CHIPPENDALE, Australia, Nov. 27 -- The Nature Conservation Council issued the following news release: Leading environmental organisations from Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland have strongly welcomed an agreement between the Australian Greens and the Albanese Government to strengthen the Water Amendment (Restoring our Rivers) Bill, saying the proposed amendments will give Basin rivers a chance of restoration after years of delay tactics. The groups have highlighted the   more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 26 -- Adam Ward, Senior Vice President, Member Services, Environmental Affairs and Policy, American Municipal Power Inc., Columbus, Ohio, has issued a public comment to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The comment was written on Nov. 17, 2023, and posted on Nov. 20, 2023. The comment was on Docket No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2004-0489. * * * In response to the Proposed Rule referenced above, American Municipal Power, Inc. ("AMP") hereby submits for the record the following commen  more

CANBERRA, Australia, Nov. 28 - The Australian Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry issued the following news release: Animal welfare in livestock exports will have more meaningful and targeted oversight thanks to the establishment of the Inspector-General of Animal Welfare and Live Animal Exports. The legislation to establish the new Inspector-General was passed in Parliament today. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Murray Watt said the legislation delivers on the A  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29 -- Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) joined colleagues to introduce bipartisan legislation to help protect Ohioans' mail - including their Social Security checks, prescriptions, and other valuable items. The Postal Police Reform Act would help address the steep increase in armed robberies against postal workers, who are often targeted for their "arrow" master keys, by clarifying that Postal Police Officers  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 -- The Export-Import Bank of the United States Office of Inspector General issued the following news release: Paris, France - Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) President and Chair Reta Jo Lewis spoke about EXIM's efforts to advance the global energy transition and the agency's commitment to supporting nuclear energy and critical minerals projects at the International Economic Forum of the Americas (IEFA) Paris Conference (CDP) earlier this week. "Nuclear energy  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, Nov. 30 -- The Illinois National Guard issued the following news: The Illinois Air National Guard announced the appointment of Col. Kevin Jacobs as the Chief of Staff and will pin on his star as a new brigadier general on Saturday, Dec. 2, making him the first Black general officer in the history of the organization. "I'm honored to congratulate Air Force Colonel Kevin Jacobs on his promotion to brigadier general and on becoming the highest-ranking Black officer in the I  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 -- Rep. Kweisi Mfume, D-Maryland, issued the following news release on Dec. 1, 2023: This week, the United States House of Representatives unanimously passed two bipartisan bills co-led by Congressman Kweisi Mfume (D-MD-07) that address the ongoing issue of fraud in the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Relief Program and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). These bills were introduced alongside Congressman Roger Williams (R-TX-25), Chairman of the House Committee on Small   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 -- Rep. Kweisi Mfume, D-Maryland, issued the following statement on Nov. 30, 2023: * * * Today, members of Maryland's federal, state, and local governments including Congressman Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), Governor Wes Moore, Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller, U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-02), John Sarbanes (MD-03), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), David Trone (MD-06), and Glenn Ivey (MD-04  more

