3316 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 14 / Friday, January 21, 2022 / Notices 

2022 POVERTY GUIDELINES FOR THE

48 CONTIGUOUS STATES AND THE

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Persons in family/household Poverty 

guideline 

1 .................................................. $13,590 

2 .................................................. 18,310 

3 .................................................. 23,030 

4 .................................................. 27,750 

5 .................................................. 32,470 

6 .................................................. 37,190 

7 .................................................. 41,910 

8 .................................................. 46,630 

For families/households with more 

than 8 persons, add $4,720 for each 

additional person. 

2022 POVERTY GUIDELINES FOR

ALASKA

Persons in family/household Poverty 

guideline 

1 .................................................. $16,990 

2 .................................................. 22,890 

3 .................................................. 28,790 

4 .................................................. 34,690 

5 .................................................. 40,590 

6 .................................................. 46,490 

7 .................................................. 52,390 

8 .................................................. 58,290 

For families/households with more 

than 8 persons, add $5,900 for each 

additional person. 

2022 POVERTY GUIDELINES FOR

HAWAII

Persons in family/household Poverty 

guideline 

1 .................................................. $15,630 

2 .................................................. 21,060 

3 .................................................. 26,490 

4 .................................................. 31,920 

5 .................................................. 37,350 

6 .................................................. 42,780 

7 .................................................. 48,210 

8 .................................................. 53,640 

For families/households with more 

than 8 persons, add $5,430 for each 

additional person. 

Separate poverty guideline figures for 

Alaska and Hawaii reflect Office of 

Economic Opportunity administrative 

practice beginning in the 1966–1970 

period. (Note that the Census Bureau 

poverty thresholds—the version of the 

poverty measure used for statistical 

purposes—have never had separate 

figures for Alaska and Hawaii.) The 

poverty guidelines are not defined for 

Puerto Rico or other outlying 

jurisdictions. In cases in which a 

Federal program using the poverty 

guidelines serves any of those 

jurisdictions, the Federal office that 

administers the program is generally 

responsible for deciding whether to use 

the contiguous-states-and-DC guidelines 

for those jurisdictions or to follow some 

other procedure. 

Due to confusing legislative language 

dating back to 1972, the poverty 

guidelines sometimes have been 

mistakenly referred to as the ‘‘OMB’’ 

(Office of Management and Budget) 

poverty guidelines or poverty line. In 

fact, OMB has never issued the 

guidelines; the guidelines are issued 

each year by the Department of Health 

and Human Services. The poverty 

guidelines may be formally referenced 

as ‘‘the poverty guidelines updated 

periodically in the Federal Register by 

the U.S. Department of Health and 

Human Services under the authority of 

42 U.S.C. 9902(2).’’ 

Some federal programs use a 

percentage multiple of the guidelines 

(for example, 125 percent or 185 percent 

of the guidelines), as noted in relevant 

authorizing legislation or program 

regulations. Non-Federal organizations 

that use the poverty guidelines under 

their own authority in non-Federallyfunded activities also may choose to use 

a percentage multiple of the guidelines. 

The poverty guidelines do not make a 

distinction between farm and non-farm 

families, or between aged and non-aged 

units. (Only the Census Bureau poverty 

thresholds have separate figures for aged 

and non-aged one-person and twoperson units.) 

This notice does not provide 

definitions of such terms as ‘‘income’’ or 

‘‘family’’ as there is considerable 

variation of these terms among programs 

that use the poverty guidelines. The 

legislation or regulations governing each 

program define these terms and 

determine how the program applies the 

poverty guidelines. In cases where 

legislation or regulations do not 

establish these definitions, the entity 

that administers or funds the program is 

responsible to define such terms as 

‘‘income’’ and ‘‘family.’’ Therefore, 

questions such as net or gross income, 

counted or excluded income, or 

household size should be directed to the 

entity that administers or funds the 

program. 

Dated: January 18, 2022. 

Xavier Becerra, 

Secretary, Department of Health and Human 

Services. 

[FR Doc. 2022–01166 Filed 1–20–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4150–05–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Meeting of the National Vaccine 

Advisory Committee 

AGENCY: Office of Infectious Disease and 

HIV/AIDS Policy, Office of the Assistant 

Secretary for Health, Office of the 

Secretary, Department of Health and 

Human Services. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: As stipulated by the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act, the 

Department of Health and Human 

Services (HHS) is hereby giving notice 

that the National Vaccine Advisory 

Committee (NVAC) will hold a virtual 

meeting. The meeting will be open to 

the public and public comment will be 

heard during the meeting. 

