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The Department of Defense has awarded fourteen Defense Community Infrastructure Program (DCIP) grants from the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation, totaling approximately $100 million. The DCIP is a competitive program for states, territories, and communities to undertake infrastructure enhancements to support military value, the training of cadets at independent "covered educational institutions," installation resiliency, and family quality of life that benefits their local installations.

A federal judge has ordered Mariusz Lekarczyk, the owner and operator of four Chicago-area We Wash Hand Wash and Car Detail Centers, and We Wash Car Care Center Inc. to pay $799,566 in back wages and damages to 110 employees and $110,990 in penalties to the U.S. Department of Labor. This order is part of a consent judgment obtained by the department.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a collaboration with the city of Muskegon Heights, Michigan, aimed at identifying and replacing drinking water lead pipes to protect public health. This initiative is part of EPA’s Get the Lead Out Initiative, funded by the Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which aims to achieve 100% lead service line replacement nationwide. The program will provide technical assistance to approximately 200 communities across the country.

The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a complaint against the Town of Thornapple, Wisconsin, and the State of Wisconsin for violations of Section 301 of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). This section requires polling places to be equipped with at least one voting machine accessible to voters with disabilities during federal elections. The department also secured an agreement with the Town of Lawrence, Wisconsin, to resolve its complaint alleging HAVA violations.

The Office of the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff announced today a new assignment.

The Department of Defense announced a $26.4 million award via the Defense Production Act Investments (DPAI) program to Global Advanced Metals USA, Inc. (GAM) for the domestic production of high-purity niobium oxide at GAM's Boyertown, Pennsylvania facilities.

Director Rachel Rossi of the Office for Access to Justice (ATJ) traveled to Kansas this week to engage with stakeholders about the access to justice challenges rural communities face and to discuss innovative solutions. The visit built upon the ongoing work of ATJ to address the rural access to justice gap in the United States.

Acting United States Attorney Thomas J. Jaworski announced that Triumph Hospitality, LLC and A&S Hospitality Management, LLC have agreed to settle allegations regarding ADA violations at the Garner Hotel in Clarksville, Tennessee.

A watchdog group has raised concerns over the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) five-year investigation into the sourcing of nonhuman primates (NHPs) from Cambodia, calling it a failed operation that may have given China an edge in vaccine research.

The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has designated a network comprising five entities and one individual, based in Russia and the Russia-occupied Georgian region of South Ossetia, for enabling illicit payment mechanisms between Russia and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). This action targets parties that have assisted in sanctions evasion, supporting DPRK's weapons programs and Russia's war against Ukraine.

The Justice Department filed a civil complaint today in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas to enjoin John T. Ajuma, also known as John Trobisch, from preparing federal tax returns for others.

Since 2017, the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) has partnered with Stand Together Trust to host experts from various sectors for an event examining the Future of Speech Online (FOSO). This gathering includes leaders from government, civil society, industry, and academia to explore how free expression is influenced by technology. Against the backdrop of numerous global elections and the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), FOSO 2024 spotlighted "AI, Elections, & Speech." Leading voices on these issues participated in a two-day event on September 16 and 17 to discuss...

Today marks the 4,000th day that South Korean missionary Kim Jung-Wook has been detained by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).

The Center for American Progress (CAP) has released three new reports addressing the pressing need for innovative solutions to expand the U.S. housing supply, particularly for low- and moderate-income households. The reports emphasize the urgent necessity of federal intervention in response to a long-standing shortage of affordable housing, with nearly half of all rental households spending more than 30 percent of their income on rent.

The Justice Department has reached a settlement agreement to resolve a gender-based pay discrimination lawsuit filed in January 2023 against the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs (WDMA). The lawsuit alleged that the WDMA discriminated against former employee Michelle Hartness, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, when it offered her a lower salary than similarly or less qualified men for a director position in the Wisconsin Division of Emergency Management.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the launch of a Spanish-language version of its ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager on September 19, 2024. This online energy measurement and tracking tool is now accessible to Spanish-speaking building owners, managers, and tenants, enabling them to manage their property’s energy use, water use, waste generation, and greenhouse gas emissions in their native language.

Today, the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party is holding a hearing titled "How the CCP Uses the Law to Silence its Critics and Enforce its Rule."

The Justice Department announced today the initiation of a civil pattern or practice investigation into Rankin County, Mississippi, and the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD). Rankin County, with a population of approximately 160,000, is situated about 30 minutes east of Jackson, Mississippi.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19, 2024 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that USDA is awarding more than $35 million in grants to 15 independent meat processors in 12 states to increase processing capacity, spur competition, expand market opportunities for U.S. farmers, and create jobs in rural areas. This marks the final investment in the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP), funded by President Biden’s American Rescue Plan, which was first launched in 2022.

On September 19, 2024, the Biden-Harris Administration announced a $240 million investment to integrate mental health and substance use disorder treatment into primary care services at over 400 community health centers nationwide. These centers serve more than 10 million patients, including those who are uninsured, underinsured, or enrolled in Medicaid.

On September 19, 2024, the United States Department of State released the 2024 Fiscal Transparency Report. Fiscal transparency is a critical element of effective public financial management, helps build market confidence, and underpins global economic sustainability. It fosters greater government accountability by providing a window into government budgets and spending. Fiscal transparency helps citizens hold their elected leaders and public officials accountable and facilitates better-informed public debate. Annual reviews of the fiscal transparency of governments that are...

California drivers can now obtain mobile licenses on their iPhones, though they will still need to carry physical licenses. This development follows a September 2023 analysis by the Electronic Privacy Information Center, which revealed that approximately half of AI contracts signed by state agencies are for fraud detection.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that it has charged Wrightstown, New Jersey, housing providers Burlington Preservation Associates, LLC, Arbor Management, LLC, and Leon N. Weiner & Associates, Inc. with violating the Fair Housing Act. The charge involves alleged discrimination against a Black Hispanic father and his three minor children based on race, color, national origin, and familial status. Additionally, HUD charged the Respondents with retaliating against the tenant for pursuing a fair housing complaint.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) continues its efforts to enhance competition as part of the Biden-Harris administration's comprehensive strategy. The FTC's initiatives aim to reduce costs for American families by addressing issues such as junk patent listings that increase prescription drug prices, hidden fees on hotel bookings and concert tickets, pricing transparency, subscription service cancellations, and price-fixing schemes.

On September 19, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) initiated a discussion on the housing crisis at the Center for American Progress event titled “Building the Future: Innovative Solutions to the U.S. Housing Crisis.” They introduced their new bill, the Homes Act, which aims to address housing affordability.