Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 27 / Tuesday, February 10, 2004 / Proposed Rules 6227

requirements identified in the notice of 

grant award.

§ 2551.93 [Amended] 

4. In § 2551.93, remove paragraph (d) 

and redesignate paragraphs (e) through 

(i) as paragraphs (d) through (h).

Dated: February 3, 2004. 

Tess Scannell, 

Director, National Senior Service Corps.

[FR Doc. 04–2802 Filed 2–9–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6050–$$–P

CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND 

COMMUNITY SERVICE 

45 CFR Part 2552 

RIN 3045–AA39 

The Foster Grandparent Program; 

Amendments

AGENCY: Corporation for National and 

Community Service.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

SUMMARY: These proposed amendments 

to the regulations governing the Foster 

Grandparent Program (FGP) modify 

provisions concerning deductions for 

medical expenses and the allowability 

of certain volunteer expense items.

DATES: Submit comments on or before 

March 26, 2004.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, 

identified by the title of the program, by 

any of the following methods: 

(1) By mail sent to: Corporation for 

National and Community Service, 

National Senior Service Corps; 

Attention Peter Boynton, Program 

Officer; 9th Floor, 1201 New York 

Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20525. 

(2) By hand delivery or by courier to 

the Corporation’s mailroom at Room 

6010 at the mail address given in 

paragraph (1) above, between 9 a.m. and 

4 p.m. Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

(3) By fax to: (202) 565–2743, 

Attention Peter Boynton, Program 

Officer. 

(4) Electronically through the 

Corporation’s e-mail address system: 

Seniorfeedback@cns.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Peter L. Boynton, 202–606–5000, ext. 

554.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

A. Program Description 

The Foster Grandparent Program 

provides a way for limited-income 

people age 60 and older, to serve as 

extended family members to children 

and youth with exceptional needs. 

Foster Grandparents serve from 15 to 40 

hours a week in schools, hospitals, 

correctional institutions, day-care 

facilities, Head Start centers, and small 

community-based organizations, both 

faith-based and secular. They help 

children who have been abused or 

neglected, mentor troubled teenagers 

and young mothers, and care for 

premature infants and children with 

physical disabilities. In return for their 

service, Foster Grandparents receive a 

stipend of $2.65 an hour, accident and 

liability insurance and meals while on 

duty, reimbursement for transportation, 

and monthly training. More than 30,000 

Foster Grandparents tend to the needs of 

275,000 young children and teenagers 

each year. 

B. Medical Expenses Deduction 

Income eligibility for the Foster 

Grandparent Program is determined 

based on annual income from all 

sources after deducting medical 

expenses. Currently the allowable 

medical expenses may not exceed 15 

percent of the applicable income 

eligibility guideline. In order to increase 

the pool of seniors eligible to serve as 

Foster Grandparents, and in recognition 

that the cost of medical care and 

insurance have increased significantly, 

the Corporation proposes to increase the 

ceiling for allowable medical expenses 

to 50 percent of the applicable income 

eligibility guideline. 

C. Volunteer Expenses 

The Foster Grandparent Program 

regulations currently distinguish 

between volunteer expenses that may be 

paid or reimbursed with federal and 

required non-federal grant funds and 

volunteer expenses that must be paid by 

the volunteer station to which a Foster 

Grandparent is assigned. Grant funds 

may be used only to pay for volunteer 

stipends, insurance, transportation to 

and from volunteer assignments and 

official project activities, annual 

physical examinations, meals taken on 

assignment, and service recognition 

expenses. With the exception of certain 

meals, volunteer stations must pay for 

all expenses incurred while performing 

volunteer assignments. 

In ‘‘Principles and Reforms for a 

Citizen Service Act,’’ issued by 

President Bush April 9, 2002, the 

Administration proposed to create 

greater flexibility in the use of Federal 

resources by easing requirements that 

govern the activities and support of 

volunteers. The proposed amendment 

would allow Foster Grandparent 

Program sponsors to determine, in 

consultation with volunteer stations, 

how best to fund volunteer expenses. 

