WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Rep. Don Beyer, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: * * * Beyer And DelBene Introduce Legislation Stop Trump Tariff Chaos, Restore Trade Authority To Congress U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA) and Suzan DelBene (D-WA) today announced the reintroduction of the Congressional Trade Authority Act, legislation that would require the president to submit to Congress any proposal to adjust imports in the interest of national security under Section 232 of the Trad  more

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia, March 7 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia issued the following news release: * * * Chesterfield cocaine trafficker sentenced to 10 years in prison RICHMOND, Va. - A Chesterfield man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine. According to court documents, on May 18, 2023, Urain Alexander Robinson, 52, was contacted by a co-conspirator (CC1), who was seeking to purchase cocaine from Rob  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Rep. Robert C. Scott, D-Virginia, ranking member of the House Education and Workforce Committee, issued the following news release on March 6, 2025: * * * Civil Rights Leaders Reintroduce Bill to Strengthen Protections, Restore Intent of Federal Religious Freedom Law Do No Harm Act would address increasing use of religious freedom law to undermine civil rights protections WASHINGTON - Today, Congressional civil rights leaders reintroduced the Do No Harm Act, to address  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- The U.S. Department of Defense issued the following news: * * * Contracts for March 7, 2025 DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY AmerisourceBergen Drug Corp., Conshohocken, Pennsylvania (SPE2DX-25-D-1000 $5,649,602,820); DMS Pharmaceutical Group Inc.,** Parkridge, Illinois (SPE2DX-25-D-9000, $277,666,966); and Cardinal Health Inc., Dublin, Ohio (SPE2DX-25-D-8000, $16,564,367), have each been awarded a firm-fixed-price requirements contract under solicitation SPE2DX-24-R-0001 for   more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies released the following testimony by Virginia Gentles, director of the Education Freedom and Parental Rights Initiative at the Defense of Freedom Institute for Policy Studies, from a Feb. 26, 2025, hearing entitled "Federal Investments in Elementary Education": * * * Chairman Aderholt and Ranking Member DeLauro, thank you for the opportunity to testify today. As a par  more

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia, March 7 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia issued the following news release: * * * Department of State employee charged for conspiracy to gather, transmit, or lose national defense information ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Michael Charles Schena, 42, of Alexandria, was arrested on criminal charges related to his alleged participation in a criminal conspiracy to gather, transmit, or lose national defense information. According to court documents  more

WASHINGTON, March 8 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on March 7, 2025: * * * Department of State Employee Charged for Conspiracy to Gather, Transmit, or Lose National Defense Information Michael Charles Schena, 42, of Alexandria, Virginia, was arrested on criminal charges related to his alleged participation in a criminal conspiracy to gather, transmit, or lose national defense information. According to court documents, Schena is employed by the U.S. Depart  more

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia, March 7 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia issued the following news release: * * * Falls Church man convicted of hate crime for attempted church shooting ALEXANDRIA, Va. - After a four-day trial, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict today for Rui Jiang, of Falls Church, who was charged with attempting to obstruct the congregants of a church in Haymarket in the free exercise of their religious beliefs. The charge included that the  more

ROANOKE, Virginia, March 7 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia issued the following news release: * * * Five More Sentenced in Federal Pandemic Fraud Unemployment Benefit Scheme In all, 17 Defendants Stole $341,205 in Pandemic Relief Money ABINGDON, Va. - An additional five of the 17 defendants charged with conspiring to defraud the United States, commit program fraud, and commit mail fraud in connection to a scheme involving the filing of fraudulent claim  more

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia, March 7 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia issued the following news release: * * * Garantex cryptocurrency exchange disrupted in international operation Two administrators charged with operating multibillion-dollar crypto money laundering service ALEXANDRIA, Va. - The Justice Department announced today a coordinated action with Germany and Finland to disrupt and take down the online infrastructure used to operate Garantex, a cryptoc  more

WASHINGTON, March 8 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on March 7, 2025: * * * Garantex Cryptocurrency Exchange Disrupted in International Operation Two Administrators Charged with Operating Multibillion-Dollar Crypto Money Laundering Service The Justice Department announced today a coordinated action with Germany and Finland to disrupt and take down the online infrastructure used to operate Garantex, a cryptocurrency exchange that allegedly facilitated money  more

