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Last week, the U.S. Department of Education released guidance and emailed student loan borrowers directly about a new round of debt relief planned for this fall. New analysis from the Center for American Progress (CAP) provides fresh insight into this projected relief, including which borrowers are expected to benefit and how these policies will help address the nation’s student debt crisis.

The White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) has announced the 2024 cohort of HBCU Scholars. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the program, with 110 students from 77 HBCUs selected for their academic achievements, leadership potential, and community dedication.

A former executive of a steel distributor in San Juan, Puerto Rico, pleaded guilty today to conspiring with competitors to fix prices for sales of reinforcing bar, or rebar.

The nonprofit Electronic Privacy Information Center has raised concerns about a regulatory proposal that would allow an electric utility to share private consumer information with law enforcement. Alan Butler, the group's executive director, stated that such a rule would be unconstitutional because it permits the provision of private information without "probable cause, no warrant, no judicial review."

The U.S. Department of Education announced today that the 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form will be launched through a new process. Starting on October 1, the Department will release the 2025-26 FAFSA form for testing with a limited set of students and institutions. The application will be made available to all students on or before December 1. This decision follows extensive conversations and feedback from thousands of students, institutions, and other stakeholders.

The Biden-Harris Administration has announced nearly $85 million in funding to accelerate domestic heat pump manufacturing. The funds, part of the Investing in America agenda and authorized by President Biden through the Defense Production Act (DPA), aim to boost U.S. manufacturing, create clean energy jobs, and lower energy bills nationwide while enhancing national security.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced measures today aimed at addressing unfair and deceptive consumer practices in the residential solar power sector. The agencies released Consumer Advisories to help the public identify potential unfair practices and encouraged consumers to report suspicious behavior to the FTC, CFPB, or state consumer protection offices.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra has declared Public Health Emergencies (PHEs) for Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina in response to the health impacts of Hurricane Debby, now Tropical Storm Debby. These declarations follow President Biden’s emergency declarations for the same states and provide the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), healthcare providers, and suppliers with greater flexibility to meet the emergency health needs of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.

OVW conducted a live web-based pre-application information session for its Fiscal Year 2024 Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program (TSASP) solicitation. During the presentation, OVW staff reviewed this program’s requirements, discussed the solicitation, and allowed for a brief question-and-answer period.

Tallahassee, Fla. (August 6, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tentatively affirmed the State of Florida’s request to designate the waters within the Indian River-Vero Beach to Fort Pierce Aquatic Preserve as a vessel sewage no-discharge zone. This action aims to protect and enhance the quality of waters within the 9,500-acre Preserve, a designated estuary of national significance threatened by pollution, development, or overuse. The EPA’s tentative decision is subject to a 30-day public comment period.

On July 29-30, 2024, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for Western Hemisphere Affairs Ms. Jana Nelson co-chaired the 19th U.S.-Colombia Defense Bilateral Working Group (DBWG) with Colombian Vice Minister of Defense for Strategy and Planning Luis Edmundo Suárez Soto. The meeting took place at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is distributing nearly $1.9 million in refunds to consumers affected by the practices of online shoe seller Hey Dude, Inc.

To date, 13 states and Washington, D.C., have passed paid family and medical leave laws. These laws provide covered workers with wage replacement benefits when they need time away from work to address their own serious health needs, care for a seriously ill or injured loved one, or bond with a new child.

A spokesperson for the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) stated there is publicly available evidence confirming that the People's Republic of China (PRC) subsidizes the export of fentanyl. The spokesperson shared this statement with Federal Newswire on August 5 in response to a new White House fact sheet on fentanyl.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that Teck Alaska, Incorporated, the operator of Red Dog Mine near Kotzebue, Alaska, has agreed to pay $429,794 in penalties for violating the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The violations occurred when the company treated and stored hazardous waste without a permit between October 1, 2019, and January 15, 2024.

On August 6, 2024, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Paraguayan tobacco company Tabacalera del Este S.A. (Tabesa) for providing financial support to Paraguay’s former president, Horacio Manuel Cartes Jara. Cartes was sanctioned by OFAC on January 26, 2023, for his involvement in corruption. The designation of Tabesa falls under Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption globally.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is conducting another round of helicopter flyovers to survey oil and gas facilities in the Permian Basin region. These flyovers aim to identify emissions from facilities, including methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). VOCs contribute to the formation of ozone (smog), which can lead to health issues such as asthma, lung infections, bronchitis, and cancer.

American Beverage Licensees (ABL) announced today that the National Restaurant Association has joined its associate membership program as a platinum member. This partnership will focus on issues such as food safety and responsible alcohol service education and training.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service has announced a $25 million funding opportunity through the hazardous fuels transportation assistance program. The initiative aims to reduce wildfire risk, expand market opportunities, and support local employment. This program targets local businesses and partners engaged in removing hazardous fuels from national forests and transporting the material for processing into wood products or services.

WASHINGTON—In response to the lawsuit filed by X against the Global Alliance for Responsible Media, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), a leading think tank for science and technology policy, released a statement from Vice President Daniel Castro.

The United States is imposing sanctions on Paraguayan tobacco company Tabacalera del Este S.A. (Tabesa) for providing financial support to Paraguay’s former president, Horacio Manuel Cartes Jara (Cartes), a U.S.-designated person.

Shujun Wang, 75, a naturalized U.S. citizen of Chinese descent, an academic and author who helped start a pro-democracy organization in Queens, New York, that opposes the current communist regime in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), was convicted today on all four counts of an indictment charging him with acting and conspiring to act as an agent of a foreign government without prior notification to the U.S. Attorney General, criminal use of identification and making false statements to law enforcement.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has announced the approval of up to $83 million in State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) funds for a consortium of 125 Alaska Tribes. This investment, funded by the Biden-Harris Administration’s American Rescue Plan (ARP), supports the largest Tribal SSBCI consortium in history and aims to drive economic growth among Alaska's Tribal communities.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded $6 million to two nonprofit organizations and a city government to protect children and families from home health hazards. This funding marks the second round of financial support announced for this program, following previous grant announcements made on April 9, 2024. The aim is to improve communities by renovating older housing, preserving affordable homes, and enhancing the health of residents.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced an emergency suspension of all registrations for the pesticide dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate (DCPA or Dacthal) under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). This marks the first time in nearly 40 years that the EPA has taken such action, following extensive efforts by the Biden-Harris Administration to address the risks posed by this pesticide.