News from May 2024
By Federal Newswire | May 8, 2024
The Coordinator on Global Anti-Corruption, Richard Nephew, is scheduled to travel to Malaysia and Australia from May 9-14, 2024. During his visit, he will engage with various government officials, civil society organizations, and private sector representatives to discuss ongoing anti-corruption initiatives and opportunities for enhanced cooperation in this area. For more updates, follow @StateCGAC on Twitter.
By Federal Newswire | May 8, 2024
Washington, D.C. — Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and colleagues wrote to Air Force and Navy leaders, expressing concerns that U.S. military bases may not be able to defend against growing Chinese military threats. In the letter, the lawmakers highlight preliminary research showing that over the past decade, China built more than 400 hardened aircraft shelters while the United States built just 22 in the Indo-Pacific.
By Federal Newswire | May 8, 2024
ServiceNow (NYSE: NOW) and Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) announced an expanded strategic alliance at ServiceNow’s annual customer and partner event, Knowledge 2024. The companies are combining their generative AI capabilities to enhance employee choice and flexibility. The integration of ServiceNow's Now Assist and Microsoft's Copilot brings together two generative AI assistants into one seamless enterprise experience, aiming to create value for enterprise workers and unlock new productivity avenues.
By Federal Newswire | May 8, 2024
Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe announced a $3.5 million Columbia River Basin Restoration Program Toxics Reduction Lead Grant for the City of Nampa. The grant, funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is intended for a stormwater treatment project aimed at improving water quality, reducing toxins and protecting salmon.
By Federal Newswire | May 8, 2024
An indictment was unsealed today in the Eastern District of Virginia, charging seven men with racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations (RICO) conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. The charges are related to their alleged involvement in a large-scale gas pump skimming device organization.
By Federal Newswire | May 8, 2024
Today, a bicameral and bipartisan group in Congress issued their guidance for a National Maritime Strategy focused on reversing the decline of America’s maritime power. Their report highlights the maritime power of China compared to where the United States is today. China has 35 times as many ocean vessels than the United States. It has nearly four times as many workers in its shipbuilding workforce. China is building 1,700 more ships a year than the United States.
By Federal Newswire | May 8, 2024
"On April 28, 2024, a defense lawyer visited 70-year-old Pastor Lian Changnian of Xi’an Church of Abundance, who is being held on suspicion of 'fraud,' at the Xi’an Baqiao Detention Center. During this visit, the lawyer noticed that Pastor Lian’s hair, which was graying before his imprisonment, had turned completely white. His face was deeply wrinkled, and he appeared listless and highly tense, with an unusual demeanor and behavior. He would either use his hand to support his head from different directions or keep his head lowered. His voice was very low, and he would only...
By Federal Newswire | May 8, 2024
A federal grand jury in Memphis, Tennessee returned an eight-count indictment today, charging former Memphis Police Officer Patric J. Ferguson with federal civil rights, kidnapping and weapons offenses related to the fatal shooting of a victim identified as R.H. The indictment also implicates Ferguson and a civilian, Joshua M. Rogers, in federal offenses for allegedly conspiring to cover up the fatal shooting and destroying evidence of the crimes. Additionally, Rogers is charged with being an accessory after the fact for purportedly assisting Ferguson in concealing his crimes.
By Federal Newswire | May 8, 2024
The Department of Defense (DoD) released its annual Freedom of Navigation (FON) Report for Fiscal Year 2023 on May 8, 2024. During the period from October 1, 2022, through September 30, 2023, U.S. forces operationally challenged 29 different excessive maritime claims advanced by 17 different claimants throughout the world.
By Federal Newswire | May 8, 2024
The Department of Labor today announced strategic changes to the structure of its Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s regional operations designed to direct its resources effectively and make the agency more resilient. The changes include the creation of a new OSHA regional office in Birmingham, Alabama, overseeing agency operations in the state, and those in Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee as well as the Florida Panhandle. The Birmingham Region will address the area’s growing worker population and the hazardous work done by people...
By Federal Newswire | May 8, 2024
The Justice Department disclosed today that Hyundai Capital America has consented to pay $333,941 to settle allegations of violating the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) through the illegal repossession of 26 vehicles owned by servicemembers.
By Federal Newswire | May 8, 2024
"An administrative law judge has upheld the findings of a U.S. Department of Labor investigation into the employment practices of a Bowie, Maryland concrete subcontractor and its owners that found the employers wrongly classified workers on a federally funded affordable housing project in the District of Columbia in violation of federal regulations.
By Federal Newswire | May 8, 2024
"The former owner of contractor companies that provided fuel truck services to the U.S. Forest Service’s wildfire fighters pleaded guilty today to conspiring to monopolize, rigging bids and allocating territories in violation of Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Antitrust Act. The plea follows a judicially authorized wiretap investigation that led to the indictment of two executives in December 2023.According to a plea agreement and superseding information filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho, Ike Tomlinson, 60, conspired with co-defendant Kris Bird, 61,...
By Federal Newswire | May 8, 2024
Harvard University Wins HUD’s 2024 Innovation in Affordable Housing Student Design and Planning Competition
By Federal Newswire | May 8, 2024
The Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs Subcommittee convened to discuss the President’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget request for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Indian Health Service, and Office of Insular Affairs. Subcommittee Chairman Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.) expressed concerns about the budget allocations, stating, "The President’s budget continues to focus on conservation and climate change programs that can limit tribal access to natural resource development on tribal lands, fails to prioritize proper health services provided through the IHS, and is less than...
By Federal Newswire | May 8, 2024
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has revealed a preliminary list of 10 potential National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors (NIETCs) aimed at accelerating the development of transmission projects in critical areas. This effort is part of the Biden-Harris Administration's plan to enhance the electric grid's resilience and reliability.
By Federal Newswire | May 8, 2024
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 is hosting a virtual Environmental Justice Community Stakeholder Meeting on May 16, 2024, to engage with the public. The event aims to inform attendees about the agency's environmental justice initiatives.
By Federal Newswire | May 8, 2024
On May 7, CDT joined 50 other civil society organizations in a letter to Meta executives urging them to maintain the full functionality of CrowdTangle beyond Inauguration Day through at least January 31, 2025, to ensure this vital tool can be used to ensure the integrity of this important election cycle. CDT previously signed a coalition letter in March immediately after Meta’s announcement that it would shut down this service. CrowdTangle is a critical tool employed by a vast network of journalists, researchers, and election observers to scrutinize the flow of information...
By Federal Newswire | May 8, 2024
The Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) joined an amicus brief on May 6, 2024, alongside the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), ACLU of Montana, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Freedom of the Press Foundation, and Reason Foundation in Alario v. Knudsen in the Ninth Circuit. This action aimed to support the free expression rights of TikTok users in Montana.
By Federal Newswire | May 8, 2024
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack, California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom Highlight California Child Nutrition Programs During School Visit
