Today, the United States federal government announced its final plans to crack down on seafood fraud and illegal fishing at Seafood Expo North America in Boston. The announcement, which came from a presidential task force created in June, reaffirms President Obama’s commitment to stop these crimes that provide profits to pirate fishermen, rip off consumers and… Keep reading →
Senators Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), with nine additional cosponsors, introduced a bill to amend the Public Service Health Act Wednesday night to authorize $20 million in grants for Mental Health First Aid trainings around the country. This program gives emergency services personnel, police officers, educators, primary care professionals, students and others the… Keep reading →
Called “innovative” by syndicated columnist George Will and using an approach endorsed by Harvard law professor Lawrence Lessig, a bipartisan effort to get Congress and 38 states to fix the national debt was announced today. The Compact for America (CFA) initiative would, for the first time in U.S. history, give states a role in restraining… Keep reading →
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a landmark rulemaking today, which reduces the domestic production allowances for HCFC-22 at the lowest level ever and proposes a complete phase-out within five years. HCFCs, or hydrochlorofluorocarbons, are a class of refrigerants that are damaging to the ozone layer, and contribute to global warming. “We congratulate EPA for… Keep reading →
A new report published by the Federal Reserve Board reveals further evidence that big banks continue to reap huge dividends from the fees they charge for debit card transactions. The report found that the cost for debit card transactions in 2013 was as little as 4.4 cents. Despite this, banks continue to charge on average… Keep reading →
Americans express strong views when asked about the care that they want to receive when they are dying. In general, they prefer to die at home and to remain in charge of decisions about their care. However, evidence suggests these wishes are not likely to be fulfilled. Dying in America: Improving Quality and Honoring Individual… Keep reading →
Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) today released the results of their 2014 Annual Alumni Survey. Based on the responses of more than 21,000 wounded veterans, it includes the largest sample size of service members injured since 9/11 and is the most statistically relevant survey response of that population to date. Among the survey’s findings, the 2014… Keep reading →
While operating at historically-low budgetary and staffing levels, the federal inspectors general (IG) community embodies the ‘do more, with even less’ mantra in government. AGA conducted the second annual survey of federal IGs to identify areas of common concern across the oversight landscape. This year’s survey also included state auditors. View the report: http://bit.ly/1qPt622 This… Keep reading →
For most of its history, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) has relied on paper food instruments (checks or vouchers) for delivering healthy foods to pregnant women and families with young children. WIC provides a prescription of healthy foods to enrollees, requiring them to make purchases from authorized grocery stores… Keep reading →
The non-profit National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) is renewing its call for oversight of vaccine safety to be removed from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), which is responsible for vaccine development, regulation, policymaking, promotion and serves as a legal respondent and administrator for the federal Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). NVIC’s call… Keep reading →