WASHINGTON, March 29 -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released the following public communication dated March 10, 2025, from Merrell Bros Inc., Kokomo, Indiana: * * * To: Mr. David Tobias Office of Water Office of Science and Technology Health and Ecological Criteria Division Environmental Protection Agency 1301 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Washington, DC 20460 RE: Merrell Bros. Inc. comments related to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2024-0504; Draft Sewage Sludge Risk Assessment: Perfl  more

WASHINGTON, March 28 -- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * Gillibrand Slams Trump Administration Attempts To Close Social Security Offices, Limit Phone Support So-Called "Department Of Government Efficiency" Listed 47 Social Security Administration Offices for Closure - Including 2 in New York DOGE's Attacks on the SSA Have Resulted in Skyrocketing Wait Times and Website Crashes Trump Administration Official Claims That Only "Fraudsters" Would Co  more

WASHINGTON, March 28 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Grassley, Wyden Sound the Alarm on Officials Bypassing Organ Donation List, "Skipping the Line" for Less Critical Patients WASHINGTON - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) are demanding answers from Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) officials regarding a reported increase in organs allocated out of  more

WASHINGTON, March 29 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11682) on March 28, 2025, by financial economics analyst Karl E. Schneider. Here are excerpts: * * * Introduction to Financial Services: Consumer Finance Consumer finance refers to the borrowing, saving, and investment choices that consumers and households make over time. Understanding why and how consumers make financial decisions is important when considering policy issues in consum  more

WASHINGTON, March 29 (Rep.) -- House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * LEADER JEFFRIES STATEMENT ON ICE ARRESTS Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries released the following statement: Donald Trump and his House Republican enablers have weaponized immigration enforcement to aggressively target students in a manner that appears wildly inconsistent with the United States Constitution. The Trump administration has now arrested and detain  more

WASHINGTON, March 29 -- Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * LEADER JEFFRIES STATEMENT ON ICE ARRESTS Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries released the following statement: Donald Trump and his House Republican enablers have weaponized immigration enforcement to aggressively target students in a manner that appears wildly inconsistent with the United States Constitution. The Trump administration has now arrested and detained several lawful permanent  more

WASHINGTON, March 29 -- Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, D-New Mexico, issued the following news release: * * * Lujan Statement on Trump Administration Gutting HHS by Cutting Nearly Quarter of Workforce, Abruptly Canceling Funding for New Mexico State Health Services Trump Administration Guts HHS by Eliminating Nearly 25% of Workforce, Cuts Over $12 Billion in Federal Grants to Fund Infectious Disease Management and Other Critical Health Services Nationwide Amid Measles Outbreak Washington, D.C. - Today  more

WASHINGTON, March 29 -- The U.S. Senate conducted seven committee hearings on March 27, 2025: * * * NOMINATIONS Committee on Armed Services: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the nominations of Troy Meink, of Virginia, to be Secretary of the Air Force, who was introduced by Senator Rounds, Michael Duffey, of Virginia, to be Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, who was introduced by Representative Fitzgerald, Emil Michael, of Florida, to be Under Secretary for Res  more

WASHINGTON, March 29 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF10290) on March 28, 2025, by Asian policy analyst Maria A. Blackwood. Here are excerpts: * * * Tajikistan Overview Tajikistan is a landlocked Central Asian country that borders four other states, including the People's Republic of China (PRC, or China) and Afghanistan, and maintains close ties with Russia. Formerly a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, Tajikistan became independ  more