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Dan Blumenthal is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. He served as Senior director for China, Taiwan and Mongolia at the US Department of Defense, and is author of The China Nightmare: The Grand Ambitions of a Decaying State.

Sulmaan Wasif Khan is Denison Chair in history and international relations at the Fletcher School at Tufts University.

The National Park Service (NPS) has announced that it is seeking electronic comments on the significance of properties nominated before May 18, 2024, for listing or related actions in the National Register of Historic Places. Comments should be submitted electronically by June 20, 2024.

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland delivered an opening statement before the House Judiciary Committee, highlighting the ongoing efforts of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to uphold its mission of ensuring national safety, protecting civil rights, and maintaining the rule of law.

The U.S. Department of Labor has announced that its Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has reached a conciliation agreement with Arakelian Enterprises Inc., a Southern California waste collection and recycling company, to resolve alleged hiring discrimination against female job applicants.

The National Park Service is soliciting electronic comments on the significance of properties nominated before May 25, 2024, for listing or related actions in the National Register of Historic Places. Comments should be submitted electronically by June 20, 2024.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a settlement with Smith Foundry to address alleged violations of the Clean Air Act at its iron foundry in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The company will cease its furnace and casting operations within 12 months and convert to a metal finishing facility, significantly reducing emissions. Additionally, Smith Foundry will pay an $80,000 penalty.

NASHVILLE, TENN. (June 4, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has fined an automotive aftermarket parts distributor based in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, for allegedly selling illegal “defeat devices” designed to render automobile emission controls inoperative, in violation of the federal Clean Air Act.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has joined President Joe Biden in celebrating June as the 22nd Annual National Homeownership Month. This initiative underscores the Biden-Harris Administration's dedication to supporting affordable homeownership and reducing housing costs for American families.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has secured a third six-year term, though opposition parties have made significant gains, resulting in his party losing more seats than anticipated. Allison McManus, managing director for the National Security and International Policy department at the Center for American Progress, provided her perspective on the election outcome.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in partnership with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), has welcomed 10 new states into the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) Medicaid Demonstration Program. The newly added states—Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island, and Vermont—successfully developed state-level infrastructure and collaborated with providers to meet CCBHC standards.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a settlement with Thoroughbred Performance Products of Winchester, Kentucky, operating as Thoroughbred Diesel, in response to claims that the company sold thousands of aftermarket products that disable vehicles' emissions control systems, known as 'defeat devices.' As part of the settlement, Thoroughbred Diesel agreed to cease selling defeat devices and pay a civil penalty of $1,250,000.

Following the introduction of the “Expanding Partnerships for Innovation and Competitiveness Act” to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), a leading think tank for science and technology policy, issued a statement of support from associate director of trade policy, Nigel Cory.

A federal Administrative Law Judge has upheld the Department of Labor’s finding that a Houston crane and rigging services provider violated federal law by firing a company truck driver on June 5, 2020, for refusing to exceed safe driving limits set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Fueled by a lack of existing inventory and pent-up demand, single-family permit growth is occurring across all tracked geographic regions of the nation while the opposite holds true for the multifamily sector, according to the latest findings from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Home Building Geography Index (HBGI) for the first quarter of 2024.

On the 35th anniversary of Tiananmen, Circle 19 group launches landmark manifesto for the right to information in China

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the allocation of over $3.4 million to five selectees in Puerto Rico for the assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites, furthering environmental justice initiatives. This funding is part of a broader $1.5 billion investment from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law aimed at transforming polluted, vacant, and abandoned properties into community assets.

On June 4, 2024, Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chair and Co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), convened a hearing to mark the 35th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre. The session, titled "Tiananmen at 35--The Ongoing Struggle for Human Rights and Democracy in China," examined the legacy of the Tiananmen protests and their significance for contemporary rights advocates. It also addressed intimidation faced by activists in North America and restrictions on commemorations in Hong Kong.

The founder and former CEO of a sustainable fuel company was sentenced today to three years in prison for embezzling at least $5.9 million and defrauding investors out of approximately $15 million.

On May 31, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) Director Andrea Gacki and senior FinCEN leaders engaged in two roundtables coordinated with Iowa Representative Zach Nunn’s office in Des Moines, Iowa.

Late last week in Geneva, the U.S. delegation to the World Health Assembly, led by Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, together with delegates from other WHO-member countries, successfully adopted a number of amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR). These amendments represent the most significant updates to the IHR in nearly 20 years.

Washington, D.C. — The United States’ trade enforcement authorities require modernization to align with the needs of a globally connected economy, according to a new report from the Center for American Progress. The proposed updates aim to enhance the effectiveness of the Biden administration’s investments in American industry, thereby bolstering key sectors and improving the competitiveness of American workers.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced a combined investment of $15 million over four years to address maternal health needs in rural communities. This initiative includes nearly $8 million in Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies (Rural MOMS) awards and approximately $7 million for a new program targeting the Delta region.

WASHINGTON, June 3, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced proposed steps to address competition issues in agricultural markets and create a fairer playing field for poultry growers and farmers. USDA is proposing the rule "Poultry Grower Payment Systems and Capital Improvement Systems" to tackle abuses related to grower ranking payment systems and additional capital investment requirements commonly imposed on contract growers for broiler chicken.

WASHINGTON, June 3, 2024 – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack today issued a statement commemorating the 100th anniversary of the designation of the Gila Wilderness in New Mexico, recognized as the world's first designated wilderness area.