This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains regulatory documents having general

applicability and legal effect, most of which

are keyed to and codified in the Code of

Federal Regulations, which is published under

50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.

The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by

the Superintendent of Documents. Prices of

new books are listed in the first FEDERAL

REGISTER issue of each week.

Rules and Regulations Federal Register

40967

Vol. 65, No. 128

Monday, July 3, 2000

OFFICE OF PERSONNEL

MANAGEMENT

5 CFR Part 178

RIN 3206–AJ13

Procedures for Settling Claims

AGENCY: Office of Personnel

Management.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: The Office of Personnel

Management (OPM) is issuing a final

rule to amend its regulation on

procedures for settling claims. The

amendments reflect the recent transfer

within OPM of the authority to settle

claims by advising individuals where

they now may file such claims.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Effective July 3, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: JoAnn Chabot, (202) 606–1700.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

United States General Accounting Office

originally settled claims concerning

federal employees’compensation and

leave, compensation of deceased

employees, and proceeds of canceled

checks for veterans’ benefits payable to

deceased beneficiaries. On June 30,

1996, the Legislative Branch

Appropriations Act of 1996 transferred

the authority to settle these claims from

the General Accounting Office to the

Director of the Office of Management

and Budget. See Sec. 211, Pub. L. 104–

53, 109 Stat. 535. On June 28, 1996, the

Acting Director of the Office of

Management and Budget issued a

determination order redelegating to

OPM the authority to settle claims

against the United States involving

federal employees’ compensation and

leave, deceased employees’

compensation, and proceeds of canceled

checks for veterans’ benefits payable to

deceased beneficiaries. Congress

subsequently codified these changes

through additional legislation. See

Pub.L. 104–316, 110 Stat. 3826.

The Director of OPM initially

delegated the claims settlement

authority to the Office of General

Counsel. On April 10, 2000, the Director

of OPM transferred the claims

settlement authority to the Office of

Merit Systems Oversight and

Effectiveness. Consequently, OPM is

amending section 178.102(e)(1), as well

as section 178.207(b) and (c), to reflect

that individuals should file Part 178

claims with the Office of Merit Systems

Oversight and Effectiveness rather than

with the Claims Adjudication Unit,

Office of the General Counsel.

Waiver of Notice of Proposed

Rulemaking

I find, under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B),

that good cause exists for waiving the

general notice of proposed rulemaking.

The notice is being waived because

these amendments merely reflect an

organizational change within OPM and

do not affect the rights of federal

employees to file claims for settlement

under Part 178. In addition, potential

claimants must know, as soon as

possible, where they now should file

their claims.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

I certify that this regulation would not

have a significant economic impact on

a substantial number of small entities

because they would apply only to

Federal agencies and employees.

List of Subjects in 5 CFR Part 178

Administrative practice and

procedure, Claims, Compensation,

Government employees.

U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

Janice R. Lachance,

Director.

For the reasons set forth in the

preamble, OPM is amending 5 CFR part

178 as follows:

PART 178—PROCEDURES FOR

SETTLING CLAIMS

Subpart A—Administrative Claims—

Compensation and Leave, Deceased

Employees’ Accounts and Proceeds of

Canceled Checks for Veterans’

Benefits Payable to Deceased

Beneficiaries

1. The authority citation for subpart A

continues to read as follows:

Authority: 31 U.S.C. 3702; 5 U.S.C. 5583;

38 U.S.C. 5122; Pub. L. No. 104–53, § 211,

109 Stat. 535 (Nov. 19, 1995); E.O. 12107.

2. In § 178.102, revise paragraph (e)(1)

to read as follows:

§ 178.102 Procedures for submitting

claims.

* * * * *

(e) Where to submit claims. (1) All

claims under this section should be sent

to the Program Manager, Office of Merit

Systems Oversight and Effectiveness,

Room 7671, Office of Personnel

Management, 1900 E Street NW.,

Washington, DC 20415. Telephone

inquiries regarding these claims may be

made to (202) 606–7948.

* * * * *

Subpart B—Settlement of Accounts for

Deceased Civilian Officers and

Employees

1. The authority citation for subpart B

continues to read as follows:

Authority: 5 U.S.C. 5581, 5582, 5583.

§ 178.207 [Amended]

2. In § 178.207, remove the words

‘‘Claims Adjudication Unit, Office of

General Counsel’’ from paragraph (b)

and the words ‘‘Claims Adjudication

Unit’’ from paragraph (c). Add in their

place the words ‘‘Office of Merit

Systems Oversight and Effectiveness.’’

[FR Doc. 00–16708 Filed 6–30–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6325–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 958

[Docket No. FV00–958–1 FR]

Onions Grown in Certain Designated

Counties in Idaho, and Malheur

County, OR; Decreased Assessment

Rate

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service,

USDA.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: This rule decreases the

assessment rate established for the

Idaho-Eastern Oregon Onion Committee

(Committee) under Marketing Order No.

958 for the 2000–2001 and subsequent

fiscal periods from $0.09 to $0.08 per

hundredweight of onions handled. The