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

MIAMI, Florida, May 1 -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida issued the following news release on April 30, 2025: * * * Federal Court Extends Block on Florida's Extreme Anti-Immigrant Law, SB 4-C Judge extends block on enforcement of law that would criminalize people simply for entering Florida ruling the law is likely unconstitutional MIAMI, FL (April 30, 2025) -- Late last night, a federal judge extended an order blocking Florida from enforcing Senate Bill 4-C (SB 4-C) -- a dange  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- The Naval Sea Systems Command issued the following news: * * * Carderock Division Honors Outstanding Employees at Annual Command Award Ceremony CARDEROCK, Md. - Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division, recognized employees for their outstanding contributions to the workforce in 2024 during a Command Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, in West Bethesda, Md. This year's event honored 44 Command Award winners, eight Carderock awardees from the annual Wa  more

WASHINGTON, May 1 -- Rep. Brian Mast, R-Florida, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following news release on April 30, 2025: * * * Chairman Mast Delivers Opening Remarks at Hearing on State Department Authorization WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast delivered opening remarks at a full committee hearing titled, "The Need for an Authorized State Department." -Remarks- As I said, I called this hearing really to establish a s  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, posted the following news release: * * * Chairman Scott, Ranking Member Gillibrand Announce Aging Committee Hearing on the Rise of Antisemitism Targeting Older Jewish Americans WASHINGTON, D.C. - On Wednesday, April 30th, Chairman Rick Scott and Ranking Member Kirsten Gillibrand of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, will convene a hearing entitled, "Never Again: Addressing the Rise  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, ranking member of the Senate Special Committee on Aging posted the following news release: * * * Chairman Scott, Ranking Member Gillibrand Announce Aging Committee Hearing on the Rise of Antisemitism Targeting Older Jewish Americans WASHINGTON, D.C. - On Wednesday, April 30th, Chairman Rick Scott and Ranking Member Kirsten Gillibrand of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, will convene a hearing entitled, "Never Again: Addre  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- Rep. Daniel Webster, R-Florida, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials, issued the following news release on April 29, 2025: * * * Chairman Webster Statement from Roundtable on Combatting Cargo Theft Opening remarks, as prepared, of Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee Chairman Daniel Webster (R-FL) from today's roundtable, entitled "Combatting Cargo Theft: Stakeholder P  more

WASHINGTON, May 1 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Coast Guard issued the following news release: * * * Coast Guard offloads over $12 million in illicit drugs interdicted in Caribbean Sea MIAMI - U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Tampa's crew ended Fleet Week Fort Lauderdale with the offload of approximately 3,750 pounds of cocaine and marijuana worth an estimated $12.3 million, Wednesday, at Port Everglades. The seized contraband was the result of two interdictions in the Caribbean Sea by  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- The U.S. Department of Defense issued the following news: * * * Contracts for April 30, 2025 NAVY General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut (N00024-12-C-2115, N00024-17-C-2100, N00024-17-C-2117); and Huntington Ingalls Inc., Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia (N00024-15-C-2114, N00024-16-C-2116, and N00024-21-C-2106), are awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee with ceilings, and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modifications for construction of tw  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, May 1 -- Rep. Brian Mast, R-Florida, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following news release on April 29, 2025: * * * Europe Subcommittee Chairman Self Delivers Opening Remarks at Hearing on Future of Cyber Diplomacy WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Foreign Affairs Europe Subcommittee Chairman Keith Self delivered opening remarks at a full committee hearing titled, "Shaping the Future of Cyber Diplomacy: Review for State Department Reauthorization." -Rem  more

WASHINGTON, May 1 -- Rep. Brian Mast, R-Florida, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following news release on April 30, 2025: * * * Foreign Arms Sales Task Force Hears from Defense Industry Leaders on Much-Needed Reforms WASHINGTON, D.C. - Yesterday, the House Foreign Affairs Committee's Foreign Arms Sales Task Force held the second in a series of roundtables featuring defense industry perspectives on reforming and improving America's foreign arms sales process. As p  more

