This final rule will revise the Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment systems (IPPS) for operating and capital-related costs of acute care hospitals; make changes relating to Medicare graduate medical education (GME) for teaching hospitals; update the payment policies and the annual payment rates for the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient hospital services provided by long-term care hospitals (LTCHs); update and make changes to requirements for certain quality programs; and make other policy- related changes. ONC also adopts certain health information technology (health IT) standards and specifications on behalf of HHS.

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board or Board) is issuing this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to update its regulations under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The Board proposes to replace its existing FOIA regulations with this proposed rule, which streamlines the language of several procedural provisions; updates procedures consistent with current technology; incorporates changes required by amendments to the FOIA under the OPEN Government Act of 2007 and the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016, and developments in case law; and conforms to Department of Justice guidelines for agency FOIA regulations.

NMFS, upon request from the U.S. Department of the Navy (Navy), issues these regulations pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to govern the taking of marine mammals incidental to training and testing activities using Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System (SURTASS) Low Frequency Active (LFA) sonar systems in the western and central North Pacific and eastern Indian oceans over the course of 7 years from August 2026 through August 2033. These regulations allow for the issuance of a letter of authorization (LOA) for the incidental take of marine mammals during specified activities and timeframes, prescribe the permissible methods of taking and other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammal species and their habitat, and establish requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such taking. The Navy's activities are considered military readiness activities pursuant to the MMPA, as amended by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 (2004 NDAA) and the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2019 (2019 NDAA).

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is amending its regulations to permit U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to refer certain affirmative asylum applications to the Department of Justice (DOJ) Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) without interview. USCIS still offers an interview prior to a grant or denial of asylum. DHS is also removing the requirement that a letter communicating the basis for referral of asylum include an assessment of the alien's credibility.

The U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE") is adopting the interim final rule published on August 25, 2025, as final, without change. This final rule establishes the procedures for developing and carrying out voluntary agreements and plans of action under the Defense Production Act. The Defense Production Act provides a defense from antitrust laws with respect to any action taken to develop or carry out any voluntary agreement or plan of action when certain criteria are met.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is amending its regulations to change the admission period in the F, J, and I classifications from duration of status to an admission for a fixed time period, and additional changes to admission and extension requirements. This final rule will provide additional protections and oversight of these nonimmigrant categories and will allow DHS to better evaluate whether these nonimmigrants are maintaining status while temporarily in the United States. This final rule provides amendments to the proposed rule covering this topic that was published in the Federal Register on August 28, 2025.

This proposed rule addresses: changes to the physician fee schedule (PFS); other changes to Medicare Part B payment policies to ensure that payment systems are updated to reflect changes in medical practice, relative value of services, and changes in the statute; codification of establishment of new policies for: the Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; the Ambulatory Specialty Model; updates to drugs and biological products paid under Part B; Medicare Shared Savings Program requirements; updates to the Quality Payment Program; updates to policies for Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers; update to the Ambulance Fee Schedule regulations; codification of the Inflation Reduction Act and Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 provisions; updates to Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule regulations; updates to the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program.

Consistent with Executive and Secretary's orders, ONRR proposes to amend ONRR's Federal oil, gas, and coal valuation regulations and to specify the standard of review for Director-level appeals. This rulemaking also proposes changes that will likely reduce cost and burden to industry and the Federal Government by simplifying regulatory requirements and ultimately incentivize production to unleash energy dominance. ONRR solicits comments on all aspects of this proposed action.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to amend its regulations that govern its standards for protection against radiation. These proposed revisions would address section 5(b) of Executive Order 14300, "Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission," and would reflect the NRC's experience and other developments in the field of radiation protection since the NRC's last major revisions to these standards in 1991. In addition, the NRC is issuing for public comment draft implementing guidance.

In this final rule, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to provide enhanced favorable treatment for the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Specifically, BIS is removing the UAE from Country Groups D:3 and D:4 and adding the UAE to Country Group A:5. More license exceptions will now be available, including Strategic Trade Authorization (STA) for the UAE Government and approved commercial entities in the UAE. STA will authorize the export, reexport, or transfer (in-country) of military items; certain commercial satellites and spacecraft; and dual-use items useful in, inter alia, oil and gas production, desalination, and civil nuclear power generation. The UAE Government and approved commercial entities will also have license-free access to advanced computing items, consistent with the May 2025 U.S.-UAE Artificial Intelligence Cooperation framework, without compromising U.S. digital infrastructure buildout.

