On Leif Erikson Day, we celebrate the history and heritage of Nordic communities in the United States, whose contributions and cultures have helped shape our Nation.
Many believe that roughly a millennium ago, Leif Erikson — a Norse explorer — and his crew were the first Europeans to reach the shores of North America. His spirit of adventure, curiosity, and resilience would inspire generations of Danes, Finns, Icelanders, Norwegians, and Swedes to sail across an ocean and begin new lives in America. These immigrants built bustling homes and enriched their communities, supporting and realizing the American Dream. They fought for our freedoms in the military; built new churches, businesses, and schools; and spearheaded social movements. Today, Nordic communities continue to enrich the fabric of the Nation.
Nordic-American communities in the United States are foundational to our partnership and friendship with our Nordic Allies and their people. These nations share our vision for a world based on freedom, security, and opportunities for all. Together, we are working in lockstep to tackle the climate crisis and pioneer the next generation of technology that will power everyone’s economies. We are also standing with the brave people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against Russia’s brutal assault. I am proud that the United States supported the ratification process for Finland to join NATO, which was the fastest ratification in history. And I was honored to welcome Sweden as NATO’s 32nd Ally earlier this year. Together, I know that we will continue to stand for freedom and democracy for generations to come.
Today, may we celebrate the important contributions and vibrant cultures of Nordic Americans to our Nation. And may we continue the work that so many Nordic communities in this country began: ensuring every American has an opportunity to reach the American Dream.
To honor Leif Erikson, son of Iceland and grandson of Norway, and to celebrate Nordic-American heritage, the Congress, by joint resolution (Public Law 88-566) approved on September 2, 1964, has authorized the President of the United States to proclaim October 9 of each year as “Leif Erikson Day.”
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim October 9, 2024, as Leif Erikson Day. I call upon all Americans to celebrate the contributions of Nordic Americans to our Nation with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighth 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.
Community-driven Deeno game released on October 8th
KINGSTOWN, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Oct. 08, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Derivio, a trading-centric consumer blockchain backed by Binance Labs, officially launched its Telegram game on October 8, 2024. The game introduces Deeno, a character designed to drive user interaction through social media and community tasks.
Players start by claiming an egg that will eventually hatch into Deeno. To progress, players complete tasks such as sharing social media content and engaging with the Derivio community. These activities earn players the “Power of Faith,” which strengthens the egg and accelerates the hatching process. Once hatched, Deeno can be leveled up through additional quests, with users unlocking more rewards through mini-games, including a gold miner challenge.
Derivio’s Telegram game incorporates both gameplay and community interaction with the satisfaction of achieving rewards. By participating, players unlock resources and level up their character, with further opportunities for bonuses and exclusive rewards provided by Derivio and its partners.
Game Launch Details
Derivio’s Telegram game launched on Oct. 8. The game aims to foster interaction within the community through a blend of simple tasks and mini-games, encouraging continued engagement.
About Derivio
Derivio is a trading-centric blockchain focused on consumer-facing products, offering tools designed to enhance accessibility for everyday users. The platform’s products, including its Perpetual Exchange and Prediction Markets, aim to provide a secure, high-performance, and user-friendly experience. Derivio also uses cryptographic techniques like Fully Homomorphic Encryption to enhance security in its decentralized trading ecosystem.
Disclaimer: This content is provided by Derivio. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider. The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. Please conduct your own research and invest at your own risk.
Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)
HOUSTON – A Mexican national illegally residing in Houston and a relative have been sentenced following their convictions of several sex trafficking crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Maria Botello-Morales, 57, and her son Edgar Adrian Botello, 31, Houston, pleaded guilty in 2023.
U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen has now imposed a 280-month-term of imprisonment for Botello-Morales, while Botello received a total of 180 months. Restitution will be determined at a later date. Not a U.S. citizen, Botello-Morales is expected to face removal proceedings following her imprisonment, while Botello will serve 15 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Both will also be ordered to register as sex offenders.
“Cantina cases shine a light on a unique form of trafficking where mostly undocumented women are sexually exploited for the financial benefit of the traffickers,” said Hamdani. “These individuals stole the American dream from the victims. This form of trafficking takes advantage of the fear these victims live in and we are grateful for the hard work of the Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission (TABC) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in bringing them justice.”
“TABC is proud to work with the Office of the U.S. Attorney and our other partners in the effort to end human trafficking in Texas,” said TABC Chairman Kevin J. Lilly. “We join our fellow Texans in denouncing this heinous crime and reaffirming our pledge to help free the victims of human trafficking.”
At the time of the pleas, Botello-Morales admitted to sex trafficking with force, fraud or coercion and conspiracy to do so as well as sex trafficking of a minor. Botello pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking with force, fraud or coercion, two counts of sex trafficking of adults as well as possession of child pornography.
In 2007, Botello-Morales recruited a minor female from Mexico. She caused the minor to engage in commercial sex and took payment directly from the commercial sex buyers.
Botello-Morales ran Puerto Algre with Botello and others from 2015 to 2020. Puerto Algre was a cantina where numerous females were forced to engage in commercial sex in backrooms built specifically for that purpose. Botello-Morales, Botello and others threatened and intimidated these victims with violence to manipulate them into engaging in commercial sex for their own financial benefits.
The victims reported they started at the bar as waitresses. However, Botello-Morales soon told them they had to engage in commercial sex. If they refused, she threatened them with violence.
Some witnessed violence and weapons at the bar and in the back area where the sex acts occurred. Each described how they had to take customers to the backrooms through a door and hidden from view of the bar. They were given a condom wrapped in a paper towel, were to spend no more than 15 minutes in the room and charge approximately $70. On the way out, they had to turn the money over to whoever was guarding the room.
During the investigation, one victim also explained when she refused to come to work, Botello-Morales sent someone to physically assault her.
The victims explained that Botello, who regularly carried a weapon, was the enforcer. He would also pass out the condoms and collect the money. During the execution of a search warrant at the home Botello-Morales and Botello shared, law enforcement found several loaded firearms in his room along with a computer containing child pornography.
Another co-conspirator, Esteban Toribio, 65, Houston, pleaded guilty June 17 and held the liquor license for the bar. Toribio reported the conduct to authorities in an attempt to help him gain control of the cantina. Also convicted in relation to the conspiracy was Arian Botello, 26, the nephew of Botello-Morales.
Both will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
TABC and HSI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Houston Police Department (HPD) as part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA). Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri L. Zack prosecuted the case.
HTRA law enforcement includes members of the HPD; FBI; HSI; Texas Attorney General’s Office; IRS-Criminal Investigation; Department of Labor (DOL); DOL – Wage and Hour Division; Department of State; Federal Air Marshals; TABC; Texas Department of Public Safety; Texas Rangers; Texas Parks and Wildlife; Social Security Administration – OIG; Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation; Texas Department of Family and Protective Services as well as police departments in Houston Independent School District (ISD), Conroe ISD and Missouri City; Harris County constables offices – Precincts one and four; sheriff’s offices in Harris, Montgomery, Fort Bend, Brazoria and Waller counties in coordination with District Attorney’s offices in Harris, Montgomery, Fort Bend and Galveston counties. They work in coordination with victim service providers such as YMCA, United Against Human Trafficking and Texas Forensic Nurse Examiners.
Established in 2004, the United States Attorney’s office in Houston formed HTRA to combine resources with federal, state and local enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those that the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as both a national and international model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Angie Craig (MN-02)
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Angie Craig announced $8.9 million in federal funding to hire 23 additional firefighters in the Lakeville and South Metro Fire Departments.
The funding comes from the Federal Emergency Management Association’s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program.
“Ensuring Minnesota’s first responders have everything they need to keep our communities safe and healthy is my top priority,” said Rep. Craig. “These federal dollars will ensure our local fire departments have the necessary staff to build and grow and safely respond to emergency situations. I’ll keep working across the aisle in Congress to help provide our local emergency response agencies with the resources and support they need.”
The Lakeville Fire Department will receive $5,561,853 to help hire 15 full-time firefighters.
The South Metro Fire Department, which serves South St. Paul, West St. Paul and the surrounding area, will receive $3,361,761 to hire eight additional firefighters.
Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
10.08.24
Senator Worked to Advance New Capability Supporting North Dakota as Most Advanced UAS Ecosystem in The Nation, Strengthens NAS Integration & Counter-UAS Development
GRAND FORKS, N.D. – At the Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Summit today, Senator John Hoeven announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Northern Plains UAS Test Site have reached agreement to share the FAA’s unfiltered radar data feed to support UAS integration efforts. North Dakota’s test site will be the first in the nation to receive this capability, which will:
Maintain the state’s position as the most advanced UAS ecosystem in the nation.
Strengthen the test site’s detect-and-avoid capabilities, which allows unmanned aircraft operating under the test site to safely fly where other state’s test sites could not.
Empower the test site to detect malicious or unlawful UAS traffic, helping make North Dakota the premiere location for counter-UAS technology development.
Countering threats from the misuse of unmanned aircraft is a critical Department of Defense (DoD) priority.
This issue was at the heart of Hoeven’s recent discussions with Air Combat Command (ACC) Commander Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown.
