News from September 2024
House passes supplemental bill addressing $3B shortfall in veteran benefits
By Federal Newswire | Sep 18, 2024
The House of Representatives has passed the Veterans Benefits Continuity and Accountability Supplemental Appropriations Act, allocating $3 billion in mandatory funding to address a shortfall in veteran benefits. The measure was approved by voice vote.
Senator Lummis announces legislation to shield U.S. farms from foreign land purchases
By Federal Newswire | Sep 18, 2024
Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis announced the introduction of the bipartisan Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024. The bill aims to enhance oversight and identify foreign adversaries' purchases of agricultural land.
Sen. Blackburn: Kids Online Safety Act would ‘stop social media companies from pushing drugs & fentanyl’
By Federal Newswire | Sep 18, 2024
Senator Marsha Blackburn said that passing the Kids Online Safety Act would help prevent fentanyl-related deaths by stopping social media platforms from allowing drug sales. Blackburn shared her statement in a Sept. 16 post on X.
Rep. Rob Wittman: ‘limited pool of qualified professionals’ in critical minerals sector
By Federal Newswire | Sep 18, 2024
Rep. Rob Wittman, head of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) Critical Minerals Working Group, said that the U.S. faces challenges in its critical mineral production capabilities, such as workforce shortages. Wittman shared his statement during a roundtable on September 11.
US Department of Labor recovers $31K for farmworkers after H-2A violations
By Federal Newswire | Sep 18, 2024
The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $31,102 in back wages for 23 farmworkers following an investigation into Humberto Castaneda Produce, a grower based in Sonoma County, California. The investigation by the Department's Wage and Hour Division revealed multiple violations of the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program requirements.
Oak Street agrees $60M settlement over alleged false claims act violations
By Federal Newswire | Sep 18, 2024
Oak Street Health, headquartered in Chicago and a wholly-owned subsidiary of CVS Health since 2023, has agreed to pay $60 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by paying kickbacks to third-party insurance agents in exchange for recruiting seniors to Oak Street Health’s primary care clinics.
Justice Department secures over $15M from OceanFirst Bank for redlining claims
By Federal Newswire | Sep 18, 2024
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, and Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that OceanFirst Bank, N.A. has agreed to pay over $15 million to resolve allegations of redlining in predominantly Black, Hispanic, and Asian neighborhoods in Middlesex, Monmouth, and Ocean Counties in New Jersey. Redlining is an illegal practice where lenders avoid providing credit services based on the race, color, or national origin of residents.
EPA honors Signature Aviation among four recipients for Green Power Leadership Award
By Federal Newswire | Sep 18, 2024
DALLAS, TEXAS (September 18, 2024)—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the Green Power Leadership Award winners for 2024, honoring Signature Aviation of Irving, Texas as one of four leading organizations in EPA’s Green Power Partnership. The company meets 100% of its electricity needs through green power. The 2024 winners also include Microsoft Corporation, MilliporeSigma, and Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. These organizations are recognized for pushing boundaries in the green power market and demonstrating projects that can be replicated by a...
Department of Labor honors nine unions with Century of Service induction
By Federal Newswire | Sep 18, 2024
On September 17, 2024, Acting Secretary Julie Su and the U.S. Department of Labor honored nine labor unions by inducting them into the department’s Century of Service Honor Roll of American Labor Organizations. These unions collectively represent nearly three million members, retirees, and their families who have championed workers' rights for over a century.
Justice Department disrupts global botnet linked to Chinese state-sponsored hackers
By Federal Newswire | Sep 18, 2024
The Justice Department announced a court-authorized law enforcement operation that disrupted a botnet comprising over 200,000 consumer devices in the United States and globally. According to court documents unsealed in the Western District of Pennsylvania, the botnet was infected by People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-sponsored hackers associated with Integrity Technology Group, a Beijing-based company known as “Flax Typhoon” in the private sector.
Justice Department files lawsuit over Francis Scott Key Bridge destruction
By Federal Newswire | Sep 18, 2024
The Justice Department has filed a civil claim in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland against Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited, the Singaporean corporations that owned and operated the container ship responsible for destroying the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
US Department of Labor files lawsuit against Dragon Kitchen over wage violations
By Federal Newswire | Sep 18, 2024
The U.S. Department of Labor has filed a lawsuit in federal court against Dragon Kitchen of Jefferson City and its owner, Danny Cheng. The suit follows an investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division, which found that servers were working for tips only and cooks were paid a fixed cash salary regardless of hours worked. These practices led to violations of minimum wage and overtime regulations.
EPA allocates over $156M for solar systems in low-income NM households
By Federal Newswire | Sep 18, 2024
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a $156,120,000 grant from the Solar for All (SFA) program to New Mexico. This funding will be managed by the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD) and aims to install solar energy systems in low-income households. The grant is part of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF), established by the Inflation Reduction Act to address climate change, enhance economic competitiveness, and promote energy resilience.
Commerce and State Departments announce inaugural meeting for global AI safety network
By Federal Newswire | Sep 18, 2024
The U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of State have announced that they will co-host the inaugural convening of the International Network of AI Safety Institutes on November 20-21, 2024, in San Francisco, California. This follows Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo’s announcement of the launch of the Network during the AI Seoul Summit in May.
Justice officials visit El Paso to discuss civil rights issues
By Federal Newswire | Sep 18, 2024
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant Attorney General Carlos Uriarte of the Justice Department’s Office of Legislative Affairs traveled to El Paso, Texas, on Sept. 16 to engage with stakeholders in underserved communities and reaffirm the department’s commitment to protecting the civil rights of all Americans. U.S. Attorney Jamie Esparza for the Western District of Texas joined them for the meetings.
EPA announces settlement with Atlantic City over Clean Water Act violations
By Federal Newswire | Sep 18, 2024
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a settlement with the City of Atlantic City to address violations of stormwater management requirements under the Clean Water Act. The city has rectified these violations and will pay a $20,000 penalty. Additionally, Atlantic City has committed to a $60,000 project aimed at enhancing the resilience of its stormwater system against climate change impacts.
Labor Department recovers $227K from Texas restaurant over wage violations
By Federal Newswire | Sep 18, 2024
DALLAS – The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $227,834 in back wages from the owner and operator of a Happy Lamb Hot Pot franchise in Grand Prairie that denied 47 restaurant workers required minimum and overtime wages and illegally allowed a manager to keep a portion of servers’ tips.
FTC settles with operator behind fraudulent business opportunity scheme
By Federal Newswire | Sep 18, 2024
As a result of a Federal Trade Commission lawsuit, an individual and his company who helped operate a sprawling business opportunity scheme known as Blueprint to Wealth have agreed to a settlement that permanently bans them from the telemarketing industry.
California restaurant owner convicted for defrauding COVID-19 relief programs
By Federal Newswire | Sep 18, 2024
A federal jury in San Diego convicted a California man yesterday of wire fraud, conspiracy, and tax crimes for schemes to defraud COVID-19 relief programs and file false tax returns.
Department of Labor recovers $109K from New Orleans restaurants
By Federal Newswire | Sep 18, 2024
The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $109,154 in back wages and damages from five New Orleans restaurants that were found to have denied full wages to 359 workers. The Wage and Hour Division's investigation revealed that Bobby Hebert’s Cajun Cannon, the Hideout Bar, Mambo’s Oceana Grill, and the Olde NOLA Cookery made illegal wage deductions for uniforms, order errors, liquor shortages, customer walk-outs, and credit card disputes.
