SAN FRANCISCO, California, Nov. 17 -- The U.S. Department of Labor issued the following remarks on Nov. 16, 2023, by Acting Secretary Julie Su at the launch of the Presidential Memorandum on Advancing Worker Empowerment, Rights and High Labor Standards Globally: * * * Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su today joined Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai in San Francisco at the launch of the Presidential Memorandum on Advancing Worker Empowerment, Right  more

FORT BRAGG, North Carolina, Nov. 16 -- The U.S. Army Reserve Command issued the following news: CHICAGO - It's not every day that a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter lands at a school - let alone on a school day. But that's exactly what happened at John Hersey High School in honor of Veterans Day 2023. The UH-60 Black Hawk landing was just one part of an action-packed three days across Chicagoland, Nov. 9-11, 2023, for U.S. Army Reserve Maj. Gen. Matthew V. Baker, commanding gene  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 17 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration issued the following news release on Nov. 16, 2023: The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) today announced the award of $34 million in grants to 10 projects in 10 states under the Advanced Digital Construction Management Systems (ADCMS) grant program. The grants will help promote digital construction, such as computer modeling and 3D design, and state-of-the-art p  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 -- The U.S. Department of Energy issued the following news: WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As part of the President's Investing in America agenda and in conjunction with National Apprenticeship Week, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the selection of 17 new Industrial Assessment Centers (IAC) and the inaugural cohort of 10 Building Training and Assessment Centers (BTAC). Selectees are expected to receive a combined $40.8 million, made possible by President Biden's Bip  more

OAKLAND, California, Nov. 17 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release on Nov. 16, 2023: California Attorney General Rob Bonta today led 21 attorneys general in opposing a state law in Oklahoma that severely blocks the ability of transgender youth to access critical, lifesaving gender-affirming care. The plaintiffs in Poe v. Drummond are suing to block Oklahoma's Senate Bill (SB) 613, which restricts medical treatment for transgender minors seeking gender-affirm  more

ARGONNE, Illinois, Nov. 17 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory issued the following news release: * * * New light sources have made it possible to explore new methods of powering a nuclear clock. Work led by Argonne researchers now points the way toward this once-theoretical timepiece. * * * For decades, the standard reference tool for ultraprecise timekeeping has been the atomic clock. Scientists have known that an even more precise and reliable timepiece  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued the following news release: CHICAGO -- On Nov. 16, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Chicago Field Office Director LaDeon Francis announced the results of a local enforcement operation conducted between Oct. 23 - Nov. 3 during which officers apprehended 44 removable noncitizens determined to be a threat to national security, public safety or border security. This targeted enforce  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, Nov. 17 -- Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued the following news release on Nov. 16, 2023: Attorney General Kwame Raoul is opposing a state law in Oklahoma that severely limits the ability of transgender youth to access critical, lifesaving gender-affirming care. Raoul, along with a coalition of attorneys general, filed an amicus brief (https://illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/News-Room/Current-News/Poe%20amicus%20brief.pdf?language_id=1) supporting the plaintiffs in Poe  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, Nov. 17 -- The Illinois Auditor General issued the following compliance examination on Nov. 16, 2023, involving the Illinois Joining Forces Foundation. Here are excerpts: * * * INTRODUCTION Because of the significance and pervasiveness of the findings described within the report, the accountants expressed an adverse opinion on the Illinois Joining Forces Foundation's (Foundation) compliance with the specified requirements which comprise a compliance examination. The Co  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, Nov. 17 -- The Illinois Auditor General issued the following financial audit on Nov. 16, 2023, involving the Illinois Joining Forces Foundation. Here are excerpts: * * * INTRODUCTION The auditors expressed an adverse opinion on the Illinois Joining Forces Foundation's (Foundation) basic financial statements. The Codification of Statements on Auditing Standards (AU-C Sec. 705.09) states auditors "should express an adverse opinion when the auditor, having obtained suffic  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, Nov. 17 -- The Illinois Auditor General issued the following financial audit on Nov. 16, 2023, involving the Illinois Toll Highway Authority. Here are excerpts: * * * INTRODUCTION This digest covers the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority's (Tollway) Financial Audit as of and for the year ended December 31, 2022. * * * FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS INADEQUATE INTERNAL CONTROLS OVER INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENTS The Illinois State Toll Highway Authorit  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, Nov. 17 -- The Illinois Auditor General issued the following compliance examination on Nov. 16, 2023, involving Legislative Inspector General. Here are excerpts: * * * INTRODUCTION The Office of the Legislative Inspector General (Office) was created in November 2003 by the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act (Act) (5 ILCS 430/25 et seq.). There were no material findings of noncompliance disclosed during our examination. * * * ACCOUNTANT'S OPINION The accountan  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, Nov. 17 -- The Illinois Auditor General issued the following compliance examination on Nov. 16, 2023, involving State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor. Here are excerpts: * * * FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS LACK OF ADEQUATE CONTROLS OVER THE REVIEW OF INTERNAL CONTROLS OF SERVICE PROVIDERS The Office of the State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor (Office) did not implement adequate controls over its service providers. The Office utilized three service pro  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, Nov. 16 -- The Illinois House Democrats issued the following news release: Alarmed by the monthslong delays residents have experienced trying to secure professional licenses necessary for their employment, state Rep. Mary Gill, D-Chicago, recently supported a measure to require the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) to modernize its outdated computer systems, as well as use discretion to extend license expirations and renewal deadlines fo  more

