Government

Child Protection: The House is scheduled to consider S. 2051, the Missing Children’s Assistance Reauthorization Act of 2023; Hearing: “The Role of Child Care Small Businesses in Supporting Parents and the American Workforce;” On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs will hold a hearing, “Caring for All Who Have Borne the Battle: Ensuring Equity for Women Veterans at the VA. Child Protection: The House is scheduled to consider S. 2051, the Missing Children’s Assistance Reauthorization Act of 2023, with an amendment to broaden the definition of child sexual abuse material, expand the AMBER alert system, and create additional reporting processes. Hearings: Child Care - The Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee will hold a hearing, “The Role of Child Care Small Businesses in Supporting Parents and the American Workforce.” Veterans - On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs will hold a hearing, “Caring for All Who Have Borne the Battle: Ensuring Equity for Women Veterans at the VA.” more »

"Estimated number of new cancer cases for 2024, excluding basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers and in situ carcinoma except urinary bladder. Estimates are not available for Puerto Rico. Note: Incidence counts are model-based projections and should be interpreted with caution. State estimates may not equal US total due to rounding. ©2024, American Cancer Society, Inc. Surveillance and Health Equity Science©2024, American Cancer Society, Inc. Surveillance and Health Equity Science" more »

"The Fed has been assigned two goals for monetary policy — maximum employment and stable prices. Our success in delivering on these goals matters a great deal to all Americans. To support our pursuit of those goals, Congress granted the Fed a substantial degree of independence in our conduct of monetary policy. Fed policymakers serve long terms that are not synchronized with election cycles. Our decisions are not subject to reversal by other parts of the government, other than through legislation. This independence both enables and requires us to make our monetary policy decisions without consideration of short-term political matters. Such independence for a federal agency is and should be rare. In the case of the Fed, independence is essential to our ability to serve the public. The record shows that independent central banks deliver better economic outcomes." more »

Dirty Dozen: "The Internal Revenue Service today warned taxpayers to watch out for promoters who push improper Fuel Tax Credits claims in the fourth day of the 2024 Dirty Dozen list of tax scams. The Fuel Tax Credit is available only for off-highway business and farming use and not for most taxpayers. But the IRS continues to see instances where unscrupulous promoters or return preparers mislead taxpayers about fuel use and create fictitious documents or receipts for fuel. The IRS has seen an increased number of fictitious claims for fuel tax credits on Form 4136, Credit for Federal Tax Paid on Fuels. By claiming the fuel tax, these promoters are looking out for their own financial interests by charging the taxpayers inflated fees. But taxpayers should realize the IRS has heightened scrutiny on this scam, and people claiming it improperly risk future compliance action by the IRS." more »