Latest news with #JoshRiley
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Riley supporting loan forgiveness for volunteer first responders
WASHINGTON, FC (WIVT/WBGH) — Congressman Josh Riley is making sure volunteer heroes receive the respect and support that they deserve. Riley announced his co-sponsorship of the Helping Emergency Responders Overcome Emergency Situations, or HEROES, Act. The initiative is a bipartisan bill that would extend eligibility for the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program to include volunteer firefighters and emergency medical responders. 'If you've put on the gear and answered the call, you shouldn't be buried in debt,' said Riley. 'The HEROES Act gives volunteer firefighters the respect they've earned by making their service count toward student loan forgiveness. They don't do it for the money—they do it because they love their communities and want to keep their neighbors safe.' According to Riley, the HEROES Act would amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to recognize the service of unpaid emergency responders as qualifying public service under the PSLF program, making them eligible for federal student loan forgiveness after ten years of service and qualifying payments. Riley supporting loan forgiveness for volunteer first responders P. East Trading Corp recalls Salted Smoked Split Herring 'It Ain't Necessarily So' discusses American Black history A mix of sun and showers today News 34 Pizza Week returns Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bill would cover ‘Forever Chemical' exposure at bases under VA benefits
A bipartisan bill would allow veterans with health issues caused by exposure to 'forever chemicals' at U.S. military bases to be treated as service-connected disabilities, which would further open the door to health care and benefits compensation for those impacted. Forever chemicals, more technically known as polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are long-lasting chemicals that break down slowly. They are found in many everyday objects, food, and in air, water, and soil around the world, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The bill, titled 'Veterans Exposed to Toxic PFAS Act,'' or the ''VET PFAS Act,' would designate exposure to PFAS as a service-connected condition for veterans, making them eligible for disability compensation through the Department of Veterans Affairs. It would also allow military dependents, including those 'in utero while the mother' resided at a base with PFAS exposures, to be eligible for hospital care and medical services for certain diseases and conditions, according to the text of the bill. If passed, the legislation would be a major expansion of health conditions and illnesses for which veterans could receive VA care and disability benefits. The bill was introduced in the House on May 29 by New York Rep. Josh Riley, a Democrat, and Rep. Mike Lawler, a Republican, and builds upon measures from the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act. The PACT Act, passed in 2022, was the largest expansion of service-connected health conditions eligible for VA care, including service members exposed to burn pits during Iraq and Afghanistan deployments, for Vietnam War veterans exposed to Agent Orange-related chemicals, and very specific instances of base exposures. The Department of Defense has identified 718 bases with known or suspected PFAS release. The military estimates that PFAS investigation and cleanup costs could come to more than $9.3 billion in fiscal year 2025, which was more than triple the estimate in 2022. Since 2017, the Defense Department has spent around $2.6 billion to address PFAS, according to a Government Accountability report from February. The bill states that covered health conditions would be identified by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the agency administrator of the Department of Health and Human Services' registry for toxic substances and diseases. Their suggestions would come from studies directed by Congress in the annual defense bill for fiscal year 2018, which are ongoing from the Centers for Disease Control. The CDC's website on health investigations states that existing research suggests that high levels of PFAS could lead to increased cholesterol, changes in liver enzymes, pre-eclampsia in pregnant women, decreases in birth weight, and increased risks of kidney and testicular cancers. The bill specifically calls for health care coverage of perfluorooctanoic acid exposures for veterans diagnosed with high cholesterol, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease, testicular cancer, kidney cancer, and pregnancy-induced hypertension. Other iterations of the legislation have been previously introduced. Some Democratic senators have expressed interest in crafting their own PFAS bill, but nothing formal has been introduced yet, a spokesperson for the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee told Task & Purpose. The issue of forever chemicals on military bases and their health impacts on military families has been gaining support in Congress. In April, Senate Democrats held