The OCC, Board, FDIC, NCUA, CFPB, FHFA, CFTC, SEC, and Treasury are publishing a final joint rule to establish data standards to promote interoperability of financial regulatory data across these agencies. The standards established pursuant to this joint rule will later be considered for potential incorporation (to the extent feasible) into data standards to be adopted for certain collections of information in separate rulemakings by the agencies or through other actions taken by the agencies. At the effective date, the joint rule will not change any reporting requirements without further action by the agencies. The agencies are publishing this joint rule as required by the Financial Data Transparency Act of 2022.

The U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE" or "the Department") proposes to update the Department's current rulemaking methodology titled, "Procedures, Interpretations, and Policies for Consideration of New or Revised Energy Conservation Standards and Test Procedures for Consumer Products and Certain Commercial/Industrial Equipment" ("Process Rule"). Specifically, DOE proposes to: make Appendix A binding on DOE for certain actions; amend objectives and considerations consistent with recent Executive orders and Department policies; add a definition of "significant energy savings"; re-instate the comparative analysis requirement, described as a "walk up" approach; include certain economic thresholds; re-instate the description of clear and convincing evidence; and revert to language from the 2020 Process Rule text, with minor edits, in several sections. In addition to requesting written comments on its proposal, DOE will also hold a public meeting to discuss this proposal and obtain additional input.

This proposed rule would revise the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and the Medicare Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) payment system for calendar year 2027 based on our continuing experience with these systems. We also describe the changes to the amounts and factors used to determine the payment rates for Medicare services paid under the OPPS and those paid under the ASC payment systems. In addition, this proposed rule would update and refine the requirements for the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting Program and the Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting Program. There are no changes to the Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting Program. We propose to expand the prior authorization requirement to include additional Botulinum Toxin Injection services. We also propose to implement certain provisions of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, for off-campus outpatient departments of a provider. In addition, this proposed rule announces notices of closure of teaching hospitals and opportunities to apply for available slots. This rule also requests information regarding potential approaches to improve comparability and standardization, particularly for complex contracting methodologies, of the HPT information reported in machine- readable files and consumer-friendly displays. We propose hospital AOs with deeming authority to assess compliance with certain Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) administrative requirements during accreditation and reaccreditation surveys. Finally, we are soliciting comments on a potential separate payment under the Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) for domestic procurement of personal protective equipment and essential medicines.

The Secretary of Education (Secretary) amends the regulations governing institutional eligibility, general provisions, and the William D. Ford Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program under title IV of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, as amended (the title IV, HEA programs) to implement statutory changes to the title IV, HEA programs included in the Working Families Tax Cuts Act (WFTCA) signed into law by President Trump on July 4, 2025. These changes include revisions to program eligibility requirements for the Direct Loan program and the introduction of an earnings accountability framework that limits Direct Loan eligibility to programs whose graduates meet certain earnings benchmarks. This action finalizes regulations to implement the provisions of the WFTCA related to low-earning outcome programs and the Direct Loan program, and to harmonize those regulations with requirements for programs that are required to lead to gainful employment (GE programs).

This final rule removes duplicative and unnecessary sections from the Runaway and Homeless Youth Program regulations. These amendments will streamline the Runaway and Homeless Youth Program regulations to make them more accessible to the public.

This proposed rule would implement the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 (RIA), which the President signed on March 15, 2022. The RIA substantially reforms and adds significant integrity provisions to the employment-based, fifth preference (EB-5) visa category for alien investors and the associated Regional Center Program. In general, under the EB-5 program, aliens are eligible to apply for lawful permanent resident status in the United States if they make the necessary investment in a new commercial enterprise in the United States and create 10 permanent full-time jobs for qualified U.S. workers.

The Department of the Interior (DOI or Department), through the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), is incorporating by reference a collection of production measurement industry standards and safety industry standards into its regulations governing oil, gas, and sulfur operations on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Incorporation of these documents by reference will provide industry with up-to-date standards for measuring oil and gas production volumes and enhancing safety. Compliance with these standards will reduce uncertainty in the measurement of oil and gas production and update the minimum standards in the safety regulations.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to revise its regulations to modernize security and fitness-for-duty requirements to enhance efficiency, consistent with Executive Order 14300, "Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission." The proposed revisions are intended to reduce regulatory burden, where appropriate, while continuing to provide reasonable assurance that safety and security will be adequately maintained at NRC-licensed facilities.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is proposing to update its regulations regarding the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 (the AFIDA). The revisions would reflect Congressional directives to establish a streamlined process for electronic submission and retention of disclosures made under AFIDA, including the deployment of an internet database. It would also revise reporting requirements and strengthen enforcement measures. Through the implementation of modernization measures and expanded scope and depth of reporting, this proposed rule will help ensure the AFIDA regulations address foreign investment and ownership of American agricultural land, particularly as it might present a national security risk.