Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Susan Wild (PA-07)
Today, Congresswoman Susan Wild announced that Pennsylvania has been awarded $207,342,959 in funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). This investment will help individuals and families with low incomes pay home heating costs this winter, as well as prevent energy shutoffs, weatherize homes to increase energy efficiency, and make minor energy-related home repairs.
“LIHEAP is a critical part of protecting the health and safety of families across Pennsylvania while assisting them with their energy costs,” said Congresswoman Susan Wild. “I was proud to once again secure this funding for our community, and support families throughout the Greater Lehigh Valley so that they can stay warm and healthy this winter.”
Pennsylvania was awarded a total of $207,342,959:
$197,147,761 from the regular LIHEAP block grant funding.
$10,185,882 in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for Fiscal Year 2025.
This funding is administered through the Administration for Children and Families’ Office of Community Services at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
By helping reduce the costs of home heating, reconnecting energy services that have been disconnected, preventing energy shutoffs, and providing minor energy-related home repairs, LIHEAP helps make sure that families can meet their energy needs and stay safe in their homes — because maintaining safe indoor air temperatures is critical, particularly for households with older adults, children, and individuals with disabilities.
Visit energyhelp.us to learn more about how to apply for LIHEAP and identify if you are eligible for assistance using the LIHEAP Eligibility Tool or call the hotline at 1-866-674-6327.
The U.S. National Science Foundation has announced that the official opening of the NSF Arecibo Center for Culturally Relevant and Inclusive Science Education, Computational Skills, and Community Engagement (NSF Arecibo C3) will be moved to 2025. The opening will now coincide with NSF’s 75th anniversarycommemorations all year round, marking a milestone that celebrates decades of advancing scientific discovery and innovation.
“NSF and the Puerto Rican community are eagerly anticipating the opening of Arecibo C3. I want to assure you NSF recognizes the importance of taking the necessary time to ensure the center meets the highest standards of excellence,” said NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan. “By extending the timeline, we can ensure that the center has the time it needs while taking advantage of a unique opportunity to launch during NSF’s 75th anniversary — a significant year that reflects our long-standing commitment to scientific progress and STEM education.”
This decision is driven by several factors, including delays in the scheduling and transporting of essential equipment to the island and ongoing efforts to ensure the center meets the required standards for access and inclusivity.
Separate from the factors that led to this decision, this revised schedule allows the Arecibo C3 team to make necessary arrangements and adjust their organizational structure following Universidad del Sagrado Corazón’s recent decision to conclude its engagement with the project. This new structure will present new opportunities for institutional and organizational partnerships, community engagement, and science education and research at the site.
“At Sagrado, we are proud of the important contributions our team has made to the project so far. We have successfully completed our first-year milestones, establishing foundational protocols, processes, and collaborations essential for the project’s success. Additionally, we formed a communication team and built partnerships with Ciencia Puerto Rico and other organizations. These partnerships and structures have now been successfully initiated, and the remaining institutions involved in the project will continue this important work,” said Anuchka Ramos, Provost and VP for Academic Affairs, Universidad del Sagrado Corazón.
“The Arecibo C3 team extends our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Dr. Díaz Merced and Universidad del Sagrado Corazón for their contributions to this project. As we continue refining our programs and exhibits with input from collaborators and pilot participants, we’re building momentum toward our opening, which will now have the added honor of celebrating NSF’s anniversary,” added Jason Williams, Arecibo C3 lead investigator, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
Credit: Greg Coll, NSF
New parking lot banner
The additional time will also allow the Arecibo C3 team to extend the pilot phase, which began in the summer of 2024 and has engaged small, invitation-only groups of local students and educators. The pilot phase has provided valuable insights that will shape the center’s future offerings, ensuring that when the doors officially open, Arecibo C3 will serve as a premier destination for science education and community engagement.
During the extended pilot phase, Arecibo C3 will continue to collaborate closely with students and educators to develop and refine programming across a wide range of STEM topics. Although the center will remainclosed to the public, the community can expect continued engagement through invitation-only educational programs, workshops and outreach activities.
Credit: Yadira Ortiz, Arecibo C3
Students explore DNA sequencing in a summer workshop.
NSF will announce an exact date as soon as the agency is confident that all preparations are complete and will continue to provide updates on progress and next steps as they become available, ensuring that everyone remains informed and engaged.
For ongoing updates, visit nsf.govand www.areciboc3.org.
Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)
BOSTON – A Dedham, Mass., man who served primarily as the “booker” for an interstate prostitution network that operated sophisticated high-end brothels in greater Boston and eastern Virginia pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in Boston.
Junmyung Lee, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce one or more individuals to travel in interstate or foreign commerce to engage in prostitution; and one count of money laundering conspiracy. U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick scheduled sentencing for Feb. 12, 2025. Junmyung Lee was arrested and charged in November 2023 with co-defendants Han Lee, 42, of Cambridge, Mass. and James Lee, 69, of Torrance, Calif. The defendants were subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024. Han Lee pleaded guilty on Sept. 27, 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 20, 2024.
From at least January 2022 through and including November 2023, Junmyung Lee knowingly conspired with Han Lee and, allegedly, James Lee to operate an interstate prostitution network with multiple brothels in greater Boston and eastern Virginia designed to entice women to travel interstate to engage in prostitution. Junmyung Lee and his alleged co-conspirators also knowingly conspired with one another, and others, to launder the proceeds of the prostitution network by concealing that the money was derived the prostitution conspiracy.
Junmyung Lee was recruited to work for the prostitution network in approximately late 2021 through early 2022, as the business expanded. His main role in the conspiracy was that of the appointment “booker” and assisted with various tasks to maintain the prostitution network. In exchange, Han Lee paid Junmyung Lee $6,000-$8,000 per month.
As “booker,” Junmyung Lee was responsible for vetting sex buyers, booking appointments, as well as communicating directly with vetted customers via at least two cell phones – for Massachusetts and for Virginia, respectively. These brothel cell phones each contained over 2,800 verified customers of the prostitution business. An additional known cell phone containing additional contacts for the Virginia brothel was never recovered. Junmyung Lee also helped transport women to and from the airport, with some women working at the brothel locations on multiple occasions and in multiple states.
The defendants allegedly rented high-end apartments in Massachusetts and Virginia to serve as brothel locations, which they furnished and regularly maintained. In June 2022, Junmyung Lee leased one of the brothel locations in Cambridge, Mass. under his own name. In exchange for the lease, Junmyung Lee received a large cash payment of prostitution proceeds from Han Lee. A portion of the cash payment went towards the purchase of a Corvette.
Additionally, Junmyung Lee collected the cash proceeds from the various brothel locations at the direction of Han Lee. Junmyung Lee would then conceal the proceeds via structured deposits into personal bank accounts. Additionally, it is alleged that the defendants regularly used hundreds of thousands of dollars of the cash proceeds from the prostitution business to purchase money orders (in values under an amount that would trigger reporting and identification requirements) to conceal the source of the funds. These money orders were then used to pay for rent and utilities at the brothel locations.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov.
The charge of conspiracy to persuade, induce, entice and coerce one or more individuals to travel in interstate or foreign commerce to engage in prostitution provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $500,000 fine or twice the value of funds laundered, whatever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Cambridge Police Commissioner Christine Elow made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Central District of California and the Eastern District of Virginia; the U.S. Postal Service; and Watertown Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey E. Weinstein of the Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Raquelle Kaye, of the Asset Recovery Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: United States Senator for Maryland Ben Cardin
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressman David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $7,705,850 in federal funding for infrastructure and expansion projects at the Hagerstown Regional Airport and Garrett County Airport. The funding, provided through the Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Airport Improvement Program and Airport Terminal Program, will increase the airports’ capacities to meet operational needs and safety standards.
“Hagerstown Regional and Garrett County airports help connect Western Maryland with greater economic opportunity. We fought for these investments to provide both airports with resources to continue to serving Maryland’s businesses, residents, and visitors in the years to come,” said the lawmakers.
The federal grants have been awarded as follows:
$6,786,262 to Hagerstown Regional Airport to remove a building and relocate fencing identified as obstructions by the FAA and to renovate and expand the existing terminal building to accommodate existing and projected airline passenger demand
$919,588 to Garrett County Airport to rehabilitate 7,300 square yards of the existing Terminal Apron pavement
The Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funds various types of airport infrastructure projects across the country, including repairs and upgrades to runways, taxiways, airport signage, lighting and markings – all while creating thousands of good-paying, local jobs. The members have consistently fought to provide funds for airports and terminal operators, including through the fiscal year 2024 appropriations process, which makes $3.35 billion available from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund and an additional $532 million from the general fund for AIP projects.
The Airport Terminal Program was created in 2021 through the lawmakers’ efforts to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Funded at $1 billion in fiscal year 2024, the Airport Terminal Program supports safe, sustainable, and accessible airport terminals, on-airport rail access projects, and airport-owned airport traffic control towers.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28)
LAREDO, TX – Today, Congressman Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. (TX-28) celebrated the groundbreaking of the new Gateway Barbara Fasken Healthcare Clinic in Laredo, TX.
“Gateway clinics are the backbone of Laredo’s health system. I secured $1,997,000 in federal funding in FY23 for the new Barbara Fasken Healthcare Clinic in Laredo,” said Dr. Cuellar, a Senior Member of the House Appropriations Committee. “I will continue to help expand Gateway’s reach through federal funding and provide Laredo residents with the quality health care they need to live healthy, fulfilling lives. Thank you to Gateway CEO Elmo Lopez Jr, Gateway Board Chairman Lauro A. Garcia, Laredo Mayor Victor Trevino, Council Member Vanessa Perez, and Fasken Oil and Ranch General Manager Lynda James for being here today and for their work in supporting the health of Laredo residents.”
The new clinic will provide essential healthcare services including primary care and behavioral care for both adults and children. The clinic also plans to expand to provide dental care.
The clinic will expand Gateway’s reach and enhance their services, ensuring that everyone in the Laredo community, especially those who have historically been underserved, can access comprehensive, quality healthcare. This will be the second Gateway clinic west of Interstate 35 in Laredo that the Congressman has supported with federal funding.
