WASHINGTON, Feb. 22 -- The U.S. Army issued the following news release: * * * Army identifies Third Soldier involved in Helicopter Crash At the request of and in coordination with the family, the Army is releasing the name of the third Soldier who died while performing a training mission near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Jan. 29. Capt. Rebecca M. Lobach, of Durham, North Carolina, served as an aviation officer (15A) in the regular Army from July 2019 to January 2025. She has   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 -- Rep. Don Beyer, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: * * * Beyer: Purge Of IRS Workers "Stupid, Destructive, And Corrupt" Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), today issued the statement below responding to the reported firing of thousands of federal employees at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Beyer serves on the House Ways and Means Tax Subcommittee, and represents a Northern Virginia district containing one of the largest concentrations of federal employees in the U.S  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RS21048) on Feb. 18, 2025, entitled "U.S. Special Operations Forces: Background and Considerations for Congress" by military ground forces specialist Andrew Feickert: * * * Summary Special Operations Forces (SOF) play a significant role in U.S. military operations. In 1986, Congress, concerned about the status of SOF within overall U.S. defense planning, passed legislation (P.L. 99-661) to stre  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 -- The U.S. Department of Defense issued the following news: * * * Contracts for Feb. 20, 2025 NAVY Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a Lockheed Martin Co., Stratford, Connecticut, is awarded a not-to-exceed $232,452,366 firm-fixed-price modification (P00002) to a previously awarded contract (N0001924C0009). This modification exercises an option to procure additional long-lead time materials to support full rate production, Lot 10, of the CH-53K aircraft for the Marine Corps. Wor  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 -- The U.S. Department of Defense issued the following news: * * * Contracts for Feb. 21, 2025 ARMY Raytheon Missiles and Defense, Tucson, Arizona, was awarded a $322,500,000 modification (PZ0006) to contract W31P4Q-23-C-0026 for the Tube Launched Optically-Tracked Wireless Guided weapon system. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2026. Fiscal 2023 procurement, Marine Corps funds; and 2021 and 2023 other procurement,   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22 (TNSFR) -- The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has begun an environmental review of Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC's proposed amendment to its Southgate Project. Filed on February 3, 2025, the amendment seeks authorization under section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act to modify the previously approved project. The Southgate Amendment Project includes approximately 31.3 miles of 30-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline, four meter stations, and additional facilities. Moun  more

RICHMOND, Virginia, Feb. 21 -- Gov. Glenn Youngkin, R-Virginia, issued the following news release: * * * Governor Glenn Youngkin Recognizes Recipients of 2024 Governor's Fire Service Awards RICHMOND, VA - Governor Glenn Youngkin today announced the recipients of the 2024 Governor's Fire Service Awards. These prestigious awards, established in 2002, recognize excellence in Virginia's fire service and were expected to be presented during the Virginia Fire and Rescue Conference in Virginia Beach  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 -- Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, D-New Mexico, issued the following news release: * * * Heinrich, Lujan Demand VA Secretary Collins Put Veterans First, Reverse Mass Firings of VA Workforce Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) are calling on Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins to immediately reinstate the more than 1,000 VA employees terminated last week who serve veterans and their families nationwide, including   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 -- Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: * * * In Letter to Meta, Rep. Robin Kelly Demands Improved Ad Regulation for Gun Silencers WASHINGTON - U.S. Reps. Robin Kelly (IL-02) and Mike Thompson (CA-04), alongside 34 other legislators, have denounced Meta's failure to adequately regulate advertisements for gun silencers on its platform. In a letter to company CEO Mark Zuckerberg, they expressed concern over misleading ads disguising gun silencers   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 -- Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: * * * Kaine Files Amendments to Republican Budget Resolution WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, filed amendments to the Senate Republicans' budget resolution in an attempt to improve the bill, which currently tees up tax cuts for billionaires by cutting critical funding for programs that Virginians rely on. Republicans are using a legislative pro  more

