MAXWELL AFB, Alabama, Aug. 7 -- The U.S. Air Force Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol issued the following news: Brig. Gen. Regena Aye, Civil Air Patrol's incoming national commander/CEO, announces five appointments to her senior staff: Col. Rose Hunt, national executive officer A resident of Hebron, Illinois, with more than 25 years of service in CAP, Hunt is in her third year as the first female commander of the Great Lakes Region. In her role as region commander, she oversees more than 6,600 volun more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 [Category: Political] -- America First Legal, a civil rights organization, issued the following news release: Today, America First Legal (AFL) released newly obtained documents from its lawsuit against the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) for illegally concealing federal records related to Biden-Harris government-sponsored censorship of the American people in advance of the 2022 midterm elections. After the 2022 Midterm Election, Mat more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 -- Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release: NASHVILLE, Tenn. U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), and John Boozman (R-Ark.) members of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee introduced the Stop Government Rewards Enriching Executives in the District (Stop GREED) Act to prohibit PACT Act recruitment and retention incentive payments from going to Senior Executive Service (SES) employees at the Department of Veterans Affai more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued the following news release: In November 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) joined agencies across the federal government in prioritizing communication in its services to the public by releasing its department-wide Language Access Plan. With the release of its plan, HHS took a giant step towards ensuring people with limited English proficiency (LEP) and people with disabilities have greater ac more PR

LOS ANGELES, California, Aug. 9 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for Central District of California issued the following news release: West Coast Dental Administrative Services LLC (formerly West Coast Dental Services Inc.), a Brentwood-based company which operates a network of dental offices in Southern California, and its founders and former owners, Drs. Soleyman Cohen-Sedgh, Farid Pakravan and Farhad Manavi, have paid $6.3 million to resolve allegations that they knowingly violated the Fal more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 -- Sen. Benjamin Cardin, D-Maryland, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government (FSGG), (both D-Md.), announced the inclusion of $14,111,000 in key Senate Committee legislation providing direct federal funding for community-led projects that aim to boost small business throughout Maryland. These community p more PR

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minnesota, Aug. 7 -- The Center of the American Experiment, a civic and educational organization that says it creates and advocates policies that make Minnesota a freer, more prosperous and better-governed state, issued the following commentary on Aug. 6, 2024: * * * Rampant Fraud Shows Why Minnesotans Should Be Wary Of Big Government Written by Martha Njolomole It has not been a good couple of months for the Minnesota state government. First, on June 11, the Office of the Le more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48150) on Aug. 8, 2024, entitled "Foreign Assistance: Where Does the Money Go?" by foreign assistance analyst Nick M. Brown. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY Congress provided $66.1 billion in foreign assistance appropriations in FY2023. In allocating foreign assistance and overseeing agencies' execution of those funds, some Members of Congress have focused on the countries, international orga more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48150) on Aug. 8, 2024, entitled "Foreign Assistance - Where Does the Money Go?:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * Policy Issues Partnering decisions affect foreign aid effectiveness, U.S. relations with foreign governments, and where U.S. funds ultimately are spent. As the 118th Congress weighs its foreign policy priorities, lawmakers may consider whether aid agencies' implementation mechan more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R45811) on Aug. 7, 2024, entitled "Hypersonic Weapons: Background and Issues for Congress" by Kelley M. Sayler, advanced technology and global security specialist. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The United States has actively pursued the development of hypersonic weapons--maneuvering weapons that fly at speeds of at least Mach 5--as a part of its conventional prompt global strike program sinc more PR

NEW HAVEN, Connecticut, Aug. 7 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut issued the following news release on Aug. 6, 2024: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, announced that RACHEL COLLINS, 44, of Hamden, waived her right to b more PR

