News from July 2024
By Federal Newswire | Jul 16, 2024
A new analysis by the Center for American Progress details how Project 2025, described as an extreme far-right playbook, intends to use the U.S. Department of Justice to compel local prosecutors to enforce policies such as abortion bans. Failure to comply could result in federal lawsuits, removal from office, or even criminal prosecution. The policy aims to ensure strict enforcement of abortion bans, potentially exacerbating the crisis in reproductive care and increasing fears of criminalization among medical providers who offer abortion services within existing legal...
By Federal Newswire | Jul 16, 2024
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced its roadmap for the Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence for Science, Security, and Technology (FASST) initiative. This program aims to harness artificial intelligence (AI) for public benefit, focusing on scientific discovery, energy research, and national security.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 16, 2024
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has sanctioned three Mexican accountants and four Mexican companies linked to timeshare fraud led by the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG). Concurrently, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued a Notice, jointly with OFAC and the FBI, to financial institutions detailing timeshare fraud schemes in Mexico associated with CJNG and other transnational criminal organizations.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 16, 2024
President Joe Biden and HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman announced today that the Biden-Harris Administration is awarding $325 million in Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant funding to seven communities. The funds aim to build more homes and revitalize neighborhoods that have been neglected. The awards will redevelop distressed housing with high-quality mixed-income options while providing residents with services focused on income, health, and education. Additionally, grant funds may be used for neighborhood improvements promoting economic development and...
By Federal Newswire | Jul 16, 2024
AI for America Launches New Video Series
By Federal Newswire | Jul 16, 2024
A federal court on July 2 enjoined a West Virginia company and its owner from manufacturing, distributing, or selling unauthorized nicotine vaping products.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 16, 2024
Today, Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) was found guilty of federal bribery charges that included accepting gold and cash from three New Jersey businessmen and acting as a foreign agent for the government of Egypt. In response, Michael Sozan, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
By Federal Newswire | Jul 16, 2024
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the selection of Holcim U.S. Inc. in Missouri to receive $1,371,814 in grants aimed at reducing climate pollution from manufacturing construction materials. According to the EPA, construction materials used in buildings and infrastructure account for over 15% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 16, 2024
The United States and the Kingdom of Bahrain held the U.S.-Bahrain Military Consultative Committee (MCC) in Washington, DC, on July 16, 2024. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East, Dan Shapiro, led the U.S. delegation, alongside representatives from U.S. Central Command, the Joint Staff, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, and the State Department. Minister of Defence Affairs His Excellency Lieutenant General Abdullah Bin Hassan Al-Noaimi led Bahrain's delegation with representatives from the Royal Bahraini Air Force, Royal Bahraini Naval Forces, and...
By Federal Newswire | Jul 16, 2024
The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $170,439 in back wages for 60 workers who were denied overtime pay by KDK Transport Co., a non-emergency medical transport company based in Coeburn, Virginia. The Wage and Hour Division's investigation revealed that the company erroneously applied the Motor Carrier Exemption, failing to combine all hours worked by drivers, including driving and wait times, when calculating total weekly hours for overtime wages. This oversight resulted in violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which mandates time-and-a-half pay for...
By Federal Newswire | Jul 16, 2024
This morning, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra tested positive for COVID-19 after experiencing mild symptoms. He is fully vaccinated and three times boosted. He will continue to work remotely.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 16, 2024
The Department of Defense (DoD) Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO), in partnership with the Office of Under Secretary of Defense Research and Engineering (OUSD R&E) and the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), conducted the first Global Information Dominance Experiments (GIDE) Industry Insights Forum. The one-day event, held at the Hyatt Regency Reston in Reston, VA, highlighted collaborative opportunities for private industry to address the DoD's artificial intelligence (AI) needs while emphasizing the significance of recent GIDE iterations.
By Federal Newswire reports | Jul 15, 2024
Jacob Helberg is senior policy advisor to the CEO of Palantir Technologies, and a commissioner on the US Commission for Economic and Security Issues. He is the author of The Wires of War: Technology and the Global Struggle for Power.
By Federal Newswire reports | Jul 15, 2024
Jonathan Wolfson is the chief legal officer and policy director at the Cicero Institute. He led the Policy Office at the US Department of Labor and was an official at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This transcript has been edited for length and clarity.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 15, 2024
A prehearing conference for the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) is scheduled to take place before Administrative Law Judge Jay L. Himes in the matter of Natalia Lynch, Docket 9423. The conference will occur on July 15, 2024, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern Time.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 15, 2024
AUSTIN, TX – A U.S. Department of Labor investigation has revealed significant safety and health violations at Ecore International Inc.'s Mexia plant, one of the largest manufacturers of commercial flooring and surfaces in the nation. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) conducted an inspection in January 2024, uncovering more than a dozen violations.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 15, 2024
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi and Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer today. According to Spokesperson Matthew Miller, Secretary Blinken underscored the United States’ ironclad commitment to Israel’s security.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 15, 2024
The Governments of the United States and Sri Lanka released a joint statement on July 15, 2024, following the Fifth United States-Sri Lanka Partnership Dialogue held on July 12 in Washington, D.C. The dialogue focused on economic prosperity, security cooperation, sustainable development, democracy and human rights, and people-to-people exchanges.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 15, 2024
On January 13, 2025, Joselito Lumanlam Cura, aged 58, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison by the U.S. District Court of Guam.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 15, 2024
An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division found that an RNR Tire Express franchise in Davenport, Iowa, failed to include non-discretionary bonuses in the regular rate of pay when calculating overtime pay, a violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The employer also did not maintain timecards for hourly paid employees.
