Rule2021-21391
Federal Travel Regulation; Removal and Reservation Telework Travel Expenses Test Programs and Suggested Guidance for Conference Planning
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
October 4, 2021
Effective
November 3, 2021
Issuing agencies
General Services Administration
Abstract
GSA is amending the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) to remove and reserve the regulations implementing the Administrator of General Services' authority to authorize agencies to conduct telework travel expenses test programs. The Administrator's authority to authorize agencies to conduct such test programs expired in accordance with the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021. GSA is also removing and reserving regulations, that contain suggested guidance for conference planning.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 189 (Monday, October 4, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 189 (Monday, October 4, 2021)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 54630-54631]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-21391]
[[Page 54630]]
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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
41 CFR Parts 300-90, 301-74, Appendix E to Chapter 301
[FTR Case 2021-301-01; Docket No. GSA-FTR-2021-0011, Sequence No. 2]
RIN 3090-AK41
Federal Travel Regulation; Removal and Reservation Telework
Travel Expenses Test Programs and Suggested Guidance for Conference
Planning
AGENCY: Office of Government-wide Policy (OGP), General Services
Administration (GSA).
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: GSA is amending the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) to remove
and reserve the regulations implementing the Administrator of General
Services' authority to authorize agencies to conduct telework travel
expenses test programs. The Administrator's authority to authorize
agencies to conduct such test programs expired in accordance with the
William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2021. GSA is also removing and reserving regulations, that
contain suggested guidance for conference planning.
DATES: Effective November 3, 2021.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Jill Denning, Program Analyst, at
202-208-7642 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ec989e8d9a89809c8380858f95ac8b9f8dc28b839a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="54202635223138243b383d372d143327357a333b22">[email protected]</span></a> for clarification of content. For
information pertaining to status or publication schedules, contact the
Regulatory Secretariat Division at 202-501-4755 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#064155475463615563654661756728616970"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="edaabeacbf888abe888ead8a9e8cc38a829b">[email protected]</span></a>.
Please cite FTR Case 2021-301-01.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
This final rule, published as a proposed rule on May 14, 2021 (86
FR 26455), first amends the FTR to remove and reserve part 300-90.
Originally, this part was included in the FTR due to the enactment of
Public Law (Pub. L.) 111-292, the ``Telework Enhancement Act of 2010,''
codified at 5 U.S.C. 5711, which authorized the creation of agency
telework travel expenses test programs subject to approval by the
Administrator of General Services.
When submitting a test program proposal to GSA, agencies were
directed to include an analysis of the expected cost and benefits and a
set of criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of the program. Once
approved, participating agencies were required to submit an annual
report on the results of the test program, including overall costs and
benefits.
Only one Federal agency, the United States Patent and Trademark
Office (USPTO), requested and then implemented a telework travel
expenses test program under this authority. When Public Law 116-283
became effective on January 1, 2021, it made the USPTO telework travel
expenses program permanent. At that time, the law did not extend the
Administrator of General Services' authority to approve telework travel
expenses test programs, so it expired as of December 31, 2020, making
part 300-90 no longer necessary.
GSA is also removing and reserving Appendix E to Chapter 301 of the
FTR, ``Suggested Guidance for Conference Planning,'' first published
January 10, 2000 (65 FR 1329). As noted in the title, the guidance is
suggested, not a mandatory set of instructions agencies must follow
when planning a conference. Some readers have found the word
``suggested'' in the title confusing and duplicative, considering
similar regulatory instructions regarding conference planning are
located in FTR part 301-74. GSA believes that general information on
how to plan a conference, the focus of Appendix E, is now more widely
available through non-Governmental and professional resources than it
was when the Appendix was first published.
Finally, one reference to Appendix E that was in regulatory text is
also removed in accordance with the above.
II. Discussion of Final Rule
This rule removes and reserves both part 300-90 and Appendix E to
Chapter 301 of the FTR. GSA received no comments in response to the
proposed rule.
III. Executive Orders 12866 and 13563
Executive Orders (E.O.s) 12866 and 13563 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 (including potential economic, environmental, public
health and safety effects, distributive impacts, and equity). E.O.
13563 emphasizes the importance of quantifying both costs and benefits,
of reducing costs, of harmonizing rules, and of promoting flexibility.
This is not a significant regulatory action and, therefore, is not
subject to review under Section 6(b) of E.O. 12866, Regulatory Planning
and Review, dated September 30, 1993.
IV. Congressional Review Act
Subtitle E of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness
Act of 1996 (codified at 5 U.S.C. 801-808), also known as the
Congressional Review Act or CRA, generally provides that before a rule
may take effect, the agency promulgating the rule must submit a rule
report, which includes a copy of the rule, to each House of the
Congress and to the Comptroller General of the United States. OIRA has
determined that this rule is not a major rule under 5 U.S.C. 804(2),
therefore, GSA did not submit a rule report.
V. Regulatory Flexibility Act
This final rule will not have a significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities within the meaning of the
Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq. This final rule is
also exempt from the Administrative Procedure Act pursuant to 5 U.S.C.
553(a)(2) because it applies to agency management or personnel.
Therefore, an Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis was not
performed.
VI. Paperwork Reduction Act
The Paperwork Reduction Act does not apply because the changes to
the FTR do not impose recordkeeping or information collection
requirements, or the collection of information from offerors,
contractors, or members of the public that require the approval of the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under 44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.
List of Subjects in 41 CFR Parts 300-90 and 301-74, and Appendix E
to Chapter 301
Government employees, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements,
Travel and transportation expenses.
Robin Carnahan,
Administrator of General Services.
Therefore, under the authority 5 U.S.C. 5707 and 5711, GSA removes
41 CFR parts 300-90, amends 301-74, and removes Appendix E to Chapter
301 as set forth below:
PART 300-90--[REMOVED AND RESERVED]
0
1. Remove and reserve part 300-90.
PART 301-74-CONFERENCE PLANNING
0
2. The authority citation for 41 CFR 301-74 continues to read as
follows:
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 5707.
[[Page 54631]]
Sec. 301-74.4 [Amended]
0
3. Amend Sec. 301-74.4 by removing the last sentence of the paragraph.
Appendix E to Chapter 301--[Removed and Reserved]
0
4. Remove and reserve Appendix E to Chapter 301.
[FR Doc. 2021-21391 Filed 10-1-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
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