WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12591) on Dec. 4, 2024, by health policy specialists Nora Wells and Amanda K. Sarata: * * * Cybersecurity and Digital Health Information As the technologies used in health care expand, so too do cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Increasingly, health care actors use electronic health records (EHRs), artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, and telehealth services to provide and fac more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12563) on Dec. 4, 2024, by acting section research manager Emily G. Blevins and legislative attorney Kevin J. Hickey: * * * Patent-Eligible Subject Matter Reform: An Overview The U.S. patent system is designed to encourage innovation. The types of inventions that can be patented, however, may affect the patent system's ability to promote innovation in certain fields, especially  more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11255) on Dec. 4, 2024, by acting section research manager Emily G. Blevins and science and technology policy analyst Marcy E. Gallo: * * * Research Security Policies: An Overview The international scientific community generally views the free and open exchange of information as vital to the process of scientific inquiry, including the vetting of ideas and the verification of res more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF12841) on Dec. 3, 2024. The white paper is written by firearms policy analyst Jordan B. Cohen, legislative attorney Matthew D. Trout and presidential management fellow Jillian Long: * * * Stun Guns, TASERs and other Conducted Energy Devices: Issues for Congress Conducted Energy Devices (CEDs) are weapons that transmit electroshocks, whether via close contact or projectiles, to i more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Jim Derwinski, CEO of Metra to discuss surface transportation reauthorization priorities for the commuter rail provider and receive updates on its recent federal grant awards. During their meeting, Durbin and Metra leadership spoke about ongoing funding needs for station upgrades and bridge repairs. "Many Illinoisans rely on Metra to commute in and more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Virginia, issued the following news release: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development has awarded Wytheville Community College, based in Wytheville, Virginia, a $538,728 grant. The funding will support the deployment of distance learning technology and equip sites throughout Bland, Grayson, Smyth, Wise and Wythe Counties, and the City of Galax. U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement: "One educational c more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Virginia, issued the following news release: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development has awarded Pulaski School Board, based in Pulaski, Virginia, a $985,158 grant. The funding will support the deployment of distance learning technology and equip sites across Pulaski and Dickenson Counties, and the City of Radford. U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement: "One educational challenge for rural communitie more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark R. Warner (both D-VA) and U.S. Representative Bob Good (R-VA-05) introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation that would support the construction of an emergency road for Wintergreen residents. There is currently only one road in and out of Wintergreen, which has sparked concern among Wintergreen officials and residents. The proposed road would be built near Milepost 9.6  more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, issued the following news release: Lummi, Skokomish, Colville & Lower Elwha Klallam Tribes as well WA Dept. of Fish & Wildlife and Chelan County receive federal funding Grants will help restore salmon & wildlife habitat; improve health, biodiversity of WA public lands Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Committee on Ind more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-New Mexico, issued the following news release: New funding initiative will support New Mexico's farmers and producers while reducing water losses Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) are welcoming an announcement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Water-Saving Commodities Program to support agricultu more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, D-New Mexico, issued the following news release: New funding initiative will support New Mexico's farmers and producers while reducing water losses Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) are welcoming an announcement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Water-Saving Commodities Program to support agricultura more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release: The mighty Blackstone River, originally known as 'Mishkittakooksepe' by the Narragansett people, flows for 48 miles through Massachusetts and Rhode Island, ending at Pawtucket Falls in Rhode Island. For centuries, the river has served as a lifeline to people living in the Blackstone Valley and continues to be rich in both history and biodiversity. The river played a crucial role in transportation, irrigatio more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: Piscataway, NJ Congressman Frank Pallone Jr. (NJ-06) today announced $230,665 in federal funding for Rutgers University to expand distance learning capabilities to rural communities and businesses in Cape May, Cumberland, Middlesex, and Ocean counties, providing critical support to the commercial fishing and aquaculture industries in New Jersey's coastal region. The project, spearheaded by Rutgers C more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6 -- Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-California, issued the following news release on Dec. 5, 2024: Today, U.S. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (CA-18) announced that the Sam Farr Crop Research Center, owned and operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (ARS), will receive $200,000 from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to design a solar energy system. * * * "As the threat of climate change becomes more dangerous, it is more important than ever to fund in more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Rep. Maria Salazar, R-Florida, issued the following news release: The U.S. House of Representatives passed S.91/H.R. 537(link is external), the Forgotten Heroes of the Holocaust Congressional Gold Medal Act,after the Senate voted to do the same in September. Sponsored by Reps. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Ritchie Torres (D-NY), as well as Senators Bill Hagerty (R-TN) and Tim Kaine (D-VA), the legislation awards more than 60 diplomats from around the world with the Congr more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, issued the following news release: Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i), Chair of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, today again called on President Biden to pardon Native American activist Leonard Peltier who was convicted of murder in 1977 following a controversial investigation and trial, which many civil rights leaders and legal experts have called unjust, including the U.S. Attorney who prosecuted the case. Since 2022, Schatz has repeated more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Rep. Bradley Schneider, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: ABBOTT PARK, IL Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10) proudly welcomed 36 local high school students as STEAM Scholars for the 2024-2025 school year. The 36 students represent 14 different high schools across the 10th congressional district. To kick off the STEAM Scholar Program, the students joined Rep. Schneider at Abbott Laboratories for a wide-ranging conversation with several of the company's scientis more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6 -- Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-New Hampshire, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), John Thune (R-SD), Gary Peters (D-MI), John Kennedy (R-LA), and Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released the following statements after their Grant Transparency Act, which would require government agencies to provide competitive grant applicants with more information about their selection criteria and evaluation process, passed the Senate and now heads to  more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Mississippi, issued the following commentary on Dec. 4, 2024: * * * Bridging the Urban-Rural Broadband Divide Thanks to Congress' work on the infrastructure law, America has the funding to make internet coverage nationwide. Where broadband goes, economic growth and educational opportunity follow. But despite the federal governments' efforts, including decades of work and billions of dollars, too many Americans still lack reliable connection, an unacc more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, issued the following news release: Today U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. introduced the Safeguarding the Overall Protection of Minors Act, new legislation to protect America's children from irreversible physical and emotional harm caused by transgender procedures pushed by the radical Left. Under Senator Marshall's legislation, mutilating procedures aimed at minors would be prohibited and strict financial penalties would be imposed on physi more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, issued the following news release: Funding comes from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Senator Murray helped pass Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced $57.8 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Interior's Bureau of Reclamation to revitalize aging water infrastructure and support fishery facilities and canal operations across Washington state. The funding, which come more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, issued the following news release: Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) reintroduced the Nondebtor Release Prohibition Act to explicitly prohibit the use of non-consensual, non-debtor releases in bankruptcy. This legislation would protect consumers, workers, and families from companies and individuals attempting to exploit the bankruptcy system to evade accountability to victims. more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Chair of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy and member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, introduced the Electrifying Rural Transportation Act (ERTA), legislation to create a new grant program to help rural transit agencies and local governments transition to electric fleet vehicles. Senator Welch's bill would more PR