Accordingly, Hoeven is advancing Project ULTRA as the funding vehicle to support counter-UAS development. Hoeven worked to establish the initial contract valued at up to $18.25 million for efforts like this, and the project is eligible for additional funding in subsequent years.
Hoeven is working with additional federal agencies, including the DoD and the Department of Justice (DOJ), to secure their approval of the agreement as soon as possible.
Currently, FAA radars collect more data than can be shared outside of federal government agencies, due to technical challenges and security concerns. By working to unlock this capability for North Dakota, the state will be positioned to continue leading the future of unmanned aviation research, development and operations. Hoeven’s two guests at the UAS Summit are leading these important priorities:
FAA Deputy Administrator Katie Thomson, a key figure in FAA’s efforts to safely integrate UAS into the national airspace (NAS).
Gen. David Stewart, Director of the Joint Counter-Small UAS Office (JCO), who is leading the DoD’s efforts to protect against the misuse of drone technology.
“This agreement between the FAA and the Northern Plains UAS Test Site to share unfiltered radar data adds a new tool to our vast toolkit in North Dakota, ensuring we remain the most advanced UAS ecosystem in the country,” said Hoeven. “We’ve worked for nearly two decades to build up our state’s talent, infrastructure and legal authorizations to make North Dakota the premiere location for all aspects of the UAS industry. As a result, our test site has more firsts and more partnerships than any other test site. Between this new capability and Project ULTRA, which will help fund many of the upcoming efforts, including counter-UAS development, we are positioned to continue leading the pack.”
Advancing Project ULTRA
Hoeven worked to establish and fund Project ULTRA to advance the development of practical UAS applications like supply delivery, base inspections and installation security, benefitting Grand Forks Air Force Base and military installations across the country. The senator recently announced that the DoD has tasked Project ULTRA with conducting demonstration flights using unmanned aircraft to move cargo between Grand Forks Air Force Base and Cavalier Space Force Station.
Enhancing Counter-UAS Capabilities
Hoeven stressed how initiatives like Project ULTRA can be utilized to strengthen the nation’s counter-UAS capabilities. Currently, threats such as drone swarm attacks against Israel and Ukraine, as well as UAS incursions into airspace near U.S. military bases, require significantly more expensive counter measures from the U.S. and its allies. This comes in addition to legislation Hoeven helped introduce and pass to support the development of counter-UAS technology and protect important facilities from potential misuse of unmanned aircraft. Hoeven is now sponsoring a bill to renew and expand upon the authorities created under this law.
Strengthening ND’s Missions
Following the fireside chat, Hoeven introduced a video from Dr. William LaPlante, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, who the senator has invited to the state to see its UAS ecosystem firsthand. Hoeven, who serves as a member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, has been working with LaPlante to advance the range of missions in North Dakota, from nuclear missions in Minot to the unmanned missions in the Red River Valley. LaPlante’s remarks reinforced the discussion between Hoeven, Thomson and Stewart, further driving home the importance of UAS and counter-UAS to future DoD operations.
Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand
With critical subsidies that help over 20 million Americans afford health insurance set to expire, U.S. Senator Gillibrand held a press conference in NYC to announce the Health Care Affordability Act, legislation to extend these subsidies and ensure New Yorkers don’t lose access to affordable health care. Without an extension, these 20 million Americans will see a sudden increase in their health insurance costs and an estimated 3 million Americans could lose their insurance. Gillibrand’s legislation would permanently extend the enhanced Premium Tax Credits offered in individual marketplaces under the Affordable Care Act and keep health care costs lowered for all Americans.
“Access to affordable, high-quality health care should be a basic human right,” said Senator Gillibrand. “No one should have to forgo treatment because they can’t afford the cost of health insurance. Allowing these tax credits to expire would needlessly jeopardize our public health and shoulder hard-working New York families with a financial burden many can’t afford. I am determined to get this bill passed and keep health care costs lowered for all Americans.”
Premium tax credits (PTC) were established as part of the Affordable Care Act, which became law in 2010. PCTs are refundable credits that help eligible individuals and families – those with incomes between 100 percent and 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Line – cover the premiums for their health insurance purchased through the Health Insurance Marketplace.
In 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) temporarily expanded eligibility for the PTC to additional individuals and households. It also lowered premiums for those who were already eligible. This enhanced PTC reduced net premium costs by an average of 44%.
In 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act extended these enhanced Premium Tax Credits for three years. In that time, ACA enrollment has nearly doubled, helping more low-income households receive coverage and care.
If Congress does not act to again extend the enhanced Premium Tax Credit, they will expire at the end of 2025 and millions of Americans in New York and across the country are in danger of no longer being able to afford their premiums.
Gillibrand was joined by Sonia Sekhar, Deputy Director at New York State of Health; Mark Hannay, Executive Director of Metro New York Health Care for All; Veronica Smith, Senior Director of Health Policy and Government Affairs at Public Health Solutions; and Elisabeth Benjamin, Vice President of Health Initiative at Community Service Society.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Prudence Flowers, Senior Lecturer in US History, College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, Flinders University
It might seem surprising today in the era of Donald Trump, but Republicans in the United States once championed immigration and supported pathways to citizenship for undocumented Americans.
Contrast this with Trump, who has normalised dehumanising rhetoric and policies against immigrants. In this year’s presidential campaign, for instance, he has referred to undocumented immigrants as “animals” who are “poisoning the blood of our country”.
Both Trump and his vice presidential running mate, JD Vance, also repeated a false story about Haitian “illegal aliens” eating pets in Springfield, Ohio.
Perhaps most troubling, Trump has pledged to launch “the largest deportation operation in the history of our country”, if he’s elected.
Immigration policies throughout history
Nativism, or anti-immigrant sentiment, has a long history in American politics.
In 1924, a highly restrictive immigration quota system based on racial and national origins was introduced. This law envisaged America as a white, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant nation.
However, there was no restriction on immigrants from the Western Hemisphere. The agricultural and railroad sectors relied heavily on workers from Mexico.
In 1965, the quota system was replaced by visa preference categories for family and employment-based migrants, along with refugee and asylum slots.
Then, as violence and economic instability spread across Central America in the 1970s, there was a surge in undocumented immigration to the US.
Scholar Leo Chavez argues that in the late 1980s and early 1990s, an alarmist “Latino threat narrative” became the dominant motif in media discussions of immigration.
This narrative was frequently driven by Republicanpoliticians in states on the US-Mexico border, who derived electoral advantage from amplifying voter anxieties.
The growing popularity of this negative discourse coincided with a significant increase in income inequality – a byproduct of neo-liberal policies championed by Reagan and other Republicans.
In the early-to-mid 20th century, Democrats were often the party that supported restrictive immigration and border policies.
However, most Republicans at the national level – strongly supported by business – tended to endorse policies that encouraged the easy flow of workers across the border and increased levels of legal immigration.
Prominent conservative Republicans also rejected vilifying rhetoric towards undocumented Americans. They presented all immigrants as pursuing opportunities for their families, a framing that emphasised a shared vision of the American dream. In this telling, their labour contributed to the economy and America’s growth and prosperity.
George H. W. Bush And Ronald Reagan debate immigration in a Republican primary debate in 1980.
Reagan also strongly supported bipartisan immigration reform. In 1986, Congress passed an immigration act that increased border security funding, but also ensured 2.7 million undocumented immigrants, primarily of Latino background, were able to gain legal status.
Twenty years later, President George W. Bush and Republican Senator John McCain lobbied for a bipartisan bill that would have tightened border enforcement while simultaneously “legalising” an estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants. It was narrowly defeated.
This vocal support for immigrants by leading Republicans was striking because for much of the period between the late 1980s and the early 2000s, a majority of Americans actually wanted immigration levels reduced.
Then, around 2009, a dramatic shift in political rhetoric took place. The Tea Party movement brought border security and “racial resentment” towards immigrants centre stage, challenging conservative Republicans from the populist right.
As a result, more and more Republicans began to voice restrictionist and xenophobic rhetoric and support legislation aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration.
What’s surprising, though, is the number of undocumented immigrants in the US was actually declining at this time, from 12.2 million in 2007 to 10.7 million in 2016.
Donald Trump and the new nativism
In this worsening anti-immigrant climate, Trump descended a golden escalator in mid-2015 to launch his presidential campaign.
In his speech that day, immigration was front and centre. Trump vowed to “build a great wall” and accused Mexico of sending “rapists” and “criminals” to America.
His speeches during the presidential campaign were marked by frequent anti-Mexican assertions and calls for Islamophobic visa policies. This hostile stance on immigration was central to his victory in both the Republican primaries and the general election against Hillary Clinton.
Once in office, Trump then adopted a “zero tolerance” stance towards undocumented immigration. His administration pursued a heartrending family separation policy that split children and their undocumented parents at the border. This approach was celebrated on conservative media outlets such as Fox News.
During his presidency, he also reduced legal immigration by almost half, drastically cut America’s refugee intake, and introduced bans on people from Muslim-majority countries.
Policy expert David Bier concluded the goal of Republican lawmakers had shifted:
It really looks like the entire debate about illegality is not the main issue anymore for Republicans in both chambers of Congress. The main goal seems to be to reduce the number of foreigners in the United States to the greatest extent possible.
Indeed, Trump’s vision of the nation had overtly racial overtones.