Since 2021, Congressman Cuellar has secured more than $35.8 million in federal funding for Gateway clinics, a testament to his commitment to bringing healthcare to those who need it most.
The Congressman remains committed to securing federal funding to promote a healthier, more successful South Texas.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28)
LAREDO, TX – Today, Congressman Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. (TX-28) celebrated the ribbon cutting for the new Los Martinez Park in Laredo, TX.
“I am pleased to be here today to celebrate the new Los Martinez Park. Los Martinez Park will offer a safe space where people of all ages can gather and enjoy the outdoors in our community,” said Dr. Cuellar, a Senior Member of the House Appropriations Committee. “I want to thank Mayor Victor Trevino, Councilwoman Vanessa Perez, Community Development Director Tina Martinez, and everyone involved in this project for your efforts to provide our community with more outdoor recreational spaces and for supporting the health of our community.”
Congressman Cuellar secured $551,365 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the project.
Los Martinez Park will offer amenities and equipment for children and families such as volleyball nets, benches, swing sets, seesaws, a spring rider, and a walking trial.
This project will ensure that Laredo residents have more outdoor recreational spaces to go to. The CDBG Program provides funding for neighborhood improvement projects that offer services to low- and moderate-income households in the community, ensuring that all residents have access to recreational spaces.
The Congressman remains committed to providing federal funding for recreational projects that will enhance the health of residents in the district.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
October 31, 2024
$670 million laundered through TD Bank
“These charging decisions represent absurd legal gymnastics by DOJ that ultimately have allowed the bank and its top executives to avoid full responsibility for their actions. This is not an acceptable outcome.”
Text of Letter (PDF)
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, questioning them on the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) “legal gymnastics” that allowed TD Bank to escape the bank death penalty — and DOJ’s failure thus far to hold any top executives accountable for egregious crimes. DOJ’s recent settlement with TD Bank over money laundering and other charges did not include any of the bank’s high-level executives, and appears to be intentionally structured so that the bank can escape the full scope of penalties for its failures.
“The way that DOJ structured the plea agreement ensures that TD Bank will not face the full range of penalties that Congress has enacted for banks that engage in criminal money laundering,” wrote Senator Warren.
Senator Warren noted that TD Bank’s crimes hurt hundreds of thousands of people. Top executives allowed the bank to act as a criminal slush fund, knowingly presiding over a criminally deficient anti-money laundering program while growing the bank such that its “risk profile increas(ed) significantly.”
“These shocking failures enabled three separate money laundering syndicates to launder more than $670 million through the bank between 2019 and 2023. The magnitude of the dollar value of these illicit transactions is dwarfed only by the obviousness of the criminal activity,” wrote Senator Warren.
The letter highlights past comments from Deputy Attorney General Monaco which emphasized the importance of “individual accountability” and the need to “identify the most serious wrongdoers, whether individuals or companies” and hold them accountable. Senator Warren noted that the TD Bank settlement does not meet DOJ’s own apparent standards.
Though the penalties against TD Bank appropriately include an asset cap and a $3 billion fine, “(u)ntil and unless those executives who presided over TD Bank’s institutionalized money laundering are held accountable, banks will continue to factor enforcement fines into the cost of doing business, rather than approaching compliance with our money laundering laws with the seriousness it requires,” wrote Senator Warren.
The structure of DOJ’s settlement also enables TD Bank to evade the full scope of bank regulators’ consequences for its misdeeds. Specifically, the charges shift responsibility for the hundreds of millions of dollars in money laundering from TD Bank to its holding company, which precludes the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) from invoking the bank “death penalty” provision.
“These charging decisions represent absurd legal gymnastics by DOJ that ultimately have allowed the bank and its top executives to avoid full responsibility for their actions. This is not an acceptable outcome,” wrote Senator Warren.
Senator Warren has fought to hold corporations and their executives accountable for lawbreaking:
In October 2024, Senators Warren and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, urging DOJ to investigate Boeing executives following years of promoting short-term profits over passenger safety.
In October 2023, Senator Warren sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, calling on the DOJ to immediately reverse its newly unveiled “safe harbor” policy that would provide a get-out-of-jail-free card for mergers involving corporate white-collar criminals.
In August 2022, Senators Warren and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) sent a letter to Attorney General Garland and Deputy Attorney General Monaco urging DOJ to use its authority to ban corporations that commit misconduct from government contracting.
In May 2019, Senator Warren and Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) released a new report: Rigged Justice 2.0: Government of the Billionaires, by the Billionaires, and for the Billionaires. The report is the second in a series on the failure of the federal government to hold corporate and white-collar criminals accountable and highlights how enforcement hit a 20-year low under the Trump administration.
In April 2019, Senator Warren introduced the Corporate Executive Accountability Act, which holds executives of large corporations criminally responsible when their companies commit crimes, harm large numbers of Americans through civil violations, or repeatedly violate federal law.
In March 2018, Senator Warren introduced the Ending Too Big to Jail Act to hold big bank executives accountable when the banks they lead break the law.
In January 2016, Senator Warren released a report: Rigged Justice: How Weak Enforcement Lets Corporate Offenders Off Easy. The report highlights 20 of the most egregious civil and criminal cases during the past year in which federal settlements failed to require meaningful accountability to deter future wrongdoing and to protect taxpayers and families.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
October 31, 2024
New data from White House reveals that in Massachusetts alone, 35,000 union workers’ pensions were saved.
“Democrats will continue to fight to ensure all Americans can count on a secure retirement, including the benefits they have earned, from pensions to Social Security.”
Report – Promises Made, Promises Kept: How Congressional Democrats and the Biden-Harris Administration Saved Nearly 1.4 Million Workers’ Pensions from Cuts (PDF)
Boston, MA – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released a report detailing how the Biden-Harris administration, along with Congressional Democrats, saved the pensions of nearly 1.4 million Teamsters and other union members.
In Massachusetts alone, 35,000 workers and retirees have benefited from the pension protections championed by Senator Warren and included in ARPA.
In 2017, it became clear that union multiemployer pension plans (MPPs) for over a million workers were at risk of becoming insolvent due to problems stemming from the 2008 financial crisis and later exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, pension benefits could have been slashed by up to 98%.
The Trump administration, with a Republican Congress, took no action to save the pensions. Instead, Senators Warren and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) introduced the Butch Lewis Emergency Pension Plan Relief Act to save these pension funds without cutting benefits.
In 2021, the Biden-Harris administration and Congressional Democrats passed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), a relief package created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which included the Butch Lewis Act, securing the retirement benefits of union workers and retirees in MPP funds for 30 years without cutting the earned benefits of participants and beneficiaries
ARPA provided a $68 billion investment to save the pensions of nearly 1.4 million union workers and retirees across America through 2051, with no cuts to earned benefits. Following the enactment of ARPA, severe pension cuts were reversed for over 80,000 union workers and retirees across 18 multiemployer plans.
“After giant hedge funds and big banks took down our economy and put pension funds at risk, Democrats stepped up to protect our union workers, ” said Senator Warren. “I fought hard alongside the Biden-Harris administration to ensure Massachusetts Teamsters and other union workers could continue to count on the retirement funds they earned.”
Headline: DHS Places Additional PRC-Based Textile Companies on the UFLPA Entity List
em>UFLPA Entity List Will Now Restrict Goods from 78 PRC-Based Companies from Entering the United StatesWASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the addition of textile companies based in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Entity List. The additions reinforce DHS’s commitment to eradicate forced labor and ensure accountability for the PRC’s ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other religious and ethnic minority groups in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR).Effective November 1, 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will apply a rebuttable presumption that goods produced by Esquel Group, Guangdong Esquel Textile Co., Ltd., and Turpan Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. will be prohibited from entering the United States. The addition of these textile entities builds on DHS’s Textile Enforcement Plan and demonstrates the FLETF’s commitment to focus on entities in high priority sectors for enforcement under the UFLPA Strategy, including the apparel and cotton and cotton products sectors. In addition to this announcement, Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. will alsobe removed from one section of the UFLPA Entity Lists and added to another. Goods produced by Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. (also known as Changji Yida Textile Co., Ltd.) will continue to be subject to a rebuttable presumption that they are prohibited from entering the United States.“Through today’s expansion of the Entity List, we enable American businesses to better assess their supply chains and ensure they do not profit, directly or indirectly, from the use of forced labor,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “Our Department will continue to aggressively enforce the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act and, in doing so, we stand up for human rights, safeguard a free and fair marketplace, and hold perpetrators accountable.”The FLETF – chaired by DHS and whose member agencies also include the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Justice, Labor, State, and the Treasury – has now added 78 entities to the UFLPA Entity List since the UFLPA was signed into law in December 2021. The UFLPA Entity List includes companies that are active in the apparel, agriculture, polysilicon, plastics, chemicals, batteries, household appliances, electronics, seafood and textile sectors, among others. Identifying these additional entities provides U.S. importers with more information to conduct due diligence and examine their supply chains for risks of forced labor to ensure compliance with the UFLPA.“We are uncompromising in removing forced labor from U.S. supply chains,” said Under Secretary for Policy Robert Silvers, who serves as chair of the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force. “Our enforcement efforts are yielding results. Our Administration is committed to advancing this momentum and strengthening accountability across global supply chains.”The FLETF has reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable information, that the below entities meet the criteria for inclusion in the UFLPA Entity List under Section 2(d)(2)(B)(v) of the UFLPA, which identifies facilities and entities that source material from the XUAR or from persons working with the government of XUAR or the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps for the purposes of the “poverty alleviation” program or the “pairing assistance” program or any other government labor scheme that uses forced labor.Esquel Group (also known as Esquel China Holdings Limited) is a Hong Kong-based vertically integrated textile and apparel company that engages in cotton research, as well as ginning, spinning, knitting, weaving of cotton and cotton products, in the production of textiles, apparel and accessories, including packaging and merchandising of these products. Esquel Group includes a variety of subsidiaries also involved in cotton, textile, clothing, and other products manufacturing, production, and sales, including Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd., Turpan Esquel Textile Co., Ltd., and Guangdong Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. The FLETF has reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable information, including publicly available information, that Esquel Group sources cotton from the XUAR. The FLETF therefore determined that the activities of Esquel Group satisfy the criteria for addition to the UFLPA Entity List described in Section 2(d)(2)(B)(v).Guangdong Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. is a company based in Foshan City, Guangdong Province, that is engaged in the manufacture and processing of textiles and apparel. TheFLETF has reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable information, including publicly available information, that Guangdong Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. sources cotton from the XUAR. The FLETF therefore determined that the activities of Guangdong Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. satisfy the criteria for addition to the UFLPA Entity List described in Section 2(d)(2)(B)(v).Turpan Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. is a company based in Turpan City, in the XUAR that is engaged in the production and sales of cotton and cotton yarn. The FLETF has reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable information, including publicly available information, that Turpan Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. is sourcing cotton from the XUAR. The FLETF therefore determined that the activities of Turpan Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. satisfy the criteria for addition to the UFLPA Entity List described in Section 2(d)(2)(B)(v).Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. (also known as Changji Yida Textile Co., Ltd.) is a company based in Changji Prefecture, XUAR that is engaged in production and sales of cotton yarn. The company had been included as one of the original twenty entities named to the UFLPA Entity List in June 2022 as an entity that qualified for inclusion under Section 2(d)(2)(B)(i) of the UFLPA. The FLETF has removed Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. from Section 2(d)(2)(B)(i) of the UFLPA Entity List as the FLETF has determined there is no longer reasonable cause to believe that Changji Esquel Textile Co. meets the criteria described in Section 2(d)(2)(B)(i) of the UFLPA.The FLETF, however, has reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable information, including publicly available information, that Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. sources cotton from the XUAR. The FLETF therefore determined that the activities of Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. satisfy the criteria for addition to the UFLPA Entity List described in Section 2(d)(2)(B)(v).The bipartisan Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, signed into law by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., in December 2021, mandates that CBP apply a rebuttable presumption that goods mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in the XUAR or produced by entities identified on the UFLPA Entity List are prohibited from importation into the United States unless the Commissioner of CBP determines, by clear and convincing evidence, that the goods were not produced with forced labor. CBP began enforcing the UFLPA in June 2022. Since then, CBP has reviewed over 9,700 shipments valued at more than $3.5 billion under the UFLPA. Additionally, Homeland Security Investigations, through the DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking, conducts criminal investigations into those engaging in or otherwise knowingly benefitting from forced labor, and collaborates with international partners to seek justice for victims.Today’s announcement supports President Biden’s Memorandum on Advancing Worker Empowerment, Rights, and High Labor Standards Globally. The memorandum represents the first whole-of-government approach to advance workers’ rights by directing federal agencies engaged abroad to advance international recognized labor rights, which includes DHS’s work implementing the UFLPA.You can read more about the FLETF by visiting: https://www.dhs.gov/uflpa
Source: US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation FDIC
WASHINGTON – The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) today announced its Board of Directors has approved the appointment of Amanda J. Lavis as Director of the agency’s new Office of Equal Employment Opportunity (OEEO).
