Section 648.33 - What priorities and absolute preferences does the Secretary establish?(a) For each application period, the Secretary establishes as an area of national need and gives absolute preference to one or more of the general disciplines and sub-disciplines listed as priorities in the appendix to this part or the resulting interdisciplines.(b) The Secretary announces the absolute preferences in a notice published in the FEDERAL REGISTER. Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1135 , 1135a