HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, July 12 -- The Pennsylvania House Democrats issued the following news release on July 11, 2024: State Rep. Aerion Abney today voted in favor of Pennsylvania's new budget for 2024-25, saying that the plan will fundamentally change the way the state funds its public schools and provide a path toward equality in public education. "A public school education is supposed to be the great equalizer, but for decades, that hasn't been the case here in PA because of an unconstit  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, July 12 -- The Pennsylvania Senate Republicans issued the following news release on July 11, 2024: The Senate approved Sen. Camera Bartolotta's (R-46) bill today to give hardworking Pennsylvanians the same tax benefits afforded to investors. The bill was also amended to include language describing the tax code for the state budget. Senate Bill 654 (https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2023&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=0654) would bring Pennsylva  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, July 12 -- The Pennsylvania House Democrats issued the following news release: * * * Legislation to crack down on predatory drug pricing practices clears state House and Senate * * * State Rep. Jessica Benham's bill to save community pharmacies and lower prescription drug costs by reforming pharmacy benefit manager policy is heading to Gov. Josh Shapiro's desk. "This is a huge victory in the battle to reduce the cost of prescription medicine for Pennsylvanians," sa  more

WASHINGTON, July 10 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation issued the following news release: Today, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced $8.75 million in grant awards to 15 small shipyards in 12 states through the Small Shipyard Grant Program. The funds will help shipyards modernize, increase productivity, and expand local job opportunities while competing in the global marketplace. "Small shipyards are integral to the strength of America's supp  more

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, July 12 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics - Mid-Atlantic Regional Information Office issued the following report on July 11, 2024, entitled "Average Energy Prices, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria - June 2024": * * * Gasoline prices averaged $3.673 per gallon in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria area in June 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Alexandra Hall Bovee noted that area gasoli  more

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, July 12 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics - Mid-Atlantic Regional Information Office issued the following report on July 11, 2024, entitled "Consumer Price Index, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson - June 2024": * * * Area prices were up 0.3 percent over the past 2 months, up 3.0 percent from a year ago * * * Prices in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson area, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), increased 0  more

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, July 12 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics - Mid-Atlantic Regional Information Office issued the following report on July 11, 2024, entitled "Consumer Price Index, Northeast Region - June 2024": * * * Area prices were up 0.3 percent over the past month, up 3.8 percent from a year ago. * * * Prices in the Northeast Region, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), were up 0.3 percent in June, the U.S  more

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, July 12 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics - Mid-Atlantic Regional Information Office issued the following report on July 11, 2024, entitled "Consumer Price Index, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington - June 2024": * * * Area prices were up 0.3 percent over the past 2 months, up 3.6 percent from a year ago * * * Prices in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington area, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), r  more

NEW YORK, July 12 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics - Northeast Regional Information Office issued a report on July 11, 2024, entitled "Consumer Price Index, New York-Newark-Jersey City - June 2024": * * * Area prices up 0.6 percent over the past month; up 4.2 percent over the year * * * Prices in the New York-Newark-Jersey City area, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), rose 0.6 percent in June, the U.S. Bureau of Labor  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, July 12 -- The Pennsylvania House Democrats issued the following news release: After his vote to approve the state budget tonight, state Rep. Joe Ciresi highlighted its progress in delivering historic education funding and investing in Pennsylvanians without raising taxes as the reasons for his support. Pennsylvania's 2024-25 budget includes $1.3 billion in funding for public schools statewide, including reforms to the state's cyber charter school law to require trans  more

LANSING, Michigan, July 12 -- The U.S. Department of Energy issued the following news on July 11, 2024: * * * Funding from President Biden's Investing in America Agenda Will Retool or Retrofit 11 Existing Motor Vehicle Manufacturing Facilities to Support EV Manufacturing, Retaining and Creating Thousands of Good-Paying Union Jobs * * * As part of President Biden's Investing in America agenda, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $1.7 billion to support the conversion of 11 shu  more

WASHINGTON, July 12 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release on July 11, 2024: Today, July 11, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued updated recommendations under the Clean Water Act for contaminants that states, Tribes, and territories should consider monitoring in locally caught, freshwater fish. For the first time, EPA has added several per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) to the contaminant list alongside lead, three cyanotoxins, a flame retar  more

CLEVELAND, Ohio, July 12 -- The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland issued the following Notes from the Field article on July 11, 2024, by Emily Garr Pacetti, senior principal and interim community affairs officer: * * * The picture of how smaller nonprofits and local governments--often on the front lines of service delivery--are experiencing the current federal funding landscape is mixed, with more changes underway and on the horizon. * * * "How do we do more with more?" Pierre Joseph, a col  more

