WASHINGTON, June 5 -- NASA issued the following news on June 4, 2025: * * * 3 Black Holes Caught Eating Massive Stars in NASA Data By Elizabeth Landau Black holes are invisible to us unless they interact with something else. Some continuously eat gas and dust, and appear to glow brightly over time as matter falls in. But other black holes secretly lie in wait for years until a star comes close enough to snack on. A new study using space and ground-based data from NASA, ESA (European Space A more PR

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: * * * Duckworth Meets with FAA Administrator Nominee Bryan Bedford * June 03, 2025 [WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator and Ranking Member of the Senate's Aviation Safety Subcommittee Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with Federal Aviation Administrator nominee Bryan Bedford to discuss how he plans to address the aviation safety crisis if confirmed. During their meeting, Duckworth reiterated her strong o more PR

WASHINGTON, June 4 -- Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: * * * Duckworth, Warren, Blunt Rochester Condemn RFK for Making it Harder for Pregnant Women and Children to Receive COVID-19 Vaccines, Putting Their Health at Risk * June 04, 2025 [WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), joined by U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), today condemned U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert more PR

WASHINGTON, June 4 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: * * * Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Five Judicial Nominations * June 04, 2025 WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the nominations of Whitney Hermandorfer to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circ more PR

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: * * * Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Senate Judiciary Joint Subcommittee Hearing On District Court Judges & The Trump Administration * June 03, 2025 During his opening, Durbin emphasized President Trump's dangerous rhetoric toward district court judges, Republicans' inability to stand up for the federal judiciary WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of more PR

WASHINGTON, June 4 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: * * * Durbin Meets With Three Federal Judges To Discuss Judicial Security * June 04, 2025 WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after discussing judicial security with Judge Beth Bloom of the Southern District of Florida, Judge Mark Norris of the Western District of Tennessee, and Judge Esther  more PR

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: * * * Durbin Questions Witnesses On Nationwide Injunctions During Senate Judiciary Joint Subcommittee Hearing * June 03, 2025 WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses during a Senate Judiciary Joint Subcommittee hearing entitled "The Supposedly 'Least Dangerous Branch': District Judges v. Trump." Durbin more PR

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: * * * Durbin Speaks On His Amendment To The GENIUS Act That Would Crack Down On Crypto ATM Scams That Prey On Seniors * June 03, 2025 Durbin: "I urge my colleagues--on both sides of the aisle--to support my amendment to stop scammers in their tracks and provide protections for the people that they represent." WASHINGTON - As the Senate continues to consider the GENIUS Act, a bill meant to establi more PR

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: * * * Durbin Statement On President Trump's Proposal To Codify Devastating DOGE Cuts * June 03, 2025 If passed by Congress, the rescissions package offered by the White House will cut $9.4 billion in federal funding for critical government programs WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after President Trump released a rescissions packag more PR

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: * * * Durbin's Protecting Children With Food Allergies Bill Adopted As Amendment In Senate Agriculture Committee * June 03, 2025 The legislation, which was added as an amendment to the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, would train school food service staff to prevent and respond to food-related allergic reactions WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin's (D-IL) bipartisan legis more PR

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service issued the following recall alert: * * * FSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Ground Beef Products Due to Possible E. Coli O157:H7 Contamination * WASHINGTON, June 3, 2025 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. FSIS is issuing this public health alert to e more PR

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The House Veterans' Affairs Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 119-96) on the Automotive Support Services to Improve Safe Transportation Act (H.R. 1364), which aims to amend Title 38 of the U.S. Code to provide clarification regarding the inclusion of medically necessary automobile adaptations in U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs definition of "medical services". The report was advanced by Rep. Mike Bost, R-Illinois, on May 15, 2025. Here are excerpts: * * * Purpose and more ST

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The House Veterans' Affairs Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 119-99) on a bill (H.R. 658), which aims to amend Title 38 of the U.S. Code to establish qualifications for the appointment of a person as a marriage and family therapist qualified to provide clinical supervision in the Veterans Health Administration. The report was advanced by Rep. Mike Bost, R-Illinois, on May 17, 2025. Here are excerpts: * * * Purpose and Summary H.R. 658, "To amend title 38, United States more ST

