The U.S. Senate passes a stopgap spending measure, the D.C. Circuit hears oral arguments on the FCC’s net neutrality rules, and more…
IN THE NEWS
- A day before the expiration of a stopgap Continuing Resolution that had been funding the federal government since the beginning of the fiscal year, the U.S. Senate passed a five-day spending bill to avert a government shutdown while lawmakers work on finalizing a long-term omnibus spending bill.
- The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit heard oral arguments on the cable and wireless industry groups’ challenge to the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) net neutrality rules, which prevent broadband companies from limiting customers’ use of the Internet in order to “protect and maintain open, uninhibited access to legal online content.”
- Valerie Jarrett, senior advisor to President Obama, reportedly announced that President Obama’s staff is preparing a proposal for his review that would tighten background checks on gun sales—a measure that potentially would take the form of an executive order, which would not require congressional approval.
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) introduced proposals for additional testing requirements within the agency’s 5-Star Safety Ratings, a rating system that rates new cars based on crash tests and other safety-related criteria.
- The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation that would prohibit companies from creating cosmetic products containing microbeads, which are small plastic beads that reportedly are entering lakes and impacting wildlife.
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved XSTAT 30 wound dressing, a special type of sponge that would be used in military and civilian trauma settings to stem profuse bleeding from body parts that a tourniquet cannot otherwise cover, such as the groin and armpit areas.
