🎓Updates to State Approving Agency Jurisdiction Rule
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) publishes a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNPRM) to amend its definitions of the terms "independent study," "distance learning," and "resident learning," and to establish a new term, "standard curriculum." These proposed amendments, which distinguish distance learning from resident learning and independent study from standard curriculum, address concerns from VA stakeholders who view independent study and distance learning as having distinct and separate meanings and clarify State Approving Agency (SAA) jurisdiction over courses taken solely by distance learning.
Learn More✈️User Fee Amendment for Agricultural Quarantine Inspection Services
On May 7, 2024, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service published in the Federal Register a final rule amending the user fee regulations associated with the agricultural quarantine and inspection (AQI) program. The final rule went into effect on October 1, 2024, with the exception of the removal of an exemption from paying the AQI user fee for commercial aircraft with 64 or fewer seats meeting certain conditions. The removal of the exemption would have taken effect on April 1, 2025. On March 21, 2025, we published a notice in the Federal Register delaying the effective date of the removal of the exemption from paying the AQI user fee for small commercial passenger aircraft, until June 2, 2025, and requesting information. As a result of the comments we received on that notice, we decided to delay implementation of the removal of the exemption indefinitely. However, as a result of an editorial error, the exemption had already been removed from the regulations. In this document, we are amending the regulations to restore the exemption from paying the AQI user fee for commercial aircraft with 64 or fewer seats meeting certain conditions.
Learn More🎓Update on 81-Month Rule for Dependents' Education Assistance
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is issuing this final rule to update its regulation governing a beneficiary's receipt of education assistance from two or more programs. This action is necessary to implement a statutory amendment enacted in August 2012, which authorized an 81-month aggregate period for use of Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (Chapter 35) benefits in combination with other programs listed in the statute. This rulemaking amends the regulation to align it with the current statutory text.
Learn More🏥VA Proposes Expansion of Emergency Treatment Notification Process
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) proposes to revise its medical regulations to add a new method of notification for emergency treatment that is furnished by community providers to be authorized under the Veterans Community Care Program.
Learn More🎓Post-9/11 VA Educational Assistance Regulations Overview
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is amending its regulations that govern VA's administration of educational assistance programs to implement the provisions of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010, which modified the manner in which payments of educational assistance are determined and expanded the types of programs students may pursue under the Post-9/11 GI Bill; section 1002 of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2009, which authorized the "Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship;" and a select number of provisions of the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017.
Learn More📦Updates to Federal Travel Regulation on Relocation Allowances
The United States (U.S.) General Services Administration (GSA) is issuing a final rule amending the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) to remove the relocation miscellaneous expenses allowance (MEA) lump sum amounts from the FTR. These lump sum amounts will be published in FTR Bulletins on an intermittent basis, much like what is done for per diem and mileage rates. The relocation MEA actual expense (as opposed to lump sum) amounts are unchanged and will remain in the FTR. This final rule also updates the types of expenses that may or may not be reimbursed by relocation MEA when employees itemize under actual expense. Additionally, this final rule updates and clarifies other relocation MEA regulatory sections and rearranges them into a more sequential order.
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