WASHINGTON, Nov. 19 -- The U.S. Department of Defense issued the following news: The Defense Health Agency announced 15 military hospitals got an "A" rating in the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade Fall 2024 assessment. This grade reflects the DHA's ongoing dedication to transparency and to providing high-quality, safe care to service members and their families. 81st Medical Group, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi 673d Medical Group, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska Alexander T. Augu  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Nov. 20 -- The U.S. Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center issued the following news: By Emily Mifsud, AFIMSC Public Affairs TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, FLA - The Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center is fielding the Installation Resilience Operations Command and Control platform at five more bases after three years of successful initial testing here. AFIMSC awarded a $20 million contract to Simplesense, Inc., Nov. 18 to provide the low-rate i  more

MOBILE, Alabama, Nov. 20 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama issued the following news release: Seven defendants from Florida were sentenced for their roles in an organized fraud and identity theft scheme spanning multiple states. One of the leaders of the scheme was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison. According to court documents, Dominique Lamar Campbell, 43, of Miami, Florida, was one of the leaders of a ring of individuals from south Florida who pa  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 18 -- Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) sent a letter to U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell expressing her outrage following reporting that a FEMA supervisor ordered relief workers to avoid approaching the homes of Trump supporters during Hurricane Milton relief efforts. In a recent interview following her termination, this supervisor alleged "FEMA alwa  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics issued the following report (No. USDL-24-2362) on Nov. 19, 2024, entitled "State Employment and Unemployment - October 2024": * * * Unemployment rates were lower in October in 3 states, higher in 1 state, and stable in 46 states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Twenty-four states and the District had jobless rate increases from a year earlier, 6 states had   more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19 -- Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Florida, issued the following news release: Today, Chairman Carlos Gimenez (FL-28) of the House Homeland Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security held a hearing on the impacts of recently proposed changes to cybersecurity regulations on the transportation sector. The subcommittee heard from two panels with representatives from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Government Accountability Office, and private sector. Watch t  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19 -- Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) participated in a full Committee on Oversight and Accountability hearing, where Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell served as the sole witness to testify on the agency's response to recent devastating hurricanes and natural disasters that impacted parts of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, an  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- The U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division issued the following news release: * * * National Steel and Shipbuilding Co. paid US workers in pesos in violation of federal law * * * SAN DIEGO - The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered more than $1.4 million for 36 Mexican engineers employed in San Diego by a subsidiary of General Dynamics Corp., one of the world's largest defense contractors, that paid them in Mexican pesos below the federal minimum wage rate i  more

ORLANDO, Florida, Nov. 20 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida issued the following news release: Senior U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell has sentenced Jackie Jamal Hines (47, Melbourne) to 10 years in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute multiple kilograms of cocaine. Hines pleaded guilty on May 30, 2024. According to court documents, in November 2023, law enforcement officers attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle Hines was driving a  more

