News from June 2024
By Federal Newswire | Jun 18, 2024
ANN ARBOR, MI – An Ann Arbor restaurant operator who received nearly $950,000 in federal assistance to retain employees during the pandemic has agreed to pay $196,531 in back wages and liquidated damages to 20 workers following a U.S. Department of Labor investigation into illegal pay practices.
By Federal Newswire | Jun 18, 2024
Citizen journalist Zhang Zhan was released from Shanghai Women’s Prison on May 13 after serving four years for documenting and reporting on the Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan. Recently, she was warned by Shanghai police not to touch the “red line.”
By Federal Newswire | Jun 18, 2024
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke announced today that Anderson Lee Aldrich has been sentenced to 55 life sentences running concurrently plus 190 years, without the possibility of parole. This sentencing follows Aldrich's involvement in a mass shooting at Club Q on November 19, 2022, which resulted in five deaths and numerous injuries. The attack was described as one of the most violent hate crimes targeting the LGBTQIA+ community in U.S. history.
By Federal Newswire | Jun 18, 2024
Washington, D.C. – TechNet, the national, bipartisan network of innovation economy CEOs and senior executives, issued a statement today attributable to Carl Holshouser, Executive Vice President, regarding President Biden’s actions to protect Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients and noncitizen family members of U.S. citizens.
By Federal Newswire | Jun 18, 2024
Prior authorization is a cost-control tactic requiring physicians to obtain approval from health insurance companies before treatments qualify for coverage. This administrative process exacerbates care delays and has been criticized as a “medical injustice disguised as paperwork” that benefits insurers at the expense of patient well-being.
By Federal Newswire | Jun 18, 2024
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced over $108 million in grant awards for 85 projects aimed at improving transportation and reducing roadway fatalities and serious injuries on Federal and Tribal lands. The grants, part of FHWA’s Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects and Tribal Transportation Program Safety Fund programs, reflect the Biden-Harris Administration's ongoing commitment to enhancing safety, mobility, economic development, and equity on these lands.
By Federal Newswire | Jun 18, 2024
More Americans can travel abroad today than at any time in history. In 1990, only five percent of Americans had a passport. Today, that number has risen to 48 percent. In Fiscal Year 2023, the Department of State issued over 24 million passport books and cards, marking a record high.
By Federal Newswire | Jun 18, 2024
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has released new Supply Chain Cybersecurity Principles, developed in collaboration with Idaho National Laboratory. These principles establish best practices for cybersecurity throughout the supply chain that supports energy infrastructure. Designed for both manufacturers and end users, the principles aim to strengthen key technologies used to manage and operate electricity, oil, and natural gas systems globally.
By Federal Newswire | Jun 18, 2024
Deputy Secretary Campbell met with Indian Foreign Secretary Kwatra and Deputy National Security Advisor Misri in New Delhi, India, to discuss their commitment to strengthening the U.S.-India partnership. The meeting took place on June 18, 2024.
By Federal Newswire | Jun 18, 2024
Representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 will host two community meetings on June 25 to present the findings of the Technical Assistance Needs Assessment (TANA) for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)-managed St. Louis Airport Site (SLAPS) and Coldwater Creek.
By Federal Newswire | Jun 18, 2024
For more than a decade, most people have been able to access contraception and other preventive health services at no cost. This guaranteed coverage has been a lifeline for millions of women. However, there are efforts to restrict women's access to contraception, potentially limiting their right to control their own futures.
By Federal Newswire | Jun 18, 2024
The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released final rules today on prevailing wage and registered apprenticeship (PWA) requirements under the Inflation Reduction Act. As part of the Biden-Harris Administration's Investing in America agenda, these rules aim to build a skilled workforce for the clean energy economy while ensuring that jobs in this sector are well-paying.
By Federal Newswire | Jun 18, 2024
The U.S. Department of the Treasury issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) today to implement Executive Order 14105, titled “Addressing United States Investments in Certain National Security Technologies and Products in Countries of Concern.” This NPRM follows an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) from last August and includes draft regulations and explanatory discussions, inviting public comment.
By Federal Newswire | Jun 18, 2024
Benjamin Hovland, chairman of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), has emphasized the critical need to support state and local election officials who are facing unprecedented threats. In an interview with the Center for American Progress (CAP) published today, Hovland highlighted the growing challenges these officials encounter.
By Federal Newswire | Jun 18, 2024
For more than a decade, Meta’s Fundamental AI Research (FAIR) team has focused on advancing the state of the art in AI through open research. As the field rapidly innovates, collaboration with the global AI community is considered increasingly important.
By Federal Newswire | Jun 18, 2024
The U.S. Treasury Department and IRS have released final rules on prevailing wages and registered apprenticeship programs related to clean energy tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act. Mike Williams, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, commented on these developments.
By Federal Newswire | Jun 18, 2024
Eight home renovation companies in the St. Louis area have agreed to pay over $65,000 collectively in penalties to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to resolve alleged violations of the federal Toxic Substances Control Act.
By Federal Newswire | Jun 18, 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Chairman John Moolenaar and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party announced the formation of a Policy Working Group focused on countering the Chinese Communist Party's control of critical mineral supply chains. Critical minerals are used in semiconductors, wind turbines, and electric vehicles.
By Federal Newswire | Jun 18, 2024
Following U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy’s call for mental health warning labels for social media, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), a leading think tank for science and technology policy, issued a statement from Senior Policy Manager Ashley Johnson.
By Federal Newswire | Jun 18, 2024
Data released by the U.S. Census Bureau today indicates that retail sales grew in May, contributing to an expanding economy, according to National Retail Federation (NRF) Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz.
