SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

On May 5, 2010, the President signed into law the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 (2010 Act), Public Law (Pub. L.) 111-163. Section 506 of the 2010 Act, codified as a note to section 523 of title 38, United States Code (U.S.C.), required VA establish a two-year pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of using community-based organizations and local and State government entities to assist veterans who are transitioning from military service to civilian life in rural or underserved communities and their families. Section 506(d) of the 2010 Act authorized that the pilot program be carried out through the award of grants to community-based organizations and local and State government entities. VA implemented section 506 as the Grants for the Rural Veterans Coordination Pilot (RVCP) program in regulations in part 64 of title 38, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). 78 FR 12617 (February 25, 2013). Such regulations became effective on March 27, 2013.

Under 38 CFR 64.4(c), the two-year grant program period was determined to begin on the date that the RVCP grants were awarded. VA subsequently awarded the RVCP grants. On September 29, 2016, section 108 of the Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2016, Public Law 114-228, amended section 506(g)(1) of the 2010 Act to extend the deadline for the report on the pilot program to September 30, 2017. Since that time, the authority for the RVCP program has not been extended or renewed.

The RVCP grant program was authorized as a temporary pilot initiative to assist veterans transitioning from military service to civilian life in rural or underserved communities and their families by coordinating outreach and services through community organizations. With the expiration of statutory authority and completion of all grant activities, VA no longer has the legal authority to administer or implement this program. Accordingly, 38 CFR part 64 no longer has any legal effect, and removing and reserving part 64 is necessary to ensure that VA's regulations remain current and accurate.

Administrative Procedure Act

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs finds that there is good cause under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to publish this rule without prior opportunity for public comment and with an immediate effective date. Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), general notice and opportunity for public comment are not required with respect to a rulemaking when an “agency for good cause finds (and incorporates the finding and a brief statement of reasons therefor in the rules issued) that notice and public procedure thereon are impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to the public interest.”

This rule rescinds regulations for a program that is no longer authorized. VA has no discretion in whether to continue to implement this program or ( printed page 35414) its regulations. These regulations in 38 CFR part 64 are now obsolete. Thus, the Secretary finds it is unnecessary to delay the issuance of this final rule for purposes of soliciting prior public comment.

Executive Orders 12866, 13563, and 14192

VA examined the impact of this rulemaking as required by Executive Orders 12866 (Sept. 30, 1993) and 13563 (Jan. 18, 2011), which direct agencies to assess all costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, if regulation is necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize net benefits. The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs has determined that this rulemaking is not a significant regulatory action under Executive Order 12866, as supplemented by Executive Order 13563. This final rule is a deregulatory action under Executive Order 14192.

Economic Impact: VA does not anticipate any costs or transfers to be associated with this rule. This action is deregulatory under Executive Order 14192 because it removes an obsolete grant program from the Code of Federal Regulations whose statutory authority has fully expired and whose operations ended years ago. Eliminating 38 CFR part 64 reduces unnecessary regulatory text, improves clarity about which VA programs remain active, and prevents confusion among stakeholders who might mistakenly believe the RVCP grant program is still authorized. Because the program has no current grantees, obligations, funding, or administrative activity, rescinding the regulation imposes no costs and produces modest qualitative benefits by streamlining VA's regulatory code. In line with Executive Order 14192's directive to modernize and update agency rules, this action cleans up outdated provisions and enhances transparency by ensuring VA's regulations accurately reflect current law and agency practice.

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). This certification is based on the fact that the grant program is no longer in effect or authorized by law. 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

This final rule will not 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.

Paperwork Reduction Act

This rule rescinds the program requirements at 38 CFR 64.10 and 64.16 constituting collections of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521), and no new or revised collections of information are associated with this rule.

Assistance Listing

The Assistance Listing number and title for the program affected by this document is 64.038, Grants for the Rural Veterans Coordination Pilot.

Signing Authority

Douglas A. Collins, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, approved this document on June 5, 2026, 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.

91 FR 35413