In June, the FDIC Board announced the creation of the OEEO to serve as a single point of entry for employee complaints of discrimination and retaliation. In this role, Ms. Lavis will lead the OEEO’s work to intake, investigate, and report on complaints of employment discrimination within the FDIC workplace. The OEEO, along with the agency’s new Office of Professional Conduct (OPC), will report directly to the FDIC Board.
Ms. Lavis was selected from among several highly qualified candidates after a competitive, nationwide public solicitation. Most recently, she served as Chief Culture Officer for the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM), where she was the primary EEO advisor to the Commanding General and executive leadership.
She previously served as the State of Hawaii’s EEO Officer, serving as the primary EEO advisor to the Governor and Executive Branch. As an attorney and partner at Rhoads & Sinon LLP, Ms. Lavis worked with financial institutions and other private and public sector clients on employment issues and all aspects of EEO compliance.
Ms. Lavis has a Juris Doctor from the Villanova University School of Law, a Master of Business Administration from Shippensburg University, and a Bachelor of Science in International Business from Messiah University.
Secretary of the Commonwealth Addresses When We Can Expect Pennsylvania’s Election Results
Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt today held the fourth in a series of daily media briefings leading up to the Nov. 5 general election.
Schmidt discussed why Pennsylvania’s results may not be known on election night.
“Counting millions of ballots takes time. For every single vote cast in this election, there will be a voter-verified paper ballot that election officials need to securely handle and count,” Schmidt said. “Predicting exactly when Pennsylvania will have unofficial results that show a clear winner is just not possible. Pennsylvania has never had final results on election night, regardless of whether media outlets have announced winners on that night or at a later date.
“Ultimately, it comes down to how close any race is. The closer the race, the longer it takes to know who won and who lost,” Schmidt added.
The people doing the hard work of administering this election and making democracy happen are your neighbors at your polling place and professional civil servants at the county level, and they deserve our thanks, our respect and our patience, Schmidt said.
Speakers Include: Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt
An Arkansas man was sentenced yesterday to 20 months in prison for filing a false individual income tax return.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Carlos Gonzalez, 59, of Rogers, filed false tax returns that underreported the gross receipts from his tree-trimming and removal business, Charley’s Tree Service. From 2014 through 2020, Gonzalez cashed more than $3 million in customer checks instead of depositing them into his business’ bank account, knowing that his return preparer relied on the bank account records when preparing his returns. In addition, he did not tell his return preparer about the cashed checks. As such, the return preparer prepared tax returns that underreported gross receipts from his business resulting in a tax loss to the IRS of more than $900,000.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Brooks for the Western District of Arkansas ordered Gonzalez to serve one year of supervised release and to pay approximately $1.4 million in restitution to the United States and the State of Arkansas.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes for the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Curtis Weidler and Wilson Stamm of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Marshall for the Western District of Arkansas prosecuted the case.
Today’s first-of-its-kind stipulated judgment will ensure Beverly Hills comes into full compliance with the law and provides a benchmark for local governments to align with state reproductive healthcare laws
The City to abide by robust injunctive measures including mandated training and reporting
OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the filing of a stipulated judgment with the City of Beverly Hills resolving allegations that the City violated the California Constitution, Article I, sections 1 and 1.1, and the Reproductive Privacy Act, Health and Safety Code. In September 2022, DuPont Clinic (Dupont), an abortion provider in Washington, D.C., sought to open a clinic in Beverly Hills, California. However, despite their public position of support for abortion rights, Beverly Hills officials actively implemented barriers, which prohibited Dupont from opening its reproductive health clinic in the City. Today’s stipulated judgment requires Beverly Hills to abide by robust injunctive measures including, among other things, requiring training about the state and federal protections for reproductive healthcare clinics and requiring reporting of compliance with the stipulated judgment to the Attorney General’s office.
“At a time when access to abortion care is under attack across this nation, it is now more critical than ever to double down on our commitment to protect those seeking reproductive healthcare in our state,” said Attorney General Bonta. “It is troubling that, even here in California where access to reproductive healthcare is a constitutional right, Beverly Hills officials have taken actions reminiscent of those in extremist red states by illegally interfering with, and ultimately preventing a new reproductive healthcare clinic from opening. Today’s first-of-its kind agreement will ensure that the City abides by comprehensive training and education of reproductive healthcare laws. The agreement also serves as a benchmark for local governments to evaluate their healthcare policies and services, guaranteeing that they not only comply with the law, but also fulfill California’s broader commitment to reproductive healthcare access. At the California Department of Justice, we believe that reproductive healthcare is a fundamental right and will ensure that this right is upheld, free from political interference, and hold accountable those who break the law.”
In September 2022, Dupont signed a lease for a medical suite, owned and managed by Douglas Emmett, in Beverly Hills. DuPont spent $2.5 million to renovate the leased medical suite and applied for required City permits in early February 2023. Beginning in late 2022 and continuing into Spring 2023, anti-abortion protestors began to engage in protests outside and around the building and to lobby City officials against the opening of the DuPont clinic through objections at council meetings and private meetings. Through its investigation, DOJ found that the City unlawfully interfered with DuPont’s opening by improperly delaying the issuance of approved building permits and actively engaged in a pressure campaign against the property owner and manager Douglas Emmett, resulting in the termination of DuPont’s lease. For instance, City leadership, including the City Manager, Police Chief, City Attorney and the former Mayor, inaccurately claimed that a new DuPont Clinic would cause security threats against the building’s other tenants, going so far as to say that the building would be subject to violent protests, bomb threats, and “lone-wolf” active shooters. In fact, the City had no evidence or intelligence of any such threats. The City then claimed they would be so overwhelmed by this fictitious threat that they would be unable to provide resources to the landlord and building — threatening to abandon their sworn responsibility to uphold public safety. When these manipulation tactics didn’t work, City leadership threatened to send a letter from the Beverly Hills Police Department to all of Douglas Emmett’s other tenants in the building, warning them about the threats posed by the clinic, continuing to mount pressure until Douglas Emmett decided to end its contract with DuPont Clinic.
The stipulated judgment is the result of the DOJ’s investigation highlighted above, and as part of the stipulated judgment, which is subject to court approval, enjoins the City from violating the California Constitution, Article I, sections 1 and 1.1, and the Reproductive Privacy Act, Health and Safety Code section 123460, and requires the City, among other things:
To procure or develop training materials that provide information about the California FACE Act, federal FACE Act, and California’s legal protections and access to all forms of reproductive healthcare, within 90 days after the stipulated judgment is entered.
To conduct comprehensive training for City employees about the state and federal protections for reproductive healthcare clinics within 150 days after the stipulated judgment is entered, and every two years thereafter.
To publicly post its training resources about state and federal protections for reproductive healthcare clinics.
To develop a complaint procedure for potential violations of state and federal laws protecting reproductive rights and reporting those complaints to DOJ.
To appoint a Reproductive Compliance Officer who will be responsible for developing the required training materials and ensuring that the relevant employees and elected officials receive the required training.
To annually report for the five-year reporting period the City’s compliance with the stipulated judgment.
A copy of the complaint, stipulation for entry of judgment, and the court judgment are available here and here.
A new study published in the journal OneEarth explores how marine biodiversity conservation, human health and wellbeing are connected. The results suggest that marine protected areas can be good for both planet and people. These areas of the ocean are legally recognised by governments as being important for marine conservation. They are protected by putting limits on human activity within and around them.
