- US Government News
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- This Week's Federal Press Releases
Highlights:
Health Care - COVID-19 care for the uninsured
Energy - $250M for heat pump manufacturing
Agriculture & Rural Development - New Forest Preservation Strategy
Interior & Public Lands - Mental Health Resources for Smokejumpers
Transportation & Infrastructure - $1B Safe Streets and Roads for All Open Grant Opportunity
Justice & Labor - AI use in Hiring Practices, Discrimination
Homeland Security - First AI Taskforce, 4-Year Report - Threats to the Homeland
Public and Affordable Housing - $30.3B for Public Housing Vouchers
What is this?
US Government News consolidates press releases from the top 14 Federal Departments and Agencies responsible for disbursing funding, making policies and regulations, and implementing the President’s agenda. We put them all in one place to make it easier for you to track what the federal government is doing daily. It can be dense reading, but that’s what it takes to get the facts.
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Headlines are completely unedited Press Release titles. Summaries are taken directly from the press release, and while sentences may be shortened, no text is added or altered. In the rare circumstance that we will provide a commentary note, it will be clearly marked as an “Editor’s Note.” You may share, redistribute, and reuse the content found in this newsletter so long as you do so in a way that complies with US Law and Regulations, no attribution to US Government News is necessary (although we would love it if you shared with your friends and colleagues 😉).
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Health Care
HHS Cybersecurity Task Force Provides New Resources to Help Address Rising Threat of Cyberattacks in Health and Public Health Sector
On April 17, 2023, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 405(d) Program announced the release of the following resources to help address cybersecurity concerns in the Healthcare and Public Health (HPH) Sector:
Knowledge on Demand – a new online educational platform that offers free cybersecurity trainings for health and public health organizations to improve cybersecurity awareness.
Health Industry Cybersecurity Practices (HICP) 2023 Edition – a foundational publication that aims to raise awareness of cybersecurity risks, provide best practices, and help the HPH Sector set standards in mitigating the most pertinent cybersecurity threats to the sector.
Hospital Cyber Resiliency Initiative Landscape Analysis – PDF – a report on domestic hospitals’ current state of cybersecurity preparedness, including a review of participating hospitals benchmarked against standard cybersecurity guidelines such as HICP 2023 and the National Institute of Standards and Technology Cybersecurity Framework (NIST CSF).
Letter to U.S. Governors from HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra on renewing COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE)
The protections provided by the PREP Act have helped millions of Americans receive convenient and timely COVID-19 vaccines, treatments, and tests. Recognizing this, I am announcing today that I intend to amend the PREP Act declaration to extend certain important protections that will continue to facilitate such access. Full Letter Here
Fact Sheet: HHS Announces Intent to Amend the Declaration Under the PREP Act for Medical Countermeasures Against
COVID-19
Editor’s Note: See letter to Governors linked above.
Key changes that Secretary Becerra plans to make under the upcoming amended declaration include:
Extending coverage for COVID-19 vaccines, seasonal influenza vaccines, and COVID-19 tests.
Extending coverage through December 2024 for Federal agreements.
Ending of coverage for certain activities.
Ending of coverage for routine childhood vaccinations.
Some of the key features that will not change under the amended declaration include:
No immediate impact on USG distributed COVID-19 countermeasures.
No change to coverage for certain prescribing and dispensing of COVID-19 oral antivirals.
No change to the “Test to Treat” program.
