Latest news with #AppropriationsAct
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Tough Action Against Cuban Judges And Prosecutor For Arbitrary Detention, A Gross Violation Of Human Rights
MAY 21, 2025 The State Department is designating four Cuban regime officials for a gross violation of human rights, namely the arbitrary detention of Luis Robles Elizástigui. Judges and prosecutors who are agents of the regime, not of an independent judiciary, play a critical role in these arbitrary detentions and prosecutions. They are responsible for the sham legal processes that unjustly target, convict, and sentence individuals for peaceful expressions and activism. This applies equally to the re-arrest of political prisoners who are returned to jail on frivolous grounds, like José Daniel Ferrer and Félix Navarro. The Department is designating prosecutor Yanaisa Matos Legrá and judges Gladys Maria Padrón Canals, Maria Elena Fornari Conde, and Juan Sosa Orama. As a result, these regime officials and their families are ineligible for entry into the United States. All four work at the People's Provincial Court of Havana, where they oversaw the prosecution, conviction, and sentencing of Robles Elizástigui on behalf of the regime. These designations are further proof that the Trump Administration is committed to holding accountable Cuban regime officials involved in violating human rights. We continue to use all available tools to stand up for the human rights of the Cuban people and encourage our allies and partners to do the same. These designations are made under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2024 (Div. F, P.L. 118-47), as carried forward by the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2025 (Div. A, P.L. 119-4). For more information, please contact WHA-PDA-Press@
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Federal funding cuts delay Sterling-Rock Falls fire training facility construction
Mar. 25—STERLING — The Sterling and Rock Falls fire departments have hit a speed bump in their plans to build a joint training facility. Rock Falls Deputy Fire Chief Kyle Sommers said the departments are losing $825,000 in federal Community Project Funding appropriations they had planned to use to build a burn tower where firefighters from both communities could train in live-fire conditions. CPF allows members of Congress to request federal funds for specific projects in their district, which are then reviewed and approved through a series of committees and votes. Rock Falls' funding was requested by U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-Rockford, as part of the fiscal 2025 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. However, Sommers said that despite their CPF allocation request having made it out of the Appropriations Committee last fall, it was part of ongoing temporary spending bills. The final spending bill eliminated CPF requests. "I can't speak to which departments had cuts," Sommers said. "The projects that were approved ranged from cities that had infrastructure projects to fire departments like ours that had projects and everything in between. The way it was explained to me is none of the CPF requests in the country got approved for that fiscal year." Sommers said that the setback is a "speed bump" and not a "roadblock," and said there is still hope that Sorensen's CPF requests will be approved next fiscal year. He went on to say that because the project had already been approved, it would be given top priority if funding is secured. Sterling Fire Department Deputy Chief David Northcutt said the project "is not dead" and the departments are considering other avenues to raise the money, including fundraisers, donations and various grants. "There are different grants that are out there and we just have to find the ones that fit our project," Northcutt said. "Instead of one big one, it might be three or four small ones that come together. On top of that maybe we get some donations from some corporate folks. There are other avenues out there. We have to get a little bit more creative now and keep at it."
