Hazardous Material Crossing LAREDO, TEXAS The proposed landfill to be constructed in Webb County continues to be a debated issue. However, the public will be able to voice concerns in an upcoming meeting requested by State Senator Judith Zaffirini with TCEQ. Zaffrini says, "It's an opportunity for proponents and opponents to speak out and be heard by agency representatives. In… Read more »

Today, Rep. Henry Cuellar announced Krystal Zigmond, a junior at East Central High School in San Antonio, Texas, as the winner of the 2016 Congressional Art Competition for Texas’ 28th District. Her winning entry is a pen and ink drawing entitled “Who Rescued Who,” which depicts her and her dog shaking hands. “[My dog] was found on the side of… Read more »

Today Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28) announced he included language in the House Fiscal Year 2017 Transportation Appropriations bill designed to ease rail congestion at international rail crossings and address the problems posed by transporting hazardous materials through border crossings. Congressman Cuellar also secured $25 million dollars of new funding for international rail… Read more »

House panel-approved bill includes NAFCU-sought CFPB, TCPA provisions The House Appropriations Committee on Thursday voted 30-17 in approving a fiscal 2017 financial services and general government appropriations bill that includes a handful of NAFCU-sought provisions relating to the CFPB and the FCC’s Telephone Consumer Protection Act rules.   NAFCU-sought provisions seeking… Read more »

Agencies lay out contracting regulations coming this year The Federal Headlines is a daily compilation of the stories you hear discussed on the Federal Drive. The Veterans Affairs Department fired three more senior executives at the Phoenix VA hospital. The center’s associate director, Lance Robinson, Chief of Health Administration Service Brad Curry, and Chief of Staff… Read more »

'At the limit,' Mexico buckles under migrant surge to U.S. Central American migrants rest next to the train tracks while waiting for the freight train 'La Bestia', or the Beast, to travel to north Mexico to reach and cross the U.S. border, at Arriaga in the state of Chiapas January 10, 2012. Reuters/Jorge Luis Plata/File Photo Mexico is struggling to stem the flow of Central… Read more »

DHS funding for new headquarters slashed in FY 2017 bill A House Appropriations subcommittee delivered a major setback to the funding of a consolidated Department of Homeland Security headquarters campus on Wednesday. The $41.1 billion DHS funding bill passed the subcommittee, but cut $126 million in funding from the St. Elizabeths headquarters campus in Southeast Washington,… Read more »

House appropriations bill amendment would delay enforcement of CFPB payday loan rule According to a Politico report, the House Appropriations Committee has advanced a bipartisan amendment to the FY17 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill that would block the CFPB from enforcing a rule regulating payday and vehicle title loans until the CFPB submits a detailed… Read more »

DHS funding for new headquarters slashed in FY 2017 bill A House Appropriations subcommittee delivered a major setback to the funding of a consolidated Homeland Security Department headquarters campus on Wednesday. The $41.1 billion DHS funding bill passed the subcommittee, but it cut $126 million in funding from the St. Elizabeths headquarters campus in Southeast Washington,… Read more »

99 percent satisfaction at TSA? Congressman questions agencies’ customer service data Agencies are too selective about what they choose to include — and omit — in their quarterly customer service reports onPerformance.gov, one congressman said. And he wants agencies to start holding themselves to higher performance standards, preferably measures they don’t create… Read more »