WASHINGTON, April 11 -- The U.S. Department of Education issued the following news release: The Biden-Harris Administration announced today the approval of $7.4 billion in additional student loan debt relief for 277,000 borrowers. These discharges are for borrowers who signed up for President Biden's Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan and are eligible for its shortened time-to-forgiveness benefit and as a result of fixes made by the Administration to income-driven repayment (IDR) fo  more

WASHINGTON, April 13 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia issued the following news release on April 12, 2024: Ndubuisi Joseph Okafor, M.D., 64, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was charged in U.S. District Court yesterday on a 29-count count superseding indictment for illegally distributing prescriptions for narcotics in exchange for cash. According to court documents, Okafor allegedly distributed oxycodone and promethazine with codeine to individuals outside the usual c  more

AUGUSTA, Maine, April 13 -- Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey issued the following news release on April 12, 2024: Maine Attorney General Aaron M. Frey announced a lawsuit against agricultural biochemical company Monsanto. The suit, filed yesterday, alleges the company knew of the harm caused by polychlorinated biphenyls ("PCBs") but continued to sell PCB products. PCBs are toxic, dangerous, chemical compounds known to accumulate and persist in humans, wildlife, and the environment. The feder  more

AUGUSTA, Maine, April 13 -- Gov. Janet Mills, D-Maine, issued the following news on April 12, 2024: Governor Janet Mills announced today that she has appointed retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Alice Briones, DO, to serve as Maine's Chief Medical Examiner. A native of Hampden, Dr. Briones returns to Maine after a distinguished military career culminating as the first woman to lead the U.S. Armed Forces Medical Examiner System (AFMES). As Director of AFMES, Dr. Briones was the Chief Medical Exami  more

AUGUSTA, Maine, April 13 -- The Maine House Democrats issued the following news release on April 11, 2024: The Maine House voted Tuesday to pass legislation sponsored by Rep. Sam Zager, D-Portland, that would require health insurance coverage for biomarker testing. Biomarker testing is the analysis of a patient's tissue, blood or other biological specimen for an indicator of a normal or abnormal process or pharmacologic response such as how well a person might respond to a particular treatment  more

AUGUSTA, Maine, April 13 -- The Maine House Democrats issued the following news release on April 12, 2024: The Maine House voted Thursday to pass legislation sponsored by Rep. Vicki Doudera, D-Camden, aimed at lowering Maine's high rate of suicide deaths. LD 2119, as amended, would study allowing individuals to voluntarily and confidentially add their names to the federal do-not-sell firearms list, thereby preventing potential future gun purchases if that individual is experiencing a suicidal   more

AUGUSTA, Maine, April 13 -- The Maine House Democrats issued the following news release on April 12, 2024: The Maine Legislature unanimously voted Wednesday to enact legislation (https://legislature.maine.gov/backend/App/services/getDocument.aspx?documentId=104535) sponsored by Rep. Dan Ankeles, D-Brunswick, that would help protect fishermen's access to Maine's working waterfront. As amended, LD 2162 would strengthen the working waterfront section of the current land use tax program, which pro  more

AUGUSTA, Maine, April 13 -- The Maine Senate Democrats issued the following news on April 12, 2024: On Friday, the Maine Senate voted unanimously to enact LD 1537, "An Act to Amend the Laws Relating to the Prevention of Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Pollution and to Provide Additional Funding," sponsored by Sen. Henry Ingwersen, D-Arundel. The Maine House unanimously enacted the bill on Thursday. LD 1537 updates and furthers the work of LD 1503, "An Act To Stop Perfluoroalkyl a  more

WASHINGTON, April 12 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior's U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued the following news release on April 11, 2024: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced more than $21 million in Boating Infrastructure Grant funding to support construction, renovation and maintenance of marinas and other boating facilities for outdoor recreation and waterway access. This year's grants will support projects in 21 states, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The funding wil  more

WASHINGTON, April 12 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued the following news release: The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service today announced it is issuing more than $232 million to support public schools, roads and other municipal services through the agency's Secure Rural Schools program. As the Biden-Harris administration invests in ways for forests to generate more economic opportunity in rural areas, it also aims to support the quality of life in those communities throu  more

WASHINGTON, April 13 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service issued the following news release on April 12, 2024: The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service today announced it is issuing more than $232 million to support public schools, roads and other municipal services through the agency's Secure Rural Schools program. The program was reauthorized for fiscal years 2021 through 2023 through President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Fiscal year 2023 funds will be   more