NEW HAVEN, Connecticut, Nov. 27 -- The U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Vanessa Roberts Avery, issued the following news release: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CHADDIEL FERRER, 29, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by eight years of supervised release, for trafficking cocaine. According to court documents and statements made in   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 -- Crowell and Moring, a law firm, issued the following news release: Global Investigations Review has named Crowell & Moring's Investigations and White Collar & Regulatory Enforcement groups to its prestigious GIR 100 list, an annual guide to the world's leading cross-border investigations practices. Based on extensive research, GIR selects 100 firms from around the world that it deems most able to handle sophisticated cross-border government-led and internal investigations.  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 (TNSrep) -- The Defense Inspector General issued the following audit report (DODIG-2024-029) on Nov. 28, 2023, entitled "B-52 Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages." Here are excerpts: * * * The objective of this audit was to determine whether the Air Force effectively managed diminishing manufacturing sources and material shortages (DMSMS) for the B-52 strategic bomber to prevent and respond to spare part shortages. Background The last B-52 was deliver  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 (TNSrep) -- The Defense Inspector General issued the following audit report (DODIG-2024-030) on Nov. 30, 2023, entitled "Environmental Threats to Naval Dry Docks." Here are excerpts: * * * Inspector General Robert P. Storch announced today that the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General released the "Audit of Environmental Threats to Naval Dry Docks." The audit highlighted potential vulnerabilities in the master planning for environmental threats to dry docks a  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 -- The Defense Inspector General issued the following management advisory on Nov. 29, 2023, entitled "Concerns with Access to Care and Staffing Shortages in the Military Health System." Here are excerpts: * * * MEMORANDUM FOR DIRECTOR, DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY SUBJECT: Management Advisory: Concerns with Access to Care and Staffing Shortages in the Military Health System (Report No. DODIG-2024-033) This management advisory provides DoD leadership with a summary of the Service  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- The Defense Inspector General issued the following project announcement (Project No. D2024-D000AW-0026.000) on Nov. 27, 2023, regarding the audit of Defense Health Agency's monitoring efforts of TRICARE payments. Here are excerpts: * * * MEMORANDUM FOR DIRECTOR, DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY SUBJECT: Audit of Defense Health Agency's Monitoring Efforts of TRICARE Payments (Project No. D2024-D000AW-0026.000) The purpose of this memorandum is to notify you that we plan to begin   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 -- The Defense Inspector General issued the following project announcement (Project No. D2024-D000FI-0023.000) on Nov. 30, 2023, entitled "Oversight of the Audit of Fiscal 2024 U.S. Department of the Army Working Capital Fund Financial Statements:" * * * MEMORANDUM FOR UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (COMPTROLLER)/CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, DOD DIRECTOR DEFENSE FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING SERVICE AUDITOR GENERAL, DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY SUBJECT: Oversight of the Audit of FY 2024 U.S. D  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 -- The Defense Inspector General issued the following project announcement (Project No. D2024-D000FI-0019.000) on Nov. 30, 2023, entitled "Oversight of the Audit of the Fiscal 2024 U.S. Department of the Army General Fund Financial Statements:" * * * MEMORANDUM FOR UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (COMPTROLLER)/CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, DOD DIRECTOR DEFENSE FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING SERVICE AUDITOR GENERAL, DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY SUBJECT: Oversight of the Audit of the FY 2024 U.S. D  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 -- The Defense Inspector General issued the following Annual Report to Congress pursuant to fiscal 2021 NDAA, Section 554, on Nov. 30, 2023. Here are excerpts: * * * Introductory Message This annual report addresses the reporting requirements pursuant to section 554 of the FY 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)./1 Section 554 requires the DoD Inspector General (IG) to submit annual reports to keep Congress informed on findings and recommendations related to:   more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- The Defense Inspector General issued the following report (DODIG-2024-032) entitled "Quality Assessment Review of the Administrative Investigative Operations of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency OIG:" Here are excerpts: * * * On November 21, 2023, the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DoD OIG) completed a quality assessment review of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency Office of the Inspector General (DTRA OIG). The DoD OIG determined that the system  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 (TNS Rep) -- The Defense Inspector General issued the following report (DODIG-2024-035) on Nov. 29, 2023, entitled "Quality Control Review of The Rodeheaver Group P.C. Fiscal 2021 Single Audit of the National Center for the Advancement of STEM Education Inc." Here are excerpts: * * * To: Audit Principal, The Rodeheaver Group, P.C. SUBJECT: Quality Control Review of The Rodeheaver Group, P.C. FY 2021 Single Audit of the National Center for the Advancement of STEM Education,  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 -- The Defense Inspector General issued the following Semiannual Report to the Congress - April 1, 2023 through Sept. 30, 2023 on Nov. 30, 2023. Here are excerpts: * * * Message from the Inspector General On behalf of the Department of Defense Office Inspector General (DoD OIG), I am pleased to present this Semiannual Report to Congress describing the results of oversight work performed by our auditors, evaluators, investigators, special agents, and other professionals dur  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 (TNSrep) -- The Energy Inspector General issued the following report (No. DOE-OIG-24-05) on Nov. 17, 2023, entitled "Management Challenges - Fiscal 2024." Here are excerpts: * * * The Office of Inspector General (OIG) is required by statute to annually identify what it considers to be the most significant management challenges facing the Department. It will come as no surprise that the attached report focuses on the unprecedented challenges raised by the passage of the Infr  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 -- The Federal Election Commission issued the following weekly digest: * * * Commission meetings and hearings No open meetings or executive sessions were scheduled this week. * * * Advisory Opinions Extension of time Advisory Opinion Request 2023-10 (https://www.fec.gov/data/legal/advisory-opinions/2023-10/) (Sony Pictures Television Inc.) On November 29, the Commission made public an extension of time from the requestor. * * * Enforcement The Commission made public   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 -- The Office of the Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued the following memorandum (No. 2023-IT-B-018R) on Nov. 27, 2023, regarding the results of security control testing of a videoconferencing platform used by the Board: * * * TO: Jeff Riedel, Chief Information Officer, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System FROM: Khalid Hasan, Assistant Inspector General for Information Te  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration has issued a notice, published in the Federal Register on Nov. 30, 2023, entitled "Fiscal Year 2024 Competitive Funding Opportunity: All Stations Accessibility Program." The notice was issued by Nuria I. Fernandez, Administrator. COMMENT DEADLINE: January 30, 2024 * * * SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the opportunity to apply for approximately $343 million in competitive g  more