TALLAHASSEE, Florida, April 30 -- Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Florida, issued the following news release: * * * Governor Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis Celebrate Expanded Partnership of Hope Florida Through the Florida Department of Education FRUITLAND PARK, Fla. -- Today, Governor Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis announced that the Florida Department of Education is piloting a program that identifies and trains a Hope Florida Liaison at each school in select school districts.   more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- Rep. Sam Graves, R-Missouri, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following news release on April 29, 2025: * * * Graves Welcomes Representative Jimmy Patronis to T&I Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) today welcomed first-term Congressman Jimmy Patronis, a Republican representing Florida's 1st Congressional District, to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. "I'm excited for Congr  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, May 1 -- The Department of Housing and Urban Development issued the following news release on April 29, 2025: * * * HUD Delivers Mission-Minded Results in Trump Administration's First 100 Days WASHINGTON - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner today announced HUD delivered tangible wins for the American people during President Trump's first 100 days in office. The results underscore how Secretary Turner renewed HUD's focus to its core objec  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- The U.S. Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service has released the following public communication dated April 9, 2025, from NextEra Energy Inc., Juno Beach, Florida: * * * To: The Honorable Scott Bessent Internal Revenue Service Secretary CC:PA:01:PR (Notice 2025-10) Department of the Treasury Room 5203 1500 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. P.O. Box 7604, Ben Franklin Station Washington, D.C. 20220 Washington, D.C. 20044 Re: Comments Regarding Notice of Proposed   more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, issued the following news release: * * * Murkowski Leads Bipartisan, Bicameral Push to Support Coastal Communities Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) joined U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree (ME-01) and Maria Elvira Salazar (FL-27) in introducing legislation to strengthen coastal communities and the blue economy across the U.S. The bipartisan, bicameral Ocean Regional Opportunity and  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- NASA issued the following news release: * * * NASA Advances Precision Landing Technology with Field Test at Kennedy Landing on the Moon is not easy, particularly when a crew or spacecraft must meet exacting requirements. For Artemis missions to the lunar surface, those requirements include an ability to land within an area about as wide as a football field in any lighting condition amid tough terrain. NASA's official lunar landing requirement is to be able to land wit  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- NASA issued the following news release: * * * NASA Soars to New Heights in First 100 Days of Trump Administration Today is the 100th day of the Trump-Vance Administration after being inaugurated on Jan. 20. In his inaugural address, President Trump laid out a bold and ambitious vision for NASA's future throughout his second term, saying, "We will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars.  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- NASA issued the following news release: * * * NASA's Lunar Drill Technology Passes Tests on the Moon Editor's note: This article was updated on April 29, 2025, to correct the amount of data collected during Intuitive Machines' IM-2 mission. NASA's PRIME-1 (Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment 1) mission was designed to demonstrate technologies to help scientists better understand lunar resources ahead of crewed Artemis missions to the Moon. During the short-lived mis  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- The U.S. Department of Defense issued the following news: * * * NASCAR Winner Honors the Fallen at Arlington National Cemetery Christopher Bell, winner of last year's Memorial Day weekend NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina, visited Arlington National Cemetery and toured the Pentagon today. At the cemetery, he visited several grave markers, including that of Medal of Honor recipient Army Maj. Audie Murphy. Army Col. Michael Bin  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- Rep. Lois Frankel, D-Florida, issued the following floor remarks on April 29, 2025 (In this document, the reference to Mr. Speaker refers to the presiding officer of the House at the time of the speech): * * * Mr. Speaker, this week marks 100 days since Donald Trump's return to power, 100 days of destruction, chaos, and heartbreak, all rubber-stamped by congressional Republicans. Trump promised to lower costs. Instead, extreme tariffs have driven up prices and tanked t  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- Rep. Laurel Lee, R-Florida, issued the following news release: * * * Rep. Laurel Lee Introduces Bipartisan Second Chance Legislation Washington, D.C. - Today, Representatives Laurel Lee (R-FL) and Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA) introduced the Fresh Start Act, a bipartisan bill to provide support for rehabilitated individuals to have access to employment, housing, and educational opportunities. "People who have worked to turn their lives around after a criminal convictio  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 29 -- Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, issued the following news release: * * * Sen. Rick Scott Joins Colleagues in Resolution Recognizing April 29 as National Fentanyl Awareness Day WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Senator Rick Scott joined Senator Chuck Grassley and their colleagues on a resolution designating April 29, 2025 as National Fentanyl Awareness Day to further raise awareness about the dangers posed by fentanyl to American families and communities, and the need to take acti  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- The U.S. Senate conducted seven committee hearings on April 29, 2025: * * * NOMINATIONS Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Committee concluded a hearing to examine the nominations of Luke Lindberg, of South Dakota, to be Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, who was introduced by Senator Rounds, and Devon Westhill, of Florida, to be an Assistant Secretary, both of the Department of Agriculture, after the nominees testified and answ  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee issued a report (S.Rpt. 119-7) on the history, jurisdiction and a summary of its activities during the 118th Congress. The report was advanced by Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, on March 31, 2025. * * * (Continued from Part 1 of 2) JURISDICTION Jurisdiction of the Subcommittee includes oversight and legislative responsibilities for: public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service, including fa  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee issued a report (S.Rpt. 119-8) its activities during the 118th Congress. The report was advanced by Sen. Gary Peters, D-Michigan, on March 31, 2025. * * * (Continued from Part 4 of 7) S. 794--CTPAT Pilot Program of 2023. (Public Law 118-98). October 01, 2024. This act requires the Department of Homeland Security to carry out a pilot program that assesses whether allowing certain entities to participate   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 -- Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Florida, ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy and Regulatory Affairs, issued the following news release: * * * Subcommittee Ranking Member Frost's Opening Remarks at Hearing on American Manufacturing Washington, D.C. (April 29, 2025) -- Below is Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost's opening statement, as prepared for delivery, at today's Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy,   more

WASHINGTON, May 1 -- Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, ranking member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, issued the following news release on April 30, 2025: * * * Warren, Murray Call for Investigation Into Trump Administration Delaying Disaster Relief Funding for Disaster-Stricken Communities Letter sent ahead of Banking Committee hearing on insurance and disaster relief Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the S  more

WASHINGTON, May 1 -- Rep. Daniel Webster, R-Florida, issued the following news release on April 30, 2025: * * * Webster Votes to Increase Coast Guard Resources Washington, D.C. -- Florida Congressman Daniel Webster, R-Clermont, today voted to pass the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's budget reconciliation proposal. The proposal supports President Trump's priorities to secure our borders, protect national security, modernize air traffic control, and improve Coast Guard readiness a  more