LAGOS, Nigeria, Aug. 7 -- Media Rights Agenda issued the following statement: A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the Lagos State Government to ensure an investigation into the death of Mr. Pelumi Onifade, a 20-year reporter with Gboah TV, an online television channel, who was reportedly arrested by officers attached to a Lagos state task force while covering the #EndSARS protests in 2020, and later found dead at a mortuary in Ikorodu in Lagos, where his body was deposited. The Court also more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 10 (TNSrep) -- The U.S. Department of Education Inspector General issued the following audit report (No. A24IT0153) on Aug. 2, 2024, entitled "Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 Report." Here are excerpts: * * * TO: Brian Bordelon, Acting Chief Information Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer FROM: Antonio Murray, Acting Assistant Inspector General, Technology Services, Office of Inspector General Attached is the final audit report that deter more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (TNSrep) -- The Environmental Protection Agency Inspector General issued the following 42-page report (No. 24-P-0049) on July 24, 2024, entitled "The Agency Did Not Ensure that Two of the Largest Air Oversight Agencies Identified and Inspected Potentially Significant Sources of Air Pollution." Here are excerpts: * * * At A Glance Why We Did This Audit We conducted this audit to determine whether U.S. Environmental Protection Agency oversight has ensured that state and loc more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (TNSrep) -- The Environmental Protection Agency Inspector General issued the following 31-page report (No. 24-E-0050) on July 31, 2024, entitled "The Agency Needs to Improve Internal Controls for Selecting Recipients of Clean School Bus Program Funds." Here are excerpts: * * * At A Glance Why We Did This Evaluation To accomplish this objective: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General conducted this evaluation to determine whether the EPA foll more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (TNSrep) -- The Environmental Protection Agency Inspector General issued the following 28-page report (No. 24-E-0046) on June 12, 2024, entitled "The Agency Should Improve Oversight of Physical Access and Institutional Controls at the Escambia Wood Superfund Site." Here are excerpts: * * * At A Glance Why We Did This Evaluation To accomplish this objective: While conducting an evaluation of American Creosote Works Inc. in Pensacola, Florida, to determine whether the U.S. more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (TNSrep) -- The Environmental Protection Agency Inspector General issued the following five-page management implication report (No. 24-N-0047) on June 26, 2024, entitled "Clean Water State Revolving Fund American Iron and Steel Requirement:" * * * FROM: Nicolas Evans, Acting Assistant Inspector General, Office of Investigations TO: Bruno Pigott, Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Water Purpose: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General Off more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (TNSrep) -- The Environmental Protection Agency Inspector General issued the following four-page report (No. 24-N-0048) on July 22, 2024, entitled "OIG Report to the Office of Management and Budget on the EPA's Semiannual Report on Purchase Charge Card Violations." Here are excerpts: * * * To: The Honorable Shalanda Young, Director, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20503 Dear Director Young: The Government Charge Card Abuse Prevention more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 -- The Export-Import Bank of the United States Office of Inspector General issued the following news release: Wilsonville, Oregon Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) First Vice President and Vice Chair Judith Pryor and Director Owen Herrnstadt traveled to Oregon to celebrate and attend a ribbon-cutting event to mark the expansion of ESS Tech, Inc.'s long-duration battery production facility financed through EXIM's Make More in America Initiative (MMIA). This is the more PR

NORFOLK, Virginia, Aug. 8 -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued the following news release on Aug. 7, 2024: Greeneville, Tenn. - Following federal reports detailing that workers at Harris Country Meats in Greenville recently shot a sheep in the head before cutting the conscious animal's throat and shot six animals in the head multiple times each, among other violations, PETA rushed a letter (https://www.peta.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/harris-country-meats-investigtion-reques more PR

ORLANDO, Florida, Aug. 9 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida issued the following news release: U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza has sentenced Avinash Singh (42, St. Cloud) to 24 years in federal prison for wire fraud and money laundering. The court also ordered Singh to forfeit the $57 million in proceeds he obtained from his offenses, as well as real property that he purchased with those proceeds. Singh entered a guilty plea on May 6, 2024. According to co more PR