TALLAHASSEE, Florida, Dec. 1 -- Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody issued the following news release: Attorney General Ashley Moody's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, with the assistance of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, announced the arrest of the owner of a company providing personal supports services to Medicaid recipients. Sheretta Qushawn Joseph is accused of submitting claims to Medicaid for persons with disabilities for services not rendered--resulting in a loss of $50,000 to the prog  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 -- The U.S. Government Publishing Office issued the following news release: The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) has won four Graphic Design Awards from Graphic Design USA magazine. After reviewing more than 10,000 entries, Graphic Design USA magazine selected GPO to win awards for the following work: * 2023 Capitol Christmas Tree logo, U.S. Forest Service * Early Stages Development Guide, District of Columbia Public Schools * Conflict De-escalation Toolkit, U.S. Na  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 (TNSrep) -- The General Services Administration Inspector General issued the following audit report (No. A230076) on Nov. 30, 2023, entitled "PBS Basic Repairs and Alterations Project: U.S. Court of International Trade Building." Here are excerpts: * * * Table of Contents Introduction ... 1 Results Finding - PBS Region 2 did not effectively implement the corrective actions to address deficiencies in the award and administration of the contract to upgrade the passenger el  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 (TNSrep) -- The General Services Administration Inspector General issued the following audit report (No. A210057/B/5/F24001) on Nov. 30, 2023, entitled "Robotic Process Automation Program Lacks Evidence to Support Claimed Savings." Here are excerpts: * * * Executive Summary Why We Performed This Audit The Robotic Process Automation (RPA) program was first introduced as an initiative within the GSA Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) in January 2018. GSA formalize  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 -- The House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform and Antitrust issued the following testimony by Jonathan Kanter, assistant attorney general of the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division, involving a hearing on Nov. 14, 2023, on the oversight of the agency: * * * Chairman Massie, Ranking Member Correa, and distinguished members of the Subcommittee, it is an honor to appear before you today on behalf of the Antitrust Division of the De  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 -- Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, chairman of the House Small Business Committee, issued the following news release: The U.S. House of Representatives passed two small business bills favorably out of the chamber. H.R. 4666, To require the Inspector General of the Small Business Administration to submit a quarterly report on fraud relating to certain COVID-19 loans - sponsored by Reps. Bean (FL-04), Mfume (MD-07), LaLota (NY-01), and Phillips (MN-03) * This bill requires the   more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 28 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued the following news release: NORFOLK, Va. -- An investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service's Mid-Atlantic field office, the Army's Criminal Investigation Division's Major Procurement Fraud field office, the General Services Administration's Office of Inspector General (GSA-OIG); and Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) i  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 -- The Interior Inspector General issued the following audit report (No. 2023-FIN-020) on Nov. 29, 2023, entitled "Independent Auditors' Reports on the Tribal and Other Trust Funds and Individual Indian Monies Trust Funds Financial Statements for Fiscal Years 2023 and 2022." Here are excerpts: * * * Memorandum To: Jerold Gidner, Director, Bureau of Trust Funds Administration From: Kathleen Sedney, Assistant Inspector General for Audits, Inspections, and Evaluations Subje  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- The Interior Inspector General issued the following semiannual report to Congress for the period ending Sept. 30, 2023 on Nov. 29, 2023. Here are excerpts: * * * Message From the Inspector General It is my pleasure to submit this semiannual report detailing our oversight of the DOI between April 1, 2023, and September 30, 2023. Our work during this reporting period addressed what we have identified as the DOI's three major management challenges - managing spending, del  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on Dec. 1, 2023: A former federal correctional officer was sentenced today to 63 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a $25,000 special assessment for his sexually abusive conduct against two female victims who were serving prison sentences at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Dublin. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. John Bellhous  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on Nov. 30, 2023: A federal grand jury in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, returned an indictment today charging a Louisiana man for his role in a scheme to defraud Medicare and Medicaid of over $148 million in medically unnecessary definitive urine drug testing services. According to court documents, Brad Paul Schaeffer, 48, of Zachary, was a co-owner and chief executive officer of MedComp Sciences LLC (MedComp), a  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on Nov. 30, 2023: A Texas doctor was sentenced today to seven years in prison for operating a pill mill clinic that unlawfully prescribed over 600,000 opioid pills in exchange for cash. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Dr. Oscar Lightner, 73, and Andres Martinez Jr., 29, both of Laredo, operated Jomori Health and Wellness (Jomori), a purported Houston pain management clinic, as a  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 -- The Justice Inspector General issued the following audit report (No. 24-013) on Nov. 30, 2023, regarding the Office of Justice Programs Victim Assistance Funds Subawarded by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services to the City of Richmond Victim Witness Services Program, Richmond, Virginia." Here are excerpts: * * * Executive Summary Background The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP) provided funds to the Virginia Department o  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 -- The Justice Inspector General issued the following audit report (No. 24-009) on Nov. 16, 2023, entitled "Federal Bureau of Prisons' Contract Awarded to the American Correctional Association." Here are excerpts: * * * Executive Summary Objectives The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) awarded a $2.75 million contract to the American Correctional Association (ACA) in 2018 to obtain accreditation and reaccreditation for BOP facilities. The audit evaluated: (1) the value the   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 (TNSrep) -- The U.S. Department of Justice Inspector General issued the following semiannual report to Congress April 1, 2023 through Sept. 30, 2023 on Nov. 30, 2023. Here are excerpts: * * * MESSAGE FROM THE INSPECTOR GENERAL It is my pleasure to submit this Semiannual Report on the operations of the Department of Justice (DOJ or Department) OIG, which covers the period from April 1, 2023, to September 30, 2023. Within the past 6 months, the OIG has completed and released  more

