News from July 2024
By Federal Newswire | Jul 2, 2024
The U.S. Department of Labor announced the award of more than $56 million in grants aimed at reducing recidivism and assisting formerly incarcerated individuals in re-entering their communities. The Pathway Home 5 grant funding builds on findings from the Linking Employment Activities Pre-release pilots and implementation study, which emphasized the importance of partnerships between jails and workforce system partners for participant success.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 2, 2024
Federal investigators have determined that the Northern Arizona VA Healthcare System in Prescott has again failed to protect its healthcare workers from violent patients. This marks the second such finding in four years.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 2, 2024
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today the approval of a Conciliation Agreement involving Burbank Housing Management Corporation, Burbank Housing Development Corporation, BHDC Parkwood Apartments, LLC, Oak Ridge Apartments Associates LP, and James Perez. The agreement requires the respondents to pay $41,500 in compensation to the complainant. This settlement resolves allegations that the respondents violated Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Fair Housing Act by discriminating against tenants with disabilities.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 2, 2024
The Department of Defense (DoD) announced the selection of 11 university scientists and engineers for the 2024 class of the Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship (VBFF), its flagship single-investigator award for basic research. The department will support this cohort with up to $33 million to explore new frontiers in knowledge and advance transformative, fundamental research at their respective institutions.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 2, 2024
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), has announced an allocation of approximately $176 million to Moderna for the development of an mRNA-based pandemic influenza vaccine.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 2, 2024
The Department of the Interior announced its approval of the Atlantic Shores South offshore wind energy project, marking the ninth commercial-scale offshore wind energy project approved under President Biden's administration. With this approval, the Department has sanctioned over 13 gigawatts of clean energy from offshore wind projects, sufficient to power nearly five million homes.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 2, 2024
On July 2, 2024, Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC) and the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Global Partnerships signed a Memorandum of Understanding for XTC to join the Coalition for Climate Entrepreneurship (CCE) public-private partnership.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 2, 2024
Season 3 of Shonda Rhimes' "Bridgerton" has entered the Most Popular TV List (English) at #10 with 91.9 million views to date. The series now occupies three spots on the list, with Seasons 1 and 2 in the #4 and #9 positions respectively. The latest season also held the #1 spot on the English TV List this week with 6.6 million views, while Season 2 took #5 (2.1 million views), Season 1 claimed #6 (2 million views), and "Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story" moved up to #8 (1.8 million views).
By Federal Newswire | Jul 2, 2024
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is taking action against gig work company Arise Virtual Solutions for misleading consumers about potential earnings on its platform and marketing its business opportunity without complying with the FTC’s Business Opportunity Rule. This rule includes the requirement to truthfully disclose the basis for earnings claims to consumers.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 2, 2024
Jonathan Pullen, Special Agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), stated that cartels have not ceased the production and distribution of fentanyl despite recent drug seizures. Pullen made this statement in a DEA press release on July 1.
By Nicholas Malfitano | Jul 2, 2024
According to a recently-released National Transportation Safety Board report executive summary, a combination of mechanical failures and communications technology issues both caused and then exacerbated the severity of the February 2023 derailment of a Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous materials in East Palestine, Ohio.
By Federal Newswire reports | Jul 1, 2024
Brandon Arnold is Executive Vice President of the National Taxpayers Union, a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy organization based in Washington, DC.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 1, 2024
The Supreme Court has ruled 6-3 that the First Amendment prohibits Florida and Texas from dictating what social media applications and websites may display. In CCIA’s joint challenge to two Florida and Texas social media statutes, several lower courts found that these statutes likely violate the First Amendment. The Supreme Court confirmed that online speech, including editorial decisions about online speech, deserves First Amendment protection.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 1, 2024
U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued a statement on President Biden’s supplemental funding request submitted to Congress today. The request includes updated funding to address urgent disaster relief needs across the country, building on the President’s previous domestic supplemental funding request from October.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 1, 2024
Nigerian writer Cheta Nwanze stated that the ongoing imprisonment of former U.S. federal agent Tigran Gambaryan in Nigeria could reflect poorly on the U.S. government. Nwanze shared his statement on a June 17 episode of the Nigerian Politics Weekly podcast.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 1, 2024
The Commission will hold a closed meeting on July 1, 2024, at 11:00 AM EDT via Zoom to consider a nonpublic law enforcement matter. The decision to close the meeting was unanimous, with a vote of 5-0. The urgency of the matter necessitated consideration with less than seven days' notice to the public.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 1, 2024
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced the implementation of federal disaster assistance for Iowa, following severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds, and tornadoes that began on June 16, 2024. President Biden has issued a major disaster declaration for Clay, Emmet, Lyon, Plymouth, and Sioux Counties.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 1, 2024
Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State, issued a statement on July 1, 2024, extending congratulations to Canada on behalf of the United States as the country celebrates its 157th anniversary of confederation.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 1, 2024
Health care fraud is a crime that impacts every American. It siphons off hard-earned tax dollars meant to provide care for the vulnerable and disabled. When health care providers and executives place greed above patients’ needs, it increases the cost of care for all Americans. Even worse, as the prosecutions announced on Thursday highlight, health care fraud can harm patients and fuel addiction.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 1, 2024
The Justice Department issued a statement today from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964:
