WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) voted to pass the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (NDAA). The bipartisan legislation supports service members and their families, strengthens military readiness, and enhances national security. Several provisions Senator Capito advocated for or championed were included in this legislation and stand to benefit West Virgin  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 -- Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) introduced the Rural Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act. This bill aims to streamline processes, reduce cost-burdens to rural home owners and small developers, and provide affordable housing incentives. "Being a rural state shouldn't mean losing out on private investment incentives like tax credits to help us preserve  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. IF12854) on Dec. 18, 2024, by American national government R. Eric Petersen: * * * Fourth Circuit Holds That Certain Medicaid and State-Funded Health Plans Discriminate by Refusing to Cover Treatments for Gender Dysphoria Several states have considered the extent to which transgender individuals should have access to certain medical treatments to address a discordance between  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- The Department of Education (DOE) is seeking applications from parent organizations for its Special Education Parent Information Centers (PTIs) program. This initiative aims to empower parents of children with disabilities by providing them with essential training and resources. Funding Available for Parent-Led Organizations The program prioritizes applications from parent organizations with diverse leadership encompassing parents of children with disabilities, special e  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service issued a proposed rule in the Federal Register on Dec. 13, 2024, entitled "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Rayed Bean, Sheepnose, Snuffbox, and Spectaclecase Mussels". Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to designate critical habitat for the rayed bean ( Villosa fabalis), sheepnose ( Plethobasus cy  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service issued a request for comments in the Federal Register on Dec. 16, 2024, entitled "Endangered Species; Recovery Permit Applications". Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have received applications for permits to conduct scientific research to promote conservation or other activities intended to enhance the propagation or survival of endangered species under the Endangere  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, issued the following news release: Senator Joe Manchin (I-WV), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), applauded the Senate passage of the bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025. The legislation passed 85-14 and includes many West Virginia and national priorities Senator Manchin secured. "As the superpower of the world, we need a strong national security and defense strategy that protects  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (I-WV) spoke on the Senate floor on his opposition to the Social Security Fairness Act, which would repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) from Social Security Benefit calculations. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) expects this bill to cost $183 billion over ten years, and it would accelerate the Social Security Trust Fund  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 -- Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, issued the following news release: Yesterday, Senator Joe Manchin III (I-WV), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, spoke on the Senate floor to celebrate the Senate passage of his bill to name approximately 2,700 acres of land along the Blackwater River in memory of Patsye Crites. The Senate agreed to the naming measure by unanimous consent late Tuesday. This action comes after Chairman Manchin facilitated a  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 -- Sen. Tom Carper, D-Delaware, chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, issued the following news release on Dec. 18, 2024: U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the EPW Committee, and John Boozman (R-Ark.), also a member of the EPW Committee, today celebrated inclusion of two pieces of bipartisan legislation focused on improving our natio  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 -- The U.S. Department of Commerce issued the following news release: Bipartisan legislation will modernize the EDA and other regional commissions whose mission is to spur economic growth in communities across the country The U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA) celebrates its historic reauthorization by Congress, allowing it to continue its legacy of promoting American innovation and competitiveness by providing grants and support to comm  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 -- The U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration issued the following news release: The U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA) celebrates its historic reauthorization by Congress, allowing it to continue its legacy of promoting American innovation and competitiveness by providing grants and support to communities across the country. Since 1965, EDA has led some of the nation's most impactful programs to strengthen publ  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, issued the following news release: Click here or the image above to watch Ranking Member Capito's floor speech Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, spoke on the Senate floor about the bipartisan Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA), which passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 399-18, and the U.S.   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) applauded congressional passage of the S.4367, the Water Resources and Development Act (WRDA) of 2024, which will help maintain clean drinking water across the country and includes key provisions to support the local oyster industry, strengthen Virginia's coastal resiliency, improve recreational access to Virginia's waterways, and encourage the dred  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) applauded congressional passage of the S.4367, the Water Resources and Development Act (WRDA) of 2024, which will help maintain clean drinking water across the country and includes key provisions to support the local oyster industry, strengthen Virginia's coastal resiliency, improve recreational access to Virginia's waterways, and encourage the dredg  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 -- Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced the Rural Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act. This bill aims to streamline processes, reduce cost-burdens to rural home owners and small developers, and provide affordable housing incentives. "By expanding access to historic tax credits, we can preserve our nation's rich heritage while also incentivizing the construction of mor  more