[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 169 (Thursday, September 1, 2005)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 52015-52016]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-17416]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

38 CFR Part 14

RIN 2900-AM20


Jurisdictions and Addresses of Regional Counsels

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This document amends the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 
regulations regarding the jurisdictions and addresses of the General 
Counsel's Regional Counsels. This amendment is necessary to update 
Title 38, Code of Federal Regulations, to reflect recent jurisdiction 
and address changes.

DATES: Effective Date: September 1, 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Sokoll, Deputy Director, Legal 
Information Division, Office of General Counsel (026H), Department of 
Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420, 
telephone (202) 273-6558.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: VA's regulation 38 CFR 14.501, ``Functions 
and responsibilities of Regional Counsels,'' has the jurisdictions and 
addresses of Regional Counsels in paragraph (f). This amendment removes 
obsolete information in that paragraph, regarding the jurisdictions and 
addresses of Regional Counsels and replaces it with current 
information. The rule provides updated addresses for several Regional 
Counsels. Additionally, it reflects a reorganization of the 
jurisdictions of some Regional Counsels. The 23 regions previously 
referenced in Sec.  14.501(f) have been consolidated into 22 regions. 
Accordingly, this rule removes reference to former Region 17 and 
reflects the revised jurisdictions of Regions 18 and 19 as a result of 
that reorganization.

Administrative Procedure Act

    These changes to 38 CFR 14.501(f) are being published without 
regard to notice-and-comment procedures of 5 U.S.C. 553(b) because they 
involve only matters of agency organization, which are exempted from 
such procedures by virtue of 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(A). Further, because 
these changes do not involve substantive rules, they are not subject to 
the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553(d) providing for a 30-day delay in the 
effective date of substantive rules.

Paperwork Reduction Act

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

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 developing any rule that may result in an expenditure 
by State, local, or tribal governments, in the aggregate, or by the 
private sector of $100 million or more (adjusted annually for 
inflation) in any given year. This rule would have no such effect on 
State, local, or tribal governments, or the private sector.

Executive Order 12866

    This document has been reviewed by the Office of Management and 
Budget under Executive Order 12866.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Secretary hereby certifies that this regulatory amendment 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. This regulation deals with the internal organization of 
the VA Regional Counsels and primarily impacts VA and beneficiaries. To 
the extent that any small entities deal with VA Regional Counsels, this 
rule merely provides information to assist such entities in identifying 
and locating the proper Regional Counsel and thus will not have any 
significant economic impact upon a substantial number of small 
entities. Therefore, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 605(b), this amendment is 
exempt from the initial and final regulatory flexibility analysis 
requirements of sections 603 and 604.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

    There is no Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance program number 
associated with this rulemaking.

List of Subjects in 38 CFR Part 14

    Administrative practice and procedure, Claims, Courts, Foreign 
relations, Government employees, Lawyers, Legal services, Organization 
and functions (Government agencies), Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements, Surety bonds, Trusts and trustees, Veterans.

    Approved: August 11, 2005.
Gordon H. Mansfield,
Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

0
For the reasons set forth in the preamble, 38 CFR part 14 is amended as 
follows:

PART 14--LEGAL SERVICES, GENERAL COUNSEL, AND MISCELLANEOUS CLAIMS

0
1. The authority citation for part 14 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301; 28 U.S.C. 2671-2680; 38 U.S.C. 501(a), 
512, 515, 5502, 5902-5905; 28 CFR part 14, appendix to part 14, 
unless otherwise noted.

0
2. Section 14.501(f) is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  14.501  Functions and responsibilities of Regional Counsels.

