CHICAGO, Illinois, March 14 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois issued the following news release on March 13, 2024: A man has been sentenced to 27 years in prison for shooting two federal agents and a task force officer who were conducting a covert investigation in Chicago. EUGENE MCLAURIN, 31, of Chicago, pleaded guilty last year to three counts of assaulting a federal officer and two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence. U.S. District Jud  more

WASHINGTON, March 14 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued the following news release: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will invest about $138 million of financial assistance from President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act--the largest climate investment in history--in 138 new climate-smart conservation easements, through which farmers and ranchers are conserving wetlands, grasslands and prime farmlands. These selected Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) projects ar  more

DALLAS, Texas, March 14 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics - Southwest Regional Information Office issued the following report on March 13, 2024, entitled "Employer Costs for Employee Compensation for the Regions - December 2023": * * * Private industry employer costs for employee compensation among the four regions of the country ranged from $38.48 per hour in the South to $52.32 in the Northeast in December 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- The Commodity Futures Trading Commission issued the following remarks on March 12, 2024, by Chairman Rostin Behnam at the FIA Boca 2024 International Futures Industry conference at Boca Raton, Florida: * * * There may be a few FIA Futures Hall of Fame members in the audience who know or can recall the origin of the CFTC. This October, the CFTC will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission Act of 1974.[1] The Act establi  more

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin, March 14 -- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued the following news release on March 13, 2024: * * * Settles Federal Charges Company Insufficiently Accommodated Vision-Impaired Employee * * * Charter Communications, LLC, a broadband connectivity company and cable operator also known as Spectrum, will pay $60,000 and provide other relief to settle a disability accommodation lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federa  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued the following news release: KEY POINTS Infertility affects millions of Americans in the United States at some point in their life. Difficulty conceiving can be caused by a variety of factors such as age, health conditions, and for couples who are same sex or individuals without a partner and cannot otherwise conceive. In addition, some couples experience unexplained infertility where tests reveal no obvious causes  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, March 14 -- Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued the following news release: Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 21 attorneys general, filed an amicus brief (https://ilag-dev.dotcms.cloud/dA/31f8d957-5af8-4c17-8d24-9eb6799a575d/fileAsset/Poe%20v.%20Labrador%20amicus.pdf) today in support of a challenge to an Idaho law that blocks transgender youth from accessing critical, lifesaving gender-affirming care. The plaintiffs in Poe v. Labrador, two tra  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, March 14 -- The Illinois Senate Democrats issued the following news on March 13, 2024: Senate Democrats advocated for the Healthcare Protection Act to curb predatory insurance practices to ensure adequate access to health care for people in Illinois at a press conference Wednesday. "The big time insurance companies are going to fight us on this, but we are going to bring the public - the people of Illinois - with us to the negotiating table and get this done," said State  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, March 14 -- The Illinois Senate Democrats issued the following news on March 13, 2024: State Senator Omar Aquino, standing alongside Service Employees International Union members, pushed for a wage increase for home care workers in Illinois at a rally Wednesday. "When I worked for the Community Care Program, I witnessed firsthand the impact of home care workers on seniors' ability to live an independent and dignified life," expressed Aquino to advocates gathered in the C  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, March 14 -- The Illinois Senate Democrats issued the following news on March 13, 2024: State Senator Christopher Belt advanced a measure out of the Senate Executive Committee Wednesday that aims to identify and correct inequities some individuals face when seeking loans, mortgages or other financial services. "Access to fair lending services, reasonable banking and other financial assistance is fundamental to economic development and stability," said Belt (D-Swansea). "H  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, March 14 -- The Illinois Senate Democrats issued the following news: As the number of overdoses continues to rise in Illinois and people fall victim to fentanyl-laced drugs, State Senator Laura Ellman is working to mitigate this critical issue with legislation that allows for free distribution of fentanyl test strips to the public. "Fentanyl overdoses and fentanyl-laced drugs have been a longstanding issue across Illinois residents and families," said Ellman (D-Napervill  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, March 14 -- The Illinois Senate Democrats issued the following news: A new law may soon be on the books to help ensure insurance coverage for certain infertility treatments, thanks to State Senator Michael E. Hastings. "My daughter was born via in vitro fertilization, so this is near and dear to my heart," said Hastings (D-Frankfort). "It is truly unfortunate that individuals or families that are already facing heartbreak due to infertility complications are being forced  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, March 14 -- The Illinois Senate Democrats issued the following news: Under a new measure proposed by State Senator Robert Martwick, the property tax system in Illinois would face review by the Department of Revenue. "Clearly, the property tax system across the entirety of the state of Illinois is in need of reform," said Martwick (D-Chicago). "This study will help us identify fair and equitable reforms that will give property tax payers across the state a greater sense o  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, March 14 -- The Illinois Senate Democrats issued the following news on March 13, 2024: Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford passed a measure Wednesday to create a new state agency - the Department of Early Childhood - to streamline the administration of early childhood education care programs and services. "The foundation of a child's success and well-being is built starting the moment they are born," said Lightford (D-Maywood). "As a state, it is our duty to pro  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, March 14 -- The Illinois Senate Democrats issued the following news: Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy - also known as DMD - is a rare disorder, but severe if not caught early enough to be treated. State Senator Julie Morrison introduced a bill that would require all newborns to be screened for DMD. "Although rare, DMD is a devastating disease - often taking children from their parents around the age of 5," said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). "Early diagnoses of DMD will save preci  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, March 14 -- The Illinois Senate Democrats issued the following news: Victims of paper check fraud are one step closer to relief thanks to a measure from State Senator Laura Murphy. "Instances of paper check fraud have been on the rise in the last few years, and the regulations in place don't always protect consumers," said Murphy (D-Des Plaines). "Victims can wait months for relief and still never see it. Hardworking Illinoisans deserve better." Paper check fraud often   more

