[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 184 (Thursday, September 22, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 65286]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-22834]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

38 CFR Part 38

RIN 2900-AP75


Authority To Solicit Gifts and Donations

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Direct final rule; confirmation of effective date.

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SUMMARY: On July 11, 2016, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 
published a direct final rule amending its regulation that governs 
soliciting contributions from the public by officials and employees of 
NCA, or authorizing the use of officials' or employees' names, name of 
the Secretary, or the name of VA for the purpose of making a gift or 
donation to VA. VA received two supportive comments and no adverse 
comments concerning the direct final rule and its companion 
substantially identical proposed rule published in the Federal Register 
on the same date. This document confirms that the direct final rule 
became effective on September 9, 2016. In a companion document in this 
issue of the Federal Register, we are withdrawing as unnecessary the 
proposed rule.

DATES: The effective date of September 9, 2016, for the direct final 
rule published July 11, 2016, 81 FR 44792, is confirmed.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Howard, Chief of Staff, 
National Cemetery Administration (NCA), Department of Veterans Affairs, 
(40A), 810 Vermont Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20420, (202) 461-6215. 
(This is not a toll-free number.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In a direct final rule published in the 
Federal Register on July 11, 2016, at 81 FR 44792, VA amended 38 Code 
of Federal Regulations (CFR) 38.603(b), giving the Under Secretary of 
Memorial Affairs (USMA), or his designee, authority to solicit gifts 
and donations, or approve the solicitation of gifts and donations from 
the public. VA published a companion substantially-identical proposed 
rule on the same date, at 81 FR 44827, to serve as a proposal for the 
revisions in the direct final rule in case adverse comments were 
received. The direct final rule and proposed rule each provided a 30-
day comment period that ended on August 10, 2016. No adverse comments 
were received. Two comments that supported the rulemaking were received 
from the general public. VA is not making any changes to this 
rulemaking based on the comments.
    Under the direct final rule procedures that were described in 81 FR 
44827 and 81 FR 44792, the direct final rule became effective on 
September 9, 2016, because no adverse comments were received within the 
comment period. In a companion document in this issue of the Federal 
Register, VA is withdrawing the proposed rulemaking, RIN 2900-AP74, 
published at 81 FR 44827, as unnecessary.

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. Gina S. 
Farrisee, Deputy Chief of Staff, Department of Veterans Affairs, 
approved this document on September 16, 2016, for publication.

    Dated: September 19, 2016.
Jeffrey Martin,
Office Program Manager, Office of Regulation Policy & Management, 
Office of the Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2016-22834 Filed 9-21-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8320-01-P