WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Advance Illinois has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Education in response to the proposed priorities outlined in the 34CFR Part 75 rulemaking. The organization emphasized the importance of prioritizing evidence-based literacy instruction to ensure that every student in America achieves reading proficiency. In the letter, the organization acknowledged the foundational aim of achieving literacy for all students. "We agree with the foundational g  more

WASHINGTON, June 29 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: * * * Ahead of Vote-a-rama, Durbin Sounds The Alarm On Republicans' So-Called "One Big, Beautiful Bill" * June 29, 2025 In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin highlights how Senate Republicans' bill will slash health care coverage for more than 16 million Americans to provide massive tax breaks for billionaires WASHINGTON - Ahead of an upcoming vote-a-rama, where Senate Democrats will expose th  more

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: * * * Durbin Files Amendments To Republicans' Reconciliation Bill To Protect Rural Hospitals And Medical Research * June 30, 2025 WASHINGTON - Ahead of an upcoming vote-a-rama, where Senate Democrats will expose the truth about Republicans' harmful scheme to cut health care and food assistance to provide billionaires with tax breaks, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) filed two motions  more

WASHINGTON, June 30 (TNSFR) -- The Environmental Protection Agency has announced a proposed rule that would officially reclassify the Missouri portion of the St. Louis, MO-IL bi-state area as a "Serious" nonattainment zone for ozone pollution under the 2015 National Ambient Air Quality Standards. This action comes after the region failed to meet the required ozone levels by the August 3, 2024, attainment deadline. Geographic Areas Involved: Missouri: St. Louis City St. Louis County St. Char  more

WASHINGTON, July 1 -- The Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities (IARF) has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), urging the agency to rescind the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) payment adequacy mandate. The letter, authored by IARF President and CEO Josh Evans, emphasizes the mandate's negative impact on access to necessary services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. IARF represents Illin  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, June 30 (TNSLrpt) -- The Illinois Auditor General issued the following report on June 24, 2025, involving State Universities Retirement System, Special Funding Situation Allocation Schedules -- Financial Audit. Here are excerpts: * * * REPORT DIGEST STATE UNIVERSITIES RETIREMENT SYSTEM SPECIAL FUNDING SITUATION ALLOCATION SCHEDULES FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2024 Release Date: June 24, 2025 FINDINGS THIS AUDIT: 0 CATEGORY: NEW -- REPEAT - TOTAL Category 1: 0 --   more

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release: * * * Justice Department Announces Coordinated, Nationwide Actions to Combat North Korean Remote Information Technology Workers' Illicit Revenue Generation Schemes * The Justice Department announced today coordinated actions against the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea (DPRK) government's schemes to fund its regime through remote information technology (IT) work for U.S. companies. These actio  more

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- The U.S. Department of Labor issued the following news release: * * * US Department of Labor awards nearly $84M in grants to expand Registered Apprenticeships * The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of nearly $84 million in grants to 50 states and territories to increase the capacity of Registered Apprenticeship programs, representing an important step toward meeting the Administration's goal of expanding the program to 1 million active apprentices.    more

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release: * * * National Health Care Fraud Takedown Results in 324 Defendants Charged in Connection with Over $14.6 Billion in Alleged Fraud * Largest Justice Department Health Care Fraud Takedown in History More than Doubles Prior Record of $6 Billion The Justice Department today announced the results of its 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, which resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants,  more

BALTIMORE, Maryland, June 30 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued the following news release: * * * National Health Care Fraud Takedown Results in 324 Defendants Charged in Connection with Over $14.6 Billion in Alleged Fraud * The Justice Department announced the results of its 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, which resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants, including 96 doctors, nurse practitioners, pharmac  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas, June 30 -- The U.S. Air Force Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland issued the following news: * * * PCS Task Force prioritizes trust, timeliness, accountability * WASHINGTON - As Army Maj. Gen. Lance G. Curtis stood in line at the Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, commissary to order a sandwich for lunch, he couldn't help but notice something odd. "I'm standing next to an Airman, and he's got his bike helmet, and he's got this huge backpack," Curtis said,  more

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Sen. Edward J. Markey, D-Massachusetts, issued the following news release: * * * Republicans Reject Sen. Markey Effort to Protect Rural Hospitals from Republican Cuts * Over 300 Rural Hospitals at Disproportionate Risk of Closure, Conversion, or Service Reductions Due to GOP Cuts Watch: Senator Markey forces vote on Senate floor Washington (June 30, 2025) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subco  more

WASHINGTON, June 25 (TNSrpt) -- Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, ranking minority member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, issued the following news: * * * Sanders Releases New Report Detailing Devastating Impact of Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill" on Health Care in America As Senate Republicans attempt to ram through legislation to cut health care for 16 million Americans in order to give tax breaks to billionaires without a single hearing or substantive debate, Sen.  more

WASHINGTON, June 25 -- Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following news release: * * * Senator Schatz Testimony at Hearing on President Trump's Rescission Package Washington, D.C. -- Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI), Ranking Member of the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee, testified on President Trump's $9.4 billion rescission request during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing with Office of M  more

WASHINGTON, July 1 -- A coalition of attorneys general from across the nation has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Education, expressing deep concerns over its proposed priorities for educational grants. The letter critiques the omission of previously established commitments to equity and inclusion, which they argue are crucial for fostering educational opportunities for all students. Andrea Joy Campbell, Massachusetts attorney general, states, "We urge the Department  more