Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2001/08/22/01-21135/state-department-as-agent-of-department-of-veterans-affairs
Timestamp: 2017-08-16 19:41:00
Document Index: 480445866

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 3', '§\u20093', 'art 3', '§\u20093', '§\u20093', '§\u20093']

Federal Register :: State Department as Agent of Department of Veterans Affairs
State Department as Agent of Department of Veterans Affairs
A Proposed Rule by the Veterans Affairs Department on 08/22/2001
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/01-21135 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/01-21135
This document proposes to amend the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regulation that authorizes diplomatic and consular officers of the State Department to act as agents of VA. The intended effect of this amendment is to present the existing regulation in “plain language”.
Mail or hand deliver written comments to: Director, Office of Regulations Management (02D), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Ave., NW, Room 1154, Washington, DC 20420; or fax comments to (202) 273-9289; or e-mail comments to OGCRegulations@mail.va.gov. Comments should indicate that they are submitted in response to “RIN 2900-AK03”. All comments received will be available for public inspection at the above address in the Office of Regulations Management, Room 1158, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday (except holidays).
Bob White, Team Leader, Plain Language Regulations Project, Veterans Benefits Administration, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420. Telephone: 202/273-7228 (this is not a toll-free number).
VA proposes to rewrite 38 CFR 3.108 in plain language. This regulation authorizes diplomatic and consular officers of the State Department to act as agents of VA. It is currently located in Start Printed Page 44096Subpart A of Part 3. We propose to create a new § 3.2125 to restate the current regulation. The proposed section would be located in Subpart D, Universal Adjudication Rules That Apply to Benefit Claims Governed by Part 3 of This Title.
Paragraph (a) of proposed § 3.2125 would authorize State Department diplomatic and consular officers to accept informal and formal claims filed in a foreign country. It would also authorize them to accept evidence submitted in support of those claims. Paragraph (b) would provide that such claims and evidence will be considered to be filed with VA on the date they are received by a State Department officer. This restates the text currently found at 38 CFR 3.108. No substantive changes have been made.
The Secretary certifies that the adoption of this proposed rule would 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 proposed rule will not directly affect any small entities. Only VA beneficiaries could be directly affected. 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.
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance program numbers for this document are 64.102, 64.104, 64.105, 64.109, 64.110, and 64.127.
Approved: August 14, 2001.
2. Section 3.108 is removed.
Authority: 38 U.S.C. 501(a), unless otherwise noted. 4. New § 3.2125 is added under the undesignated center heading “GENERAL” to read as follows:
§ 3.2125
How can I file a claim if I live outside of the United States?
(a) Diplomatic and consular officers of the State Department are authorized to act as agents for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Officers at U.S. Embassies and Consulates may accept formal and informal claims filed in foreign countries. They may also accept evidence submitted in support of those claims. (See 38 CFR 3.202.)
(b) Claims and evidence are considered filed with VA on the date they are received by a State Department officer.
(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 5106)
[FR Doc. 01-21135 Filed 8-21-01; 8:45 am]