VA Seeks Volunteers To Fix Broken Disability System

2026-18511, Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Agriculture Innovation Center Demonstration (AIC) Program 2026

The Rural Business Cooperative Service (RBCS or the Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing the acceptance of Applications for the Agriculture Innovation Center Demonstration (AIC) Program for fiscal year (FY) 2026. In future years this funding opportunity will only be announced on the Agency website and grants.gov, without a Federal Register notice. Therefore, in future years, neither the funding opportunity nor reference to the funding opportunity in grants.gov will appear in the Federal Register. Please make note of this change in location of the funding announcement in your records.

2026-18471, Procurement List; Additions

This action adds service(s) to the Procurement List that will be furnished by nonprofit agencies employing persons who are blind or have other severe disabilities.

2026-18472, Procurement List; Proposed Deletions

The Committee is proposing to delete products from the Procurement List that were furnished by nonprofit agencies employing persons who are blind or have other severe disabilities.

2026-18494, Annual Notice of Interest Rates for Variable-Rate Federal Student Loans Made Under the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program

Federal Student Aid announces the interest rates for Federal Direct Stafford/Ford Loans (Direct Subsidized Loans), Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford/Ford Loans (Direct Unsubsidized Loans), and Federal Direct PLUS Loans (Direct PLUS Loan), Assistance Listing Number 84.268, with first disbursement dates before July 1, 2006, and for Federal Direct Consolidation Loans (Direct Consolidation Loans) for which the application was received before February 1, 1999. The rates announced in this notice are in effect for the period July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

2026-18410, Final Flood Hazard Determinations

Flood hazard determinations, which may include additions or modifications of Base Flood Elevations (BFEs), base flood depths, Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) boundaries or zone designations, or regulatory floodways on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and where applicable, in the supporting Flood Insurance Study (FIS) reports have been made final for the communities listed in the table below. The FIRM and FIS report are the basis of the floodplain management measures that a community is required either to adopt or to show evidence of having an effect in order to qualify or remain qualified for participation in the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

2026-18438, Request for Comments on the Renewal of a Previously Approved Information Collection: Application To Participate in the Voluntary Tanker Agreement

MARAD invites public comments on its intention to request Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew an information collection in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The proposed collection OMB 2133-0505 (Application to Participate in the Voluntary Tanker Agreement) is used to determine capacity commitments by participants in the event the Agreement is activated to meet the essential need for the transportation of petroleum and petroleum products in bulk by sea. Minor changes are being made to the form for this collection to improve clarity and ensure consistency with program operations. MARAD is required to publish this notice in the Federal Register to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies.

Previous: 2024-31580, Agency Information Collection Activities; Extension, Without Change, of a Currently Approved Collection: Registration for Classification as a Refugee

The Department of Homeland Security is extending, without any changes, the form used for people to register as refugees. This means anyone applying for refugee status will keep using the same form, and there’s no new cost or extra paperwork. Comments on this extension are open until March 4, 2025, so now’s the time to speak up if you want!

Next: 2024-31582, Drug and Alcohol Testing: Determination of Minimum Random Testing Rates for 2025

Starting January 3, 2025, railroad workers in covered service, maintenance, and mechanical jobs will keep the same minimum random drug and alcohol testing rates as 2024. This means 25% drug and 10% alcohol testing for most workers, but mechanical employees face higher rates at 50% drug and 25% alcohol testing. No cost changes were announced, but railroads can always test more if they want.