DATES: The meeting will be held 

February 10–11, 2022. The confirmed 

meeting times and agenda will be 

posted on the NVAC website at http:// 

www.hhs.gov/nvpo/nvac/meetings/ 

index.html as soon as they become 

available. 

ADDRESSES: Instructions regarding 

attending this meeting will be posted 

online at: http://www.hhs.gov/nvpo/ 

nvac/meetings/index.html at least one 

week prior to the meeting. Preregistration is required for those who 

wish to attend the meeting or participate 

in public comment. Please register at 

http://www.hhs.gov/nvpo/nvac/ 

meetings/index.html. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ann 

Aikin, Acting Designated Federal 

Officer, at the Office of Infectious 

Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy, U.S. 

Department of Health and Human 

Services, Mary E. Switzer Building, 

Room L618, 330 C Street SW, 

Washington, DC 20024. Email: nvac@

hhs.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant 

to Section 2101 of the Public Health 

Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300aa–1), the 

Secretary of HHS was mandated to 

establish the National Vaccine Program 

to achieve optimal prevention of human 

infectious diseases through 

immunization and to achieve optimal 

prevention against adverse reactions to 

vaccines. The NVAC was established to 

provide advice and make 

recommendations to the Director of the 

National Vaccine Program on matters 

related to the Program’s responsibilities. 

The Assistant Secretary for Health 

serves as Director of the National 

Vaccine Program. 

The NVAC celebrates 35 years and 

will kick off the meeting reflecting on 

accomplishments and outling 


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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 14 / Friday, January 21, 2022 / Notices 3317 

1 ICE, DHS STEM Designated Degree Program 

List, https://www.ice.gov/sites/default/files/ 

documents/stem-list.pdf (last visited Nov. 9, 2021). 

2See SEVP, ‘‘Broadcast Message 1105–02: 

Additions to the STEM-Designated Degree Program 

List,’’ May 12, 2011. 

3See SEVP, ‘‘Broadcast Message 1204–07: 

Additions to the STEM-Designated Degree Program 

List,’’ May 11, 2012. 

4See SEVP, ‘‘Broadcast Message 2102–01: 

Updated DHS STEM Designated Degree Program 

List Available,’’ Feb. 1, 2021, available at https:// 

www.ice.gov/doclib/sevis/pdf/bcm2102-01.pdf (last 

visited Nov. 9, 2021). 

5While the 2016 STEM Rule provided for 

‘‘additions or deletions to the list,’’ no deletions 

will be made at this time. 

6See SEVP, Eligible CIP Codes for the STEM OPT 

Extension, https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/stemopt-hub/additional-resources/eligible-cip-codes-forthe-stem-opt-extension (last visited Nov. 9, 2021). 

opportunities to advance the vaccine 

system in the United States. The NVAC 

will hear presentations on global 

immunization, vaccinating the 

workforce, correlates of protection, data 

exchange and vaccine safety. Please 

note that agenda items are subject to 

change, as priorities dictate. Information 

on the final meeting agenda will be 

posted prior to the meeting on the 

NVAC website: http://www.hhs.gov/ 

nvpo/nvac/index.html. 

Members of the public will have the 

opportunity to provide comment at the 

NVAC meeting during the public 

comment period designated on the 

agenda. Public comments made during 

the meeting will be limited to three 

minutes per person to ensure time is 

allotted for all those wishing to speak. 

Individuals are also welcome to submit 

written comments in advance. Written 

comments should not exceed three 

pages in length. Individuals submitting 

comments should email their written 

comments or their request to provide a 

comment during the meeting to nvac@

hhs.gov at least five business days prior 

to the meeting. 

Dated: January 9, 2022. 

Ann Aikin, 

Acting Designated Federal Official, Office of 

the Assistant Secretary for Health. 

[FR Doc. 2022–01101 Filed 1–20–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4150–44–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

[Docket No. ICEB–2021–0011] 

RIN 1653–ZA23 

Update to the Department of Homeland 

Security STEM Designated Degree 

Program List 

AGENCY: U.S. Immigration and Customs 

Enforcement (ICE); Department of 

Homeland Security (DHS). 

