News published on Federal Newswire in February 2013

News Release: A new National Park Service (NPS) report for 2011 shows that the 903,137 visitors to Fort Sumter Group, which includes Fort Sumter National Monument and Charles Pinckney National Historic Site, spent $24,051,000 in communities surrounding the park. This spending supported 312 jobs in the local area.

National Park Tourism in South Dakota Creates $165 Million in Economic Benefit

News Release: MOUNT RUSHMORE NATIONAL MEMORIAL, S.D. - A new National Park Service (NPS) report for 2011 shows that the 3,807,375 visitors to national parks in South Dakota spent $165 million in communities surrounding those parks. This spending supported 2,651 jobs across the state.

Baucus Applauds Committee Approval of Jack Lew to be Treasury Secretary

News Release: Washington - Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) today applauded the committee’s overwhelming approval of Jacob “Jack" Lew to serve as Treasury secretary by a vote of 19 to 5.

***MEDIA ADVISORY*** Subcommittee Announces Hearing to Explore Innovative Teacher Evaluation Programs

By DOL Newswire | Feb 26, 2013

News Release: On Thursday, February 28 at 9:00 a.m., the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, chaired by Rep. Todd Rokita (R-IN), will hold a hearing entitled “Raising the Bar: How are Schools Measuring Teacher Performance?" The hearing will take place in room 2175 of the Rayburn House Office Building.

Energy and Power Subcommittee Explores Private-Sector Innovation in Energy Efficiency

By EPA Newswire | Feb 26, 2013

News Release: WASHINGTON, DC - The Energy and Power Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY), today held a hearing focused on private-sector successes and opportunities in energy efficient technologies. In a time of continuing economic hardship, and record government deficits, the subcommittee continued its hearing series on American Energy Security and Innovation, examining new and innovative ways to reduce waste and cut costs for businesses and the federal government.

Kaptur Statement on NNSA Nuclear Nonproliferation and Naval Reactors

By Homeland Newswire | Feb 26, 2013

News Release: The threat of nuclear terrorism is one of the gravest national security threats we face today, and we must secure stocks of fissile material.

Former Wood County Rancher Sentenced For Selling Mortgaged Cattle

News Release: TYLER, Texas - A 26-year-old Ainsworth, Nebraska man has been sentenced for misapplying funds owed to the Farm Services Agency in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.

Emmett Man Charged In BLM Fire

News Release: BOISE - Matthew Williams, 23, of Emmett, Idaho, pleaded not guilty today in United States District Court to the charge of Public Land Set Afire, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. A federal grand jury in Boise indicted Williams on Feb. 12, 2013.

Sen. Carper Votes to Confirm Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense

By Homeland Newswire | Feb 26, 2013

News Release: WASHINGTON - Today, Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released the following statement after he voted to confirm former Senator Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) as U.S. Secretary of Defense...

Vitter, Inhofe Ask EPA Acting Administrator for Increased Transparency and Accountability

By US DOT Newswire | Feb 26, 2013

News Release: In a joint letter sent today, U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), the top Republican of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, and U.S. Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ranking Member of the Senate EPW Subcommittee on Oversight, reached out to Bob Perciasepe, the acting Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to encourage the advancement of transparency and accountability in government.

Nacogdoches County Man Sentenced For Drug Trafficking

News Release: BEAUMONT, Texas - A 26-year-old Nacogdoches, Texas man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.

North Carolina Poultry Processing Plant Sentenced For Violating Clean Water Act

News Release: WASHINGTON- A federal judge sentenced House of Raeford Farms Inc., a poultry slaughtering and processing facility located in Raeford, N.C., to a fine of $150,000, a two year period of probation and to pay a special assessment of $4,000 on Feb. 26, 2013, for 10 counts of knowingly violating the Clean Water Act.

Former Commodities Broker Sentenced To Four Years In Prison For Fraud Causing Half-Dozen Clients To Lose $1.3 Million

News Release: CHICAGO - A former commodities broker was sentenced to four years in federal prison for defrauding a half-dozen customers of approximately $2.5 million and causing them to lose approximately $1.3 million. The defendant, JOSHUA T.J. RUSSO, 31, of Chicago, a former vice president of alternative investments for Olympus Futures, Inc. (previously Peak Trading Group), was sentenced after pleading guilty last November to commodities fraud.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Tourism Creates $818 million in Local Economic Benefit

News Release: Gatlinburg, TN - A new National Park Service (NPS) report for 2011 shows that the 9,008,830 visitors to Great Smoky Mountains National Park spent $818 million in communities surrounding the park. This spending supported 11,732 jobs in the local area.

Leading Job Training Officials Laud Reforms in the SKILLS Act

By DOL Newswire | Feb 26, 2013

News Release: The Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training, chaired by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), today held a hearing on the urgent need to strengthen the federal workforce development system. Members discussed a number of legislative proposals intended to address flaws in federal job training policies, including the Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills (SKILLS) Act.

Energy and Power Subcommittee Explores Private-Sector Innovation in Energy Efficiency

News Release: WASHINGTON, DC - The Energy and Power Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY), today held a hearing focused on private-sector successes and opportunities in energy efficient technologies. In a time of continuing economic hardship, and record government deficits, the subcommittee continued its hearing series on American Energy Security and Innovation, examining new and innovative ways to reduce waste and cut costs for businesses and the federal government.

Markey Report: Oil Companies Pocketing Billions of Dollars in Free Drilling

News Release: WASHINGTON - A new report, released today by Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), shows how more than 100 oil and gas companies are drilling in U.S. waters in the Gulf of Mexico without paying royalties to the American people. Nearly 40 percent of these active royalty-free leases are fully or partially owned by foreign governments. The report shows for the first time how much each of these companies is making in free drilling from the U.S. taxpayers.

NIST Solicits Views, Ideas from Stakeholders for Cybersecurity Framework for Critical Infrastructure

News Release: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) today issued a Request for Information (RFI) in the Federal Register as its first step in the process to develop a Cybersecurity Framework, a set of voluntary standards and best practices to guide industry in reducing cyber risks to the networks and computers that support critical infrastructure vital to the nation's economy, security and daily life.

Reclamation Launches New Lease of Power Privilege Website

News Release: DENVER - The Bureau of Reclamation has developed a new website to assist customers, stakeholders and those interested in developing hydropower under the Lease of Power Privilege process.

Owner Of Ocean County, N.J., Architectural Firm Admits Submitting False Corporate Returns