National Institutes of Health expands Clinical Trials to Test Convalescent Plasma against COVID-19 | site |
Rigorous studies to build on earlier efforts to test the experimental treatment
(September 22, 2020) - - Today the National Institutes of Health published the following information:
Two randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are expanding enrollment to further evaluate convalescent plasma as a treatment for patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Preliminary observational studies indicate that convalescent plasma may improve outcomes among severely ill and hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Prospective, well-controlled randomized trials are needed to generate sufficient data on whether convalescent plasma is effective and safe for the treatment of COVID-19.
Convalescent plasma is blood plasma taken from people who have recovered from COVID-19. It contains antibodies that can recognize and ...
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09-22-2020, 07:17 PM -
National Institutes of Health Funds Community Engagement Research Efforts in Areas Hardest Hit by COVID-19 | site |
(September 16, 2020) - - Today, September 16, 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published the following information:
The National Institutes of Health today announced a $12 million award for outreach and engagement efforts in ethnic and racial minority communities disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The award to RTI International, a non-profit research institution, will support teams in 11 states established as part of the NIH Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) Against COVID-19 Disparities. These teams have received initial funding to immediately create CEAL programs, and RTI will serve as the Technical and Administrative Support and Coordination (TASC) center.
The CEAL research teams will focus on COVID-19 awareness and education research, especially among African Americans,...09-21-2020, 11:41 PM -
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Announces Innovative Payment Model to Improve Care, Lower Costs for Cancer Patients | site |
(September 18, 2020) - - The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services published today (September 18, 2020) the following information:
Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized a new Innovation Center model expected to improve the quality of care for cancer patients receiving radiotherapy and reduce Medicare expenditures through bundled payments that allow providers to focus on delivering high-quality treatments. The new Radiation Oncology (RO) Model allows this focus on value-based care by creating simpler, more predictable payments that incentivize cost-efficient and clinically effective treatments to improve quality and outcomes. The RO Model, part of a final rule on specialty care models issued by CMS, will begin on January 1, 2021 and is estimated to save Medicare $230 million over...09-21-2020, 11:16 PM -
U.S. Social Security Administration Announces New Online Video Hearings| site |
(September 3, 2020) - - The U.S. Social Security Administration published today (September 3, 2020) the following information: The Social Security Administration announced a new service for people awaiting a hearing decision. In addition to telephone hearings, Social Security will offer the opportunity for an online video hearing using the Microsoft Teams platform beginning this fall. This new free service will allow applicants and their representatives to participate in the hearing from anywhere they have access to a camera-enabled smartphone, tablet, or computer. This stable and secure online platform allows the Social Security judge to see and interact with applicants and their representatives just like an in-person hearing, while maintaining privacy of the claimant’s information. Other hearing experts, such as medical or vocational experts, may participate as well. “The COVID-...09-21-2020, 10:51 PM -
U.S. Food and Drug Administration Coronavirus COVID-19 Update - - Daily Roundup September 18, 2020 | site |
(September 18, 2020) - - Today, September 18, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration published the following information:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continued to take action in the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic:- The FDA reissued the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the Abbott ID Now COVID-19 test. The revisions to the previous EUA letter of authorization include a revised intended use to:
- Indicate that testing is for specimens collected “from individuals who are suspected of COVID-19 by their health care provider within the first seven days of the onset of symptoms.”
- Clarify that testing is authorized for laboratories certified under CLIA and meet the requirements to perform high, moderate, or waived complexity tests.
- Clarify that testing facilities within the United States and its territories
09-21-2020, 10:14 PM - The FDA reissued the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the Abbott ID Now COVID-19 test. The revisions to the previous EUA letter of authorization include a revised intended use to:
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National Transportation Safety Board Issues 4 Safety Recommendations Based on Investigation of USS Fitzgerald Collision| site |
(September 3, 2020) - - Today, September 3, 2020, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) published the following information:
WASHINGTON (Sept. 3, 2020) — The National Transportation Safety Board issued Thursday four safety recommendations in its final report on the agency’s investigation of the fatal, June 17, 2017, collision between the USS Fitzgerald and the container ship ACX Crystal.
