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Department of Veterans Affairs.
Final rule.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is issuing this final rule to ( printed page 8741) amend the regulations pertaining to the name of the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program. VA provides benefits and services under the program name of “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment.” VA is proposing to amend the name to “Veteran Readiness and Employment” (VR&E). VA further proposes that the references to the position of “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Officer” be amended to “Veteran Readiness and Employment Officer” and the position of “Director of Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment” be amended to “Executive Director of Veteran Readiness and Employment”.
This rule is effective February 16, 2022.
Allison Bernheimer, Policy Analyst, Veteran Readiness and Employment Services (28), 810 Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20420, allison.bernheimer@va.gov, (202) 461-9600. (This is not a toll-free telephone number.)
On May 20, 2021, VA published a proposed rule in the Federal Register (86 FR 27340) which would amend its regulations that contain the program name Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment, the position title of Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Officer and the position title of the Executive Director of Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment. VA provided a 60-day comment period, which ended on July 19, 2021. We received no comments on the proposed rule. This rule adopts as a final rule, without changes, the proposed rule published in the Federal Register on May 20, 2021. Based on the rationale set forth in the notice of proposed rulemaking and in this document, VA adopts the proposed rule as a final rule.
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. The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs has determined that this rule is not a significant regulatory action under Executive Order 12866. The Regulatory Impact Analysis associated with this rulemaking can be found as a supporting document at www.regulations.gov.
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). The factual basis for this certification is based on this rulemaking does not change VA's policy regarding small businesses, does not have an economic impact to individual businesses, and there is no increased or decreased costs to small business entities. Therefore, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 605(b), the initial and final regulatory flexibility analysis requirements of 5 U.S.C. 603 and 604 do not apply.
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.
This final rule contains no provisions constituting a collection of information under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521).
The Assistance Listing numbers and titles for the programs affected by this document are 64.116, Vocational Rehabilitation for Disabled Veterans; 64.125, Vocational and Educational Counseling for Servicemembers and Veterans; 64.128, Vocational Training and Rehabilitation for Vietnam Veterans' Children with Spina Bifida or Other Covered Birth Defects.
Pursuant to Subtitle E of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (known as the Congressional Review Act) (5 U.S.C. 801 et seq.), the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs designated this rule as not a major rule, as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).
Denis McDonough, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, approved this document on January 31, 2022, 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,
Regulation Development Coordinator, Office of Regulation Policy & Management, Office of General Counsel, Department of Veterans Affairs.
For the reasons stated in the preamble, the Department of Veterans Affairs amends 38 CFR parts 3, 17, 18, and 21 as follows:
1. The authority citation for part 3, subpart A, continues to read as follows:
2. Amend § 3.341 by removing in paragraph (c) the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
3. Amend § 3.342 by removing in paragraph (c)(1) the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
4. The authority citation for part 17 continues to read in part as follows:
5. Amend § 17.37 by removing in paragraph (e) the words “vocational rehabilitation” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
6. The authority citation for part 18, subpart A, continues to read as follows:
7. Amend appendix A to subpart A by removing in sentence number 4 the words “vocational rehabilitation” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment”.
8. The authority citation for part 18, subpart D, continues to read as follows:
9. Amend appendix A to subpart D of part 18 by removing, in sentence number 10, the words “vocational rehabilitation” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment”.
10. The authority citation for part 18, subpart E, continues to read as follows:
11. Amend appendix A to subpart E of part 18 by removing, in sentence number 8, the words “Vocational Rehabilitation” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment”.
12. Under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 501(a) and chs. 18 and 31, revise the heading for part 21 to read as follows:
13. The authority citation for part 21, subpart A, continues to read as follows:
14. Revise the heading for subpart A to read as set forth above.
15. Revise the undesignated heading immediately before § 21.1 to read as follows:
16. Amend § 21.35 by:
a. Removing in paragraph (k)(1), the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
b. Removing in paragraphs (k)(2) and (7), the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment” and adding in their place the word “VR&E”.
17. Amend § 21.42 by:
a. Removing in paragraph (c)(1) the words “vocational rehabilitation” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
b. Removing in paragraph (c)(2)(ii) the words “vocational rehabilitation and employment” and adding in their place the word “VR&E”.
c. Removing in paragraph (c)(6) the words “vocational rehabilitation” and adding in their place the word “VR&E”
18. Amend § 21.53 by:
a. Removing in paragraph (f) the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Officer” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Officer”.
b. Removing in paragraph (g) introductory text the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment” and adding in their place the word “VR&E”.
19. Amend § 21.57 by removing in paragraph (d) the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
20. Amend § 21.60 by:
a. Removing in paragraph (b)(1) the words “VR&E (Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment)” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
b. Removing in paragraph (c)(1) the words “VR&E (Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment)” and adding in their place the word “VR&E”.
21. Amend § 21.62 by removing in paragraph (a) introductory text the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E)” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
22. Amend § 21.72 by removing in paragraph (c)(1) the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Officer” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Officer”.
23. Amend § 21.74 by removing in paragraph (c)(2) the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Officer” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Officer”.
