News from April 2024
FTC and DOJ submit comment to FERC on common ownership competition risks
By Federal Newswire | Apr 30, 2024
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) have jointly called on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to consider the competitive risks associated with common ownership. This call comes as part of their assessment of acquisitions that involve less than a controlling interest in competing firms. Currently, FERC is inviting public comments as it reviews its existing policy on investment company ownership of electric utilities.
Former Oregon State Employee Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting a Woman with Disabilities
By Federal Newswire | Apr 30, 2024
A former Oregon Department of Human Services caregiver, Zakary Glover, 30, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison and five years of supervised release for sexually assaulting a woman with developmental disabilities who was under his care.Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division condemned Glover's actions, stating, “This defendant engaged in deplorable acts of sexual misconduct and targeted a victim with severe developmental disabilities who was entrusted to his care and could not defend herself."U.S. Attorney Natalie...
California Man Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax Violations
By Federal Newswire | Apr 30, 2024
A California man, Shane Brightpath Mike, has pleaded guilty to failing to pay over employment taxes withheld from the wages of his company’s employees. Mike, who owned and was the president and chief operating officer of Excel Behavioral Services Inc., a business in Campbell, California, provided home care to persons with disabilities.According to court documents and statements made in court, Mike failed to pay over $1 million in withheld taxes to the IRS for the fourth quarter of 2014 through the third quarter of 2015. It was revealed that Mike also used Excel’s funds to...
U.S. Department of Commerce Directed More than Half of Federal Contract Dollars to Small Businesses in FY2023
By Federal Newswire | Apr 30, 2024
The Department of Commerce announced that in Fiscal Year 2023, more than half of its federal contract dollars were awarded to small businesses, totaling $2.8 billion. Additionally, over 25% of contract dollars were directed to Small Disadvantaged Businesses, amounting to $1.4 billion. This achievement led to the Department of Commerce receiving an “A+” rating from the Small Business Administration for its small business contracting efforts, marking the 8th consecutive year of such recognition."Small businesses power America’s economy and are a crucial driver of employment...
Three Gang Members Convicted for Their Roles in a Murder
By Federal Newswire | Apr 30, 2024
Three members of the Hoover Criminal Gang have been convicted for their roles in the murder of a suspected rival gang member, announced federal authorities. Markell Young, Octavius Ferguson, and Jordan Powell, all from Gibson County, Tennessee, were found guilty by a federal jury in connection to the violent crime.The murder took place on Jan. 31, 2017, in Humboldt, Tennessee, when the defendants targeted a suspected member of the rival Gangster Disciples gang. Young ordered Ferguson, Powell, and two other co-defendants to carry out the murder by indiscriminately shooting...
Former Defense Contractor Pleads Guilty to Attempted Espionage
By Federal Newswire | Apr 30, 2024
Former defense contractor John Murray Rowe Jr. has pleaded guilty to charges of attempted espionage, admitting to attempting to deliver national defense information to a foreign government. According to court documents, Rowe, who held various national security clearances and worked on sensitive defense projects, disclosed classified information to an undercover FBI agent posing as a Russian government agent.During a meeting with the undercover agent, Rowe revealed specific operating details of electronic countermeasure systems used by U.S. military fighter jets. In...
Under Secretary Jenkins Travels to New York
By Federal Newswire | Apr 30, 2024
Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Ambassador Bonnie D. Jenkins is set to travel to Syracuse, New York from April 29 to May 1, 2024.During her visit, Under Secretary Jenkins will engage with students at Syracuse University, discussing current U.S. foreign policy priorities on NATO and nonproliferation and disarmament.The trip aims to facilitate dialogue and exchange of views on critical international security issues.For further updates on Under Secretary Jenkins' activities, you can follow @UnderSecT on X.
New NEPA Rule Deepens Permitting Quagmire
By Federal Newswire | Apr 30, 2024
House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) criticized the White House Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) new National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) rule, stating, "CEQ is taking an imperfect process and somehow making it worse...This new rule will only serve as another win for our adversaries as the Biden administration continues making it virtually impossible to develop our abundant domestic resources." Westerman expressed concerns that the rule will lead to increased litigation and project delays, hindering progress on crucial new...
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Fails to Deliver Promised Benefits
By Federal Newswire | Apr 30, 2024
Washington, D.C. — Recent research has revealed that the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) did not deliver the promised benefits to workers, families, and the nation's economy. The TCJA, which was costly and heavily favored corporations and the wealthy, failed to live up to its proponents' claims during the initial debate over the bill.According to a new issue brief by the Center for American Progress, the corporate changes under the TCJA disproportionately benefited the wealthy, with the top 1 percent of the income distribution receiving a third of the benefits from the...
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Failed To Deliver Promised Benefits
By Federal Newswire | Apr 30, 2024
The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) failed to deliver on its promises of widespread benefits for U.S. workers and the economy, according to a recent analysis. The TCJA, signed into law by former President Donald Trump, made significant changes to the nation's tax laws, including slashing corporate tax rates and altering the taxation of multinational corporations.Despite claims from proponents that the tax cuts would lead to increased wages and investment, evidence suggests otherwise. A report highlighted that the benefits of the corporate tax reductions primarily...
Negotiations on U.S.-Ukraine Bilateral Security Agreement Continue
By Federal Newswire | Apr 30, 2024
Negotiations between the United States and Ukraine regarding a bilateral security agreement are ongoing, following the passage of the President's supplemental funding request. Representatives from key U.S. government agencies, including the Department of State, Department of Defense, and National Security Council, engaged in discussions with Ukrainian counterparts to advance critical security arrangements.The talks aim to solidify long-term bilateral security commitments and uphold other obligations outlined in the G7 Joint Declaration of Support to Ukraine, which was...