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky, Nov. 30 -- The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky, Michael A. Bennett, issued the following news release on Nov. 29, 2023: A Louisville man was sentenced yesterday to 1 year and 6 months in prison for charges related to his submission of twelve fraudulent Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act applications. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Kelly K. Moening, Special Agent in Charge, Treasury Inspec  more

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, Dec. 1 -- The U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana, Ronald C. Gathe Jr., issued the following news release: A federal grand jury in Baton Rouge returned an indictment today charging a Louisiana man for his role in a scheme to defraud Medicare and Medicaid of over $148 million in medically unnecessary definitive urine drug testing services. According to court documents, Brad Paul Schaeffer, 48, of Zachary, was a co-owner and chief executive officer of MedC  more

PATRICK AFB, Florida, Nov. 30 -- The U.S. Air Force's 45th Space Wing issued the following news: By Airman 1st Class Spencer Contreras On October 5th, 2023, the 45th Logistics Readiness Squadron hosted its first personnel deployment function line in more than 13 years at Patrick Space Force Base, Florida. PDF lines are organized to help streamline the pre-deployment process for service members. "It's a routine thing where members who are deploying come in, pick up their gear for deployment, a  more

GREENBELT, Maryland, Dec. 2 -- The U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Erek L. Barron, issued the following news release: Federal inmates Jason Haddox, age 40, and Jonathan Henry, age 32, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, and Henry also pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft, relating to the submission of fraudulent CARES Act unemployment insurance benefits. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security ("CARES") Act was a federal law enacted in  more

GREAT FALLS, Montana, Nov. 28 -- The U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana, Jesse Laslovich, issued the following news release: The former operations manager for the Blackfeet Tribe was arraigned today on charges accusing him of stealing federal COVID-19 relief funding the tribe received, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. James Cameron McNeely, 43, of Browning, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with theft from an Indian tribal government receiving federal funding, wire fra  more

TRENTON, New Jersey, Dec. 1 -- The U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Philip R. Sellinger, issued the following news release on Nov. 30, 2023: A former airline corporate real estate director and former airline senior manager, as well as a former airline contractor, each admitted accepting bribes from a company in exchange for agreeing to assist the company obtain contracts from the airline, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Alok Saksena, 45, of Montclair, New Jersey  more

TRENTON, New Jersey, Nov. 28 -- The U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Philip R. Sellinger, issued the following news release: A Mercer County, New Jersey, man and a Bucks County, Pennsylvania, man today admitted participating in a conspiracy to obtain overtime payments from the city of Trenton for work they did not perform by fraudulently inflating the overtime hours they claimed to have worked conducting residential lead inspections, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced toda  more

BROOKLYN, New York, Dec. 2 -- The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Breon Peace, issued the following news release on Dec. 1, 2023: Earlier today, Stuart Conklin, a former employee of the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), pleaded guilty to making a false entry in a report required to be kept by the LIRR under federal laws governing rail road safety and operations. Conklin was charged with the offense in a criminal complaint in March 2021 and subsequently indicted in April 2022. To  more

BROOKLYN, New York, Nov. 30 -- The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Breon Peace, issued the following news release on Nov. 29, 2023: Today, Daniel E. Russo was sentenced to 60 months in prison by United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone, distribution and possession of oxycodone, and nine counts of filing false personal and corporate tax returns. In addition to the terms of imprisonment, Judge Ir  more

