WASHINGTON, Dec. 13 -- The U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued the following news release: * * * Coastal Gunite Construction Co. did not evaluate diver's health before first day on job * * * MANNS HARBOR, NC - A Maryland-based construction contractor could have prevented a 47-year-old diver from suffering fatal injuries during an underwater dive test in June 2024 at the Manns Harbor Bridge on Croatan Sound. Investigators with the U.S. Department of  more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 -- President Biden issued the following remarks on Dec. 10, 2024, at the Brookings Institution on his Middle-Out, Bottom-Up Economic Playbook: * * * THE PRESIDENT: I'm -- I'm here to steal her back. (Laughter.) You're the best, Cec. DR. ROUSE: Thank you. THE PRESIDENT: You really are. Thank you. Well, this is only a 400-page speech. (Laughter.) You know, we -- I wanted to talk about how we're -- the economy, and it is a -- it is a daunting task to talk about the trans more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 -- The Senate Appropriations Committee released the following testimony by Agriculture Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small from a Nov. 20, 2024, hearing entitled "A Review of Disaster Funding Needs": * * * Thank you, Chair Murray, Vice Chair Collins, and Members of the Committee for the opportunity to come before you today to provide an update on the impact of disasters on American farms, ranches, private and public forest lands, and rural communities, and the work the U. more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 -- The Senate Appropriations Committee released the following testimony by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg from a Nov. 20, 2024, hearing entitled "A Review of Disaster Funding Needs": * * * Chair Murray, Vice Chairman Collins, and members of the committee--thank you for this opportunity to speak with you today alongside my colleagues in the Biden-Harris Administration. A month ago, I was in North Carolina and Tennessee visiting communities impacted by Hurricane Hel more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 -- The Senate Appropriations Committee released the following written testimony by Adrianne Todman, deputy secretary of the Housing and Urban Development Department from a Nov. 20, 2024, hearing entitled "A Review of Disaster Funding Needs": * * * Chairwoman Murray, Vice Chair Collins, and Members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify today to discuss disaster recovery alongside my colleagues. In the last month, the Biden-Harris A more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 -- The Senate Appropriations Committee released the following testimony by Small Business Administrator Isabel Guzman from a Nov. 20, 2024, hearing entitled "A Review of Disaster Funding Needs": * * * Chair Murray, Vice Chair Collins, and distinguished members of the Committee, thank you for the invitation to appear today to discuss the pressing need for additional funding for the Disaster Loan Program at the U.S. Small Business Administration. For decades, SBA disaster lo more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 -- The Senate Appropriations Committee released the following testimony by Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Georgia, from a Nov. 20, 2024, hearing entitled "A Review of Disaster Funding Needs": * * * Thank you, Chair Murray and Vice Chair Collins, for the opportunity to brief the Committee on the dire conditions facing Georgia farmers in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and the urgency of passing this disaster supplemental before year's end. Let me be clear: Georgia agriculture was dev more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 -- The Senate Appropriations Committee released the following testimony by Sen. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina, from a Nov. 20, 2024, hearing entitled "A Review of Disaster Funding Needs": * * * Chair Murray, Vice Chair Collins, and Members of the Committee: Thank you for the opportunity to testify this morning to be a voice for the people of Western North Carolina. My state was permanently changed on September 27, 2024. Hurricane Helene brought more than 30 inches of  more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14 -- Sen. Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina, issued the following news release: Today, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement on U.S. Fourth Circuit Judge James Wynn's stunning decision to rescind his retirement for political reasons: "Judge Wynn's brazenly partisan decision to rescind his retirement is an unprecedented move that demonstrates some judges are nothing more than politicians in robes. Judge Wynn clearly  more PR