WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 -- Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-New Mexico, issued the following news release: * * * Heinrich: Trump's Blockade on Federal Funding Pummels New Mexicans and American Economy WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, is condemning President Trump's unlawful direction to unilaterally blockade all federal grant funding. "Our economy, our healthcare system, our schools, our law enforcement and fire departments, our newborn  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 -- The House Financial Services Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 118-788) on the Bank Resilience and Regulatory Improvement Act (H.R. 8337), which aims to amend the Federal banking laws to improve the safety and soundness of the United States banking system. The report was advanced by Rep. Patrick T. McHenry, R-North Carolina, on Dec. 3, 2024. Here are excerpts: * * * Purpose and Summary Introduced on May 10, 2024, by Representative Andy Barr, H.R. 8337, the Bank Resilie  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 -- The House Financial Services Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 118-787) on the Earned Wage Access Consumer Protection Act (H.R. 7428), which aims to regulate the business of offering and providing earned wage access services to consumers. The report was advanced by Rep. Patrick T. McHenry, R-North Carolina, on Dec. 3, 2024. Here are excerpts: * * * Purpose and Summary Introduced on February 20, 2024, by Representative Bryan Steil, H.R. 7428, the Earned Wage Access Con  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 -- The House Financial Services Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 118-786) on the Promoting Access to Capital in Underbanked Communities Act of 2023 (H.R. 758), which aims to require the appropriate Federal banking agencies to establish a 3-year phase-in period for de novo financial institutions to comply with federal capital standards and to provide relief for de novo rural community banks. The report was advanced by Rep. Patrick T. McHenry, R-North Carolina, on Dec. 3, 2024  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 -- The House Financial Services Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 118-782) on the SEC Reform and Restructuring Act (H.R. 8339), which aims to make improvements to the securities laws. The report was advanced by Rep. Patrick T. McHenry, R-North Carolina, on Nov. 29, 2024. Here are excerpts: * * * Purpose and Summary Introduced on May 10, 2024, by Representative Ann Wagner, H.R. 8339, the SEC Reform and Restructuring Act, would (1) improve the quality of the Securities and   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 -- The House Financial Services Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 118-783) on the Stop Fentanyl Money Laundering Act of 2023 (H.R. 3244), which aims to provide authority to the Secretary of the Treasury to take special measures against certain entities outside of the U.S. of primary money laundering concern in connection with illicit fentanyl and narcotics financing. The report was advanced by Rep. Patrick T. McHenry, R-North Carolina, on Nov. 29, 2024. Here are excerpts: *  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 -- Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Arkansas, chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, issued the following news release on Jan. 28, 2025: This weekend, President Trump issued an executive order to address water supply issues in California and improve disaster response in California and North Carolina. House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) issued the following statement in response: "My prayers go out to all those affected by natural disast  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 -- Rep. Jared Huffman, D-California, issued the following news release: * * * Huffman Decries Trump's Dictatorial Power Grabs Washington, D.C. - Today, Founder of the Stop Project 2025 Task Force and Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee Jared Huffman (CA-02) released a statement decrying the Trump administration's illegal order for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to block and redirect vast swaths of federal funding approved by Congress. This ra  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics issued the following document from Economics Daily: * * * Job openings rates increased in 2 states in November 2024 January 28, 2025 Job openings rates increased in 2 states, decreased in 2 states, and were little changed in 46 states and the District of Columbia in November 2024. The national job openings rate (4.8 percent) was little changed over the month. The increases in job openings rates occurred   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release: A federal judge in Charlotte, North Carolina, sentenced a Jamaican citizen yesterday to prison for operating a Jamaica-based fraudulent lottery scheme. Antony Linton Stewart, 40, pleaded guilty on Aug. 3, 2023, to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, in the Western District of North Carolina. On Jan. 27, U.S. District Court Judge Robert J. Conrad sentenced Stewart to 84 months in prison.   more