BELLEVILLE, Illinois, Nov. 16 -- The Illinois House Democrats issued the following news release: With Thanksgiving around the corner, state Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea, is joining Meridian Health and state Sen. Christopher Belt, D-Swansea, for a free turkey and ham giveaway this upcoming Tuesday, Nov. 21 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Downtown Belleville YMCA, located at 200 S. Illinois St. "The holiday season is always an exciting time, and we want families to have access to a nice turkey or h  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, Nov. 16 -- The Illinois House Democrats issued the following news release: State Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, issued this statement calling for a National Transportation Safety Board investigation after a serious train crash on the CTA yellow line Thursday morning, which so far has left 23 people hospitalized-three in critical condition. "This morning, CTA riders experienced a tragic accident that left at least 23 hospitalized; their swift recovery would be a blessing. My pr  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, Nov. 16 -- The Illinois House Democrats issued the following news release: Continuing his efforts to ensure that housing remains accessible to the most vulnerable Illinoisans, state Rep Curtis J. Tarver II, D-Chicago, was recently named as House Speaker Emanuel 'Chris' Welch's appointment to the state's Rental Housing Support Program Funding Allocation Task Force. "As we continue to emerge from the pandemic and endure rising inflation, we have to make sure that all of our co  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, Nov. 17 -- The Illinois Commerce Commission issued the following news release: The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) approved multiple rail crossing upgrades to improve highway-rail safety in Clark County. Stipulated Agreement 2281 requires new automatic warning signals and approach grade improvements at the CR 1900E (AAR/DOT #546336G), Baystown Rd (AAR/DOT #546342K), and N. 1400th St (AAR/DOT #546343S) crossings. "Intersections where highway traffic and train tracks me  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, Nov. 17 -- The Illinois Commerce Commission issued the following news release on Nov. 16, 2023: Today, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) disallowed $36.34 million to Ameren Illinois' rate request for its natural gas delivery services in Illinois. The decision is approximately 50.8 percent lower than Ameren's initial request for a $71.57 million increase and approves a 9.44 percent return on equity (ROE), a reduction from Ameren's proposed 10.3 percent ROE. The ICC h  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, Nov. 17 -- The Illinois Commerce Commission issued the following news release on Nov. 16, 2023: Today, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) disallowed $96.99 million to Nicor Gas' rate request for its natural gas delivery services in Illinois. The decision is about 30.3 percent lower than Nicor's initial request for a $320 million increase and approves a 9.51 percent return on equity (ROE), a reduction from Nicor Gas' current 9.73 percent ROE and the company's requested 10.  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, Nov. 17 -- The Illinois Commerce Commission issued the following news release on Nov. 16, 2023: Today, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) disallowed $101.12 million and $5.57 million to Peoples and North Shore Gas' respective rate requests for their natural gas delivery services in Illinois. The Commission's decision is approximately 25 and 34 percent lower than Peoples and North Shores' initial requests for $403.98 and $16.59 million in respective increases and approves   more

LANSING, Michigan, Nov. 17 -- Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued the following news release on Nov. 16, 2023: Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel today announced the filing of a multistate comment letter including a coalition of 11 attorneys general in support of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) regarding changes to the H-2A program. The H-2A program allows agricultural employers who anticipate a shortage of domestic workers to bring nonim  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, Nov. 17 -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago, a district bank in the Federal Home Loan Bank System, issued the following news: The Office of Finance is announcing the publication of the Third Quarter 2023 Combined Financial Report of the Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBanks). This report has been prepared from the unaudited financial information of the FHLBanks. Each of the FHLBanks has filed its Third Quarter 2023 Form 10-Q with the SEC. Current financial reports and other   more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, Nov. 17 -- President Biden issued the following remarks on Nov. 16, 2023, at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit: * * * THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Please, have a seat. Welcome to San Francisco. (Applause.) This Moscone Center is about as big as my state. (Laughter.) This is a city of -- synonymous with innovation and breaking barriers, where collaboration and coming together have always been key to unlocking our potential. It's a city that has been s  more