News from May 2024
By Federal Newswire | May 13, 2024
Vermont has recently passed a data privacy law that grants consumers the right to sue companies for violations. This new legislation also imposes restrictions on how businesses can utilize geolocation data, as reported by Caitriona Fitzgerald, a privacy advocate from the Electronic Privacy Information Center.
By Federal Newswire | May 13, 2024
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has issued an order filing and settling charges against Falcon Labs, Ltd., a Seychelles-based entity. The firm is accused of failing to register as a futures commission merchant (FCM), marking the CFTC's first action against an unregistered FCM that facilitated access to digital asset exchanges.
By Federal Newswire | May 13, 2024
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Region 10 has announced the Regional Pollution Prevention (P2) Award Program for 2024. The program aims to recognize companies that demonstrate leadership in innovative P2 practices within Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and businesses operating on Tribal lands.
By Federal Newswire | May 13, 2024
The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the leading small business advocacy organization in the United States, has launched a nationwide paid advertising campaign. The campaign, which features targeted radio ads, thanks specific members of Congress for their support in making the 20% Small Business Deduction permanent by passing the Main Street Tax Certainty Act.
By Federal Newswire | May 13, 2024
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced an allocation of $28.6 million from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to aid Puerto Rico in identifying and replacing lead service lines, thus preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. This move is part of the President's commitment to replace every lead pipe in the country, a pledge made with the aim of protecting public health and ensuring safe drinking water for all.
By Federal Newswire | May 13, 2024
The National Restaurant Association and the Restaurant Law Center (RLC) have submitted comments to the Federal Reserve System Board of Governors’ “Debit Card Interchange Fees and Routing” Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). The organizations have voiced their support for the Board's duty to review debit card interchange rates, while also urging it to lower the rate below its target and eliminate additional fees. They argue that this would result in a fairer rate for debit card issuers, restaurants of all sizes, and diners.
By Federal Newswire | May 13, 2024
A joint investigation by the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (HHS OCR) and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island has determined that the State of Rhode Island violated federal civil rights laws. The state was found to have unnecessarily segregated children with mental health and/or developmental disabilities at Bradley Hospital, an acute-care psychiatric hospital. The announcement was made by HHS OCR Regional Manager Susan Rhodes and United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
By Federal Newswire | May 13, 2024
The Justice Department has announced that Kabbage Inc., a now-bankrupt financial technology company, has agreed to resolve allegations of violating the False Claims Act (FCA). The company is accused of knowingly submitting thousands of false claims for loan forgiveness, loan guarantees, and processing fees to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) in connection with its participation in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
By Federal Newswire | May 13, 2024
In the aftermath of the TikTok ban, a recent column from the Center for American Progress (CAP) has emphasized that Congress must take immediate action on privacy and children's safety to demonstrate its ability to enact substantial technology regulation.
By Federal Newswire | May 13, 2024
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced the winners of the FentAlert Challenge today. The challenge was aimed at inspiring innovative ideas from U.S. youth, aged 14-18, to develop a community strategy for educating their peers about fentanyl and counterfeit pills, thereby preventing drug overdose deaths. This initiative supports primary prevention efforts prioritized in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Overdose Prevention Strategy, a key component of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Unity Agenda’s focus on combating...
By Federal Newswire | May 13, 2024
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland recently addressed the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force, emphasizing the importance of protecting election workers and officials from violent threats. The Task Force was launched three years ago in response to a surge in such threats following the 2020 election.
By Federal Newswire | May 13, 2024
Special Envoy for Sudan, Tom Perriello, embarked on a diplomatic mission from Washington on May 11, setting course for Uganda, Kenya, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. The purpose of his journey is to engage with crucial regional partners in an effort to resolve the ongoing conflict in Sudan, prevent further mass atrocities, address the urgent humanitarian needs of the Sudanese people, and lay out a roadmap for transitioning to a civilian-led democratic government.
By Federal Newswire | May 13, 2024
The U.S. Department of Labor has secured a consent judgment to recoup $152,000 in back wages and liquidated damages for nine employees of a Bronx medical care provider. The employer had persistently failed to pay them overtime for hours exceeding 40 in a workweek, erroneously classifying them as exempt from certain federal regulations.
By Federal Newswire | May 13, 2024
Today, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) jointly proposed a new rule that would require SEC-registered investment advisers (RIAs) and exempt reporting advisers (ERAs) to establish, document, and maintain written customer identification programs (CIPs). The proposal aims to prevent illicit finance activity involving the customers of investment advisers by bolstering the anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) framework for the investment adviser...
By Federal Newswire | May 13, 2024
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced that it is disbursing over $180,000 in refunds to consumers who were deceived by false Made in USA claims made by Cycra, a manufacturer of motocross and ATV parts. According to the FTC's complaint filed in June 2023, from 2019 until at least May 2022, Cycra falsely claimed on its website, social media platforms, and product packaging that its products were manufactured in the United States. These claims included a web banner stating, “Proudly designed, developed and manufactured in Lexington, North Carolina,” and product labels...
By Federal Newswire | May 13, 2024
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced today that it is accepting applications for the third year of its Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grants Program. The SMART Grants Program was made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, signed by President Biden on November 15, 2021. As part of the President’s Investing in America agenda, the program will fund up to $500 million in grants over five years to conduct demonstration projects focused on advanced smart community technologies and systems that improve transportation...
By Federal Newswire | May 13, 2024
On May 13, the Biden-Harris Administration launched Infrastructure Week, with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) spotlighting over $11.5 billion in water infrastructure funding available for states this year through the FY24 State Revolving Fund programs, as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. This unprecedented funding is made possible by the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will support critical water infrastructure projects nationwide.
By Federal Newswire | May 13, 2024
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced a Conciliation Agreement with Rocket Mortgage, LLC. This resolution comes in response to allegations that Rocket Mortgage denied a mortgage loan application on the basis of race because the home in question was located within the Tribal boundaries of a federally recognized reservation.
By Federal Newswire | May 13, 2024
Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, Jose W. Fernandez, is in New York today to participate in the 30th Cobalt Congress. He will discuss the United States' foreign policy goal to expand and build secure, sustainable, and resilient critical minerals supply chains through the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) and associated initiatives such as the MSP Forum.
By Federal Newswire | May 13, 2024
On May 13, 2024, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and his Canadian counterpart, Minister of National Defence Bill Blair, convened for a bilateral meeting at the Pentagon. The leaders engaged in discussions on various issues including cooperation through NATO to counter Russian aggression against Ukraine, their shared commitment to North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) modernization, Canada's Defence Policy Update, defense spending, Haiti's security situation, Middle East security, and the importance of maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific.