RALEIGH, North Carolina, Jan. 28 -- The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality issued the following news release: * * * Marine Fisheries Standard Commercial Fishing License Eligibility Board to meet The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality's Division of Marine Fisheries Standard Commercial Fishing License Eligibility Board will meet by teleconference at 10:30 a.m. on April 17. The board will consider license applications that are deemed complete and submitted by March 28. Th  more

RALEIGH, North Carolina, Jan. 29 -- North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson issued the following news release on Jan. 28, 2025: * * * NC Would Lose Billions for Western NC Recovery and Crime Prevention * * * Today, Attorney General Jeff Jackson filed a lawsuit to stop the federal government's freeze on grants and funding. Attorney General Jackson and 22 attorneys general asked the federal court for an immediate temporary restraining order to prevent the freeze from going into effect. A  more

RALEIGH, North Carolina, Jan. 29 -- The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services issued the following news release: A commercial turkey operation in Sampson County has tested positive for High Path Avian Influenza. The positive sample was first identified by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Veterinary Diagnostic Lab in Raleigh and confirmed by the USDA APHIS National Veterinary Services Lab in Ames, Iowa. This is the second case of high path avian  more

RALEIGH, North Carolina, Jan. 29 (TNSres) -- The North Carolina Department of Commerce issued the following news release: The state's seasonally adjusted December 2024 unemployment rate was 3.7 percent, unchanged from November's revised rate. The national rate decreased 0.1 of a percentage point to 4.1 percent. North Carolina's unemployment rate increased 0.1 of a percentage point from a year ago. The number of people employed increased 1,224 over the month to 5,066,954 and increased 5,467 ove  more

RALEIGH, North Carolina, Jan. 29 -- Gov. Josh Stein, D-North Carolina, issued the following news release on Jan. 28, 2025: Following the resignation of Utilities Commission Chair Charlotte Mitchell, Governor Josh Stein appointed Floyd B. McKissick Jr. to carry out the remainder of Mitchell's term, which goes through June 30, 2029. Governor Stein also appointed Steve Levitas to fill McKissick's position through June 30, 2025. "Floyd McKissick currently serves on the Utilities Commission, and h  more

RALEIGH, North Carolina, Jan. 29 -- Gov. Josh Stein, D-North Carolina, issued the following news release on Jan. 28, 2025: * * * Global aerospace company will add 325 new jobs in Buncombe County * * * Governor Stein announced that Pratt & Whitney, an RTX business (NYSE: RTX), will expand its turbine airfoil manufacturing plant in Buncombe County, a significant vote of confidence in western North Carolina. The company's expansion project will create 325 additional jobs and includes an additio  more

RALEIGH, North Carolina, Jan. 29 -- The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources issued the following news release: HILLSBOROUGH - A long-awaited acquisition of over 200 acres of land that includes the Historic Occoneechee Speedway to add to Eno River State Park has been finalized, the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) announced. The acquisition process, which began in 2021, was facilitated by the Eno River Association, which worked with the previous la  more

GREENSBORO, North Carolina, Jan. 29 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina issued the following news release on Jan. 28, 2025: Acting United States Attorney Randall S. Galyon announced today that the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC) collected $11,766,028.87 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $10,606,536.43 was collected in criminal actions and $1,159,492.44 was collected in civil actions. The MDNC also worked with oth  more

