WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- 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 Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey: * * * To: The Honorable Xavier Becerra Department of Health and Human Services 200 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20201 * The Honorable Chiquita Brooks-LaSure Administrator Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Attention: CMS-9888-P, Mail Sto  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- 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 MNsure, Saint Paul, Minnesota: * * * To: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Department of Health and Human P.O. Box 8016 Baltimore, MD 21244-8016 RE: Comments on Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2026; and Basic Health Program * * * Dear   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 UCare, Minneapolis, Minnesota: * * * To: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Division of Regulations Development Attention: Document #2024-20400/OMB Control Number 0938-new Room C4-26-05 7500 Security Boulevard Baltimore, MD 21244-1850 Re: Comment Opportunity: Medicare Part C Utilization Management  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 UnitedHealthcare, Minnetonka, Minnesota: * * * To: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs Division of Regulations Development Attention: CMS-10913 7500 Security Boulevard Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850 Re: Medicare Part C Utilization Management Ann  more

ST. PAUL, Minnesota, Dec. 5 -- Education Minnesota issued the following news release: The Minnesota Legislature will face difficult decisions in governing and setting a budget during the 2025 session and beyond but fixing the pervasive shortage of educators in Minnesota's public schools must remain a priority, said Denise Specht, president of Education Minnesota. "No matter where we live, where we're from or what we look like, Minnesotans know the future of our state depends on public educati  more

ST. PAUL, Minnesota, Dec. 5 -- The Minnesota Nurses Association issued the following news release: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has validated what nurses have been saying for years by citing Abbott Northwestern Hospital with over a dozen "serious" violations of workplace violence. While nurses have been raising the alarm about the lack of workplace violence protections for some time, the recent OSHA violations span over a 6-month period from December of 2023 to May   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- The General Services Administration Office of Regulatory Secretariat Division has released the following public communication dated Nov. 17, 2024, from Kevin Behrens, owner of Natural North LLC, Alexandria, Minnesota: * * * To: Regulatory Secretariat Division General Services Administration 1800 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20405 Subject: Comments on Federal Acquisition Regulation: Prohibition on Unmanned Aircraft Systems From Covered Foreign Entities * * * I am writi  more

HURLBURT FIELD, Florida, Dec. 5 -- The U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command issued the following news: By Capt. Richard Caesar, 353rd Special Operations Wing YAKUSHIMA, Japan -- Close to 100 military and civilian personnel from the United States and Japan gathered at the Yakushima Town Hall Nov. 29, 2024 to attend a ceremony dedicating a cenotaph to the eight heroes who died when their CV-22B Osprey went down just off the coast of the island last year and the joint effort expended to sear  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has released the following public communication dated Oct. 4, 2024, from the Gerontological Society of America: * * * To: Janet M. de Jesus, MS, RD Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health Office of Health and Human Services 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 420 Rockville, M. D. 20852 RE: Comment to the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Regarding the 2025-2030 D  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs issued the following news release on Dec. 4, 2024: * * * Marks 10th Anniversary of the National Public Safety Partnership * * * Today, the Justice Department announced the addition of five new sites to the National Public Safety Partnership, a Department-wide initiative designed to improve safety and reduce violence in areas experiencing elevated crime rates. Administered by the Office of Justice Programs' Burea  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following commentary: * * * OVW Commemorates Native American Heritage Month Courtesy of Sherriann Moore, Deputy Director OVW honors the resiliency and leadership of American Indian and Alaskan Native victims and survivors by recognizing the dedication and accomplishments of Tribal leaders, advocates, and survivors to prevent and end gender-based violence in their own communities. We also take the opportunity during Native Ameri  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Nebraska, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) announced several senior staff updates. Matt Miltenberger is departing for the private sector after 10 years as Ricketts' Chief of Staff. Amelia Breinig has been promoted to Chief of Staff. Daniel Yarbrough has joined the team as Legislative Director. "Matt Miltenberger has been an exceptional Chief of Staff, trusted advisor, and friend for over a decade," said Sena  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency issued the following news release: ST. PAUL, December 3, 2024 - Agricultural producers of perishable commodities including fruits, vegetables and floriculture can now get funding for controlled atmosphere storage through Farm Storage Facility Loans (FSFL) offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA). Controlled atmosphere storage regulates the concentrations of oxygen, carbon dioxide  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minnesota, issued the following news release: SAINT PAUL, Minn. Congresswoman Betty McCollum, Ranking Member on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, released the following statement on Wednesday morning in response to confirmed reports of a ceasefire deal between the Israeli government and Hezbollah: "I thank President Biden and Secretary Blinken for bringing together Israeli government officials and Hezbollah militants to reach this ce  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued the following news release: Funding Will Support Family Farms, Small Businesses, Infrastructure and Clean Energy in Underserved Rural and Tribal Communities LITTLE ROCK, Ark., Dec. 4, 2024 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a new round of investments totaling more than $194 million to support local economic development plans and projects in Rural Partners Network (RPN) communities and other  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development has issued the following news release: * * * Funding Will Support Family Farms, Small Businesses, Infrastructure and Clean Energy in Underserved Rural and Tribal Communities * * * LITTLE ROCK, Ark., Dec. 4, 2024 - U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a new round of investments totaling more than $194 million to support local economic development plans and projects in Rural Partne  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, issued the following news release: Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) took to the Senate floor today to urge Congress to pass disaster aid in the final days of the 118th Congress. In his remarks, Senator Welch highlighted extreme weather disasters that have impacted communities in Vermont and across the country since 2022, the last time Congress passed comprehensive disaster aid. "The longer we wait to help disaster victims, the more disaster victim  more