Secretary Antony J. Blinken and UN Official Discuss Humanitarian Assistance for Gaza
By Federal Newswire | Apr 30, 2024
Secretary Antony J. Blinken met with UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza, Sigrid Kaag, to discuss the ongoing efforts in pursuit of Security Council Resolution 2720. During the meeting, Kaag welcomed Blinken and his team, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to update them on the work being done to upscale humanitarian assistance in Gaza."I’d like to obviously welcome you, Secretary of State Antony Blinken. And my team, we’re delighted to have precious moments of your time to update you and brief you very much on all the work that’s ongoing...
Congress Should Pass the Bipartisan Future of AI Innovation Act
By Federal Newswire | Apr 30, 2024
WASHINGTON—Ahead of the Senate Commerce Committee’s planned markup of the bipartisan Future of AI Innovation Act (S.4178), the Center for Data Innovation's Senior Policy Manager Hodan Omaar has voiced strong support for the legislation. Omaar stated, "The Future of AI Innovation Act is a refreshing example of how policymakers can and should steer AI toward positive outcomes. The bill doesn’t just dangle a carrot of progress, it paves a path forward for achieving it."Omaar further emphasized the significance of the Act, highlighting its potential to position the United...
CFU Welcomes Congressional Hearing on Corporate “Auditwashing” of Uyghur Forced Labor
By Federal Newswire | Apr 30, 2024
Washington, D.C. – Today, the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) conducted a critical hearing titled “Factories and Fraud in the PRC: How Human Rights Violations Make Reliable Audits Impossible.” The hearing focused on exposing false social and labor audits that aim to conceal the extensive system of state-imposed forced labor by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in East Turkistan. The Campaign for Uyghurs (CFU) views this hearing as a crucial step towards holding businesses accountable for utilizing Uyghur forced labor in their supply chains.During the...
The Unreliability of Social Compliance Audits For Uncovering Forced Labor Explored at Hearing
By Federal Newswire | Apr 30, 2024
Representative Chris Smith and Senator Jeff Merkley led a hearing this week on the effectiveness of social compliance audits in uncovering forced labor in supply chains in China. The hearing, titled “Factories and Fraud in the PRC: How Human Rights Violations Make Audits Impossible,” shed light on the shortcomings of social audits in identifying labor abuses in major industries.In his opening statement, Representative Chris Smith criticized social audits as "another fig leaf…to signal their virtue to consumers [and] a near fiction when it comes to accurately portraying...
CFTC Approves Final Rule Amending the Capital and Financial Reporting Requirements of Swap Dealers and Major Swap Participants
By Federal Newswire | Apr 30, 2024
Washington, D.C. — The Commodity Futures Trading Commission today announced it has approved a final rule that amends the capital and financial reporting requirements of Swap Dealers (SDs) and Major Swap Participants (MSPs).According to the announcement, "The amendments make changes consistent with CFTC Staff Letter No. 21-15 regarding the tangible net worth capital approach for calculating capital under CFTC Regulation 23.101, as well as CFTC Staff Letter No. 21-18, as further extended by CFTC Staff Letter No. 23-11, regarding the alternate financial reporting...
Secretary Antony J. Blinken Addresses Humanitarian Assistance in Gaza
By Federal Newswire | Apr 30, 2024
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken recently addressed the ongoing efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to those in need in Gaza amidst the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Blinken emphasized the importance of ensuring that aid reaches the most vulnerable populations in Gaza, stating, "We’ve put a focus on trying to make sure that those so desperately in need in Gaza get the humanitarian assistance they require."During his visit to Jordan, Blinken met with Gazan women who shared their stories of suffering, highlighting the urgency of the situation. He also...
Justice Department Secures Agreement with Maryland Assisted Living Facility Over Employment Discrimination
By Federal Newswire | Apr 30, 2024
The Justice Department has reached a settlement agreement with Sunrise Senior Living Management Inc., the operator of Sunrise at Fox Hill in Bethesda, Maryland, to address allegations of employment discrimination. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke emphasized the department's commitment to upholding the law regarding discrimination based on citizenship, immigration status, or national origin, stating, "The Justice Department will continue to hold employers accountable for unlawfully discriminating against workers because of citizenship, immigration status or national...
USDOT Alerts Passengers of Compensation Requirements for Southwest Airlines Delays and Cancellations
By Federal Newswire | Apr 30, 2024
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has taken action to ensure that passengers affected by Southwest Airlines' delays and cancellations receive the compensation they are owed. As of today, Southwest Airlines is required to provide passengers with a transferrable voucher worth at least $75 for controllable cancellations or delays that result in passengers reaching their destination three or more hours late.U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of holding airlines accountable, stating, “After the 2022 holiday meltdown, our department...
Consumer Technology Association CEO Gary Shapiro Urges Congress to Uphold Consumer Choice in Vehicle Technologies
By Federal Newswire | Apr 30, 2024
Consumer Technology Association (CTA)® CEO Gary Shapiro has urged Congress to uphold consumer choice in vehicle technologies during his testimony before the U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Innovation, Data and Commerce.Shapiro emphasized the importance of consumer freedom in choosing vehicle technologies and voiced his opposition to the proposed AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act. He argued that mandating analog AM radio in all new vehicles would hinder innovation in the automotive sector and put American automakers at a global disadvantage."The...