The respective responsibilities of the 

sponsor and volunteer station for 

volunteer expenses would be 

incorporated in the memorandum of 

understanding negotiated by the 

sponsor with each station. Sponsors 

would be free to maintain the current 

division of responsibility for volunteer 

expenses but have the flexibility to use 

federal and required non-federal funds 

to cover any volunteer expense when 

the sponsor determines that doing so 

would be in the best interest of the 

project. The provisions of the applicable 

OMB Cost Principles Circulars 

referenced in 2552.93(4) would 

continue to apply to all expenses paid 

with federal or required non-federal 

funds. 

Impact of Various Acts and Executive 

Orders 

After carefully reviewing the changes 

implemented by this amendment, and 

after coordination with the Office of 

Management and Budget, it was 

determined that: 

(1) This was a significant regulatory 

action under section 3(f)(4) of Executive 

Order 12866 ‘‘Regulatory Planning and 

Review’’, and required a review by the 

Office of Management and Budget; 

(2) The Corporation hereby certifies 

that the Regulatory Flexibility Act does 

not apply because there is no 

‘‘significant economic impact on a 

substantial number of small entities’’; 

(3) That the Unfunded Mandates 

Reform Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. chapter 25, 

subchapter II) does not apply because 

the amendment does not result in any 

annual expenditures of $100 million by 

State, local, Indian Tribal governments 

or the private sector; 

(4) That the Paperwork Reduction Act 

does not apply because the amendments 

do not impose any additional reporting 

or record-keeping requirements; 

(5) That the Small Business 

Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 

1996 does not apply because it is not a 

major rule as defined by section 251 of 

the Small Business Regulatory 

Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, and 

would not result in an annual effect on 

the economy of $100 million or more; 

result in an increase in cost or prices; or 

have significant adverse effects on 

competition, employment, investment, 

productivity, innovation, or on the 

ability of United States-based 

companies to compete with foreignbased companies in domestic and 

export markets; and 

(6) That Executive Order 13132, 

‘‘Federalism’’ does not apply because it 

would not have substantial direct effects 

on the States or the relationship 

6228 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 27 / Tuesday, February 10, 2004 / Proposed Rules 

between the national government and 

the States.

List of Subjects in 45 CFR Part 2552 

Aged, Grant programs—social 

programs, Volunteers.

For the reasons set forth in the 

preamble, the Corporation for National 

and Community Service proposes to 

amend 45 CFR part 2552 as follows:

PART 2552—FOSTER GRANDPARENT 

PROGRAM 

1. The authority citation for part 2552 

continues to read as follows:

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4950 et seq.

§ 2552.42 [Amended] 

2. In § 2552.42(c), remove the phrase 

‘‘15 percent’’ and add in its place the 

phrase ‘‘50 percent’’.

§ 2552.45 [Amended] 

3. In § 2552.45, add a new paragraph 

(f), as follows:

* * * * *

(f) Other Volunteer Expenses. Foster 

Grandparents may be reimbursed for 

expenses incurred while performing 

their volunteer assignments provided 

these expenses are described in the 

Memorandum of Understanding 

negotiated with the volunteer station to 

which the volunteer is assigned and 

meet all other requirements identified in 

the notice of grant award.

§ 2552.93 [Amended] 

4. In § 2552.93, remove paragraph (d) 

and redesignate paragraphs (e) through 

(i) as (d) through (h) accordingly.

Dated: February 3, 2004. 

Tess Scannell, 

Director, National Senior Service Corps.

[FR Doc. 04–2801 Filed 2–9–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6050–$$–P

CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND 

COMMUNITY SERVICE 

45 CFR Part 2553 

RIN 3045–AA39 

The Retired and Senior Volunteer 

Program; Amendments

AGENCY: Corporation for National and 

Community Service.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

SUMMARY: These proposed amendments 

to the regulations governing the Retired 

and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) 

modify provisions concerning the 

allowability of certain volunteer 

expense items. The specific 

amendments are as follows: Sections 

2553.43 and 2553.73(d) are modified to 

allow project funds, including the 

required non-federal share, to be used to 

reimburse volunteers for expenses, 

including transportation costs, incurred 

while performing volunteer 

assignments, and for purchase of 

equipment or supplies for volunteers on 

assignment.

