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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 194 / Tuesday, October 12, 2021 / Rules and Regulations
making any changes based on this comment.
One commenter disagreed with the statement in the proposed rules Supplementary Section where VA stated that several branches of the Armed Forces train individuals to perform the duties of a physician assistant without the required educational training. The commenter stated that corpsman and medics are very highly trained and provide exceptional medical care to their fellow servicemembers but they are not trained perform to the duties of a PA, and that the training is extensive but one cannot be called a PA without going through PA school.
We agree with the commenter that being trained in potential PA duties does not equate with being a PA, and that is exactly the function of the EACFMAF, to allow an individual without formal PA training to receive such training. We stated in the proposed rule that the EACFMAF would allow such individuals the opportunity to complete their education and training in order to be employed by VA as a physician assistant. We are not making any changes based on this comment.
Technical Edit We are making one technical edit to 17.536b4. Proposed 17.536b4
stated that an applicant must submit an application to participate in the Scholarship Program together with a signed contract. We are amending the term contract to now state agreement to be consistent in the use of the term as stated in 17.538. We are not making any changes to the meaning of 17.536b4.
Based on the rationale set forth in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION to the proposed rule and in this final rule, VA
is adopting the proposed rule with the changes described in this final rule.
Paperwork Reduction Act The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
44 U.S.C. 3507d requires that VA
consider the impact of paperwork and other information collection burdens imposed on the public. According to the 1995 amendments to the Paperwork Reduction Act 5 CFR 1320.8b2vi, an agency may not collect or sponsor the collection of information, nor may it impose an information collection requirement unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget OMB control number. This final rule includes provisions constituting an amendment of an existing collection of information under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
that require approval by the OMB. The existing OMB control number that will
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be amended by this action is 29000793.
Accordingly, under 44 U.S.C. 3507d, VA has submitted a copy of this rulemaking action to OMB for review.
OMB assigns control numbers to collections of information it approves.
VA may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Proposed 38 CFR 17.538
contains a collection of information under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. If OMB does not approve the collection of information as requested, VA will immediately remove the provision containing a collection of information or take such other action as is directed by OMB.
The amended proposed collection of information is comprised of an agreement between VA and the eligible individual who accepts funding for the Educational Assistance for Certain Former Members of the Armed Forces EACFMAF.
VA estimates there will be 100
veteran applicants per year, which will require them to complete an application package. This application package is comprised of the application itself, academic verification, evaluation &
recommendation, and an addendum to the application. VA estimates it will take an applicant 3.7 hours to complete the application package, for a total PRA
cost of $10,061.02 100 applicants 3.7
hrs. $27.07 1.
Additionally, there will be further collections for applicants selected for the program. VA intends to select 25
Veterans for the scholarship each year.
Those selected to receive the scholarship will be required to fill out agreements for the scholarship, a mobility agreement, an offer response, notice of change/annual academic report, notice of approaching graduation, education program completion, request for deferment for advanced education, and an annual VA
employment/deferment verification. VA
estimates it will take 1.75 hours to complete the acceptance package, for a total PRA cost of $ 1,184.31 25
applicants 1.75 hrs. $27.07 2. VA
1 For
the proposed collection of information, VA
used general wage data from the May 2020 Bureau of Labor Statistics BLS website, https
www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm, VA used the BLS wage code of 000000 All Occupations, which has a mean hourly wage/salary workers of $27.07.
2 For the proposed collection of information, VA
used general wage data from the May 2020 Bureau of Labor Statistics BLS website, https
www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm, VA used the BLS wage code of 000000 All Occupations, which has a mean hourly wage/salary workers of $27.07.

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estimates the total annual burden cost to all respondents to be $11,245.33
$10,061.02 for the application +
$1,184.31 acceptance package.
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. 601612. This rulemaking does not change VAs policy regarding small businesses, does not have an economic impact to individual businesses, and there are no increased or decreased costs to small business entities. On this basis, the final rule will not have an economic impact on a substantial number of small entities as they are defined in the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601612.
Therefore, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 605b, the initial and final regulatory flexibility analysis requirements of 5 U.S.C. 603
and 604 do not apply.
Executive Orders 12866 and 13563
Executive Orders 12866 and 13563
direct agencies to assess the costs and 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.
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 the expenditure by State, local, and tribal governments, in the aggregate, or by the private sector, of $100 million or more adjusted annually for inflation in any one year. This final rule will have no such effect on State, local, and tribal governments, or on the private sector.

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