RICHMOND, Virginia, March 7 -- Gov. Glenn Youngkin, R-Virginia, issued the following news release: * * * Governor Glenn Youngkin Announces Additional Board Appointments RICHMOND, VA -- Governor Glenn Youngkin today announced additional board appointments. BOARD APPOINTMENTS ADMINISTRATION STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS * The Honorable Rosalyn Dance, Vice-Chair, of Petersburg, former Member, Senate of Virginia; former Member, Virginia House of Delegates; former Mayor, City of Petersburg   more

RICHMOND, Virginia, March 7 -- Gov. Glenn Youngkin, R-Virginia, issued the following news release: * * * Governor Glenn Youngkin Statement on University of Virginia Board of Visitors' Decision to Dissolve DEI Office and End Illegal Discriminatory Practices RICHMOND, VA -- Governor Glenn Youngkin praised the Board of Visitors at the University of Virginia for unanimously voting to dissolve the University's Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) and Community Partnerships, end illegal dis  more

WASHINGTON, March 8 -- Rep. David Schweikert, R-Arizona, vice chairman of the Joint Economic Committee, issued the following news on March 7, 2025: * * * JEC Establishes Committee Leadership for the 119th Congress WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Last week, the Joint Economic Committee concluded its committee organizational vote to adopt the committee's leadership for the 119th Congress. Chairman David Schweikert (R-AZ-01) and Vice Chairman Eric Schmitt (R-MO) formally ratified the committee's membership,  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: * * * Kaine, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Ban High-Capacity Gun Magazines WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) joined 21 of his Senate colleagues to introduce the Keep Americans Safe Act (KASA), legislation to reinstate a nationwide ban on the sale, transfer, possession, import, or manufacture of high-capacity gun magazines that hold more than ten rounds. A federal law prohibiting semiautomatic a  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: * * * Kaine, Marshall Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Patients from High Drug Costs WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Roger Marshall (R-KS), both members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, introduced the Help Ensure Lower Patient (HELP) Copays Act, bipartisan legislation that would require health care insurers and pharmacy benefit managers (P  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Rep. Jennifer McClellan, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: * * * McClellan Joins Sewell to Introduce the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act Ahead of the 60th Anniversary of Bloody Sunday Washington, D.C. - In case you missed it: Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) joined Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell (AL-07) and 212 House Democrats to introduce H.R. 14, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. The bill restores and modernizes the prote  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia issued the following news release: * * * Multiple Members of Transnational Criminal Organization '18th Street' Sentenced for Roles in Various Violent Crimes Committed During Their Gang Involvement Defendants Convicted of Murders, Attempt Murders, and RICO-Conspiracy WASHINGTON - Elvis Mauricio Maradiaga, 23, of Bladensburg, Maryland, was sentenced today to 108 months in federal prison for his participation in  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued the following news: * * * NOAA-Funded Research Highlights Economic Effects of Oyster Reef Restoration Researchers at Morgan State University's Patuxent Environmental and Aquatic Research Laboratory (link is external) quantified how restored oyster reefs in the NOAA Middle Peninsula Habitat Focus Area in Virginia would affect the local economy. They found that oyster reef restoration in the York and Piankatank ri  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, March 8 -- The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry issued the following news release on March 7, 2025: * * * PA Chamber LTE Pushes Back on Combined Reporting The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently published a letter to the editor from PA Chamber Director of Government Affairs Neal Lesher correcting misconceptions about Pennsylvania's tax structure and the impact of mandatory combined reporting on businesses. Full text of the letter is shown below. Letter: N  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has denied a protest filed by PingWind, Inc., challenging the U.S. Army's award of a cybersecurity services task order to Bravura Information Technology Systems, Inc. The decision, released on Feb. 5, 2025, affirms the Army's evaluation and selection process. PingWind, a small business based in Annandale, Virginia, protested the award, arguing that the Army's evaluation of Bravura's staffing plan, price analysis, and best-value t  more