DATES: Submit comments on or before 

March 26, 2004.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, 

identified by the title of the program, by 

any of the following methods: 

(1) By mail sent to: Corporation for 

National and Community Service, 

National Senior Service Corps; 

Attention Peter Boynton, Program 

Officer; 9th Floor, 1201 New York 

Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20525. 

(2) By hand delivery or by courier to 

the Corporation’s mailroom at Room 

6010 at the mail address given in 

paragraph (1) above, between 9 a.m. and 

4 p.m. Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

(3) By fax to: (202) 565–2743, 

Attention Peter Boynton, Program 

Officer. 

(4) Electronically through the 

Corporation’s e-mail address system: 

Seniorfeedback@cns.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Peter L. Boynton, 202–606–5000, ext. 

554.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background 

A. Program Description 

RSVP, one of the largest volunteer 

efforts in the nation, engages people age 

55 and older in a diverse range of 

volunteer activities. Volunteers organize 

neighborhood watch programs, tutor 

children, renovate homes, teach English 

to immigrants, assist victims of natural 

disasters, and serve their communities 

in a myriad of other ways. Through 

RSVP, more than 480,000 volunteers 

serve a few hours a week to nearly full 

time at an estimated 65,000 local and 

national nonprofit groups, government 

agencies, and small community-based 

organizations, both faith-based and 

secular. Volunteers are not paid, but 

sponsoring organizations may reimburse 

them for some costs incurred during 

service, including meals and 

transportation. 

B. Volunteer Expenses 

The Retired and Senior Volunteer 

Program regulations currently 

distinguish between volunteer expenses 

that may be paid or reimbursed with 

federal and required non-federal grant 

funds and volunteer expenses that must 

be paid by the volunteer station to 

which a RSVP volunteer is assigned. 

Grant funds may be used only to pay for 

volunteer stipends, insurance, 

transportation to and from volunteer 

assignments and official project 

activities, annual physical 

examinations, meals taken on 

assignment, and service recognition 

expenses. With the exception of certain 

meals, volunteer stations must pay for 

all expenses incurred while performing 

volunteer assignments. 

In ‘‘Principles and Reforms for a 

Citizen Service Act,’’ issued by 

President Bush April 9, 2002, the 

Administration proposed to create 

greater flexibility in the use of Federal 

resources by easing requirements that 

govern the activities and support of 

volunteers. The proposed amendment 

would allow Retired and Senior 

Volunteer Program sponsors to 

determine, in consultation with 

volunteer stations, how best to fund 

volunteer expenses. The respective 

responsibilities of the sponsor and 

volunteer station for volunteer expenses 

would be incorporated in the 

memorandum of understanding 

negotiated by the sponsor with each 

station. Sponsors would be free to 

maintain the current division of 

responsibility for volunteer expenses 

but have the flexibility to use federal 

and required non-federal funds to cover 

any volunteer expense when the 

sponsor determines that doing so would 

be in the best interest of the project. The 

provisions of the applicable OMB Cost 

Principles Circulars referenced in 

2553.73(a)(4) would continue to apply 

to all expenses paid with federal or 

required non-federal funds. 

Impact of Various Acts and Executive 

Orders 

After carefully reviewing the changes 

implemented by this amendment, and 

after coordination with the Office of 

Management and Budget, it was 

determined that: 

(1) This was a significant regulatory 

action under section 3(f)(4) of Executive 

Order 12866 ‘‘Regulatory Planning and 

Review’’, and required a review by the 

Office of Management and Budget; 

(2) The Corporation hereby certifies 

that the Regulatory Flexibility Act does 

not apply because there is no 

‘‘significant economic impact on a 

substantial number of small entities’’; 

(3) That the Unfunded Mandates 

Reform Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. chapter 25, 

subchapter II) does not apply because 

the amendment does not result in any 

annual expenditures of $100 million by 

State, local, Indian Tribal governments 

or the private sector;