their funding.
    The meeting will be open to the public for the January 23 session 
from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. for the discussion of administrative 
matters, the general status of the program, and the administrative 
details of the review process. On January 23 from 9:00 a.m. through 
January 24, 2002, the meeting is closed during which the Board will be 
reviewing research and development applications.
    This review involves oral comments, discussion of site visits, 
staff and consultant critiques of proposed research protocols, and 
similar analytical documents that necessitate the consideration of the 
personal qualifications, performance and competence of individual 
research investigators. Disclosure of such information would constitute 
a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. Disclosure would 
also reveal research proposals and research underway which could lead 
to the loss of these projects to third parties and thereby frustrate 
future agency research efforts.
    Thus, the closing is in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(6), and 
(c)(9)(B) and the determination of the Secretary of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs under Sections 10(d) of Public Law 92-92-463 as 
amended by Section 5(c) of Public Law 94-409.
    Those who plan to attend the open session should write to Ms. 
Victoria Mongiardo, Program Analyst, Rehabilitation Research and 
Development Service (122P), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont 
Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20420 (Phone: 202-408-3684) at least five days 
before the meeting.

    Dated: December 17, 2001.

    By the Direction of the Secretary.
Nora E. Egan,
Committee Management Officer.
[FR Doc. 01-31829 Filed 12-26-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-M