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The House Veterans' Affairs Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 119-97) on the Communities Helping Invest Through Property and Improvements Needed for Veterans Act (H.R. 217), which aims to amend Title 38 of the U.S. Code to make permanent the pilot program authorized by the Communities Helping Invest through Property and Improvements Needed for Veterans Act of 2016. The report was advanced by Rep. Mike Bost, R-Illinois, on May 17, 2025. Here are excerpts: * * * Purpose an more ST

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The House Veterans' Affairs Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 119-98) on the Improving Va Training for Military Sexual Trauma Claims Act (H.R. 2201), which aims to amend Title 38 of the U.S. Code to improve claims, made under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, regarding military sexual trauma. The report was advanced by Rep. Mike Bost, R-Illinois, on May 17, 2025. Here are excerpts: * * * Purpose and Summary H.R. 2201, the "Improving VA Training for more ST

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The House Veterans' Affairs Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 119-100) on the Simplifying Forms for Veterans Claims Act (H.R. 1286), which directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Comptroller General of the United States to report on certain funding shortfalls in the Department of Veterans Affairs. The report was advanced by Rep. Mike Bost, R-Illinois, on May 17, 2025. Here are excerpts: * * * Purpose and Summary H.R. 1286, the "Simplifying Forms for Veterans C more ST

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The House Veterans' Affairs Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 119-101) on the Va Budget Shortfall Accountability Act (H.R. 1823), which directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Comptroller General to report on funding shortfalls in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The report was advanced by Rep. Mike Bost, R-Illinois, on May 17, 2025. Here are excerpts: * * * PURPOSE AND SUMMARY H.R. 1823, the "VA Budget Shortfall Accountability Act," was introduced by  more ST

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, June 5 -- The Illinois Department of Public Health issued the following news on June 4, 2025: * * * Illinois Reaffirms Policy to Preserve Access to Life-saving Emergency Room Treatment HHS Rescinds Federal Guidance Put in Place Following the Dobbs Decision; Access to Life-Saving Care Enshrined in Illinois Law SPRINGFIELD - In response to action by the Trump administration to restrict access to life-saving care in hospital emergency rooms, the State of Illinois is reaff more PR

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: * * * In Appropriations Hearing, Durbin Calls Out Secretary McMahon For Eliminating Support For Students Defrauded By For-Profit Colleges * June 03, 2025 As Secretary McMahon attempted to deflect Durbin's questions, Durbin asserted that the Trump Administration is eliminating critical student protections WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropria more PR

WASHINGTON, June 4 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior issued the following news release: * * * Interior Announces Over $119 Million to Reclaim Abandoned Coal Mines * Date: June 4, 2025 Contact: Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov WASHINGTON - In support of President Trump's commitment to unleashing American energy and revitalizing coal country, the Department of the Interior today announced the availability of more than $119 million in fiscal year 2025 abandoned mine land reclamation fee-bas more PR

WASHINGTON, June 4 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: * * * Key Unions Announce Endorsement Of Durbin, Marshal Credit Card Competition Act * June 04, 2025 The Teamsters, RWDSU, SEIU, and UFCW announced their support for the bipartisan legislation in a letter to Durbin and Marshall WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) today announced more PR

WASHINGTON, June 4 -- Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Florida, posted the following statement in the extensions of remarks section of the Congressional Record on June 3, 2025: * * * Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 170 inventors who will be inducted as the 2024 Fellows of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). An induction ceremony will take place June 23-26, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia to celebrate these inventors and their incredible accomplishments. The ceremony will be presided over by the Acti more PR

WASHINGTON, June 4 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following floor remarks on June 3, 2025 (In this document, the reference to Mr. President refers to the presiding officer of the Senate at the time of the speech): * * * Mr. President, last month, the Senate voted to proceed to the GENIUS Act, a bill that would regulate the type of cryptocurrency called stablecoins. Stablecoins are supposed to tie the value of crypto to the value of a dollar, but in 2023 alone, stablecoins di more PR

ST. LOUIS, Missouri, June 5 -- The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis issued the following news release on June 4, 2025: * * * St. Louis Fed Releases Beige Book ST. LOUIS -- The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis released its portion of the Federal Reserve's latest Beige Book, published today. The local report summarizes economic conditions for the Eighth District, which is based in St. Louis and covers all of Arkansas and parts of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennesse more PR