We are giving notice that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs intends to reestablish the Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans’ Rural Health Advisory Committee for a 2-year period. The Secretary has determined that the Committee is necessary and in the public interest.

Justification—VRHAC continues to provide valuable external rural health stakeholder perspective regarding rural health care and the challenges of accessing and delivering services in rural and highly rural areas. Stakeholder representation of Federal, state, regional, and local organizations is good; though proposed solutions to overcoming challenges specific to rural Veterans are often limited by implementation feasibility in the VA and the Veterans Health Administration.

Why Committee is Essential—VRHAC provides advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on health care issues that affect Veterans residing in rural areas. The Committee meets at least twice annually to discuss programs and policies that impact the provision of VA health care to Veterans. This is obtained from its committee meetings and through the valuable external rural health stakeholder perspective regarding rural health care and the challenges of accessing and delivering services in rural and highly rural areas.

In conclusion, this Notice of Reestablishment states that this Committee 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.