A wonderful Wednesday to you!
You do not know what you do not know.
December 18, 2024 is a good day for the federal government. Today, the federal government currently has 225 documents from 52 agencies (944 Pages) with 195 Notices, 1 Presidential Documents, 4 Proposed Rules, 25 Rules, and 12 Significant Documents. With this current issue, Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 243 / Wednesday, December 18, 2024 / Notices is up to page 103616. The federal government is busy.
The Presidential Document(s):
Bill of Rights Day, 2024 by the Executive Office of the President on 12/18/2024.
December 15, 2024 is Bill of Rights Day with this proclamation. “As President, I made it my mission to protect our democracy and the freedoms it guarantees.”
Happy belated Bill of Rights Day!
The Significant Document(s):
Administrative Requirements for an Election To Exclude Applicable Unincorporated Organizations From the Application of Subchapter K; Correction by the Internal Revenue Service on 12/18/2024.
This proposed rule has an open comment period ending January 21, 2025. The summary for this document focus is the correction of, “proposed regulations that would provide certain administrative requirements for unincorporated organizations taking advantage of modifications to the rules governing elections to be excluded from the application of partnership tax rules.”
Implementation of HAVANA Act of 2021 by the Commerce Department on 12/18/2024.
This final rule is effective December 18, 2024. The summary is, “This rule implements the HAVANA Act of 2021 (the Act) for the Department of Commerce (Department). The Act provides the authority for the Secretary of Commerce and other agency heads to provide payments to certain individuals who have incurred qualifying injuries to the brain. The rule covers current and former Department employees and dependents of current or former employees.”
Clean Water Act Section 404 Tribal and State Assumption Program by the Environmental Protection Agency on 12/18/2024.
This final rule is effective on January 17, 2025. The summary, “The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or the Agency) is finalizing the Agency's first comprehensive revisions to the regulations governing Clean Water Act (CWA) section 404 Tribal and State programs since 1988. The primary purpose of the revisions is to respond to longstanding requests from Tribes and States to clarify the requirements and processes for the assumption and administration of a CWA section 404 permitting program for discharges of dredged and fill material. The revisions facilitate Tribal and State assumption and administration of CWA section 404, consistent with the policy of the CWA as described in section 101(b), by making the procedures and substantive requirements for assumption transparent and straightforward. It clarifies the minimum requirements for Tribal and State programs while ensuring flexibility to accommodate individual Tribal and State needs. In addition, the final rule clarifies the criminal negligence standard in the CWA section 404 program, as well as making a corresponding change in the section 402 program. Finally, the final rule makes technical revisions, including removing outdated references associated with the section 404 Tribal and State program regulations.”
Modernizing H-2 Program Requirements, Oversight, and Worker Protections by the Homeland Security Department on 12/18/2024.
The final rule is effective January 17, 2025. The summary, “The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is amending its regulations affecting temporary agricultural (H-2A) and temporary nonagricultural (H-2B) nonimmigrant workers (H-2 programs) and their employers. This rulemaking is intended to better ensure the integrity of the H-2 programs and enhance protections for workers.”
Application of Certain Mandatory Bars in Fear Screenings by the Homeland Security Department on 12/18/2024.
This final rule is effective January 17, 2025. The summary, “The Department of Homeland Security (DHS or Department) is amending its regulations to allow asylum officers (AOs) to consider the potential applicability of certain bars to asylum and statutory withholding of removal during credible fear and reasonable fear screenings, including credible fear screenings where the Circumvention of Lawful Pathways or Securing the Border rules apply. The rule is intended to enhance operational flexibility and help DHS more swiftly remove certain noncitizens who are barred from asylum and statutory withholding of removal.”
Carbon Tetrachloride (CTC); Regulation Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) by the Environmental Protection Agency on 12/18/2024.