In one 2018 meeting, he asked why America should accept immigrants from “shithole countries” like Haiti, El Salvador or the African continent. His preference was for Norwegian migrants.
Immigration as a major election theme
From 2021–2023, undocumented US-Mexico border crossings surged due to natural disasters, economic downturns and violence in many Latin American and Caribbean nations. Many of the recent arrivals are asylum seekers.
Though the numbers have fallen sharply in 2024, immigration and the border are still one of the top issues for voters across the political spectrum. The issue is particularly important in the key swing state of Arizona.
In 2024, Trump’s central immigration promise was encapsulated by the beaming delegates waving signs calling for “Mass Deportations Now” at the Republican National Convention.
The Trump-Vance ticket has blamed undocumented immigrants for almost everyeconomic and socialproblem imaginable. The two candidates present them as a dangerous and subversive “other” that cannot be assimilated into mainstream American culture.
Yet Trump, as both president and candidate, has worked to prevent the passage of border security legislation. Turmoil on the border benefits him.
And his nativism now encompasses all forms of immigration – he has pledged to curb legal channels for people to enter the country, as well.
All of this rhetoric has had a dramatic impact on public opinion. Between 2016 and 2024, the number of people supporting the deportation of undocumented immigrants jumped from 32% to 47%.
In July 2024, 55% of Americans also said they wanted to see immigration levels decrease, a 14-point increase in one year.
Many Americans do not perceive immigration as a source of vitality and renewal as they had in the past. Instead, reflecting Trump’s language, they are viewing immigrants as an existential threat to the country’s future.
Prudence Flowers does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Bob Dean Jr. and several companies that he owned and operated have agreed to an $8.2 million consent judgment to resolve allegations that they violated the National Housing Act of 1934 (NHA), by misappropriating and misusing the assets and income of four nursing homes in Louisiana before and after Hurricane Ida’s landfall in August 2021. The four nursing homes, all of which were owned and operated by Dean and his companies, and had loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), are Maison De’Ville Nursing Home in Houma; Maison De’Ville Nursing Home in Harvey; Maison Orleans Healthcare in New Orleans; and West Jefferson Health Care Center in Harvey.
The FHA, part of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), provides mortgage insurance on loans that cover residential care facilities, such as nursing homes, pursuant to the NHA. To encourage lenders to make loans to such facilities, FHA mortgage insurance provides lenders with protection against losses that result from borrowers defaulting on their mortgage loans. To obtain such FHA-insured loans, loan recipients must enter into regulatory agreements with the FHA that provide, among other requirements, that the assets and income of an FHA-insured nursing home may only be spent on goods and services that are reasonable and necessary to the operation of the nursing home. The NHA permits the United States to recover twice the amount of any assets and income of FHA-insured nursing homes that were improperly distributed or misspent.
In 2023, the government filed a complaint against Dean and his corporate entities alleging that they misspent the nursing homes’ assets and income. The United States alleged that in the five years leading up to Hurricane Ida, Dean funneled money that should have been used to prepare an evacuation site for nursing home residents to his personal bank accounts, leaving his nursing homes — and, more importantly, the nursing homes’ residents — unprepared for a hurricane. As a result, when Hurricane Ida made landfall in August 2021, the residents of Dean’s nursing homes had to ride out the storm in an overcrowded and ill-prepared industrial warehouse Dean owned through a corporate entity. The United States alleged that at Dean’s evacuation center, his nursing homes’ residents languished in squalor and did not receive adequate care, leading to the Louisiana Department of Health evacuating the nursing home residents from Dean’s warehouse and revoking Dean’s nursing homes’ licenses. The United States further alleged that, following the hurricane, Dean did not use the homes’ income and assets solely to operate or maintain the nursing homes, but instead to purchase personal goods and services, including antiques, firearms and cars.
“This settlement demonstrates the department’s continuing commitment to holding accountable those who put their own financial gain over the needs of our nation’s seniors,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to take action to protect the integrity of federal programs designed to ensure that nursing home residents, who are among our most vulnerable citizens, receive appropriate care.”
“As the residents of Louisiana well know, hurricanes and natural disasters can devastate people’s lives,” said U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe Jr for the Middle District of Louisiana. “Nursing home operators like Mr. Dean have an obligation to protect their residents during such events, particularly if they are going to rely on federal programs to support or sustain their businesses. This settlement will ensure that those individuals charged with caring for our community’s most vulnerable residents take seriously their duty to have proper safeguards and plans in place to avoid tragedies like the one we saw in Independence, Louisiana, after Hurricane Ida.”
“Nursing home providers have obligations to protect the health, safety, and welfare of residents entrusted to their care,” said HUD General Counsel Damon Smith. “Owners of FHA-insured nursing homes should be on notice that we will hold them accountable when we learn of allegations that they have failed to meet those obligations.”
“By the time Hurricane Ida bore down on the vulnerable nursing home residents at properties operated by Mr. Dean, he illegally skimmed funding from those facilities and failed to maintain sanitation and adequately equip the warehouse he designated as the evacuation site,” said HUD Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis. “He unfairly enriched himself while residents under his charge endured horrid conditions including insufficient food and medical care. HUD OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to hold accountable those who misappropriate funds at the expense of vulnerable populations.”
The Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana handled the case, with substantial assistance from HUD and HUD’s Office of Inspector General. Trial Attorneys Christopher Reimer and Samuel Robins of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Davis Rhorer Jr. and Chase Zachary for the Middle District of Louisiana handled the matter.
The United States’ complaint stemmed from an investigation that the Justice Department initiated as part of its Elder Justice Initiative, which supports the efforts of state and local prosecutors, law enforcement and other elder justice professionals to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation, with the development of training, resources and information. Learn more about the Justice Department’s Elder Justice Initiative at http://www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
The claims settled by this agreement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Source: US National Republican Congressional Committee
The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –
October 8, 2024
The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board fact-checked Democrats, including Jones, calling their abortion ads “fiction.”
“This is embarrassing for Mondaire Jones and his D.C. Democrat friends. The only thing they can do is lie, but their lies aren’t sticking because New Yorkers know Congressman Lawler is a commonsense advocate for NY-17.”— NRCC Spokeswoman Savannah Viar
CHARLESTON, WV — Gov. Jim Justice has activated approximately 40 members of the West Virginia National Guard to support response and recovery efforts for Hurricane Milton, which is projected to make landfall in Florida on October 9, 2024.
Approximately 10-12 Airmen from the 130th Airlift Wing headquartered in Charleston, West Virginia, will deploy to assist the State of Florida with potential search and recovery operations.
Additionally, approximately 30 engineers from the 821st Engineer Construction Company headquartered in Summersville, along with support equipment such as skid steers and front loaders from the 601st Engineer Support Company headquartered in Buckhannon, will also deploy to assist with debris removal and management Operations.
Both groups will initially stage in northern Florida under the command of the Florida National Guard and will deploy to impacted communities as determined by state and local officials. They are expected to spend approximately 12 days on the ground in a State Active Duty status.
“When our neighbors put out the call for help, time and time again, we answer,” Gov. Justice said. “We supported our friends in Kentucky last year, and now we’re running to the fire in Florida. That’s what we do in West Virginia–we pull the rope together and help our neighbors. So, I’m proud we can join forces with the Florida National Guard in their response efforts. My thoughts and prayers are with our amazing men and women traveling south, all the first responders in the area, and everyone dealing with this challenging hurricane season. Let’s continue to take care of each other.”
“With the devastation of Hurricane Helene still present, Florida is now under threat of a storm with even deadlier potential,” Maj. Gen. Bill Crane, Adjutant General of the West Virginia National Guard, said. “Our Soldiers and Airmen will be there to help support response and relief efforts as needed, support first responders and officials, help citizens survive, and help stabilize communities in the aftermath of Milton. One of the most important missions of our National Guard is neighbors helping neighbors. With the strong support of Gov. Jim Justice, we are ready to provide any and all assistance we can render.”
West Virginia National Guard assistance was formally requested through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, or EMAC process. EMAC is a mutual aid agreement among states and territories of the United States that enables states to request resources during naturaland man-made disasters, complementing the national disaster response system. The requesting state is responsible for covering the costs of the provided aid.
Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall in the Tampa Bay region of Florida late Wednesday evening as a Category 3 storm. Milton is forecast to bring potentially catastrophic storm surges along the western coast of Florida, torrential rains and flash flooding, damaging hurricane-force winds, tornadoes, and massive power outages as it makes its way across the state before reemerging as a Category 1 hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean. Currently wavering between a Category 4 and Category 5 storm as it churns in the Gulf of Mexico, Milton is forecast to bring ashore rainfall in excess of 15 inches and coastal surges of more than 10-15 feet.
Milton will impact Florida communities still reeling from the impacts of Hurricane Helene, which battered the southeastern United States, killing at least 225 people. Fifty-one of 67 counties in Florida are now under emergency warnings as Milton approaches, and massive mandatory evacuations are underway.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Ruben Gallego (AZ-07)
October 08, 2024
PHOENIX – Today, Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-03) sent a letter to President Biden urging him to take immediate action to address a growing IV and dialysis solutions shortage. IV solutions – critical for providing care at health facilities – are in short supply after Hurricane Helene forced one of the country’s largest manufacturing facilities to close. The shortage could grow worse as another major facility is in the potential path of Hurricane Milton.