ROANOKE, Virginia, Feb. 21 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia issued the following news release: * * * Michael White Sentenced to 100 Years on Federal Charges Related to Murder of Big Stone Gap Police Officer Michael Chandler White Also Spearheaded a Wide-Ranging Methamphetamine Conspiracy ABINGDON, Va. - Michael Donivan White was sentenced today to 100 years in federal prison on federal charges related to the November 2021 murder of Big Stone Gap Police   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22 (TNSFR) -- The National Science Board's Committee on Science and Engineering Policy has scheduled a videoconference to discuss key matters related to national science policy. The meeting, set for February 27, 2025, will take place through the National Science Foundation in Alexandria, Virginia, and will be accessible to the public via YouTube livestream. The committee will focus on the development of the Indicators 2026 report, specifically the section titled "Translation t  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 -- Rep. Gerald "Gerry" Connolly, D-Virginia, issued the following news: * * * Ranking Member Connolly Calls on Speaker Johnson to Condemn Violence and Bar Insurrectionists from the Capitol Today, Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson, urging him to take meaningful action by acknowledging and condemning the violence that occurred on January 6th and barring those who tried to overthr  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22 -- Rep. Gerald "Gerry" Connolly, D-Virginia, ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, issued the following news release: * * * Ranking Member Connolly Calls on Speaker Johnson to Condemn Violence and Bar Insurrectionists from the Capitol Following Trump's Pardon of More Than 1,500 January 6th Criminals, Ranking Member Connolly Urges Speaker Johnson to Ensure Safety of Members, Staff, the American Public, and Visitors Washington, D.C. (Februar  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22 -- Rep. Gerald "Gerry" Connolly, D-Virginia, ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, issued the following news release: * * * Ranking Member Connolly Urges President Trump to Maintain the Independence of the Nation's Ethics Agency and Give America's Veterans the Undivided Attention They Deserve President Trump's Appointment of Veterans Affairs Secretary Collins to Serve Simultaneously as Acting Director of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22 -- Rep. Gerald "Gerry" Connolly, D-Virginia, ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, issued the following news release: * * * Ranking Members Connolly, Raskin, Lee, McBath Launch Investigation into Trump's Efforts to Clear a Path for Corruption Washington, D.C. (February 21, 2025)--Today, Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the Committee on the Judic  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22 -- Rep. John McGuire, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: * * * Rep. John McGuire Introduces His First Bill: The Agricultural and Forestry Hauling Efficiency Act WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Representative John McGuire (VA-05), introduced his first bill as a Member of Congress: The Agricultural and Forestry Hauling Efficiency Act. This bill reduces costs for farmers and loggers by increasing supply chain efficiency. "The logging and agriculture industries in Virgini  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 -- Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Virginia, issued the following news release: * * * Reps. Roy, Griffith Re-Introduce Legislation to Reform the NIH Reps Chip Roy (TX-21) and Morgan Griffith (VA-09) re-introduced the NIH Reform Act today. Congressman Roy said: "From the earliest days of the pandemic, public health bureaucrats proved themselves far more adept at ruining lives than saving them. Never again should a single, unaccountable government employee, like Dr. Anthony Fauci,  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Coast Guard issued the following news: * * * Saving Sunbeam -- a deadly human trafficking case over 100 years ago The Long Blue Line blog series has been publishing Coast Guard history essays for over 15 years. To access hundreds of these service stories, visit the Coast Guard Historian's Office's Long Blue Line online archives, located here: THE LONG BLUE LINE (uscg.mil) It was early on the cold, windy morning of Wednesday, De  more

TAMPA, Florida, Feb. 21 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida issued the following news release: * * * Seventeen Defendants Sentenced To Prison In Multi-State Drug Trafficking And Money Laundering Conspiracy Ocala, Florida - Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Dudzinski Poole and sixteen co-conspirators to federal prison terms ranging from six years, up to life, imprisonment in a multi-state drug trafficking and money laundering con  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 -- Rep. Gerald "Gerry" Connolly, D-Virginia, issued the following news: * * * Statement from Ranking Member Connolly on President Trump's Plans to Upend the U.S. Postal Service Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, released a statement in response to reporting that President Trump is planning to dissolve the leadership of the United States Postal Service and destroy the integrity and independence of Americans' 250-year  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 -- Rep. Robert C. Scott, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: * * * Virginia Lawmakers to Trump Administration: Reverse Park Service Staffing Cuts Virginia's 22 National Park Service sites serve 22 million visitors annually, contributing $1.5 billion to local economies across the Commonwealth WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine and U.S. Reps. Bobby Scott, Gerry Connolly, Don Beyer, Jennifer McClellan, Suhas Subramanyam and Eugene Vindman  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 -- Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: * * * Virginia Lawmakers to Trump Administration: Reverse Park Service Staffing Cuts WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine and U.S. Reps. Bobby Scott, Gerry Connolly, Don Beyer, Jennifer McClellan, Suhas Subramanyam and Eugene Vindman (all D-VA) pushed the Trump administration to reverse staffing cuts at the National Park Service (NPS), outlining the effect directives to eliminate emp  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 -- Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: * * * Warner, Kaine Slam GOP Budget Resolution to Cut Taxes for Ultra Rich, Cut Programs Virginia Families Depend On WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA), both members of the Senate Budget Committee, issued a statement after the Republican-led Senate voted to move a budget plan that will cut resources for programs everyday Virginians rely on in order to give tax breaks to the wealt  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 -- Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: * * * Warner, Kaine Slam Republican Budget Resolution to Cut Taxes for Ultra Rich, Cut Programs Virginia Families Depend On WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA), both members of the Senate Budget Committee, issued a statement after the Republican-led Senate voted to move a budget plan that will cut resources for programs everyday Virginians rely on in order to give tax break  more