[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 194 (Tuesday, October 6, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63124-63125]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-22062]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Solicitation of Nominations for Appointment to the Tick-Borne
Disease Working Group
AGENCY: Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy (OIDP), Office
of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), Office of the Secretary,
Department of Health and Human Services.
[[Page 63125]]
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice will serve to announce that the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS) is seeking nominations of non-federal
public (public) individuals who represent diverse scientific
disciplines and views and are interested in being considered for
appointment to the Tick-Borne Disease Working Group (TBDWG). Resumes or
curricula vitae from qualified individuals who wish to be considered
for appointment as a member of the TBDWG are currently being accepted.
DATES: Nominations must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. ET,
November 5, 2020.
ADDRESSES: All nominations should be sent to the TBDWG email address at
tickbornedisease@hhs.gov. Please indicate ``TBDWG Nomination'' in the
subject line of your email. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused
significant disruption of mail addressed to the TBDWG. As such, it is
advised that all nominations be submitted electronically.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Berger, MS, MT (ASCP), SBB,
Senior Advisor for Blood and Tissue Policy; Telephone: (202) 795-7608;
Email address: tickbornedisease@hhs.gov. Website information about
activities of the TBDWG, as well as the Charter, can be found at
https://www.hhs.gov/ash/advisory-committees/tickbornedisease/index.html.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 2062 of the 21st Century Cures Act,
Public Law 114-255, requires establishment of the TBDWG. The TBDWG is
governed by provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public
Law 92-463, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), which sets forth standards for
the formation and use of federal advisory committees. The 21st Century
Cures Act is intended to advance the research and development of new
therapies and diagnostics and make substantial federal investments in a
wide range of health priorities. The TBDWG is a non-discretionary
federal advisory committee.
Objectives and Scope of Activities. The Secretary of HHS is
responsible for ensuring the conduct of and support for
epidemiological, basic, translational, and clinical research related to
vector-borne diseases, including tick-borne diseases. The TBDWG was
established to help ensure interagency coordination and to examine the
prioritization of such activities and research. The TBDWG membership
provides subject matter expertise and reviews efforts within the
federal government related to all tick-borne diseases. The TBDWG is
charged to provide a report to the HHS Secretary and Congress
biennially on its findings, including advances made and gaps in
research, and to make recommendations regarding appropriate changes or
improvements to such activities and research.
Membership and Designation. The TBDWG consists of 14 voting members
who represent diverse scientific disciplines and views. The composition
includes seven public members and seven federal members. Every effort
is made to ensure that the TBDWG is a diverse group of individuals with
representation from various geographic locations, racial and ethnic
minorities, genders, and persons living with disabilities.
The public members consist of representatives of the following
categories: (1) Physicians and other medical providers with experience
in diagnosing and treating tick-borne diseases; (2) scientists or
researchers with expertise; (3) patients and their family members; and
(4) nonprofit organizations that advocate for patients with respect to
tick-borne disease. The public members are classified as special
government employees. The public members may be invited to serve
consecutive terms of up to four years total. Terms of more than two
years are also contingent upon renewal of the charter of the TBDWG. Any
public member who is appointed to fill the vacancy of an unexpired term
will be appointed to serve for the remainder of that term. A public
member may serve after the expiration of their term until their
successor has taken office, but no longer than 180 days.
The federal members consist of one or more representatives of each
of the following HHS agencies: OASH, the Food and Drug Administration,
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National
Institutes of Health. Invitations of membership are extended to other
federal agencies and offices as the HHS Secretary determines
appropriate and beneficial for accomplishing the mission of the TBDWG.
Individuals who are appointed to represent federal entities are
classified as regular government employees. The federal members are
appointed to serve for the duration of time that the TBDWG is
authorized to operate. Participation of the appointed federal members
is at the discretion of their respective agency head.
Pursuant to advance written agreement, public members of the TBDWG
will receive no stipend for the advisory service that they render as
members of the TBDWG. However, public members will receive per diem and
reimbursement for travel expenses incurred in relation to performing
duties for the TBDWG, as authorized by law under 5 U.S.C. 5703 for
persons who are employed intermittently to perform services for the
federal government and in accordance with federal travel regulations.
Estimated Number and Frequency of Meetings. The TBDWG will meet not
less than twice a year. The meetings will be open to the public, except
as determined otherwise by the Secretary, or another official to whom
authority has been delegated, in accordance with the guidelines under
Government in the Sunshine Act, 5 U.S.C. 552b(c).
Nominations: Nominations of individuals who have demonstrated
subject matter expertise will be considered for appointment as public
voting members of the TBDWG. Self-nominations are acceptable. All
nominations should include the following: (1) A letter of nomination
that clearly states the name and affiliation of the nominee, the basis
for the nomination, and a statement from the nominee that indicates
that the individual is willing to serve as a member of the TBDWG, if
selected; (2) the name, address, telephone number, and email address of
the nominee; and (3) a current copy of the nominee's curriculum vitae
or resume, which must be limited to 10 pages. Only the first 10 pages
of resume or CV document will be considered.
All public nominees will be subject to federal ethics requirements
for special government employees. As required by the Ethics Reform Act,
Public Law 101-194, special government employees must receive annual
ethics training and submit a financial disclosure. An ethics review
must be conducted to ensure that individuals appointed as public voting
members of the TBDWG are not involved in any activity that may pose a
potential conflict of interest for the official duties that are to be
performed. All federal members of the TBDWG will be governed by the
Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch.
Dated: September 21, 2020.
James J. Berger,
Senior Advisor for Blood and Tissue Policy, Designated Federal Officer,
Tick-Borne Disease Working Group.
[FR Doc. 2020-22062 Filed 10-5-20; 8:45 am]
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