24. Amend § 21.78 by removing in paragraph (d) the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Officer” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Officer”.
25. Amend § 21.80 by removing in paragraph (a)(1) the word “VR&E” and adding in its place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
26. Amend § 21.100 by:
a. Removing in paragraph (a) introductory text the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E)” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
b. Removing in paragraph (d)(1) the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E)” and adding in their place the word “VR&E”.
27. Amend § 21.155 by removing in paragraph (c) introductory text the word “VR&E” and adding in its place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
28. Amend § 21.162 by removing in paragraph (a)(4) the words “VR&E Officer” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Officer”.
29. Amend § 21.180 by:
a. Removing in paragraph (a)(1) the word “VR&E” and adding in its place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
b. In paragraph (c) the words “VR&E (Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment) Officer” and adding in their place the words “VR&E Officer”.
30. Amend § 21.182 by removing in paragraph (b)(2) introductory text the words “VR&E (Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment)” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
31. Amend § 21.184 by removing in paragraph (c)(2) introductory text the word “VR&E” and adding in its place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
32. Amend § 21.198 by removing in paragraph (b)(7) the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Officer” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Officer”.
33. Amend § 21.222 by removing in paragraph (c)(3) the words “Director, VR&E Service” and adding in their place the words “Executive Director, Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Service”.
34. Amend § 21.256 by removing in paragraph (d) the words “VR&E Officer” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Officer”.
35. Amend § 21.258 by:
a. Removing the words “VR&E Officer” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Officer”.
b. Removing the words “Director, VR&E Service” and adding in their place the words “Executive Director, VR&E Service”.
36. Amend § 21.274 by removing in paragraph (e)(1) introductory text the word “VR&E” and adding in its place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
37. Amend § 21.292 by removing in paragraph (d) the word “VR&E” and adding in its place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
38. Amend § 21.299 by removing in paragraph (d)(1) introductory text the word “VR&E” and adding in its place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
39. Amend § 21.362 by removing in paragraph (b)(2) the word “VR&E” and adding in its place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
40. Amend § 21.382 by removing in paragraph (a) introductory text the word “VR&E” and adding in its place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
41. Amend § 21.390 by removing in paragraph (c) heading the words “ Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) ” and adding in their place the words “ Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) ”.
42. Amend § 21.410 by removing the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
43. Amend § 21.430 in paragraph (c) by:
a. In the heading, removing the words “ Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Officer's ” and adding in their place the words “ Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Officer's ”.
b. In the introductory text, removing “(c)(1) through (c)(3)” and adding “(c)(1) through (3)” in its place.
44. The authority citation for subpart C continues to read as follows:
45. Amend § 21.3022 by removing in paragraph (b) the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
46. Amend § 21.3104 by:
a. Removing in paragraph (a) the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
b. Removing in paragraph (b) the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment” and adding in their place the word “VR&E”.
47. Amend § 21.3303 in paragraph (a) by:
a. Removing in the first sentence the words “Director, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Service” and adding in their place the words “Executive Director, Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Service”.
b. Removing in the second sentence the words “Director, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Service” and adding in their place the words “Executive Director, VR&E Service”.
48. Amend § 21.3307 by removing in paragraph (c) the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
49. Amend § 21.3344 by removing in paragraph (e)(1)(i) the words ( printed page 8744) “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
50. The authority citation for subpart D continues to read as follows:
51. Amend § 21.4001 by removing in paragraph (g) the words “Director, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Service” and adding in their place the words “Executive Director, Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Service”.
52. Amend § 21.4022 by removing in paragraph (b) the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
53. Amend § 21.4232 by removing in paragraph (d) the words “Director, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Service” and adding in their place the words “Executive Director, Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Service”.
54. Amend § 21.4250 by removing in paragraph (c)(1) the words “Director, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Service” and adding in their place the words “Executive Director, Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Service”.
55. The authority citation for subpart G continues to read as follows:
56. Amend § 21.5022 by removing in paragraph (a)(1)(ii) the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
57. The authority citation for subpart I continues to read as follows:
58. Amend § 21.6050 by removing in paragraph (e) the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E)” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
59. Amend § 21.6052 by removing in paragraph (c) the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
60. Amend § 21.6054 by removing in paragraph (b) the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
61. Amend § 21.6100 by:
a. Removing “ General. ”.
b. Removing the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E)” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
62. Amend § 21.6410 by removing in paragraph (a) the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
63. The authority citation for subpart J continues to read as follows:
64. Amend § 21.6509 by removing in paragraph (d) the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E)” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
65. The authority citations for subpart K continues to read as follows:
66. Amend § 21.7143 by removing in paragraph (a)(1)(i) the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
67. The authority citation for subpart L continues to read as follows:
68. Amend § 21.7642 by removing in paragraph (a)(2) the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
69. The authority citation for subpart M continues to read as follows:
70. Amend § 21.8010 by removing in paragraph (a), in the definition for “VR&E”, the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment”.
71. The authority citation for subpart P continues to read as follows:
72. Amend § 21.9690 by removing in paragraph (a)(5) the words “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program” and adding in their place the words “Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)”.
[FR Doc. 2022-02492 Filed 2-15-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P