News published on Federal Newswire in February 2023

News from February 2023


Federal investigation finds Barberton toolmaker failed to properly protect drill press operators; three workers suffered preventable injuries

News Release: BARBERTON, OH ‒ In less than two years, three workers at a leading tool manufacturer in Barberton suffered injuries from unguarded machinery.


BLM plans prescribed burn in Chaves and Lincoln counties

News Release: ROSWELL, N.M. - Beginning mid-February through the month of April, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) plans to conduct prescribed fire operations northwest of Roswell in eastern Lincoln County and east of Roswell in the Sand Ranch Area of Environmental Concern in Chaves County. Both prescribed fires are in coordination with the New Mexico State Land Office.


Former Direct Support Professional Sentenced  For Financial Exploitation of Three District Vulnerable Adults

News Release: WASHINGTON -Joseph Oluwatobi Adebanwo, 26, of Laurel, Maryland, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today to 90 days in prison, suspended, three years of probation and $1,700 restitution on one misdemeanor count of exploitation of a vulnerable adult. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Inspector General for the District of Columbia Daniel W. Lucas.


Sens. Cruz, Thune Release Statement on Looming Expiration of Spectrum Auction Authority

U.S. Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and John Thune (R-S.D.), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Communications, Media, and Broadband, today released the following joint statement ahead of the March 9th expiration of the Federal Communications Commission’s spectrum auction authority:


Sen. Cruz: We Need To Think Carefully About Advancing Legislation to Dramatically Expand the FTC’s Power

In his opening statement at today’s full committee hearing titled “Bringing Transparency and Accountability to Pharmacy Benefit Managers,” Ranking Member Ted Cruz (R-Texas) raised concerns about new powers being given to the Federal Trade Commission in light of the abrupt resignation announcement by Commissioner Christine Wilson. Ranking Member Cruz stressed that legislation regulating Pharmacy Benefit Managers, or PBMS, should be viewed with “extreme caution” given both the possibility the bill would raise drug prices and that the Commission will soon lack a single minority commissioner.


Sen. Cruz Announces Subcommittee Ranking Members for 118th Congress

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation finalized Ranking Members for Subcommittees today and announced the following Republican Ranking Members for the 118th Congress.


Sen. Cruz: The Flying Public Is Stuck with a Self-regulating and Flailing Agency Stuck in the 20th Century

In his opening statement at today’s full committee hearing on “the Federal Aviation Administration’s NOTAM System Failure and its Impacts on a Resilient National Airspace,” Ranking Member Ted Cruz (R-Texas) criticized U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s failure to deliver any meaningful reforms to the FAA and discussed the need for upgrades to the FAA and its air traffic organization in light of the unprecedented NOTAM failure that stranded thousands of travelers.


Sen. Cruz: Gigi Sohn Is an Extreme Partisan Who Lacks the Impartiality and Candor Necessary To Sit On FCC

In his opening statement at today’s full committee hearing to consider the nomination of Gigi Sohn to be a Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Ranking Member Ted Cruz (R-Texas) detailed Ms. Sohn’s lengthy record of extremism, poor ethics, bad judgment, and disdain for Congress.


Sen. Cruz Questions Delays Holding Up Energy Export Projects in Letter to Maritime Administration

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today sent a letter to the Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) seeking information about its lengthy delays in reaching decisions on applications for deepwater ports for exporting oil and natural gas.


Sen. Cruz Launches Sweeping Big Tech Oversight Investigation

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today sent a letter to social media companies Meta, Google, Twitter, and TikTok launching an oversight investigation into these companies’ use of recommendation algorithms and their reported use of “blacklists,” “de-emphasizing,” and other means of “reduced distribution” of content from users, including many conservatives.


Sen. Cruz: Regulatory Overreach by the DOT Would Make Air Travel Costlier, Limit Routes

In his opening statement at today’s full committee hearing titled, “Strengthening Airline Operations and Consumer Protection,” Ranking Member Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said Biden administration efforts to micromanage airline fares and routes would result in higher overall fares, fewer routes, and leave consumers worse off.


Chairman Carper’s Opening Statement: Hearing on Low Carbon Transportation Fuels

On February 15, 2023, the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing to examine low carbon transportation fuels and consider the development of a national clean fuels policy.


Carper, Capito Announce EPW Subcommittee Assignments for 118th Congress

U.S. Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the EPW Committee, today announced the EPW subcommittee assignments for the 118th Congress.


Ranking Member Capito Opening Statement: Low-Carbon Fuel Standard Means “Higher Prices for Hypothetical Climate Benefits”

Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee held a hearing titled, “The Future of Low-Carbon Transportation Fuels and Considerations for a National Clean Fuels Program.”


Capito Discusses Cost Impacts of Low-Carbon Fuel Standard, Lifecycle Emissions of EVs, Appalachian Hydrogen Hub

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, questioned witnesses at a full committee hearing about increased costs caused by Low-Carbon Fuel Standard programs currently in place in certain states, the emissions impacts of electric vehicles (EVs), and the Appalachian Hydrogen Hub.


Labor, Health And Human Services, Education Announces Public Witness Hearing Date

The Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies will hold a public witness hearing on Thursday, March 23, 2023.


Interior and Environment Subcommittee Announces American Indian and Alaska Native Public Witness Hearing Dates

The Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies will hold American Indian and Alaska Native public witness hearings on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, and Thursday, March 9, 2023.


Lack of Spotter Leads to Crane Toppling Off Barge

A crane toppled off a Virginia barge last year because no spotter was present to notice the crane being driven too far aft, and the cable system securing the crane to the barge failed, the National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday.


NTSB Releases Data Visualization Tool for General Aviation Accidents

The National Transportation Safety Board Wednesday introduced a new tool to visualize information about recent general aviation accident investigations.


NTSB Issues Investigative Update on Ohio Train Derailment

The NTSB investigation of the Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern freight train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio is ongoing.