We are giving notice that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs intends to renew the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Joint Brain, Behavioral, and Mental Health and Medical Health Scientific Merit Review Board (formerly Joint Biomedical Laboratory Research and Development and Clinical Science Research and Development Services Scientific Merit Review Board) for a 2-year period. The Secretary has determined that the Committee is necessary and in the public interest.

Justification—The review of biomedical research proposals requires highly specialized expertise. The Broad and appropriate expertise can only be obtained by recruiting experts both from within and outside of the Federal Government.

Why Committee is Essential—The Joint Brain, Behavioral, and Mental Health and Medical Health Scientific Merit Review Board provides expert review of the scientific quality, budget, safety, and mission-relevance of investigator-initiated research applications that are submitted for VA merit review consideration and to offers advice for research program officials on program priorities and policies. The applications the Board reviews address research questions within the general area of biomedical and behavioral research or clinical science research. VA research is a statutory mandate under 38 U.S. Code § 7303, Public Law 117-328. VA Research priorities are further mandated by the Hannon Act (traumatic brain injury), the PACT Act (military toxic exposures and Gulf War Illness), the CARA act (Pain and opioid treatment), the Cleland Dole Act (Precision Oncology), and the MISSION and Elizabeth Dole Acts (community care). There is no other mechanism for VA to get this expert advice.

In conclusion, this Notice of Intent states that this renewing Board is in the public interest, essential to the conduct of agency business and that the information provided is not available through any other advisory committee or source within the Federal Government.

The point of contact is Jeffrey Moragne, Committee Management Office, Department of Veterans Affairs, Advisory Committee Management Office (00AC), 811 Vermont Avenue, 4th floor, NW, Washington, DC 20420; telephone (202) 714-1578; or email at Jeffrey.Moragne@va.gov.

Please see the Federal Register notice for additional information.