[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 189 (Monday, October 4, 2021)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 54630-54631]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-21391]



[[Page 54630]]

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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

41 CFR Parts 300-90, 301-74, Appendix E to Chapter 301

[FTR Case 2021-301-01; Docket No. GSA-FTR-2021-0011, Sequence No. 2]
RIN 3090-AK41


Federal Travel Regulation; Removal and Reservation Telework 
Travel Expenses Test Programs and Suggested Guidance for Conference 
Planning

AGENCY: Office of Government-wide Policy (OGP), General Services 
Administration (GSA).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: GSA is amending the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) to remove 
and reserve the regulations implementing the Administrator of General 
Services' authority to authorize agencies to conduct telework travel 
expenses test programs. The Administrator's authority to authorize 
agencies to conduct such test programs expired in accordance with the 
William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2021. GSA is also removing and reserving regulations, that 
contain suggested guidance for conference planning.

DATES: Effective November 3, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Jill Denning, Program Analyst, at 
202-208-7642 or [email protected] for clarification of content. For 
information pertaining to status or publication schedules, contact the 
Regulatory Secretariat Division at 202-501-4755 or [email protected]. 
Please cite FTR Case 2021-301-01.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    This final rule, published as a proposed rule on May 14, 2021 (86 
FR 26455), first amends the FTR to remove and reserve part 300-90. 
Originally, this part was included in the FTR due to the enactment of 
Public Law (Pub. L.) 111-292, the ``Telework Enhancement Act of 2010,'' 
codified at 5 U.S.C. 5711, which authorized the creation of agency 
telework travel expenses test programs subject to approval by the 
Administrator of General Services.
    When submitting a test program proposal to GSA, agencies were 
directed to include an analysis of the expected cost and benefits and a 
set of criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of the program. Once 
approved, participating agencies were required to submit an annual 
report on the results of the test program, including overall costs and 
benefits.
    Only one Federal agency, the United States Patent and Trademark 
Office (USPTO), requested and then implemented a telework travel 
expenses test program under this authority. When Public Law 116-283 
became effective on January 1, 2021, it made the USPTO telework travel 
expenses program permanent. At that time, the law did not extend the 
Administrator of General Services' authority to approve telework travel 
expenses test programs, so it expired as of December 31, 2020, making 
part 300-90 no longer necessary.
    GSA is also removing and reserving Appendix E to Chapter 301 of the 
FTR, ``Suggested Guidance for Conference Planning,'' first published 
January 10, 2000 (65 FR 1329). As noted in the title, the guidance is 
suggested, not a mandatory set of instructions agencies must follow 
when planning a conference. Some readers have found the word 
``suggested'' in the title confusing and duplicative, considering 
similar regulatory instructions regarding conference planning are 
located in FTR part 301-74. GSA believes that general information on 
how to plan a conference, the focus of Appendix E, is now more widely 
available through non-Governmental and professional resources than it 
was when the Appendix was first published.
    Finally, one reference to Appendix E that was in regulatory text is 
also removed in accordance with the above.

II. Discussion of Final Rule

    This rule removes and reserves both part 300-90 and Appendix E to 
Chapter 301 of the FTR. GSA received no comments in response to the 
proposed rule.

III. Executive Orders 12866 and 13563

    Executive Orders (E.O.s) 12866 and 13563 direct agencies to assess 
all costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives, and if 
regulation is necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize 
net benefits (including potential economic, environmental, public 
health and safety effects, distributive impacts, and equity). E.O. 
13563 emphasizes the importance of quantifying both costs and benefits, 
of reducing costs, of harmonizing rules, and of promoting flexibility. 
This is not a significant regulatory action and, therefore, is not 
subject to review under Section 6(b) of E.O. 12866, Regulatory Planning 
and Review, dated September 30, 1993.

IV. Congressional Review Act

    Subtitle E of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness 
Act of 1996 (codified at 5 U.S.C. 801-808), also known as the 
Congressional Review Act or CRA, generally provides that before a rule 
may take effect, the agency promulgating the rule must submit a rule 
report, which includes a copy of the rule, to each House of the 
Congress and to the Comptroller General of the United States. OIRA has 
determined that this rule is not a major rule under 5 U.S.C. 804(2), 
therefore, GSA did not submit a rule report.

V. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    This final rule will not have a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities within the meaning of the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq. This final rule is 
also exempt from the Administrative Procedure Act pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 
553(a)(2) because it applies to agency management or personnel. 
Therefore, an Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis was not 
performed.

VI. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The Paperwork Reduction Act does not apply because the changes to 
the FTR do not impose recordkeeping or information collection 
requirements, or the collection of information from offerors, 
contractors, or members of the public that require the approval of the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under 44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.

List of Subjects in 41 CFR Parts 300-90 and 301-74, and Appendix E 
to Chapter 301

    Government employees, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, 
Travel and transportation expenses.

Robin Carnahan,
Administrator of General Services.
    Therefore, under the authority 5 U.S.C. 5707 and 5711, GSA removes 
41 CFR parts 300-90, amends 301-74, and removes Appendix E to Chapter 
301 as set forth below:

PART 300-90--[REMOVED AND RESERVED]

0
1. Remove and reserve part 300-90.

PART 301-74-CONFERENCE PLANNING

0
2. The authority citation for 41 CFR 301-74 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority:  5 U.S.C. 5707.

[[Page 54631]]

Sec.  301-74.4  [Amended]

0
3. Amend Sec.  301-74.4 by removing the last sentence of the paragraph.

Appendix E to Chapter 301--[Removed and Reserved]

0
4. Remove and reserve Appendix E to Chapter 301.

[FR Doc. 2021-21391 Filed 10-1-21; 8:45 am]
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