“IV and dialysis solutions are critical to providing care at health facilities across the country, including hospitals and health systems,” Rep. Gallego wrote. “Unfortunately, due to the damage at the Baxter facility, I am hearing from hospitals in my state that they are being informed of supply issues and have been put on strict ordering restrictions. A prolonged shortage of IV solutions would be disastrous for the health and safety of Arizonans and would make it more difficult for medical professionals to provide care.”
In the letter, Rep. Gallego urges the President to consider the following actions to help Arizona’s hospitals and health care providers keep Arizonans safe:
Appoint a member of his Administration to address IV and dialysis solutions supply issues and serve as a point of contact for hospitals and health systems.
Declare a national emergency and public health emergency.
Declare an official shortage of IV solutions.
Provide additional flexibility to hospitals and health systems to allow them to prepare IV solutions internally.
Consider extending the expiration dates of IV solutions wherever possible.
“In addition to the above actions to aid providers, additional actions will likely be needed to alleviate the supply issues moving forward,” he concludes. “This may include invoking the Defense Production Act to improve domestic supply chains, as well as connecting international suppliers with health systems across the country.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Barbara Lee 13th District of California
October 07, 2024
“One year ago today, Israel suffered a horrific terrorist attack by Hamas. We continue to mourn the lives lost on that tragic day. I was devastated by the immense suffering then, and remain devasted by the suffering across the region that has happened since. As we remember the lives lost on October 7 and in the past year, we must continue to push for diplomatic solutions to achieve peace and security in the region.
As I have maintained from the very beginning of this war, a ceasefire and hostage deal is the key to resolving this conflict.
Today, I am thinking of all the hostages that have not returned home. I am thinking of all the innocent lives that have been lost in this horrific humanitarian crisis. I am thinking of the millions of civilians – in Israel, in Gaza, in Lebanon, and across the region – that remain at risk of hunger, death, and displacement. We must continue to do everything we can to prevent any further escalation of violence.
It is the obligation of the United States and our international allies to use all available leverage and tools of diplomacy to help prevent the outbreak of a regional war, to help end this conflict, and to help achieve peace and security in the region.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Barbara Lee 13th District of California
October 08, 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) along with co-chairs of the U.S. House Get the Lead Out Caucus Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE-AL), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06), and Co-founders of the U.S. Senate Lead Task Force Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) today lauded the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to finalize the Biden Administration’s proposed Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI), which would lower the lead action level to better protect human health and require water systems to replace old and deteriorating lead pipes within a decade. In addition to the LCRI, the EPA also announced $2.6 billion in newly available drinking water infrastructure funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) to support lead-related activities, including lead pipe replacement projects. The finalized rule comes ahead of the October 16th finalization deadline to not only help ensure these important improvements are implemented as quickly as possible, but also prevent water systems from being forced to temporarily comply with the prior rule proposed by the Trump Administration—also known as the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR)—which would put public health at risk.
“Today, EPA estimates that nearly 9 million homes are served through lead pipes across the country – and disproportionally, many of these homes are located in low-income communities and communities of color,” said Rep. Barbara Lee. “Clean and safe drinking water is a human right, and we must treat it that way. I am proud of the work of my colleagues and I in Congress to achieve our goal of removing every lead pipe in the United States over the next ten years and thank the Biden-Harris Administration for their work in fighting to ensure that communities across our country have access to lead-free water.”
“Today’s announcement from the Biden-Harris Administration is a win-win for our communities because it delivers on our shared commitment to replace all lead pipes across the country within 10 years and protect public health,” said Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, co-lead of the congressional Get the Lead Out Caucus. “I am proud to have helped push for the swift finalization of the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements with my colleagues in Congress. Thanks to our advocacy, and with the leadership of President Biden and Vice President Harris, we are closer than ever to actualizing a 100% lead-free future.”
“As the founder of the Get the Lead Out Caucus, I know that clean drinking water is a human right,” said Rep. Tlaib. “We must move urgently to replace all lead pipes in our country within the next 10 years, and I’m glad to see the EPA announce the final Lead and Copper Rule Improvements to continue the critical work toward this objective. Congress must continue to work to appropriate the funding necessary to help all of our communities identify, remove, and replace every lead pipe over this next decade.”
“Clean and safe drinking water is a basic human right, and the science is clear – no amount of lead is safe. There are millions of people across the country who don’t even know if they are drinking lead, and I’ve had parents come up to me with tears in their eyes, worried for the wellbeing of their children because of lead in the water at school,” Rep. Dingell said. “I thank the Biden-Harris Administration for their continued commitment to replacing every lead service line in our country to guarantee access to safe water for every community and finally give peace of mind to families.”
” Every American, no matter their zip-code, deserves access to safe drinking water,” said Senator Duckworth, “We’ve been working hard in Congressto achieve our goal of removing every elad pip in America over the next decade, and this historic rule from the Biden Administration and billions in new funding will help us make it a reality whilve preventing Trump-era policies that would harm human health from going into effect, This is a win-win for all Americans.”
“The EPA’s bold leadership in finalizing this critical rule will help us eliminate lead pipes within a decade and put a stop to lead exposure that continues to threaten the health of far too many families and children in our nation today,” said Senator Booker. “Every American deserves access to clean and safe drinking water, and by modernizing our aging water infrastructure we are investing in a future where every family can turn on the tap and know their water is clean. I am proud to have helped lead the call in Congress for a strong final rule, and I thank the Biden-Harris administration for their commitment to environmental justice and public health.”
The finalized rule also improves communication within communities so that families are better informed about the risk of lead in drinking water, the location of lead pipes and plans for replacing them. Exposure to lead is harmful to health, especially for young children. In children, low levels of exposure have been linked to damage to the nervous system, learning disabilities, shorter stature, impaired hearing and impaired formation and function of blood cells.
Today, the Bankers’ Acceptance Transition Virtual Network (BATVN), established by the Canadian Fixed-Income Forum (CFIF) to support the transition away from BAs, published an overview of the Canadian repo market. This informational paper provides background information on the Canadian repo market and highlights that repos could be a viable BA replacement for some investors and that the disappearance of BAs could potentially be an important catalyst to help develop a tri-party repo market in Canada.
This paper does not, and is not intended to, constitute investment or legal advice. It is provided for general information purposes only.
The Canadian Fixed-Income Forum (Forum) is a senior level industry-wide committee established by the Bank of Canada to discuss developments in fixed-income market structure and functioning, market practices, and related policy issues. The goals of the Forum are to:
enhance the efficiency and resilience of the Canadian fixed-income market;
improve the quality, clarity and market-wide understanding of Canadian fixed-income trading practices;
evaluate and propose changes to market infrastructure;
communicate any recommendations and analysis to oversight authorities, regulators, industry groups and other market participants as needed.
The Forum will not discuss monetary policy or policy issues directly relating to the size and distribution of the federal government’s debt programme which are covered through other fora.
About the BATVN
The BA Transition Virtual Network consists of members from close to 30 institutions, primarily representing the major buy-side investors active in BAs. Members include insurance companies, pension funds, money market funds, the major BA issuing banks and their dealers, as well as other relevant stakeholders. Member institutions account for approximately 60% of end-investor BA purchases.
About CIMPA
The Collateral Infrastructure and Market Practices Advisory Group (CIMPA) is an industry-wide working group created under CFIF to promote the well-functioning of the Canadian securities and financing markets through improved operational efficiency, reduced market segmentation and industry coordination on related issues and initiatives. The goals of the working group are to:
improve interconnectedness, standardization, and automation of securities flows;
support market functioning through promotion of best practices for clearing, settlement, margining and risk management;
facilitate broad adoption of the recently introduced Canadian Collateral Management Service (CCMS), Canada’s first tri-party service launched by TMX and Clearstream;
provide an information hub on Canadian collateral developments;
build consensus on relevant issues.
Market inquiries:
CFIF Secretariat Financial Markets Department Bank of Canada 613‑782‑7913
Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, both D-VA, announced $2,225,710 in federal funding for education programs based in Alexandria, Richmond, and Harrisonburg to train behavioral health professionals to address substance use disorders, students’ mental health, and racial disparities in access to mental health treatment. The funding is being allocated by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), for which the senators have consistently supported robust and continued funding.
“Helping those who struggle with behavioral health needs starts with adequately funding programs to recruit, educate, and train the first responders and behavioral health professionals who will be on the front lines,” said the senators. “This over-$2.2 million in grant funding will help us do that, and we will continue to do all that we can to bring resources to Virginia to support the mental health of our communities.”
The funding will be allocated as follows:
$1,924,595 to the Alexandria-based Foundation for The Advancement of Human Systems via the Minority Fellowship Program to recruit, train and support master’s- and doctoral-level students in behavioral health care professions to address services disparities for racial and ethnic minority populations.
$199,939 to Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond to recruit and train first responders in rural areas on how to provide trauma-informed, recovery-based care for people with substance use disorders (SUD), and co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders (COD), in emergency situations.
$101,716 to Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg to strengthen mental health services for college students, including increasing protective factors that promote mental health, as well as reducing risk factors for suicide.
