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The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced the allocation of $210 million in Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) funds through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. This funding represents the second tranche of additional funds secured by the Biden-Harris Administration to protect faith-based institutions and nonprofit organizations from targeted attacks. The Notice of Funding Opportunity will be published later in October.

The United States and Bahrain concluded the fourth annual U.S.-Bahrain Strategic Dialogue in Washington, D.C., led by U.S. Acting Under Secretary for Political Affairs Ambassador John Bass and Bahrain's Under Secretary for Political Affairs Dr. Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa. This dialogue underscores the two nations' commitment to enhancing security, fostering economic growth, strengthening cultural ties, and upholding fundamental rights.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is recognizing October as Children’s Health Month. Each year, the agency aims to highlight the importance of a healthy environment for the well-being of children across the United States.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reached settlements with several companies in Georgia over alleged violations of asbestos regulations under the Clean Air Act (CAA). These violations include failing to conduct thorough inspections for asbestos-containing materials before demolition or renovation and not providing written notice at least ten days prior to starting demolition activities.

TD Securities (USA) LLC has agreed to a resolution with the Justice Department to settle criminal charges related to a scheme involving unlawful trading in the U.S. Treasuries secondary market. The New York-based securities firm entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) and will pay over $15.5 million in penalties, forfeiture, and victim compensation.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) announced it completed impact inspections at 14 mines across 10 states in August 2024, issuing a total of 253 violations.

The Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded $15 million to Lehigh Heavy Forge in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, as part of the Defense Production Act Investments (DPAI) program. The funding will be used for press equipment upgrades and to enhance heavy forging production capacity. Specifically, the investment will cover a new forging manipulator for their 10,000-ton open die forging press, improvements to heat treatment furnaces, and the implementation of an automated ultrasonic forging testing program. This initiative aligns with the 2024 National Defense Industrial Strategy aimed...

The U.S. Department of Education announced the organizations selected for the 2025-26 FAFSA beta testing. The initial phase, Beta 1, begins on October 1 with a small group of students recruited by six community-based organizations (CBOs) submitting their FAFSA forms. This phase will continue through the first half of October.

The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $154,009 in back wages and liquidated damages from an international plastics manufacturer that failed to include bonus payments when calculating overtime for 743 workers.

The Justice Department has reached a settlement agreement with the Aiken County Public School District in South Carolina. This agreement addresses concerns that English learner students were not receiving adequate instruction and services.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced federal disaster assistance for North Carolina in response to Tropical Storm Helene, which began on September 25, 2024. This follows President Biden's major disaster declaration for several counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has commenced an asbestos cleanup operation at the Illinois Cabinet Co. site in Rockford, Illinois. The agency's crews will remove asbestos-contaminated debris from the defunct company site located at 2525 11th St. and transport the waste to an EPA-approved facility. The project is expected to take approximately four months.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced the implementation of federal disaster assistance for Florida following Hurricane Helene, which began on September 23, 2024. President Biden has issued a major disaster declaration for several counties in the state.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Norfolk, Va., have continued to seize food trailers and golf carts imported from China that do not meet federal motor vehicle safety standards. Between July 18 and September 18, CBP officers seized five golf carts, four food trailers, and one scooter with a combined value of approximately $50,000.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a settlement with Horizon Tool, Inc. of Greensboro, North Carolina, to address alleged violations of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The settlement requires Horizon Tool to pay a civil penalty of $140,940.

Workers in American Samoa employed in industries covered by the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 will receive a 40-cent increase in their hourly wage starting September 30. The Fair Labor Standards Act generally applies to employment in American Samoa as it does to employment in the U.S. The Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007, amended by Public Law 114-61, sets industry-specific minimum wage rates for American Samoa and mandates that these rates increase by $0.40 per hour every three years on September 30 until all minimum wages equal the federal minimum wage. The last increase was...

At the 79th UN General Assembly, the United States announced nearly $2.1 billion in humanitarian assistance to address the unprecedented level of humanitarian needs globally. This funding supports critical and life-saving humanitarian assistance to those impacted by crises, including displaced persons and the receptive host communities supporting them.

The U.S. Department of Labor has introduced a new tool to assist workers with disabilities and their employers in identifying potential workplace accommodations. This announcement coincides with National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

The Justice Department has announced plans to monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in Alaska for the October 1 Regional Education Attendance Area (REAA) elections. The department will focus on the Bethel, Dillingham, and Kusilvak Census Areas, as well as the Northwest Arctic and North Slope Boroughs.

The U.S. Department of Labor has secured a court order against the operator of a farm in Rosedale, Louisiana, mandating the payment of $12,000 in civil penalties and barring the employers from applying for H-2A certification for one year. This decision follows an investigation that revealed the farm's operator had threatened and intimidated workers.

The U.S. Department of Labor has secured a permanent injunction and court order against Cargomatic Inc., a California transportation company, prohibiting it from retaliating against drivers and shifting liability for labor law violations onto workers who exercised their federally protected rights.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke addressed the Civil Rights Division’s cold case initiative, highlighting its significance in seeking justice for victims of racial violence. The event coincided with the 69th anniversary of the trial of Emmett Till's murderers, who were acquitted despite strong evidence.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is distributing over $2.8 million in refunds to consumers who were charged for supposed “free trial” offers for personal care products and supplements.

The Justice Department has announced a settlement agreement with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections (WDOC) under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This agreement aims to ensure that incarcerated individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing have equal access to WDOC’s programs, services, and activities. These include educational, counseling, medical, recreational, and prison employment programs. The settlement resolves an investigation into complaints that WDOC did not provide necessary auxiliary aids and services to inmates with hearing disabilities.

An Illinois man has pleaded guilty to his involvement in a COVID-19 testing fraud scheme, according to court documents. Zishan Alvi, 45, of Inverness, owned and operated a laboratory in Chicago that conducted COVID-19 testing. From February 2021 through February 2022, Alvi submitted claims to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for tests that were not performed as billed.