highlights

31 May 2006

**This disk update includes all amendments**

**published in the *Federal Register***

**through May 23, 2006**

Each time you receive a new updated disk of your Title 38 (C.F.R.)
regulations, this file---*Highlights*---will be on the disk.

The file will contain a brief, plain-language description of every
substantive modification made since the last update.

By reading the *Highlights* file immediately upon receipt of an updated
disk, you will know what changes have been made to the Title 38
regulations during the last supplement period.

**Modifications in this supplement include the following:**

1\. On 26 April 2006, the VA published a final rule, effective
retroactively to 10 January 2006, to reinstate the dropped regulatory
text of paragraphs (e)(2)--(e)(4) of §21.7550 that were inadvertently
removed when paragraph (e)(1) was redesignated in the in the *Federal
Register* publication of January 10, 2006 (71 Fed. Reg. 1496). \[*Ed.
note*: We identified this error, and confirmed it with the VA, for
Supplement No. 69, January, 2006; as a result, the removed paragraphs
were retained in that update\]. Changes:

Added paragraphs (e)(2)--(4)

2\. On 10 May 2006, the VA published a final rule, effective
retroactively to 26 November 2003, to reinstate an inadvertently
eliminated Subpart J of part 44 that occurred when implementing changes
to the governmentwide nonprocurement debarment and suspension common
rule on 26 November 2003 (68 FR 66534, 66618). Change:

Added new Subpart J (§§44.1100--44.1113) to Part 44.

3\. On 17 May 2006, the VA published a final rule, effective that same
date, to correct regulations published in the *Federal Register* on 17
July 2002 (67 FR 46868) that amended its adjudication and fiduciary
regulations in Parts 3 and 13 by replacing the titles of *Adjudication
Division*, *Adjudication Officer*, and *Veterans Services Officer*, with
*Veterans Service Center* and *Veterans Service Center Manager*. Those
changes---all non-substantive---are now extended to Parts 1, 4, 6, 14,
and 21. Changes:

In Part 1, revised §§1.553(b);

In Part 4, revised §§4.17, 4.29, 4.30, and 4.97;

In Part 6, revised §6.21;

In Part 14, revised §14.629 introductory text, and §14.709; and

In Part 21, revised §§21.50(d), 21.4009(d), 21.6056(b), 21.6420, and
21.6521(b).

4\. On 19 May 2006, the VA published a final rule, effective that same
date, to expand regulations governing individuals and groups considered
to have performed active military, naval, or air service in order to
include additional groups considered to have served on active military
service. This results from recent decisions by the Secretary of the Air
Force, and by Congress in the Department of Defense Appropriations Act,
2001, expanding the categories of people considered to have performed
active military service, the effect of which is to confer veteran status
for VA benefit purposes on former members of these groups discharged
under honorable conditions. Changes:

In §3.7, revised paragraphs (x)(3), (x)(20), and (x)(23); added new
paragraphs (x)(31)--(33); and adding new paragraph (y).

5\. On 19 May 2006, the VA published a final rule, effective that same
date, to amend its adjudication regulations regarding benefits for
surviving spouses to reflect statutory changes that affect the
eligibility of those surviving spouses who remarry after ages 55 and 57.
Changes:

In §3.55, revised paragraphs (a)(4) and (a)(7), and added new paragraphs
(a)(9) and (a)(10).