A great Tuesday to you!
You do not know what you do not know.
December 17, 2024 is a good day for the federal government. Today, the federal government currently has 234 documents from 56 agencies (835 Pages) with 192 Notices, 2 Presidential Documents, 9 Proposed Rules, and 31 Rules, and 9 Significant Documents. With this current issue, Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 242 / Tuesday, December 17, 2024 / Notices is up to page 102672. The federal government is busy.
The Presidential Document(s):
Establishment of the China Censorship Monitor and Action Group by the Executive Office of the President on 12/17/2024.
This memorandum directs the heads of departments and agencies to establish a task force to, “monitor and address the effects of any efforts by the People's Republic of China (PRC)”. This task force, “oversee the development and execution of an integrated Federal Government strategy to monitor and address the impacts of efforts directed, or directly supported, by the Government of the People’s Republic of China to censor or intimidate, in the United States or in any of its possessions or territories, any United States person, including United States companies that conduct business in the People’s Republic of China, which are exercising their right to freedom of speech”
Establishment of the Countering Economic Coercion Task Force by the Executive Office of the President on 12/17/2024.
This memorandum directs the heads of departments and agencies to, “improve efforts to respond to coercive economic practices of countries of concern, including the People's Republic of China (PRC).” This task force is, “oversee the development and implementation of an integrated United States Government strategy to respond to People’s Republic of China (PRC) coercive economic practices, which shall include—…” The other sections include monitoring and evaluation along with consulting with United States allies and partners. Then engage the United States private sector susceptible to PRC to implement processes for information sharing.
The Significant Document(s)s:
Administrative Leave, Investigative Leave, and Notice Leave by the Personnel Management Office on 12/17/2024.
This final rule is effective January 16, 2025, with internal policies obligations no later than September 13, 2025. The summary for this rule is, “The Office of Personnel Management is issuing a final rule on the acceptable uses and proper recording of administrative leave, investigative leave, and notice leave for covered Federal employees. The Administrative Leave Act of 2016 created these categories of statutorily authorized paid leave and set parameters for their use by Federal agencies. OPM prescribes this final rule to carry out the Act and guide agencies regarding these leave categories.”
Bottom of Form
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Program Purpose and Work Requirement Provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 by the Food and Nutrition Service on 12/17/2024.
This final rule is effective January 16, 2025. The summary for this rule is, “This final rule implements three provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) of 2023, affecting the program purpose and individuals subject to the able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWD) time limit for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). These changes do the following: add language about assisting low-income adults in obtaining employment and increasing their earnings to the program purpose; update and define exceptions from the ABAWD time limit; and adjust the number of discretionary exemptions available to State agencies each year. This rule also clarifies procedures for when State agencies must screen for exceptions to the time limit and verification requirements for exceptions.”
Ensuring Safe Accommodations for Air Travelers With Disabilities Using Wheelchairs by the Transportation Department on 12/17/2024.
This final rule is effective January 16, 2025. The summary for this rule, “The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT or the Department) is issuing a final rule to strengthen its regulation implementing the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) and to address the serious problems that individuals with disabilities using wheelchairs and scooters face when traveling by air that impact their safety and dignity, including mishandled wheelchairs and scooters and improper transfers to and from aircraft seats, aisle chairs, and personal wheelchairs. This final rule also carries out certain rulemaking provisions required by the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024.”
Trichloroethylene (TCE); Regulation Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) by the Environmental Protection Agency on 12/17/2024.
This final rule is effective January 16, 2025. The summary for this rule is, “The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) is finalizing a rule to address the unreasonable risk of injury to health presented by trichloroethylene (TCE) under its conditions of use. TSCA requires that EPA address by rule any unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment identified in a TSCA risk evaluation and apply requirements to the extent necessary so that the chemical no longer presents unreasonable risk. EPA's final rule will, among other things, prevent serious illness associated with uncontrolled exposures to the chemical by preventing consumer access to the chemical, restricting the industrial and commercial use of the chemical while also allowing for a reasonable transition period with interim worker protections in place where an industrial and commercial use of the chemical is being prohibited, and provide time-limited exemptions for critical or essential uses of TCE for which no technically and economically feasible safer alternatives are available.”
Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2002; Biennial Review and Republication of the Select Agent and Toxin List by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service on 12/17/2024.