Sens. Warner and Kaine have long advocated for federally-funded resources for Virginians who struggle with mental and behavioral health issues. In September 2024, Warner and Kaine announced $3.5 million in federal funding to expand mental health and substance abuse disorder services at community health centers. In August 2023, Warner and Kaine announced $1.4 million in federal funding for the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to expand access to mental health care in Virginia. In December 2022, Warner and Kaine announced $1 million in federal funding from SAMHSA to expand the 988 Suicide & Crisis Hotline in Virginia.
Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), has written a letter to Comptroller General Gene Dodaro urging the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to begin work on a report that reviews suicide prevention matters of the reserve component of the Department of Defense (DOD). The Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) requires the GAO to conduct a review of suicide prevention and response policies for reserve personnel, and the extent to which the DOD and military services have coordinated these policies at the federal, state and local levels. Senator King’s letter comes just weeks ahead of the first anniversary of the Lewiston shooting that was carried out by an Army reservist, who failed to receive adequate mental health care.
Over one-third of U.S. military service members serve in the reserve component, which provides trained units and qualified personnel in times of war or national emergency, or to fill the needs of the Armed Forces whenever more units and personnel are needed. In 2023, the DOD reported that the suicide rate among reserve component personnel was generally similar to that of the U.S. population. However, reserve component personnel offices often have limited access to military suicide prevention resources.
“It has been nearly a year since Sergeant First Class (SFC) Robert Card II committed the deadliest mass shooting in Maine’s history, killing 18 and wounding 13 on October 25, 2023, in Lewiston, Maine. Since the tragedy, multiple press reports, investigations by the Army, and the Governor of Maine’s special commission have revealed troubling matters. I urge you to consider these investigations and to meet with all stakeholders as you conduct your review,” wrote Senator King.
“Service members in reserve status are critical to our Armed Forces and represent nearly one-third of the total force. I am concerned that they experience limited access to military-supported suicide prevention resources. Authorities can be confusing and blurred for service members including commanders at all echelons. Effective coordination between unit commanders and local authorities is misunderstood, yet it is critical to ensuring public safety and that service members receive the care that is needed,” continued Senator King.
Representing one of the states with the highest rates of veterans per capita, Senator King is a staunch advocate for America’s servicemembers and veterans. He has been among the Senate’s most prominent voices on the need to address veterans suicide, and has repeatedly pressed for action from top Department of Defense officials on this issue. Most recently, at the request of Senator King, the Department of Defense (DoD) released a new report breaking down suicide rates in the Armed Service by job function. Additionally, he recently wrote a letter urging further investments in traumatic brain injury research, the signature wound of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars that has unfortunately led to a high number of veteran suicides. This past August, he introduced legislation to provide safe firearm storage for veterans in an effort to reduce suicides.
The full text of the letter can be found here or below.
+++
Dear Mr. Dodaro:
I am writing to bring to your attention my interest regarding a requirement for you to conduct a review of suicide prevention matters for the Department of Defense. Senate Report 118-188 accompanying the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (S. 4368) requires you to review suicide prevention and response for the reserve component of the United States military. I worked closely with Chairman Reed and Ranking Member Wicker to include this requirement. I request to be updated regarding your work and appreciate you treating it with the utmost urgency.
It has been nearly a year since Sergeant First Class (SFC) Robert Card II committed the deadliest mass shooting in Maine’s history, killing 18 and wounding 13 on October 25, 2023, in Lewiston, Maine. Since the tragedy, multiple press reports, investigations by the Army, and the Governor of Maine’s special commission have revealed troubling matters. I urge you to consider these investigations and to meet with all stakeholders as you conduct your review. I applaud Governor Mills’ leadership in establishing the “Independent Commission to Investigate the Facts of the Tragedy in Lewiston”. I request you review the findings from the Commission and Army investigations as you formulate recommendations. I further request that, if there are additional authorities or resources needed, you identify those in your report and consider including legislative proposals to address those gaps.
Service members in reserve status are critical to our Armed Forces and represent nearly one-third of the total force. I am concerned that they experience limited access to military-supported suicide prevention resources. Authorities can be confusing and blurred for service members including commanders at all echelons. Effective coordination between unit commanders and local authorities is misunderstood, yet it is critical to ensuring public safety and that service members receive the care that is needed.
Thank you for the significant work you and your team conduct, and for your continued efforts to inform Congress and assist me in oversight and legislative changes. Please let me know how my staff and I may be of assistance in this matter.
Sincerely,
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man has been sentenced to 200 months in prison for a violent crime spree that included a series of armed robberies and assaults across New Mexico, culminating in the carjacking and shooting of a 62-year-old veteran.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on November 12, 2021, Procopio Montoya Atkinson, 26, robbed a Dollar General store in Northwest Albuquerque. Atkinson feigned a cash purchase of flavored water, and when the female cashier opened the register to give him change, he reached over the counter to take the money. When she shut the drawer, Atkinson escalated his actions by walking behind the counter and demanding money while pointing a firearm at her. Atkinson discharged the firearm toward the ceiling, causing panic. The manager complied with Atkinson’s demands as he began a verbal countdown. Ultimately, Atkinson took $192 from the register and fled.
The crime spree continued on December 6, 2021, when Atkinson shoplifted clothing and an entire display case full of pocketknives from a Love’s Travel Stop in Belen. Atkinson was confronted by two female employees outside and physically assaulted them while attempting to hit them with his vehicle. Just three days later, on December 9, Atkinson assaulted another female employee at a Walmart in Belen after loading a cart with clothing and tools.
Atkinson approaching the display case full of pocketknives.
Atkinson picking up the display case full of pocketknives.
The discarded display case.
On December 13, law enforcement obtained an arrest warrant for Atkinson related to the armed robbery from November 12. On December 17, members of the U.S. Marshals Service fugitive task force established surveillance on his home for his arrest. As they moved in to apprehend him at a gas station, Atkinson displayed awareness of their presence by retrieving binoculars to monitor law enforcement movements. Atkinson drove toward one task force officer while pointing a pistol at him before abandoning his pursuit when backup arrived.
The crime spree culminated on December 20 when John Doe 3 was driving alone in his vintage Chevrolet truck with his wife and daughter following behind in another vehicle. They were stopped at a traffic light when Atkinson approached John Doe 3’s wife and daughter with a pistol and demanded they exit their vehicle. After they refused to open their doors, Atkinson turned his attention to John Doe 3’s truck, a beautifully restored ’62 Chevrolet. He opened the passenger door and, after a brief struggle, shot John Doe 3 in the back.
A photo of the scene.
Responding officers successfully blocked the truck in following an unsuccessful escape attempt by Atkinson and John Doe 3 was airlifted to the hospital.
John Doe 3 survived his injuries, but the emotional toll of that day has left lasting scars; he experiences ongoing pain and anxiety whenever near that intersection or driving through similar situations, and his beloved truck now sits dormant.
Upon his release from prison, Atkinson will be subject to five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the United States Marshal Service, Belen Police Department, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, Albuquerque Police Department, Rio Rancho Police Department and the New Mexico State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Trembley is prosecuting the case.
Headline: FEMA, Federal Response Positioned to Fully Support Florida Ahead of Milton Landfall
FEMA, Federal Response Positioned to Fully Support Florida Ahead of Milton Landfall
Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued and others are underway. If local authorities issue evacuations, please listen and evacuate immediately. Your life could be at risk.
WASHINGTON — FEMA and its federal partners are leaning forward and have pre-positioned resources to support local and state response efforts ahead of Hurricane Milton’s landfall. President Joseph R. Biden approved an Emergency Declaration for Florida on Monday, authorizing FEMA to coordinate Federal disaster relief efforts to save lives and protect the health and safety of those in the storm’s path. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell is on the ground, meeting with officials across the impacted states to marshal the full capabilities of the federal government.
This includes pre-staging a full slate of response capabilities in Florida and the region, including: seven FEMA Incident Management Assistance Teams, eight FEMA Urban Search & Rescue and swift water rescue teams, three U.S. Coast Guard Swift Water Rescue teams, four Health Care System Assessment Teams, five Disaster Medical Assistance Teams and an Incident Management Team from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) temporary power teams, debris experts and a roofing team, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) debris removal and wastewater experts, 300 ambulances and 30 High Water Vehicles with ladders from the U.S. Department of Defense. Additionally, FEMA has five incident staging bases with commodities including food and water. Right now, FEMA currently has 20 million meals and 40 million liters of water in the pipeline to deploy as needed to address ongoing Helene and Milton response efforts and can expand as needed.
The National Hurricane Center forecasts Hurricane Milton will be a large and extremely dangerous hurricane when it approaches the west coast of Florida tomorrow, bringing devastating hurricane-force winds and life-threatening life surge. In addition to storm surge and extreme winds, Milton will bring heavy rain and the risk of life-threatening flooding, especially in areas with coastal and inland flooding.
Hurricane Milton is an extremely dangerous, potentially deadly storm. Those in its path are urged to rush to complete preparations today, know how they are going to get information and listen to local officials.