This final rule is effective January 17, 2025. The summary, “The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or “Agency”) is finalizing a rule to address the unreasonable risk of injury to health presented by carbon tetrachloride (CTC) 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 establish workplace safety requirements for most conditions of use, including the condition of use related to the making of low Global Warming Potential (GWP) hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs); prohibit the manufacture (including import), processing, distribution in commerce, and industrial/commercial use of CTC for conditions of use where information indicates use of CTC has ceased; and establish recordkeeping and downstream notification requirements. The use of CTC in low GWP HFOs is particularly important in the Agency's efforts to support the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2020 (AIM Act) and the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, which was ratified on October 26, 2022.”
Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Small Business Innovation Research Program Data Rights (DFARS Case 2019-D043) by the Defense Acquisition Regulations System on 12/18/2024.
This final rule is effective, January 17, 2025. The summary, “DoD is issuing a final rule amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to implement the data rights portions of the Small Business Innovation Research Program and Small Business Technology Transfer Program Policy Directives.”
Drug and Alcohol Testing of Certificated Repair Station Employees Located Outside of the United States by the Federal Aviation Administration on 12/18/2024.
This final rule is effective January 17, 2025. The summary, “This final rule requires certificated repair stations located outside the territory of the United States (U.S.) whose employees perform safety-sensitive maintenance functions on certain air carrier aircraft to conduct alcohol and controlled substance testing in a manner acceptable to the Administrator and consistent with the applicable laws of the country in which the repair station is located. The final rule directs the repair station to comply with the requirements of the Drug and Alcohol Testing Program published by the FAA and the Procedures for Transportation Workplace Drug Testing Programs published by the Department of Transportation, as proposed. However, this final rule also allows foreign governments, on behalf of certificated repair stations within their territories, and individual foreign repair stations subject to the rule to obtain the Administrator's recognition of a compatible alternative that contains minimum criteria in lieu of compliance with certain components of the Drug and Alcohol Testing Program.”
Availability of Information and Records to the Public by the Social Security Administration on 12/18/2024.
This final rule is effective January 17, 2025. The summary, “The Social Security Administration (SSA) is finalizing revisions to our Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) regulations to conform with the requirements of the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016. The FOIA Improvement Act of 2016 requires Federal agencies to issue regulations on procedures for disclosure of records consistent with the amendments to the FOIA by such Act. We are also finalizing the reorganization of our FOIA regulation to make our FOIA procedures easier for the public to understand and use.”
Suitability and Fitness by the Personnel Management Office on 12/18/2024.
This final rule is effective January 17, 2025. The summary, “The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a final rule revising regulations governing the Federal Government personnel vetting investigative and adjudicative processes for determining suitability and fitness. This final rule establishes requirements and standards for agencies to properly vet individuals to assess risk to the integrity and efficiency of the service. The regulations establish the requirements for when investigations must be conducted for appointments to the civil service, to work as a contractor employee, or to work in a Department of Defense Non appropriated Fund position. This final rule establishes the requirement for enrolling these populations, including low, moderate, and high risk, into continuous vetting. Furthermore, this rule provides adjudicative criteria for assessing suitability and fitness for much of the civil service. Nothing in this rule shall be read in derogation of any individual's rights under Title VII of the U.S. Code.”
US Debt Clock Update
According to the US Debt Clock at roughly 11:19 AM, the US debt is roughly $36,241,743,000,000. The debt per tax payer is $271,790. The good news is that the federal government revenue is roughly $5,087,130,000,000. Not too shabby if you ask me.
Special Note: Interest of Debt (Net) is $1,020,293,000,000.
Current estimated number of US Millionaires: 23,905,872 up from last week by 12,643. It must have been good in the crypto and stock market to make this many millionaires in one week.
The Sun
From Spaceweather.com, “ANOTHER FARSIDE EXPLOSION: Another magnificent halo CME left the farside of the sun on Dec. 17th. Watch the movie. This is fourth farside CME of the past 10 days, signaling a very active sunspot hidden from view. The sun's rotation will turn the active region toward Earth next week. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text”
Amazing website with great information about the Earth-Sun environment.