[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 85 (Monday, May 4, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 25233-25235]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-10358]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

38 CFR Part 77

RIN 2900-AP07


Grants for Adaptive Sports Programs for Disabled Veterans and 
Disabled Members of the Armed Forces

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This final rule amends Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 
regulations to establish a new program to provide grants to eligible 
entities to provide adaptive sports activities to disabled veterans and 
disabled members of the Armed Forces. This rulemaking is necessary to 
implement a change in the law that authorizes VA to make grants to 
entities other than the United States Olympic Committee for adaptive 
sports programs. It establishes procedures for evaluating grant 
applications under this grant program, and otherwise administering the 
grant program. This rule implements section 5 of the VA Expiring 
Authorities Extension Act of 2013.

DATES: Effective Date: This final rule is effective May 4, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael F. Welch, Program Specialist, 
Office of National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events (002C), 
Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Ave. NW., Washington, DC 
20420, (202) 632-7136. (This is not a toll-free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: VA is required by 38 U.S.C. 521A to ``carry 
out a program under which the Secretary may make grants to eligible 
entities for planning, developing, managing, and implementing programs 
to provide adaptive sports opportunities for disabled veterans and 
disabled members of the Armed Forces.'' On July 1, 2014, VA published 
an interim final rule in the Federal Register, 79 FR 37211, 
establishing regulations for conducting the grant program including 
evaluation of grant applications and otherwise administering the grant 
program in accordance with the law.
    Interested persons were invited to submit written comments on or 
before September 2, 2014. We received two comments on the interim final 
rule from two individuals. One commenter praised the adaptive sports 
programs described in the interim final rule, noting that they ``would 
be beneficial in so many ways'' for disabled veterans, and stated that 
taking care of veterans ``should be one of the highest, if not the

[[Page 25234]]

highest, priorities of our government.'' We agree that these programs 
are very beneficial to disabled veterans and appreciate the comment.
    Another commenter also stated that adaptive sports programs would 
be beneficial for disabled veterans and urged the Federal government to 
``provide ways for these people to enjoy live [sic] to their fullest.'' 
The commenter noted that these programs will help them reintegrate into 
society. We agree with the commenter these programs are beneficial and 
VA will continue to explore ways to improve the lives of disabled 
veterans. However, VA does not make any changes based on the submitted 
comments.
    We are making a minor technical correction. The interim final rule 
text failed to include an authority citation. Therefore, we are adding 
the authority citation in this final rule.
    For the reasons stated above, the interim final rule is adopted 
with change.

Effect of Rulemaking

    The Code of Federal Regulations, as revised by this rulemaking, 
represents the exclusive legal authority on this subject. No contrary 
rules or procedures will be authorized. All VA guidance will be read to 
conform with this rulemaking if possible or, if not possible, such 
guidance will be superseded by this rulemaking.

Administrative Procedure Act

    In the interim final rule, 79 FR 37211, 37216, VA cited section 5 
of Public Law 113-59 (December 20, 2013) as the authority to issue the 
rulemaking without prior notice and opportunity to comment. As 
previously discussed, VA received two comments. Before issuing this 
final rule, VA considered both of the comments which supported the 
rulemaking and did not warrant any change to the rulemaking.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (at 44 U.S.C. 3507) requires VA 
to consider the impact of paperwork and other information collection 
burdens imposed on the public. Under 44 U.S.C. 3507(a), an agency may 
not collect or sponsor the collection of information, nor may it impose 
an information collection requirement unless it displays a currently 
valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. See also 5 
CFR 1320.8(b)(3)(vi).
    This final rule contains approved information collections that are 
within the scope of OMB control numbers 4040-0004 (formerly 0348-0043) 
for Standard Form 424 and 4040-0008 (formerly 0348-0041) for Standard 
Form 424C. The final rule also contains provisions that constitute a 
new information collection. We summarized and sought public comment on 
these provisions, found in Sec. Sec.  77.4, 77.8, 77.9, 77.13, 77.16, 
and 77.19, in the interim final rule published in the Federal Register 
on July 1, 2014. 79 FR 37211. As required by the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (at 44 U.S.C. 3507(d)), VA submitted the collection to OMB 
for its review. OMB approved the new information collection and 
assigned OMB control number 2900-0820.
    This final rule updates Sec. Sec.  77.4, 77.8, 77.9, 77.13, 77.16, 
and 77.19 by adding this new control number and updates Sec. Sec.  
77.4, 77.6, and 77.9 by removing the references to obsolete OMB control 
numbers 0348-0041 and 0348-0043 and inserting in their place OMB 
control numbers 4040-0008 and 4040-0004, respectively.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    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. Due to demographic, economic, infrastructure, and many other 
factors, a large percentage of small adaptive sports entities do not 
have sufficient participants, programs and outreach to qualify as an 
eligible entity under Public Law 113-59. In regions where the disabled 
veteran population is small relative to participants needed in the 
entity's applicable adaptive sports areas of expertise, an adaptive 
sports entity faces constraints in developing a viable grant program. 
Therefore, the number of small adaptive sports entities involved will 
be few and their existing programs that meet threshold criteria for 
eligibility will indicate competence to conduct a viable adaptive 
sports grant program. There will be no economic impact on any of the 
eligible entities, as they are not required to provide matching funds 
to obtain the maximum grant allowance as established under 38 U.S.C. 
521A. Therefore, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 605(b), this rulemaking is exempt 
from the initial and final regulatory flexibility analysis requirements 
of sections 603 and 604.

