Search for news, organizations and people The Federal Newswire

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have announced that applications are now open for $850 million in federal funding aimed at reducing methane emissions from the oil and gas sectors. This initiative is part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, which seeks to address climate change, create jobs, and improve air quality.

Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell will deliver keynote opening remarks on “Sustaining U.S. Strategy in the Indo-Pacific” at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) on June 24, 2024. His speech will be followed by a moderated question-and-answer session.

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that a law prohibiting individuals with domestic violence restraining orders from possessing firearms remains constitutional. Sabrina Talukder, director of the Women’s Initiative at the Center for American Progress, responded to the decision with a statement.

A recent consumer survey in Britain sheds light on the evolving attitudes and behaviors associated with vaping products.

Recent studies and reviews, including a comprehensive report by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) in the United Kingdom, have raised interest in the potential benefits of e-cigarettes, or vaping, in reducing harm and assisting smokers in their efforts to quit.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced the allocation of $60 million in grants under the Saving Lives with Connectivity: Accelerating V2X Deployment program. The initiative aims to advance connected and interoperable vehicle technologies, with recipients in Arizona, Texas, and Utah serving as national models.

"The truth is that these AI models are contributing in a significant way to climate change, in both direct and indirect ways," says Tom McBrien, counsel for the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a digital policy watchdog.

The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) program has deepened the relationship between the United States and Germany for the last four decades, with more than 26,000 American and German participants since its start in 1983. In celebration of the program’s 40th anniversary, a reception was hosted this week at the Library of Congress for American CBYX participants who just returned from Germany, along with other CBYX alumni, American host families, host school representatives, implementing program partners, and State Department officials.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has imposed sanctions on eight individuals affiliated with La Nueva Familia Michoacana, including leaders Rodolfo Maldonado Busto and Josue Ramirez Carrera. This action is in close coordination with the Government of Mexico and supports President Biden’s Unity Agenda. La Nueva Familia Michoacana is involved in significant fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine trafficking as well as migrant smuggling into the United States.

The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a settlement agreement with eTeam Inc. (eTeam), an online staffing agency that provides services to companies throughout the United States and around the world. The agreement resolves the department’s determination that eTeam discriminated against non-U.S. citizens with permission to work in the United States by excluding them from job opportunities based on their citizenship or immigration status, in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

The National Farmers Union (NFU) has expressed support for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) launch of the Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Grant Program (FLSP). Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that $50 million will be distributed to 141 awardees across 40 states and Puerto Rico.

On World Refugee Day, the United States reaffirms its longstanding tradition as a beacon of hope for refugees and persecuted people globally. "We are committed to standing with the millions of refugees worldwide who have been forced to flee violence and persecution," stated Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State, on June 20, 2024. He also expressed gratitude towards generous host communities, vital humanitarian partners, and private sponsors supporting these individuals.

WASHINGTON — Today, June 20, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its 2024-2027 Climate Adaptation Plan, detailing actions to address climate change impacts and enhance national climate resilience. The plan aims to ensure that EPA’s programs, facilities, workforce, and operations are increasingly resilient to climate change. This initiative aligns with the Biden-Harris Administration’s broader efforts to tackle the climate crisis.

Washington, D.C. — In the Heritage Foundation’s policy manifesto, Project 2025, there is a proposal for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to impose lifetime caps on Medicaid benefits. This would mean that once an individual has been on Medicaid for a predetermined period, they could lose eligibility regardless of their financial situation.

BOAZ, AL – A Boaz mobile home manufacturer could have prevented a 62-year-old roofing laborer’s fatal fall had the employer followed required fall protection standards, a U.S. Department of Labor investigation found.

Workers are winning a greater percentage of National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)-recognized union elections than at any point in the past 15 years. However, The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 includes a blueprint for eroding the NLRB’s ability to protect organizing workers, according to a new analysis by the Center for American Progress (CAP).

“Your phone is kind of this little mini supercomputer and personal data hub,” says Alan Butler, executive director and president of the Electronic Privacy Information Center. “Luckily, there have been some important and relevant technological advances in how some phones secure that data, but the depths to which data is collected or generated through your phone go on and on and on.”

U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar joined U.S. Consul General in Guadalajara Amy Scanlon, along with representatives from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) and Bureau of Consular Affairs, U.S. Mission personnel, and Mexican officials, at the formal dedication of the new U.S. consulate general in Guadalajara. The new consulate will formally begin offering services to the public later this summer. This ribbon cutting is the first in a series of upcoming U.S. embassy and consulate project completions in Mexico.

On June 20, 2024, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas outlined strategic guidance to enhance critical infrastructure security and resilience efforts over the next two years. This initiative involves federal agencies, critical infrastructure owners and operators, as well as other government and private sector stakeholders. The guidance builds on President Biden’s National Security Memorandum (NSM-22) on Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience.

On June 20, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Congress’ authority to impose a one-time tax on earnings from overseas corporations. In response, Alexandra Thornton, senior director of financial regulation at the Center for American Progress, issued a statement.

A U.S. Department of Labor workplace safety investigation has determined that a Woodbury plastic and resin manufacturer could have prevented a 37-year-old employee from suffering fatal injuries by adhering to required safety protocols designed to prevent machines from starting during maintenance.

NEW YORK – Today at Bradley Beach, NJ, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia announced $258,000 in grant funding to help New Jersey’s coastal communities protect the health of beachgoers. She was joined by Congressman Frank Pallone Jr., Ranking Member of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, Shawn LaTourette, Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Bradley Beach Mayor Larry Fox and other dignitaries. The funding will assist New Jersey in conducting water quality monitoring and public...

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released three new resources today, providing information for students, parents and families, and schools on the civil rights of students with sickle cell disease, epilepsy, and cancer. This release coincides with World Sickle Cell Day and National Black Family Cancer Awareness Week.

Last month, CDT previewed its platform at the World Summit of the Information Society (WSIS), a United Nations-sponsored meeting focused on the importance of human rights considerations in internet standards. The panel emphasized how privacy, accessibility, and freedom of expression are vital for democratic and equitable digital governance. The discussion centered on incorporating these core human rights considerations into the processes to develop internet technical standards.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released its updated Climate Adaptation Plan, joining over 20 federal agencies in expanding the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to enhance federal operations' resilience to climate change impacts. The updated plans advance the National Climate Resilience Framework, aligning climate resilience investments across public and private sectors through common principles and opportunities for action.