WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following commentary on Dec. 2, 2024: * * * Fifty Years of Access to Lending Opportunity: Where Are We Now? Courtesy of Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke The Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) has just entered its 51st year, providing an occasion to look back -- and to look ahead. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a tireless advocate for a more just and equal society, and ensuring access to housing opportunity was a criti  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, issued the following news release: Tuesday evening, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee and Chairman Tom Carper (D-Del.), along with House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-Mo.-6), and Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-Wash.-2) announced a final agreement on the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 -- Sen. Robert Casey Jr., D-Pennsylvania, issued the following news release: Eos to construct new state-of-the-art production lines to produce new battery energy storage systems at Turtle Creek plant After announcement of conditional loan, Department of Energy finalized a $303.5 million loan guarantee for Eos Project to create and maintain up to 1,000 union jobs Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced a $303.5 million loan guarantee to Eos Energy Enterprises to buil  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 -- Sen. Robert Casey Jr., D-Pennsylvania, issued the following news release: Weilheimer has been a judge on the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas since 2014 Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) announced the Senate's confirmation of Judge Gail A. Weilheimer to serve on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania: "For decades, Judge Weilheimer has served the people of Southeastern Pennsylvania with integrity. Fr  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has released the following public communication dated Nov. 12, 2024, from the National Association of Community Health Centers: * * * To: Chiquita Brooks-LaSure Administrator Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Department of Health and Human Services Attention: CMS-9888-P Hubert H. Humphrey Building 200 Independence Avenue, SW, Room 445-G Washington, DC 20201 RE: Patie  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- The Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled has released the following public communication on Nov. 15, 2024, from Blind and Vision Rehabilitation Services, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: * * * Please accept the following comments on the Disability Qualification Determination Form: Section A is the same or similar to the former IEE form; we have always provided similar information in years past. The only difference is that it is for blindness onl  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pennsylvania, issued the following statement: * * * Congressmen Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02) and Joe Wilson (SC-02), co-chairs of the Congressional European Union Caucus, released the following statement on the situation in Georgia: "As co-chairs of the Congressional European Union Caucus, we are both outraged and inspired by the images coming out of Tbilisi, where thousands of Georgian citizens are tirelessly mobilizing in defense of the people's deci  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- The Defense Acquisition Regulations System has released the following public communication dated Oct. 15, 2024, from the Edison Electric Institute. Here are excerpts: * * * To: Department of Defense Defense Acquisition Regulations System Re: Docket No. DARS-2020-0034, Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Strategic Assessment and Cybersecurity Certification Requirements (DFARS Case 2019-D041) COMMENTS OF THE EDISON ELECTRIC INSTITUTE ON THE DEPARTMENT OF   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released the following public communication on Nov. 27, 2024, from the American Exploration and Production Council: * * * To: The Honorable Michael S. Regan Administrator U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20460 Re: Request for Information (RFI) on the Use of Advanced and Emerging Technologies for Quantification of Annual Facility Methane Emissions Under the Greenhouse Gas Repo  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released the following public communication dated Nov. 22, 2024, from Atchafalaya Basinkeeper and 23 collaborators: * * * To: The Honorable Joseph Goffman Assistant Administrator Office of Air and Radiation U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington DC 20460 Subject: Opposing Use of Radioactive Phosphogypsum in Pilot Project (Docket ID No. EPA-HQ- OAR-2024-0446) * * * Dear Assistant A  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released the following public communication dated Nov. 23, 2023, from Center for Biological Diversity. Here are excerpts: * * * To: Radiation Protection Division Office of Radiation and Indoor Air Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, DC 20460 Re: Pending Approval for Other Use of Phosphogypsum (EPA-HQ-OAR-2024-0446) * * * The Center for Biological Diversity ("Center") provides the follow  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released the following public communication dated Nov. 27, 2024, from the Differentiated Gas Coordinating Council: * * * To: Mr. Joseph Goffman Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Air & Radiation U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20460 Re: Use of Advanced and Emerging Technologies for Quantification of Annual Facility Methane Emissions Under the Greenhouse Gas R  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released the following public communication dated Nov. 27, 2024, from Environmental Defense Fund: * * * To: Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, D.C. 20004 RE: Request for Information - Use of Advanced and Emerging Technologies for Quantification