SACRAMENTO, California, Aug. 7 -- Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-California, issued the following news release on Aug. 6, 2024: Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments: Louis "Lou" Butera, of Lake Oswego, Oregon, has been appointed State Printer at the Department of General Services. Butera was Vice President of Operations at Direct Marketing Solutions from 2022 to 2024. He was a Senior Account Executive at Canon Solutions America from 2018 to 2022 and Senior Consultant at MAT & more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 10 (TNSrep) -- The General Services Administration Inspector General issued the following memorandum on Aug. 6, 2024, regarding ineffective oversight of a contract for basic repairs and alterations to the William Augustus Bootle Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse increased the risk of 8(a) program small business fraud and abuse: * * * TO: JEFFREY SMITH, REGIONAL COMMISSIONER, PUBLIC BUILDINGS SERVICE (4P) FROM: NICHOLAS PAINTER, REGIONAL INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR AUDITING, SOUT more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 10 (TNSrep) -- The General Services Administration Inspector General issued the following memorandum on Aug. 8, 2024, regarding Office of Administrative Services' award of a $13.7 Million task order is Invalid: * * * TO: ROBERT STAFFORD, CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES OFFICER, OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES (H) FROM: FOR THOMAS TRIPPLE, REGIONAL INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR AUDITING MID-ATLANTIC REGION AUDIT OFFICE (JA-3) SUBJECT: Alert Memorandum: GSA's Office of Administrativ more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 10 (TNSrep) -- The General Services Administration Inspector General issued the following audit report (No. A230020/B/T/F24004) on Aug. 6, 2024, entitled "Agency Should Strengthen the Security of Its Robotic Process Automation Program." Here are excerpts: * * * Executive Summary Why We Performed This Audit In 2018, the Office of Management and Budget recommended that federal agencies use robotic process automation (RPA) as a new technological tool to reduce repetitive admin more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 10 (TNSrep) -- The General Services Administration Inspector General issued the following audit report (No. A230043/P/R/R24006) on Aug. 9, 2024, entitled "Basic Repairs and Alterations Project for the Central Heating Plant in Washington, D.C., Was Not Effectively Managed." Here are excerpts: * * * Executive Summary Why We Performed This Audit Since Fiscal Year 2020, we have performed audits of the GSA Public Buildings Service's (PBS's) basic repairs and alterations projects more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 (TNSrep) -- The Health and Human Services Inspector General issued the following audit report (No. A-04-23-08097) on June 25, 2024, entitled "The National Institutes of Health Has Made Progress But Could Further Improve Its Closeout Process for Grants and Similar Awards" involving the National Institutes of Health. Here are excerpts: * * * Report in Brief Why OIG Did This Audit * Effective oversight of grant funds is crucial to the success of programs designed to improve  more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 (TNSrep) -- The Health and Human Services Inspector General issued the following audit report (No. A-04-23-03585) on June 17, 2024, entitled "NIH Did Not Close Contracts in Accordance With Federal Requirements, Resulting in the Increased Risk of Fraud, Waste and Abuse" involving the National Institutes of Health. Here are excerpts: * * * Report in Brief Why OIG Did This Audit HHS relies on contractors to fulfill its mission, and the OIG has identified ensuring the financi more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (TNSrep) -- The Homeland Security Inspector General issued the following report (No. OIG-24-41) on July 29, 2024, entitled "FEMA Did Not Fully Implement the State-Administered Direct Housing Grant Program." Here are excerpts: * * * MEMORANDUM FOR: The Honorable Deanne Criswell, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency FROM: Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D., Inspector General SUBJECT: FEMA Did Not Fully Implement the State-Administered Direct Housing Grant Program Atta more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 -- The House Appropriations Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 118-582) on a bill (H.R. 9026) making appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science and related agencies for fiscal 2025. The report was advanced by Rep. Harold Rogers, R-Kentucky, on July 11, 2024. * * * (Continued from Part 2 of 14) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration The recommendation includes a total of $5,642,800,000 in discretionary funds for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration more ST

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 -- The House Appropriations Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 118-583) in explanation of the accompanying bill (H.R. 9027) making appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science and related agencies Appropriations Bill for fiscal 2025. The report was advanced by Rep. Harold Rogers, R-Kentucky, on July 11, 2024. * * * (Continued from Part 3 of 14) TITLE II - DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Justice Operations, Management, and Accountability SALARIES AND EXPENSES The recommendation in more ST

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 -- The House Appropriations Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 118-582) on a bill (H.R. 9026) making appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science and related agencies for fiscal 2025. The report was advanced by Rep. Harold Rogers, R-Kentucky, on July 11, 2024. * * * (Continued from Part 4 of 14) Drug Enforcement Administration SALARIES AND EXPENSES The recommendation includes a direct appropriation of $2,760,924,000 for the salaries and expenses of the Drug Enforcement Ad more ST

