Search for news, organizations and people The Federal Newswire

The Heritage Foundation has selected The Immigration Accountability Project (IAP) as the recipient of its Innovation Prize. IAP will receive a $100,000 award to support its efforts in keeping immigration issues and the ongoing border crisis at the forefront of voters' minds through 2024. The organization plans to create engaging content and use geo-targeted social media ads to educate voters about their Members of Congress's actions—or lack thereof—towards changing and improving immigration policy, and how these actions impact public safety, education, healthcare, and...

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced plans to host Memorial Day ceremonies at over 130 national cemeteries across the United States. The events, which are intended to commemorate the lives of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the nation, as well as all Veterans buried in VA cemeteries, will take place throughout Memorial Day weekend.

On May 20, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it will be awarding over $300 million in grants as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The funding is intended to assist states, tribal nations, local governments, and non-profit organizations in assessing and cleaning up polluted brownfield sites across the country. This investment is facilitated through EPA’s Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup (MAC) Grant Programs and Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Grant Programs.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has launched Operation Protect Your Move, a nationwide initiative aimed at cracking down on fraudulent interstate household goods (HHG) movers and brokers. The enforcement initiative will address complaints about HHG moving company and broker compliance with federal safety and consumer protection regulations and statutes.

The U.S. Department of Labor has once again found that La Mojarra Loca restaurants in Las Vegas have shortchanged their workers' wages. The department has recovered $151,000 for 33 workers who were denied overtime pay.

Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy, Liz Allen, held a meeting with Kosovan President Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu in Pristina, Kosovo. The key agenda of their discussion was the strategic priority to advance Kosovo along its path towards European and Euro-Atlantic integration. They also stressed the importance of close coordination to achieve this goal. Under Secretary Allen emphasized the benefits of regional economic integration and underscored the significance of European and transatlantic values such as minority rights and media freedom.

Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, Roger Carstens, is set to visit Doha, Qatar from May 20 to 22. The purpose of his visit includes delivering remarks and participating in a panel discussion titled "The Impacts of Hostage-Taking by State and Non-State Actors" at the Global Security Forum.

Joseph Majkut, Director of the Energy Security and Climate Change Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), expressed concern that the Biden Administration's new tariffs on China's energy industry could potentially increase the cost of solar panels and clean energy domestic projects. This, he suggested, may create a conflict between decoupling from China and pursuing clean energy goals in the United States. Majkut articulated these views in a CSIS analysis commentary piece published on May 14.

S.866 American Innovation and Jobs Act - This bill revises and expands the deductibility of research and experimental expenditures to allow immediate expensing of such expenditures.

Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Daniel J. Kritenbrink, is set to travel to Manila, Philippines from May 20-21 to participate in the sixth Indo-Pacific Business Forum (IPBF). This forum is recognized as the premier U.S.-sponsored business event in the region.

Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy, Liz Allen, met with Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric today in Belgrade, Serbia. Allen extended her congratulations to the Foreign Minister on his recent appointment. The two dignitaries concurred on the significance of fortifying the U.S.-Serbia bilateral relationship and hastening Serbia's progress toward EU accession.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has entered into a Conciliation Agreement and Voluntary Compliance Agreement with the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR). This agreement resolves an allegation that NCORR had discriminatory practices in its disaster recovery programs, particularly against Black homeowners. A North Carolina resident who lodged a complaint in this case, represented by North Carolina Legal Aid, is also included in the agreement.

Secretary Antony J. Blinken held a meeting with Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf M. Tuggar in Washington on May 17, 2024. This information was disclosed by Spokesperson Matthew Miller.

Seventy years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court challenged the blemish of segregation in the nation's public school system by declaring the Jim Crow-era "separate but equal" doctrine unconstitutional in Brown v. Board of Education, refusing to "turn the clock back" on American democracy.

Advocacy groups such as Consumer Reports and the Electronic Privacy Information Center have praised the measure, calling it stronger than other state privacy laws.

Following a report that U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito displayed an upside-down American flag at his residence in the days leading up to President Joe Biden’s inauguration, Devon Ombres, senior director for Courts and Legal Policy at the Center for American Progress, issued a statement.

Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, Uzra Zeya, is set to visit Astana, Kazakhstan and Tashkent, Uzbekistan from May 19-23. The purpose of her visit is to engage on issues concerning democratic governance and rule of law; human rights and protection of vulnerable populations; and religious freedom.

On the morning of May 14, 2024, preacher Chang Hao, who was accused of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” received his verdict from the Zhenxiong Court. The court sentenced him to one year and one month in prison. Chang Hao had been arrested on April 14, 2023, exactly one year and one month prior to the verdict. Consequently, upon the announcement of the verdict, Chang Hao immediately gained his freedom and exited the courtroom with his family and fellow Christians.

On National Bike to Work Day, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced that over $63 million in grants from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will be allocated for the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program. This funding is set to benefit 99 local, regional, and tribal communities by enhancing road safety and reducing fatalities and serious injuries, with a particular focus on bicyclist safety.

The Department of Defense (DoD) has announced a $20 million award to South32 via the Defense Production Act Investment (DPAI) Program. The award is intended for South32's Hermosa Project, which aims to sustainably produce battery-grade manganese in Santa Cruz County, Arizona. The award aligns with the 2024 National Defense Industrial Strategy's objective to continue and expand support for domestic production, thereby increasing supply chain resilience.

On May 17, 2024, House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson (R-PA) unveiled his proposed farm bill, scheduled for markup on May 23. The proposal has sparked criticism from various quarters, including Emily Gee, senior vice president for Inclusive Growth at the Center for American Progress.

Secretary Blinken is set to deliver remarks at a gala honoring the United States Foreign Service on Tuesday, May 21, at 7:00 p.m. in the Benjamin Franklin Room at the U.S. Department of State. The Director General of the Foreign Service, Marcia S. Bernicat, will also deliver remarks and co-host the gala with the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), which is the professional association of the Foreign Service. AFSA’s president, Tom Yazdgerdi, will MC the event.

Citizen journalist Zhang Zhan, who was sentenced to four years in prison for reporting on the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, was due to be released on May 13th. However, it appears that she has not regained her freedom as expected. It is speculated that she has been illegally detained by the Shanghai Public Security Bureau after her release, but friends and supporters have no way of knowing her exact whereabouts.

Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs, Ramin Toloui, recently completed a diplomatic tour from April 22 to May 3. His journey spanned Japan, the Republic of Korea, Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore, California, and New York. The objective of his travel was to bolster bilateral relationships and promote trade and economic opportunities with these nations.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited Turn Around Columbus, a nonprofit organization in Columbus, Georgia, on May 17, 2024. The organization is committed to investing in youth development and creating opportunities for the next generation of entrepreneurs, farmers, and community leaders. During his visit, Secretary Vilsack emphasized the Biden-Harris Administration's dedication to developing new markets, generating revenue, and supporting agriculture both in Georgia and across the nation.