GREENSBORO, North Carolina, Jan. 29 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina issued the following news release: Substance Abuse Treatment Labs, located in Greensboro, and its owner, Paul Fribush, have agreed to pay $850,000 to resolve civil allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by billing North Carolina Medicaid for medically unnecessary urine drug screening tests (UDT), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Randall Galyon. The United States and the Sta  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 -- Rep. Danny K. Davis, D-Illinois, issued the following news release on Jan. 28, 2025: Today, Congressman Danny K. Davis strongly criticized the Trump administration's sweeping budget cuts, which included the elimination of federal funding for 50 police officers in Chicago through the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program. These cuts, part of a broader effort to freeze critical federal funding, jeopardize public safety and essential community health services a  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 -- Rep. Valerie Foushee, D-North Carolina, issued the following statement on Jan. 28, 2025: * * * DURHAM, NC (January 28, 2025) -- Today, Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (NC-04) released the following statement on the recent memoranda issued by the United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and President Trump's executive orders directing agencies to withhold approved federal funding. This sweeping, unprecedented directive is set to go into effect at 5PM ET on Januar  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 -- Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-North Carolina, issued the following statement on Jan. 28, 2025: Today, Representative Virginia Foxx (R-NC) issued the following statement on her appointment by President Trump to the Council to Assess the Federal Emergency Management Agency that was established by an executive order on January 24th of this year. "The FEMA bureaucracy is failing the citizens of western North Carolina. I wholeheartedly agree with President Trump's sentiment that if w  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 -- Rep. Gregory Murphy, R-North Carolina, issued the following news release: Congressman Greg Murphy, M.D. introduced the End China's De Minimis Abuse Act, legislation to prevent China from evading tariffs on Chinese goods. "We must not allow China to systematically bypass tariffs at the expense of American businesses and workers," said Congressman Greg Murphy, M.D. "Nearly two-thirds of all imports that come into the U.S. under a privileged existing exemption are from Chin  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 -- Rep. Pat Harrigan, R-North Carolina, issued the following news release: Congressman Pat Harrigan (R-NC), a combat-decorated Green Beret, graduate of the United States Military Academy, and representative of North Carolina's 10th District, has been appointed to the United States Military Academy Board of Visitors to oversee the academy's mission, programs, and operations. "West Point is where I learned to lead with courage, decisiveness, and an unrelenting commitment to m  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 -- Rep. Tim Moore, R-North Carolina, issued the following news release on Jan. 28, 2025: On January 24th, U.S. President Donald J. Trump named Congressman Tim Moore (NC-14) to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Management Agency Review Council that was created by Executive Order (https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/council-to-assess-the-federal-emergency-management-agency/). "After leading unprecedented efforts to help our region recover from  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 -- Rep. Young Kim, R-California, issued the following news release: * * * Rep. Young Kim Helps Lead Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act Amid California Wildfires WASHINGTON, DC - Today, U.S. Representatives Young Kim (CA-40) and Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) introduced the Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act ( H.R. 426 ), which would ease access to vital resources for natural disaster survivors. The Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act supports natural disaster  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 -- Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, issued the following news release: * * * Schatz, Cruz, Murphy, Britt Introduce Bipartisan Legislation To Keep Kids Safe, Healthy, off Social Media WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i), a senior member of the Senate Commerce Committee, Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), and Katie Britt (R-Ala.) introduced bipartisan legislation to keep kids off social media and help protect them   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 -- Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, issued the following news release: * * * Senator Murray Blasts Trump Admin for Illegally Blocking Funding for Communities, Comments on Latest OMB Update & Continued Chaos Nationwide Murray: "In a brazen and illegal move, the Trump administration is working to freeze huge chunks of federal funding passed into law--by Republicans and Democrats alike. Now, not even 24 hours later, they are issuing new guidance trying to clean up the massive  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, issued the following news release: * * * Kids Off Social Media Act sets social media age minimum to 13, prohibits use of algorithms to feed addictive content to teens under 17 * * * U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), and Katie Britt (R-Ala.) introduced bipartisan legislation to keep kids off so  more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 -- Sen. Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina, issued the following news release: * * * Tillis Introduces Legislation to Protect Law Enforcement Officers WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Thom Tillis recently reintroduced the Protect and Serve Act and the Justice for Fallen Law Enforcement Act, legislation to protect law enforcement officers and create strong federal penalties for criminals who target law enforcement officers. "Law enforcement officers in North Carolina and across the   more

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 -- Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, issued the following news release: * * * Van Hollen Slams Trump Administration for Illegal Withholding of Federal Grant Funds Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement regarding the Office of Management and Budget's memoranda directing agencies to withhold vast swaths of approved federal funding, including grants and loans. "Make no mistake - this m  more