WASHINGTON, Sept. 26 -- A coalition of 44 state and regional banking associations representing thousands of community banks has submitted a public comment letter to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) applauding their efforts to address the growing issue of payments fraud, which has become a pressing challenge for community banks. The ICBA emphasizes that community banks are in  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 26 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration issued the following recall notice: * * * AquaStar (USA) Corp Recalls AquaStar Raw Shrimp Skewers Because of Possible Health Risk Summary Company Announcement Date: September 23, 2025 FDA Publish Date: September 25, 2025 Product Type: Food & Beverages Shellfish Contaminants Reason for Announcement: Potential Foodborne Illness - possible radionuclide (Cesium-137) contamination Company Na  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 -- Better Markets, a nonprofit organization focused on financial reform, has submitted a public comment letter to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) expressing concern over a proposed change to the definition of larger participants in the consumer debt collection market. The proposal seeks to raise the threshold for supervision from $10 million in annual receipts to potentially as high as $100 million, which Better Markets argues would undermine consumer protect  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 26 -- Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pennsylvania, ranking member of the House Budget Committee, issued the following news release on Sept. 24, 2025: * * * Boyle Launches New Tool Showing Consequences of Republican Health Care Crisis Nationwide Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02), Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee, today announced the launch of a new webpage detailing the impact of Republican health care cuts in every congressional district across the country. The tool us  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 26 -- Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pennsylvania, ranking member of the House Budget Committee, issued the following news release: * * * CBO Report Confirms Success of Boyle's Data Sharing Act Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02), Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee, released the following statement after the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) issued its report (https://www.cbo.gov/publication/61548) on data access agreements since Boyle's Data Sharing Act became law: "CBO'  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 -- Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, D-Pennsylvania, issued the following news release: * * * Congressman Mackenzie Participates in Televised Town Hall * Allentown, PA -- Congressman Ryan Mackenzie, representing the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos in Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District, participated in the taping of his fourth town hall via WFMZ's Business Matters with Tony Iannelli and the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce. The audience, which was balanced between Democr  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 -- The Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities (CCD) has submitted a public comment letter to the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) expressing strong opposition to the proposed rule to amend regulations implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The proposal seeks to remove several key provisions that promote the employment and advancement of individuals with disabilities in federal contracting. The CCD, which represents a coaliti  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 -- Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pennsylvania, issued the following news release: * * * Fitzpatrick, Schrier Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Make Child Care More Affordable for Working Families * WASHINGTON, DC -Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) and Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) have introduced the Improving Child Care for Working Families Act --bipartisan legislation to permanently raise the cap on Dependent Care Assistance Plans (DCAPs), putting real dollars bac  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 (TNSFR) -- The International Trade Commission determined that the U.S. sol gel alumina-based ceramic abrasive grains industry is materially injured by imports of those products from China. The decision was made following an investigation after finding that the products were sold in the U.S. at less than fair value and subsidized by the government of China. The investigations began on Nov. 25, 2024, after petitions were filed by Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics Inc., Malver  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release: * * * Justice Department Sues Six States for Failure to Provide Voter Registration Rolls * Today the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division announced the filing of federal lawsuits against six states -- California, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania -- for failure to produce their statewide voter registration lists upon request. "Clean voter rolls are the foundation of   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 -- The National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB) has issued a public comment letter in response to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB) proposed rule concerning supervisory designation proceedings under 12 U.S.C. 5514(a)(1)(C). While the association acknowledges the Bureau's efforts to establish consistency and clarity in supervisory determinations, it raises strong objections regarding the proposed standard that requires a "high likelihood of significant   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * Pallone, Stanton Call on Trump to Fire DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, FEMA Head Following Blockbuster GAO Report on Mismanagement * GAO Report found FEMA violated federal law six times by withholding or delaying funds approved by Congress for lifesaving shelter programs WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Con  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 -- The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) is advocating for the streamlining of reporting requirements related to the Indian Child Welfare Act in a recent public comment letter to the Administration for Children and Families. The letter addresses concerns regarding administrative burdens that Pennsylvania encounters while trying to comply with federal reporting standards under Title IV-B of the Social Security Act. In the letter, DHS emphasizes the necessity fo  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 -- Project Civica Inc. President and Co-founder Kim Hermance submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) urging the commission to amend the federal voter registration form to require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship as a condition for registering to vote in federal elections. The writer stated that relying on a self-checked box leaves the system open to illegal voting and erodes public trust. The letter cited evidence from several  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, Sept. 26 (TNSrep) -- The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission issued the following news release: * * * PUC 2024-25 Audit Investigations Identify Millions in Savings for Utilities and Pennsylvania Consumers The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission's (PUC's) Bureau of Audits conducted six audits and efficiency investigations of utility companies that identified actual savings of $2 million annually with an additional one-time savings of $2.8 million and further pro  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, Sept. 26 (TNSrep) -- The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission issued the following news release on Sept. 25, 2025: * * * PUC Issues Management and Operations Audit for Columbia Water Company Audit Highlights Opportunities to Enhance Metering, Infrastructure Replacement, and Cybersecurity * The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today released the findings of a comprehensive Management and Operations Audit of Columbia Water Company (CWC), outlining nine   more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, Sept. 26 (TNSrep) -- The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission issued the following news release on Sept. 25, 2025: * * * PUC Issues Management Efficiency Investigation Report for FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Company Report Tracks Progress Implementing Recommendations Made During a Previous PUC Management and Operations Audit * The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today released a report on a Management Efficiency Investigation (MEI) of FirstEnerg  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 -- Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pennsylvania, issued the following news release: * * * Representatives Thompson, McBath and Senators Klobuchar, Cassidy Introduce National Hazing Awareness Week Resolution * WASHINGTON, D.C.-- This week, Representatives Glenn "GT" Thompson (R-PA) and Lucy McBath (D-GA) are leading a resolution to recognize September 22-26, 2025, as "National Hazing Awareness Week." The resolution recognizes the hundreds of students who have died or suffered seve  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration issued the following recall notice: * * * Southwind Foods Recalls Frozen Shrimp Because of Possible Health Risk Summary Company Announcement Date: September 23, 2025 FDA Publish Date: September 23, 2025 Product Type: Food & Beverages Shellfish Contaminants Reason for Announcement: Potential Foodborne Illness - possible radionuclide (Cesium-137) contamination Company Name: Southwind Foo  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 26 -- Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pennsylvania, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, issued the following news release: * * * Thompson Responds to President Trump's Comments on Farm Relief House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson (PA-15) released the following statement after President Donald J. Trump stated he would use some of the money generated from tariffs to support America's hardworking producers: "Years of Biden's broken promises, from failing   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 -- A team of orthopedic surgery professionals and trainees from the University of Pennsylvania submitted a public comment letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recommending that the agency formally recognize and support hospital-based short-stay observation units as a model for safely transitioning musculoskeletal surgeries to the outpatient setting. The writers commended the agency's proposed three-year phase-out of the Inpatient Only list and expa  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, Sept. 25 -- The Pennsylvania House Republicans posted the following news: * * * Williams to Introduce Legislation to Make Swatting a Crime in Pennsylvania * Rep. Craig Williams (R-Delaware/Chester) issued a co-sponsor memo today announcing legislation he will introduce next week targeting the rise of "swatting" in Pennsylvania, a dangerous criminal act which endangers lives, including those of law enforcement.  "Swatting is not a prank. It is a violent threat disg  more