of Annual Facility Methane Emissions Under the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP) (Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2024-0350) * * * We respectful  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released the following public communication dated Nov. 26, 2024, from LongPath Technologies Inc., Boulder, Colorado. Here are excerpts: * * * To: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20460 Re: Use of Advanced and Emerging Technologies for Quantification of Annual Facility Methane Emissions Under the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program * * * To whom it may concern: LongPath Tec  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released the following public communication dated Nov. 14, 2024, from the Los Angeles County (California) Public Health Commission Chair Crystal Crawford: * * * To: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency EPA Docket Center Superfund [EPA-HQ-OLEM-2024-0376] Mail Code 28221T 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20460 Re: Support for Adding the Former Exide Facility in Vernon, California, and the Surrounding Impacted Comm  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released the following public communication dated Nov. 23, 2024, from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, California: * * * To: Environmental Protection Agency EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC) Attention Docket No. EPA-R09-OAR-2024-0338 Mailcode 28221T 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, DC 20460 RE: Docket No. EPA-R09-OAR-2024-0338 Conditional Approval; Contingency Measure State Implementation Plan for the  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released the following public communication dated Nov. 22, 2024, from the Surfrider Foundation, San Clemente, California: * * * To: Jonathan D. Edwards Office of Radiation and Indoor Air Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, DC 20460 Re: Opposition to the Pending Approval for Other Use of Phosphogypsum (Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2024-0446) * * * Dear Director Edwards, On behalf of the Sur  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released the following public communication dated Nov. 22, 2024, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Pest Management Policy Director Kimberly Nesci: * * * To: Billy Smith, Director Registration Division (7505M) Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. Washington, DC 20460-0001 Re: USDA Comments on the Draft Biological Evaluation and Associated Effects Determin  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released the following public communication dated Nov. 5, 2024, from Vernon, California, Mayor Judith Merlo: * * * To: Honorable Administrator Michael S. Regan Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20460 Dear Honorable Administrator Regan, On behalf of the City of Vernon, I am writing to express the City's strong support for the inclusion of the former Exide Technologies battery recy  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, Dec. 5 -- Gov. Josh Shapiro, D-Pennsylvania, issued the following news release on Dec. 4, 2024: * * * Small business owners praised the Shapiro Administration's faster, easier licensing process, which is reducing barriers and creating opportunity across the Commonwealth. Pennsylvania is now among the nation's most efficient states for occupational licensing, thanks to Governor Shapiro's commitment to cutting red tape. * * * Governor Josh Shapiro visited Big Tom's B  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- The U.S. Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service has released the following public communication on Nov. 25, 2024, from Exelon Corp., Chicago, Illinois: * * * The Honorable Aviva Aron-Dine Acting Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy Department of the Treasury 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20220 * The Honorable Daniel Werfel Commissioner Internal Revenue Service 1111 Constitution Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20224 Re: Notice of Propos  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- The U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division issued the following news release: The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a consent judgment and order in federal court that recovers a total of more than $2.4 million in back wages and liquidated damages from Massachusetts and Pennsylvania healthcare staffing agencies that denied 341 employees overtime wages, including employees misclassified as independent contractors. Entered in the U.S. District Court for the Dis  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 -- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued the following news release: BALTIMORE The Thomas B. Finan Center of the Maryland Department of Health, a multipurpose psychiatric facility located in Cumberland, Maryland, will pay $270,000 to settle an equal pay lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced today. According to the EEOC's lawsuit, for several years up to the present, Finan paid a less tenured and le  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, Dec. 5 -- Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry issued the following news on Dec. 4, 2024: Attorney General Michelle Henry shared the following alert that price gouging protections are in effect in Erie County, following a major storm that deposited more than three feet of snow. "As the impact of this winter storm continues to be felt, Pennsylvanians should be aware of potential price-gouging and the laws in place to protect them from unfair price increases dur  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, Dec. 5 -- The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources issued the following news on Dec. 4, 2024: Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn today announced the award of more than $372,000 to 11 projects dedicated to protecting Pennsylvania's native biodiversity. "The Shapiro Administration is proud to