WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 -- A coalition of 22 attorneys general has formally opposed a Proposed Rule issued by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that seeks to ban abortion and abortion counseling from the medical benefits package provided to veterans and their dependents. The public comment letter, spearheaded by the attorneys general of California and Massachusetts, raises serious concerns about the implications of the rule, which aims to reinstate a full exclusion on these services that   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: * * * As Pentagon Reportedly Moves to Cut Security Aid to Baltic Allies, Durbin Speaks on NDAA Amendment And Urges Trump to Continue Bipartisan Support for Baltic Security Initiative * September 09, 2025 Durbin introduced an amendment to the NDAA that would bolster security aid for the Baltics--among the highest nations in meeting NATO spending targets--as the Department of Defense aims to suspend  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 -- Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: * * * Duckworth Joins Welch, Colleagues in Reintroducing Bill to Bolster SNAP Benefits for Student Loan Borrowers * September 09, 2025 [WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) and colleagues in reintroducing the Student Loan Deduction Act, legislation to allow households utilizing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to deduct monthl  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 -- Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: * * * Duckworth Statement on Federal Law Enforcement Mobilization to Chicago * September 08, 2025 [WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today issued the following statement in response to the Department of Homeland Security launching "Operation Midway Blitz" in Illinois. "Donald Trump's mass mobilization of federal enforcement to Chicago is wasteful, ineffective, inhumane and ma  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: * * * Durbin Condemns President Trump's Vile, Fearmongering Social Post About Mass Deportations In Chicago * September 08, 2025 As the Trump Administration launches "Operation Midway Blitz," Durbin pushes back against the deeply political mission sowing fear in Chicago rather than addressing crime WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following news release: * * * Durbin Files NDAA Amendment Based on Bipartisan Defiance Act The amendment would hold individuals accountable who proliferate nonconsensual, sexually-explicit "deepfake" images and videos * U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authori  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following news release: * * * Durbin Statement On Federal Immigration Raids in Chicago Planned immigration raids as part of the Administration's so-called "Operation Midway Blitz" coincide with President Trump threatening to deploy the military to Chicago against city and state opposition * U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judic  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following news release: * * * Durbin, Booker Lead Judiciary Democrats In Letter To Attorney General Bondi On Politicization Of Antitrust Enforcement Activity At DOJ In the letter, the Senators cite extreme departures from DOJ processes that led to the proposed settlement in Hewlett Packard Enterprise's $14 billion acquisition of Juniper Networks, Inc. * CHICAGO - U.S. Sen  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following news release: * * * Durbin, Schiff, Padilla, Senate Democrats File Amicus Brief Fighting Trump's Abuse Of Military Deployments In a brief filed with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Senators argue against Trump's use of military in Los Angeles and warn of continued abuse of military in Chicago and other U.S. cities * U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbi  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 -- Eagle View Community Health System, a federally qualified health center based in Illinois, has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration urging the agency to exempt community health centers from a proposed 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program. The health system, which serves thousands of low-income patients across western Illinois and southeastern Iowa, warns that the pilot program could   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release: * * * EPA Seeks Public Comment on Draft Carbon Storage Permit for Company in Putnam County, Illinois * EPA will host a public availability session on Oct. 15 and a public hearing on Oct. 29 Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a public comment period on its intent to issue a permit for Marquis Carbon Injection LLC to inject and store carbon dioxide underground at an injectio  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 -- EvoEndo, Inc., a medical device company based in Grayslake, Illinois, has submitted a public comment letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requesting the reassignment of specific Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes related to their innovative single-use endoscopy technology. The comments were submitted in response to the agency's proposed rulemaking for the 2026 Medicare and Medicaid programs. EvoEndo is advocating for the reassignment of C  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (TNSFR) -- The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued an exemption from a regulation that would have required the application for the renewal of the Clinton Power Station, Unit 1, operating license to be reviewed by the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards. The exemption, issued on August 29, 2025, means that the license renewal application for the Illinois-based plant will not be referred to the committee for a review and report. Constellation Energy Generation LLC,   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (TNSFR) -- The Office of Personnel Management is abolishing the Hennepin, Minnesota, nonappropriated fund Federal Wage System wage area. The final rule will redefine most of the counties within that area to the nearest nonappropriated fund Federal Wage System wage areas. Counties that do not have nonappropriated fund Federal Wage System employment will no longer be part of a wage area. The changes were recommended by the Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee due to a de  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 -- The Alden Network, a healthcare organization based in Chicago, Illinois, has submitted a public comment letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) expressing strong opposition to the proposed reintroduction of competitive bidding for Durable Medical Equipment (DME) providers. The organization warns that such a program could adversely impact patient care and access to essential medical supplies. In the letter, concerns were raised about the potential redu  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 -- Prevention First, Springfield, Illinois, has submitted a public comment letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) urging for significant changes in their proposed rule regarding the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System for 2026. The organization highlights the acute impact of opioids in Illinois, where thousands are affected by overdose deaths every year. With the alarming statistic of over 2,850 opioid-related fatalities in 2023 alone, the eff  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release: * * * Religious Liberty Commission Hosts Second Hearing on Religious Liberty in Public Education * WASHINGTON - Yesterday, the Religious Liberty Commission hosted President Trump, Attorney General Bondi, parents, and students to discuss religious liberty issues in public education. The hearing included several panels of students who shared stories of challenges to their religious liberty, and parents who  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 -- The Service Employees International Union Healthcare Illinois Indiana Missouri Kansas is expressing strong opposition to the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) recent public comment letter regarding proposed rulemaking that threatens to eliminate federal minimum wage and overtime protections for millions of home care workers. The union, which represents over 2 million workers in North America, asserts that the proposed rule, if enacted, would reverse decades of progress for   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 -- Shawnee Health, a not-for-profit community health center based in southern Illinois, has formally submitted a public comment letter to the Health Resources and Services Administration urging the agency to exempt Community Health Centers (CHCs) from participating in the proposed 340B rebate model pilot program. The organization serves nearly 37,000 patients, primarily from vulnerable and underserved populations who rely on affordable medication access. In its letter, Shawn  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 -- Solvera Health, Peoria, Illinois, has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services voicing concerns about the potential impact of proposed changes to the 340B Drug Pricing Program. The organization, which focuses on healthcare access and affordability, emphasized the importance of maintaining robust protections for entities participating in the program, which aims to provide discounted medications for underserved populations. In th  more