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The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has announced that Española Public Schools in New Mexico has entered into a resolution agreement to address violations of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. These violations pertain to the district's response to reports of sexual harassment, including sexual assault, involving students and employees.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Port of Buffalo, in collaboration with U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Buffalo Station, have apprehended two Italian citizens who attempted to enter the United States unlawfully.

The Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have announced a settlement with Lima Refining Company (LRC), a subsidiary of Cenovus Energy, to address Clean Air Act violations at its refinery in Lima, Ohio.

Senior State Department officials will join the President of Senegal in visiting Silicon Valley on September 27, 2024. The U.S. delegation includes Ambassador Steve Lang, Special Representative Dorothy S. McAuliffe, and Deputy Assistant Secretary Michael Heath. They will visit Santa Clara, Palo Alto, San Jose, and Sunnyvale.

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida has issued a permanent injunction against Dexter Bataille, a tax return preparer from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The court ordered Bataille to shut down his business, Capital Financial Group Holdings LLC, and barred him from preparing or assisting in preparing federal income tax returns or transferring his customer lists. Additionally, Bataille was ordered to pay $134,400 in ill-gotten gains from his return preparation business. Bataille agreed to both the injunction and the payment order.

Abouzar Rahmati, a former contractor for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), has been indicted for acting and conspiring to act as an agent of the Iranian government in the United States without prior notice to the Attorney General. Rahmati, 42, a naturalized U.S. citizen residing in Great Falls, Virginia, made his initial appearance in the District of Columbia.

The Department of Defense (DoD) has announced the winners of the 2024 Secretary of Defense Maintenance Awards. These awards recognize exceptional achievements in weapon systems and military equipment maintenance.

On September 26, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) held an awards ceremony in Los Angeles, hosted by the U.S. Secret Service (USSS). During this event, 173 employees were honored with a Secretary’s Award for their significant contributions to the department's mission.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the selection of new members for its Science Advisory Board (SAB) and the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC). These experts come from various scientific disciplines and are expected to provide sound scientific advice to support the EPA's mission.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) has sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, seeking information about DHS's non-compliance with Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose's requests for federal citizenship information. This information is needed to verify the citizenship status of registered voters in Ohio.

The U.S. Department of Labor has mandated that TrueStart Transport LLC, a Maugansville-based trucking company, reinstate an employee and compensate them with nearly $30,000 in back wages and damages. This decision comes after the department determined that the company had unlawfully terminated the worker for refusing to drive an oversized load under unsafe conditions.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced federal disaster assistance for Vermont following severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides that occurred from July 29 to July 31, 2024. This aid aims to support state and local recovery efforts in the affected areas.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) will hold public meetings to gather community input on improving Jackson's drinking water system. These meetings are part of an effort to enhance oversight and develop mid- and long-term solutions for the city's water issues.

After New York City Mayor Eric Adams was indicted on federal bribery and other charges, Patrick Gaspard, president of the Center for American Progress, issued a statement.

The Justice Department has announced several measures aimed at improving firearm background checks and reducing gun violence. The Department is releasing model legislation and information to help states share juvenile criminal history and mental health records with the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) for firearm background checks. Additionally, over $200 million in new grant funding for gun violence prevention has been unveiled, along with new resources for law enforcement, including training and funding guidance.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has announced a settlement with Cascade Eye and Skin Centers, P.C., a privately-owned health care provider in Washington, over potential violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Security Rule. This follows an investigation into a ransomware attack on the provider.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on September 26 the latest round of funding from the Clean School Bus Rebate Program, with up to $965 million available to school districts. This initiative is part of the Biden-Harris Administration's Investing in America agenda, which aims to transition nearly 500,000 school buses in the United States to cleaner technologies. The goal is to protect over 25 million children who ride school buses daily from harmful air pollution.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the winners of the 2024 Green Chemistry Challenge Awards today, recognizing innovative green chemistry technologies that reduce hazardous substances, use less energy, and promote sustainability.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has concluded a compliance review of Jefferson County Public Schools in Louisville, Kentucky. The review investigated whether the school district discriminated against African American students by disciplining them more frequently and harshly than similarly situated white students.

The Department of the Interior has announced a $71 million investment to electrify homes in 13 Tribal communities across Indian Country. This funding is part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda and aims to close the Tribal access-to-electricity gap. The investment, sourced from the Inflation Reduction Act, represents a significant step towards achieving a carbon pollution-free electricity sector by 2035.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a $5.5 million investment in six projects aimed at advancing processes to produce and refine critical minerals and materials domestically. This funding, part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, seeks to reduce reliance on foreign sources by developing technologies that use predominantly domestic supplies.

TechNet, a national network of innovation economy CEOs and senior executives, has led a coalition of technology organizations urging the House to pass the CREATE AI Act before the end of the 118th Congress. The legislation aims to establish the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) as a shared research infrastructure, providing AI researchers and students with access to necessary resources, data, and tools for developing safe and trustworthy artificial intelligence.

International travelers planning to apply for one of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Trusted Traveler Programs (TTP) are reminded that application fees will increase to $120 on Oct. 1.

The United States, Australia, Canada, the European Union, and other nations have issued a joint statement on the security and resilience of undersea cables. This statement was made during the 79th annual United Nations General Assembly.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced $48 million in funding to expand access to housing counseling services and strengthen the nation's housing counseling workforce. Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman made the announcement during remarks at the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials’ National Conference.