The collision happened shortly after the 504.5 foot-long, US Navy destroyer Fitzgerald, with 315 people on board, departed its homeport of Yokosuka, Japan, bound for the Philippines. The Fitzgerald was traveling southbound at about 22 knots in the bay of Sagami Nada off Japan’s Honshu Island, while the 730 foot-long, Philippine-flag, container ship ACX Crystal with 21 people on board was traveling east-northeast...09-21-2020, 09:49 PM -
AFL-CIO says Labor and Faith Forge Partnership for Social, Racial and Economic Justice| site |
(September 15, 2020) - - The AFL-CIO published today, September 15, 2020, the following information:
Today, the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival and the AFL-CIO marked the 57th anniversary of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama, where four girls were killed, with a virtual candlelight vigil and commitment to a 10-point pledge for social, racial and economic justice. At this moment in history, labor and faith are coming together, standing together and acting to stop the injustices that plague the nation—institutional racism and racist violence, the immoral response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the deepening economic crisis driven by division and greed. “We’re here together—the Poor People’s Campaign and America’s AFL-CIO, America’s unions—because we have to be. We must be,” the Rev. Dr. Wil...09-21-2020, 09:19 PM -
AFL-CIO's Trumka on the 57th Anniversary of the 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing: We Can Be Moved Forward| site |
Richard Trumka | September 15, 2020 (September 15, 2020) - - On or about September 15, 2020 the AFL-CIO published the following remarks that AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka delivered on the 57th anniversary of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham: AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka delivered the following remarks on the 57th anniversary of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham: Reverend Price and members of the 16th Street Baptist Church, thank you for including us as we remember what happened in your home—a sacred place of both tragedy and unity. Reverend Barber and I have come together today to raise up the voices of the labor movement, the civil rights movement and people of faith everywhere in defense of our democracy and for the triumph of hope over fear, and love over hate. Fifty-seven years ago today, Carole Rober...09-21-2020, 09:04 PM -
American Federation of Teachers says New Poll Shows America’s Parents, Teachers Want ‘Safety First’ on School Reopenings | site |
AFT says: Trump and DeVos’ Ruinous Agenda Rejected, Comfort with Return to Brick-and-Mortar Schools Significantly Higher when Protections, Funding in Place
(September 15, 2020) - - Today, September 15, 2020, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) published the following information:
WASHINGTON—The nation’s teachers and parents are seeing through the Trump administration’s chaos and disinformation over reopening schools this fall, new polling shows. And while supermajorities of the poll’s respondents fear they or their child will be infected with the virus, they are united behind the need to secure safety measures and the resources to pay for them, so students can return to in-person learning. Sixty-eight percent of parents—including 82 percent of Black parents—and 77 percent of teachers sa...09-21-2020, 08:48 PM -
Federal Reserve Board Updates Frequently Asked Questions to Clarify the Board and Department of Treasury’s Expectations regarding Lender Underwriting for the Main Street Lending Program | site |
(September 18, 2020) - - Today, September 18, 2020, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System published the following information: The Federal Reserve Board on Friday updated its frequently asked questions (FAQs) to clarify the Board and Department of Treasury's expectations regarding lender underwriting for the Main Street Lending Program. The revised FAQs emphasize that lender underwriting should look back to the borrower's pre-pandemic condition and forward to their post-pandemic prospects. The FAQs also clarify supervisory expectations for lenders originating Main Street loans. The program supports lending to small and medium-sized for-profit businesses and nonprofit organizations that were in sound financial condition before the COVID-19 pandemic but l...09-21-2020, 08:26 PM -
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Census Bureau Release New American Housing Survey | site |
2019 survey provides pre-pandemic insights on home accessibility, food security, and housing costs
(September 16, 2020) - - Today, September 16, 2020, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development published the following information:
WASHINGTON - According to the new 2019 American Housing Survey (AHS) released today by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Census Bureau, the percentage of American renter households spending 30 percent or more of their income on housing costs held steady at 51 percent between 2017 and 2019.
The 2019 AHS offers the most comprehensive picture of the nation’s housing inventory pre-pandemic. As researchers try to understand more current data on the state of housing from multiple data sources, the new survey informs our understanding...09-21-2020, 08:02 PM -
...IRS releases State-by-State breakdown of nearly 9 Million Non-filers who will be Mailed Letters about Economic Impact Payments | site |
(September 17, 2020) - - Today, September 17, 2020, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published the following information:
WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today released a state-by-state breakdown of the roughly nine million people receiving a special mailing this month encouraging them to see if they're eligible to claim an Economic Impact Payment.
The IRS will mail the letters to people who typically aren't required to file federal income tax returns but may qualify for an Economic Impact Payment. The letter urges recipients to visit the special Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info Here tool on IRS.gov before the October 15 deadline to register for an Economic Impact Payment. "The IRS continues to work hard to reach people eligible for these payments," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Retti09-21-2020, 06:24 PM -
USA Staffing Onboarding Wins 2020 Igniting Innovation Award | site |
(September 3, 2020) - - Today, September 3, 2020, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management published the following information:
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Office of Personnel Management(OPM) announces that their Human Resources Solutions’ USA Staffing® Onboarding platform is the winner of the 2020 Igniting Innovation Awards, hosted by the American Council for Technology and Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC). The awards recognize groundbreaking technologies that enhance services for citizens and government operations. USA Staffing Onboarding won with 68% of the vote. “I am very proud of the OPM employees on USA Staffing’s onboarding team. Their hard work and dedication are a great credit to the agency. USA Staffing Onboarding is a leading example of OPM’s ongoing efforts to help Federal agencies work efficiently to better serve the American people,” said OPM Acting Dire...09-21-2020, 05:19 PM -
U.S. General Services Administration Issues Award for Regulatory Workflow Modernization | site |
(September 16, 2020) - - Today, September 16, 2020, the U.S General Services Administration (GSA) published the following information:
WASHINGTON - The U.S. General Services Administration today announced the award of its multiple year, $9.9 million contract to Deloitte Consulting LLP, and Esper, Inc., through GSA's Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) authority.
