Federal Travel Regulation; Removal and Reservation of Part 300-90-Telework Travel Expenses Test Programs and Appendix E to Chapter 301-Suggested Guidance for Conference Planning

Published date14 May 2021
Citation86 FR 26455
Record Number2021-09303
SectionProposed rules
CourtGeneral Services Administration
Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 92 (Friday, May 14, 2021)
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 92 (Friday, May 14, 2021)]
                [Proposed Rules]
                [Pages 26455-26456]
                From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
                [FR Doc No: 2021-09303]
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                GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
                41 CFR Parts 300-90, 301-74, and Appendix E to Chapter 301
                [FTR Case 2021-301-01; Docket No. GSA-FTR-2021-0011, Sequence No. 1]
                RIN 3090-AK41
                Federal Travel Regulation; Removal and Reservation of Part 300-
                90--Telework Travel Expenses Test Programs and Appendix E to Chapter
                301--Suggested Guidance for Conference Planning
                AGENCY: Office of Government-wide Policy (OGP), General Services
                Administration (GSA).
                ACTION: Proposed rule.
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                SUMMARY: GSA is proposing to amend the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR)
                to remove and reserve the regulations implementing GSA's authority to
                conduct telework travel expenses test programs. GSA'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 proposing to remove and reserve
                Appendix E to Chapter 301, which contains suggested guidance for
                conference planning.
                DATES: Interested parties should submit written comments to the
                Regulatory Secretariat Division at the address shown below on or before
                July 13, 2021 to be considered in the formation of the final rule.
                ADDRESSES: Submit comments in response to FTR case 2021-301-01 to:
                Regulations.gov: https://www.regulations.gov. Submit comments via the
                Federal eRulemaking portal by searching for ``FTR Case 2021-301-01''.
                Select the link ``Comment Now'' that corresponds with FTR Case 2021-
                301-01. Follow the instructions provided at the ``Comment Now'' screen.
                Please include your name, company name (if any), and ``FTR Case 2021-
                301-01'' on your attached document. If your comment cannot be submitted
                using https://www.regulations.gov, call or email the points of contact
                in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for
                alternate instructions.
                 Instructions: Please submit comments only and cite FTR Case 2021-
                301-01, in all correspondence related to this case. Comments received
                generally will be posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov,
                including any personal and/or business confidential information
                provided. To confirm receipt of your comment(s), please check
                www.regulations.gov, approximately two to three days after submission
                to verify posting.
                FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Jill Denning, Program Analyst, at
                202-208-7642 or [email protected] for
                [[Page 26456]]
                clarification of content. For information pertaining to status or
                publication schedules, contact the Regulatory Secretariat at 202-501-
                4755. Please cite FTR Case 2021-301-01.
                SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                I. Background
                 This proposed rule 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 managed by GSA.
                 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), ever requested and then implemented a telework travel
                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 the same time, the law also removed
                GSA's authority to implement telework travel expenses test programs,
                making part 300-90 no longer necessary.
                 GSA is also proposing to remove and reserve 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 proposed for removal.
                II. 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 anticipated to be a significant regulatory action and,
                therefore, was not subject to review under Section 6(b) of E.O. 12866,
                Regulatory Planning and Review, dated September 30, 1993.
                III. Congressional Review Act
                 This proposed rule is not a major rule under 5 U.S.C. 804(2).
                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.
                IV. Regulatory Flexibility Act
                 GSA does not expect this proposed rule to 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.,
                because the changes are administrative in nature and only affect
                Government employees.
                 Therefore, an Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis has not been
                performed. GSA invites comments from small business concerns and other
                interested parties on the expected impact of this rule on small
                entities.
                 GSA will also consider comments from small entities concerning the
                existing regulations in subparts affected by the rule in accordance
                with 5 U.S.C. 610. Interested parties must submit such comments
                separately and should cite 5 U.S.C. 610 (FTR Case 2021-301-01), in
                correspondence.
                V. 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.
                Krystal J. Brumfield,
                Associate Administrator, Office of Government-wide Policy.
                 Under 5 U.S.C. 5707 and 5711 and discussed in the preamble, GSA
                proposes to amend 41 CFR parts 300-90, 301-74, and Appendix E to part
                301 as set forth below:
                PART 300-90--TELEWORK EXPENSES TEST PROGRAMS [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.
                Sec. 301-74.4 [Amended]
                0
                3. Amend Sec. 301-74.4 by removing the last sentence.
                Appendix E to Chapter 301 [Removed and Reserved]
                0
                4. Remove and reserve appendix E to Chapter 301.
                [FR Doc. 2021-09303 Filed 5-13-21; 8:45 am]
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