Executive Orders 12866 and 13563

    Executive Orders 12866 and 13563 direct agencies to assess the 
costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, when 
regulation is necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize 
net benefits (including potential economic, environmental, public 
health and safety effects, and other advantages; distributive impacts; 
and equity). Executive Order 13563 (Improving Regulation and Regulatory 
Review) emphasizes the importance of quantifying both costs and 
benefits, reducing costs, harmonizing rules, and promoting flexibility. 
Executive Order 12866 (Regulatory Planning and Review) defines a 
``significant regulatory action,'' which requires review by OMB, unless 
OMB waives such review, as ``any regulatory action that is likely to 
result in a rule that may: (1) Have an annual effect on the economy of 
$100 million or more or adversely affect in a material way the economy, 
a sector of the economy, productivity, competition, jobs, the 
environment, public health or safety, or State, local, or tribal 
governments or communities; (2) Create a serious inconsistency or 
otherwise interfere with an action taken or planned by another agency; 
(3) Materially alter the budgetary impact of entitlements, grants, user 
fees, or loan programs or the rights and obligations of recipients 
thereof; or (4) Raise novel legal or policy issues arising out of legal 
mandates, the President's priorities, or the principles set forth in 
this Executive Order.''
    The economic, interagency, budgetary, legal, and policy 
implications of this final rule have been examined, and it has been 
determined not to be a significant regulatory action under Executive 
Order 12866. VA's impact analysis can be found as a supporting document 
at http://www.regulations.gov, usually within 48 hours after the 
rulemaking document is published. Additionally, a copy of the 
rulemaking and its impact analysis are available on VA's Web site at 
http://www.va.gov/orpm/, by following the link for VA Regulations 
Published from FY 2004 through FYTD.

Unfunded Mandates

    The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 requires, at 2 U.S.C. 
1532, that agencies prepare an assessment of anticipated costs and 
benefits before issuing any rule that may result in the expenditure by 
State, local, and tribal governments, in the aggregate, or by the 
private sector, of $100 million or more (adjusted annually for 
inflation) in any one year. This final rule will have no such effect on 
State, local, and tribal governments, or on the private sector.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number and title for the 
program affected by this document is

[[Page 25235]]

64.034, Grants for Adaptive Sports Programs for Disabled Veterans and 
Disabled Members of the Armed Forces.

Signing Authority

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or designee, approved this 
document and authorized the undersigned to sign and submit the document 
to the Office of the Federal Register for publication electronically as 
an official document of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Jose D. 
Riojas, Chief of Staff, Department of Veterans Affairs, approved this 
document on April 16, 2015, for publication.

List of Subjects in 38 CFR Part 77

    Administrative practice and procedure, Grant programs--health, 
Grant programs--veterans, Health care, Health facilities, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements, Travel and transportation expenses, 
Veterans.

    Dated: April 29, 2015
Jeffrey M. Martin,
Program Manager, Office of Regulation Policy & Management, Office of 
the General Counsel, Department of Veterans Affairs.

    Accordingly, the interim final rule amending 38 CFR chapter I by 
adding a new part 77 that was published at 79 FR 37211 on July 1, 2014, 
is adopted as a final rule with the following changes:

PART 77--GRANTS FOR ADAPTIVE SPORTS PROGRAMS FOR DISABLED VETERANS 
AND DISABLED MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES

0
1. The authority citation is added to read as follows:

    Authority:  38 U.S.C. 501, 521A, unless otherwise noted.


0
2. In Sec.  77.4, revise the parenthetical at the end of the section to 
read as follows:


Sec.  77.4  Applications.

* * * * *
(OMB has approved the information collection requirements in this 
section under control numbers 2900-0820, 4040-0004 for Standard Form 
424, and 4040-0008 for Standard Form 424C.)


0
3. In Sec.  77.6, revise the parenthetical at the end of the section to 
read as follows:


Sec.  77.6  Amendments to grant applications.

* * * * *
(OMB has approved the information collection requirements in this 
section under control number 4040-0004 for Standard Form 424 and 
4040-0008 for Standard Form 424C.)


0
4. In Sec.  77.8, revise the parenthetical at the end of the section to 
read as follows:


Sec.  77.8  Additional requirements and procedures for applications.

* * * * *
(OMB has approved the information collection requirements in this 
section under control number 2900-0820.)


0
5. In Sec.  77.9, revise the parenthetical at the end of the section to 
read as follows:


Sec.  77.9  Use of pre-applications.

* * * * *
(OMB has approved the information collection requirements in this 
section under control numbers 2900-0820, 4040-0004 for Standard Form 
424, and 4040-0008 for Standard Form 424C.)


0
6. In Sec.  77.13, revise the parenthetical at the end of the section 
to read as follows:


Sec.  77.13  Applications for noncompetitive adaptive sports grants.

* * * * *
(OMB has approved the information collection requirements in this 
section under control number 2900-0820.)


0
7. In Sec.  77.16, revise the parenthetical at the end of the section 
to read as follows:


Sec.  77.16  Grantee reporting requirements.

* * * * *
(OMB has approved the information collection requirements in this 
section under control number 2900-0820.)


0
8. In Sec.  77.19, revise the parenthetical at the end of the section 
to read as follows:


Sec.  77.19  Financial management.

* * * * *
(OMB has approved the information collection requirements in this 
section under control number 2900-0820.)

[FR Doc. 2015-10358 Filed 5-1-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8320-01-P