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Two pharmacy owners have been sentenced for using New York-area pharmacies to submit millions of dollars in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and laundering the proceeds, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last week, President Biden signed a Presidential Memorandum establishing the Economic Diplomacy Action Group (EDAG), a new whole-of-government initiative aimed at strengthening U.S. commercial diplomacy on the global stage and expanding economic prosperity domestically. This initiative is intended to support American workers and create jobs.

The Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) has released a report titled “Two Years After Dobbs: An Analysis of State Laws to Protect Reproductive Healthcare Information from Interstate Investigations and Prosecutions.” Authored by CDT interns Irene Kim and Divya Vatsa, the document addresses the legal landscape following the Supreme Court’s June 2022 decision in Dobbs to overturn Roe v. Wade.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and YouTube’s Global Head of Music Lyor Cohen announced today a new Department of State-YouTube partnership in support of the Department’s Global Music Diplomacy Initiative. This initiative aims to elevate music as a diplomatic platform to promote peace and democracy, aligning with the United States’ broader foreign policy goals.

The United States government has announced a settlement with the Westchester Joint Water Works (WJWW) and three municipalities in Westchester County for violating the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The defendants, including the town/village of Harrison, the village of Mamaroneck, and the town of Mamaroneck, will construct a $138 million drinking water filtration plant, take steps to protect source water quality, and pay a total of $1.25 million in civil penalties.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced the implementation of federal disaster assistance for New Mexico, following the South Fork Fire and Salt Fire that began on June 17, 2024. President Biden issued a major disaster declaration for Lincoln County and the Mescalero Apache Tribe.

EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan will host leaders from Canada and Mexico at the Commission for Environmental Cooperation’s (CEC) 31st annual Council Session and Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) Public Forum in Wilmington, North Carolina, from June 24-26, 2024. The theme of this year's session is “Strengthening Environmental Justice through Community Empowerment.”

Since President Biden took office, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken key steps to improve railway safety by deploying funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, holding railroads accountable, raising safety standards, and supporting first responders and rail workers. Following the Norfolk Southern derailment last year, a comprehensive cross-agency effort was mobilized to support East Palestine, Ohio. Despite these efforts, House Republicans have voted to cut rail safety measures.

Today, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and YouTube Global Head of Music Lyor Cohen announced an inaugural roster of U.S. Global Music Ambassadors as part of a U.S. Department of State-YouTube Global Music Diplomacy Partnership. These ambassadors will use their music to bring people together and promote peace worldwide on behalf of the American people. Additional ambassadors will be announced in the coming months.

WASHINGTON – Led by Secretary Buttigieg, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) continues to prioritize safety and demonstrate the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to delivering results for the American people. Significant progress has been made over the last three years on safety rules and consumer protections that will protect travelers, transportation workers, and communities across all modes of transportation. This follows an eighth consecutive quarter of declines in roadway fatalities reported by NHTSA.

The 95th Joint Civilian Orientation Conference (JCOC), the Department of Defense's oldest and most prestigious public outreach program, commenced today at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson. The event will run through Friday, June 29. This year, leaders from various industries will gain firsthand knowledge about national defense from Service members across the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard during a weeklong immersion.

Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration Julieta Valls Noyes will travel to Indianapolis from June 25-26, 2024, as part of the Welcome Corps Roadshow. The initiative aims to highlight the impact of the private sponsorship program launched by the Department of State in January 2023.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has announced a final rule aimed at enhancing public safety and protecting firefighters. The new regulation mandates that railroads provide first responders with real-time, electronic information about hazardous materials on trains in the event of an accident or incident.

Arizona State University Joins Clean Energy Education & Empowerment Initiative as University Partner

Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez is set to deliver remarks at the inaugural 2024 U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) Economic Dialogue. He will be joined by Vietnam’s Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung on June 25, 2024, at 10 a.m. ET in Washington, D.C.

The Justice Department announced today a settlement agreement with Fulton County Schools in Georgia to resolve the department’s investigation into the district’s response to an escalating series of student-on-student sexual assaults on a school bus serving students with special needs. The department conducted its investigation under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today released a final rule establishing disincentives for health care providers that have committed information blocking. This rule exercises the Secretary’s authority under the 21st Century Cures Act (Cures Act) to set “disincentives” for providers who engage in practices that they knew were unreasonable and likely to interfere with, prevent, or materially discourage the access, exchange, or use of electronic health information (EHI), except as required by law or covered by a regulatory exception.

The Center for American Progress (CAP) has released a new analysis detailing the potential impact of Project 2025 on federal efforts to address the U.S. student debt crisis. The report suggests that Project 2025, which proposes eliminating all existing income-driven repayment plans—including the Biden-Harris administration's SAVE plan—in favor of a "one-size-fits-all" approach, would significantly increase monthly student loan payments for millions of borrowers.

The Justice Department announced today that it will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in Queens, New York, for the June 25 primary election.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced enhancements to resources aimed at simplifying and streamlining access to contracting information for businesses interested in selling their products and services to the USDA. These updates include new targeted contracting information on USDA.gov, improved functionality for accessing procurement opportunities, and a portal for businesses to share their capabilities with the USDA.

Meta AI, built with Meta Llama 3, is now available in India. The advanced AI assistant, already accessible for free across more than a dozen countries, can be used on platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram. Users can employ Meta AI to assist with various tasks including planning events, organizing trips, studying, and interior design.

During emergency events, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) collaborates with federal, state, local, and non-governmental partners to support the needs of affected communities.

The House Judiciary Committee stated that the Biden administration’s "lax" border policies have "incentivized criminals" to enter the United States via the southern border. This statement was made in a press release on June 17, following the revelation that the murderer of Kayla Hamilton was an MS-13-affiliated illegal alien.

The Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Economics and the Tobin Center for Economic Policy at Yale University will host the 17th Annual FTC Microeconomics Conference on November 14 and 15, 2024, in Washington, D.C. The event aims to gather scholars focused on antitrust, consumer protection, and public policy issues pertinent to the FTC’s mission. The conference will be held in person with a live stream available for remote viewers.

Emails and other documents obtained from the White House and various federal agencies suggest that the Biden Administration is not serious about increasing domestic mining of critical minerals needed for energy production.