[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 144 (Friday, July 30, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41162-41163]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-16291]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


AR27--Notice of Request for Information on the Department of 
Veterans Affairs' Eligibility Considerations for the Veterans Cemetery 
Grants Program

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Request for information.

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SUMMARY: State and Tribal veterans' cemetery grant applicants that seek 
to participate in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans 
Cemetery Grants Program (VCGP) must, to qualify for a grant, solely 
inter and memorialize eligible persons, which includes Veterans and 
certain family members. Through this request for information, VA seeks 
comments to help inform VA's understanding of issues affecting States 
and Tribal Organizations in meeting burial and other needs of their 
National Guard and Reservist populations with respect to burial in VA 
grant-funded cemeteries.

DATES: Comments are due by August 30, 2021.

ADDRESSES:  Comments must be submitted through www.Regulations.gov and 
will be available for public viewing, inspection or copies.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Eisenbach, Director, Veterans 
Cemetery Grants Program, National Cemetery Administration (40), 
Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC 
20420, (202) 632-7369 (this is not a toll-free telephone number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: VA seeks stakeholder input to improve our 
understanding of issues impacting States and Tribal Organizations (as 
those terms are defined in 38 CFR 39.2) in serving their National Guard 
servicemembers and Reservists. The Secretary seeks information on the 
questions listed below. Commenters do not need to address each question 
and should focus on those that relate to their expertise or 
perspectives. To the extent possible, please clearly indicate which 
questions you address in your response. We are particularly interested 
in feedback from States and Tribal Organizations that are participating 
in VCGP or that are contemplating participation.
    Currently for VCGP purposes, a State or Tribal veterans cemetery 
must be operated solely for the interment of Veterans, their spouses, 
surviving spouses, minor children, unmarried adult children who were 
physically or mentally disabled and incapable of self-support, and 
eligible parents of certain deceased service members, as set out in 
section 38 CFR 39.10(a). We seek input on the below questions:
    [ssquf] Should VCGP cemeteries be able to inter non-Veteran members 
of the Reserve components of the U.S. Armed Forces (including members 
of the Army and Air National Guard of the United States) who otherwise 
would not be eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery, as well as 
their spouses and certain dependents? Why or why not?
    [ssquf] If VCGP cemeteries were permitted to inter these 
individuals, are there any conditions that should be met or certain 
ways that VA should administer this extension to the program? For 
example, should grantees pay costs associated with cemetery 
development, interment, and memorialization relating to the non-Veteran 
decedents referenced above?

Again, we welcome your feedback on these questions.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    This request for information constitutes a general solicitation of

[[Page 41163]]

public comments as described in the implementing regulations of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 at 5 CFR 1320.3(h)(4). Therefore, this 
request for information does not constitute an information collection 
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and does not impose any 
information collection requirements. Consequently, there is no need for 
review by the Office of Management and Budget under the authority of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

Signing Authority

    Denis McDonough, Secretary of Veterans Affairs approved this 
document on July 15, 2021 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.

Luvenia Potts,
Regulations Development Coordinator, Office of Regulation Policy & 
Management, Office of General Counsel, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2021-16291 Filed 7-29-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P