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, July 11 -- The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia's Consumer Finance Institute issued a working paper (No. 24-13) on July 10, 2024, entitled "Institutional Investors, Rents, and Neighborhood Change in the Single Family Residential Market." The working paper was written by financial economist Keyoung Lee and David Wylie. Here are excerpts: * * * Abstract Institutional investors that buy and rent out single family homes have continued to increase their presence a  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, July 12 -- The Pennsylvania House Democrats issued the following statement on July 11, 2024: * * * Pennsylvania House Democratic Leadership today issued the following statement on the passage of the 2024-25 state budget: "This budget delivers a win for all Pennsylvanians. It builds a better future for all of us. It reflects the priorities shared by House Democrats and Governor Shapiro and demonstrates our ability to lead and work together despite a divided government  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, July 12 -- The Pennsylvania Senate Republicans issued the following news release: Legislation sponsored by State Sen. Greg Rothman (R-34) to eliminate Pennsylvania's Alternative Fuels Tax (AFT) on electric vehicle (EV) owners and replace it with a flat fee is set to become law. Senate Bill 656 (https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2023&sind=0&body=S&type=B&bn=656) significantly reduces the procedural burden on EV owners, simplifies the proce  more

WASHINGTON, July 12 -- The U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration issued the following news release on July 11, 2024: * * * Department of Labor makes largest combined investment in learn-and-earn workforce model * * * The Biden-Harris administration is today making the largest combined federal investment in Registered Apprenticeships as the Department of Labor awards more than $244 million through two grant programs to help modernize, diversify and expand the Registe  more

NEWARK, New Jersey, July 12 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey issued the following news release on July 11, 2024: A Brooklyn man was sentenced today to 57 months in prison for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy to distribute 4 kilograms of fentanyl in Clifton, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Juan De La Cruz Infante Torres, 52, of Brooklyn, New York, pleaded guilty on June 14, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp to a   more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, July 11 -- The Pennsylvania House Republicans issued the following news on July 9, 2024: Rep. Valerie Gaydos (R-Allegheny) will be voting "no" on Senate Bill 219, citing concerns over the potential increase in property taxes for seniors and longtime Allegheny County residents. Today, House Democrats voted to table all amendments that would be fairer for all Allegheny County residents. "I opposed Senate Bill 219 because, if passed by the House, it would allow the city   more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, July 11 -- The Pennsylvania House Republicans issued the following news on July 9, 2024: Legislation to expand immunity from civil and criminal liability for donating food past its labeled, manufacturer-issued date unanimously passed the House Monday, according to Rep. David Rowe (R-Snyder/Union/Mifflin/Juniata), the bill's sponsor. Rowe worked on this initiative in a prior legislative session before taking it up again with Rep. Tarik Khan (D-Philadelphia). Date label  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, July 11 -- The Pennsylvania House Republicans issued the following news: State Rep. Jim Struzzi (R-Indiana) was appointed to the Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement Trust by House Minority Leader Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster). The trust distributes settlement funds from opioid manufactures, distributors and pharmacy chains to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, counties, and municipalities for abatement of the opioid crisis. "I am proud to further serve the Commonwealth   more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, July 12 -- The Pennsylvania Senate Democrats issued the following news release on July 11, 2024: Today, Governor Josh Shapiro signed SB 219, State Senator Jay Costa's Longtime Owner Occupant Tax Exemption Program (LOOP), into law. Now Act 53 of 2024, this program will allow Pittsburgh's mayor and city council to exempt or defer increases in property taxes for people who have lived in homes they own for a certain period of time in certain neighborhoods where the propert  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, July 12 -- The Pennsylvania Senate Democrats issued the following news release: Senator Marty Flynn is proud to announce the passage of a historic budget that delivers significant investments in education, economic development, public safety, and support for vulnerable populations in Pennsylvania. This budget reflects our commitment to creating opportunities for all Pennsylvanians without imposing new taxes. Key Achievements of the New Budget: Education: * Over $1 b  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, July 12 -- The Pennsylvania Senate Democrats issued the following news release: Senator Marty Flynn is excited to announce the creation of a tax credit for employer contributions to 529 tuition savings accounts. This initiative aims to incentivize employers to support their employees' educational goals, thereby alleviating the financial burden of education for both employees and their families. Addressing the Student Loan Debt Crisis: Student loan debt in the United S  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, July 12 -- The Pennsylvania Senate Democrats issued the following news release: Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-Northampton) shared her views on the passage of the State budget as it heads to the Governor's desk. A longtime advocate for school property tax reform, Boscola said, "while every school district in the 18th received increased funding, I am disappointed this budget missed out on providing significant property tax relief for homeowners." School districts in the 18th Sen  more

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, July 12 -- The Pennsylvania Senate Democrats issued the following news release on July 11, 2024: Today, the Senate passed the 2024-25 PA Budget, which Senator Sharif Street (SD-3) lauded as "historic" in its investments in the people of Pennsylvania. Despite missed opportunities to increase the minimum wage, end cannabis prohibition, invest in paid sick leave, and expand funding for Whole Home Repairs, Senator Street expressed his overall satisfaction with the budget  more

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania, July 12 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania issued the following news release on July 11, 2024: A resident of Farrell, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of cocaine trafficking within 1,000 feet of a public housing location, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Cleo Johnson, 33, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon. In connection with the guilty plea, the Cour  more