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia, March 7 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia issued the following news release: * * * Portsmouth felon sentenced to 15 years in prison for federal drug-trafficking and firearms crimes NORFOLK, Va. - A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, Steven Frederick James, 51, wa  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Rep. Gerald "Gerry" Connolly, D-Virginia, ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, issued the following news release: * * * Ranking Member Connolly and More Than 100 House Democrats Demand OPM Reinstate All Unlawfully Fired Federal Employees Washington, D.C. (March 6, 2025)--Today, Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, led 141 House Democrats in sending a letter to Acting Director Charl  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Rep. Gerald "Gerry" Connolly, D-Virginia, ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, issued the following news release on March 6, 2025: * * * Ranking Member Connolly Launches Government-wide Investigation into Elon Musk's DOGE Infiltration of Federal Agencies Washington, D.C. (March 6, 2025)--Today, Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent letters to the 24 CFO Act agencies requesting   more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Rep. Robert C. Scott, D-Virginia, ranking member of the House Education and Workforce Committee, issued the following news release: * * * Ranking Member Scott Statement on February Jobs Report WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after theBureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added 151,000 jobs in February, and the unemployment rate rose from 4.0 percent to 4.1 percent. During President Biden's firs  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has denied a protest filed by I.M. Systems Group, Inc. (IMSG), a small business based in Rockville, Maryland, challenging the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) award of a significant task order to Science and Technology Corporation (STC), a small business headquartered in Hampton, Virginia. The contested task order, known as ASTA 2.0, involves providing scientific and technical services to support NOAA's sa  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Rep. Robert C. Scott, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: * * * Scott Honored for Advocacy for Green Schools WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, delivered the following statement (link is external) accepting the 2025 Best of Green Schools Policy Maker Award (link is external) from the U.S. Green Building Council. "I'm honored to be recognized alongside Senator Reed with th  more

WASHINGTON, March 6 -- Rep. Robert C. Scott, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: * * * Scott Statement on Rep. Al Green Censure Resolution WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after voting against H.Res. 189 - Censuring Congressman Al Green (TX-09): "Congressman Green was punished for standing up for Medicaid. Republicans heckled, jeered and argued with President Biden last year during his State of the Union without sanction. "When Con  more

WASHINGTON, March 8 -- The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee issued the following information for an executive session at 10 a.m. on March 12, 2025, at 253 Russell Senate Office Building: Agenda: * Nomination of Michael Kratsios, of South Carolina, to be Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy * Nomination of Mark Meador, of Virginia, to be a Federal Trade Commissioner * S. 28, Informing Consumers about Smart Devices Act (Cruz) * S. 97, Securing Semicondu  more

WASHINGTON, March 8 -- The U.S. Senate conducted six committee hearings on March 6, 2025: * * * CATASTROPHIC WILDFIRE Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry, Natural Resources, and Biotechnology concluded a hearing to examine options to reduce catastrophic wildfire, including H.R. 471, to expedite under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and improve forest management activities on National Forest System lands, on public lands under  more

WASHINGTON, March 8 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced the revised income eligibility guidelines for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). These updated guidelines, which determine the income thresholds for program applicants, will take effect on July 1, 2025. The changes align with federal poverty guidelines and are calculated based on the formula used for reduced-price school meals, which sets the income limit at 185% of t  more

WASHINGTON, March 8 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced the annual adjustments to the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children (Summer EBT) Program for 2025. Under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, these benefits are updated each year based on changes in the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP), which reflects the cost of food for a reference family of four. For most areas, the monthly benefit levels remain unchanged from 2024 due to minor inflationary increa  more

RICHMOND, Virginia, March 7 -- Gov. Glenn Youngkin, R-Virginia, issued the following news release: * * * ViDARR Inc. to Open New Manufacturing Facility in Virginia Beach Defense technology manufacturer will invest $2.69 million, creating 40 jobs RICHMOND, VA -- Governor Glenn Youngkin today announced that ViDARR Inc., a manufacturer of defense optical equipment, will invest $2.69 million over the next three years to open a new manufacturing facility in the City of Virginia Beach. The projec  more

RICHMOND, Virginia, March 8 -- The Virginia Department of Education issued the following news release on March 7, 2025: * * * Virginia Teacher Receives Prestigious Milken Educator Award Richmond, Va. - A Virginia educator from Montgomery County Public Schools has been recognized today as a recipient of the Milken Educator Award and honored for her commitment to education and the impact she has in her classroom and community. Anna Drew, a science teacher at Montgomery County's Shawsville Middl  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Rep. Robert C. Scott, D-Virginia, ranking member of the House Education and Workforce Committee, issued the following news release on March 6, 2025: * * * What People Are Saying: Protecting the Right to Organize Act WASHINGTON - Yesterday, a bipartisan group of House and Senate Members introduced the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act of 2025 (H.R. 20), a comprehensive proposal to protect workers' right to come together and bargain for higher w  more