HHS Releases New Guidance to Encourage States to Apply for New Medicaid Reentry Section 1115 Demonstration Opportunity to Increase Health Care for People Leaving Carceral Facilities
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), is announcing a new opportunity for states to help increase care for individuals who are incarcerated in the period immediately prior to their release to help them succeed and thrive during reentry. The Medicaid Reentry Section 1115 Demonstration Opportunity will allow states to cover a package of pre-release services for up to 90 days prior to the individual’s expected release date. Full Press Release
HHS Finalizes Policies to Make Coverage More Accessible and Expand Behavioral Health Care Access for Millions of Americans in 2024
The 2024 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters Final Rule (final 2024 Payment Notice) finalizes standards for issuers and Marketplaces, as well as requirements for agents, brokers, web-brokers, and Assisters that help consumers with enrollment through Marketplaces that use the federal platform. Full Press Release
HHS Approves Illinois Proposal to Expand Access to Care for Kids in Schools
Illinois’ newly approved SPA allows schools to receive more Medicaid funding for covered services for all children with Medicaid, rather than only those children with an Individualized Education Program (IEP), which is a plan or program tailored for children with disabilities. Full Press Release
Fact Sheet: HHS Announces ‘HHS Bridge Access Program For COVID-19 Vaccines and Treatments’ to Maintain Access to COVID-19 Care for the Uninsured
HHS is announcing the ‘HHS Bridge Access Program For COVID-19 Vaccines and Treatments Program’(“Program”) to maintain broad access to COVID-19 vaccines for millions of uninsured Americans. The program will create a unique $1.1 billion public-private partnership to help maintain uninsured individuals’ access to COVID-19 care at their local pharmacies, through existing public health infrastructure, and at their local health centers. Full Press Release
For the First Time, HHS Is Making Ownership Data for All Medicare-Certified Hospice and Home Health Agencies Publicly Available
The information posted today includes detailed information on the ownership of more than 6,000 hospices and 11,000 home health agencies certified to participate in the Medicare program, regardless of any change in ownership. The data elements include: enrollment information such as organization name, type, practice location addresses, National Provider Identifier (NPI), CMS Certification Number (CCN); detailed information about each owner such as whether it is an organization or an individual and whether it is a direct owner or indirect owner (that is, there is at least one subsidiary between it and the provider); and a numerical associate ID for each owner to enable linkage to the enrollment file. Full Press Release
Energy
Biden-Harris Administration Announces $250 Million to Accelerate Electric Heat Pump Manufacturing Across America
As part of President Biden’s Investing in America the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), today announced a $250 million funding opportunity to accelerate electric heat pump manufacturing in America. This is the first funding opportunity announcement stemming from DOE’s new authorization, invoked by President Biden last summer, to utilize the Defense Production Act (DPA) to increase domestic production of five key clean energy technologies, including electric heat pumps. Full Press Release
Biden-Harris Administration Announces $82 Million Investment to Increase Domestic Solar Manufacturing and Recycling, Strengthen the American Clean Energy Grid
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $52 million for 19 selected projects, including $10 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to strengthen America’s domestic solar supply chain, and $30 million in funding for technologies that will help integrate solar energy into the grid. Full Press Release
Biden-Harris Administration Announces New Investments to Support and Accelerate Community Solar Across America
DOE’s National Community Solar Partnership (NCSP) selected 25 teams to participate in the $10 million Community Power Accelerator Prize competition, which aims to establish a strong, nation-wide network of community solar project developers. Successful teams have the potential to deploy as much as 150 megawatts of community solar across the country—enough to power nearly 30 thousand American homes—and access $5 billion in private sector financing through the Community Power Accelerator™. Full Press Release
Agriculture & Rural Development
Fact Sheet: USDA Continues Partner Engagement to Mitigate Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza for 2023 Season
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) continues efforts on many fronts to mitigate the latest outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the United States. Improved biosecurity measures by the commercial industry have vastly reduced the number of detections in the commercial sector. Full Press Release
USDA Announces Funding Availability to Expand Meat and Poultry Processing Options for Underserved Producers and Tribal Communities
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the availability of up to $125 million through two new grant programs that will create more options for meat and poultry farmers by investing in independent, local meat and poultry processing projects that increase competition and enhance the resiliency of the food supply chain. Full Press Release
USDA Invests Over $46M in Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today an investment of more than $46 million in the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, which has funded farmer-driven grants and grassroots education programs resulting in climate-smart solutions for farms and ranches in every state and island protectorate since 1988. Full Press Release
Biden-Harris Administration Announces New Steps for Climate Resilience and Forest Conservation
USDA and DOI worked together to develop several reports, as directed by President Biden’s Executive Order on Strengthening the Nation’s Forests, Communities, and Local Economies (E.O. 14072), which he signed on Earth Day 2022. The Executive Order calls for inventorying mature and old-growth forests, setting reforestation targets on federally managed lands, and analyzing reforestation opportunities on state, Tribal and private lands. Full Press Release
Interior & Public Lands
Interior, Agriculture Departments Host Summit to Develop Mental Health Resources for Wildland Fire Personnel
The Departments of the Interior and Agriculture hosted a three-day summit in Boise, Idaho, to spearhead the development of a joint wildland firefighter behavioral health program. The goals of the new behavioral health program will be to establish year-round prevention and mental health training, provide post-traumatic stress care, enhance capacity for critical incident stress management, and create a new system of trauma support services with an emphasis on early intervention.
