📈Federal Maritime Commission Inflation Adjustment of Penalties 2025
The Federal Maritime Commission (Commission) is publishing this final rule to adjust for inflation the civil monetary penalties assessed or enforced by the Commission, pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (2015 Act). The 2015 Act requires that agencies adjust and publish their new civil penalties by January 15 each year.
Learn More💼2025 Annual Adjustment of Civil Monetary Penalties by AmeriCorps
The Corporation for National and Community Service, which operates as AmeriCorps, is updating its regulations to reflect required annual inflation-related increases to the civil monetary penalties under the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (Act) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance.
Learn More💼Federal Reserve Updates Civil Money Penalties for Inflation in 2025
The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the "Board") is issuing a final rule amending its rules of practice and procedure to adjust the amount of each civil money penalty ("CMP") provided by law within its jurisdiction to account for inflation as required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015.
Learn More🍷New Standards of Fill for Wine and Distilled Spirits Effective in 2025
This final rule amends the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) regulations that govern wine and distilled spirits containers to add 13 standards of fill for wine and 15 for distilled spirits. TTB is also amending its regulations to eliminate the distinction between standards of fill for distilled spirits in cans and those for distilled spirits in containers other than cans. TTB had also proposed to generally eliminate the standards of fill for wine and distilled spirits, as an alternative to approving specific new standards of fill. Upon careful consideration of comments received, however, TTB is not adopting that proposal at this time. The amendments described in this final rule respond to industry member requests for additional flexibility to use a wider range of container sizes and are expected to facilitate the movement of goods in domestic and international commerce while also providing consumers broader purchasing options.
Learn More⚖️Regulatory Changes for Efficiency in Hearings and Appeals Process
The Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) will make comprehensive procedural changes to Federal regulations governing hearings and appeals proceedings before the Department of the Interior's administrative tribunals. We will modify and update our regulations located in title 43 of the Code of Federal Regulations in part 4 to: promote expeditious and meaningful review of administrative decisions; reflect changes in the law; reorganize and streamline procedures and retitle subparts to improve clarity to parties; consolidate redundant language; eliminate outdated procedures; and allow OHA to continue to modernize its practice and keep pace with technological and other advancements, including the establishment of a regulatory framework for an electronic filing and case docket management system.
Learn More🏥New Rule for Veterans
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is issuing this interim final rule (IFR) to amend its adjudication regulations to establish presumptive service connection for acute leukemias, chronic leukemias, multiple myelomas, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), and myelofibrosis due to exposure to Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM<INF>2.5</INF>). The new presumptions would apply to veterans who served on active military, naval, air, or space service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations or Somalia during the Persian Gulf War (hereafter Gulf War) on or after August 2, 1990, and in Afghanistan, Syria, Djibouti, Uzbekistan, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Yemen during the Gulf War on or after September 11, 2001.
Learn More⚖️Department of State 2025 Civil Monetary Penalties Adjustment Regulations
This final rule is issued to adjust the civil monetary penalties (CMP) for regulatory provisions maintained and enforced by the Department of State. The revised CMP adjusts the amount of civil monetary penalties assessed by the Department of State based on the December 2024 guidance from the Office of Management and Budget and by recent legislation. For penalties adjusted according to the December 2024 guidance, the new amounts will apply only to those penalties assessed on or after the effective date of this rule, regardless of the date on which the underlying facts or violations occurred.
Learn More🔒USDA Revises Privacy Act Regulations Affecting Business Compliance
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is amending its Privacy Act regulations to exempt a system of records, Smuggling Interdiction and Trade Compliance (SITC) National Information Communication Activity System (SNICAS), USDA/APHIS-21, from certain provisions of the Privacy Act. USDA is further amending its Privacy Act regulations to reflect an administrative change to the list of system of records that are exempt from certain provisions of the Privacy Act.
Learn More⚖️New VA Rule on Cancer Presumptions for Veterans
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is issuing this interim final rule (IFR) to amend its adjudication regulations to establish presumptive service connection for urinary bladder, ureter, and related genitourinary (GU) cancers due to exposure to Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM<INF>2.5</INF>) and to implement certain provisions of the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 (PACT Act). The new presumptions would apply to Veterans who served on active military, naval, air, or space service in Southwest Asia theater of operations or Somalia during the Persian Gulf War (hereafter Gulf War) on or after August 2, 1990, and in Afghanistan, Syria, Djibouti, Uzbekistan, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Yemen during the Gulf War on or after September 11, 2001. This amendment is necessary to provide expeditious health care, services, and benefits to these veterans. This IFR addresses the needs and concerns of Gulf War veterans and Service members who have served and continue to serve in these locations and have been diagnosed with bladder, ureter, and related GU cancers. Neither Congress nor the President has established an end date for the Gulf War. Therefore, to expedite the provision of health care, services, and benefits to current and future Gulf War veterans who may be affected by PM<INF>2.5</INF> due to their military service, VA is establishing presumptive service connection for urinary bladder, ureter, and related GU cancers. This IFR will ease the evidentiary burden of Gulf War Veterans who file claims with VA for these conditions.
Learn More🏥Copayment Exemption for Whole Health Services Proposed by VA
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) proposes to revise its medical regulations to exempt Whole Health well-being services from the copayment requirements for inpatient hospital care and outpatient medical care. These Whole Health well-being services, which consist of Whole Health education and skill-building programs and complementary and integrative health well-being services, are provided to Veterans within the VA Whole Health System of Care to improve Veterans' overall health and well-being.
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