NEW YORK, Dec. 22 -- Common Cause - New York issued the following news release on Dec. 20, 2024: Today, Common Cause urged Congress to stand firm against the influence of Elon Musk, an unelected billionaire promoting false narratives on social media, and pass the agreed-upon federal funding bill before the midnight deadline. Failure to enact the already negotiated, bipartisan measure would trigger a devastating government shutdown, undermining critical public services and the livelihoods of mil more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11253) on Dec. 20, 2024, by attorney-adviser Steve P. Mulligan: * * * The Captures Clause (Part 1): Overview, Historical Context and Drafting History This Legal Sidebar is the first installment in a two-part series discussing Congress's power to "make rules concerning Captures on Land and Water" derived from Article I, Section 8, clause 11 of the Constitution. This provisi more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: Senate Democrats break the record of 234 judges confirmed during the first Trump administration Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today celebrated the confirmation of Benjamin J. Cheeks to be a United States District Judge for the Southern District of California and Serena Raquel Murillo to be a United States District Judge for the Central District of Ca more PR

FALLS CHURCH, Virginia, Dec. 21 -- Defense Health Agency issued the following news: Respiratory syncytial virus is a common but potentially dangerous respiratory illness. Immunizations are available to protect TRICARE beneficiaries who are considered high risk from RSV infection. These immunizations help protect older adults and newborns, who face higher risks from respiratory illness. "RSV immunizations help prevent severe illness and hospitalization, especially among older people," said Marc more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 -- Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-North Carolina, chairwoman of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement on Dec. 20, 2024: * * * In response to the U.S. Department of Education's attempt to go back on its promise to students across the country, Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) issued the following statement: "Liars always get caught in the end, and today's the end for the Biden administration and its illega more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 -- Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) applauded the Senate passage of the Social Security Fairness Act, bipartisan legislation he cosponsored to strengthen Social Security benefits by eliminating the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). "Virginia's firefighters, police officers, and other dedicated public servants deserve the full Social Security benefits they've earned more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 -- Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Virginia, issued the following statement on Dec. 20, 2024: * * * U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger today released the following statement after voting with a bipartisan majority of the U.S. House to pass a short-term, stopgap funding measure -- known as a "continuing resolution" -- to avoid a government shutdown that would hurt Virginia's economy and workforce. The legislation would keep the federal government open until March 2025. "I re more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 -- Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-North Dakota, issued the following news release: ***Click here to download audio.*** The U.S. Senate passed a continuing resolution by a vote of 85 to 11 today, extending current government funding levels for three months, authorizing a one-year farm bill extension, and securing vital farm and disaster aid. The legislation, which extends appropriations levels through March 14, passed the House of Representatives by a bipartisan vote of 366 to 34. U. more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 -- Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Virginia, issued the following statement: * * * U.S. Representatives Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07) and Garret Graves (R-LA-06) tonight released the following statement after a bipartisan majority of the U.S. Senate voted to pass the Social Security Fairness Act, their bipartisan legislation to eliminate the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). The bill now heads to the president's desk to be signed into l more PR

RICHMOND, Virginia, Dec. 21 -- Virginia Attorney General Jason S. Miyares issued the following news release on Dec. 20, 2024: Attorney General Jason Miyares announced today that the Circuit Court for Amherst County approved a joint agreement between Sweet Briar Institute and the Attorney General that reinforces and reaffirms the college's mission of providing women's education. "Sweet Briar College has a proud and long tradition of providing women's education," said Attorney General Jason Miya more PR

RICHMOND, Virginia, Dec. 21 -- Gov. Glenn Youngkin, R-Virginia, issued the following news release on Dec. 20, 2024: ADMINISTRATION APPOINTMENTS OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR * Shawn Talmadge, Senior Advisor, Hurricane Helene Recovery, Chief Transformation Office PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY * John Scrivani, Acting State Coordinator, Virginia Department of Emergency Management BOARD APPOINTMENTS AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY HORSE INDUSTRY BOARD * Sharon Molster of Reva, Owner, Reva Ri more PR

