WASHINGTON, April 30 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47467) on March 13, 2025, entitled "Qatar: Issues for the 119th Congress" by Middle Eastern affairs specialist Christopher M. Blanchard. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The State of Qatar is a small, energy-rich emirate strategically located near the center of the Persian Gulf. Defense and diplomatic cooperation have anchored close U.S.-Qatari relations: Qatar hosts thousands of U.S. troops, allows   more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, issued the following news release: * * * Chairman Capito Leads Hearing Examining Water Infrastructure Successes from IIJA WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, led a hearing examining successes from water infrastructure policies and provisions in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). This hearing serves as the fo  more

WASHINGTON, May 1 -- Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, chairwoman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, issued the following news release on April 30, 2025: * * * Chairman Capito Leads Hearing Examining Water Infrastructure Successes from IIJA WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, led a hearing examining successes from water infrastructure policies and provisions in   more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- Rep. Morgan McGarvey, D-Kentucky, issued the following news release: * * * Congressman Morgan McGarvey Introduces American Sovereign Wealth Fund Exploration Act of 2025 Congressman Morgan McGarvey (KY-03) introduced the American Sovereign Wealth Fund Exploration Act of 2025 today, which would create a 25-member commission to study and report on the "feasibility, considerations, limitations, and implications of creating and operating a sovereign wealth fund of the Unite  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, issued the following news release: * * * Cotton, Colleagues Reintroduce the Living Donor Protection Act Contact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353 April 30, 2025 Cotton, Gillibrand, and Colleagues Reintroduce the Living Donor Protection Act Washington, D.C. -- Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) and Senator Kristen Gillibrand (D-New York) today reintroduced the Living Donor Protection Act, legislation that will protect the  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: * * * Crapo, Risch and Colleagues Introduce Bill to Stand Up for Israel at the UN Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Mike Lee (R-Utah), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Dave McCormick (R-Pennsylvania), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Katie Britt   more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- The U.S. Department of Energy has released the following public communication dated March 3, 2025, from Claire Taigman, associate attorney for Earthjustice, and counsel for the Ohio River Valley Institute and Buckeye Environmental Network. Here are excerpts: * * * To: TRC APPALACHIAN HYDROGEN HUB Coordinator Teays Corporate Centre 135 Corporate Center Drive, Suite 540 Scott Depot, West Virginia 25560 * Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, U.S. Department of Ener  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release: * * * EPA Region 3 Highlights 100 Days of Environmental Actions Across the Mid-Atlantic and United States PHILADELPHIA (April 30, 2025) -- Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin released a recap of 100 environmental actions taken by the agency during President Trump's First 100 Days in office, including the record Phase 1 hazardous materials clean up after the cat  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- Rep. Steny H. Hoyer, D-Maryland, issued the following news release: * * * Hoyer, Norton, Van Hollen Lead Bicameral Letter on Cuts to Medicaid in District of Columbia WASHINGTON, DC - Amid reports (link is external) that House Republicans plan to reduce the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) in the District of Columbia, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), and Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) led 15 Members in sending   more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- Rep. Jennifer McClellan, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: * * * Hoyer, Norton, Van Hollen Lead Bicameral Letter on Cuts to Medicaid in District of Columbia WASHINGTON, DC - Amid reports (link is external) that House Republicans plan to reduce the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) in the District of Columbia, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), and Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) led 15 Members in send  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- NASA issued the following news release: * * * Robots, Rovers, and Regolith: NASA Brings Exploration to FIRST Robotics 2025 What does the future of space exploration look like? At the 2025 FIRST Robotics World Championship in Houston, NASA gave student robotics teams and industry leaders a first-hand look--complete with lunar rovers, robotic arms, and real conversations about shaping the next era of discovery. NASA engaged directly with the Artemis Generation, connec  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- The Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee issued a report (S.Rpt. 119-2) on its legislative and oversight activities during the 118th Congress. The report was advanced by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, on March 12, 2025. Here are excerpts: * * * I. HEARINGS AND MEETINGS A. First Session (2023) During the First Session of the 118th Congress, the Committee held 20 hearings. At those hearings, there were 115 witness appearances. Two hearings (April 26 and July 12) focused ex  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- The Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee issued a report (S.Rpt. 119-2) on its legislative and oversight activities during the 118th Congress. The report was advanced by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, on March 12, 2025. * * * (Continued from Part 1 of 2) This is about more than just funding. VA's planned medical workforce reductions in FY 2025, coupled with its existing "zero growth" initiative, which seeks to keep the full-time equivalent employee (FTE) number flat between  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Citizenship and Immigration Services has released the following public communication on April 9, 2025, from the National Immigration Forum: * * * Alien Registration Form and Evidence of Registration National Immigration Forum Public Comment DHS Docket No. USCIS 2025-0004 * * * The National Immigration Forum (the Forum) respectfully submits the following comment in response to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) U.S. Ci  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released the following public communication dated March 18, 2025. The communication was signed by 350 Humboldt, 350 Seattle, 350 Yakima Climate Action, Cascadia Climate Action Now, Center for Biological Diversity, Breakthrough Institute, Earthjustice and Mighty Earth. * * * To: William Hohenstein Director, Office of Energy and Environmental Policy Office of the Chief Economist U.S. Department of Agriculture 1400 Independence A  more

WASHINGTON, April 29 -- Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, issued the following news release: * * * VIDEO: Capito Highlights Improvements to Secure the Border During President Trump's First 100 Days WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, at a Senate Republican Leadership Press Conference, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Republican Policy Committee (RPC) Chairman, highlighted President Donald Trump's historic results securing the Southern Border during the first 100 days of his second  more

CHARLESTON, West Virginia, May 1 -- Gov. Patrick Morrisey, R-West Virginia, issued the following news on April 30, 2025: * * * Governor Patrick Morrisey Signs Power Generation and Consumption and One-Stop Shop Permitting Bills Into Law to Make West Virginia the Best State in the Country for Data Centers Point Pleasant, W.Va. - Today, Governor Patrick Morrisey signed House Bill 2014, the Power Generation and Consumption Act, and House Bill 2002, creating a one-stop shop permitting process. Bot  more