News from July 2024
By Federal Newswire | Jul 25, 2024
Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, stated that one challenge of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), which aims to ban imported goods created with forced labor, is the "de minimis" loophole that allows duty-free shipments from around the world to enter the U.S.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 25, 2024
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) approval of spot ether exchange-traded funds (ETFs) indicates that lawmakers and regulators are acknowledging American investor demands for access to Ether, according to Perianne Boring, founder and CEO of The Digital Chamber. Boring shared her statement in a July 22 press release.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 25, 2024
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced plans to negotiate with Hecate Energy, LLC for a solar project capable of delivering up to one gigawatt of clean energy on an 8,000-acre area at the Hanford Site in Washington State. This initiative is part of the DOE's Cleanup to Clean Energy project, which aims to repurpose parts of DOE-owned lands previously used in the nuclear weapons program to support America's clean energy economy.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 25, 2024
Washington, D.C. — This morning, the largest online program management (OPM) provider in higher education, 2U, announced that it is filing for bankruptcy. As of earlier this year, more than 67,000 students were enrolled in 2U programs, including more than 43,000 pursuing degrees at programs in partnership with brand-name public and private colleges.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 25, 2024
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today the awarding of 91 scholarships through the USDA 1890 National Scholars Program. This initiative is part of the Department's efforts to cultivate a diverse future workforce in food and agriculture sectors. The program, administered by USDA’s Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE), collaborates with 19 historically Black land-grant universities established under the Second Morrill Act of 1890.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 25, 2024
The National Retail Federation (NRF) announced the recipients of the 2024 “Champion of Main Street” and “Hero of Main Street” awards. The “Hero of Main Street” award honors lawmakers who consistently support NRF’s Retail Opportunity Index, advancing public policy that encourages a vibrant, sustained, and healthy retail sector. The “Champion of Main Street” award was established by NRF in 2022 to honor specific members of Congress who have demonstrated outstanding leadership on key policies — beyond support for the Retail Opportunity Index — to bolster the retail community.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 25, 2024
The Departments of Commerce and the Interior announced a $240 million investment from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to support fish hatcheries that produce Pacific salmon and steelhead. This initiative underscores the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to empowering Tribal Nations and fulfilling federal trust and treaty responsibilities. Fish hatcheries in the Pacific Northwest are vital for subsistence, ceremonial, and economic benefits for Tribal communities, as well as fulfilling Treaty-reserved fishing rights. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric...
By Federal Newswire | Jul 25, 2024
On July 25, 2024, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced over $325 million in funding for 21 selected applications aimed at assisting disadvantaged communities in addressing environmental justice and climate challenges. These projects focus on pollution reduction, enhancing community climate resilience, and building community capacity. This initiative is part of President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, marking the largest investment in environmental justice and climate to date.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 25, 2024
The Department of the Interior announced that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is advancing nine solar projects on public lands, which could potentially power nearly 2 million homes with clean energy. These projects align with President Biden’s objective of creating a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 25, 2024
A federal grand jury in Houston has indicted an Indian national for allegedly selling and shipping counterfeit oncology pharmaceuticals into the United States.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 25, 2024
The U.S. Department of State Director of Aviation Negotiations, Juha Salin, signed a Memorandum of Consultations (MOC) finalizing negotiations on an Air Transport Agreement between the Government of the United States and the Government of Fiji on July 19. The MOC was signed in Suva, Fiji, by Fiji Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation Permanent Secretary Salaseini Daunabuna.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 25, 2024
WASHINGTON – Today, John Miller, Senior Vice President of Policy and General Counsel for the global tech trade association ITI, testified before the U.S. House Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation. The hearing was titled “Enhancing Cybersecurity by Eliminating Inconsistent Regulations.”
By Federal Newswire | Jul 25, 2024
UnitedHealth Group has decided to abandon its proposed acquisitions of Stewardship Health Inc. and a related company after facing scrutiny from the Justice Department's Antitrust Division. Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter commented on the matter, emphasizing the importance of affordable and accessible healthcare for Americans.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 25, 2024
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced $16,465,618 in environmental and climate justice community change grant funding for the City of Pocatello, Idaho, and the Portneuf Greenway Foundation. Pocatello’s grant application is among 21 selected to receive funding aimed at assisting disadvantaged communities in addressing environmental and climate justice challenges through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 25, 2024
Arlington, Va. – Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) President and CEO Eric Fanning commended the Senate Appropriations Committee for advancing its Fiscal Year 2025 Commerce-Justice-Science bill, which allocates funding to key agencies including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
By Federal Newswire | Jul 25, 2024
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed sanctions on the Congo River Alliance, known by its French name Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), a coalition of rebel groups aiming to overthrow the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The AFC is identified as a significant driver of political instability, violent conflict, and civilian displacement in the region. The primary member of AFC is the March 23 Movement (M23), an armed group with a history of destabilizing North Kivu province and committing human rights abuses.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 25, 2024
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $33 million in funding for nine projects across seven states to advance concentrating solar-thermal (CST) systems technologies. These initiatives aim to enhance solar fuel production and long-duration energy storage, contributing to the Biden-Harris Administration’s clean energy goals.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 25, 2024
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its draft Insecticide Strategy for public comment on July 25, marking a significant step in the agency’s efforts to adopt early protections for federally endangered and threatened species. The draft strategy outlines measures that EPA will consider when registering new insecticides or reevaluating existing ones, targeting over 850 species listed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS).
By Federal Newswire | Jul 25, 2024
On July 24, 2024, energy ministers and representatives from the members and observers of the Partnership for Transatlantic Energy and Climate Cooperation (P-TECC) convened in Bucharest, Romania, to endorse a Statement of Principles.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 25, 2024
PHILADELPHIA — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $20 million in funding for District of Columbia organizations to help disadvantaged communities tackle environmental and climate justice challenges through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity.
