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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is reopening and extending the period for public comments on a request for information (RFI) to guide evidence-building activities. This is in accordance with the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018, which mandates federal agencies like DHS to develop plans that address strategic and policy questions through evidence and data. The public is encouraged to provide suggestions that could help DHS enhance the effectiveness of its strategies, policies, and programs. Comments can be submitted until March 31, 2021, via the Federal eRulemaking Portal.

The Executive Order provides a way for alumni of AmeriCorps programs to be hired for federal jobs without going through the usual competitive application process. It allows people who have completed a certain amount of service with AmeriCorps to be directly appointed by federal agencies if they are qualified. This order helps keep skilled individuals in public service roles. However, all applicants must still meet baseline requirements, like citizenship and no legal disqualifications, to be considered for these positions.

The Executive Order 13994 outlines the U.S. government's plan to enhance its response to COVID-19 and prepare for future public health threats. It emphasizes using data-driven approaches by improving data collection, sharing, and analysis across federal, state, local, and tribal levels. The order directs relevant agencies to improve public health data systems and advance innovation in public health data and analytics. It also ensures the protection of privileged and personal information while implementing these measures.

The Department of Commerce, through the U.S. Census Bureau, intends to revise the Household Pulse Survey, which gathers information on household experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. These revisions will involve removing questions that have become less useful and adding new ones on topics like disability, child health access, telehealth, and childcare, based on previous public comments and consultations with other federal agencies. The survey, approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), will maintain the same level of public burden and is expected to start collecting data with the revised questions around March 1, 2021. The general public is invited to comment on these revisions within 30 days of the notice's publication.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is inviting the public and federal agencies to comment on information collections for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs, as part of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. These programs offer free tax return preparation and counseling for seniors and those with low to moderate incomes, including individuals with disabilities. The IRS has announced changes in the paperwork requirements and added several new forms to ensure compliance. Public comments are encouraged and should be submitted by May 6, 2025.

The Executive Order 14148, titled Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions, was issued by the President to revoke numerous executive orders from the previous administration. These revocations aim to address what the current administration views as inflationary, illegal, and radical practices embedded within federal agencies. The Executive Order includes the termination of initiatives related to diversity, climate regulations, and various COVID-19 responses, among others. The goal is to restore practices that the administration deems will make the nation more united, fair, safe, and prosperous.

The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) is requesting comments from the public and other federal agencies on a proposed information collection. This relates to the "Application for Exporter Short Term Single Buyer Insurance" form, used by exporters of U.S. goods and services to meet statutory requirements. Comments must be submitted by February 20, 2025. The form is meant to ensure that EXIM obtains the necessary information for repayment assurance.

The Bureau of Reclamation has announced a new interest rate of 3.00% for fiscal year 2025, to be used by federal agencies in planning and evaluating water and land resources. This rate, which is higher than the previous year's rate of 2.75%, reflects changes based on the average yield of long-term U.S. Treasury securities. All government agencies must apply this rate for calculating future benefits and costs in such planning efforts. This change ensures consistency with federal rules that set limits on rate changes from year to year.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is seeking public comments on an ongoing information collection project called Performance Monitoring of CDC's Core State Injury Prevention Program (SIPP). This initiative aims to improve injury prevention programs and demonstrate their effectiveness in reducing injury-related illnesses and deaths. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act, the CDC must gather public input before continuing the collection of this information, which helps track progress and effectiveness across different states. Comments must be submitted by February 3, 2025, and CDC requests approval for an estimated 286 hours of annual respondent burden time.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the availability of its comments on Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) submitted by other federal agencies, as required by Section 309(a) of the Clean Air Act. The public can access these comments on the EPA's website. This notice includes new draft EISs for two projects: the Blue Marlin Offshore Port Project and the Commonwealth LNG Project, both of which have public comment periods ending on April 7, 2025.