CHIPPENDALE, Australia, Nov. 30 -- The Nature Conservation Council issued the following statement on Nov. 29, 2023: * * * The successful passage of the Restoring our Rivers Bill through the Senate heralds a breakthrough in efforts to revive Australia's largest river system to health, leading environment organisations from Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland said today. The Murray-Darling Conservation Alliance, which represents close to half a million supporters across al  more

CRANE, Indiana, Nov. 29 -- The Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane issued the following news: By Sarah K. Oh, NSWC Crane Corporate Communications A Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) employee has dedicated twenty years of his life to service to the Department of Defense (DOD), including experience as a U.S. Army reservist and as a Navy civilian. Michael Wallace, an Acting Budget Division Manager at NSWC Crane, has worked at NSWC Crane since 2014. He started working in a  more

CRANE, Indiana, Dec. 2 -- The Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane issued the following news: By Sarah K. Oh, NSWC Crane Corporate Communications Three Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) Human Resources (HR) employees were recognized by Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) for advancements in their field. Madeline Crews, Karen Hulbert, and Kiley Headley were selected for the 2023 NAVSEA HR Awards in October. NSWC Crane received three of the seven 2023 NAVSEA HR Awards. Cr  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 28 -- The Naval Sea Systems Command issued the following news: CRANE, Ind. - A Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) employee has dedicated twenty years of his life to service to the Department of Defense (DOD), including experience as a U.S. Army reservist and as a Navy civilian. Michael Wallace, an Acting Budget Division Manager at NSWC Crane, has worked at NSWC Crane since 2014. He started working in accounting and has also been in ro  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 -- The Naval Sea Systems Command issued the following news: CRANE, Ind. - Three Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) Human Resources (HR) employees were recognized by Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) for advancements in their field. Madeline Crews, Karen Hulbert, and Kiley Headley were selected for the 2023 NAVSEA HR Awards in October. NSWC Crane received three of the seven 2023 NAVSEA HR Awards. Crews received the Innovation Award,  more

CINCINNATI, Ohio, Nov. 30 -- The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Kenneth L. Parker, issued the following news release: The former executive director of the Clermont Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) was indicted for allegedly stealing tens of thousands of dollars intended to assist low-income residents of Clermont County, Ohio. Timothy Holland, 56, of Williamsburg, Ohio, self-surrendered at U.S. District Court in Cincinnati today. According to the indictment, Holland serv  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, Nov. 29 -- The Pennsylvania House Republicans issued the following news release: Rep. Jamie Flick (R-Lycoming/Union) looks forward to participating in upcoming House Government Oversight Committee meetings to assess how local and state systems can best serve the people of Pennsylvania and prevent corruption, negligence and fraud. "I feel that I am a good fit for this committee because I do not accept money from special interest groups. Unfortunately, there's no shorta  more

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, Dec. 2 -- The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Jacqueline C. Romero, issued the following news release on Dec. 1, 2023: United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced today that Cambria County Area Agency on Aging (CCAAA) has agreed to pay $122,461.53 to resolve claims arising from CCAAA's administration of community service grants funded through AmeriCorps. In 2016 and 2017, CCAAA administered an AmeriCorps Foster Grandparent Program (  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, Nov. 30 -- The U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Gerard M. Karam, issued the following release: The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Creed White, age 65, of Freeland, Maryland, was charged in a criminal information with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and engaging in an unlawful monetary transaction. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the information alleges that White owned A  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- Rep. Chris Pappas, D-New Hampshire, issued the following news release: This week, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) called on the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to exercise strong oversight over the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in Medicare Advantage prior authorization determinations. Congressman Pappas cited reports of improper claims denials by Medicare Advantage plans and highlighted the concerns of Medicare enrollees that t  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 28 (TNSres)-- The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association issued the following news release: In case you missed it, Pat Toomey, former U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania, cautioned lawmakers against legislation targeting pharmacy benefit companies and policies that meddle with the free market in a new op-ed published in Townhall. Senator Toomey highlights how pharmacy benefit companies secure savings: "A comprehensive study from the Government Accountability Office in 2003 fou  more

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Dec. 2 -- The U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, W. Stephen Muldrow, issued the following news release on Dec. 1, 2023: A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned a 60-count superseding indictment charging 18 individuals with importation of cocaine and marijuana into the District of Puerto Rico and continental United States, and money laundering. The investigation is still ongoing. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Postal In  more