RICHMOND, Virginia, Dec. 21 -- Gov. Glenn Youngkin, R-Virginia, issued the following news release on Dec. 20, 2024: Governor Glenn Youngkin today announced continued strength in Virginia's workforce, as reflected in the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Virginia's labor force increased by 3,327 in November to 4,578,676, with a labor force participation rate of 66.0 percent, a reflection of optimism among residents reentering the job market. According to the BLS Current Empl more PR

RICHMOND, Virginia, Dec. 21 -- Gov. Glenn Youngkin, R-Virginia, issued the following news release on Dec. 20, 2024: * * * Applications will be accepted until March 1 for federal broadband deployment funding * * * Governor Glenn Youngkin today announced approval from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for Virginia's list of over 133,000 eligible locations that will receive high-speed internet access through the Commonwealth's $1.48 billion Broadband Equity, more PR

ABINGDON, Virginia, Dec. 21 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia issued the following news release on Dec. 20, 2024: First Assistant United States Attorney Zachery T. Lee will serve as the Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, effective December 21, 2024, at 12:00 a.m. He is assuming the office under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, 5 U.S.C Sec. 3345, upon the departure of United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh, who anno more PR

CHARLOTTSEVILLE, Virginia, Dec. 21 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia issued the following news release on Dec. 19, 2024: A former sheriff of Culpeper County, Virginia, was convicted by a jury in Charlottesville, Virginia, yesterday for accepting over $75,000 in bribes in exchange for appointments as auxiliary deputy sheriffs. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Scott Howard Jenkins, 53, of Culpeper, Virginia, accepted cash bribes  more PR

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia, Dec. 21 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia issued the following news release on Dec. 20, 2024: Christopher R. Kavanaugh announced today that he will step down as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, resigning from the Department of Justice, effective Friday, December 20, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. after serving more than three years in office. "Four years ago, Chris Kavanaugh was one of the first people I broug more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: Today, Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (D-VA-10) and Senators Tim Kaine and Mark R. Warner (both D-VA) celebrated the Senate passage of their bipartisan Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act 2.0. The bill reauthorizes federal funding for the National Institute of Health's (NIH) Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program (Kids First), which the senators helped create to support lifesaving research  more PR

RICHMOND, Virginia, Dec. 21 -- Virginia Office of the Attorney General issued the following news release on Dec. 20, 2024: A Norfolk court sentenced Vernon Lorenzo Gay on a 1992 cold case reopened due to DNA testing provided by the Virginia Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI). On May 5, 1992, the victim was in her residence with her sleeping three small children when a suspect entered through one of the children's bedroom windows armed with a knife. Vernon Gay found the victim in her bedroom more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) today celebrated the Senate passage of bills they introduced to rename two United States Postal Service (USPS) offices in Loudoun County and Petersburg. "Madeleine Albright and John Mercer Langston were trailblazers who overcame tremendous barriers in their respective fights for human rights and social justice. We are thrilled to see these bills get full congr more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 -- Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement after voting to pass legislation to prevent a government shutdown and extend government funding at Fiscal Year 2024 levels until March 14. The legislation also includes $110 billion in disaster relief to support communities recovering from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which the senators advocated for: "We are relie more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 -- Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement after voting to pass legislation to prevent a government shutdown and extend government funding at Fiscal Year 2024 levels until March 14. The legislation also includes $110 billion in disaster relief to support communities recovering from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which the senators advocated for: "We are rel more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Representative Jennifer Wexton (D-VA-10) and U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) applauded the unanimous Senate passage of legislation to designate the General George C. Marshall House in Leesburg, known as Dodona Manor, as an affiliated area under the National Park Service (NPS). The lawmakers have advocated for years for an official designation, which would provide new resource more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 -- Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: Today, Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (D-VA-10) and Senators Tim Kaine and Mark R. Warner (both D-VA) celebrated the Senate passage of their bipartisan Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act 2.0. The bill reauthorizes federal funding for the National Institute of Health's (NIH) Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program (Kids First), which the senators helped create to support lifesaving researc more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 -- Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Representative Jennifer Wexton (D-VA-10) and U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) applauded the unanimous Senate passage of legislation to designate the General George C. Marshall House in Leesburg, known as Dodona Manor, as an affiliated area under the National Park Service (NPS). The lawmakers have advocatedfor years for an official designation, which would provide new resourc more PR