Rule2026-08018
Eliminating Regulations Establishing Fellowships in Laboratory Standardization and Testing for Foreign Citizens
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
April 24, 2026
Effective
April 24, 2026
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Institute of Standards and Technology
Abstract
By this rule, NIST removes its regulations establishing fellowships in laboratory standardization and testing for foreign citizens of "other American republics." This action is necessary because no statute specifically requires or contemplates the promulgation of these regulations and because there has not been any active program under these regulations in decades. The removal of these regulations will streamline the Code of Federal Regulations, thereby promoting administrative simplicity and efficiency, and also reprioritize U.S. interests.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 79 (Friday, April 24, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 79 (Friday, April 24, 2026)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 21957-21958]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-08018]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Institute of Standards and Technology
15 CFR Part 255
[Docket No. 260415-0103]
RIN 0693-AB74
Eliminating Regulations Establishing Fellowships in Laboratory
Standardization and Testing for Foreign Citizens
AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST),
Department of Commerce (Department).
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: By this rule, NIST removes its regulations establishing
fellowships in laboratory standardization and testing for foreign
citizens of ``other American republics.'' This action is necessary
because no statute specifically requires or contemplates the
promulgation of these regulations and because there has not been any
active program under these regulations in decades. The removal of these
regulations will streamline the Code of Federal Regulations, thereby
promoting administrative simplicity and efficiency, and also
reprioritize U.S. interests.
DATES: The rule is effective April 24, 2026.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daniel Sweeney, Senior Counsel, Office
of the General Counsel, at (202) 482-1395.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This action eliminates NIST's regulations at
15 CFR part 255, titled ``Fellowships in Laboratory Standardization and
Testing for Qualified Citizens of Other American Republics.'' These
regulations were originally promulgated by final rule on December 28,
1948 (13 FR 8374), pursuant to section 1 of 53 Stat. 1290, a statutory
provision enacted on August 9, 1939. That statutory provision
authorized the President to ``utilize the services of the departments,
agencies, and independent establishments of the Government in carrying
out the reciprocal undertakings and cooperative purposes enunciated in
the treaties, resolutions, declarations, and recommendations signed by
all of the twenty-one American republics at the Inter-American
Conference for the Maintenance of Peace held at Buenos Aires,
Argentina, in 1936, and at the Eighth International Conference of
American States held at Lima, Peru, in 1938.'' Sec. 1, 53 Stat. 1290;
see also 22 U.S.C. 501. The purpose of the
[[Page 21958]]
authorization, according to the statute, was to enable the President
``to render closer and more effective the relationship between the
American republics.'' Id.
Upon review, the Department has determined that 15 CFR part 255 is
now appropriate for removal. No statute specifically requires or
contemplates the promulgation of the regulations at part 255, and the
policy considerations that drove such promulgation in 1948 are, at the
very least, dated. Indeed, there has not been an active program under
part 255 in decades. Moreover, the removal of part 255 is consistent
with the Department's broader efforts to streamline its body of
regulations and to re-emphasize and -prioritize U.S. interests.
Regulatory Classifications
A. Administrative Procedure Act
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), the Department finds good cause to
waive the prior notice and opportunity for public participation
requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act for this final rule.
The Department considers this rule to be uncontroversial, and has
determined that prior notice and opportunity for public participation
is unnecessary, because this rule only removes dated regulatory
language that is neither specifically required nor specifically
authorized by any statute. Moreover, there is no active program under
part 255 that will be affected by this removal, as there has not been
an active program under part 255 for decades. For the same reasons, the
Department has determined that delaying the effectiveness of this
elimination would be contrary to the public interest; eliminating part
255 will simplify and streamline the Department's body of regulations,
thereby promoting accessibility and efficiency, and will help ensure
statutory conformity. The Department thus finds good cause to waive the
public notice and comment period under 553(b)(B) and to waive the 30-
day delay in effectiveness under 553(d).
B. Executive Orders 12866, 14192, and 13132
The Office of Management and Budget has determined this rule is not
significant pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 12866. This rule is an
E.O. 14192 deregulatory action. This rule does not contain policies
having federalism implications as the term is defined in E.O. 13132.
C. Regulatory Flexibility Act
Because a notice of proposed rulemaking and an opportunity for
public participation are not required to be given for this rule by 5
U.S.C. 553(b)(B), the analytical requirements of the Regulatory
Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) are not applicable. Accordingly,
no regulatory flexibility analysis is required, and none has been
prepared.
D. Paperwork Reduction Act
This rule will not impose additional reporting or recordkeeping
requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501,
et seq.
List of Subjects for 15 CFR Part 255
Administrative practice and procedure, Fellowships, Foreign
relations, Laboratories, Measurement standards, Research, Technical
assistance.
Alicia Chambers,
NIST Executive Secretariat.
PART 255--[REMOVED AND RESERVED]
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Accordingly, for the reasons set forth above and under the authority of
15 U.S.C. 277 and 5 U.S.C 301, part 255 of title 15 of the Code of
Federal Regulations is removed and reserved.
[FR Doc. 2026-08018 Filed 4-23-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-10-P
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