[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 160 (Monday, August 23, 2021)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 46982-46983]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-18089]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

38 CFR Part 9

RIN 2900-AR24


Extension of Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI) Application 
Periods in Response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This document adopts as a final rule, without change, an 
interim final rule amending the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 
regulation regarding Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI). The 
amendment was necessary in order to extend the deadline for former 
members to apply for VGLI coverage following separation from service to 
address the inability of former members directly or indirectly affected 
by the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency to 
purchase VGLI.

DATES: Effective September 22, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Weaver, Department of Veterans 
Affairs Insurance Service (310/290B), 5000 Wissahickon Avenue, 
Philadelphia, PA 19144, (215) 842-2000, ext. 4263. (This is not a toll-
free number.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: An interim final rule amending VA's 
regulation regarding the deadline for former members to apply for VGLI 
coverage following separation from service was published in the Federal 
Register on June 9, 2021 (86 FR 30541).
    VA provided a 30-day comment period that ended on July 9, 2021. No 
comments were received. Based on the rationale set forth in the interim 
final rule, we now adopt the interim final rule as a final rule without 
change.

Administrative Procedure Act

    In the June 9, 2021, Federal Register notice, VA determined that 
there was a basis under the Administrative Procedure Act for issuing 
the interim final rule with immediate effect. We invited and did not 
receive public comment on the interim final rule. This document adopts 
the interim final rule as a final rule without change.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    This final rule contains no provisions constituting a collection of 
information under the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521).

Executive Orders 12866 and 13563

    Executive Orders 12866 and 13563 direct agencies to assess the 
costs and

[[Page 46983]]

benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, when regulation is 
necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize net benefits 
(including potential economic, environmental, public health and safety 
effects, and other advantages; distributive impacts; and equity). 
Executive Order 13563 (Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review) 
emphasizes the importance of quantifying both costs and benefits, 
reducing costs, harmonizing rules, and promoting flexibility. The 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs has determined that this 
rule is not a significant regulatory action under Executive Order 
12866. The Regulatory Impact Analysis associated with this rulemaking 
can be found as a supporting document at www.regulations.gov.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Secretary hereby certifies that this final rule will not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities 
as they are defined in the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601-
612. The provisions contained in this final rulemaking are applicable 
to individual Veterans, and applications for VGLI, as submitted by such 
individuals, and are specifically managed and processed within VA and 
through Prudential Insurance Company of America, which is not 
considered to be a small entity. Therefore, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 
605(b), the initial and final regulatory flexibility analysis 
requirements of 5 U.S.C. 603 and 604 do not apply.

Unfunded Mandates

    The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 requires, at 2 U.S.C. 
1532, that agencies prepare an assessment of anticipated costs and 
benefits before issuing any rule that may result in an expenditure by 
the State, local, and tribal governments, in the aggregate, or by the 
private sector of $100 million or more (adjusted annually for 
inflation) in any given year. This final rule will have no such effect 
on State, local, and tribal governments or on the private sector.

Congressional Review Act

    Pursuant to the Congressional Review Act (5 U.S.C. 801 et seq.), 
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs designated this rule 
as not a major rule, as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program number and title 
for this rule is 64.103, Life Insurance for Veterans.

List of Subjects in 38 CFR Part 9

    Life insurance, Military personnel, Veterans.

Signing Authority

    Denis McDonough, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, approved this 
document on August 16, 2021, 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 
the Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs.

PART 9--SERVICEMEMBERS' GROUP LIFE INSURANCE AND VETERANS' GROUP 
LIFE INSURANCE

    Accordingly, the Department of Veterans Affairs is adopting the 
interim rule amending 38 CFR part 9 that was published at 85 FR 35562 
on June 9, 2021, as final without change.

[FR Doc. 2021-18089 Filed 8-20-21; 8:45 am]
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