* * * * *
    (f) The jurisdictions and addresses of Regional Counsels are as 
follows:
    (1) Region 1: (JURISDICTION) Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New 
Hampshire, Rhode Island; (ADDRESS) VAMC, 200 Springs Road, Bldg. 61, 
Bedford, MA 01730.
    (2) Region 2: (JURISDICTION) New Jersey, Metropolitan New York 
City; (ADDRESS) 800 Poly Place, Building 14, Brooklyn, NY 11209.
    (3) Region 3: (JURISDICTION) District of Columbia; Fairfax, 
Virginia; Arlington, Virginia; Alexandria, Virginia; Martinsburg, West 
Virginia; and Maryland; (ADDRESS) 3900 Loch Raven Blvd., Bldg. 4, 
Baltimore, MD 21218.
    (4) Region 4: (JURISDICTION) Pennsylvania, Delaware; (ADDRESS) 
University & Woodland Avenues, Philadelphia, PA 19104.
    (5) Region 5: (JURISDICTION) Georgia, South Carolina; (ADDRESS) 
1700 Clairmont Rd., Decatur, GA 30033-4032.
    (6) Region 6: (JURISDICTION) Florida, Puerto Rico; (ADDRESS) P.O. 
Box 5005, Building 22, Room 333, Bay Pines, FL 33744.
    (7) Region 7: (JURISDICTION) Ohio, West Virginia (excluding 
Martinsburg, West Virginia); (ADDRESS) 10000 Brecksville Rd., Bldg. 1, 
5th Floor, Brecksville, OH 44141.
    (8) Region 8: (JURISDICTION) Arkansas, Tennessee; (ADDRESS) 110 9th 
Ave., South Room A-201A, Nashville, TN 37203.
    (9) Region 9: (JURISDICTION) Alabama, Mississippi; (ADDRESS) 1500 
E. Woodrow Wilson Dr., Jackson, MS 39216.
    (10) Region 10: (JURISDICTION) Illinois, Iowa; (ADDRESS) VA Medical 
Center, Bldg. 1, G Section 1st Floor, P. O. Box 1427, Hines, IL 60141.

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    (11) Region 11: (JURISDICTION) Michigan, Wisconsin; (ADDRESS) 
Patrick V. McNamara Federal Bldg., Suite 1460, 477 Michigan Ave., 
Detroit, MI 48226.
    (12) Region 12: (JURISDICTION) Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska; 
(ADDRESS) 1 Jefferson Barracks Drive, St. Louis, MO 63125-4185.
    (13) Region 13: (JURISDICTION) Oklahoma, Northern Texas; (ADDRESS) 
4800 Memorial Drive, Bldg. 12, Waco, TX 76711.
    (14) Region 14: (JURISDICTION) Louisiana, Southern Texas; (ADDRESS) 
6900 Almeda Road, Houston, TX 77030.
    (15) Region 15: (JURISDICTION) Minnesota, North Dakota, South 
Dakota; (ADDRESS) VA Medical Center, One Veterans Drive, Bldg. 73, 
Minneapolis, MN 55417.
    (16) Region 16: (JURISDICTION) Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Montana; 
(ADDRESS) Box 25126, 155 Van Gordon Street, Denver, CO 80225.
    (17) Region 18: (JURISDICTION) California, Hawaii, and Philippine 
Islands; (ADDRESS) VA Medical Center, 4150 Clement Street, Bldg. 210, 
San Francisco, CA 94121.
    (18) Region 19: (JURISDICTION) Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico; 
(ADDRESS) 650 E. Indian School Rd., Bldg. 24, Phoenix AZ 85012.
    (19) Region 20: (JURISDICTION) Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Alaska; 
(ADDRESS) 1220 S.W. Third Ave., Suite 1224, Portland, OR 97204.
    (20) Region 21: (JURISDICTION) New York (except Metropolitan New 
York City), Vermont; (ADDRESS) 120 LeBrun, Buffalo, NY 14215.
    (21) Region 22: (JURISDICTION) Indiana, Kentucky; (ADDRESS) 575 N. 
Pennsylvania Street, Room 309, Indianapolis, IN 46204.
    (22) Region 23: (JURISDICTION) North Carolina, Virginia (excluding 
Fairfax, Arlington, and Alexandria); (ADDRESS) Hiram H. Ward Federal 
Bldg., 251 N. Main Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27155.

[FR Doc. 05-17416 Filed 8-31-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P