DOJ opens investigation of IRS for unfair scrutiny, the Senate confirms Moniz as Secretary of Energy, and more.
- The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) opened a criminal investigation of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) after the IRS allegedly, unfairly scrutinized conservative groups’ tax exemptions.
- The Senate unanimously confirmed Ernest Moniz as Secretary for the U.S. Department of Energy.
- The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proposed a rule to provide a method for reducing state Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital Allotments as required by the Affordable Care Act.
- The Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit held that environmental groups’ challenges against the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) approval of an application to build new nuclear units had no merit.
- A HHS strike force charged eighty-nine people for their alleged involvement with Medicare fraud schemes totaling approximately $223 million in false billings.
- The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published advance notice for a proposed rule to streamline the verification process for veteran-owned small businesses.
- The Vermont State Legislature approved a bill making possession of up to an ounce of marijuana subject to civil fines instead of criminal penalties.
- The NRC requested public comment on a draft regulatory guide for radioactive material packaging and transportation.
- The Government Accountability Office (GAO) published a report finding that the IRS has internal control deficiencies and recommending improvements in the agency’s control over its financial management and accountability of resources.
- The House Committee on Financial Services held a hearing on the relationship between Dodd-Frank Act and “Too Big to Fail.”
- The Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS) released draft recommendations for the use of cost-benefit analysis in independent agencies.
