OREM, Utah, Nov. 12 -- Utah Valley University issued the following news release: Retired Army Sgt. Leslie Zimmerman spent four years of her life as a combat medic, trying to put injured friends and comrades back together. Now, she is working to heal the hearts of children left behind when a parent is deployed. After seeing the impact her sister's deployment had on her two children, Zimmerman was inspired to write a children's book. She commemorated Veteran's Day in Utah Valley University's boo more PR

MADISON, Wisconsin, Nov. 15 -- The University of Wisconsin Madison campus issued the following news: On Nov. 6, 1998, developmental biologist James Thomson of the University of Wisconsin-Madison published a paper describing how his team had grown human embryonic stem cells. These cells exist at the earliest stages of development and are "pluripotent" -- able to differentiate into every one of the more than 200 specialized cell types in the human body. Biology and health science would never be  more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15 -- The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities issued the following news release: States and localities could do more to help undo the harmful legacies of past racism and the damage caused by continuing racial bias and discrimination. If state budget and tax policies were better designed to address these harms and create more opportunities for people of color, state economies would be more equitable and likely also would be stronger, which in turn could benefit many state res more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 -- The House Foreign Affairs Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 115-1014) on legislation (H.R. 6651) to extend certain authorities relating to U.S. efforts to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria globally. The report was advanced by Rep. Ed Royce, R-California, on Nov. 9. Excerpts of the report follow: Summary and Purpose H.R. 6651, the PEPFAR Extension Act of 2018, extends authorities, limitations, and reporting requirements relating to the President's Emergency Plan  more ST

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, Nov. 11 -- The National Constitution Center issued the following news release: * * * Vice President Joe Biden to present the medal and Valley Forge Military Academy and College Herald Trumpeters to perform Tonight at 5 p.m., Sunday, November 11, the National Constitution Center will honor President George W. Bush and former first lady Mrs. Laura Bush during the 2018 Liberty Medal Ceremony, in recognition of their post-presidency work with veterans and their familie more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 -- Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * 5-year extension of PEPFAR moves to Senate The House on Tuesday overwhelmingly voted to pass Rep. Smith's legislation, HR 6651, to extend the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) for another five years, continuing a successful international AIDS relief program that has saved tens of millions of lives. "[S]ince 2003 the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or 'PEPFAR,' has sav more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 -- Rep. Eliot L. Engel, D-New York, ranking Democratic member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following floor remarks in support of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief or PEPFAR Extension Act: "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this measure, and I yield myself as much time as I might consume. "Let me, first of all, as I have so many times before, thank Chairman Royce for his leadership in advancing this life-saving legislation more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15 -- The office of Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, issued the following floor statement: Senator Alexander: Mr. President, as the world knows, the country's largest public utility is the Tennessee Valley Authority and serves 9 million customers in our seven-state region. It is enormously important to our State of Tennessee. Its CEO, Bill Johnson, announced today that he is leaving. I will have more to say about him later, but he and the Board of Directors have led TVA in an more PR

WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 -- The office of Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement on the judicial nominations: "Good morning and welcome to all the nominees and their families. "I'd like to briefly mention why we're holding a hearing for Paul Matey despite the lack of two positive blue slips from his home-state senators. My policy is that unreturned or negative blue slips will not necessarily preclude a hearing for a circuit-court more PR

BOGOTA, Columbia, Nov. 16 -- The U.S. Air Force issued the following news: By Charles Pope Public Affairs Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein concluded a two-day visit to Colombia on Thursday, reinforcing bonds with one of the United States' closest allies in Latin America and pledging to accelerate joint training activities with an air force he called the "gold standard" in the region. The visit was Goldfein's first as the Air Force's highest-ranking officer to a country that ha more PR

GENEVA, Switzerland, Nov. 14 -- The United Nations Human Rights Committee issued the following news release: * * * Article 5: Freedom from Torture There is one absolute prohibition in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) that is universally accepted as unequivocal: Article 5's ban on torture. At times, states may have disputed the definition of what constitutes torture, but virtually none now openly defend the practice, even if some still carry it out in what the UN High Commissio more PR

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, Nov. 12 -- The University of Pennsylvania issued the following news: Penn President Amy Gutmann was on hand at the National Constitution Center's Liberty Medal Ceremony on Sunday, Nov. 11, where President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush were recognized for their commitment to veterans. The award was presented by Vice President Joe Biden, the Benjamin Franklin Presidential Practice Professor at Penn and chair of the Center's Board of Trustees. Gutman more PR