DALLAS, Texas, Sept. 7 [Category: Health Care] -- The American Heart Association posted the following news release: * * * AI helped older adults report accurate blood pressure readings at home * Research Highlights: * Use of an AI voice agent to prompt self-reported blood pressure readings helped to improve accuracy of blood pressure measures and patient outcomes in a group of majority ages 65 and older patients with high blood pressure. * The study's findings demonstrate how integrati  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 -- The American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Austin, Texas, has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs expressing grave concerns regarding a proposed rule that could restrict access to reproductive health services for veterans. The organization, representing over 431,000 nurse practitioners across the nation, argues that the proposed physician certification requirement may hinder timely care for patients. The AANP emphasizes the b  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 -- The American Civil Rights Project, Dallas, Texas, has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Labor in support of proposed rule changes aimed at rescinding outdated regulations for federal contractors under the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). The ACR Project's comments highlight essential steps towards realizing the constitutional promise of equality as outlined in President Trump's Equality Order issued in January 2025. In its   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 5 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following news: * * * Cornyn Pushes to Rescind Biden Rule Promoting Abortion On-Demand at VA Facilities * WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) sent a letter with a group of his congressional colleagues to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins urging him to rescind an unconstitutional Biden-era rule promoting abortion services at VA facilities: The Senators and Representatives wrote: "VA facilities shou  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 6 -- The Federal Election Commission issued the following weekly digest: * * * Commission meetings and hearings The Commission voted to cancel the executive session scheduled for September 3 and the open meeting scheduled for September 4. * * * Litigation National Republican Senatorial Committee, et al. v. FEC, et al. (Case No. 24-621) Last week, Briefs of Amicus Curiae were filed in the U.S. Supreme Court by the following: Georgia Republican Party, Inc., Alabama Republic  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 6 (TNSFR) -- Phillips 66 Co., Houston, Texas, has submitted an application to the U.S. Department of Commerce Foreign-Trade Zones Board requesting production authority within Subzone 3E in Rodeo, California. The request involves using foreign status feedstock in the production of renewable fuels. This application is part of a larger review of the company's subzone operation by the Board. The company made a submission to the Board on September 2, 2025. The filing provides suppo  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 5 [Category: Union] -- The Transport Workers Union of America issued the following news release: * * * Fort Bend Transit Operators, Facing Appalling Working Conditions, Vote to Join the TWU * Bus and Van Operators working for Fort Bend Transit in Rosenberg, Texas overwhelmingly voted to join the Transport Workers Union of America on Friday - sending a strong message to the operator Transdev that a complete lack of respect for workers is unacceptable. "Transdev forces driv  more

DALLAS, Texas, Sept. 7 [Category: Health Care] -- The American Heart Association posted the following news release: * * * Higher blood pressure in childhood linked to earlier death from heart disease in adulthood * Research Highlights: * Children who had higher blood pressure at age 7 were more likely to die early from cardiovascular disease by their mid-50s. The risk was highest for children whose blood pressure measurements were in the top 10% for their age, sex and height. * Both el  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 -- MCR Oil Tools, Arlington, Texas, has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) advocating for reforms in the classification of thermite technologies under the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act (HMTA). The Arlington, Texas-based small business, which has been manufacturing Radial Cutting Torches (RCTs) for over forty years, aims to highlight the detrimental impact of recent regulatory changes on innovation and energy production in  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 -- The National Infusion Center Association, Austin, Texas, has submitted a public comment letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) expressing NICA's concerns regarding proposed changes to Medicare's payment and coverage policies that could impact the affordability and accessibility of necessary medications for patients with complex conditions. In its letter, NICA addressed the proposed conversion factor updates under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauth  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service is reviewing 13 properties that have been nominated for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. The National Register of Historic Places is a list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects that have been deemed worthy of preservation for their historical relevance. Nominations from eight states are under consideration, with properties located in Illinois, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahom  more

WACO, Texas, Sept. 7 [Category: Sports] -- The American Football Coaches Association posted the following news: * * * Oklahoma Shines in Top 25 Battle * Oklahoma's new quarterback, John Mateer ran for two touchdowns and threw another while head coach Brent Venables called a great defensive game which held the Michigan offense to just 288 total yards allowing the Sooners to upset the Wolverines, 24-13. With the victory, OU rose eight spots to No. 16 while Michigan dropped nine to No. 22 in th  more

DALLAS, Texas, Sept. 6 -- Southern Methodist University issued the following news: * * * Simmons researchers explore AI-generated diagrams for math education The National Science Foundation awarded nearly $900,000 to Dr. Candace Walkington to examine the effects of AI-generated illustrative diagrams on middle school math learning. * Imagine that a middle school student - at the click of a button - could use generative AI (GenAI) to produce a mathematically precise, beautifully rendered imag  more

LAREDO, Texas, Sept. 6 -- Texas A&M International University, a member of the Texas A&M University System, issued the following news release: * * * TAMIU, George Mason University, Sam Houston University Professors Release New Book on Terrorism Studies Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) Associate Professor of Criminal Justice * Dr. Huseyin Cinoglu has co-authored a new book that provides a systematic approach for comparing terrorist groups through the lenses of ideology, organization  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 6 -- Texas A&M University, a component of the public university system in Texas, issued the following news from its agriculture program: * * * New grant implements trees and forestry in watershed protection plans Communities, agencies and organizations interested in water quality are eligible to apply By Jonathan Stuckey Texas A&M Forest Service is now accepting applications for the Watershed Protection Plan Implementation Grant, which helps communities enhance their ac  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 6 -- Texas A&M University, a component of the public university system in Texas, issued the following news from its agriculture program: * * * Texas A&M rebrands insect research hub to expand impact Cooperative research center bridges food security, waste management and agricultural bioeconomy solutions By Adam Russell A new name for an insect manufacturing center at Texas A&M University reflects a shift by the National Science Foundation Industry-University Cooperative  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 -- The Texas Association for Home Care and Hospice, Austin, has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Labor regarding the application of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to domestic service. Representing over 1,200 licensed home and community support services agencies across Texas, TAHC&H emphasizes the critical importance of revisiting the 1975 interpretation of companionship and live-in exemptions. Currently, home health and personal care aides are  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 -- The Texas Bankers Association, St, Austin, has filed a public comment letter with the U.S. Department of the Treasury and other regulatory agencies, urging a comprehensive approach to address the rising threat of payment fraud in the financial sector. The association, which represents nearly 400 banks across Texas, highlights the urgency for modernized rules and better inter-agency coordination to combat increasingly sophisticated fraud techniques. In its communication, T  more