[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 113 (Tuesday, June 12, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34974-34975]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-14241]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Solicitation for Comments on the Proposed Realignment of the
Division of Workforce Development From the Office of Indian Energy and
Economic Development to the Office of the Deputy Director--Indian
Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs
AGENCIES: Office of the Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs and Bureau
of Indian Affairs, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Office of the Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs (AS-IA)
is considering realigning the Division of Workforce Development (DWD),
now located in the Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development
(IEED) within AS-IA, to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, under the Office
of the Deputy Director--Indian Services. This notice seeks comments on
this proposed realignment from federally recognized American Indian
Tribes and Alaska Native entities.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before
July 27, 2012.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the information collection to Mr.
Jack Stevens, Acting Director, Division of Workforce Development,
Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development, U.S. Department of
the Interior, Room 20--South Interior Building, 1951 Constitution
Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20245, fax (202) 208-4564; email:
Jack.Stevens@bia.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: You may request further information
from Mr. Jack Stevens, Acting Director, Division of Workforce
Development, Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development, U.S.
Department of the Interior. Telephone: (202) 208-6764.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
The AS-IA is considering realigning the DWD, now located in IEED,
to the BIA, under the Office of the Deputy Director--Indian Services,
to improve management efficiencies and strengthen the Public Law 102-
477 demonstration project.
In 2005, DWD was realigned from the Office of Tribal Services (now
the Office of the Deputy Director--Indian Services), BIA to the Office
of Self-Governance. On August 29, 2006, it was realigned again, into
IEED. The purpose of the action under consideration is to return DWD to
the Office of the Deputy Director--Indian Services. This realignment
will not result in any loss of funding or staff positions for DWD nor
will it alter in any respect its responsibility to:
Administer the Public Law 102-477 demonstration project
under the Indian Employment, Training, and Related Services
Demonstration Act of 1992, as amended, 25 U.S.C. 3401 et seq.
Administer the Job Placement and Training Program under 25
CFR part 26
Gather and publish population and employment data for the
congressionally-mandated Labor Force Report pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3416.
[[Page 34975]]
Rather, the realignment would reunite DWD with the Division of
Human Services and the Division of Self-Determination, which perform
complementary services and which are within the office of the Deputy
Director--Indian Services.
DWD transmits welfare funding under the BIA's General Assistance
Program and the Tribal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families Program
(TANF); job placement and training aid under the Department of Health
and Human Service's Native Employment Works Program (NEW) program, the
Department of Labor's Workforce Investment Act (WIA), and the
Department of Labor's Section 166 Comprehensive Services Program and
its Section 166 Supplemental Youth Services Program; funding for child
welfare and child protective services under the Child Care and
Development Fund Program (CCDF); funding for school supplies under the
BIE Johnson-O'Malley (JOM) programs; and funding for burial services
under 25 CFR 20.324-20.326. These operations align with the Division of
Human Services, which administers social service, welfare assistance,
and American Indian child welfare matters.
DWD provides many of its funding awards through Public Law 93-638
contracts, which the Division of Self-Determination oversees. The
Division of Self-Determination also provides Public Law 93-638 training
and technical assistance to the BIA and tribes and certifies Awarding
Officials who monitor the performance of Public Law 93-638 contracts.
For these operational reasons, AS-IA proposes to return DWD to its
original home in the BIA.
Dated: May 31, 2012.
Donald E. Laverdure,
Acting Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2012-14241 Filed 6-11-12; 8:45 am]
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