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The United States has announced sanctions on three Israeli individuals and five entities linked to acts of violence against civilians in the West Bank. This action aligns with the U.S.'s consistent opposition to activities that undermine stability and peace prospects for both Israelis and Palestinians.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today the allocation of $4.5 million to establish three additional USDA Nutrition Hubs across the country. These new hubs aim to advance food and nutrition security and help prevent diet-related chronic diseases, particularly in historically underserved communities.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued updated recommendations under the Clean Water Act for contaminants that states, Tribes, and territories should consider monitoring in locally caught freshwater fish. For the first time, several per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) have been added to the contaminant list alongside lead, three cyanotoxins, a flame retardant, and amphetamine. This recommendation to monitor twelve PFAS fulfills a key commitment in Administrator Regan’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap and aims to protect communities from exposure to these...

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has sanctioned Tren de Aragua, a Venezuela-based transnational criminal organization. The group is involved in various criminal activities across the Western Hemisphere, including human smuggling and trafficking, gender-based violence, money laundering, and illicit drug trafficking.

Washington, D.C. — As policymakers globally strive to reduce carbon emissions, attention is turning to concrete, the second-most widely used material after water. The cement and concrete industry significantly contributes to climate change, accounting for 8 percent of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

The Department of State, in coordination with the Department of Justice (DOJ), has announced reward offers totaling up to $12 million under the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program. These rewards are for information leading to the arrests and/or convictions of three leaders of the Tren de Aragua transnational criminal organization: Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero, also known as "Niño Guerrero" (up to $5 million), Yohan Jose Romero, also known as "Johan Petrica" (up to $4 million), and Giovanny San Vicente, also known as "Giovanny," "Viejo Viejo," or "El Viejo" (up to $3...

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced the selection of 97 communities to participate in the ConnectHomeUSA (CHUSA) initiative. This program aims to provide training and technical assistance to help communities access affordable internet, devices, and digital skills training. The chosen communities have demonstrated a commitment to bridging the digital divide for HUD-assisted residents.

The high cost of health care remains a significant driver of medical debt in the United States. In 2023, 41 percent of American adults reported having debt due to medical or dental bills, with 30 percent stating they would be unable to pay an unexpected $500 medical bill without incurring debt. In response, states are actively pursuing and implementing policies aimed at protecting consumers from the financial burden of medical debt and ensuring access to affordable health care.

As of early July, more than half (55%) of back-to-school and college shoppers have already begun buying items for the upcoming school year, according to the annual survey released today by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced the implementation of federal disaster assistance for Texas, following Hurricane Beryl's impact from July 5 to July 9, 2024. This measure is intended to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the affected areas.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), released the Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Patient Engagement, Information Sharing, and Public Health Interoperability (HTI-2) proposed rule for public comment. The HTI-2 proposed rule aims to advance interoperability and improve information sharing among patients, providers, payers, and public health authorities.

On July 2, a federal court enjoined a Louisiana company from manufacturing and distributing adulterated food products in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA).

Today, at the World Food Prize DialogueNext Conference, “Seeds of Strength: Nurturing Farmer Resilience,” held in Texcoco, Mexico, Dr. Cary Fowler, Special Envoy for Global Food Security, and partners from the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) announced progress toward executing the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS). The U.S. government supports VACS as part of its whole-of-government poverty and hunger...

A pharmacy owner and an associate have been sentenced for submitting false claims to Medicare and California Medicaid (Medi-Cal) and participating in a black market prescription drug diversion scheme.

NEW YORK – The U.S. Department of Labor has asked a federal court to halt improper employment practices by a Virginia-based IT staffing agency that allegedly bind employees to their jobs, extract large sums if they leave the firm, and forbid them from engaging in protected activities under federal law.

The U.S. Department of State has announced the selection of 20 scholars for the fourth cohort of the Fulbright Arctic Initiative, an effort aimed at addressing security and sustainability in the Arctic region. This initiative is part of the broader Fulbright Program and focuses on topics such as climate change, Arctic resources, security and governance, and mental health and well-being. It aims to foster connections between people in the United States and other countries.

The USDA's Food and Nutrition Service has awarded $10 million in grants through its partners, Full Plates Full Potential and the Illinois Public Health Institute, as part of the $100 million Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative (HMI). This initiative aims to empower schools to serve nutritious meals that support student growth and development.

Today, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division convened principals of federal agency civil rights offices and senior government officials to foster AI and civil rights coordination. This was the third such meeting hosted by the Civil Rights Division following President Biden’s Executive Order on the Safe, Secure and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence (EO 14110). The order tasks the Civil Rights Division with coordinating federal agencies to prevent and address unlawful discrimination and other harms that may result from AI use in programs and...

BOSTON – Federal workplace safety investigators found that a Boston waterproofing contractor exposed employees to life-threatening cave-ins and excavation hazards at residential worksites in Arlington, Massachusetts, and Warwick, Rhode Island, twice in less than three months in late 2023.

The American Medical Association (AMA) has expressed its appreciation for the Biden administration's efforts to clarify privacy protections concerning reproductive health care information. This development comes with the introduction of a new information blocking exception in the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT’s (ONC) proposed Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability (HTI-2) Rule.

BRUSSELS – The Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), a global tech trade association, has outlined its Vision for the Future of EU AI Policy and the implementation of the EU AI Act. The organization emphasized that supporting AI development and adoption must be a fundamental public policy goal for the EU in the coming mandate.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released its third review of the cleanup of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the Upper Hudson River. The review concludes that PCB levels in water and fish are decreasing overall, but more years of fish data are needed to determine if the cleanup is meeting expectations.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and two international consumer protection networks have announced the results of a review of selected websites and apps, revealing that a significant percentage may use dark patterns. These digital design techniques can manipulate consumers into purchasing products or services or compromising their privacy.

Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen met with Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz today on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Washington, DC. Secretary Yellen reaffirmed the Treasury’s strong commitment to Israel’s security.

The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $172,392 for 21 workers following an investigation into wage practices at Chicanos Cocina Bar and Grill in Richmond, Virginia. The department's Wage and Hour Division found that the restaurant, operated by Chicanos Inc., failed to pay non-exempt kitchen salaried employees an overtime premium for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. Additionally, tipped employees were not compensated at the correct overtime premium rate.