BOSTON, Massachusetts, Nov. 29 -- The U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration's New England Division issued the following news release: BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Today, Daniel E. Russo was sentenced to 60 months in prison by United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone, distribution and possession of oxycodone, and nine counts of filing false personal and corporate tax returns. In addition to the terms of im  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., introduced legislation on Nov. 6, 2023. The text of the bill was released on Nov. 29. H.R. 6247. A bill to modify the scope of the Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction; to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee c  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29 -- Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, issued the following news release on Nov. 28, 2023: More than 500 Biden Administration employees have reportedly signed an open letter urging the president to call for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. These employees may be using their roles in the federal government to undercut efforts aimed at supporting Israel. Further, the employees may have potentially violated the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from participating in pa  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29 -- Rick Gulizia, Assistant Vice President, Research and Innovation, and Research Integrity Officer, San Diego State University, has issued a public comment to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The comment was written on Nov. 21, 2023, and posted on Nov. 22, 2023. The comment, on Docket No. HHS-OASH-2023-0014-0001, was sent to Sheila Garrity, Director, Office of Research Integrity. * * * We write to provide comments in response to the Notice of Proposed Rule  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 (TNSrep) -- The Small Business Administration Inspector General issued the following Semiannual Report to Congress covering April 1, 2023 through Sept. 30, 2023. Here are excerpts: * * * Message from the Inspector General I am pleased to present the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) Fall 2023 Semiannual Report to Congress. This report summarizes OIG's activities from April 1, 2023 through September 30, 2023, as required by law.   more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 21 -- Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, issued the following statement: * * * U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, issued the following statement after it was announced that the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Board will establish a Special Committee to oversee the independent review of agency culture. "The FDIC Board has taken app  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following opening statement at a hearing on Nov. 8, 2023, entitled "Fairness and Fiscal Responsibility: Cracking Down on Wealthy Tax Cheats": * * * If someone were to base everything they know about IRS reform from what they hear today, they'd probably get the impression it's a divisive and politically charged topic. A few years ago, however, IRS reform had strong bipartisan support.   more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee issued a report (S.Rpt. 118-88) on the GAO Inspector General Parity Act (S. 1510), which aims to amend provisions relating to the Office of the Inspector General of the Government Accountability Office. The report was advanced by Sen. Gary Peters, D-Michigan, on Aug. 22, 2023. Here are excerpts: * * * I. Purpose and Summary S. 1510, the GAO Inspector General Parity Act, amends chapter 7 of title 31, United  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- The Senate Special Committee on Aging issued the following testimony by Teresa Galgano, director of member relations of the Blinded Veterans Association, involving a hearing on Nov. 10, 2023, entitled "Issues Facing Veterans: Access to Care, Services, and Economic Opportunity": * * * INTRODUCTION Chairman Casey, Ranking Member Braun, Senator Scott, and distinguished Members of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, on behalf of the Blinded Veterans Association (BVA) and  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- Sen. Susan M. Collins, R-Maine, issued the following news release: Washington, D.C. - In a letter to United States Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, U.S. Senator Susan Collins expressed her strong opposition to any consolidation of Maine's two United States Postal Service (USPS) processing facilities located in Hampden and Scarborough. This comes after USPS announced a study to see if it makes operational sense to consolidate outgoing operations into the Scarborough facilit  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- Rep. John P. Sarbanes, D-Maryland, issued the following news release: WASHINGTON, DC -- Today, members of Maryland's federal, state and local governments including Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), Governor Wes Moore, Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller, U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Congressmen John Sarbanes (MD-03), Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-02), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), David Trone (MD-06) and Glenn Ivey (MD-04), and Princ  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- Rep. Steny H. Hoyer, D-Maryland, issued the following news release: WASHINGTON, DC -- Today, members of Maryland's federal, state, and local governments including Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), Governor Wes Moore, Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller, U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-02), John Sarbanes (MD-03), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), David Trone (MD-06), and Glenn Ivey (MD-04), and Princ  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, issued the following news release: Today, members of Maryland's federal, state, and local governments including U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-MD), Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), Governor Wes Moore, Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller, and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-02), John Sarbanes (MD-03), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), David Trone (MD-06), and Glenn Ivey (MD-04), and Prince George's Cou  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- Sen. Benjamin Cardin, D-Maryland, issued the following news release: Members of Maryland's federal, state, and local governments including U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, Governor Wes Moore, Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller, Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer (Md.-05), Dutch Ruppersberger (Md.-02), John Sarbanes (Md.-03), Kweisi Mfume (Md.-07), Jamie Raskin (Md.-08), David Trone (Md.-06) and Glenn Ivey (Md.-04), and Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrook  more

TYLER, Texas, Dec. 1 -- The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas, Damien M. Diggs, issued the following news release on Nov. 30, 2023: Five defendants, including laboratory executives and hospital executives, were found guilty of conspiring to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today. Susan L. Hertzberg, 65, of New York, New York; Matthew John Theiler, 57, of Mars, Pennsylvania; David Weldon Kraus, 65, of Loudon, Tennessee; Thomas Gray Hardawa  more

