[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 126 (Wednesday, July 1, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 35847]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-17624]



[[Page 35847]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

42 CFR Part 121


Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network; Final Rule 
Revision of Comment Period and Effective Dates

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Extension of Comment Period and Delay of Effective Date for the 
Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network.

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SUMMARY: This document sets forth the revisions required by the Fiscal 
Year 1998 Supplemental Appropriations Act, Public Law 105-174, signed 
into law by the President on May 1, 1998. Section 4002 of that Act 
states that public comments on the Organ Procurement and 
Transplantation Network (OPTN) Final Rule are permitted until August 
31, 1998, and that the OPTN rule will not become effective before 
October 1, 1998. This document is provided to notify the public about 
these provisions and to make corresponding changes to the regulation.

DATES: The effective date of the final rule published April 2, 1998 (63 
FR 16296), as amended in this rule, is delayed until October 1, 1998. 
Comments on the final rule may be submitted through August 31, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be addressed to Jon L. Nelson, 
Associate Director, Office of Special Programs, Room 123, Park 
Building, 12420 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, MD 20857 as provided in the 
April 2, 1998, final rule, 63 FR 16296.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jon L. Nelson, Associate Director, 
Office of Special Programs, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 7-29, Rockville, MD 
20857, telephone 301-443-7577.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 2, 1998, the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services published in the Federal Register a final rule 
governing the operation of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation 
Network. That document invited public comments for a period of sixty 
days, ending on June 1, 1998. The final rule was to be effective on 
July 1, 1998.
    As a result of the enactment of the Supplemental Appropriations 
Act, the comment period has been extended until August 31, 1998, and 
the final rule will become effective on October 1, 1998. Consistent 
with these extensions, several of the provisions of the final rule 
whose internal deadlines were tied to the effective date of the final 
rule are also being extended.
    Therefore, 42 CFR Part 121, as promulgated at 63 FR 16296-16338, is 
amended as follows:
    1. The authority citation for Part 121 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: Sections 215, 371-376 of the Public Health Service 
Act (42 U.S.C. 216, 273-274d); Sections 1102, 1106, 1138, and 1872 
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1302, 1306, 1320b-8 and 
1395ii).


Sec. 121.3  [Amended]

    2. In Sec. 121.3(e), revise ``July 1, 1998,'' wherever it appears 
to read ``October 1, 1998,''.


Sec. 121.8  [Amended]

    3. Sec. 121.8(c)(1), revise ``July 1, 1999'' to read ``October 1, 
1999''.
    4. Sec. 121.8(c)(2), revise ``August 31, 1998'' to read ``November 
30, 1998''.

    Dated: June 2, 1998.
Claude Earl Fox,
Administrator.

    Approved: June 23, 1998.
Donna E. Shalala,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-17624 Filed 6-30-98; 8:45 am]
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