FEMA senior leaders across different regions are on the ground in Florida supporting response efforts. FEMA Region 10 Regional Administrator Willie Nunn will remain in Florida throughout the duration of Hurricane Milton. John Brogan, the Federal Coordinating Officer for Milton and Helene, will also remain in Florida. Nearly 900 staff are already supporting recovery efforts at the Joint Field Office in Tallahassee and operating across the designated counties for hurricanes Helene, Debby and Idalia. This includes more than 460 supporting Hurricane Helene recovery, more than 300 supporting Hurricane Debby recovery and more than 100 supporting Hurricane Idalia recovery.
FEMA officials are still actively supporting North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee and Virginia as they respond to and recover from Hurricane Helene including more than 7,400 federal workers of which 1,500 are FEMA staff. FEMA will not divert personnel or resources from these ongoing responses.
FEMA understands that people in the path of this storm may still be recovering from hurricanes Helene, Debby and Idalia and urges everyone to protect themselves and take care of others because time is running out to prepare for the hurricane’s potentially deadly impacts.
Counties in Hurricane Milton’s path have issued evacuation orders. If you need to evacuate, please “evacuate out, not up.” People should visit FloridaDisaster.org/Know to determine if they live in an evacuation zone.
If you are told to evacuate, do so immediately.
Your gas tank and electric vehicle only need to be halfway full or halfway charged to ensure you can evacuate further inland to a safe location and away from storm surge. You may only need to travel tens of miles, not hundreds.
If you live in a county with an evacuation order in place and need evacuation assistance, please call 1-800-729-3413 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the hurricane evacuation charter bus schedule. Again, this is for residents that are in areas with evacuation orders. Florida also partnered with Uber to provide free rides to a shelter using the code MILTONRELIEF.
The state of Florida has activated the State Assistance Information Line. Residents needing information and resources can call 1-800-342-3557. There are English, Spanish & Creole speakers available to answer questions.
A list of emergency shelters, including those that can accommodate people who need assistance and those who have pets can be found at Shelter Status | Florida Disaster.
Additional resources and state updates on Hurricane Milton can be found by visiting FloridaDisaster.org/Updates.
For live updates, follow FLSERT on X and Instagram and FDEM on Facebook.
Download the free FEMA App available in English and Spanish to receive real-time weather alerts and find local emergency shelters in your area.
ADVISORY – Governor Shapiro to Encourage Travelers to Experience Pennsylvania’s Peak Foliage, Unveil New Color-Correcting Viewfinders at State Parks
Governor Josh Shapiro will visit Black Moshannon State Park in Centre County to encourage travelers to visit Pennsylvania State Parks this fall as the leaves reach peak color, and unveil new color-correcting viewfinders installed at state parks throughout the Pennsylvania Wilds that help colorblind visitors see the vibrant colors of the season.
The Commonwealth has some of the world’s most beautiful and diverse fall foliage. People with colorblindness only see a fraction of the millions of hues and shades of colors seen by those with normal color vision. In Pennsylvania, an estimated one million residents are colorblind.
The viewfinders are one way the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) is working to make its 124 state parks and 2.2-million acres of state forests safe and welcoming to all.
This visit continues to build momentum behind Pennsylvania’s new state tourism brand, The Great American Getaway, which Governor Shapiro launched this summer to showcase all the Commonwealth has to offer as a premier weekend getaway destination.
WHO: Governor Josh Shapiro DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn Mathias Weinzen, Black Moshannon State Park Manager Scott Kolesar, park visitor living with colorblindness Ta Enos, President and CEO PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship Representative Paul Takac
WHEN: Wednesday, October 9, 10:30 AM
WHERE: Black Moshannon State Park Fishing Pier, (Google Maps Location) Philipsburg, PA 16866
LIVE STREAM: pacast.com/live/gov governor.pa.gov/live/
RSVP: Press who are interested in attending must RSVP with the names and phone numbers for each member of their team to ra-gvgovpress@pa.gov.
Manitoba Government Apologizes to Children in Care Denied Children’s Special Allowance
On behalf of the Manitoba government and the people of Manitoba, Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine made a formal statement of apology today in the Manitoba Legislature to children in care who were denied Children’s Special Allowance (CSA) payments over a period beginning in 2005 and continuing through early 2019.
“Our government wishes to offer an apology, along with our deepest sorrow and regret, to the children who were denied their opportunity to grow to their full potential as a result of not receiving the support of the Children’s Special Allowance,” said Fontaine “These funds should have nourished your dreams and helped you learn, grow and flourish – instead, you were robbed of your chance to explore your full potential. Today, we acknowledge this profound injustice and take responsibility for the Manitoba government interfering with children’s right to benefit from these funds.”
Over the course of 14 years from 2005 to early 2019, the Manitoba government required Child and Family Services (CFS) agencies to remit more than $335 million in federal CSA payments back to Manitoba’s general revenue. Federal legislation outlines that CSA payments are intended to be made to CFS agencies as an equivalent to the Canada Child Benefit received by parents in Manitoba and are to be used exclusively for care, education, training and advancement of children in care. The practice ceased in early 2019, with CFS agencies now able to use the CSA as they deem appropriate for the benefit of children in care.
Three certified class action lawsuits sought damages for Manitoba’s breach of the rights of vulnerable children. The minister noted the previous government attempted to legislate away the right for children in care to pursue compensation for the denial of these funds. A 2022 decision by the Court of King’s Bench found Manitoba’s CSA policy and related legislation exacerbated the already-significant disadvantages experienced by children in care and was a breach of their Charter rights to be free from discrimination. The government has taken a long overdue step in correcting this wrong and has agreed to pay $530 million to compensate the affected children, cover legal fees and administer funds to class members, noted Fontaine.
The Manitoba government’s apology also recognized those who advocated for children in care in response to systemic prejudice.
“I want to honour the determination, resiliency and courage of those who stood up for Manitoba children,” said Fontaine. “Former children and youth in care, their families and communities and advocacy groups demanded fairness for children in care in our province, with access to the same benefits as other children. You have been at the forefront of showing us that every child matters and for that, we are grateful. Miigwech.”
To receive updates about the claims process, contact the claims administrators.
For individuals who received services from First Nation CFS agencies or non-Indigenous CFS agencies (Flette/Lavalee actions), contact the information line at 1-844-947-7101 or email info@csasettlement.com. Information is also available at http://www.csasettlement.com/.
For individuals who received services from Métis CFS agencies (Lafontaine action), contact the information line at 1-877-835-4546 or email info@metiscsaclassaction.ca. Information is also available at http://metiscsaclassaction.ca.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
WASHINGTON — A Connecticut man has been arrested for civil disorder during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His alleged actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.
James Roe Cleary, 56, of Waterford, Connecticut, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with a felony offense of obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder.
In addition to the felony, Cleary is charged with misdemeanor offenses of simple assault, entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, and engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building.
The FBI arrested Cleary today in Waterford, and he will make his initial appearance in the District of Connecticut.
According to court documents, Cleary was identified in open-source and video footage near the opening of the Lower West Terrace Tunnel on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C., during a period of intense fighting between rioters and police. The Tunnel was the site of some of the most violent attacks against law enforcement on that day.
It is alleged that Cleary moved towards the mouth of the Tunnel as intense physical clashes continued between police guarding the Tunnel entrance and rioters trying to force their way through the entrance. By approximately 4:26 p.m., Cleary positioned himself at the mouth of the Tunnel, where he quickly moved his body towards the interior of the Tunnel and made a swiping motion at the head of a police officer. Police body-worn camera shows that roughly ten seconds later, Cleary helped to pull a rioter out of the Tunnel. He then returned to the mouth of the Tunnel and allegedly made another swiping or grabbing gesture with his hand toward police officers.
Court documents say that at about 4:27 p.m., a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer was pushed to the ground, and rioters attempted to pull the officer’s body out of the Tunnel and into the mob. Cleary was filmed on body-worn camera allegedly clambering across the bodies of a fallen rioter and the downed officer and grabbing a baton on the ground. Cleary then quickly handed the baton off to another rioter in the mob and then returned to the front of the Tunnel.
At about 4:28 p.m., Cleary helped pull a second rioter out of the Tunnel who had been filming and become trapped and moved north alongside the Capitol building and stood beneath a window as rioters began to break the glass panes. Video footage and images showed that Cleary remained near the window and watched as rioters passed furniture through the broken window to other rioters closer to the mouth of the Tunnel.
While standing near the broken window, Cleary grabbed and shoved an individual carrying camera equipment. Open-source video showed Cleary leaving the immediate area shortly afterward.
This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s New Haven and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the 44 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,504 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 560 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation FDIC
WASHINGTON – The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is extending until December 6, 2024, the comment period on the agency’s Request for Information (RFI) on deposit data that is not currently reported in the Call Report or other regulatory reports, including for uninsured deposits.
The FDIC issued the RFI to seek information on the characteristics that affect the stability and franchise value of different types of deposits and whether more detailed or more frequent reporting on these characteristics or types of deposits could enhance offsite risk and liquidity monitoring; inform analysis of the benefits and costs associated with additional deposit insurance coverage for certain types of deposits; improve risk sensitivity of deposit insurance pricing; and provide analysts and the general public with accurate and transparent data.
An extension of the comment period will allow the public additional time to consider the request, prepare comments, and address the questions posed by the FDIC.
The FDIC does not send unsolicited e-mail. If this publication has reached you in error, or if you no longer wish to receive this service, please unsubscribe.