DALLAS, Texas, Dec. 2 -- The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Leigha Simonton, issued the following news release on Dec. 1, 2023: A Plano man pleaded guilty Thursday to orchestrating a fraudulent scheme to obtain approximately $1.7 million from Medicare, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Damon Heath Roberts, 55, was charged via criminal information in September 2023 and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to solicit or receive ki  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Dec. 1 -- The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, Alamdar S. Hamdani, issued the following news release: A Texas doctor has been sentenced to seven years in prison for operating a pill mill clinic that unlawfully prescribed over 600,000 opioid pills in exchange for cash, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. A federal jury convicted Dr. Oscar Lightner, 73, Laredo, April 11 of unlawfully distributing and dispensing controlled substances and conspiracy. Accor  more

DALLAS, Texas, Nov. 30 -- The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Leigha Simonton, issued the following news release: A Tulsa, Oklahoma man who submitted fraudulent insurance claims for COVID-19 testing, resulting in a more than $7 million loss to insurers was sentenced Wednesday to 54 months in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. William Paul Gray, 50, was charged via criminal information in March and pleaded guilty to Cons  more

BOSTON, Massachusetts, Dec. 2 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts issued the following news release on Dec. 1, 2023: A former U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with two schemes to convert USPS funds. Zeon Johnson, 28, of Saugus, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to time served (one day in prison) and two years of supervised release. Johnson was also ordered to pay $18,206 in   more

BOSTON, Massachusetts, Nov. 27 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts issued the following news release: A Virginia-based nurse practitioner pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with a $7.8 million telemedicine fraud scheme involving medically unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME), including orthotics such as back and knee braces. Daphne Jenkins, 64, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. U.S. Distric  more

LEXINGTON, Kentucky, Nov. 28 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky issued the following news release: Appalachian Regional Healthcare, Inc. ("ARH"), a hospital system based in eastern Kentucky, and one of its cardiologists have agreed to collectively pay the United States $3,033,861.92 to settle civil allegations that they submitted, or caused the submission of, improper claims to Medicare and Kentucky Medicaid for non-covered services. The case arises from di  more

TAMPA, Florida, Nov. 28 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida issued the following news release: U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew has sentenced Jignesh Purshottambhai Vekaria (30, Tampa) to four years and three months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $372,000, the proceeds of the offense. Vekaria had pleaded guilty on July 20, 2023. According t  more

SCRANTON, Pennsylvania, Nov. 28 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania issued the following news release: The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Paul Helring, age 47, a former Scranton police officer and the former elected police union president, was charged yesterday by Criminal Information with the offense of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds. According to the United States Attorney's Offi  more