FORT MYERS, Florida, Nov. 20 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida issued the following news release: U.S. District Judge Sheri P. Chappell has sentenced Nicholas Smith (45, Fort Myers) to five years and five months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Smith was found guilty following a bench trial on August 21, 2024. According to court documents, on September 5, 2023, officers with the Fort Myers Police Department stopped Smith f  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Florida, chairman of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security, issued the following news release: Today, House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security Chairman Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) delivered the following opening statement in a hearing to examine how the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) manages cybersecurity risks within the transportation sector, particularly follow  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- Rep. James Comer, R-Kentucky, chairman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, issued the following news release on Nov. 19, 2024: House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) delivered remarks today at a hearing on "Oversight of the Federal Emergency Management Agency." Following reports that at least one FEMA official engaged in political discrimination against supporters of President Donald Trump, Chairman Comer expressed co  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Florida, issued the following news release on Nov. 19, 2024: Congressman Vern Buchanan announced today that his bill, the VETS Credit Act 2.0 (H.R. 4850), which will expand eligibility for G.I. Bill benefits for student veterans has passed the U.S. House. His legislation was included as part of a broader bill, the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act. The new bill expands upon a Buchanan proposal passe  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- Rep. Sam Graves, R-Missouri, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following news release on Nov. 19, 2024: Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Republicans today demanded answers from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell about her agency's troubling responses to recent disasters and crises, including the amount FEMA resources devoted to addressing the southern border crisis, the slow respo  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- Rep. Sam Graves, R-Missouri, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following news release on Nov. 19, 2024: Opening remarks, as prepared, of Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) and Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Subcommittee Chairman Scott Perry (R-PA) from today's hearing entitled, "In the Eye of the Storm: Oversight of FEMA's Disaster Readiness and Response": Tr  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Washington, ranking member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following news release on Nov. 19, 2024: The following are opening remarks from Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Rick Larsen (D-WA) and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Dina Titus (D-NV) during today's hearing titled, "In the Eye of the Storm: Over  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- The Department of Housing and Urban Development issued the following news release on Nov. 19, 2024: * * * Final round of funding means families in 42 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico will see crucial climate resilience and energy efficiency renovations. * * * The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced the final round of its Green and Resilient Retrofit Program, marking the successful delivery of more than $1.43 billion from President Joe Bi  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas, Nov. 19 -- The U.S. Air Force Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland (16th Air Force) issued the following news: Airmen presented innovative solutions for the Air Force's most pressing Great Power Competition combat support needs during the second installment of the 2024 Installation and Mission Support Weapons and Tactics Conferences Nov. 15 at the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. Three Mission Focuse  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Nov. 20 -- The U.S. Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center issued the following news: Airmen presented innovative solutions for the Air Force's most pressing Great Power Competition combat support needs during the second installment of the 2024 Installation and Mission Support Weapons and Tactics Conferences Nov. 15 at the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center. Three Mission Focused Working Groups, or MFWGs, presented their I-WEPTAC 2024.2  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- President Biden issued the following letter to House on Nov. 18, 2024: * * * Letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives Requesting for Additional Funding for Disaster Relief Dear Mr. Speaker: With the Congress now back in session, I write to request urgently needed emergency funding to provide for an expeditious and meaningful Federal response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton and other natural disasters. In the weeks since these deadly storms tore through com  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- Rep. Aaron Bean, R-Florida, issued the following news release on Nov. 19, 2024: Today, U.S. Congressmen Aaron Bean (FL-04) and Pete Sessions (TX-17) launched the Delivering Outstanding Government Efficiency (DOGE) Caucus to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government. Specifically, the caucus is committed to supporting President-Elect Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in its mission to dismantle the out-of-control Government Bureaucrac  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Florida, issued the following news release: GAINESVILLE, FL -- On Saturday, Rep. Kat Cammack hosted House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson (PA-01) to survey damage from the recent hurricanes and their impacts on the agricultural sector. Congressmen Austin Scott (GA-08), Darren Soto (FL-09), and Doug LaMalfa (CA-01) also joined for the visits in Florida before moving to Congressman Scott's district in Georgia later in the afternoon.   more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- Rep. Scott Franklin, R-Florida, issued the following news release on Nov. 19, 2024: Congressman Scott Franklin (FL-18) today announced his Service Member Employment Protection Act passed the House as part of H.R. 8371, "The Dole Act." The Dole Act includes 12 major initiatives designed to reform and enhance the delivery of Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) services, including expanding healthcare options, offering more education opportunities and streamlining benefits an  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- Rep. W. Greg Steube, R-Florida, issued the following news release: U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) blasted Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell on Capitol Hill Tuesday amid her testimony of agency political discrimination against Trump supporters in the aftermath of Florida's hurricanes. Watch Rep. Steube's Hearing Remarks Here (https://youtu.be/qrdTF8hrjiw). "That explains why FEMA has never stopped at my house over the six  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- Rep. W. Greg Steube, R-Florida, issued the following news release: U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) introduced the FEMA for America First Act to prevent parolees who are noncitizens and asylees and refugees who are not in the process of becoming Lawful Permanent Residents (green card status) from being eligible for FEMA benefits after a natural disaster. "I do not support giving FEMA benefits to paroled noncitizens and the millions of asylees and refugees who hav  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- Rep. Laurel Lee, R-Florida, issued the following news release on Nov. 19, 2024: Today, Congresswoman Laurel Lee (R-FL) introduced the Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Stopping Prison Contraband Act, which will increase the penalty for smuggling or possessing a contraband cellphone in federal prisons from a misdemeanor to a felony. In 2013, Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati, a Bureau of Prisons (BOP) correctional officer, was murdered by 5 men after his shift. The hit was facilitate  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- Rep. Laurel Lee, R-Florida, issued the following news release on Nov. 19, 2024: Today, Congresswoman Laurel Lee (R-FL) and Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) introduced the Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act to end the epidemic of sexual assaults on prison staff by inmates within the prison system. According to a February 2023 report by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (DOJ OIG), a staggering 40% of 7,000 surveyed Federal Bureau of Prisons (  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- Rep. Laurel Lee, R-Florida, issued the following news release on Nov. 18, 2024: Today, Congresswoman Laurel Lee (FL-15) is pleased to announce that Tampa International Airport (TPA) will be receiving additional Checkpoint Property Screening Systems (CPSS) following her request to the Administrator of the Transportation Security Agency (TSA). This funding would be a part of the Tampa International Airport terminal expansion project, including the reconstruction and expansi  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Florida, issued the following news release on Nov. 19, 2024: Yesterday, Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost (D-FL) accepted the Bruce F. Vento Award at the National Homelessness Law Center's 2024 Annual Human Rights to Housing Awards. This award recognizes individuals and institutions with proven leadership in the fight to end homelessness and poverty. It celebrates the legacy of the late Congressman Bruce F. Vento, whose advocacy left a positive imp  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- Rep. Kevin Mullin, D-California, issued the following news release: Natural disasters pose year-round risks across the country. On the heels of the deadly Hurricanes Helene and Milton, a group of lawmakers are calling upon Congress to increase support for America's National Urban Search & Rescue (US&R) task forces. These heroic task forces are always on call to deploy to dangerous, life-threatening disasters, but their work has been underfunded for years. Now, a biparti  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Florida, issued the following news release on Nov. 18, 2024: Last week, Congressman Vern Buchanan led a coalition of Republican lawmakers calling for swift and decisive action to address the stunning revelations that a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) supervisor instructed staff to avoid providing storm assistance to homes displaying campaign signs for President-elect Trump. Read what congressional leaders are saying about the need for acc  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, issued the following news release on Nov. 19, 2024: Today, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released a report detailing the Biden-Harris administration's failures to secure the southern border resulting in the exploitation and abuse of migrant children. This report comes  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19 -- Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release: Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti led 31 state attorneys general in sending a letter yesterday to congressional leadership urging them to pass the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) introduced by U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), crucial legislation protecting children from online harm, before the end of the year. The coalition letter emphasized  more

SPOKANE, Washington, Nov. 20 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington issued the following news release: Vanessa R. Waldref, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced the creation of a new, interagency Environmental Task Force to protect public health and safety, to ensure that everyone enjoys equal protection from environmental and health hazards, and to combat criminal conspiracies that attempt to profit from pollution. "Strong and   more