Once a government declares a marine protected area, you usually can’t live in it, fish, build a beach resort, start a fish farm or drill for oil in it. The rules vary from place to place, but the idea is to allow nature to flourish by limiting human activity as much as possible.
With plans to expand ocean protection under the UN-endorsed biodiversity plan’s “30×30” target (which aims to protect 30% of the world’s land and oceans by 2030), it’s important to know how this will affect people as well as nature.
The study was conducted by the conservation charity World Wide Fund for Nature, Harvard Institute of Public Health and Duke University’s marine laboratory. The team, led by marine conservation scientist Daniel Viana, reviewed all the scientific articles written since 1973 on marine protected areas and their impacts on people.
They found that, for 234 marine protected areas across the world that have been closely monitored, more than 60% showed improvement in both nature conservation and human wellbeing.
Swimming, sailing, even just building a sandcastle – the ocean benefits our physical and mental wellbeing. Curious about how a strong coastal connection helps drive marine conservation, scientists are diving in to investigate the power of blue health.
This article is part of a series, Vitamin Sea, exploring how the ocean can be enhanced by our interaction with it.
The study included marine protected areas that do allow “sustainable use” through managed and selective fishing activities. These are fishing methods, such as using a hook and line or a fish trap, that don’t cause physical damage to delicate habitats like coral reefs.
The paper suggests that in most cases, investing in marine protected areas directly benefits the health and livelihoods of people who live near them. Increased harvests of fish and other aquatic foods, such as shellfish and seaweeds, are usually the source of the benefits. Fisherfolk’s incomes increase and community access to nutrient-rich aquatic food improves.
The benefits of marine protection for fishing-based livelihoods are largest in small island states that have big marine protected areas, such as Bonnaire, Palau and the Cook Islands, where more than 95% of fish catches are associated with area-based conservation measures.
Despite ample evidence that marine protection improved access to aquatic food, the authors found surprisingly few studies that directly measured the impact to human nutrition. Only three out of the 237 studies reviewed had studied how creating marine protected areas affected the diets of people living around them. Only one study, in the Philippines, made the link between diets and health outcomes, because, when access to fish in diets improved due to marine conservation, there were fewer stunted children from surrounding communities.
Plenty more nutrients in the sea?
Our continents and islands are surrounded by seas, lakes, rivers and floodplains that are populated by edible plants and animals rich in vitamins, minerals and fatty acids. These micronutrients from aquatic foods are highly bioavailable (easily absorbed by the body). If sustainably harvested and made available to nutritionally vulnerable people, they could prevent malnutrition among millions of coastal people.
The new report has quantified the micronutrient contributions to human diets from the aquatic foods that flourish when marine protected areas are set up. It combines data on the nutrient composition of all the aquatic foods harvested in and around marine protected areas, with fish catch data from the surrounding areas.
The existing marine protected area network supports 14% of the global supply of six key micronutrients from marine fishing. This is achieved by protecting only 8% of the world’s oceans. By allowing marine life to grow abundantly inside protected areas, nearby fish populations are replenished. So, by conserving marine wildlife, protected areas help to sustain fish and shellfish stocks.
That means bigger catches, more income from fishing or tourism, and more food. More nutrients means better health. This applies both to marine protected areas with a strict no-take zone, where any form of fishing is banned, and those that allow regulated fishing.
As populations increase, demand for aquatic food rises. Wild harvests are being supplemented by aquaculture and mariculture – these are freshwater and marine equivalents to growing crops and livestock on land. Over half of the aquatic foods consumed directly by humans are now produced from aquaculture, much of it in inland waters rather than the sea.
But in many countries, particularly island and coastal nations in the developing world, harvesting wild food from marine ecosystems remains crucial to nourishing the over 3 billion people who get more than 15% of their animal source proteins from aquatic foods.
Despite their potential to address global micronutrient nutrition, aquatic foods have, until recently, been underrepresented in policies and programmes to end hunger and malnutrition. But with data on the nutritional composition of the world’s fish species now available, studies like this can advance an approach called “nutrition-sensitive fisheries and aquaculture”: Instead of fishing to maximise catch or profit, fisheries could be managed to optimise their contribution to human nutrition.
Linking ocean conservation with human health is an exciting idea but there are gaps in the research. It’s not clear who benefits when income from tourism and fishing increases, or whether increased catches get to those that need it most. In the Maldives for example, more than 80% of reef fish are consumed by tourists, not locals.
Trying to solve malnutrition with marine protected areas is going to be challenging. Many marine protected areas are not effectively managed. By contrast, 77% of catches from the world’s fisheries come from stocks that are managed sustainably, though they have little room for expansion to meet rising demand. Aquaculture can do that, but the sector is still moving towards sustainability.
Many key threats to marine ecosystems and wild fisheries, such as climate change and pollution, are not effectively dealt with by local marine habitat protection alone. Despite these challenges, this study highlights that nature-human relationships can be regenerative, rather than exploitative.
Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?
Edward H. Allison currently receives funding from Canada’s International Development Research Center AQUADAPT programme for work on climate adaptive nature-based aquaculture in South East Asia, from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization for work on Implementing ecosystem-based management in S and SE Asia arnd from the multi-donor Trust Fund to the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research for work on aquatic food systems.
The true identity of the founder of bitcoin has always been a mystery.(Shutterstock)
In 2008, someone using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto published the design of the cryptocurrency bitcoin, proposed the initial code and was active online for just under two years. In this time, they helped develop the code, answer questions and promote the project. Then, claiming to busy with new things, Nakamoto left working on bitcoin and was probably never heard from again.
The background is this: with bitcoin, users leave tips to have their transactions processed. If the tip is too low, the computers running bitcoin will refuse to process it and the transaction will sit in bitcoin purgatory. Worse, bitcoin users who make this mistake cannot increase the fee without it looking like an attack on the system.
In an online post, Nakamoto posts that transactions could be declared safe if they only changed the amount of the fee.
Not long after, Todd chimes in that this is impossible with how bitcoin transactions work. The increased fee has to come from somewhere, namely a decrease in the amount paid out, which changes the transaction. Todd’s message is short: “Of course, to be specific, the inputs and outputs can’t match *exactly* if the second transaction has a transaction fee.”
Hoback ponders if maybe Nakamoto meant to correct himself, but somehow accidentally used his real account.
The theory plays out well on film but leaves out a few considerations.
Early bitcoin enthusiasts were a self-selecting group, and most were as technically minded as Nakamoto or Todd. This technical background is niche but not rare: more than 100,000 computer science students graduate annually in the United States, while there are over 500,000 certified security experts. And there are many equally capable people who are neither of these things.
Given Hoback’s evidence for Todd is circumstantial, the weight shifts to Todd’s reaction on camera when Hoback outlines his theory: a mix of bemusement, mockery and indignation. The film frames the reaction as incriminating, while others caution against reading anything into it.
Enter Ethereum
Bitcoin is maintained by an open group of volunteered computers (whose operators are paid in new bitcoin for the work of validating transactions and storing them on a ledger called the blockchain) where no one is in charge, and yet maintains high security.
Early bitcoin enthusiasts saw the potential for bitcoin’s blockchain technology to handle more than financial transactions, but the developers helming bitcoin (including Todd) thought it would be best if bitcoin stayed in its lane.
Some bitcoin enthusiasts in Toronto then banded together and launched Ethereum. Led by 21-year-old Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum provides a platform where anyone can run their code on a blockchain simply by paying a fee and pushing a button. The code could be anything from a new digital currency to sophisticated financial technology.
In Hoback’s documentary, many of the interviewees view bitcoin and its developers as competitors and antagonists of Ethereum.
Hoback’s documentary emphasizes Ethereum’s scam tokens but overlooks the innovative financial services that captured US$64 billion of assets in 2021, as well as its advancements in areas like efficiency and cryptography.
Ironically, it is Ethereum technology that runs crypto-betting platform Polymarket, which hosted a US$44 million betting pool on who would be named as Nakamoto in Hoback’s film before it aired.
“Polymarket turned Money Electric into a sporting event,” Hoback enthused. “Even I’m refreshing the betting pool to see how high the total volume gets.”
He picks up this thread again in Money Electric, embedding an earnest message about the potential privacy and surveillance implications of governments — including Canada, the United States and 130 other countries — launching central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), something my research also draws attention to.
In theory, the technology underlying bitcoin can be expanded to provide a CBDC system as private as paper cash. However it will take a strong political will to get there.
Jeremy Clark receives funding from the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton and Autorité des Marchés Financiers.
Source: United States Senator for Pennsylvania Bob Casey
The Keystone: Bob Casey and Matt Cartwright revive Scranton’s rail service to New York City
FOX 43: Sen. Bob Casey secures nearly $9 million in funding to help restore Amtrak passenger rail service between Scranton and New York
Scranton Times-Tribune: Casey, Cartwright announce $9M toward restoring passenger trains between Scranton and New York City
Pocono Record: ‘Not study money’: Scranton-NYC Amtrak project gets $9 million for construction work
WBRE: “The start of construction being announced is a huge deal”
Washington, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) secured almost $9 million in federal funds to begin construction to bring back Amtrak passenger service between Scranton, PA and New York, NY. The funding was made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which Casey fought to pass. Casey has pushed to bring back the Scranton to New York rail line for his entire career in the Senate.
Read excerpts of the coverage of the funding announcement below:
The Keystone: Residents living in Northeastern Pennsylvania are one step closer to having a passenger rail connection to New York City. Sen Bob Casey (D-Pennsylvania), along with Congressman Matt Cartwright (D-Lackawanna), announced $8.9 million in funding to restore rail service between Scranton and New York City…Casey began fighting for the restoration of the Lackawanna Cut-Off, a 28-mile stretch of track that fell into disrepair after rail service between Scranton and New York City halted in 1970, in 2008 when he sent a letter to Amtrak. After the passage of the Biden-Harris’ Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021, Casey and Cartwright began pushing for the restoration of the rail line and they were able to deliver.
WBRE: At the Scranton Trolley Museum, on Monday Congressman Matt Cartwright and Senator Bob Casey announced they secured nearly nine million dollars in federal funding to kick off long-needed railway rehabilitation and track improvements to the Lackawanna Cut-Off…The start of construction being announced is a huge deal. It’s taken decades of work to get to this point and now federal funding has secured the train is back on track.