SUMMARY: This notice announces that 

the Secretary of Homeland Security 

(Secretary) is amending the DHS STEM 

Designated Degree Program List by 

adding 22 qualifying fields of study and 

a corresponding Department of 

Education Classification of Instructional 

Programs (CIP) code for each. The list is 

used to determine whether a degree 

obtained by certain F–1 nonimmigrant 

students following the completion of a 

program of study qualifies as a science, 

technology, engineering, or mathematics 

(STEM) degree as determined by DHS, 

for the F–1 student to be eligible to 

apply for a 24-month extension of their 

post-completion optional practical 

training (OPT). 

DATES: DHS adopts the list announced 

in this notice as of January 21, 2022. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Sharon Snyder, Unit Chief, Policy and 

Response Center Unit, Student and 

Exchange Visitor Program; U.S. 

Immigration and Customs Enforcement, 

500 12th Street SW, Stop 5600, 

Washington, DC 20536–5600; email: 

sevp@ice.dhs.gov, telephone: (703) 603– 

3400. This is not a toll-free number. 

Program information is available at 

http://www.ice.gov/sevis/. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

What action is DHS taking under this 

notice? 

The Department of Homeland 

Security (DHS) is updating the list of 

STEM fields of study that fall within the 

regulatory definition of ‘‘STEM field.’’ 

The list, known as the DHS STEM 

Designated Degree Program List (‘‘STEM 

list’’),1 is used to determine whether a 

degree obtained by an F–1 

nonimmigrant student qualifies as a 

STEM degree, as required for the F–1 

nonimmigrant student to be eligible to 

apply for a STEM OPT extension. 

Similar prior lists were updated through 

Student and Exchange Visitor Program 

(SEVP) Broadcast Messages in 2011 2

and 2012.3 The current list was 

established in connection with a Final 

Rule issued in 2016. In 2021, DHS 

updated the list to include technical 

changes to CIP codes made by the 

Department of Education’s National 

Center for Education Statistics (NCES) 

as part of NCES’s 2020 CIP update.4

Why is DHS taking this action? 

In 2016, DHS published a Final Rule 

providing a 24-month extension of OPT 

for F–1 nonimmigrant students who 

majored in a designated STEM field of 

study. See 81 FR 13039 (Mar. 11, 2016) 

(‘‘Improving and Expanding Training 

Opportunities for F–1 Nonimmigrant 

Students With STEM Degrees and CapGap Relief for All Eligible F–1 

Students’’) (‘‘2016 STEM Rule’’). The 

2016 STEM Rule stated that DHS will 

continue to accept for consideration 

suggested additions or deletions to the 

STEM list and may publish updates to 

the STEM list in the Federal Register. 

Since publication of the 2016 STEM 

Rule, DHS has received from the public 

97 suggested new fields of study to add 

to the STEM list. DHS has not received 

any input from the public suggesting 

fields to remove. DHS is now 

announcing that a number of the fields 

of study submitted for consideration 

will be added to the STEM list.5

Nominators may resubmit a nomination 

with additional supporting views and 

evidence at any time if their original 

submission was not addressed in this 

notice. 

What is OPT and STEM OPT? 

OPT is one type of work permission 

available to certain F–1 nonimmigrant 

students. It allows students (except 

those in English language training 

programs) to obtain real-world work 

experience directly related to their field 

of study. 

The STEM OPT extension is a 24- 

month extension of OPT available to F– 

1 nonimmigrant students who have 

completed 12 months of OPT and 

received a degree in an approved STEM 

field of study as designated by the 

STEM list. 

Who may be impacted by this notice? 

This notice may impact qualifying F– 

1 nonimmigrant students who seek a 24- 

month extension of post-completion 

OPT. 

Where can I find the STEM list? 

The STEM list can be found in the 

docket for this notice and on the SEVP 

website.6

What authority does DHS have to make 

changes to the STEM list? 

The Secretary has broad authority to 

administer and enforce the nation’s 

immigration laws. See generally 6 

U.S.C. 202; Immigration and Nationality 

Act of 1952, as amended (INA), Sec. 

103, 8 U.S.C. 1103. Section 

101(a)(15)(F)(i) of the INA establishes 

the F–1 nonimmigrant classification for 

individuals who wish to enter the 

United States temporarily and solely for 

the purpose of pursuing a full course of 

study at an academic institution or 

accredited language training school 

certified by the U.S. Immigration and 

Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) SEVP. See 

INA Sec. 101(a)(15)(F)(i), 8 U.S.C. 

1101(a)(15)(F)(i). The INA provides the 


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