Source: US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation FDIC
On Tuesday, October 15, 2024, at 9:00 am ET, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Chairman Martin J. Gruenberg will host a meeting of the FDIC Systemic Resolution Advisory Committee (SRAC).
The SRAC provides advice and recommendations to the FDIC on a broad range of policy issues regarding the resolution of systemically important financial institutions. The meeting will facilitate discussion on the FDIC’s resolution authority, granted under the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010, to manage the orderly resolution of large, complex financial institutions whose failure could threaten U.S. financial stability.
WHO: FDIC Chairman Martin J. Gruenberg Senior FDIC Leadership Advisory Committee Members
WHAT: Meeting of the FDIC Systemic Resolution Advisory Committee
WHEN: Tuesday, October 15, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET
WHERE: FDIC – 550 17th St, NW, Washington, DC
HOW: The meeting will be open to the public, limited only by the space available on a first-come, first served basis.
Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
October 08, 2024
HARTFORD–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) announced on Tuesday that Kibu, a disability provider platform based in Stamford, was named “Innovator of the Month.” Kibu provides high-impact online content to support and empower people with disabilities, including classes in fitness, life skills, community engagement and professional development. The company also connects disability providers with tools for data management, note taking, and attendance.
“Our communities are strongest when every person has the resources to achieve their full potential. Kibu’s online platform is transforming lives by breaking down barriers for people with disabilities, helping people become more independent, and giving service providers the tools they need to make a real impact. I’m proud to recognize Kibu’s important contributions to fostering a more inclusive future for our state, and I look forward to seeing all that they accomplish,” said Murphy.
“Kibu is built on the belief that innovation starts with understanding the unique challenges that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities face every day. By providing tools that empower both individuals and organizations, we’re helping to create a future where technology closes gaps, rather than creating them. It’s exciting to be innovating right here in Connecticut, where the community and ecosystem truly support the growth of businesses that make an impact,”said Daniel Caridi, CEO of Kibu.
Daniel Caridi began volunteering for this community shortly after graduating college in 2019, formally launching the Kibu platform in 2022. Today, Kibu works with disability providers across 26 states.
Murphy believes entrepreneurship and innovation are the building blocks for a strong economy. In the U.S. Senate, he has introduced legislation to incentivize angel investors to put more money into startup companies—the Angel Tax Credit Act and the Helping Angels Lead Our Startups (HALOS) Act. Startup companies create an average of 2 million jobs each year.
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), member of the Senate Commerce Committee,introduced the Artificial Intelligence Weapons Accountability and Risk Evaluation (AWARE) Act, legislation to bolster the U.S. Department of Defense’s ethical technology leadership and transparency regarding AI-enabled defense systems. The legislation requires the Pentagon to report to Congress on risk assessments of the use of AI in our defense systems, including the accuracy, cybersecurity and privacy risks, and potential for civilian harm. These risk assessments must also include what AI systems have been exported to, or used by, foreign entities.
“We know that AI-enabled weapons are exacerbating harm to civilians in warzones, and without effective oversight these systems could dangerously reshape our future. The United States has an obligation as a leader in AI innovation to also lead in AI ethics. We must be ready to answer questions about accuracy, security, privacy, and harm when we use AI-enabled weapons—and we need better data to do that,” said Sen. Welch.
The AWARE Act will:
Create a risk assessment process that minimally evaluates the following criteria: bias, bias towards escalation, dependability, cybersecurity, privacy, and risk of civilian harm;
Apply the aforementioned risk assessment to any AI-enabled weapons, targeting, or decision support systems (that directly support weapons or targeting systems);
Require the Department of Defense to conduct an annual risk assessment of all covered systems, and conduct a new risk assessment when there are technology procurements, the weapons review process is initiated, or there is an update to an underlying AI model;
Catalogue the covered technologies and assessment outcomes in a risk ledger that is unclassified to the extent possible but may include a classified appendix;
Annotate which of these technologies have been exported, shared, or used by a foreign person or government; and
Report to Congress annually on the progress of implementing this Act, the ledger itself, and a report on the findings.
The AWARE Act is endorsed by Access Now, Brennan Center for Justice, and Public Citizen.
“The lack of transparency in the military’s use of AI poses significant risks to human rights,” said Willmary Escoto, U.S. Policy Counsel at Access Now. “The AWARE Act addresses this by establishing risk assessments for AI-enabled systems, ensuring that factors like bias and the potential for civilian harm are evaluated before and after deployment. Access Now fully supports its passage and commend Senator Welch for prioritizing this issue.”
“The Department of Defense has committed billions of dollars to military applications of AI that implicate who or what the government targets with lethal force, and Congress and the public have the right to know basic facts about how these technologies work, whether they are effective, and what safeguards are in place,” said Amos Toh, senior counsel of the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice. “The AWARE Act is an important first step towards dismantling excessive secrecy about military grade AI that has grievous consequences for life and liberty.”
“A reckless rush to develop and deploy autonomous weapons—with the capacity to deliver lethal force without any specific human approval—risks sparking a new global arms race for a dangerous and untested set of technologies that could inflict enormous harm on civilians. Sen. Welch’s legislation is a common sense and much needed measure to ensure the Pentagon gives Congress the basic information it needs to oversee AI weapons policy,” said Rob Weissman, Co-President of Public Citizen.
Learn more about the AWARE Act.
Read the full text of the bill.
You don’t have to look far to see what climate change is doing to the planet. The word “unprecedented” is everywhere this year.
We are seeing unprecedented rapidly intensifying tropical storms such as Hurricane Helene in the eastern United States and Super Typhoon Yagi in Vietnam. Unprecedented fires in Canada have destroyed towns. Unprecedented drought in Brazil has dried out enormous rivers and left swathes of empty river beds. At least 1,300 pilgrims died during this year’s Hajj in Mecca as temperatures passed 50°C.
Unfortunately, we are headed for far worse. The new 2024 State of the Climate report, produced by our team of international scientists, is yet another stark warning about the intensifying climate crisis. Even if governments meet their emissions goals, the world may hit 2.7°C of warming – nearly double the Paris Agreement goal of holding climate change to 1.5°C. Each year, we track 35 of the Earth’s vital signs, from sea ice extent to forests. This year, 25 are now at record levels, all trending in the wrong directions.
Humans are not used to these conditions. Human civilisation emerged over the last 10,000 years under benign conditions – not too hot, not too cold. But this liveable climate is now at risk. In your grandchild’s lifetime, climatic conditions will be more threatening than anything our prehistoric relatives would have faced.
Our report shows a continued rise in fossil fuel emissions, which remain at an all-time high. Despite years of warnings from scientists, fossil fuel consumption has actually increased, pushing the planet toward dangerous levels of warming. While wind and solar have grown rapidly, fossil fuel use is 14 times greater.
This year is also tracking for the hottest year on record, with global daily mean temperatures at record levels for nearly half of 2023 and much of 2024.
Next month, world leaders and diplomats will gather in Azerbaijan for the annual United Nations climate talks, COP 29. Leaders will have to redouble their efforts. Without much stronger policies, climate change will keep worsening, bringing with it more frequent and more extreme weather.
Bad news after bad news
We have still not solved the central problem: the routine burning of fossil fuels. Atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases – particularly methane and carbon dioxide – are still rising. Last September, carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere hit 418 parts per million (ppm). This September, they crossed 422 ppm. Methane, a highly potent greenhouse gas, has been increasing at an alarming rate despite global pledges to tackle it.
Compounding the problem is the recent decline in atmospheric aerosols from efforts to cut pollution. These small particles suspended in the air come from both natural and human processes, and have helped cool the planet. Without this cooling effect, the pace of global warming may accelerate. We don’t know for sure because aerosol properties are not yet measured well enough.
Other environmental issues are now feeding into climate change. Deforestation in critical areas such as the Amazon is reducing the planet’s capacity to absorb carbon naturally, driving additional warming. This creates a feedback loop, where warming causes trees to die which in turn amplifies global temperatures.
Loss of sea ice is another. As sea ice melts or fails to form, dark seawater is exposed. Ice reflects sunlight but seawater absorbs it. Scaled up, this changes the Earth’s albedo (how reflective the surface is) and accelerates warming further.
In coming decades, sea level rise will pose a growing threat to coastal communities, putting millions of people at risk of displacement.
Accelerate the solutions
Our report stresses the need for an immediate and comprehensive end to the routine use of fossil fuels.
It calls for a global carbon price, set high enough to drive down emissions, particularly from high-emitting wealthy countries.
Introducing effective policies to slash methane emissions is crucial, given methane’s high potency but short atmospheric lifetime. Rapidly cutting methane could slow the rate of warming in the short term.
Natural climate solutions such as reforestation and soil restoration should be rolled out to increase how much carbon is stored in wood and soil. These efforts must be accompanied by protective measures in wildfire and drought prone areas. There’s no point planting forests if they will burn.
Governments should introduce stricter land-use policies to slow down rates of land clearing and increase investment in forest management to cut the risk of large, devastating fires and encourage sustainable land use.
We cannot overlook climate justice. Less wealthy nations contribute least to global emissions but are often the worst affected by climate disasters.