an event on the Hill with former service members and their families who called for a broadening of the PACT Act. At the April event, military families described cancers and other illnesses they believe are the result of PFAS exposures, including former bases like George Air Force Base, California, which later became superfund sites, a designation by the EPA as one of the most polluted sites in the U.S. Despite the designation, the families based there were never notified of their potential exposure. The PACT Act also established a framework for the VA to establish presumptive conditions without an act of Congress through the federal rule-making process. The VA began the process for defining PFAS exposure as a presumptive health condition for VA care with a federal register notice in September. However, an executive order issued by President Donald Trump in January paused all federal rule-making. Navy SEAL Team 6 operator will be the military's new top enlisted leader Veterans receiving disability payments might have been underpaid, IG finds Guam barracks conditions are 'baffling,' Navy admiral says in email Navy fires admiral in charge of unmanned systems office after investigation The Pentagon wants troops to change duty stations less often
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Local clergy members fast in protest of war in Gaza
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – Some local clergy members are joining in a national movement among faith leaders to go without food in protest to the ongoing war in Gaza. Broome County Peace Action and Veterans for Peace organized a protest today outside the MetroCenter office of Congressman Josh Riley to call for an end to the War in Gaza. The activists renewed their accusation that Israel is engaging in genocide in its efforts to root out Hamas terrorists in the aftermath of the October 7th attacks. Across the country, clergy from various religions are engaging in fasting for a 40 day period lasting through the month of June. Different faith leaders are abstaining from food in various forms as a sign of opposition to the war. Gary Doupe, a retired Methodist pastor, says he plans to go without eating during daylight hours every Thursday. 'I'm planning to do that through the remainder of June at least. I think I will continue with it until we really see a cessation of hostility in Gaza. The least I can do is refrain from food for a few hours a day,' Doupe said. Local Catholic, Presbyterian and Congregational clergy members are also participating. Following their rally, the protestors walked to the offices of Riley and US Senator Chuck Schumer in the federal building to deliver letters outlining their opposition to the war. They say they plan to rally every Thursday midday outside the MetroCenter through the month of June. Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT: The EV Revolutionizer Guthrie Lourdes Health and Fitness turns three with free wellness event 52nd annual Greek Fest kicks off in Vestal Ribbon cutting held for $15 million project at Good Shepherd Village at Endwell New York Times agrees to license its material for Amazon's AI Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
E&E News
20-05-2025
- Politics
- E&E News
House approves bill to increase scrutiny of DOE program
The House approved legislation Monday that would require more regular reporting from a Department of Energy office critical to deploying emerging, clean energy technologies. H.R. 1453, the 'Clean Energy Demonstration Transparency Act,' would require the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations to submit semiannual reports to Congress on the status of projects and grants. It passed by voice vote. Republicans pitched the bill — sponsored by Reps. Mike Carey (R-Ohio) and Josh Riley (D-N.Y.) — as a way to further scrutinize climate law funding passed under the Biden administration. Advertisement 'Requiring DOE to submit semi annual reports will provide Congress with crucial tools to protect taxpayer dollars, hold DOE accountable and ensure that projects are based on merit rather than crony favoritism,' said Rep. Brian Babin (R-Texas), chair of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee.
E&E News
19-05-2025
- Politics
- E&E News
House sets vote on clean energy reporting legislation
The House will vote on bipartisan legislation this week that would require additional reporting from a clean energy office established during the Biden administration. H.R. 1453, the 'Clean Energy Demonstration Transparency Act,' will come before lawmakers this week under suspension of the rules, a mechanism to fast-track noncontroversial legislation. The bill, sponsored by Reps. Mike Carey (R-Ohio) and Josh Riley (D-N.Y.), requests semiannual reports from the Department of Energy's Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) on the status of their projects. Advertisement The office was established in 2021 to oversee over $25 billion in funding for major clean energy projects from the bipartisan infrastructure law and the Inflation Reduction Act. The measure passed the House once before in April 2024, but was not taken up by the Senate.