This final rule is effective January 16, 2025. The summary for this rule is, “In accordance with Title II, Subtitle B of the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 (which is cited as the “Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2002” and referred to as the Act), we are amending and republishing the list of select agents and toxins that have the potential to pose a severe threat to animal or plant health, or to animal or plant products. The Act requires the biennial review and republication of the list of select agents and toxins (the list) and the revision of the list as necessary. This action implements the findings from the biennial review of the list. The biennial review was initiated within 2 years of the completion of the previous biennial review. This final rule will focus solely on removing from the select agent list the following pathogens: Peronosclerospora philippinensis (Peronosclerospora sacchari) (Plant Protection and Quarantine select agent), African horse sickness virus (Veterinary Services select agent), and Brucella abortus, Brucella suis, and Brucella melitensis (overlap select agents).”
Inmate Legal Activities: Visits by Attorneys by the Prisons Bureau on 12/17/2024.
This final rule is effective December 17, 2024. The summary for this rule is, “In this document, the Bureau of Prisons (“Bureau” or “BOP”) finalizes revisions to regulations related to attorney-client visits at BOP institutions.”
HUBZone Program Updates and Clarifications, and Clarifications to Other Small Business Programs by the Small Business Administration on 12/17/2024.
This final rule is effective January 16, 2025. The summary for this rule, “The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA or Agency) amends its regulations governing the Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) Program to clarify certain policies. In 2019, SBA published a comprehensive revision to the HUBZone Program regulations, which implemented changes intended to make the HUBZone Program more efficient and effective. This rule clarifies and improves policies surrounding some of those changes. In particular, the rule requires any certified HUBZone small business to be eligible as of the date of offer for any HUBZone contract. The rule also makes several changes to SBA's size and 8(a) Business Development (BD) regulations, as well as some technical changes to the Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) and Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert) programs. Of note, the rule deletes the program specific recertification requirements contained separately in SBA's size, 8(a) BD, HUBZone, WOSB, and VetCert and moves them to a new section that covers all size and status recertification requirements. This should ensure that the size and status requirements will be uniformly applied.”
Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Protecting Care Access by the Health and Human Services Department on 12/17/2024.
This final rule is effective on December 17, 2024. The summary of this rule is, “This final rule has finalized certain proposals from the Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Patient Engagement, Information Sharing, and Public Health Interoperability Proposed Rule (HTI-2 Proposed Rule) and in doing so supports the access, exchange, and use of electronic health information. Specifically, this final rule amends the information blocking regulations to revise two existing information blocking exceptions and establish an additional reasonable and necessary activity that does not constitute information blocking referred to as the Protecting Care Access Exception.”
Other Item:
Just the other day, a Significant Document was recorded regarding Medicare and Medicaid 2025 Pricing. Well, today, the Medicare and Medicaid Programs are getting started for the 2026 Year.
Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Contract Year 2026 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, Medicare Cost Plan Program, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on 12/10/2024.
This covers, “This proposed rule would revise the Medicare Advantage (Part C), Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit (Part D), Medicaid, Medicare cost plan, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) regulations to implement changes related to Star Ratings, marketing and communications, agent/broker compensation, health equity, drug coverage, dual eligible special needs plans (D-SNPs), utilization management, network adequacy, and other programmatic areas, including the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program. This proposed rule also includes proposals to codify existing subregulatory guidance in the Part C and Part D programs.” Comment periods are available to present feedback until January 27, 2025.
Top of Form
Bottom of Form
US Debt Clock Update
Setting new records every day!
According to the US Debt Clock at roughly 10:52 AM, the US debt is roughly $36,238,122,000,000. Each taxpayer’s debt is $271,790. The good news is that the federal government revenue is roughly $5,085,649,000,000. Not too shabby if you ask me.
Special Note: Interest of Debt (Net) is $1,019,467,000,000.
The Sun
From Spaceweather.com, “UNEXPECTED CME IMPACT: A CME was supposed to narrowly miss Earth today. Instead, it delivered a direct hit. NOAA's DSCOVR spacecraft recorded the impact on Dec. 17th (0519 UT). Conditions appear favorable for G1 to G2-class geomagnetic storms in the hours ahead. CME impact alerts: SMS Text”
Amazing website with great information about the Earth-Sun environment.