[Federal Register: March 9, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 46)]
[Notices]               
[Page 10717-10718]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09mr07-59]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

 
Sunshine Act Meeting; Independent Review Group To Report on 
Rehabilitative Care and Administrative Processes at Walter Reed Army 
Medical Center and National Naval Medical Center

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs); 
DoD.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5 
U.S.C., Appendix as amended ), the Sunshine in the Government Act of 
1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended), and 41 CFR 102-3.150, the following 
meeting notice is announced.

Name of Committee: Independent Review Group To Report on Rehabilitative 
Care and Administrative Processes at Walter Reed Army Medical Center 
and National Naval Medical Center--a subcommittee of the Defense Health 
Board (DHB).

Dates: March 13, 2007 (Open Session). March 14, 2007 (Open Session).

Times: 13:30 p.m.-15 p.m. (March 13, 2007). 13:30 p.m.-15 p.m. (March 
14, 2007).

Location: Joel Auditorium, Building 1, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, 
16th Street, Washington, DC 20307 (March 13, 2007) and Clark 
Auditorium, Building 10, National Naval Medical

[[Page 10718]]

Center, 8901 Rockville Pike, Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20889 
(March 14, 2007).

Purpose of the Meeting: The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the 
mechanisms the Independent Review Group to Report on Rehabilitative 
Care and Administrative Processes at Walter Reed Army Medical Center 
and National Naval Medical Center (hereafter referred to as the 
``Independent Review Group'') is using and will use to identify 
critical shortcomings in and opportunities to improve rehabilitative 
care, administrative processes, and quality of life for injured and 
sick members of the Armed Forces at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center 
(SRAMC) and the National Naval Medical Center (NNMC)--in order to make 
recommendations for corrective actions. This meeting is intended as one 
of these mechanisms as interested individuals and groups will be given 
an opportunity to provide relevant input directly to the Independent 
Review Group.

Agenda: The Honorable John O. Marsh (Co-chair) will open both sessions 
and present a short summary of mechanisms the Independent Review Group 
is using and will use to identify shortcomings and opportunities for 
improvement. After comments from group members, members of the public 
invited to make oral presentations (in accordance with procedures 
described in this notice) will be given an opportunity to orally 
provide relevant information. The Honorable Togo West (Co-chair) will 
close each session, reviewing mechanisms members of the public may use 
to provide additional information to the Independent Review Group.
    Members of the public wishing to provide input to the Independent 
Review Group at either open sessions should submit written statements 
in accordance with 41 CFR 102-3.140(C), section 10(a)(3) of the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act, and the procedures described in this notice. 
Written statements should be no longer than two type-written pages and 
must address the following detail: The issue, discussion, and a 
recommended course of action. Supporting documentation may be included 
as needed to establish the appropriate historical context and to 
provide any necessary background information.
    Individuals submitting written statements must submit their 
statements to the Defense Health Board's Designated Federal Officer at 
the address detailed below and should provide a fax copy directly to 
the Independent Review Group Staff Director at 703-602-6989. If a 
written statement is not received at least 1 calendar day prior to the 
sessions which are the subject of this notice, then it may not be 
possible to arrange for an opportunity to present at one of the 
sessions. Regardless of whether a written statement leads to oral 
presentation at one of the sessions, it will still be provided to the 
members of the Independent Review Group for their review.
    The Designated Federal Officer will review all timely submissions 
with the Independent Review Group Co-Chairs and ensure they are 
provided to members of the Independent Review Group before the sessions 
that are subject to this notice. After reviewing the written 
statements, the Chairperson and the Designated Federal Officer may 
choose to invite those who submit statement to orally present their 
issues during the sessions.
    The Designated Federal Officer, in consultation with the 
Independent Review Group Co-Chairs, may, if desired, allot a specific 
amount of time for members of the public to orally present their issues 
for review and discussion by the members of the Independent Review 
Group.
    On March 1, 2007 the members of the Independent Review Group had an 
administrative working meeting to discuss administrative matters 
pertaining to the Independent Review Group, and to receive 
administrative information from the Department of Defense. During the 
meeting the members of the Independent Review Group indicated that they 
wanted to hold a public meeting at the earliest opportunity, and the 
earliest that a meeting could be scheduled was March 13-14, 2007. Since 
these dates are within the 15-calendar day notification window, the 
Committee Management Officer for the Department of Defense, pursuant to 
41 CFR 102-3,150(b), grants the Independent Review Group a waiver to 
the 15-calendar day notification requirement.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colonel Roger L. Gibson, Executive 
Secretary, Defense Health Board, Five Skyline Place, 5111 Leesburg 
Pike, Room 810, Falls Church, Virginia 22041-3206, (703) 681-3279, Ext. 
123, (roger.gibson@ha.osd.mil)

    Editorial note: This document was received at the Office of the 
Federal Register March 7, 2007.

    Dated: March 6, 2005.
L.M. Bynum,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 07-1140 Filed 3-7-07; 1:08 pm]

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