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 -- The House Appropriations Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 118-582) on a bill (H.R. 9026) making appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science and related agencies for fiscal 2025. The report was advanced by Rep. Harold Rogers, R-Kentucky, on July 11, 2024. * * * (Continued from Part 5 of 14) Office of Justice Programs RESEARCH, EVALUATION AND STATISTICS The recommendation includes $55,000,000 for Research, Evaluation and Statistics, which is $10,000,000 below the fisc more ST

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 -- The House Appropriations Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 118-582) on a bill (H.R. 9026) making appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science and related agencies for fiscal 2025. The report was advanced by Rep. Harold Rogers, R-Kentucky, on July 11, 2024. * * * (Continued from Part 7 of 14) SPACE OPERATIONS The recommendation includes $4,473,500,000 for Space Operations, which is $253,500,000 above fiscal year 2024 and $83,800,000 above the request. Commercial Crew  more ST

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 -- The House Appropriations Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 118-582) on a bill (H.R. 9026) making appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science and related agencies for fiscal 2025. The report was advanced by Rep. Harold Rogers, R-Kentucky, on July 11, 2024. * * * (Continued from Part 10 of 14) TITLE VI - OTHER MATTERS Section 601 prohibits funds from being used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to take certain action regarding offshore wind energy more ST

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 -- The House Appropriations Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 118-582) on a bill (H.R. 9026) making appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science and related agencies for fiscal 2025. The report was advanced by Rep. Harold Rogers, R-Kentucky, on July 11, 2024. * * * (Continued from Part 11 of 14) Changes in the Application of Existing Law Pursuant to clause 3(f)(1)(A) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the following statements are submitted descri more ST

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 -- The House Appropriations Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 118-583) in explanation of the accompanying bill (H.R. 9027) making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and related agencies for fiscal 2025. The report was advanced by Rep. Andy Harris, R-Maryland, on July 12, 2024. * * * (Continued from Part 1 of 11) TITLE I - AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS Processing, Research and Marketing Office of the Secretary (INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF F more ST

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 -- The House Appropriations Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 118-583) in explanation of the accompanying bill (H.R. 9027) making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and related agencies for fiscal 2025. The report was advanced by Rep. Andy Harris, R-Maryland, on July 12, 2024. * * * (Continued from Part 8 of 11) TITLE VI - RELATED AGENCIES AND FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Ad more ST

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 -- The House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development released the following testimony by Bryan Newland, assistant secretary of Interior for Indian Affairs, from a July 23, 2024, joint hearing with the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations entitled "Investigating How the Biden Administration Ignored Cries for Help from Students at Haskell Indian Nations University": * * * Chairpersons, Ranking Membe more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 -- The House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development released the following testimony by Interior Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Matthew Elliott from a July 23, 2024, joint hearing with the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations entitled "Investigating How the Biden Administration Ignored Cries for Help from Students at Haskell Indian Nations University": * * * Chairman Gosar, Chairm more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 -- Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-North Carolina, chairwoman of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following news release: The following may be attributed to the Committee on Education and the Workforce Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) with regards to the Biden-Harris administration's delay for the second straight year in launching the 2024 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form by October 1: "Ensuring a working, timely, and accurate FAFSA shoul more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 -- The House Energy and Commerce Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 118-609) on the Leveraging Integrity and Verification of Eligibility for Beneficiaries Act (H.R. 8084), which aims to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to require states to verify certain eligibility criteria for individuals enrolled for medical assistance quarterly. The report was advanced by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Washington, on July 23, 2024. Here are excerpts: * * * Purpose and Summary  more ST

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 -- The House Energy and Commerce Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 118-605) on the Medicaid Program Improvement Act (H.R. 8111), which aims to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to ensure the reliability of address information provided under the Medicaid program. The report was advanced by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Washington, on July 23, 2024. Here are excerpts: * * * Purpose and Summary H.R. 8111 would require States to regularly obtain beneficiary address i more ST

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 -- The House Financial Services Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 118-586) on the HUD Transparency Act (H.R. 7280), which aims to require the Inspector General of the Department of Housing and Urban Development to testify before the Congress annually. The report was advanced by Rep. Patrick T. McHenry, R-North Carolina, on July 15, 2024. Here are excerpts: * * * PURPOSE AND SUMMARY Introduced on February 7, 2024, by Representative Monica De La Cruz, H.R. 7280, the HUD Tran more ST

WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 -- The House Oversight and Accountability Committee released the following testimony by the U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle from a July 22, 2024, hearing on the oversight of the agency and the attempted assassination of President Donald J. Trump: * * * Good morning, Chairman Comer, Ranking Member Raskin, and distinguished members of the Committee. My name is Kimberly Cheatle, and I am the Director of the United States Secret Service. I appreciate the opportuni more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 -- The House Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee on Government Operations and the Federal Workforce released the following testimony by Interior Inspector General Mark Lee Greenblatt from a July 23, 2024, hearing entitled "Oversight of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency": * * * Chairman Sessions, Ranking Member Mfume, and Members of the Subcommittee: Thank you for inviting me to testify today about the Council of the Inspectors General o more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 -- The House Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs released the following testimony by Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette, director of government affairs at the Project on Government Oversight, from a July 24, 2024, hearing entitled "Wasteful Spending and Inefficiencies: Examining DoD Platform Performance and Costs": * * * Thank you Chairman Grothman, Ranking Member Garcia, and distinguished members of the Subcommittee on Nationa more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 10 -- Rep. James Comer, R-Kentucky, chairman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, issued the following news release: House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) is conducting oversight of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) enforcement of the Horse Protection Act (HPA) and its promulgation of a final rule titled Horse Protection Amendments. Considering information obtained by the Oversight Committee and recent actions at  more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 10 -- The House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs released the following testimony by Elizabeth Curda, director of education, workforce and income security at the Government Accountability Office, from a July 23, 2024, oversight hearing entitled "Is the Veterans Benefits Administration Properly Processing and Deciding Veterans Claims?": * * * Chairman Luttrell, Ranking Member Pappas, and Members of the Subcommittee: Thank you for the more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 -- The House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Technology Modernization released the following testimony by Neil Evans, acting program executive director at the Veterans Affairs Department, on behalf of the Electronic Health Record Modernization Integration Office, from a July 22, 2024, oversight hearing entitled "Report Card: Assessing Electronic Health Record Modernization at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center": * * * Good afternoon, Chairman Rosendale, more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 10 -- The House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs released the following testimony by Stephen Bracci, director of the Compensation Programs Division for the Office of Audits and Evaluations at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General, from a July 23, 2024, oversight hearing entitled "Is the Veterans Benefits Administration Properly Processing and Deciding Veterans Claims?": * * * Chairman Luttrell, Ranki more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 10 -- The House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs released the following testimony Ronald S. Burke Jr., deputy under secretary for policy and oversight at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Benefits Administration, from a July 23, 2024, oversight hearing entitled "Is the Veterans Benefits Administration Properly Processing and Deciding Veterans Claims?": * * * Good morning, Chairman Luttrell, Ranking Member Pappas, and M more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 -- Rep. Jason Smith, R-Missouri, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following news release: State workforce agencies were hamstrung in their ability to prevent fraud in the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program because applicants were allowed to "self-certify" their work history and eligibility, according to a new watchdog report. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reviewed internal controls used by states to manage fraud risks in th more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (TNSrep) -- The Department of Housing and Urban Development Inspector General issued the following report (No. 2024-NY-0001) on July 30, 2024 entitled "FHA Appraiser Roster is Generally Reliable but Opportunities to Improve Data Management Exist." Here are excerpts: * * * To: Sarah J. Edelman, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Single Family Housing, HU From: Kilah S. White, Assistant Inspector General for Audit, Office of Inspector General, GA Subject: HUD's FHA Appraiser R more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 10 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on Aug. 8, 2024: The Justice Department announced today that Five Point Enterprises LLC (5PE) has agreed to pay the United States $2,049,159 to resolve allegations that it submitted false claims to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for educational assistance benefits under the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (Post-9/11 GI Bill). Until 2021, 5PE was a for-profit company based in Au more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release: * * * Scammers Worked in Call Centers that Phoned American Seniors, Stole Millions of Dollars * * * Three residents of Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, were extradited to the United States last week and made their initial appearance in Newark federal court yesterday on charges relating to their participation in a sprawling "grandparent scam" that defrauded elderly Americans out of millions  more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on Aug. 8, 2024: A federal grand jury in Oklahoma City returned an indictment, which was unsealed today, charging Sioux Erosion Control, Inc. (Sioux), its vice president and another employee with a price-fixing conspiracy targeting over $100 million in publicly-funded transportation construction contracts across Oklahoma. According to court documents, it is alleged that Vice President BG Dale Biscoe, Randall more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on Aug. 6, 2024: The Justice Department announced today that, as of Aug. 2, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma has entered permanent injunctions that bar three Tulsa, Oklahoma-area men and two companies from running a fraudulent medical debt collection scheme that targeted current and former servicemembers and older Americans. In its civil complaint, the United States alleged that  more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on Aug. 6, 2024: Northridge Construction Corporation was sentenced today in federal court for violating a worker safety standard, which caused the death of one of its employees, and for making two false statements obstructing a federal agency's subsequent investigation. U.S. District Court Judge Joan M. Azrack for the Eastern District of New York sentenced Northridge to pay a fine of $100,000 and serve a fiv more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 10 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release: West Coast Dental Administrative Services LLC (formerly West Coast Dental Services Inc.), which operates a network of dental offices in Southern California, and its founders and former owners, Drs. Soleyman Cohen-Sedgh, Farid Pakravan and Farhad Manavi, have paid $6.3 million to resolve allegations that they knowingly violated the False Claims Act in connection with seven improper loans that West Coast Dent more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (TNSrep) -- The U.S. Department of Justice Inspector General issued the following review (No. 24-085) on July 31, 2024, entitled "The Department's Response to Protest Activity and Civil Unrest in Washington, D.C. in Late May and Early June 2020." Here are excerpts: * * * EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction and Background The Department of Justice (Department or DOJ) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) undertook this review to examine the Department's and its law enforcement  more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection issued the following news release: Phoenix, Ariz. On March 6, 2024, at approximately 5:51 p.m., a U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) remote camera operator responsible for monitoring a USBP remote video surveillance system (RVSS) camera identified a possible human smuggling event occurring at a gas station located in Lukeville, Ariz. The RVSS operator observed a male and female in the vicinity of a gray Nissan more PR

