[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 138 (Friday, July 18, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 42055]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-16892]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Office of Justice Programs

Office for Victims of Crime

[OJP (OVC) Docket No. 1659]


Draft Amendment to the Anti-Terrorism and Emergency Assistance 
Program Guidelines

AGENCY: Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, DOJ.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, 
Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) proposes to make a minor clarifying 
amendment to its Anti-Terrorism Emergency Assistance Program (AEAP) 
Guidelines. Anyone interested in commenting on the proposed change may 
do so as set forth below.
    Written Comments: Interested parties may submit comments to Eugenia 
Pedley, Program Manager, Office for Victims of Crime, by email to 
[email protected], or by mail to 810 7th St. NW., Washington, DC 
20531.

DATES: Comments will be accepted through 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on 
August 18, 2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bob Cantrall, Deputy Director, Office 
for Victims of Crime, at 202-307-5983.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of 
Justice Programs, Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) proposes to amend 
its Anti-Terrorism Emergency Assistance Program (AEAP) Guidelines 
(available at 67 FR 4822, and at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2002-01-31/pdf/02-2299.pdf). The amendment will clarify that state 
administering agencies for state crime victim compensation programs may 
apply for and administer (if awarded discretionary funding by OVC, and 
if allowable under state law and regulation) supplemental crime victim 
compensation grants that cover reimbursement of expenses not 
traditionally covered (in amount and/or type) by the applicant state's 
crime victim compensation program.
    OVC typically awards supplemental compensation under AEAP to a 
state crime victim compensation program to cover extra expenses 
incurred because of the unanticipated increase in the number of victims 
claiming compensation after a mass violence incident. Due to the nature 
of mass violence incidents, however, victims (in addition to being more 
numerous) may also have compensation needs that are more extensive or 
different than what the state program covers in the ordinary course. 
For example, in the aftermath of a bombing where many victims lose 
limbs, there may be an increased need for rehabilitative services that 
extend beyond what a state compensation program typically provides. In 
such cases, the existing AEAP Guidelines clearly permit OVC to award 
supplemental funding to other organizations to provide compensation 
beyond the amounts/limits that a state would provide. The existing 
Guidelines, however, contain a potential ambiguity with regard to 
whether OVC could award such funding to a state compensation program, 
which typically would be the organization that could most efficiently 
administer such funding (assuming that the state program agreed to 
administer it). The proposed amendment will clarify that OVC may award 
such supplemental funding to a state compensation program, or other 
public agency, in addition to other organizations. The proposed change 
is not intended to, and will not, affect any state authority governing 
state compensation programs; it merely clarifies that OVC may award 
supplemental AEAP funding for purposes of victim compensation to state 
administering agencies that choose to apply for and accept such 
funding, and have the state authority to administer such funding. The 
proposed amendment would clarify a potential ambiguity in the amended 
sentences, and thereby reduce delay in awarding critical funding to a 
jurisdiction affected by mass violence or terrorism.
    OVC proposes to amend the text of section V.D. of the AEAP 
Guidelines in the sentence beginning ``OVC may provide'', and the 
following sentence, to add the following (in italics):

    OVC may provide funding to the state program, public agencies, 
or other organizations to cover expenses not traditionally covered 
(whether in amount or type) by state crime victim compensation 
programs. OVC will coordinate such awards with state crime victim 
compensation programs, in the event that such an award is made to 
another organization.

    Anyone interested in commenting on the proposed change may do so as 
set forth above.

Joye E. Frost,
Director, Office for Victims of Crime.
[FR Doc. 2014-16892 Filed 7-17-14; 8:45 am]
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