News from September 2024
By Federal Newswire | Sep 24, 2024
On the margins of the UN General Assembly, U.S. Department of State Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and Environment Jose W. Fernandez announced $5 million in food security assistance that will advance the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) in Guatemala. Joining from the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College, the Common Fund Commodities and Cargill also highlighted their VACS efforts for Guatemalan communities.
By Federal Newswire | Sep 24, 2024
Today, the recipients of the 2023 Llama Impact Grants were announced. The grants program, launched in 2023, aims to support innovative uses of Llama 2 and Llama 3, open-source AI models addressing social issues. Over 800 applications were received from organizations in more than 90 countries, proposing uses in education, the environment, and open innovation. From these applicants, twenty finalists were selected, with three proposals leading.
By Federal Newswire | Sep 24, 2024
Chairman John Moolenaar of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party has written to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, highlighting concerns about Chinese state-subsidized LCD and OLED companies. Moolenaar points to BOE Technology Group and Tianma Microelectronics Co. as significant threats to U.S. economic and national security due to their dominance in global display markets through state subsidies.
By Federal Newswire | Sep 24, 2024
Four Commissioners from the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) have urged trade representatives of the United States, Canada, and Mexico to enhance the enforcement of forced labor import prohibitions under the United...
By Federal Newswire | Sep 24, 2024
Dr. Kevin Roberts, president of The Heritage Foundation and Heritage Action for America, issued a statement today criticizing House Democrats' handling of Project 2025. He described the proceedings as "fundamentally unserious and illegitimate," accusing them of misleading the public about the project's policy recommendations while ignoring what he termed as failed policies from the Left.
By Federal Newswire | Sep 24, 2024
The Center for American Progress (CAP), along with 140 organizations, has urged the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate Appropriations Committees to increase funding for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Current Population Survey (CPS). The letter requests an additional $20.6 million above fiscal year 2024 levels for fiscal year 2025 appropriations to maintain the CPS's role as a key national economic indicator.
By Federal Newswire | Sep 24, 2024
The U.S. Department of Labor has initiated legal action against Coway USA Inc., a Los Angeles-based company, for allegedly failing to pay overtime wages to more than 180 employees. The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and claims violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
By Federal Newswire | Sep 24, 2024
The Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) has aligned with over 120 other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in opposition to H.R. 9495, a proposed bill that could allow the Treasury Department to revoke an organization's tax-exempt status without due process. The bill would enable the Secretary of the Treasury to label a domestic non-profit organization as a "terrorist supporting organization" and remove its tax exemption if it is found to have provided "material support" to a terrorist group.
By Federal Newswire | Sep 24, 2024
The Department of the Interior has announced a nearly $92 million investment from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to fund 19 projects aimed at restoring and protecting aquatic ecosystems. This funding, sourced from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and annual appropriations managed by the Bureau of Reclamation, will be directed towards projects in California, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington. The goal is to improve the health of fish, wildlife, and aquatic habitats through various restoration initiatives.
By Federal Newswire | Sep 24, 2024
Secretary Antony J. Blinken addressed the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment Roundtable on September 24, 2024, focusing on the Lobito Corridor project. The initiative aims to enhance transcontinental connectivity by linking Angola, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
By Federal Newswire | Sep 24, 2024
The U.S. Department of Labor has introduced the AI & Inclusive Hiring Framework, aimed at supporting inclusive use of artificial intelligence in hiring technologies and enhancing opportunities for disabled job seekers. This framework, developed by the Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology (PEAT) and funded by the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), seeks to mitigate unintentional discrimination and accessibility barriers in AI-powered recruitment.
By Federal Newswire | Sep 24, 2024
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), has announced nearly $75 million in funding to support health care services in rural America. This investment aims to launch new opioid treatment and recovery services, strengthen maternal health care in the South, and help rural hospitals remain operational.
By Federal Newswire | Sep 24, 2024
Adam G. Brief has been appointed as the Acting U.S. Trustee for Northern Illinois and Wisconsin, effective September 28. This appointment was announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and the Executive Office for U.S. Trustees today.
By Federal Newswire | Sep 24, 2024
The Department of Defense has awarded $19 million to Nathan Trotter & Co., Inc. (Nathan Trotter) to establish a domestic facility for the smelting, refining, and recycling of tin in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. This funding comes through the Defense Production Act Investment (DPAI) program.
By Federal Newswire | Sep 24, 2024
The United States has announced nearly $199 million in new assistance for Rohingya refugees and the communities hosting them in Bangladesh and the surrounding region. This announcement was made by Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Uzra Zeya during the High-Level UNGA Side Event on the Rohingya Crisis.
By Federal Newswire | Sep 24, 2024
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), has announced measures to boost the supply of mpox vaccines. This move aligns with the U.S. Government's commitment to making over a million combined doses available globally. The initiative marks the largest international donation of JYNNEOS, a vaccine recently approved by the World Health Organization (WHO).
By Federal Newswire | Sep 24, 2024
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has announced sanctions against five Colombian nationals and two Mexico-based businesses under Executive Order 14059, “Imposing Sanctions on Foreign Persons Involved in the Global Illicit Drug Trade.” The sanctioned individuals are leaders within Colombia's Clan del Golfo (CDG), also known as Los Urabeños, a major drug trafficking organization. The sanctioned businesses are owned by designated Sinaloa Cartel fentanyl traffickers.
By Federal Newswire | Sep 24, 2024
A federal court in the Northern District of Illinois has permanently barred Joliet tax return preparer Sir Michael Joseph Davenport and his company, My Unity Tax Financial & Tax Preparation LLC (My Unity Tax), from preparing federal tax returns for others. The injunction also prevents them from owning or operating any tax return preparation businesses in the future. Davenport agreed to this permanent injunction.
By Federal Newswire | Sep 24, 2024
The Biden-Harris Administration has announced its first award under the CHIPS Incentives Program’s Funding Opportunity for Commercial Fabrication Facilities. The U.S. Department of Commerce will provide up to $123 million in direct funding to Polar Semiconductor to expand and modernize its manufacturing facility in Bloomington, Minnesota. This investment is part of the administration's broader Investing in America agenda.
By Federal Newswire | Sep 24, 2024
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the winners of the 2024 Safer Choice Partner of the Year awards. A total of 43 awardees from 20 states and the District of Columbia were recognized for their contributions to safer chemical design, manufacture, promotion, selection, and use in various products.