SEATTLE, Washington, Nov. 30 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington issued the following news release: The Department of Justice and Innovative Sleep Centers PLLC and Innovative Sleep Centers, Inc., have resolved allegations that the sleep centers improperly billed Medicare and Medicaid for medical services. The clinics paid $644,562 to resolve the matter. Of the settlement amount, $435,404 went to the federal government as restitution and penalties and $209,1  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 -- The Agriculture Inspector General issued the following report on Nov. 2, 2023, entitled "FY 2024 Annual Plan." Here are excerpts: * * * Message from the Inspector General The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Inspector General's (OIG) Annual Plan for Fiscal Year 2024 (Annual Plan) describes how OIG plans to accomplish its mission of promoting economy, efficiency, effectiveness, and integrity in the delivery of USDA programs during the fiscal year (FY). Our  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 26 (TNSrep) -- The Veterans Affairs Inspector General issued the following oversight report (No. 21-02984-179) on Nov. 16, 2023, entitled "Better Coordination Needed to Negotiate Consistent Prices for Prescription Eyeglasses." Here are excerpts: * * * Executive Summary The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted this review to assess whether the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) maintains price consistency across vendors and contracts when it purchases prescription  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 (TNSrep) -- The Veterans Affairs Inspector General issued the following oversight report (No. 22-00879-196) on Sept. 22, 2023, entitled "Compliance with the Transparency & Trust Act of 2021 Semiannual Report: September 2023." Here are excerpts: * * * Executive Summary As part of the federal government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress passed legislation to provide VA with supplemental funding to support VA's mission. Accordingly, the Families First Coronavirus  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 (TNSrep) -- The Veterans Affairs Inspector General issued the following oversight report (No. 22-00238-213) on Sept. 22, 2023, entitled "Comprehensive Healthcare Inspection of the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston, Texas." Here are excerpts: * * * Report Overview This Office of Inspector General (OIG) Comprehensive Healthcare Inspection Program (CHIP) report provides a focused evaluation of the quality of care delivered in the inpatient and outpatient settin  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 26 (TNSrep) -- The Veterans Affairs Inspector General issued the following oversight report (No. 22-00240-17) on Nov. 15, 2023, entitled "Comprehensive Healthcare Inspection of the Overton Brooks VA Medical Center in Shreveport, Louisiana." Here are excerpts: * * * Report Overview This Office of Inspector General (OIG) Comprehensive Healthcare Inspection Program (CHIP) report provides a focused evaluation of the quality of care delivered in the inpatient and outpatient setti  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 26 (TNSrep) -- The Veterans Affairs Inspector General issued the following oversight report (No. 23-00383-21) on Nov. 14, 2023, entitled "Delayed Receipt of Patients' Colorectal Cancer Screening Tests at the Phoenix VA Health Care System in Arizona." Here are excerpts: * * * Executive Summary The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted a healthcare inspection to assess allegations of delays in the receipt of patients' colorectal cancer (CRC) screening tests at the Pho  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 (TNSrep) -- The Veterans Affairs Inspector General issued the following oversight report (No. 23-01177-215) on Sept. 22, 2023, entitled "Evaluation of Medication Management in Veterans Health Administration Facilities." Here are excerpts: * * * Report Overview This Office of Inspector General (OIG) Comprehensive Healthcare Inspection Program (CHIP) report provides a focused evaluation of the quality of care delivered in randomly selected Veterans Health Administration (VH  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 (TNSrep) -- The Veterans Affairs Inspector General issued the following oversight report (No. 22-02936-175) on Sept. 25, 2023, entitled "Improvements Needed for VBA's Claims Automation Project." Here are excerpts: * * * Executive Summary The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) established the Office of Automated Benefits Delivery (ABD) in October 2021. The office's goals were to leverage data and technology to support accurate and equitable claims decisions for veteran  more

RICHMOND, Virginia, Nov. 28 -- The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Jessica D. Aber, issued the following news release: Former Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Lieutenant was sentenced today to 36 months in prison for violating the civil rights of an inmate by showing deliberate indifference to the inmate's serious medical needs, resulting in the inmate's death. "This inmate's death was not the result of inadvertence or a lapse in judgment." said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorn  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA), and Reps. Don Beyer (D-VA), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Jen Kiggans (R-VA), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA), Bobby Scott (D-VA), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), Jennifer Wexton (D-VA), and Rob Wittman (R-VA) today welcomed the news that the Inspector General (IG) of the General Services Administration (GSA) will initiate an investigation into the site s  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- Rep. Gerald "Gerry" Connolly, D-Virginia, issued the following news: Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA), and Reps. Don Beyer (D-VA), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Jen Kiggans (R-VA), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA), Bobby Scott (D-VA), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), Jennifer Wexton (D-VA), and Rob Wittman (R-VA) today welcomed the news that the Inspector General (IG) of the General Services Administration (GSA) will initiate an investigation into   more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA), and Reps. Don Beyer (D-VA), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Jen Kiggans (R-VA), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA), Bobby Scott (D-VA), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), Jennifer Wexton (D-VA), and Rob Wittman (R-VA) today welcomed the news that the Inspector General (IG) of the General Services Administration (GSA) will initiate an investiga  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- Rep. Robert C. Scott, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA), and Reps. Don Beyer (D-VA), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Jen Kiggans (R-VA), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA), Bobby Scott (D-VA), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), Jennifer Wexton (D-VA), and Rob Wittman (R-VA) today welcomed the news that the Inspector General (IG) of the General Services Administration (GSA) will initiate an investigation into the si  more

CHARLESTON, West Virginia, Dec. 1 -- The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia, Will Thompson, issued the following news release on Nov. 30, 2023: Jerry D. Elkins, 54, of Danville, was sentenced today to three years of federal probation, including 10 months on home detention, and ordered to pay $94,197.93 in restitution for theft from programs receiving federal funds. Elkins admitted to fraudulently obtaining $94,197.93 of federal abandoned mine land (AML) remediation sub-gra  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, issued the following news release: New Transdigm Information Shows Company is "Taking Advantage of Loopholes in Federal Contracting Law" to Drive Up Prices for Taxpayers while Earning Exorbitant Profits Price Gouging Creates National Security Vulnerability; Lawmakers Call on DoD to Enforce Pricing Transparency Laws to Prevent Contractor Ripoffs Text of Letter to DoD (PDF) | Text of Letter to TransDigm (PDF) Washington, D.C. - Aft  more