BOSTON, Massachusetts, Aug. 7 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts issued the following news release on Aug. 6, 2024: A former Boston Police officer was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with an investigation of overtime fraud at the Boston Police Department's (BPD) evidence warehouse. Diana Lopez, 62, of Milton, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to six months in prison followed by two years of supervised relea more PR

BOSTON, Massachusetts, Aug. 7 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts issued the following news release on Aug. 6, 2024: An Uxbridge man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for conspiring to defraud the government of thousands of dollars between 2014 to 2018. Thomas Bouchard, 61, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 12 months and one day in prison followed by one year of supervised release. In April 2023, Bouchard pleaded guil more PR

BOSTON, Massachusetts, Aug. 7 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts issued the following news release: A Plymouth woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for submitting fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications on behalf of herself and her father fraud and money laundering. Katherine Reynolds, 65, was indicted on two counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Reynolds will be arraigned in federal court on Aug. 8 more PR

BALTIMORE, Maryland, Aug. 8 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland issued the following news release on Aug. 7, 2024: U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin today sentenced Damilola Ojo, age 31, of Windsor Mill, Maryland, to 48 months in federal prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, for charges related to a bank fraud scheme totaling more than $1.8 million. As part of his plea, Ojo also admitted to obtaining a fraudulent $475,000 COVID-19 CARES Act loan. Judge  more PR

NEWARK, New Jersey, Aug. 9 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey issued the following news release on Aug. 8, 2024: A Queens, New York, man today admitted that he illegally laundered the proceeds of elder fraud and computer fraud schemes, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Hector Claveria, 51, of Elmhurst, New York pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court to Count Two of the indictment charging him with international m more PR