Wealthier nations must provide financial and technical support to help these countries adapt to climate change while cutting emissions. This could include investing in renewable energy, improving infrastructure and funding disaster preparedness programs.
Internationally, our report urges stronger commitments from world leaders. Current global policies are insufficient to limit warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
Without drastic changes, the world is on track for approximately 2.7°C of warming this century. To avoid catastrophic tipping points, nations must strengthen their climate pledges, reduce dependence on fossil fuels, and accelerate the transition to renewable energy.
Immediate, transformative policy changes are now necessary if we are to avoid the worst effects of climate change.
Climate change is already here. But it could get much, much worse. By slashing emissions, boosting natural climate solutions and working towards climate justice, the global community can still fend off the worst version of our future.
Thomas Newsome receives funding from the Australian Research Council. He is immediate past-president of the Australasian Wildlife Management Society and President of the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales.
William Ripple receives funding from the CO2 Foundation and University of Oregon donor Roger Worthington.
Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)
Department Press Briefing with Spokesperson Matthew Miller, at the Department of State, on October 8, 2024.
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Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.
The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.
Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) is urging U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra and administration officials to use all appropriate authorities to resolve the national shortage of intravenous (IV) solutions caused by the halt in production at the North Carolina IV fluids manufacturing plant hit by Hurricane Helene. Klobuchar also warns that another plant in Daytona Beach, Florida that manufactures IV solutions could also become compromised by fast-approaching Hurricane Milton, exacerbating the existing shortage.
“Flooding from Hurricane Helene compromised the safe operations, inventory, raw materials and roadway access at Baxter International’s intravenous (IV) solution plant in Marion, North Carolina,” wrote Senator Klobuchar. “The plant – the largest manufacturing facility of IV solutions in the country – has been forced to cease production. This dangerous situation may be further exacerbated by fast-approaching Hurricane Milton, which may affect the operation of a Daytona Beach, Florida IV solutions plant.”
“To address the potentially life-threatening shortage of IV solutions, I urge the Department of Health and Human Services to use all of its available authority to mitigate this devastating situation which threatens patient care, the work of medical and provider staff, and our emergency response readiness,” Klobuchar continued. “In addition to using your authority to address this shortage as quickly and safely as possible, I urge you to coordinate with the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice to prevent the distribution of counterfeit IV solutions.”
Klobuchar has been a national leader in efforts to address prescription and over-the-counter drug shortages.
In June, Senator Klobuchar chaired an Antitrust Subcommittee hearing titled “Strengthening U.S. Economic Leadership: The Role of Competition in Enhancing Economic Resiliency.” The hearing focused on the danger of consolidation in critical supply chains, which can make the country vulnerable to disruptions and supply shortages that can endanger U.S. economic resiliency and national security.
In July 2023, Klobuchar, and Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Tina Smith (D-MN), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Elizabeth Warren’s (D-MA) bipartisan legislation to prevent and mitigate drug shortages was passed out of the Health Education Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee on a bipartisan vote of 17 to 3. The Drug Shortage Prevention Act would require manufacturers of over-the-counter and prescription medicines to notify the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) when they are unlikely to meet demand. The legislation also requires drugmakers to provide information about their suppliers of active pharmaceutical ingredients and in-process materials to the FDA.
In 2012, Klobuchar and Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) led the Preserving Access to Life-Saving Medications Act, which Collins also cosponsored. This bipartisan legislation was signed into law as part of the Food & Drug Administration Safety & Innovation Act of 2012 (FDASIA). The Klobuchar law allows the FDA to require drug manufacturers to report to the FDA six months in advance if any supply or manufacturing disruption could lead to a prescription drug shortage. The law also created the Drug Shortage Prevention Task Force and requires the FDA to submit a report to Congress every year on drug shortages. In 2023, the number of new drug shortages tracked by FDA was 33, compared to a peak of 251 new shortages during 2011, before Klobuchar’s 2012 bill was passed into law giving FDA more tools to prevent shortages.
The full text of the letter is available HERE and below:
Secretary Becerra,
As you know, Hurricane Helene left a trail of destruction and flooding across much of the southern United States. This natural disaster has caused widespread disruption to vital services across the region and country. Notably, flooding from Hurricane Helene compromised the safe operations, inventory, raw materials and roadway access at Baxter International’s intravenous (IV) solution plant in Marion, North Carolina. The plant – the largest manufacturing facility of IV solutions in the country – has been forced to cease production. This dangerous situation may be further exacerbated by fast-approaching Hurricane Milton, which may affect the operation of a Daytona Beach, Florida IV solutions plant.
To address the potentially life-threatening shortage of IV solutions, I urge the Department of Health and Human Services to use all of its available authority to mitigate this devastating situation which threatens patient care, the work of medical and provider staff, and our emergency response readiness.
As you know, the Baxter facility is responsible for the manufacture of approximately 60 percent of IV fluids and peritoneal dialysis solutions available to health care providers in the United States. As a result of Hurricane Helene, hospitals, dialysis centers, and other health care providers around the country—including many in Minnesota—are already being forced to ration these basic, but life-saving supplies. This means many patients have no choice but to delay starting dialysis, delay elective care, or potentially receive suboptimal treatments. Hospitals and health providers are now canceling elective surgeries, such as cardiovascular and other surgical operations, and canceling organ transplants.
In addition to using your authority to address this shortage as quickly and safely as possible, I urge you to coordinate with the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice to prevent the distribution of counterfeit IV solutions. Steps must be also taken to ensure that companies advertising or selling FDA-approved IV solutions do not engage in price gouging or other illegal practices. I also urge the administration to implement strategies outlined in recent federal supply chain and manufacturing resilience assessments to mitigate any supply and distribution disruptions.,, Today, few companies in the United States make IV solutions, with a majority share flowing from a single plant. No single entity should be responsible for such a large proportion of fundamental medical supplies on which the health of our nation depends.
Thank you for your continued efforts as we recover from the devastation of Hurricane Helene and for your attention to this urgent matter.
Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
BISMARCK, N.D. – In November 2023, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) adopted a final rule requiring state departments of transportation and metropolitan planning organizations to measure greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on the highway system and set declining targets. U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, led a bipartisan Congressional Review Act joint resolution of disapproval to overturn the rule. The resolution passed the Senate in April 53 to 47, reiterating Congress’ opposition to FHWA’s overreach. In a speech on the Senate floor, Cramercommitted to leading an amicus brief in support of overturning the rule in court.
Shortly after the rule was finalized, 21 state attorneys general, including North Dakota, filed litigation challenging the regulation. The U.S. District Court found the Biden administration rule to be illegal, but FHWA appealed the decision to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and it remains under further consideration.
Cramer and U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Ranking Member of the EPW Committee, led their colleagues in filing a bicameral amicus brief requesting the Appeals Court uphold the District Court decision from April, vacating the rule.
The brief argues Congress debated and rejected granting FHWA the authority to issue GHG performance measure rules and the FHWA then intentionally misconstrued Congressional intent to justify its improper exercise of authority. It also argues the rulemaking is not consistent with recent Supreme Court decisions paring back Executive Branch overreach, and FHWA is bypassing principles of federalism to further its own policy agenda.
“Congress considered, and ultimately rejected, providing [FHWA] with the authority to issue a GHG performance measure regulation, but [FHWA] contorted ancillary existing authorities to impose one anyway,” the members argued. “In doing so, [FHWA] impermissibly usurped the Legislative Branch’s authority and promulgated the GHG performance measure without statutory authority delegated by Congress.
“Put simply, when [FHWA] established a GHG performance measure regulation, it exceeded the powers Congress authorized. And it did so both at the expense of separation of powers and in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act,” continued the members.
Additional cosigners of the amicus brief include U.S. Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), John Boozman (R-AR), Mike Braun (R-IN), Katie Britt (R-AL), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Steve Daines (R-MT), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Jim Risch (R-ID), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Rick Scott (R-FL), Tim Scott (R-SC), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), John Thune (R-SD), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and U.S. Representatives Sam Graves (R-MO-6), Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Rick Crawford (R-AR-1), Chairman of the Highways and Transit Subcommittee.
Click here for the amicus brief.
Cramer also penned an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal highlighting FHWA’s lack of statutory authority to issue the rule, and stressed its unworkable nature for rural states. In November 2023, Cramer introduced a bipartisan amendment (#1241) to the bipartisan Transportation Appropriations bill, which would have defunded the proposed rule. While the amendment was germane and bipartisan, Democrats in the Senate demanded a 60-vote threshold to ensure its defeat. Cramer also questioned FHWA Administrator Shailen Bhatt during EPW hearings in June 2023 and September 2022. In October 2022, he sent a letter to FHWA Deputy Administrator Stephanie Pollack voicing strong opposition to the agency’s proposal to implement a GHG emissions performance measure.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and Kirk Johnson, Sant Director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, preview the agency’s new Earth Information Center exhibit on Monday, Oct. 8, 2024. This new exhibit is the Earth Information Center’s second physical location. The exhibit at the Smithsonian includes a 32-foot-long, 12-foot-high video wall displaying Earth science data visualizations and videos, interpretive panels showing Earth’s connected systems, information on our changing world, and an overview of how NASA and the Smithsonian study our home planet. It opens to the public Tuesday, Oct. 8, and will remain on display through 2028. Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls