News from May 2024
By Federal Newswire | May 10, 2024
The United States has expressed its approval of the productive Annual Meetings of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the successful replenishment of the Asian Development Fund (ADF-14) and the Technical Assistance Special Fund (TASF-8). The ADF is a crucial support for the poorest and most vulnerable countries in Asia and the Pacific, including small island developing states in the Pacific, as well as Afghanistan and Myanmar.
By Federal Newswire | May 10, 2024
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg recently embarked on a tour of Western Montana as part of the Biden-Harris Administration's ongoing Investing in America Tour. The purpose of his visit was to observe the progress made on transportation and infrastructure projects, which have been funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
By Federal Newswire | May 10, 2024
The Department of Defense (DoD) has issued a Final Rule, published in the Federal Register, which revises its regulation on the medical malpractice claims process for Active-Duty Service members. The revised rule removes the offset requirement for payments related to non-economic damages.
By Federal Newswire | May 10, 2024
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has identified an attempted sanctions evasion scheme involving a Russian individual and three Russia-based companies. The intricate scheme could have potentially unfrozen over $1.5 billion worth of shares belonging to U.S.-designated Russian oligarch Oleg Vladimirovich Deripaska.
By Federal Newswire | May 10, 2024
Since the inception of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018, there has been anticipation from civil society and apprehension from industry that its enforcement could signal the end of surveillance-based advertising and its associated tracking. A recent development occurred on April 17 when the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) issued a nonbinding opinion following Meta's introduction of a subscription option. This was in response to a ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union, allowing users in the EU, EEA, and Switzerland to access an ad-free...
By Federal Newswire | May 10, 2024
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the availability of nearly $411,000 for Alabama through the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program. This funding is aimed at helping communities address their stormwater and sewer infrastructure needs. The grant is part of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda, which seeks to provide financial assistance to small and financially distressed communities.
By Federal Newswire | May 10, 2024
Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen delivered remarks in Stafford County, Virginia on May 10, 2024. She expressed gratitude to those present and began by reflecting on the American Rescue Plan enacted by President Biden in March 2021 during the height of the COVID pandemic. The plan offered critical support to states, cities, and counties which enabled them to address urgent needs such as expanding public health services and ensuring housing and business continuity.
By Federal Newswire | May 10, 2024
The Brent Spence Bridge project, connecting Cincinnati, Ohio, and Covington, Kentucky, has achieved a significant milestone. The U.S. Department of Transportation announced that the project's sponsors have successfully completed the comprehensive environmental review. This development paves the way for groundbreaking activities in the upcoming months.
By Federal Newswire | May 10, 2024
On March 25, 2024, following the first detection of H5N1 in dairy cattle in the Texas panhandle region, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) began working to understand the origin of the emergence and its potential impact on bovines and humans. USDA experts took swift action to trace animal movements, assess disease prevalence in herds, and initiate testing activities to confirm the safety of meat and milk supplies.
By Federal Newswire | May 10, 2024
U.S. Representative Christopher Smith (R-NJ) and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chair and Cochair of the bipartisan and bicameral Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), have released the Commission’s 2023 Annual Report on human rights conditions and rule of law developments in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The full report, along with an executive summary, is available for download on the CECC’s website.
By Federal Newswire | May 10, 2024
The Department of Defense (DoD) has announced additional security assistance to address Ukraine's critical security and defense needs. This marks the Biden Administration's fifty-seventh tranche of equipment provided from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021. The Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) package, valued at an estimated $400 million, includes capabilities designed to support Ukraine's most urgent battlefield requirements, such as air defense, artillery rounds, armored vehicles, and anti-tank weapons.
By Federal Newswire | May 10, 2024
Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen issued a statement following the conclusion of the Section 301 review. She emphasized that President Biden and she have consistently pledged to take necessary actions to further the interests of American workers and firms. The results of the Section 301 review, announced today, outline strategic steps required to address specific long-standing unfair trade practices by the People's Republic of China.
By Federal Newswire | May 10, 2024
The U.S. Justice Department, FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and other federal law enforcement agencies have announced the completion of the Money Mule Initiative. This annual campaign aims to identify, disrupt, and criminally prosecute networks of individuals who transmit funds from fraud victims to international fraudsters. The initiative targets a range of fraud schemes that predominantly impact older Americans, such as lottery fraud, romance scams and grandparent scams as well as those that target businesses or government pandemic funds.
By Federal Newswire | May 10, 2024
Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced a $60 million investment from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda for water conservation and drought resilience in the Rio Grande Basin. The funds will enhance climate resiliency and water security for communities downstream of Elephant Butte Reservoir extending into West Texas.
By Federal Newswire | May 10, 2024
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has announced plans to conduct a series of auctions, selling its warrants to purchase the common stock of certain publicly traded airlines. The intended buyers are qualified institutional investors, institutional accredited investors, or the issuing airlines themselves. The proceeds from these sales will provide additional returns to American taxpayers following the financial assistance and liquidity that the Treasury provided to these airlines during the pandemic.
By Federal Newswire | May 10, 2024
Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo addressed the Treasury Tribal Advisory Committee (TTAC) on May 10, 2024, emphasizing the importance of government-to-government engagement and outlining ongoing initiatives aimed at supporting Tribal governments.
By Federal Newswire | May 10, 2024
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the availability of nearly $606,000 for Georgia through the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program. This funding is intended to help communities address stormwater and sewer infrastructure needs, as safely managing stormwater is critical to preventing contaminants, including untreated sewage, from polluting waterways.
By Federal Newswire | May 10, 2024
On May 10, 2024, the Governments of the United States of America and Singapore released a joint statement regarding their recent meetings. These meetings were held to review the implementation of Chapter 18 (Environment) of the United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and to complete the eighth Biennial Review under the Memorandum of Intent between the United States of America and the Republic of Singapore on Cooperation in Environmental Matters (MOI). The MOI was negotiated concurrently with the United States-Singapore FTA Environment Chapter.
By Federal Newswire | May 10, 2024
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have announced new measures to curb the impact and spread of H5N1, following its first detection in dairy cattle in Texas on March 25, 2024. The USDA immediately initiated a series of investigations to understand the origin and potential impact of the disease on bovines and humans. On April 1, Texas reported the first human H5N1 infection associated with this outbreak, confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
By Federal Newswire | May 10, 2024
On May 8-9, the United States hosted a meeting of the U.S.-China Working Group on Enhancing Climate Action in the 2020s in Washington, D.C. The group is co-led by Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy John Podesta and PRC Special Envoy for Climate Change Liu Zhenmin, and includes relevant officials from both countries.