The Centers of Excellence (CoE), housed within GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service Technology Transformation Services (TTS) office, and GSA’s assisted acquisition services provider Federal Systems Integration and Management Center (FEDSIM) worked to leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning technology solutions to conduct regulatory review and improve the rule-making process for federal agencies. This award supports the White House’s Executive Order on Regulatory...09-21-2020, 05:07 PM -
U.S. Department of Agriculture Announces Contracts for Round 3 of the Farmers to Families Food Box Program | site |
(September 17, 2020) - - Today, September 17, 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture published the following information:
(Washington, D.C., September 17, 2020) – Following President Donald Trump’s approval to include up to an additional $1 billion in the Farmers to Families Food Box Program, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved up to $1 billion in contracts to support American producers and communities in need through the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program. Earlier this week, USDA reached a milestone of having distributed more than 90 million food boxes in support of American farmers and families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. “These contract awards will go to vendors who submitted the strongest proposals in support of American agriculture and the Ame...09-21-2020, 02:21 PM -
U.S. Department of Labor Awards $11.2 Million in Worker Safety and Health Training Grants | site |
(September 18, 2020) - - Today, September 18, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor published the following information: WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has awarded approximately $11.2 million in Susan Harwood federal safety and health training grants to 90 nonprofit organizations nationwide. The grants will provide education and training programs to help workers and employers recognize serious workplace hazards, including the coronavirus, implement injury prevention measures and understand their rights and responsibilities under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. Under President Trump’s Qualified Opportunity Zones Executive Order, OSHA awarded 80 grants to conduct occupational safety and health training in urban and economically distressed areas. The 2020 Harwood grant awards al...09-21-2020, 01:55 PM -
FDIC Launches Its First-Ever Academic Challenge | site |
Teams from universities and colleges throughout the country will examine effects of community banks on local economic development
(September 18, 2020) - - Today, September 18, 2020, the FDIC published the following information:
WASHINGTON – The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) today announced the launch of the agency’s first-ever Academic Challenge, a competition among teams of university and college students to address questions concerning the U.S. banking sector. The topic for this inaugural challenge is “The Effects of Community Banks on Local Economic Development.”
The FDIC’s Center for Financial Research is hosting the 2020-2021 Academic Challenge, which will consist of two rounds. In the first round of the competition, teams of undergraduate students will use multiple public data sources to examine the effects of community banks on local...09-21-2020, 01:35 PM -
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao Announces $1 Billion to Upgrade American Infrastructure | site |
(September 16, 2020) - - Today, September 16, 2020, the U.S. Department of Transportation published the following information: WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary Elaine L. Chao today announced that the Trump Administration will invest $1 billion in American infrastructure through the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Transportation Discretionary Grants program. The funding has been awarded to 70 projects in 44 states. “This Administration is making significant investments in infrastructure, and this $1 billion in BUILD grants will repair, rebuild, and revitalize transportation systems across America,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao. Fiscal Year 2020 BUILD Transportation grants are for planning and capital investments in surface transportation infrastructure and were awarded on a competitiv...09-21-2020, 01:10 PM -
Federal Reserve Board issues Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households | site |
(September 18, 2020) - - Today, September 18, 2020, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve Board published the following information:
Data collected to supplement the Federal Reserve Board's seventh annual Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking showed that U.S. families were faring better financially in July than in April, but many still faced uncertainty regarding layoffs and prospects for returning to work.
Recognizing the unprecedented financial disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Reserve conducted a pair of supplemental surveys to monitor changes in the financial well-being of Americans. The first of these surveys was conducted in April, at the onset of the pandemic and before most financial relief efforts were in place. The April results were described in the Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households...09-21-2020, 12:58 PM -
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos Delivers on Promise to Protect Free Inquiry and Religious Liberty | site |
Announces final rule that upholds fundamental rights guaranteed by the First Amendment
(September 9, 2020) - - The U.S. Department of Education published today, September 9, 2020, the following information:
WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos delivered on her promise to protect free inquiry and religious liberty on campus by publishing the Improving Free Inquiry, Transparency, and Accountability at Colleges and Universities final rule. The new rule will ensure that public institutions of higher education uphold fundamental rights guaranteed by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and that private institutions of higher education adhere to their own policies regarding freedom of speech, including academic freedom. The final rule also ensures the equal treatment and constitutional...09-21-2020, 12:29 PM