Scranton Times-Tribune: The long-sought restoration of passenger rail service between Scranton and New York City through the Poconos and New Jersey advanced with a $9 million federal grant for bridge and rail line construction in Pennsylvania, officials announced Tuesday…the funding represents a milestone in the Amtrak project because it will finally result in construction…“The people of our region deserve this,” Casey said. “We’re going to finish this project no matter how long it takes us to do that.”
ABC 16/WNEP: It’s been decades since passenger rail service ran through the city of Scranton…On Monday, another step was taken towards achieving that goal. Inside the Electric City Trolley Museum—U.S. Senator Bob Casey and U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright announced nearly 9 million dollars in federal funding to begin construction on the rail line that once connected the Big Apple and Scranton.
Times Leader: The officials said that direct rail service between Scranton and New York could generate as much as $84 million in economic activity every year, according to an Amtrak study. “I have fought to restore rail service between Scranton and New York for my entire career in the Senate, and this investment from the infrastructure law means we are now closer than ever to making it a reality,” said Sen. Casey. “Passenger rail service to and from New York will be a game-changer for our region, meaning more family time, more economic investment, and more job opportunities.”
FOX 43: Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey and U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright on Tuesday announced nearly $9 million in federal funding to begin construction that will bring back Amtrak passenger rail service between Scranton and New York City…Casey and Cartwright have spent their careers in Congress advocating to restore rail service between Scranton and New York. In 2008, Casey began leading the charge in the Senate to implement a passenger service between Scranton and New York.
Pocono Record: The effort to restore passenger rail between Scranton and New York City has received $9 million toward construction, officials announced Tuesday…“This is a nice day to celebrate, but we’re going to get more money. We’re going to finish this project, no matter how long it takes us to do that,” U.S. Sen. Bob Casey said. Multiple speakers noted the importance of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in 2021 in providing funds for this project.
WVIA: Scranton’s decades-long dream of renewed rail service to New York City will soon take a key step forward thanks to nearly $9 million in federal infrastructure funding. Tuesday was a day to talk about trains, and how $8,958,919 in Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant money will be used to upgrade railroad infrastructure along the Pennsylvania segment of the right-of-way, including a bridge and thousands of railroad ties…Both Cartwright and Casey have long been active supporters of renewed rail service, which officials say could be up and running as early as 2028 or 2029.
FOX 56/WOLF TV: U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (D-PA-8) announced millions in federal funding to begin construction to bring back Amtrak passenger rail service between Scranton and New York. The award, totaling $8,958,919,will kick off long-needed railway rehabilitation and track improvements to begin the process of restoring service between the communities via the Lackawanna Cut-Off, officials said.
Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
WASHINGTON, DC – In an effort to help some of the nation’s most vulnerable households pay their home energy bills, the Biden-Harris Administration today released $3.71 billion for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), including $24,063,792 for Rhode Island. Even as the U.S. has become the largest oil producer in the world, colder winters in the Northeast mean the demand for LIHEAP is high. The federally funded program is a crucial lifeline that helps low-income households and seniors on fixed incomes afford their energy bills, including those who use natural gas, propane, electricity, and home heating oil.
U.S. Senator Jack Reed, a leading member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a Congressional champion for LIHEAP, cheered the release of funds and says it will allow states to provide funds to support income eligible households with utility costs.
Earlier this month, Reed joined Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) in leading a bipartisan call for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to release LIHEAP funds as swiftly and at the highest level possible.
“This federal funding will help keep vulnerable Rhode Islanders safe and healthy through targeted initiatives that lower utility bills. It will ease the energy cost burden for low-income residents, who pay a higher proportion of household income to heat their homes when cold winter weather hits. Nobody should have to choose between affording needed medication or having their heat turned off. LIHEAP is a real lifeline that has proven to make a real positive difference for so many Rhode Islanders,” said Senator Reed, who helped provide a total of $4.1 billion for LIHEAP in fiscal year 2024, with $4 billion through appropriations and $100 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds.
Under the short-term “continuing resolution” funding package that President Biden signed into law in September, HHS is able to advance states’ funding equal to 90 percent of their FY24 allocation.
Rhode Islanders wishing to apply for LIHEAP may go to the Rhode Island Department of Human Services website to get more information and links to an online application. Or, Rhode Islanders may contact their local Community Action Agency. Eligibility for LIHEAP is based on several factors, including income, household size, and the availability of resources.
Nationwide, an estimated 5.1 million households received assistance with heating and cooling costs through LIHEAP in the last fiscal year.
Older Americans on fixed incomes and those receiving Social Security Disability or SSI benefits are encouraged to apply as early as possible, but applications will be open to everyone through spring of 2025 — or until the funding is exhausted.
Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
PROVIDENCE, RI – U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressman Gabe Amo joined with Mayor Brett Smiley and SAMHSA Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use Miriam Delphin-Rittmon to highlight a new $2.3 million federal First Responders – Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (FR-CARA) grant to support the City’s comprehensive strategy to improve first responders’ ability to save lives. Whitehouse authored CARA, which is the primary law guiding the federal response to the opioid epidemic.
“To effectively combat the opioid crisis we must invest in coordinated strategies that ensure people can easily access help and support services. Senator Whitehouse has been a tremendous leader on this issue in Congress and I’m proud to work alongside him and our colleagues in the delegation to deliver this federal funding for Providence. This $2.3 million investment will help Providence’s first responders save lives and assist residents who are struggling with addiction,” said Reed.
“Rhode Islanders had a big hand in helping draft my CARA law, so it’s great to see this federal funding from CARA providing a big boost for Providence’s first responders, who are on the front lines every day responding to Rhode Island’s opioid epidemic,” said Whitehouse. “I applaud Mayor Smiley’s efforts to combat the epidemic in our Capital City and help connect Rhode Islanders with the support they need to get on the noble road to recovery. There is hopeful news that our efforts to save lives are working.”
“The opioid epidemic has touched the lives of families in Rhode Island and across the country, and we need to ensure first responders are equipped with the resources they need to save lives and support those in recovery,” said Magaziner. “This federal funding will help reduce overdoses, expand access to lifesaving services and treatments, and build a safer, healthier Rhode Island.”
“Thanks to champions like Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, overdose deaths in Rhode Island have been decreasing by twice the national average in recent years,” said Amo. “This federal grant for the Providence Overdose Prevention Project will support these efforts by uplifting the first responders and community members who play a vital role in the prevention, treatment, and recovery of opioid use disorder.”
The City of Providence will use the federal funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to advance the Providence Overdose Prevention Project, a comprehensive strategy to improve first responders’ ability to save lives. The program increases the capacity of Emergency Medical Services staff and community members to use evidence-based practices to reduce overdoses and connect individuals with necessary supports. The City will also work to reduce fatal overdoses through education and prevention programs and increase naloxone distribution within the community to help lower nonfatal overdose rates.
“We’re thankful for the leadership and advocacy of our federal delegation in securing this vital funding through the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act,” said Smiley. “This grant will strengthen Providence’s efforts to combat the opioid crisis by expanding life-saving resources for our first responders and connecting those in crisis to the support they need. By working together, we’re building a healthier, safer city for all.”
“We commend the first responders who are committed to saving lives day and day out,” said Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, Ph.D., HHS Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and the leader of SAMHSA. “This funding will help Providence EMS connect those at highest risk of overdose to lifesaving services, including treatment, harm reduction services, and recovery supports.”
Deaths from accidental overdoses decreased by 7.3 percent last year in Rhode Island, the first time in four years that the number had gone down, according to the Governor’s Overdose Task Force. Rhode Island’s decrease in overdose deaths, from 436 in 2022 to 404 in 2023, was over twice the national average, with America experiencing a 3 percent decrease in 2023. According to preliminary data from the Rhode Island Department of Health, 178 individuals died from accidental overdoses in the first nine months of this year, a significant decrease from the same point in 2023.
Source: United States Senator John Hickenlooper – Colorado
Four Colorado projects awarded funding under the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure & Safety Improvements (CRISI) Grant Program
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet, U.S. Representatives Joe Neguse and Brittany Pettersen and Governor Jared Polis announced four Colorado rail projects will receive a total of $129.5 million in federal funds. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Colorado State University Pueblo, San Luis Central Railroad Co., and OmniTRAX will all receive funding as part of the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure & Safety Improvements (CRISI) Grant Program. Earlier this year Hickenlooper, Bennet, Neguse and Pettersen urged the U.S. Department of Transportation to fund CDOT’s project along the Front Range. Hickenlooper also urged the department to fund the CSU Pueblo and OmniTRAX projects.
“From freight in the San Luis Valley to passengers on the Front Range and beyond with CSU Pueblo’s research, rail isn’t just a part of our past, it’s a big part of our future, too,” said Hickenlooper. “That’s the case we made to Secretary Buttigieg for this funding and this is just the start.”
“Colorado’s railways are vital to connect our communities and get resources to markets across the country. That’s why I ensured the U.S. Department of Transportation understood how critical this funding is for our state’s transportation infrastructure,” said Senator Michael Bennet. “I’m glad to have helped secure these investments in our railways’ safety, efficiency, and reliability across the state. ”
“After years of working to secure federal support for the Front Range Passenger Rail Project, I am excited to see the Department of Transportation heed our calls and commit to modernizing Colorado’s passenger rail system—not just for communities along the Front Range but for residents throughout the entire state. This is a once-in-a-generation investment in our passenger rail infrastructure, creating countless new opportunities for communities to connect, grow, and thrive—and we will continue to work together to ensure this momentum leads to lasting benefits for all Coloradans,” said U.S. House Assistant Minority Leader Joe Neguse.
“Today, I am incredibly grateful to see this federal funding coming to Colorado to strengthen our railway systems, enhance safety, and modernize our infrastructure,” said Representative Brittany Pettersen. “After a train derailment in Boulder injured workers and put our communities at risk, I supported funding to reinforce public safety and restore trust in Colorado’s rail infrastructure. I’m pleased to see these federal dollars coming to our state to help ensure we have safe, reliable infrastructure for generations to come.”
“Today’s grant will make freight rail traffic in some of our busiest growing communities safer quickly while providing critical building blocks for Passenger Rail. This major funding will help achieve important priorities like complying with longstanding federal standards and improving the safety of rail crossings, which can be the sites of dangerous incidents. With more than $66 million in federal support from the Biden-Harris administration, the future of Colorado’s rail network is a clear priority for the federal government, as it should be. We thank Senators Hickenlooper and Bennet, Congressman Neguse and Congresswoman Pettersen, and our communities for their support of this important project,” said Governor Jared Polis.
“Thanks to a unified effort with Governor Polis’ leadership, Colorado can speed ahead with important safety and operational upgrades that will make passenger rail possible along the Front Range. Our partners in the Congressional delegation and in communities across the state have been constantly supportive of this work, and I want to especially thank the technical team at CDOT that has made so much progress behind the scenes to get Colorado ready for this opportunity. The Biden Administration has recognized Colorado’s seriousness and the quality of our work to develop passenger rail, and I want to add my appreciation to their support with this grant and the resources it brings to our work,” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew.
CRISI invests in railroad infrastructure projects that improve safety, support economic vitality, including through small businesses, create good-paying jobs with the free and fair choice to join a union, increase capacity and supply chain resilience, apply innovative technology, and explicitly address climate change, gender equity, and racial equity. For more information on CRISI, click HERE.
Full details on the projects receiving funding are below:
Recipient
Project Title
Project Description
Amount Awarded
Colorado Department of Transportation
Modernizing Rail on the Front Range: PTC Installation, Siding, & Grade Crossing Safety and Operational Improvements
This project will design, install, and test positive train control with a complementary siding on a portion of the Front Range Subdivision, along with several railroad crossings that could benefit from operational and safety improvements.
$66,400,000
OmniTRAX Holdings Combined, Inc.
Transportation Investments for Employment and Safety, Phase 2
The proposed project involves final design and construction activities to replace railroad ties on four OmniTRAX-owned short lines across four states – Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, and Washington.
$50,570,400
Colorado State University Pueblo
Safety Assessment, Testing and Workforce Development for Hydrogen/Natural Gas Motive Power
The proposed project involves research and development for studying green hydrogen and renewable natural gas-powered rail vehicles. The project aims to conduct safety experiments on the use of CH2/CNG-powered rail cars at the TTC facility.
$11,671,781
The San Luis Central Railroad Co.
The San Luis Central Railroad Reconstruction Project: Ansel North
The SLC corridor was built in 1913 with untreated wooden ties. The project will replace 6,000 deteriorated cross and 126 switch ties between mile posts 10.1 and 15.2.
$1,077,000
“Southern Colorado often represents a hard-working spirit leveraging the opportunity of innovation. This Department of Transportation CRISI grant emboldens that spirit, enabling CSU Pueblo, in partnership with the Southern Colorado Transportation Technology Center (SCITT), to contribute to the future of rail transportation through critical safety research in hydrogen and natural gas technologies. I am particularly proud of how this project will partner with our Engineering program at CSU Pueblo, utilizing the expertise here to create new pathways for our students and local workforce. This grant is more than research – it’s a valuable investment into Southern Colorado,” said CSU Pueblo President Armando Valdez.
“TIES2 will be transformative for the communities served by Great Western Railway of Colorado and the regions served by OmniTRAX railroads in Georgia, Alabama, and Washington state,” said David Arganbright, OmniTRAX Senior Vice President. “OmniTRAX is proud to call Colorado home, and we are tremendously appreciative of all the work that Sen. Hickenlooper has done in Congress to champion Colorado’s railways and deliver the critical infrastructure investments that make strengthen our nation’s supply chains.”
“The team at CXSL is very excited for this great news and look forward to getting to work on the improvements as soon as possible. The grant will assist in providing the much needed improvements to improve rail service to our customers and greatly reduce our risk for incidents due to track conditions,” said Timothy Bivens, General Manager of Colorado Pacific San Luis Railroad.
This 2013 image taken by NASA’s Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, captures a nebula that looks like a witch screaming. Perhaps that imagined scream is a creation spell, for the Witch Hat nebula’s billowy clouds are a star nursery. We can see these clouds thanks to massive stars lighting them up; dust in the cloud is being hit with starlight, causing it to glow with infrared light, which was picked up by WISE’s detectors. WISE launched to near-Earth orbit on Dec. 14, 2009, and surveyed the full sky in four infrared wavelength bands until the frozen hydrogen cooling the telescope was depleted in September 2010. The spacecraft was placed into hibernation in February 2011, having completed its primary astrophysics mission. In late 2013, the spacecraft was resurrected – no incantation needed – when NASA’s Planetary Science Division gave it a new mission and a new name: NEOWISE. The spacecraft began helping NASA identify and describe near-Earth objects (NEOs). NEOs are comets and asteroids that have been nudged into orbits that allow them to enter Earth’s neighborhood. NEOWISE was decommissioned Aug. 8, 2024, and placed into hibernation for the last time, ending its career as an active asteroid hunter. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Source: US National Invasive Species Information Center
Press Release
WASHINGTON, October 30, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) today announced the agency is planning to enhance testing and monitoring for H5N1, building on measures taken by USDA since the beginning of the avian influenza outbreak. In partnership with state veterinarians, USDA will implement a tiered strategy to collect milk samples to better assess where H5N1 is present, with the goal to better inform biosecurity and containment measures, as well as to inform state-led efforts to reduce risk to farm workers who may be in contact with animals infected with H5N1.
Since this disease was first detected in dairy cattle in March 2024, the USDA and state and federal partners have taken several steps to better understand the virus and work to eliminate it from dairy herds. In May 2024, USDA implemented a Federal Order to require the testing of cattle before interstate movement, which has helped to limit H5N1’s spread to new states; in the past 30 days, the number of states with known avian influenza detections in dairy herds has dropped from 14 to two. However, USDA believes that additional steps are needed to proactively support effective biosecurity measures, which are key for states and farmers to contain and eliminate H5N1 infections from their livestock.
USDA has precedent with successful bulk milk testing approaches, including the use of bulk milk testing to eradicate brucellosis from dairy herds. In addition, Colorado implemented statewide bulk milk testing after H5N1 was detected in dairy herds in two counties, and the most recent statewide testing has not detected any evidence of H5N1 in any herds in the state. In the coming weeks, USDA will work with regions and states that are ready to assist in expanding bulk milk testing.
USDA is working closely with state and private veterinary groups, which include practitioners who will play a vital role in carrying out this effort. USDA plans to first sample milk in bulk at the regional level, with additional testing at the farm level if necessary, until herds in an area are determined to be free of the virus. USDA will continue to work with state and private veterinarians on the final details of implementation, and will share guidance documents soon.
USDA continues to emphasize to farmers nationwide that biosecurity is the best weapon against the spread of H5N1, and farms should practice good biosecurity even if the virus has not been detected in their state or vicinity. Data collected over the past seven months has shown that H5N1 can be transmitted on equipment, people, or other items that move from farm to farm, including between dairies and poultry facilities. USDA’s Federal Order, announced in April 2024, to require testing before cattle movement between states has helped limit the spread of H5N1 to only 14 states, but local and state efforts to enhance biosecurity measures are also important. USDA strongly encourages herd owners to participate in available producer support programs, which help to cover the cost such as biosecurity programming, PPE for employees, and veterinary care.
In addition, USDA continues to support the rapid development and timely approval of an H5N1 vaccine for dairy cows, in addition to other species. Two vaccine candidates for use in dairy cows are currently undergoing field trials.
USDA has consistently operated on a science-based, step-by-step approach informed by what it learns about this virus through its everyday work, research, and monitoring efforts, and this marks the next step in the escalation of the agency’s response.
Today, USDA and the Oregon Department of Agriculture also announced the first detection of H5N1 in swine in the United States, which was detected in a non-commercial farm operation in Oregon. More information that announcement can be found here.
USDA scientists have worked closely with colleagues at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and across the country and have not found any recent changes to the virus that increase the risk of transmission from animals to humans or between people. While cases among humans in direct contact with infected animals do continue to occur, partners at the CDC believe that the current risk to the public remains low.
As USDA takes additional steps to protect the health of livestock, the Department will continue to work closely with its federal partners at CDC to protect the health of people and FDA to protect the safety of the food supply. These collective, collaborative efforts have helped protect farmworkers and farmers, the health and welfare of livestock animals, and reaffirmed the safety of the nation’s food supply. The U.S. government remains committed to addressing this situation with urgency.
To learn more about USDA’s response to HPAI in dairy cattle, visit www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/livestock.
Today, the Department of Defense released the Military Intelligence Program (MIP) appropriated top line budget for FY2024. The total was $29.8 billion and is aligned to support the National Defense Strategy.
The Department determined that releasing this top line figure does not jeopardize any classified activities within the MIP. No other MIP budget figures or program details will be released, as they remain classified for national security reasons.
Chief of Staff to the International President Vinny Addeo, IAM National Legislative and Political Director Hasan Solomon, TCU/IAM National Legislative Director Dave Arouca, and IAM Assistant Communications Director DeLane Adams recently visited members of TCU/IAM Locals 1351 and Local 878 who work for Amtrak in Philadelphia. Members were able to receive IAM Union for Kamala Harris/Tim Walz T-shirts and yard signs. These efforts help encourage members to go out and vote in the upcoming election.
“It’s important to talk about what this election really means for our members working at Amtrak and SEPTA,” said TCU/IAM National President Maratea. “We’ll always fight to beat back proposed cuts to Amtrak and transit funding, but those fights get much harder when we send anti-passenger rail people to Washington. Fact: Trump tried to defund us every single budget year. Fact: The Biden-Harris Administration provided record funding for Amtrak. Sometimes elections are tough choices – this one is not.”
TCU/IAM will always engage in the political process and educate members on the importance of civic engagement.
The outreach effort also included distributing informational materials and encouraging members to inform others about the upcoming election. IAM Local 1351 and Local 878 members expressed excitement about their choices for the 2024 election.
“This election is extremely important,” said TCU/IAM Local President Shari Paige. “Our jobs and livelihood depend on it. Cuts to Amtrak funding mean pink slips for TCU. We need people to go out and vote their job.”
The IAM GOTV program is designed to help IAM members across the country understand the importance of electing pro-labor candidates with a strong track record of advocating for working families.
“Our members play a crucial role in shaping policies that affect their lives and the lives of their families,” said Addeo. “We must all participate in the upcoming election to ensure our voices are heard.”
Our union has already knocked on thousands of doors and made thousands of calls across key battleground states. From worksite visits to door-to-door efforts, to phone calls and texts, IAM members are working hard communicate directly to voters about what’s at stake this Election Day.
Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch
BOISE, Idaho – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) led his colleagues in sending a letter calling out President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for fueling a national security crisis at the southern border through a series of destructive executive orders.
“Instead of addressing the flow of illegal immigration and illicit drugs across our borders, your administration has turned its back on those who wish to immigrate here legally and welcomed illegal aliens with open arms. Instead of directing resources to securing our borders and processing legal immigrant applications, your administration has crippled our immigration enforcement capabilities and prioritized amnesty applications,” wrote the senators. “The administration has one job—to enforce the law of the land. Instead of detaining and deporting illegal aliens, your administration has shown a blatant disregard for the rule of law and national security.”
Risch is joined by U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) in demanding the Biden-Harris administration answer for their direct role in eroding the U.S. immigration system and compromising the safety of American families.
Risch has long fought for securing our southern border by completing the border wall, reimplementing the Remain in Mexico policy, and enforcing existing U.S. immigration laws.
The full letter can be read here.
Source: The White House
Too many Americans know the pain of losing a loved one to lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer death in the United States. During National Lung Cancer Awareness Month, we honor all those living with lung cancer and their loved ones. We thank the researchers searching for answers and the medical professionals who are working tirelessly to care for those with lung cancer, and we recommit to ending cancer as we know it.
Although scientists have made incredible breakthroughs that have improved prevention, detection, and treatment for cancer and saved lives, a lung cancer diagnosis can be terrifying. This year, nearly 250,000 Americans will be diagnosed with the disease. Treatment can be grueling. Medical bills can cause concerns for the whole family. And the flood of medical information directed toward patients and their caretakers can be overwhelming. Too often, people feel lost and left behind, especially those who are disproportionately impacted by lung cancer — such as Black men, rural residents, and women under 50 years old.
Cancer is personal to many families, including mine, so I made fighting cancer a top priority in my Administration. The First Lady and I began by reigniting the Biden Cancer Moonshot, aiming to cut the cancer death rate by at least 50 percent over the next 25 years. I also secured $4 billion in bipartisan funding and established the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health to support scientists, innovators, and public health professionals in driving innovation to prevent, detect, and treat cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
My Administration is also working around the clock to make cancer treatments more affordable and the treatment process more manageable for families. We have saved millions of families $800 per year on their health insurance premiums by strengthening Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. Through my Inflation Reduction Act, we are capping total out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries at $2,000 per year, including for cancer drugs, which can cost many times that. And for the first time ever, families fighting cancer can access patient navigation services that are fully paid for through Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance — helping guide families through the diagnosis and treatment process and offering them much-needed support.
My Administration is also committed to preventing cancer by tackling another driver of cancer deaths in this country: smoking. To ensure that Americans who want to quit have the support they need, the Department of Health and Human Services created a Framework to Support and Accelerate Smoking Cessation, setting goals and strategies to help our communities reduce smoking. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched a $15 million program that will help increase awareness about smoking and options for services to help people quit. For anyone looking to quit smoking, you can find resources at BeTobaccoFree.gov or smokefree.gov or by calling 877-44U-QUIT.
My Administration is expanding early detection and screening services because an early diagnosis of lung cancer can save lives. Together, Federal agencies, community health centers, and other partners are providing early detection knowledge and support services to underserved communities. I encourage all Americans to talk to their doctors about lung cancer symptoms.
During National Lung Cancer Awareness Month, we strengthen our commitment to standing by all those facing lung cancer and their families, and we ensure they have access to the care they need. We also rededicate ourselves to spreading awareness about lung cancer and working to end cancer as we know it, in order to save more lives.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2024 as National Lung Cancer Awareness Month. I call upon the people of the United States to speak with their doctors and health care providers to learn more about lung cancer. I encourage citizens, government agencies, private businesses, nonprofit organizations, the media, and other interested groups to increase awareness about what Americans can do to prevent, detect, and treat lung cancer.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
Source: The White House
Every child deserves to know the unconditional love of a permanent home. During National Adoption Month, we honor all the wonderful families that grow through adoption, we remind our foster youth and adoptees that we are right by their side, and we rededicate ourselves to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
More than 100,000 children are in our Nation’s foster care system awaiting the adoption that could offer them familial love, a lasting home, and a stable foundation for them to grow. That is why I have called on the Congress to make the adoption tax credit fully refundable, lowering the cost of adoption and giving families and legal guardians some breathing room. I have also called on the Congress to provide housing vouchers to all 20,000 youth exiting foster care annually — a key step in helping them secure stable housing during this difficult transition. To further support kinship caregivers, the Department of Health and Human Services issued a final rule last year that requires States to provide them with the same level of financial support that other foster parents receive. My Administration is also working to eliminate barriers LGBTQI+ families face in the adoption process and ensure LGBTQI+ foster youth grow up in safe and loving environments. And through the expanded Military Parental Leave Program, we are giving service members more time to spend with their families after a child is born, adopted, or placed in their homes for long-term foster care.
My Administration also remains committed to supporting youth who are aging out of foster care. Since the beginning of my Administration, the Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded over $60 million to provide over 4,000 vouchers to foster youth, helping them secure housing as they leave the foster care system. And my Administration is working to ensure these youth can keep their SNAP benefits without work reporting requirements, easing a difficult transition period. We have also been working to help foster youth stay in school and graduate, make the successful transition to postsecondary education, train for jobs, pay their bills, and get their lives off to a solid start.
During National Adoption Month, we celebrate the love shared by adoptive families and professionals across our country. And we honor the millions of adoptive and kinship families who have welcomed new family members into their loving homes.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2024 as National Adoption Month. I encourage all Americans to honor this month by helping the children and youth in their communities secure their forever homes and find the love and connection that they need to thrive.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
A study published in Science looks at sugar rationing in the first 1000 days of life and the risk of chronic disease in adulthood.
Dr Hilda Mulrooney, Reader in Nutrition and Health, London Metropolitan University, said:
“This is a really interesting and timely paper, given the currently high intakes of sugar in the UK population, and prevalence of chronic disease including Type 2 diabetes and hypertension.
“The potential for diet in utero to impact on long-term health risks has long been recognised, and there are a number of plausible mechanisms to explain how these may occur. In this study, the authors used data from what could be considered a natural experiment – rationing in response to World War 2. By comparing individuals exposed and not exposed to sugar rationing in utero and in early childhood, a significant effect was seen. Those exposed to rationing had significantly lower risks of Type 2 diabetes (35% lower) and hypertension (20% lower), compared to those who did not. Early childhood was especially important; only a third of the increase in risk for both type 2 diabetes and hypertension was explained by in utero exposure. This highlights the potential for early childhood diet as a risk factor for chronic disease. Given the high levels of sugar in foods and drinks aimed at toddlers and young children, this is of concern.
“The study cannot demonstrate causality; it is not possible from this sort of study design. Nonetheless it is a strong study, with several potential confounding factors taken into account and large numbers of participants (38,155 exposed to rationing and 22,028 not exposed to rationing). The groups were similar in relation to gender, race, family history of diabetes and cardiovascular disease (for which hypertension is a strong risk factor), and genetic scores calculated for obesity (which could confound for both type 2 diabetes and hypertension). In addition to sugar intakes immediately and markedly rising after rationing of sugar ended, risk of obesity was also significantly higher in those not exposed to rationing in utero and the first year of life, compared with those who were.
“This study inevitably has weaknesses, due to its type and reliance on historical data. Changes to sugar intakes were unlikely to be the only changes that occurred to participants at that time. The authors took as many factors as they could into account and the message is clear – exposure to high intakes of added sugar in utero and early childhood is a significant risk factor for chronic disease. This suggests that action to reduce the sugar content of foods and drinks aimed at or attractive to children is needed. This will not entirely reduce the risk, since diet in pregnancy is what enables in utero exposure – so action on all foods and drinks high in added sugar is needed. However this will have to be approached with care – simply replacing sugar with sweeteners will not enable the population to reduce their preference for sweet tastes.”
Jerusa Brignardello, Lecturer in Dietetics & Nutrition, Oxford Brookes University,said:
Does the press release accurately reflect the science?
“Yes, the press release is aligned with the conclusions and findings to the study. This press release emphasises in the importance of the sugar restriction during the first 1000 days of life as an early dietary intervention for the reduction of hypertension and diabetes risk.”
Is this good quality research? Are the conclusions backed up by solid data?
“This is an interesting retrospective piece of research that explores the consequences of early of sugar restriction during early life and comparing the effects of sugar consumption in the same age group after the rationing of food was lifted in the post-war UK. However, results should be interpreted with caution, as nutritional environments from the 1950s differ significantly from those of today.
“The information was obtained from the UK- Biobank with 60183 participants. However, the Biobank cohort is not nationally representative of the population and tend to represent a part of the population that was healthier and wealthy. Nonetheless, the quasi-experimental design of the exposure conditions makes this study very rigorous to study the sugar exposure in humans.”
How does this work fit with the existing evidence?
“Current evidence suggests that early exposure to sugar during pregnancy and early life may impact neonatal metabolism, obesity risk, and taste perception, which may later influence food choices and the risk of other chronic diseases. This study supports the findings related to chronic diseases and contributes to the “fetal origins hypothesis” described by British physician and epidemiologist David Baker in the 90s.”
Have the authors accounted for confounders? Are there important limitations to be aware of?
“Yes, the authors have worked on the limitations inherent in studying a cohort like this. It is important to be aware that food environments and dietary patterns in the 50s were very different compared to the current food environment. In addition, lifestyle during those years was not the same as today, and obesity was not considered for statistical purposes as a potential variable to study public health.
“Therefore, the risk found in the UK-Biobank cohort that was exposed to sugar rationing may be different if that is compared to other populations given the differences in lifestyle, dietary habits, food environment, and obesity prevalence. Consequently, the extrapolation of the results presented in the work of Gracner et al. should be interpreted with caution, for example, if these results will be used to build machine learning models for risk predictions for the current population. However, these results contribute to the “Baker hypothesis” or “Fetal origins hypothesis” showing how a simple nutritional intervention as cutting sugar during this crucial period of pregnancy and early life affect in the reduction of risk of diabetes and hypertension in later life.”
