WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation issued the following news release: * * * Biden-Harris Administration Announces $82 Million for Rural Water Projects WASHINGTON - The Bureau of Reclamation today announced an investment of $82 million from President Biden's Investing in America agenda in five Rural Water Projects to bring drinking water to areas of Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico and South Dakota. The funding is from the Bipartisan Infrastr  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: * * * Crapo, Wyden, Bipartisan Senators Call on President Biden to Stop Rushing Trade Negotiations Behind Closed Doors Washington, D.C. \--U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) led a bipartisan group of senators calling on the Biden Administration to direct United States Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai to cease secret negotiations with for  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * Daines Leads Bill to Defend Firearm Businesses and the Second Amendment Bill Prohibits Federal Government from Using Taxpayer Dollars to Enter into Contracts with Anti-Second Amendment Corporations U.S. SENATE - Senator Steve Daines today led his colleagues in introducing the "Firearm Industry Non-Discrimination (FIND) Act," which prohibits the federal government from entering into contracts with g  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 -- The U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division issued the following news release: * * * Found QSI employed children for overnight cleaning shifts * * * CHICAGO - The U.S. Department of Labor has entered into an agreement with a Tennessee cleaning contractor that requires the employer to pay $400,000 in civil money penalties, monitor and audit policies to prevent the employment of children in dangerous jobs, and maintain a toll-free number for reporting concerns ab  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 -- Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Ernst Pushes to Close the Border WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a member of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (HSGAC), voted to affirm that President Trump has the authority to secure our southwest border immediately and called to build the wall to end Biden's era of open borders. In November 2023, Ernst witnessed firsthand wall materials sitting unused n  more

DES MOINES, Iowa, Jan. 16 -- Gov. Kim Reynolds, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Gov. Reynolds puts families first, introduces bill for paid parental leave Today, Governor Kim Reynolds released the Families First Bill to the Iowa House and Senate. Gov. Reynolds is proposing four weeks of paid maternity leave and one week of paid paternity leave for state employees. Gov. Reynolds is also proposing four weeks of paid leave for state employees who adopt a child. Currently, the   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Grassley Opens Second Day of Hearings on Pam Bondi's Nomination for Attorney General Prepared Opening Statement by Senator Chuck Grassley Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on "The Nomination of the Honorable Pamela Jo Bondi to be Attorney General of the United States: Day 2" Thursday, January 16, 2025 Good morning, everybody. Welcome back for our second day of the hearing on Ms  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Grassley Questions Treasury Secretary Nominee Scott Bessent at Senate Finance Committee Hearing WASHINGTON - Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, today spoke with Treasury Secretary nominee Scott Bessent about the importance of reducing sky-high spending, protecting whistleblowers at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and responding to  more

DES MOINES, Iowa, Jan. 16 -- The Iowa Association of Business and Industry issued the following statement on Jan. 15, 2025: * * * Governor Reynolds has been a champion of pro-growth policies during her time in office. Last night, she laid out another bold, pro-business agenda during her Condition of the State Address. For decades, ABI members have highlighted Iowa's uncompetitive unemployment insurance tax on employee wages when compared to our neighboring states. Governor Reynolds highlighte  more

DES MOINES, Iowa, Jan. 16 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa issued the following news release: Two Iowa healthcare practitioners have entered into civil settlements to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly causing the submission of false or fraudulent claims to Medicare as part of a telemedicine scheme. Nurse practitioner Cori Lempiainen has agreed to pay $150,000 to the United States to resolve allegations that between Octo  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 -- Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: * * * Kennedy, Lankford, Banks introduce bill to protect infants born alive during an abortion WASHINGTON - Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined Sens. James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Jim Banks (R-Ind.) in introducing the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. "When an infant clings to life after an abortion procedure, doctors have a duty to care for that chi  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 -- The Small Business Administration issued the following news release: * * * SBA Administrator Guzman Grants More Than $26M to Create 13 New Women's Business Centers WASHINGTON -- Today, Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice in President Biden's Cabinet for America's more than 34 million small businesses, awarded $26.25 million to create 13 new Women's Business Centers (WBC) and support 17 existing WBCs ac  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 -- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued the following news release: * * * TKO Construction Services to Pay $300,000 to Settle EEOC Sex, Race and Age Discrimination Lawsuit Federal Agency Charged Employee Was Forced to Resign After She Was Told to Not Hire Women, Blacks and Older Workers for Construction Industry Jobs MINNEAPOLIS - TKO Construction Services, a staffing company that provides temporary employees for commercial, residential, restoration, heavy   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior's U.S. Geological Survey issued the following news release: * * * USGS releases first-ever map of potential for geologic hydrogen in U.S. The map is the first of its kind at continental scale anywhere, showing likely underground areas to explore for geologic hydrogen. It reveals areas of interest that have the potential to hold accumulations of geologic hydrogen, including a mid-continent region that covers Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota and  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 -- Sen. Todd Young, R-Indiana, issued the following news release: * * * Young, Colleagues Call on President Biden to Stop Negotiating Trade Deals Behind Closed Doors WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) joined a bipartisan group of senators in calling on the Biden Administration to cease secret negotiations with foreign trading partners. The United States Trade Representative (USTR) is attempting to change at least three major trade agreements in secret, while sac  more