News from August 2024
By Federal Newswire | Aug 21, 2024
Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Michele Sison will travel to El Salvador, Guatemala, and Chile from August 21-27, 2024. The trip aims to facilitate meetings with senior officials such as Salvadoran Vice President Felix Ulloa and Foreign Minister Alexandra Hill, Guatemalan Foreign Minister Carlos Ramiro Martínez, and Chilean Foreign Ministry Secretary General Rodrigo Olsen. Additionally, Sison will engage with UN officials to reinforce the U.S. commitment to addressing common global challenges.
By Federal Newswire | Aug 21, 2024
The Rising Threat of China: Insights from James Fanell and Bradley Thayer
By Federal Newswire | Aug 20, 2024
Karen Cook’s Battle at the Supreme Court: A Turning Point in SEC Enforcement
By Federal Newswire | Aug 20, 2024
Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis announced she is co-sponsoring bipartisan legislation with Senator Ron Wyden to assist Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in preventing the entry of illicit goods by tightening import rules for low-value packages. The bill aims to strengthen measures against products made with forced labor and other illegal imports.
By Federal Newswire | Aug 20, 2024
Senate Western Caucus Chair Cynthia Lummis announced the introduction of the No American Land for Communist China Act, aimed at preventing the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from purchasing land adjacent to federal lands. The legislation is intended to protect Wyoming and other western states from potential threats to critical mineral and energy production.
By Federal Newswire | Aug 20, 2024
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has submitted a comment supporting the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) draft guidance on interchangeable biosimilar drugs, which can be substituted for brand-name biologic products. The FTC stated that the FDA’s guidance would increase patient access to lower-cost prescription medications.
By Federal Newswire | Aug 20, 2024
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has sanctioned former Haitian President Michel Joseph Martelly under Executive Order 14059, "Imposing Sanctions on Foreign Persons Involved in the Global Illicit Drug Trade."
By Federal Newswire | Aug 20, 2024
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke announced today that the U.S. Justice Department is initiating a civil investigation into conditions at Trousdale Turner Correctional Center in Hartsville, Tennessee. The facility, operated by CoreCivic on behalf of the Tennessee Department of Correction, will be scrutinized for potential violations of constitutional rights under the Civil Rights for Institutionalized Persons Act.
By Federal Newswire | Aug 20, 2024
George Semerene Quintero, 60, of Venezuela, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) for his role in a scheme to evade U.S. sanctions imposed on Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA), a Venezuelan state-owned oil company.
By Federal Newswire | Aug 20, 2024
Netflix has announced the successful conclusion of its second year of Upfront negotiations, securing deals with all major holding companies and independent agencies. The company reported a 150% increase in upfront ad sales commitments compared to 2023, aligning with their expectations. These commitments span key categories such as CPG, Tech & Entertainment, Auto, QSR, and Retail.
By Federal Newswire | Aug 20, 2024
Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following readout:
By Federal Newswire | Aug 20, 2024
DALLAS, TEXAS (August 20, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Alief Independent School District is receiving $7,900,000 through EPA’s Clean School Bus Grant Program. This significant award, made possible through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, will help the school district purchase 20 electric emission-free school buses to replace diesel-operated school buses. EPA Regional Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance joined Representative Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Superintendent Dr. Anthony Mays and Alief ISD Chief Communications & PR...
By Federal Newswire | Aug 20, 2024
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy on August 20, 2024. The discussion focused on the importance of completing the ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza, bringing the hostages home, and increasing the flow of humanitarian assistance. Additionally, Secretary Blinken and Foreign Secretary Lammy addressed the need to deescalate tensions in the region. Both officials reaffirmed their enduring support for Ukraine.
By Federal Newswire | Aug 20, 2024
The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) has filed an amicus brief in the case E.M.D. Sales, Inc. v. Faustino Sanchez Carrera at the United States Supreme Court. The case addresses the standard of proof required to determine if an exemption to employers' overtime pay requirements applies under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). NFIB collaborated with the U.S. Chamber Litigation Center on this brief.
By Federal Newswire | Aug 20, 2024
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a $175,158 grant to the St. Charles Mesa Water District in Pueblo, Colorado, for the installation of a waterline aimed at protecting drinking water system infrastructure from wildfires and drought.
By Federal Newswire | Aug 20, 2024
Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party have requested information from the FDA regarding U.S. biopharmaceutical companies conducting clinical trials with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and in Xinjiang, where allegations of genocide against Uyghur people persist. Representatives Neal Dunn, M.D. (R-FL), and Anna Eshoo (D-CA) joined this inquiry, expressing concerns about potential intellectual property co-option by the...
By Federal Newswire | Aug 20, 2024
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced over $1.4 billion in Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program funding for the HRSA AIDS Drug Assistance Program and related awards. This funding aims to provide lifesaving medication, quality HIV health care, and essential support services to individuals with HIV who have low incomes. The announcement aligns with the Biden-Harris Administration’s National HIV/AIDS Strategy.
By Federal Newswire | Aug 20, 2024
The Department of Defense recently announced seven additional awards to bioindustrial firms via the Distributed Bioindustrial Manufacturing Program (DBIMP). This announcement brings the DBIMP to 13 awards to date, totaling $23 million.
By Federal Newswire | Aug 20, 2024
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi today in Al Alamein. The Secretary thanked the President for Egypt’s partnership as a mediator on the ceasefire talks to secure the release of hostages and allow a surge of humanitarian assistance to Gaza. The Secretary also stressed the importance of continuing to work together to prevent regional escalation in this critical time.
By Federal Newswire | Aug 20, 2024
On August 20, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $25.5 million in grants through a new program to support drinking water systems in underserved, small, and disadvantaged communities while reducing the impacts of climate change. This marks the first allocation of funds under the Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Program, with 16 initial recipients spanning from Connecticut to Alaska.