CHICAGO, Illinois, March 14 -- The Illinois Senate Democrats issued the following news on March 13, 2024: In an effort to safeguard the rights and well-being of the state's youngest citizens, State Senator Robert Peters passed legislation out of the Senate Labor Committee on Wednesday. "This initiative is about taking care of issues we have seen associated with child labor," said Peters (D-Chicago). "It lays out updated guidelines that look out for our kids - their rights, their schooling, and  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, March 14 -- The Illinois Senate Democrats issued the following news: State Senator Steve Stadelman has introduced legislation to require driver's education courses to include instruction on worker safety in highway construction zones. "Ensuring the safety of both drivers and construction workers on our roadways is a shared responsibility," said Stadelman (D-Rockford). "By equipping our future drivers with the knowledge and understanding necessary to navigate construction  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, March 14 -- The Illinois Senate Democrats issued the following news: To protect university and community college employees, State Senator Doris Turner advanced a measure that would ensure employees and contractors receive their daily, regular rate of pay and benefits if a campus is closed due to a winter weather emergency. "When campuses close for weather, it's not usually planned and can leave workers without pay for a day or more," said Turner (D-Springfield). "This in  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, March 14 -- The Illinois Senate Democrats issued the following news: School has become increasingly stressful for students, leading State Senator Rachel Ventura to spearhead legislation that would help students across Illinois reduce anxiety and focus on their physical and emotional needs during school time. "We have to emphasize the importance of having a balance between productivity and self-care within the context of education," said Ventura (D-Joliet). "This instills  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, March 14 -- The Illinois Senate Democrats issued the following news: To further promote both public Illinois State Universities and community colleges, State Senator Celina Villanueva pushed legislation through the Senate Higher Education Committee to allow the waiver of admission application fees for a student transferring from an Illinois public community college. "Students in their last semester of their program should have the ability to transfer without the unnecess  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, March 14 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois issued the following news release on March 13, 2024: The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois collected more than $60 million in criminal, civil, and asset forfeiture actions in Fiscal Year 2023, Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, announced today. The 2023 collections included approximately $22.3 million in criminal acti  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, March 14 -- The Illinois Senate Democrats issued the following news on March 13, 2024: Today, members of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus commemorated the 54th annual Illinois Agriculture Legislative Day, highlighting the importance of supporting farmers and the state's agricultural industry. Organized by the Illinois Department of Agriculture, this daylong event serves as a platform for industry stakeholders to engage directly with legislators, discussing issues im  more

TRENTON, New Jersey, March 13 -- New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin issued the following news release: Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin is co-leading a coalition of 20 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief with the Supreme Court in support of the federal government's request for review of a lower court decision invalidating commonsense "ghost gun" regulations - regulations that are already showing every indication that they are working as intended to get these deadly weapon  more

OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, March 13 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release: Attorney General Gentner Drummond and a coalition of 39 other attorneys general are urging the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to update and strengthen the rules technology companies must follow under the federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Drummond said the update is necessary because the rules governing online privacy protections for children under the age o  more

ARGONNE, Illinois, March 14 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory issued the following news release: * * * Argonne researchers pioneer "redox gating" -- a new way to precisely modulate electron flow * * * As the integrated circuits that power our electronic devices get more powerful, they are also getting smaller. This trend of microelectronics has only accelerated in recent years as scientists try to fit increasingly more semiconducting components on a chip  more