News from May 2024
By Federal Newswire | May 9, 2024
On May 9, the President’s Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children published the Progress Report on the Federal Lead Action Plan. This comprehensive update outlines the government's progress since 2018 in reducing childhood lead exposures. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are spearheading aggressive actions as co-leading members of the Task Force’s Lead Exposures Subcommittee.
By Federal Newswire | May 9, 2024
Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Donald Lu, is set to visit India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh from May 10 to 15. The purpose of his trip is to fortify bilateral cooperation with each nation and demonstrate the U.S.'s commitment to a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.
By Federal Newswire | May 9, 2024
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III recently announced a series of flag officer nominations made by the president. The nominations include Navy Vice Adm. John F. Wade for reappointment to the grade of vice admiral, with assignment as commander, Third Fleet, San Diego, California. Wade's most recent post was as commander of Task Force Red Hill at Camp H.S. Smith in Hawaii.
By Federal Newswire | May 9, 2024
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), under the Biden-Harris Administration, has announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that aims to enhance border security and streamline asylum processing. The proposed rule, published through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), will allow statutory bars to asylum to be applied earlier in the process, enabling quicker removal of those posing a risk to national security or public safety.
By Federal Newswire | May 9, 2024
The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) has expressed disappointment over the recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in the case Culley v. Steven Marshall, Attorney General of Alabama. The case pertains to civil asset forfeiture and the Due Process Clause.
By Federal Newswire | May 9, 2024
On May 6-7, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Deputy Secretary Kristie Canegallo joined Secretary of State Antony Blinken, White House National Security Council’s Marcela Escobari, and USAID Acting Assistant Administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean Michael Camilleri in Guatemala City, Guatemala. They represented the United States Government at the third Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection Ministerial. Over the past two years, this declaration has served as a framework for its signatories throughout the Americas to take action on shared...
By Federal Newswire | May 9, 2024
In a landmark ruling for immigrant workers in the United States, the U.S. Department of Labor has secured $4.8 million in back wages and damages for 476 employees of Los Angeles-based Fu Qian Chen Lu, Bruce Shu Hua Lok, and other poultry processing workers. The case is one of the largest recoveries of back wages for low-wage workers in California history.
By Federal Newswire | May 9, 2024
Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder has provided a readout of the meeting between U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and German Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius, which took place at the Pentagon. The meeting served to reaffirm their dedication to the bilateral defense relationship and to the NATO Alliance.
By Federal Newswire | May 9, 2024
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III has announced a series of nominations made by the president. The nominations are as follows:
By Federal Newswire | May 9, 2024
The Justice Department has secured a settlement agreement with Second Nature, a Massachusetts-based non-profit organization. The agreement addresses the department's findings that Second Nature contravened the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by publishing discriminatory job advertisements that discouraged non-U.S. citizens from applying for vacant positions.
By Federal Newswire | May 9, 2024
The U.S. Department of State has announced a series of International Visitor Leadership Programs designed to bolster the Biden-Harris Administration's ongoing efforts to combat the illicit synthetic drug trade. The programs aim to foster collaboration between international experts in government, healthcare, law enforcement, and judicial sectors and their American counterparts.
By Federal Newswire | May 9, 2024
Emergency response teams at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are gearing up for the Gulf Coast hurricane season, which officially commences on June 1. These teams, known as on-scene coordinators (OSCs), are specifically trained in disaster response and work in collaboration with state, local, and Tribal partners to prepare for potential storms.
By Federal Newswire | May 9, 2024
With the recent implementation of the Pretrial Fairness Act, Illinois has become the first state in the United States to eliminate cash bail in all cases. This significant move ensures that individuals accused of a crime will no longer be held in jail for weeks or months simply because they lack the financial means to secure their release. The act also introduces a range of other changes aimed at centering safety and fairness in the pretrial decision-making process.
By Federal Newswire | May 9, 2024
The U.S. Justice Department has initiated legal proceedings against the State of Iowa, challenging Senate File 2340 (SF 2340) under the Supremacy Clause and Foreign Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The Constitution assigns the federal government with the responsibility to regulate immigration and manage international borders. Congress, exercising this authority, has established a comprehensive immigration framework that governs noncitizens' entry into and removal from the United States. The Justice Department argues that SF 2340 is preempted by federal law and...
By Federal Newswire | May 9, 2024
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the availability of nearly $41 million in funding through the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program. This initiative aims to assist communities in addressing stormwater and sewer infrastructure needs, particularly in light of increasingly intense rain events exacerbated by climate change.
By Federal Newswire | May 9, 2024
The Governments of the United States of America and the Republic of Peru released a joint statement on May 9, 2024, marking the occasion of their first High-Level Dialogue held in Washington, D.C. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and Peruvian Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Peter Camino led the inaugural dialogue, affirming a shared commitment to advance mutual interests and deepen the longstanding bilateral strategic partnership.
By Federal Newswire | May 9, 2024
Confidence in the new multifamily housing market has seen a year-over-year decline in the first quarter of 2024, as per the Multifamily Market Survey (MMS) results released by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The MMS consists of two separate indices - the Multifamily Production Index (MPI) and the Multifamily Occupancy Index (MOI). The MPI saw a three-point decrease from last year, with a reading of 47, while the MOI recorded an increase of one point to 83.
By Federal Newswire | May 9, 2024
ChinaAid has exclusively published a series of poetry and writings from Pastor John Cao, a recently released Chinese Christian prisoner of conscience. The pieces were written on April 29, 2024, and have been minimally edited for clarity.
By Federal Newswire | May 9, 2024
Dr. Jung Pak, Senior Official for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), held a meeting with his counterparts from Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) on May 9 in Tokyo. The meeting was attended by Namazu Hiroyuki, Director General for Asian and Oceanian Affairs at the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Lee Jun-il, Director General for North Korean Nuclear Affairs at the ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
By Federal Newswire | May 9, 2024
Netflix's popular series 'Heartbreak High' is set to return for a third and final season. The announcement comes after the successful release of Season 2 on April 11, which premiered as one of the most-watched shows in Australia and globally. The show debuted at #1 in Australia and remained on the Global Top 10 English TV Series list for three consecutive weeks. Furthermore, the hashtag #HeartbreakHigh generated over 2 billion views on TikTok.
