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U.S. Government News
United States Government News| Federal Government news, press releases, health alerts, consumer alerts, grant notices, us gov public awareness notices, government issues, U.S. grants, government jobs, Identity theft prevention, U.S. government product recalls

• IRS Speeds Lien Relief for Homeowners Trying to Refinance, Sell
  The Internal Revenue Service today announced an expedited process that will make it easier for financially distressed homeowners to avoid having a federal tax lien block refinancing of mortgages or the sale of a home.
• Vitamin protection & Prostate Cancer
  Vitamin E and the mineral selenium don’t seem to give men the protection against prostate cancer that they might have hoped for.
• Consumer Scam Alert: Regarding Fire Protection Equipment Scam
  The Contractors State License Board (CSLB) is joining the Tulare County Fire Department and Tulare County District Attorney’s Office in warning consumers and businesses across California to be on alert for anyone coming to their offices, stores or restaurants to service their fire extinguishers, to perform service on the hood and duct systems over cooking areas, or to conduct maintenance on automatic sprinkler systems.
• Buying a Foreclosed Home? Uncle Sam Shows You How
  Are you fascinated by the home makeover television programs that show the excitement of buying and renovating a foreclosed home? Have you seen foreclosed homes in your city that look like a good buy? Before you go out to the next courthouse auction to buy your next home or dream of flipping that house for major profits, be sure to do your homework. We’ve compiled valuable tips on navigating your options when buying a foreclosed home.
• Use of Protective Gear in Bird Flu Outbreak Response
  CDC discusses how the use of masks and other protective gear impacted whether workers dealing with an outbreak of bird flu in England became sick.
• Two Weeks Left to Apply for Disaster Assistance
  csuffered damages from Hurricane Ike have just two more weeks to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for disaster assistance.
• HUD TO SPEED PROCESS FOR AWARDING GRANTS
  In an effort to accelerate the process of awarding grants to State and local governments, non-profit organizations, and other community-based applicants, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today announced a new streamlined funding process.
• Tainted Weight Loss Pills - FDA Warns Consumers
  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is alerting consumers nationwide not to purchase or consume more than 25 different products marketed for weight loss because they contain undeclared, active pharmaceutical ingredients that may put consumers’ health at risk.
• VA to Provide Payments to Eligible Surviving Spouses
  The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced immediate actions to quickly identify and pay surviving spouses who are eligible to receive the deceased veteran’s VA compensation or pension benefit for the month of the veteran’s death.
• New York Pimp Who Forced Minors To Work As Prostitutes Sentenced To More Than 24 Years In Prison
  The pimp controlled the girls through physical and psychological coercion, including beatings, rapes, confinement, threats of serious harm, intimidation and humiliation. 
• FEMA Answers Yours Questions - Part 2
  The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) continues answering some of the most frequent questions made by disaster aid applicants regarding the registration process and disaster assistance programs.
• Use of Social Security Numbers For Billing Prohibited Beginning February 1, 2009
  Effective for dates of service on or after February 1, 2009, providers may no longer bill Medi-Cal using a recipient’s Social Security Number (SSN). Claims submitted with a recipient’s SSN will be denied. All exemptions to this policy are discontinued except for Medicare crossover claims. Providers may continue to bill Medicare crossover claims using the recipient’s SSN.
• Bailout Update: Treasury Provides TARP Funds to Local Banks
  The U.S. Treasury Department announced today details of a $2.8 billion investment in 49 banks made on Friday, December 19 through its Capital Purchase Program.  Treasury also closed $1.9 billion in transactions with 43 banks today. 
• Sri Lanka Travel Warning Issued to American Citizens
  The Department of State warns American citizens traveling to or living in Sri Lanka about the continuing danger of terrorist attacks throughout the country. This replaces the Travel Warning for Sri Lanka dated June 13, 2008 and highlights changes in locations of security concerns, and notes recent terrorist attacks.
• GM Recalls Chevy Malibu Hybrids for Defrosting Problems
  GM is recalling 77 MY 2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid Vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 103, "Windshield defrosting and defogging system.
• IRS' January Tax Talk Today Focuses on Filing Season
  The Internal Revenue Service’s next Tax Talk Today program, "Getting Ready for Filing Season 2009 -- Individual and Business," will be Tuesday, Jan. 13, at 2 p.m. This special, 100-minute program will give tax preparers a head start on the 2009 filing season
• Utah is Fastest-Growing State
  Utah was the nation’s fastest-growing state between July 1, 2007, and July 1, 2008, as its population climbed 2.5 percent to 2.7 million, according to estimates released today by the U.S. Census Bureau.
• Identity Theft:Federal Financial Regulators Issue Revised Identity Theft Brochure
  The federal bank, credit union, and thrift regulatory agencies today announced publication of a revised identity theft brochure – You Have the Power to Stop Identity Theft– to assist consumers in preventing and resolving identity theft.
• Mass layoff events in November 2008
  In November, employers took 2,328 mass layoff actions, seasonally adjusted, as measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month. Each action involved at least 50 persons from a single employer; the number of workers involved totaled 224,079 on a seasonally adjusted basis.
• Prostate Cancer: Dietary Supplements Fail to Prevent Prostate Cancer
  Two large-scale clinical trials found that regular intake of vitamin E,