WASHINGTON, Oct. 25 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency issued the following news release: Helping people and communities respond to and recover from disasters is the core of FEMA's mission and has been the Biden-Harris Administration's focus throughout the past month in response to Hurricane Helene. The administration has prioritized getting critical infrastructure restored and financial assistance directly to survivors so they can start their recove  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 25 -- The Commodity Futures Trading Commission issued the following remarks on Oct. 24, 2024, by Commissioner Summer K. Mersinger at the S&P Global Commodity Insights Nodal Trader Conference: * * * It is truly an honor to address all of you this morning. I am more than two years into my role as a commissioner at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and I still feel humbled by the opportunity to stand on a stage with a microphone to address accomplished professionals like   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 24 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency issued the following news release: FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell traveled to South Carolina to meet with local and state officials today and check-in on long-term recovery efforts. She surveyed areas affected by Hurricane Helene in Aiken, South Carolina. Criswell, who is directing the federal response to Helene, visited a Disaster Recovery Center in Aiken and met with survivors. There are   more

OAK RIDGE, Tennessee, Oct. 25 -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory issued the following news release: ThermoVerse, a startup founded by Shantonio Birch, has taken a step forward with its win in Phase 2 of the Department of Energy's Office of Technology Transitions' American-Made Lab MATCH Prize. Partnering with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Birch's company is developing thermal energy storage-based transactive energy management systems, a technology with the potenti  more

OAK RIDGE, Tennessee, Oct. 25 -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory issued the following news release: Key cards, key fobs and related access devices are designed to give a person access to a restricted area. The permissions on the item are specific to the person and place, such as having a membership to a gym, owning a condo with a secure garage or needing to enter a restricted area at work. Security systems are designed with the intention of granting access to only   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 26 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on Oct. 25, 2024: A federal jury convicted a Tennessee business owner yesterday for fraudulently billing federal health care programs approximately $35 million for medically unnecessary injections, which were administered over the course of approximately eight years to a population of opioid-dependent patients. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Michael Kestner, 72, of Nashville,   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 25 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency issued the following news release: Recovering from a presidentially declared disaster like Tropical Storm Helene can be emotionally overwhelming and financially difficult. The most common financial support option available to you is a federal disaster grant from FEMA's Individuals and Households Program. If you received funds from this program, you may be required by law to purchase flood insu  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 25 -- The Naval Sea Systems Command issued the following news: Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) hosted its Collegiate Cyber Resiliency and Measurement Innovation Challenge. The competition encourages students to develop advanced algorithms and models to enhance naval systems' cyber defense capabilities. Eleven teams from colleges and universities across the nation competed in the challenge, aiming to address real-world cybersecurity problems faced by the  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 25 (TNSrep) -- The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration issued the following audit report (No. 2024-200-050) on Sept. 23, 2024, entitled "The Direct File Pilot Deployed Successfully; However, Security and Testing Improvements Are Needed." Here are excerpts: * * * HIGHLIGHTS Why TIGTA Did This Audit The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 required the IRS to establish a task force to design and report to Congress on an IRS-run free, direct electronic filing tax ret  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 24 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency issued the following news release: FEMA is hiring! Join the team that helps people in need before, during and after disasters. FEMA is seeking liaisons, site inspectors, environmental specialists, geospatial information analysts, media relations specialists and more to help Tennessee residents recover from Tropical Storm Helene. Jobs are available in Knoxville and Nashville, and candidates with   more