support these vital projects, which align with our mission to preserve Pennsylvania's wildlife for future g  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, Dec. 5 -- The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection issued the following news release: * * * Shapiro Administration's Office of Environmental Justice recognized as a national model for proactive community engagement Investment will go toward proactive community engagement * * * Building on the Shapiro Administration's goal to ensure every community has equal access to environmental protections the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (D  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, Dec. 4 -- The Pennsylvania Department of Health issued the following news on Dec. 3, 2024: * * * Since day one, Governor Shapiro has been focused on addressing maternal health disparities in access to high-quality health care - he worked across the aisle to secure an additional $2.6 million in the 2024-25 budget for maternal mortality prevention. * * * Enola, PA - Today, Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh and Department of Health (DOH) Secr  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, Dec. 5 -- The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission issued the following news on Dec. 4, 2024: The Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC) today approved 28 Historical & Archival Records Care (HARC) grants totaling $152,571 to support crucial efforts to preserve Pennsylvania's invaluable historical records and make them accessible to residents across the Commonwealth. From supporting efforts to digitize and transcribe interviews and film recordings   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- The U.S. Navy's U.S. Fleet Forces Command issued the following news: By Petty Officer 2nd Class Jackson Adkins PHILADELPHIA - U.S. Navy divers assigned to Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) 2 and U.S. Navy explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technicians assigned to EOD Mobile Unit (EODMU) 6 conducted an afloat salvage exercise aboard the ex-USS Fort McHenry (LSD-43) ported in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Nov. 18-22, 2024. Afloat Salvage Exercise 24-2, previously named Ex  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Arizona, issued the following news release on Dec. 4, 2024: Today, Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) introduced the Secret Service Prioritization Act of 2024, legislation to refocus United States Secret Service (USSS) efforts on its protective mission--USSS's primary responsibility. Congressman Biggs's bill will transfer non-protective responsibilities, such as the investigation of financial crimes like counterfeiting, to the Federal Bureau of Investigation   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pennsylvania, issued the following news release: Congressman Brendan F. Boyle issued the following statement in response to threats from Donald Trump and Kash Patel to weaponize the Department of Justice against individuals identified on their so-called "enemies list": "By choosing Kash Patel as his FBI Director, Trump has made it clear that he is more focused on settling personal scores than on protecting the American people or upholding the rule of  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 -- Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pennsylvania, issued the following news release: Today, Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17) celebrates the recent Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) grant to Pittsburgh Robotics Network's Maturing Appalachia's Robotics Workforce project. The $750,000 award will be used to launch the Robotics Leadership Academy, which will support organizations in Allegheny, Beaver, and other surrounding counties in their efforts to train workers needed to catalyze gr  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 -- Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pennsylvania, issued the following news release: Congressmen Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02) and French Hill (AR-02), who serve as co-chairs of the Friends of a Free, Stable, and Democratic Syria Caucus in Congress, issued the following statement in the wake of the unfolding situation in Syria: "We are closely monitoring fast-moving developments out of Syria, where opposition forces are carrying out a large-scale offensive against war criminal Bashar al-A  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pennsylvania, issued the following news release on Dec. 4, 2024: Today, U.S. Representatives Glenn "GT" Thompson (R-PA-15) and Don Davis (D-NC-1) introduced the Keep Our Correctional Officers Paid Act, which would ensure that correctional officers at Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facilities continue to be paid year-round. The BOP faces unprecedented challenges in recruiting and retaining correctional staff, with multiple BOP facilities in Pennsylvania's   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- The Small Business Administration has released the following public communication on Nov. 18, 2024, from DALS Credit Solutions Co., Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania: * * * To continue with the Comment for the Federal Registrar: Issue: Federal Agencies always bypass small business set-asides under the FSS, relying on their pre-approved vendor list rather than re-evaluating market conditions for specific orders. The Small Business Administration Procurement Center Representativ  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- The Small Business Administration has released the following public communication on Oct. 8, 2024, from Rocky Bleier, founder and managing member of RBVetCo LLC, Carnegie, Pennsylvania: * * * I am Rocky Bleier, a service-disabled veteran of the Vietnam War, and founder and managing member of RBVetCo, LLC, a Pennsylvania limited liability company d/b/a Rocky Bleier Construction Group ("RBCG"). I am joined in these comments by James Kephart, Director of Construction Operat  more