WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has released the following public communication dated Nov. 25, 2024, from the Arkansas Hospital Association: * * * To: The Honorable Chiquita Brooks-LaSure Administrator Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Hubert H. Humphrey Building 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 445-G Washington, DC 20201 RE: CMS-1808-IFC: Medicare Program; Changes to the Fiscal Year 2025 Hospita more ST

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has released the following public communication on Dec. 3, 2024, from Baptist Memorial Health Care Corp., Memphis, Tennessee: * * * CMS-1808-IFC * * * Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation (BMHCC) appreciates the opportunity to comment on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) interim final rule with comment period entitled Medicare Program; Changes to the Fiscal more ST

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Arkansas, chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, issued the following news release on Dec. 10, 2024: Today, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing on the violent pro-Hamas protests at Columbus Circle outside Union Station in Washington, D.C., on July 24, 2024. Subcommittee Chairman Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) issued the following statement in response: "With its troubling history of disorder and violence, it's confoun more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 -- Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tennessee, issued the following news release: Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), a senior member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, today voted for the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024, which includes major U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects for improvements in Tennessee's 9th Congressional District that Congressman Cohen submitted and advocated for. Today, the House voted on the House Amendment to the bi more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 -- The U.S. Department of Education has released the following public communication dated Dec. 2, 2024, from 23 attorneys general: * * * To: The Honorable Miguel A. Cardona, Ph.D. Secretary of Education U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave. SW Washington, DC 20202 CC: Linda McMahon, Nominee for Secretary of Education Re: Comment by States of Missouri, Kansas, and 21 other States on Student Debt Relief for the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program (Direc more ST

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 -- The Federal Reserve System Board of Governors issued a change in bank control notice in the Federal Register on Dec. 6, 2024, entitled "Acquisitions of Shares of a Bank or Bank Holding Company". Here are excerpts: * * * The notificants listed below have applied under the Change in Bank Control Act (Act) (12 U.S.C. 1817(j)) and 225.41 of the Board's Regulation Y (12 CFR 225.41) to acquire shares of a bank or bank holding company. The factors that are considered in actin more ST

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Service Office of the Surgeon General issued an 837-page report in November 2024 entitled "Eliminating Tobacco-Related Disease and Death: Addressing Disparities." Here are excerpts: * * * Foreword This decade, cigarette smoking among youth and adults reached the lowest levels ever recorded, representing a major public health milestone. Yet over 36 million U.S. adults (as of 2022) and 760,000 middle and hig more ST

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wisconsin, chairman of the House Administration Committee, issued the following news release on Dec. 10, 2024: Today, Committee on House Administration Chairman Bryan Steil (WI-01) announced the findings of his subpoena of ActBlue, a major Democratic fundraising platform. Documents turned over revealed that as of September 2024, ActBlue has implemented updated policies to "automatically reject donations that use foreign prepaid/gift cards, domestic gif more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wisconsin, chairman of the House Administration Committee, issued the following news release: Committee on House Administration Chairman Bryan Steil (WI-01) and House Committee on the Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (OH-04) sent a letter to Sift, the company that provides "fraud detection and prevention services" for ActBlue, a major Democratic fundraising platform. The letter demands documents and communications related to Sift's efforts to deter fraudu more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- 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.) delivered remarks today at a hearing on "Oversight of the U.S. Census Bureau." Chairman Comer expressed concerns over the Census Bureau's Post-Enumeration Survey--which measures Census count accuracy--after it revealed that significant errors and flaws occurred in the 2020 more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 -- Rep. Brittany Pettersen, D-Colorado, issued the following news release: Today, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted to pass the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA), which included three provisions championed by Representative Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) to improve Colorado's water infrastructure. WRDA is a legislative package that provides Members of Congress the opportunity to authorize U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Wor more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics issued the following document from Economics Daily: * * * Job openings rates decreased in 4 states and increased in 1 state in September 2024. The national job openings rate was 4.5 percent, with the total number of job openings at 7.4 million. Alaska and Arkansas had the highest job openings rates, at 6.9 percent each. California had the most job openings, at 554,000, followed by Texas (525,000). Vermon more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Arkansas, issued the following news release on Dec. 10, 2024: Today, Rep. Bruce Westerman (AR-04) released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the Water Resources Development Act of 2024: "Water resources and its impacts on our nation are imperative to bolstering necessary infrastructure, improving waterways, and providing safety and relief from deadly flooding. Water resources are critical to the Fourth District of A more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued the following news release: Funding Will Improve Access to a Clean, Reliable Electric Grid and Safe Drinking Water for Millions in Rural and Tribal Communities U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is investing $6.3 billion in rural and Tribal communities across 44 states to expand access to a clean and reliable electric grid, provide safe drinking water and create good-paying jobs. more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 -- Rep. Steve Womack, R-Arkansas, issued the following news release: Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) today joined the U.S. House of Representatives in passing S. 4367, the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). The legislation authorizes funding to improve ports and harbors, inland waterway navigation, flood and storm protection, and other pieces of water resources infrastructure, as well as programs and policy reforms related to the U.S. Army Corps of Engi more PR