News from May 2024
By Federal Newswire | May 3, 2024
The Department of Defense has revealed the recipients of the prestigious 2023 DOD Fire and Emergency Services (F&ES) Awards, showcasing the outstanding accomplishments of various fire departments, fire officers, and firefighters within the organization. Brendan Owens, assistant secretary of defense for energy, installations, and environment, commended the efforts of the DOD F&ES in 2023, emphasizing their dedication to reducing risks and ensuring the protection of military installations and training lands.Among the winners, the Fire Department of the Year in the Small...
By Federal Newswire | May 3, 2024
The United States has strongly condemned the malicious cyber activities carried out by Russia's General Staff Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) against several European countries. In a statement, the U.S. expressed its condemnation of the cyber attacks targeting Germany, Czechia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Sweden, attributing the actions to APT28, also known as Fancy Bear, Strontium, and Forest Blizzard.Describing APT28 as a well-known threat actor with a history of engaging in nefarious behavior, the United States highlighted previous indictments and sanctions...
By Federal Newswire | May 3, 2024
Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles, Japanese Minister of Defense Kihara Minoru, and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III recently gathered for the United States-Japan-Australia Trilateral Defense Ministers' Meeting in Hawaii. The meeting marked the thirteenth of its kind and focused on the progress and cooperation outlined in the 2023 Joint Statement.The Ministers emphasized their commitment to promoting security, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond, as stated by Marles, "The Ministers are united by...
By Federal Newswire | May 3, 2024
HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman celebrated the completion of a $750,000 grant transaction under the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP) with Wollaston Lutheran Church, aimed at improving energy efficiency and climate resilience at the Bauer House apartment community in Quincy, Massachusetts. Todman stated, “Today’s news is a milestone of HUD’s Green and Resilient Retrofit Program, marking the closure of our first grant transaction supporting climate resiliency and restoration projects in affordable housing.”Deputy Assistant Secretary for Multifamily Housing...
By Federal Newswire | May 3, 2024
A Russian national, Alexander Vinnik, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with his involvement in operating the cryptocurrency exchange BTC-e from 2011 to 2017. Vinnik, who was one of the operators of BTC-e, oversaw a platform that processed over $9 billion in transactions and catered to more than one million users globally, including a significant number of customers in the United States.Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco highlighted the significance of this case, stating, “Today’s result shows how the Justice Department, working...
By Federal Newswire | May 3, 2024
HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra reiterated his commitment to addressing homelessness among youth and young adults during the second quarterly meeting of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) held on May 1. Becerra, speaking at the meeting, emphasized the importance of a whole-of-government strategy to tackle homelessness, stating, "For the last three years, we’ve been working around the clock to advance a whole-of-government strategy to address homelessness. At HHS, we know – and the research shows – that homelessness and other forms of housing...
By Federal Newswire | May 3, 2024
The Biden-Harris Administration has announced a final rule aimed at updating the government-wide Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 (Uniform Act), providing enhanced protections and assistance for individuals impacted by federally-funded projects. This significant update, the first in nearly two decades, focuses on ensuring fair compensation and moving assistance for those affected by such projects.U.S. Transportation Secretary Buttigieg emphasized the importance of the final rule, stating, “Congress passed the Uniform Act...
By Federal Newswire | May 2, 2024
U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton announced the sentencing of twelve drug traffickers who have ties to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (JNGC). Each of the twelve individuals will face between 4 and a half and forty years in federal prison.
By Federal Newswire | May 2, 2024
Adam Savit, director of the China Policy Initiative at the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), said state lawmakers should support the Ohio Property Protection Act to prevent against foreign adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from buying property in the U.S. and using it for surveillance purposes. Savit shared his statement during testimony to the Ohio State Senate Veterans and Public Safety Committee.
By Federal Newswire | May 2, 2024
The National Council of Urban Indian Health recently convened a discussion focusing on the improvement of care for Native American and Alaska Native Veterans. The event, held on tribal land, brought together key stakeholders and leaders to address the unique challenges faced by this community.During the event, various speakers highlighted the importance of recognizing and supporting Native American and Alaska Native Veterans. Airborne Army Sergeant Sonya Tetnowski was specifically acknowledged for her dedicated service as the president of the VA’s Tribal Advisory...