NEW YORK, Aug. 7 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York issued the following news release on Aug. 5, 2024: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that on Friday, August 2, 2024, a jury found ARIE RANGOTT guilty of conspiring to defraud the federal Head Start program, to submit a false document to the federal government, and to obstruct a federal administrative proceeding. RANGOTT was found guilty following a more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection issued the following news release: Lukeville, Ariz. On February 25, 2024, at approximately 2:14 p.m., Border Patrol agents assigned to the Ajo Station encountered a group of 12 migrants approximately 12 miles west of the Lukeville Port of Entry in Lukeville, Ariz. As part of this group, Border Patrol agents apprehended a pregnant woman later determined to be a citizen of Angola. Agents noticed that th more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 -- Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colorado, issued the following news release: AURORA Today, Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06), led a letter with Colorado Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper to US Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General (DHS OIG) and the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Professional Responsibility (ICE OPR) leadership demanding more information on findings and recommendations from recent unannounced inspections(link is exter more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 -- Rep. Adam B. Schiff, D-California, issued the following news release on Aug. 8, 2024: Today, Representative Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) announced that Children's Hospital Los Angeles is receiving over $732,000 in grant funding from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for innovative mental health research. "I am thrilled to see over $732,000 in funding directed to Children's Hospital Los Angeles for youth mental health research. These grants for innovative researc more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 -- Sen. John Boozman, R-Arkansas, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR), a senior member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, joined Ranking Member Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) in introducing legislation to prohibit funding for veterans benefits to be used to pay bonuses to senior executives at the Department of Veterans Affairs Central Office (VACO) in Washington, D.C. The Stop Government Rewards Enriching Execu more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 -- Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Thom Tillis (R-NC) called on Department of Education (DeptEd) Inspector General Sandra D. Bruce to investigate Education Secretary Miguel Cardona over a potential violation of the Hatc more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 -- The Senate on July 30, 2024, published 10 executive communications from the Executive Branch: * * * EC-5453. A communication from the Associate General Counsel, Department of Agriculture, transmitting, pursuant to law, two (2) reports relative to vacancies in the Department of Agriculture, received during adjournment of Senate in the Office of the President of the Senate on July 26, 2024; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. EC-5454. A communication  more ST

WOODLAWN, Maryland, Aug. 9 (TNSres) -- The Social Security Administration's Office of the Inspector General issued the following news release: * * * Less Staff, Increased Workloads, Decreased Funding Led to Unprecedented Backlog * * * As a backlog of payment actions affecting Social Security beneficiaries continues to mount, so does a rise in the Agency's improper payments. As of February 2024, SSA's pending actions backlog reached an all-time high of 5.2 million pending actions, resulting i more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (TNSrep) -- The State Department Inspector General issued the following audit report (No. AUD-SI-24-23) in July 2024 entitled "Worldwide Protective Services III Initial Training Consolidation Initiative." Here are excerpts: * * * What OIG Audited The Bureau of Diplomatic Security's (DS) Worldwide Protective Services (WPS) program provides contracted guard, personal protection, and support services at diplomatic locations [text omitted]. The WPS II contract required that s more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (TNSrep) -- The State Department Inspector General issued the following quarterly report to the Congress, April 1, 2024 - June 30, 2024. Here are excerpts: * * * EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) mission is to advise, assist, and enable partner forces until they can independently maintain the enduring defeat of ISIS in Iraq and designated areas of Syria to set conditions for long-term security cooperation frameworks./1 The broader counter-ISIS campai more PR

LOS ANGELES, California, Aug. 6 -- The Simon Wiesenthal Center issued the following news: In response to findings of the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) that 9 UNRWA employees were involved in the crimes of the October 7th attacks on Israel which resulted in the deaths of more than 1,100 Israelis, the Simon Wiesenthal Center has reiterated its call for the closure of UNRWA and the creation of a new agency to provide for the humanitarian and educational needs of the Palestinian p more PR

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee, Aug. 8 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee issued the following news release: On August 7, 2024, Evelyn Blevins, 48, of South Pittsburg, Tennessee, was sentenced to 51 months' imprisonment by the Honorable Curtis L. Collier, United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Following her incarceration, she will be on 5 years of supervised release. As part of the pl more PR

MEMPHIS, Tennessee, Aug. 9 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee issued the following news release on Aug. 8, 2024: Dardanius Coleman, 55, of Memphis, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a federal program administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) designed to provide emergency financial assistance to small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attor more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 -- Sen. Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina, issued the following news release: Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) recently sent a letter to Department of Education Inspector General Sandra D. Bruce calling on her to investigate Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona over a potential violation of the Hatch Act and other federal laws. Secretary Cardona recently sent a letter to student loan borrowers regarding the Biden-Harris administrat more PR