What are the implications in the real world? Is there any overspeculation?
“As mentioned previously, the food environment, lifestyle, and physical activity are very different from those in their 50s. Therefore, the results found in this research should be a call for attention for women in the stages of preconception, pregnancy, and parents of children in early life. In addition, this should reinforce the actions of policymakers for the promotion of low sugar intake during these critical life stages in parents and children. Finally, the food industry should consider reformulating products targeted at these groups in light of the evidence, prioritising the well-being of future generations.
“I do not believe there is overspeculation in this article, as it has undergone peer review, meaning that multiple academics have evaluated the research, including its methodology, results, discussion, and conclusions.”
Dr Katie Dalrymple Lecturer in Nutritional Sciences, Kings College London said:
“This study provides further epidemiological evidence which supports the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) hypothesis. DoHaD suggests that certain environmental influences during critical periods of growth and development during early life may have significant consequences on a child’s long-term health. Given the complexity of this research question, the study relies on observational data and an event study design to draw meaningful conclusions of the relationship between nutrition in early life and the development of chronic diseases. Whilst it is important to consider confounding factors which may have occurred between the exposure and the outcome and potential bias of the Biobank cohort, the results are consistent with existing DoHaD literature, and they support the notion of public health initiatives which focus on sugar reduction.”
Amanda Adler, Professor of Diabetic Medicine and Health Policy from the University of Oxford’s Radcliffe Department of Medicine said:
“The investigators take advantage of the ‘natural experiment’ of post-war food rationing to test the theory that exposure to sugar rationing in utero and in early childhood prevents or delays the onset of type 2 diabetes and hypertension years later.
“The investigators observed that people conceived during rationing indeed had lower rates of disease when compared to people conceived after rationing ended.
“But, we still don’t really know if the children less likely to get diabetes later in life were indeed the ones not exposed to sugar in utero or after birth – even in a setting of rationing.
“It may be that at the same time rationing ended and people consumed more sugar, they also changed other habits becoming, for example, less physically active. So, this may have influenced in part their risk for diabetes later in life.
“It’s intriguing and entirely possible that a lower exposure to sugar in utero via the mother would lead to life-long benefits.
“This study is an open invitation to clinical trialist to clarify the ‘right’ levels of sugar to add to the diet for pregnant or lactating women, and for their infants.”
‘Exposure to sugar rationing in the first 1000 days of life protected against chronic disease’by Gracner et al. was published by AAAS in the journal Science at 18:00 UK time on Thursday 31st October.
DOI:10.1126/science.adn5421
Declared interests
Dr Hilda Mulrooney “In terms of conflicts, I am a committee member of the Obesity Group of the British Dietetic Association, a committee member of the European Specialist Dietitians Network for Obesity and a Council member for Public Health to the Nutrition Society. I am not paid by any of these organisations and not representing them in these comments.”
Jerusa Brignardello “In 2013 I was awarded scholarships from Kraft Foods to attend to the Young Global Nutrition Leader in the International Unions of Nutrition Societies and International Nutrition Foundation. I worked as International Nutrition Consultant for the World Food Programme at United Nations in the Latin American and Caribbean Bureau between 2013 and 2014 . I have worked in Nutrigenomix which is a company for nutritional genetic testing based in Canada between 2012 and 2017. Also, as a clinical trial coordinator for Nestle Switzerland in 2010 and as consultant for Nestle Chile doing activities related to science communication in gut health topics in 2024. In 2018 I received a funding from the American Egg Board from USA to do research in food biomarkers, while I studied at Imperia College London- UK. I am not aware about significant industry funding in my department at Oxford Brookes University. I do not have any conflicts of interest related to this research for my own research.”
Dr Katie Dalrymple “I worked for Danone for 4 years (2012-2016) before I did my PhD.”
Amanda Adler “No conflicts of interest to declare.”
On October 28, 2024, a lockdown was put in place in the medium-security unit at Mission Institution, to enable staff members to conduct an exceptional search.
October 31, 2024 – Mission, British Columbia – Correctional Service Canada
On October 28, 2024, a lockdown was put in place in the medium-security unit at Mission Institution, to enable staff members to conduct an exceptional search.
The search was ordered to ensure the safety and security of the institution, its staff, and inmates.
Visits have been suspended until the search is completed. Normal operations will resume as soon as it is considered safe to do so.
The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) is committed to preventing the entry of contraband and unauthorized items into its institutions. CSC works in partnership with the police to take action against those who attempt to introduce contraband into correctional institutions.
Library and Archives Canada is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2024–2025 funding cycle of its Listen, Hear Our Voices initiative.
Gatineau, Quebec, October 31, 2024
Library and Archives Canada (LAC) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2024–2025 funding cycle of its Listen, Hear Our Voices initiative. In total, 14 First Nations, Inuit and Métis organizations will share $912,963 to support their efforts to digitize and preserve language and culture materials and to increase their digitization and preservation capacity.
The recipients were selected based on the recommendations of a review committee, external to LAC and consisting of First Nations, Inuit and Métis heritage professionals from across Canada.
Indigenous organizations receiving funding through the Listen, Hear Our Voices initiative (2024–2025):
Cold Lake First Nations
Native Counselling Services of Alberta
Ktunaxa Nation Council Society
Cheslatta Carrier Nation
Gwich’in Tribal Council
Inuvialuit Cultural Centre Pitquhiit-Pitqusiit
Inuit Broadcasting Corporation
Woodland Cultural Centre
Munsee Delaware Language and History Group, c/o Munsee-Delaware Nation
Chippewas of Rama First Nation
La Boîte Rouge VIF
First Nations University of Canada
Kinistino Metis Local 43
Council of Yukon First Nations—Yukon Native Language Centre
Project titles and funding amounts for 2024–2025 contribution funding recipients can be found on the Listen, Hear Our Voices web page.
Heritage organizations play a vital role in preserving Canada’s local memory. LAC is proud to contribute to documenting, preserving and making accessible to the public a memory that reflects the diversity of experiences and cultures in Canadian society.
About Library and Archives Canada
The mandate of Library and Archives Canada is to preserve the documentary heritage of Canada for the benefit of present and future generations and to be a source of enduring knowledge accessible to all, thereby contributing to the cultural, social and economic advancement of Canada. Library and Archives Canada also facilitates cooperation among communities involved in the acquisition, preservation and dissemination of knowledge and serves as the continuing memory of the Government of Canada and its institutions.
Remarks by the Deputy Prime Minister on protecting reproductive freedom and covering essential health care costs
October 29, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario
Check against delivery
Good afternoon.
I am going to start by talking about the Canadian economy. I will then discuss measures our government is taking to protect women’s reproductive freedom. And finally, I will provide an update on the Canada Health Transfer.
Minister Ien will then speak in more detail about how we are protecting women’s reproductive freedom.
Minister Holland will provide an update on dental care and pharmacare.
Finally, Minister Duclos will go into greater detail about what today’s announcements mean for Canadians.
So, let me start by talking just for a minute about the good economic news we have been receiving.
Inflation was down to 1.6 per cent in September. That is a three-and-a-half year low. It means that for nine months in a row, inflation in Canada has been within the Bank of Canada’s target range.
Thanks to that good news on inflation, we’ve now seen the Bank of Canada lowering rates four times in a row. The Bank of Canada is now the first central bank in the G7 to cut interest rates four times. I emphasize this because this is really important relief for Canadians and Canadian businesses—it means more money for your household, more money in your pocket, and it means real relief for Canadians who are looking ahead to renewing their mortgage.
Wages have now outpaced inflation for 20 months in a row and in September, we had good jobs numbers, with 47,000 jobs created.
Today, 1.4 million more people are working in Canada compared to before the pandemic. That is a 7.1 per cent increase in employment, which is the largest increase of any G7 country. And, in September, unemployment did actually move down to 6.5 per cent.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) published its World Economic Outlook last week. That Outlook showed Canada to have lower inflation than the U.S. since 2021 and across other advanced economies since 2022. The World Economic Outlook also projects Canada to have lower inflation than many peer economies going forward.
There is a lot more to do, but we are seeing solid progress.
We know that now is not the time to pull back on support for Canadians. Now is not the time for cuts and austerity. Our government knows that we need to make investments in Canadians so that everyone in our great country has the tools they need to succeed.
And that brings me to our first announcement.
Every woman—every Canadian woman—must be free to make her own decisions about her own body. Every woman in Canada must have access to the health care she needs.
Today, however, there are some anti-choice organizations that use misleading tactics to make it hard for women to make informed choices and to have access to the full range of reproductive care. That undermines a woman’s fundamental right to make her own reproductive decisions.
What makes this particularly inappropriate is that many of these groups are benefiting from Canada’s tax incentives for charitable donations, which are among the most generous in the world.
That’s wrong. And that’s why, today, Minister Ien has tabled a Notice of Ways and Means Motion in Parliament to fix this. Minister Ien will speak about her motion and why it matters in a few minutes.
We are introducing this legislation to ensure that women who are seeking information about their health care options are not misled.
And we are doing this to ensure that those who mislead Canadian women are not rewarded with subsidies from Canadian taxpayers.
This announcement builds on other measures our government has taken to improve health care for Canadians, like the Canada Health Transfer.
This month, our government transferred $4.34 billion for health care to provinces and territories.
This year alone, provinces and territories are receiving $52.1 billion from the federal government through the Canada Health Transfer.
That’s the equivalent of $1 billion a week, every week.
This amount is going to provincial and territorial governments to support them in delivering health care to Canadians, no matter where they live.
The $52.1 billion for 2024-25 is 62 per cent higher than in 2014-15, when our government was elected.
This is part of our historic $200 billion,10-year plan to clear backlogs, improve primary care, cut wait times, and deliver the health care that people need and deserve.
A fair and strong health care system is essential to ensuring fairness for every generation. That’s why the federal government is proud to be doing its part. No matter your age, your income, or your circumstances, every Canadian deserves to know that they will get the care and support they need.