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, July 12 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania issued the following news release on July 11, 2024: United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that John Dougherty, 64, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl to 72 months' imprisonment, three years of supervised release, forfeiture of $353,941.35, a $7,100 special assessment, and $50,000 in restitution now, with fu  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, July 12 -- The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education issued the following news release on July 11, 2024: The Board of Governors for Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) met today and reaffirmed its desire to freeze in-state undergraduate tuition for the 2024-25 academic year. The Board is monitoring the progress of the state's budget negotiations. The board will hold a special public meeting to set the tuition rate in the near future once m  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, July 12 -- The Pennsylvania House Democrats issued the following news release: * * * Kenyatta works to pass legislation that supports local pharmacies * * * A bill supported by state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta that would help smaller, local pharmacies stay in business while driving down medication prices for consumers is heading to Gov. Josh Shapiro's desk for his signature. Kenyatta was a co-sponsor on of state Rep. Jessican Benham's bill to save community pharmacies a  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, July 12 -- The Pennsylvania Senate Republicans issued the following news release on July 11, 2024: Legislation sponsored by Sen. Tracy Pennycuick (R-24) to reduce the educational challenges faced by children of National Guard and Reserve members was approved by the House of Representatives today and is set to become law. Senate Bill 209 (https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2023&sind=0&body=S&type=B&bn=209) was unanimously approved by the Se  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, July 12 -- The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency issued the following news release: * * * Marketing Plan Aims to Reach College-bound Students and Their Families * * * The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) has been granted $369,000 from the Educational Credit Management Corporation (ECMC) for the FAFSA Student Support Strategy project, to encourage completion of the 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA(R)) among   more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, July 12 -- The Pennsylvania Senate Republicans issued the following news release: * * * Expedited Review Process, Greater Transparency for Permit Applications * * * In a significant move toward cutting government red tape, the state budget approved by the General Assembly included major regulatory reform efforts championed by Sen. Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-York). As part of the comprehensive amendments to the state's Fiscal Code, the measure includes an overhaul of   more

WASHINGTON, July 12 -- The White House issued the following news release on July 11, 2024: Today, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to serve as leaders in his administration: * Kali C. Jones, Nominee to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Benin * Douglas D. Jones, Nominee to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Bosnia and Herzegovina * Stephanie A. Miley, Nominee to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Pleni  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, July 12 -- The Pennsylvania Senate Republicans issued the following news release on July 11, 2024: The state Senate Wednesday advanced a bill introduced by Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-33) that would mark March 29 each year as Vietnam War Veterans Day in Pennsylvania. "Our Vietnam War veterans served our nation with courage, honor and dignity," Mastriano said. "Vietnam veterans did not always receive the warm welcome home enjoyed by previous generations of veterans. This bi  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, July 12 -- The Pennsylvania Senate Republicans issued the following news release: The Pennsylvania Senate unanimously approved legislation sponsored by Sen. Tracy Pennycuick (R-24) and Sen. Frank Farry (R-6) to make the Workers' Compensation system more efficient by moving more benefit payments from paper checks to direct deposit. Senate Bill 1232 (https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2023&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=1232) would allow individua  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, July 12 -- The Pennsylvania Senate Republicans issued the following news release on July 11, 2024: Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward (R-39), Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R-41) and Appropriations Committee Chair Scott Martin (R-13) announced the approval of a fiscally responsible 2024-25 state budget today that is honest with taxpayers, creates new job opportunities for state residents, includes no new taxes and addresses the economic and demographic challenges the   more

WASHINGTON, July 11 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency issued the following news release: The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Corporal Edward J. Smith, 18, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for May 15, 2024. In August 1950, Smith was a member of Baker Company, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on Aug. 31 while fighting North K  more

WASHINGTON, July 12 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia issued the following news release on July 11, 2024: A Florida man was sentenced to prison today after he previously pleaded guilty to assaulting law enforcement during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election. John Anthony Schuber  more

WASHINGTON, July 12 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia issued the following news release on July 11, 2024: A Pennsylvania man was convicted today of multiple felony and misdemeanor offenses, including assaulting law enforcement with a deadly or dangerous weapon during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 202  more

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, July 12 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah issued the following news release on July 11, 2024: A federal grand jury returned an indictment yesterday charging a dual citizen, living in Pennsylvania, who traveled to Salt Lake City for the purpose of paying for and obtaining tourist visas to promote the illegal smuggling of foreign nationals into the United States. According to court documents, Sivarupan Sivaramalingam, 43, of Malvern, PA, was arres  more

WASHINGTON, July 12 (TNSfact) -- The White House issued the following fact sheet on July 11, 2024: * * * Biden-Harris Administration Announces Record Federal Investments in Registered Apprenticeships, Holds Workforce Hub Convening in Philadelphia with New Commitments to Train and Hire Residents to Work on Major Infrastructure Projects Today, the Biden-Harris Administration announced new actions to connect Americans to the good-paying jobs created by the President's Investing in America agenda  more