News from May 2024
By Federal Newswire | May 23, 2024
Mortgage rates that averaged above 7% since mid-April, according to Freddie Mac data, contributed to a decline in new home sales last month. Sales of newly built, single-family homes in April fell 4.7% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 634,000 from a downwardly revised reading in March, as per data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau. This pace is down 7.7% compared to the same period last year.
By Federal Newswire | May 23, 2024
WASHINGTON, May 23, 2024 -- Since the detection of H5N1 in dairy cattle in March, the USDA has worked to assess the prevalence of the virus in U.S. dairy herds and to use scientific data to contain the disease. On May 10, USDA announced several financial assistance options for producers with affected herds.
By Federal Newswire | May 23, 2024
A federal jury convicted a Nevada doctor yesterday for his role in defrauding Medicare and Medicaid of nearly $2 million.
By Federal Newswire | May 23, 2024
A major new study on strengthening EU digital competitiveness explains why the EU has been less successful than the United States and China in growing its tech sector, and proposes actionable recommendations to close the widening gap. Solutions proposed by the authors include a temporary pause on new EU digital legislation and changes that would allow European pension and insurance funds to make tens of billions in new funding available to cash-strapped tech startups.
By Federal Newswire | May 23, 2024
Following the House Energy and Commerce Committee's markup of the American Privacy Rights Act (APRA) and Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) has expressed concerns over significant flaws in both bills.
By Federal Newswire | May 23, 2024
The U.S. Department of State has introduced Afro-Connections, a new exchange program aimed at museum and cultural heritage professionals from Brazil. The initiative seeks to promote ethical and inclusive museum practices that emphasize community engagement and highlight the voices, history, and culture of communities of African descent.
By Federal Newswire | May 23, 2024
Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco addressed the media on May 23, 2024, regarding a lawsuit filed against Live Nation and its subsidiary Ticketmaster for alleged monopolistic practices in the live concert industry.
By Federal Newswire | May 23, 2024
A former officer in the Venezuelan National Guard was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison for participating in a money laundering scheme involving bribes to foreign officials and defrauding foreign financial institutions.
By Federal Newswire | May 23, 2024
The focus of dealmaking and antitrust enforcement often centers on large transactions involving major companies. This is due to the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act, which mandates that antitrust agencies receive notice of significant deals valued at over $119.5 million. However, roll-up schemes, favored by private equity firms and other corporate entities, can be executed through a series of smaller acquisitions that individually fall below the reporting threshold for antitrust agencies.
By Federal Newswire | May 23, 2024
A former Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) Corrections Officer, Robert D. Smith, 39, was sentenced today in federal court to 24 months in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for sexually abusing an inmate while he was a corrections officer at the Federal Correctional Institution in Aliceville, Alabama (FCI-Aliceville). Smith had previously pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a ward on January 11.
By Federal Newswire | May 23, 2024
WASHINGTON – Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su today issued a statement regarding the final contract agreement between the United Steelworkers and Blue Bird Corp, a leading manufacturer of low- and zero-emission school buses.
By Federal Newswire | May 23, 2024
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced details for the 2024 Innovative Housing Showcase, set to take place on the National Mall from June 7-9. The event will feature exhibitors showcasing prototype homes and building technologies aimed at addressing affordability, resilience, and the future of housing.
By Federal Newswire | May 23, 2024
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Census Bureau have released new residential sales statistics for April 2024.
By Federal Newswire | May 23, 2024
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a series of enforcement actions to address safety plan deficiencies at eight facilities in Arizona, California, and Nevada that store or use certain chemicals. The Clean Air Act mandates these facilities to develop risk management plans outlining the potential effects of chemical accidents, preventive measures, and emergency response procedures.
By Federal Newswire | May 23, 2024
On May 23, 2024, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland delivered remarks concerning a lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice against Live Nation Entertainment and its subsidiary, Ticketmaster. The suit alleges violations of the Sherman Antitrust Act.
By Federal Newswire | May 23, 2024
The Justice Department and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a settlement valued at over $310 million with Norfolk Southern Railway Company to address the damage caused by the February 3, 2023, train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. Pending approval by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Norfolk Southern will be required to improve rail safety, fund health monitoring and mental health services for surrounding communities, support long-term environmental monitoring, pay a $15 million civil penalty, and take additional actions to protect...
By Federal Newswire | May 23, 2024
From May 27-30, UN Member States will gather in Antigua and Barbuda for the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS). U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland will lead the U.S. delegation. Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard R. Verma, Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Michele J. Sison, and U.S. Representative to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations Lisa Carty will serve as alternate heads of delegation.
By Federal Newswire | May 23, 2024
Washington, D.C. – Today, the Restaurant Law Center, the Texas Restaurant Association, the Plano Chamber of Commerce, and a coalition of national business groups filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas seeking to vacate the Department of Labor (DOL) 2024 Overtime Final Rule (2024 Rule).
By Federal Newswire | May 23, 2024
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the allocation of $2.2 million in grants from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to accelerate the assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites in Texas, while promoting environmental justice. These investments, through EPA’s Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup (MAC) Grant Programs and Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Grant Programs, aim to transform polluted, vacant properties into community assets, fostering job creation and economic revitalization.
By Federal Newswire | May 23, 2024
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has announced the availability of nearly $10.5 million in competitive grant funds for agencies to plan transit-adjacent development. The FTA's Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Planning aims to support local planning and investment near transit hubs, focusing on projects that plan for affordable housing.
