[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 222 (Monday, November 20, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80814-80815]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-25598]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Advisory Committee on U.S. Outlying Areas and Freely Associated 
States, Notice of Meeting

    The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) gives notice under the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C. ch. 10, that the 
Advisory Committee on U.S. Outlying Areas and Freely Associated States 
(hereinafter the Committee) will hold its first inaugural meeting on 
December 12-December 14, 2023, at the San Juan VA Medical Center in San 
Juan, Puerto Rico. The meeting sessions will be conducted in the 
Education Center, Room 2M240, 2nd floor, as a hybrid meeting (in-person 
and virtual). Virtual attendance will be available via the Microsoft 
Teams platform. The meeting sessions will begin and end as follows:
    Public participation will commence as follows:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Dates                          Times                    Locations               Open  session
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
December 12, 2023...................  7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.      San Juan VA Medical Center,  Yes.
                                       Atlantic Standard Time   10 Calle Casia, Education
                                       (AST).                   Center, RM 2M240, San
                                                                Juan, Puerto Rico 00921.
December 13, 2023...................  7:30 a.m.-9:00 a.m. AST  San Juan VA Medical Center,  Yes.
                                                                10 Calle Casia, Education
                                                                Center, RM 2M240, San
                                                                Juan, Puerto Rico 00921.
December 13, 2023...................  9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. AST  San Juan VBA Regional        No.
                                                                Office, 50 Carr 165,
                                                                Guaynabo, San Juan, Puerto
                                                                Rico 00934 and San Juan VA
                                                                Medical Center, 10 Calle
                                                                Casia, Education Center,
                                                                RM 2M240, San Juan, Puerto
                                                                Rico 00921.
December 13, 2023...................  4:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. AST  San Juan VA Medical Center,  Yes.
                                                                10 Calle Casia, Education
                                                                Center, RM 2M240, San
                                                                Juan, Puerto Rico 00921.
December 14, 2023...................  9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.     San Juan VA Medical Center,  Yes.
                                       AST.                     10 Calle Casia, Education
                                                                Center, RM 2M240, San
                                                                Juan, Puerto Rico 00921.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Sessions are open to the public, except when the Committee is 
conducting a tour of VA facilities. Tours of VA facilities are closed 
to protect Veterans' privacy and personal information by 5 U.S.C. 
552b(c)(6).
    The Committee's purpose is to advise the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs on covered Veterans. The term covered Veteran is defined here 
as a Veteran residing in American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands of the 
United States, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the 
Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau. The Committee advises on 
improving VA programs and services to serve covered Veterans better.
    On December 12, 2023, the Committee will convene an open session 
from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. AST at the San Juan VA Medical Center 
(location shown in table above). The agenda will include opening 
remarks by the Committee Chairman, Committee member introductions; 
welcoming remarks from the Executive Director, Outreach, Transition and 
Economic Development; a briefing on the Veterans Benefits 
Administration's (VBA) efforts to assist covered Veterans, Family 
Members, Caregivers, and Survivors by the Principal Deputy Under 
Secretary for Benefits; remarks by the Deputy Secretary of VA; a FACA-
101 briefing conducted by the Advisory Committee Management Office; a 
review of the Committee Charter and Ethics; Veterans Health 
Administration (VHA) initiatives and updates; and briefings regarding 
the Foreign Medical Program; Medical Disability Examination Office; 
Education benefits; Compensation Services; and Transition Assistance.
    On December 13, 2023, the Committee will convene an open session 
from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. AST at the San Juan VA Medical Center 
(location shown in table above), where the Committee will receive 
information about the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our 
Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act (PACT Act); learn about the 
role of Regional Offices (RO); and receive an Overview of Survivor 
Benefits. From 9 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. AST, the Committee will reconvene a 
closed session as it tours the San Juan VBA Regional Office and San 
Juan VA Medical Center (location shown in table above). Tours of VA 
facilities are closed to protect Veterans' privacy and personal 
information, in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(6). The Committee will 
reconvene an open session from 4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. AST at the San 
Juan VA Medical Center for a daily closeout with updates and reminders.
    On December 14, 2023, the Committee will convene an open session 
from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. AST at the San Juan VA Medical Center. The 
Committee will discuss observations from the San Juan VBA RO and VHA/VA 
Medical Center tours; receive updates on National Cemetery 
Administration Initiatives; receive public comments and hear from VA's 
Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs. The Committee will hold 
a daily closeout with updates and reminders to address follow-up and 
action items. The

[[Page 80815]]

Committee meeting will adjourn at 12 p.m. AST.
    On December 14, 2023, the public is invited to address the 
Committee during the public comment period, which will be open for 30 
minutes from 9:45 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. AST. Individuals will be allowed 
3-5 minutes to speak. Additionally, individuals who wish to provide 
public comments are invited to submit a one-page summary of their 
comments no later than December 5, 2023, for inclusion in the official 
meeting record. Members of the public may also submit written 
statements for the Committee's review to Mr. Bernard Johnson at 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#42242331212d2f2f2b363627276c342023212d0234236c252d34"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7711160414181a1a1e0303121259011516141837011659101801">[email protected]</span></a>.
    Members of the public may attend open sessions of the Committee 
meeting in person or virtually. Approximately 10 seats will be 
available for public stakeholders in attendance. The limited number of 
seats is due to the meeting room's capacity.
    Members of the public who wish to attend virtually can do so by 
dialing into the Microsoft Teams conference or click here https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZjRiYjY0NzQtY2M3Yi00ZWM1LWI0YjUtN2JhOGRlYTA3NjM0%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22e95f1b23-abaf-45ee-821d-b7ab251ab3bf%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22ceb1fc63-1a07-4176-8b72-f5cfa7b95dd5%22%7d.
    Meeting ID: 285 717 370 382 or call only 1-205-235-3524.
    Meeting ID: 641 975 916#.
    Attendees requiring reasonable accommodation should notify Mr. 
Bernard Johnson at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7610170515191b1b1f0202131358001417151936001758111900"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="13757260707c7e7e7a676776763d657172707c5365723d747c65">[email protected]</span></a> no later than December 8, 
2023.

    Dated: November 15, 2023.
Jelessa M. Burney,
Federal Advisory Committee Management Officer.
[FR Doc. 2023-25598 Filed 11-17-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P


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