By Federal Newswire | May 2, 2024
Chairman Mark Green (R-TN) of the House Homeland Security Committee has criticized Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas' Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan, and Venezuelan (CHNV) parole program. The program permits individuals deemed "inadmissible aliens" to enter the U.S., a practice that Green deems unlawful. He argues that it is "used to hide the worsening border crisis," citing new documents which reveal that since January 2023, the Biden Administration has facilitated the entry of 404,000 illegal immigrants into U.S. airports. Green issued this statement in a press release from the...
By Federal Newswire | May 2, 2024
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will be hosting an online compliance webinar on May 14, 2024, at 11 a.m. ET to discuss the final rule banning noncompetes. According to the FTC, the rule prohibits the use of noncompetes for the majority of workers nationwide, with exceptions for existing noncompetes involving senior executives.The FTC's final rule states, "Employers are banned from entering into or attempting to enforce any new noncompetes, even if they involve senior executives." However, existing noncompetes for senior executives can still be enforced. Employers must...
By Federal Newswire | May 2, 2024
Washington, D.C. — The Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Technology Advisory Committee (TAC), sponsored by Commissioner Christy Goldsmith Romero, recently released a Report on Responsible AI in Financial Markets. The TAC, comprised of esteemed experts in AI, made five recommendations to the Commission on how to approach the evolving landscape of AI in financial markets.Commissioner Goldsmith Romero praised the Committee's approach and emphasized the importance of responsible AI practices in safeguarding financial markets. She highlighted the significance of...
By Federal Newswire | May 2, 2024
House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) criticized President Biden's expansion of national monuments without local input, stating, "President Biden is no stranger to bureaucratic overreaches and ignoring the will of the people. Each time his administration makes an announcement to lock up more of our federal lands it comes without local input or support. The communities affected by today's announcement were kept squarely in the dark. President Biden’s Antiquities Act abuses and radical 30x30 agenda must come to an end so management decisions...
By Federal Newswire | May 2, 2024
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced over $28 million in funding from President Biden's Investing in America agenda to help Connecticut identify and replace lead service lines, aiming to prevent exposure to lead in drinking water. The funding is part of a larger effort to replace every lead pipe in the nation, safeguarding public health and ensuring safe drinking water."EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan emphasized, "The science is clear, there is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is...
By Federal Newswire | May 2, 2024
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today, May 2nd, that President Biden's "Investing in America" initiative will inject $3 billion to help each state and region identify and replace lead water pipes to prevent exposure to lead-contaminated drinking water. This funding is part of the bipartisan infrastructure law and will be provided through the EPA's Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF)."EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan stated, 'Science clearly shows that there is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of lead in drinking...
By Federal Newswire | May 2, 2024
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced a significant allocation of $3 billion from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to assist every state and territory in identifying and replacing lead service lines, ultimately safeguarding public health and ensuring access to safe drinking water. The funding, part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is channeled through the EPA’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program.EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan emphasized the urgency of addressing lead exposure, stating, “The science is clear, there is no safe...
By Federal Newswire | May 2, 2024
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced funding of $28,650,000 from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to assist South Dakota in identifying and replacing lead service lines, thus preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. This move is part of President Biden's commitment to replacing every lead pipe in the nation."EPA is dedicated to protecting the health of all South Dakotans by ensuring the water flowing into their taps is safe and reliable," said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker. "Everyone deserves access to clean drinking...
By Federal Newswire | May 2, 2024
A man from Washington County, Georgia, has been found guilty of several charges, including aggravated assault and hate crime enhancements, following a series of threats and actions against a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier.
By Federal Newswire | May 2, 2024
WASHINGTON – The National Retail Federation today issued a statement regarding the proposed "Warehouse Worker Protection Act," with Executive Vice President of Government Relations David French expressing the organization's concerns. French highlighted that "Data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have consistently shown that warehouse workplaces are safe workplaces." However, he pointed out that the legislation in question could have significant negative implications, stating, "This legislation would overturn decades of employment and labor law,...
