[The Regulatory Plan and Unified Agenda of Federal Regulations] [Department of Veterans Affairs Regulatory Plan] [From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov] DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (VA) Statement of Regulatory Priorities The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is the custodian and administrator of important public obligations to those who served this Nation. The VA's regulatory responsibility is almost solely confined to carrying out the mandate of the laws enacted by Congress relating to programs for veterans. The Department's major regulatory objective is to implement these laws with fairness, justice, and efficiency. Most of the regulations issued by the VA involve three VA components: the Veterans Benefits Administration, the Veterans Health Administration, and the National Cemetery System. The Veterans Benefits Administration has as its basic goal providing high-quality and timely service in delivering nonmedical benefits to eligible veterans and their beneficiaries. The principal goal of the Veterans Health Administration is to provide high-quality health care on a timely basis to eligible veterans through its system of medical centers, nursing homes, domiciliaries, and outpatient medical and dental facilities. The National Cemetery System's primary mission is to bury eligible veterans, members of the Reserve components, and their dependents in VA National Cemeteries and to maintain those cemeteries as national shrines in perpetuity as a final tribute of a grateful nation to honor the memory and service of those who served in the Armed Forces. Consistent with the provisions of Executive Order 12866, the Department is in the process of reviewing and updating regulations. As an example, the Department recently began a comprehensive review of its ``Schedule For Rating Disabilities'' regulations (38 CFR part 4). This has resulted in improvement in the medical criteria used to evaluate veterans' service-connected disabilities. Also, the Department has established a new Office of Regulations Management, which was created for the purpose of improving the VA's capability to promulgate regulations. The duties of this Office include oversight responsibilities for ensuring compliance with Executive Order 12866. BILLING CODE 8320-01-F