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas, Aug. 7 -- The U.S. Air Force Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland (16th Air Force) issued the following news: If you've recently gotten a suspicious text message about your TRICARE coverage, don't respond. Instead, report it to TRICARE. Some beneficiaries have gotten a text message from 888-763-0248. The sender claims to be Wisconsin Physicians Service, the TRICARE For Life contractor. But the text message is really part of a phishing scam targeting TRICARE F more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia issued the following news release: A Maryland man was found guilty of felony charges, including assaulting a law enforcement officer, for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His 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. Following a three-day bench tr more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Secret Service issued the following news release: The U.S. Secret Service, alongside state and local law enforcement partners, conducted a payment card skimming and Electronic Benefit Transfer fraud outreach operation Aug. 1-2 in several Alaskan cities. Personnel from the U.S. Secret Service, Anchorage Police Department, the U.S. Attorney's Office in the District of Alaska, U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector Gene more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 10 -- The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs issued the following news release on Aug. 9, 2024: Today, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Biden-Harris Administration announced the launch of VSAFE.gov and 1-833-38V-SAFE (1-833-388-7233) -- a new government-wide website and call center designed to protect Veterans, service members, and their families from fraud and scams. These new resources will help inform Veterans and their families of common fraud schemes, give more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (TNSrep) -- The Veterans Affairs Inspector General issued the following management advisory memorandum (No. 24-00493-174) on July 25, 2024, entitled "VBA Did Not Always Properly Implement Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustments." Here are excerpts: * * * TO: Joshua Jacobs, Under Secretary for Benefits, Veterans Benefits Administration FROM: Larry Reinkemeyer, Assistant Inspector General, VA Office of Inspector General's Office of Audits and Evaluations SUBJECT: The Veter more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (TNSrep) -- The Veterans Affairs Inspector General issued the following oversight report (No. 23-00776-207) on July 31, 2024, entitled "Delays and Deficiencies in the Mental Health Care of a Patient at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston, Texas." Here are excerpts: * * * Executive Summary The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted a healthcare inspection to evaluate concerns at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (facility) in Houston, Texas, r more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (TNSrep) -- The Veterans Affairs Inspector General issued the following oversight report (No. 23-03159-204) on July 25, 2024, entitled "Inadequate Care of a Patient Who Died by Suicide on a Medical Unit at the Sheridan VA Medical Center in Wyoming." Here are excerpts: * * * Executive Summary The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted a healthcare inspection at the Sheridan VA Medical Center (facility) in Wyoming to assess an allegation of inadequate clinical care o more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (TNSrep) -- The Veterans Affairs Inspector General issued the following oversight report (No. 23-01601-208) on July 31, 2024, entitled "Insufficient Mental Health Treatment and Access to Care for a Patient and Review of Administrative Actions in Veterans Integrated Service Network 10." Here are excerpts: * * * Executive Summary The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted a healthcare inspection at the request of VA Secretary Denis McDonough to evaluate concerns rega more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 [Category: Political] -- America First Legal, a civil rights organization, issued the following news release: Today, America First Legal (AFL) secured a critical preliminary injunction in its lawsuit against the Biden-Harris Administration for its policies that routinely result in the illegal destruction of Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC) employee emails in violation of the Federal Records Act. The injunction requires the CDC to stop illegally deleting employee email more PR

SPOKANE, Washington, Aug. 8 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington issued the following news release on Aug. 7, 2024: Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Thomas Andrew Webster, M.D., age 51, of Sylvania, Ohio, pleaded guilty to conspiring to accept kickbacks in connection with a fraudulent telemarketing and medical supply scheme throughout Washington and in other states. United States Dist more PR

SPOKANE, Washington, Aug. 8 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington issued the following news release: Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced Justin Leland has agreed to pay $224,620.88 to resolve allegations he participated in a kick-back scheme to bill Medicare for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment. Medicare provides health insurance to elderly and disabled United States citizens. Medica more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection issued the following news release: EL PASO, TEXAS On Wednesday, January 24, 2024, at approximately 12:03 a.m., U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) El Paso Sector dispatch broadcasted to agents via service radio a sighting of six or seven possible migrants on foot near the SR-185 USBP checkpoint. A Border Patrol agent from the Las Cruces Station assigned to the SR-185 USBP checkpoint responded to the area in a M more PR