News from December 2023
By Federal Newswire | Dec 11, 2023
Committee on House Administration Chairman Bryan Steil and Representative Derek Kilmer have requested the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study on the ability of states to comply with the law regarding filling U.S. House of Representative member vacancies during emergencies. The study aims to ensure that states are equipped to conduct timely elections in case of mass casualties or other emergencies.Chairman Steil emphasized the importance of ensuring that states are prepared to fulfill their election obligations, stating, "Ensuring states are equipped...
By Federal Newswire | Dec 11, 2023
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) delivered a speech on the House Floor in support of her bill, the Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act. The bill aims to strengthen the energy and national security of the United States by prohibiting imports of enriched uranium produced by Russia.In her remarks, Chair Rodgers emphasized the importance of American leadership in nuclear energy and technology for the country's economic and national security. She highlighted the urgent security threat posed by America's reliance on Russia's supply of...
By Federal Newswire | Dec 11, 2023
House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and Rep. Russell Fry (R-S.C.) are currently conducting oversight of data sharing agreements between the Department of Treasury (Treasury), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The lawmakers have sent letters to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, CFPB Director Rohit Chopra, and IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel, requesting documents and communications related to the government's information collection and data sharing activities.According to the...
By Federal Newswire | Dec 11, 2023
Washington - Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's top aide, Melissa DeRosa, is facing scrutiny from the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic regarding her alleged involvement in the COVID-19 nursing home death cover-up. Subcommittee Chairman Brad Wenstrup and Representative Nicole Malliotakis are demanding answers from DeRosa after her attorney claimed that she was not involved in New York's deadly COVID-19 nursing home directive.In a letter to DeRosa, Wenstrup and Malliotakis highlighted the contradictions between her attorney's claims and the information...
By Federal Newswire | Dec 11, 2023
Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Subcommittee Chair Jeff Duncan (R-SC) have praised the passage of H.R. 1042, the Prohibiting Russian Uranium Act. The bill, which aims to end America's reliance on Russian uranium, passed the House with a bipartisan voice vote.In a joint statement, Chair Rodgers and Chair Duncan emphasized the importance of reducing America's dependence on Russian nuclear fuel. They highlighted that currently, more than 20 percent of the fuel used by U.S....
By Federal Newswire | Dec 11, 2023
Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) took to the House Floor to highlight the importance of H.R. 5378, the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act. In her remarks, Chair Rodgers emphasized the need to address the exorbitant costs and complexities of the healthcare system.Chair Rodgers began by acknowledging the struggles faced by real patients who have been burdened by the lack of transparency in the healthcare system. She shared stories of patients who were billed significantly higher amounts than initially quoted and...
By Federal Newswire | Dec 11, 2023
Washington, D.C. - The House of Representatives has passed the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, a landmark bipartisan legislation aimed at lowering the cost of health care and increasing price transparency for patients. The bill, led by House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr., and House Education and the Workforce Committee Chair Virginia Foxx, seeks to empower patients and create incentives for lower prices in the health care market.Chair Smith emphasized the...
By Federal Newswire | Dec 11, 2023
Roger Marzulla was Assistant Attorney General for Environment and Natural Resources at the Department of Justice, and past President of the Mountain States Legal Foundation. He is coauthor with his wife of “Property Rights: Understanding Takings and Environmental Regulation.”
By Federal Newswire | Dec 11, 2023
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) is urging the Senate to pass a bipartisan bill that would ban the import of Russian uranium into the United States. The legislation, introduced by Barrasso and recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, aims to end the country's dependence on Russian nuclear fuel."The United States must ban the sale of Russian uranium in America. Vladimir Putin has used Russia’s nuclear industry to fund his brutal invasion of Ukraine," said Senator Barrasso. "It is estimated that the U.S. spends roughly $1 billion per year on...
By Federal Newswire | Dec 11, 2023
U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, has praised President Biden's new Executive Order on Reforming Federal Funding and Support for Tribal Nations. The order aims to "better embrace our trust responsibilities and promote the next era of Tribal self-determination."In a statement, Senator Schatz highlighted the importance of federal policies that support the sovereignty and self-determination of Tribal nations. He emphasized that with the recent significant investments in Native-serving programs, it is crucial for the...
By Federal Newswire | Dec 11, 2023
The House of Representatives has passed a landmark bipartisan legislation aimed at lowering the cost of health care and increasing price transparency for patients. The bill, known as the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, was led by House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith (R-MO), and House Education and the Workforce Committee Chair Virginia Foxx (R-NC).Chair Rodgers emphasized the importance of the bill in lowering health care costs and providing...
By Federal Newswire | Dec 11, 2023
House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) has launched an investigation into the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and its influence over federal employees. The committee is concerned that the SPLC is weaponizing its designation of "hate group" to target conservative organizations, effectively discriminating against Americans for their First Amendment protected political views.In a letter to U.S. Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, Chairman Comer requested all communications between the Department of Education and the...
By Federal Newswire | Dec 11, 2023
U.S. Senator Joni Ernst has announced her Small Business of the Week, and this time the honor goes to Muddy Dog Market and Grill of Appanoose County. As the Ranking Member of the Senate Small Business Committee, Ernst has made it her mission to recognize a small business in each of Iowa's 99 counties during this Congress.In praising Muddy Dog Market and Grill, Senator Ernst highlighted the unique and diversified nature of the business, stating, "Unique and diversified small businesses like Muddy Dog Market and Grill embody what it means to be an entrepreneur in Iowa." She...
By Federal Newswire | Dec 10, 2023
Elizabeth Gore, Senior Vice President for Political Affairs at the Environmental Defense Fund, has expressed her support for the Concrete and Asphalt Innovation Act of 2023. This legislation, introduced by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), aims to fund research and provide alternative methods to assist cement and concrete producers in reducing emissions.
By Federal Newswire | Dec 10, 2023
The Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) has launched a new research series, "Elevating Equitable Value: Investigating Economic Outcomes of Postsecondary Education." This seven-paper series aims to explore the economic benefits of a college degree and delve into critical issues related to equitable delivery of postsecondary value.
By Federal Newswire | Dec 10, 2023
Following a hearing by the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), United States Representative Chris Smith (R-N.J.) has called for action from the Biden Administration. The hearing's findings have implicated the United States in forced labor practices within China's fishing fleets.
By Federal Newswire | Dec 10, 2023
The Toy Association has announced that its President and CEO, Steve Pasierb, will be stepping down in the spring of next year after serving for eight years. The association has formed a transition committee to facilitate the process of hiring his successor.
By Federal Newswire | Dec 9, 2023
Autel Robotics, a Chinese drone manufacturing company, has issued a statement in response to the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). This development follows the committee's formal request for an extensive investigation into the alleged links between Autel Robotics and the People's Liberation Army (PLA).
By Federal Newswire | Dec 9, 2023
The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) has published a report titled "Private equity in PJM: Growing risks for communities." The report evaluates the escalating risk to communities that are home to private equity (PE)-owned fossil fuel plants.
By Federal Newswire | Dec 9, 2023
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has advocated for the widespread availability of life-saving overdose reversal medications in communities served by government entities, as part of efforts to combat opioid-related overdoses. This initiative is supported by officials from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
