[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 204 (Tuesday, October 24, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73094-73095]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-23395]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Announcement of Public Listening Session To Inform VA's Plan To 
Assess the Current Scientific Literature and Historical Detailed Claims 
Data Regarding Certain Adverse Health Conditions Associated With 
Military Environmental Exposures and To Solicit Public Comment

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice of public listening session.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is announcing a 
virtual listening session for the public to provide feedback on VA's 
plan to assess the scientific literature and historical claims data 
regarding certain adverse health conditions associated with military 
environmental exposures. VA's assessment will consider the possibility 
of a relationship between acute leukemias, chronic leukemias and 
multiple myeloma and exposure to fine particulate matter 
(PM<INF>2.5</INF>) from airborne hazards and open burn pits for 
Veterans who were deployed in the Southwest Asia theater of operations 
or are covered Veterans, as defined by law. VA previously announced its 
plan in the Federal Register on July 26, 2023. During the listening 
session, Veterans Health Administration (VHA) subject matter experts 
will listen to public feedback and may ask questions but will not share 
proposals for specific conditions nor address the merits of any 
comments provided.

DATES: VA will hold the listening session on November 7, 2023. The 
session will start at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) and end at 
3 p.m. EST and focus on VA's plan posted within the Federal Register 
notice on July 26, 2023. Individuals/organizations can sign up using 
the link below:
    <bullet> November 7, 2023--Notice of Plans for the Department of 
Veterans Affairs to Assess the Current Scientific Literature and 
Historical Detailed Claims Data Regarding Acute Leukemias, Chronic 
Leukemias, and Multiple Myeloma and the Association with Military 
Environmental Exposures. Registration link: https://veteransaffairs.webex.com/weblink/register/r11a011e8ad468c564c6a613e929a67c7.

    Note: The listening session will have closed captioning 
available. The webinar will be recorded and transcribed.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Peter D. Rumm, MD, MPH, Director 
of Policy, Health Outcomes Military Exposures, Veterans Health 
Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW, 
Washington, DC 20420, at 202-461-7297. This is not a toll-free number.

ADDRESSES: The session will be held virtually using Webex. Registration 
is required. Individuals may listen in or comment verbally or in 
writing. (See additional information below).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 26, 2023, VA published a notice in 
the Federal Register about its planned scientific assessment of the 
possibility of a relationship between acute leukemias, chronic 
leukemias, and multiple myeloma outside of the head and neck and 
exposure to PM<INF>2.5</INF> from airborne hazards and open burn pits 
experienced by Veterans who served in the Southwest Asia theater of 
operations or who are covered Veterans, as defined by law (meaning 
generally those who served in Somalia, Afghanistan, Djibouti, Egypt, 
Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Uzbekistan) (88 FR 48291). The Notice 
was published in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 1172(a)(1), as created by 
section 202 of the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our 
Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act.
    VA continues to review and assess information about military 
environmental exposure incidents, emerging scientific evidence 
regarding toxic substances and adverse health outcomes in deployed and 
non-deployed Veterans. Additionally, active epidemiological 
surveillance and ongoing monitoring of military exposures in 
collaboration with the Department of Defense are underway. If the 
scientific review concludes a possible association between military 
environmental exposure and an adverse health outcome is present, this 
may lead to additional research or be subject to a Federal Register 
notice and comment process, as required by section 1172. VA will 
publish other notices of this type as it reviews adverse health 
conditions and their possible association with military environmental 
exposures to provide health care, services and benefits to Veterans.
    This listening session aims to allow individuals to share their 
research, input and comments on certain adverse health conditions 
associated with military environmental exposure. Participants can also 
share their recommendations on other conditions that would benefit from 
review.
    Registration: Individuals interested in attending must register 
with Webex for the listening session. We will ask attendees if they 
want to provide verbal or written feedback during registration so we 
can coordinate enough time for verbal comments. However, verbal 
participation is not required to complete registration. If you wish to 
provide verbal or written feedback during the listening session, please 
register by November 3, 2023. Individuals who indicate interest in 
commenting will receive a confirmation message 2 business days before 
the session. Individuals who wish to submit materials to VA must do so 
by November 3, 2023, the Friday before the session.

[[Page 73095]]

    VA will work to accommodate all individuals who wish to comment 
verbally. However, VA will prioritize those who registered in advance. 
The time allotted for individuals to comment verbally will depend on 
the number of registrations. We will turn off cameras and mute 
microphones until the presenter's scheduled time to accommodate as many 
comments as possible. VA will request written submissions if there is 
not enough time to hear all comments.

    Note: During the listening session, VA will not share proposals 
or address feedback. VA will use suggestions made during this 
listening session and public comments on VA's plan to improve future 
evaluations. VA will continue to comply with the requirements of 
section 1172(a) and ensure appropriate public notice and opportunity 
for participation.

    Special Accommodations: Attendees requiring special accommodations 
should make their requests to VA no later than October 31, 2023 (2 
weeks before the listening session on November 7, 2023) by contacting 
the point of contact identified in this Notice.

Signing Authority

    Denis McDonough, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, approved and signed 
this document on October 18, 2023, 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.

Jeffrey M. Martin,
Assistant Director, Office of Regulation Policy & Management, Office of 
General Counsel, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2023-23395 Filed 10-23-23; 8:45 am]
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