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On National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families (ACF) unveiled new policy guidance and resources to broaden access to legal representation for children eligible for title IV-E foster care, their parents, kinship caregivers, Indian custodians, and tribes. The initiative allows state and tribal child welfare agencies to use federal funds to provide legal representation. This move aligns with President Biden’s Unity Agenda priority of addressing the mental health crisis and...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), and Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) have introduced the bipartisan BIOSECURE Act. This legislation aims to protect American patient data and taxpayer dollars from falling into the hands of foreign adversaries' biotechnology companies by prohibiting Federal contracting with these entities. The bill builds upon previous efforts in the 118th Congress.

The Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) has released a new report detailing the risks and benefits of nonbank mortgage servicers, as well as their rapidly growing share of the industry. The report also recommends actions for increased oversight to ensure these companies are safer and more reliable.

A Kentucky-based dentist, Dr. Jay M. Sadrinia, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the unlawful prescription of opioids, including morphine that led to the death of a patient. Court documents and evidence presented at trial revealed that Sadrinia, 61, owned and operated dental clinics in Crescent Springs, Kentucky.

The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced today that it has sanctioned Ali Yagoub Gibril and Osman Mohamed Hamid Mohamed, leaders of the Rapid Support Forces’ (RSF) war campaign in Sudan. The sanctions were imposed under Executive Order (E.O.) 14098 due to the RSF's recent attacks in North Darfur, which have resulted in numerous civilian casualties, including children.

The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) has released two white papers that explore the history of cross-border data flow commitments and underscore the advantages of digital trade. These publications, titled “USTR’s Revisionist History on Data and Trade Agreements” and “Responding to the Myths Holding Back U.S. Action on Digital Trade,” address quotes from recent testimonies of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) during oversight hearings before the House Ways & Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee.

Washington, D.C. — Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a report today that criticized Israel's conduct in Gaza. However, the report stopped short of finding that Israel violated the conditions for its use of U.S. weapons. Patrick Gaspard, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress (CAP), expressed his disappointment with this conclusion.

In a recent meeting of the Financial Stability Oversight Council, Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen highlighted the importance of addressing risks associated with nonbank mortgage servicing. The Council is set to vote on publishing a report that provides a comprehensive analysis of these risks and offers concrete recommendations for mitigating them.

A recent report by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) suggests that several industries in the United States could potentially benefit from increased consolidation and economies of scale. The sectors that stand to gain include banking, construction, and telecommunications.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Great Lakes Legacy Act project partners are set to hold a public meeting in Cleveland next week. The focus of the meeting will be the Cuyahoga River Old Channel sediment cleanup, which is scheduled to commence next year.

The Justice Department has reached an agreement with Cobb County, Georgia, to resolve allegations that the county violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act by employing discriminatory hiring practices against African American firefighter candidates. The alleged discriminatory measures included credit checks and a written exam.

In one of the largest wage infringement settlements ever reached for US poultry workers, a federal court in Los Angeles has ordered Fu Qian Chen Lu, Bruce Shu Hua Lok and others, as owners and operators of a network of California poultry processors and distributors, to pay $4.8 million in back wages and compensation to 476 workers and $221,919 in fines following an investigation by the United States Department of Labor.

Several lawsuits have been filed against companies and individuals who unlawfully sought to invalidate the 2020 election results. However, the settlement of the National Coalition On Black Civic Participation stands out as it resolves claims of spreading false information to protected categories of voters.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III recently announced a series of flag officer nominations made by the president. The nominations include Navy Vice Adm. John F. Wade for reappointment to the grade of vice admiral, with assignment as commander, Third Fleet, San Diego, California. Wade's most recent post was as commander of Task Force Red Hill at Camp H.S. Smith in Hawaii.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), under the Biden-Harris Administration, has announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that aims to enhance border security and streamline asylum processing. The proposed rule, published through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), will allow statutory bars to asylum to be applied earlier in the process, enabling quicker removal of those posing a risk to national security or public safety.

On May 6-7, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Deputy Secretary Kristie Canegallo joined Secretary of State Antony Blinken, White House National Security Council’s Marcela Escobari, and USAID Acting Assistant Administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean Michael Camilleri in Guatemala City, Guatemala. They represented the United States Government at the third Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection Ministerial. Over the past two years, this declaration has served as a framework for its signatories throughout the Americas to take action on shared...

In a landmark ruling for immigrant workers in the United States, the U.S. Department of Labor has secured $4.8 million in back wages and damages for 476 employees of Los Angeles-based Fu Qian Chen Lu, Bruce Shu Hua Lok, and other poultry processing workers. The case is one of the largest recoveries of back wages for low-wage workers in California history.

The Justice Department has secured a settlement agreement with Second Nature, a Massachusetts-based non-profit organization. The agreement addresses the department's findings that Second Nature contravened the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by publishing discriminatory job advertisements that discouraged non-U.S. citizens from applying for vacant positions.

Emergency response teams at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are gearing up for the Gulf Coast hurricane season, which officially commences on June 1. These teams, known as on-scene coordinators (OSCs), are specifically trained in disaster response and work in collaboration with state, local, and Tribal partners to prepare for potential storms.

The Governments of the United States of America and the Republic of Peru released a joint statement on May 9, 2024, marking the occasion of their first High-Level Dialogue held in Washington, D.C. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and Peruvian Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Peter Camino led the inaugural dialogue, affirming a shared commitment to advance mutual interests and deepen the longstanding bilateral strategic partnership.

Confidence in the new multifamily housing market has seen a year-over-year decline in the first quarter of 2024, as per the Multifamily Market Survey (MMS) results released by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The MMS consists of two separate indices - the Multifamily Production Index (MPI) and the Multifamily Occupancy Index (MOI). The MPI saw a three-point decrease from last year, with a reading of 47, while the MOI recorded an increase of one point to 83.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, in collaboration with the South Carolina Human Affairs Commission and the South Carolina Department of Labor Licensing and Regulation, has announced a webinar to mark National Waitstaff Day. The event will focus on federal wage and other protections for people employed in the state’s food service industry.

Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, Ranking Member Roger Wicker (R-MS) of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce have initiated an investigation into Georgia Tech's partnership with Tianjin University in China. The Chinese university is linked to the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and has been blacklisted by the U.S. government for stealing American technology with military applications.

The U.S. Justice Department has announced the establishment of the Antitrust Division’s Task Force on Health Care Monopolies and Collusion (HCMC). The HCMC is set to guide the division's enforcement strategy and policy approach in health care, including facilitating policy advocacy, investigations, and civil and criminal enforcement in health care markets when necessary.

Trevor Bickford, a 20-year-old resident of Wells, Maine, has been sentenced to 27 years in prison for his attempted murder of U.S. Government officers and employees during a machete attack on New Year's Eve 2022. The attack took place in Times Square and targeted three New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers. Bickford pleaded guilty to terrorism charges on January 11.