Full Press Release
Interior Department Announces $1 Million for Conservation Partnerships at Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge
During a visit to the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams announced a $1 million investment for conservation partnerships at the refuge. This funding is a part of the Service’s Urban Wildlife Conservation Program, which supports 101 urban refuges across the country that host more than 11.7 million people a year. The program facilitates long-term, place-based collaborative partnerships engaging communities in conservation on and off Service lands. Full Press Release
Transportation
Biden-Harris Administration Announces More Than $1 Billion for Local Communities to Improve Roadway Safety
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has opened the process for cities, towns, counties, Tribal governments and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) to apply directly for a total of $1.177 billion to fund local projects that improve roadway safety. The funds are from the competitive grant program, Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A). Funding can be targeted toward known high-crash areas, which are easier than ever to identify thanks to an interactive tool created by DOT. Locally driven solutions can include everything from improving sidewalks and adding high-visibility crosswalks, to reconfiguring intersections. Full Press Release
NHTSA Estimates for 2022 Show Roadway Fatalities Remain Flat After Two Years of Dramatic Increases
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released its latest projections for traffic fatalities in 2022, estimating that 42,795 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes. This represents a small decrease of about 0.3% as compared to 42,939 fatalities reported for 2021. The estimated fatality rate decreased to 1.35 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in 2022, down from 1.37 fatalities per 100 million VMT in 2021. Americans are driving more than they did during the height of the pandemic, almost a 1% increase over 2021. Full Press Release
Biden-Harris Administration Opens Applications for $848 Million in Competitive Grant Funding to Make Roads, Bridges, Transit, Rail, and Ports More Resilient to Climate Change
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) opened applications for the first round of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Discretionary Grant Program. Full Press Release
FAA Selects Sustainable Design for New Control Towers at Municipal, Smaller Airports
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has selected a sustainable design for new air traffic control towers that will be used primarily at municipal and smaller airports. The design by Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU) of New York meets key sustainability requirements and can adjust the tower height to meet each airport’s traffic and sightline requirements, while also reducing construction and operational costs. Full Press Release
Justice & Labor
Readout: Department of Labor Gathered Experts, Stakeholders to Ensure More Inclusive Hiring As Automated Technology Affects Decision-Making
Many organizations now use artificial intelligence to screen job candidates, streamline the application process, monitor employee actions, and provide employee training. While its use offers employers efficiencies, AI tools must be designed with diverse users in mind to prevent workplace discrimination, including against people with disabilities. Full Press Release
Homeland Security
Secretary Mayorkas Announces New Measures to Tackle A.I., PRC Challenges at First State of Homeland Security Address
DHS Unveils First Task Force Dedicated to Artificial Intelligence and a 90-Day Sprint to Counter PRC Threats at Council on Foreign Relations Event. This is the first time the Department has announced a task force dedicated to AI. The Task Force will drive specific applications of AI to advance critical homeland security missions including:
Integrate AI into our efforts to enhance the integrity of our supply chains and the broader trade environment.
Leverage AI to counter the flow of fentanyl into the United States.
Apply AI to digital forensic tools to help identify, locate, and rescue victims of online child sexual exploitation and abuse, and to identify and apprehend the perpetrators of this heinous crime.
Working with partners in government, industry, and academia, assess the impact of AI on our ability to secure critical infrastructure.
Department of Homeland Security Issues Quadrennial Homeland Security Review (QHSR) Detailing Strategy to Stay Ahead of Evolving Threat Environment
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the statutorily required Quadrennial Homeland Security Review (QHSR), a comprehensive strategic approach to the Department’s efforts to secure the nation. These challenges include changes in global migration, human trafficking, domestic violent extremism, strategic competition from nation states, wide-ranging cyber threats, impacts of climate change, emerging infectious diseases, and transnational organized crime. Full Press Release
Operation Blue Lotus Stops Over 4,000 Pounds of Fentanyl in First Month
DHS issued an update today on Operation Blue Lotus as part of the Biden Administration’s significant and historic actions to disrupt the trafficking of synthetic drugs, representing a major contribution to a government-wide effort to save lives and pursue justice and accountability. In its first month, Operation Blue Lotus, a coordinated U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) surge operation, has stopped over 4,000 pounds of fentanyl at ports of entry, where more than 90 percent of fentanyl is trafficked in cars and trucks. Full Press Release
Public & Affordable Housing
Fact Sheet: HUD Announces $486 Million in Grants and $43 Million for Stability Vouchers to Address Unsheltered and Rural Homelessness
HUD awards $171.2 million and adds to the first set of grant awards announced in February, bringing the total value of grants to $486 million to communities across several states to address unsheltered and rural homelessness. HUD is inviting 139 Public Housing Authorities who partnered with grantee communities to accept approximately 3,300 Stability Vouchers to provide rental assistance to people experiencing or are at-risk of homelessness, including survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or human trafficking. Full Press Release
HUD Announces the Availability of $30.3 Billion for Housing Authorities to Provide Affordable Housing
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced the availability of $30.3 billion for the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program for 2023. This historic, $2.9 billion (10.5 percent) increase over the prior year will help Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) address recent inflation in rents and enable more low-income families to use housing vouchers to afford a safe, decent place to call home. Full Press Release
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