[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 189 (Tuesday, September 30, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56277-56278]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-24705]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research 
(NIDRR); Notice of Extension

AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, 
Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of extension of project period and waiver.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary waives the requirements in Education Department 
General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), at 34 CFR 75.250 and 
75.261(a) and (c)(2), respectively, that generally prohibit project 
periods exceeding 5 years and project period extensions involving the 
obligation of additional Federal funds to enable six Rehabilitation 
Research and Training Centers that conduct research on issues relating 
to the employment of individuals with disabilities to receive funding 
from October 1, 2003 until April 30, 2004.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This notice is effective September 30, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donna Nangle, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3412, Switzer Building, 
Washington, DC 20202-2645. Telephone: (202) 205-5880 or via Internet: 
[email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the TDD number at (202) 205-4475.

[[Page 56278]]

    Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an 
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer 
diskette) on request to the contact person listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The President's New Freedom Initiative (NFI) 
and the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research 
Long Range Plan (Plan) establish improving employment outcomes for 
individuals with disabilities as a critical need. National data 
indicate that employment rates of individuals with disabilities 
continue to lag well behind those of individuals without disabilities.


    Note: The NFI can be accessed on the Internet at the following 
site: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/freedominitiative/freedominitiative.html.
    The Plan can be accessed on the Internet at the following site: 
http://www.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/index.html.


    In accordance with the goals of the NFI and the Plan, and as 
authorized under section 204(b)(2) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 
as amended, through NIDRR, the Department provides funding for 
Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers to conduct research on the 
improvement of employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities. 
In order to foster more efficient use of Federal funds for the 
Rehabilitation and Research Training Centers program, the Secretary 
intends to refocus the priorities for research on these employment 
issues and provide funding for new awards in fiscal year (FY) 2004.
    The grants for six Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers 
focusing on employment issues at Virginia Commonwealth University, 
Cornell University, The University of Wisconsin at Stout, The 
University of Hawaii, The University of Iowa, and The University of 
Massachusetts are scheduled to expire between September 30, 2003 and 
December 16, 2003. It would be contrary to the public interest, 
however, to have any lapses in these research and training activities 
before the refocused priorities can be implemented and new awards 
granted for FY 2004.
    To avoid any lapse in research and training activities before the 
refocused priorities can be implemented, therefore, the Secretary has 
decided to fund these projects until April 30, 2004. Accordingly, the 
Secretary waives the requirements in 34 CFR 75.250 and 75.261(a) and 
(c)(2), which prohibit project periods exceeding 5 years and extensions 
of project periods that involve the obligation of additional Federal 
funds.

Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking

    Under the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the 
Department generally offers interested parties the opportunity to 
comment on proposed regulations. However, the waiver of the 
requirements in 34 CFR 75.250 and 75.261 applicable to the maximum 
project period and extension of the project period for these grants on 
a one-time only basis is procedural and does not establish new 
substantive policy. Therefore, under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(A), proposed 
rulemaking is not required.
    In addition, given the fact that the additional period of funding 
is only for a limited period of approximately four months from the 
expiration of the last grant agreement in December 2003, and the 
extensions must begin by September 30, 2003 to avoid any lapse in 
funding, the Secretary has determined that proposed rulemaking on this 
waiver is impracticable, unnecessary, and contrary to the public 
interest. Thus, proposed rulemaking also is not required under 5 U.S.C. 
553(b)(B).

Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification

    The Secretary certifies that the waiver and extension of the 
project period and waiver will not have a significant economic impact 
on a substantial number of small entities.

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

    This extension and waiver does not contain any information 
collection requirements.

Electronic Access to This Document

    You may review this document, as well as all other Department of 
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe 
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following site: 
http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.
    To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available 
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. 
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in 
the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.


    Note: The official version of this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the 
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal 
Regulations is available on GPO access at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.133B, 
Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers)

    Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 762(g) and 764(b)(2).

    Dated: September 25, 2003.
Robert H. Pasternack,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 03-24705 Filed 9-29-03; 8:45 am]
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