The Latest: EPA chief says he did know about pay raises Source: AP

The Latest on Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt and his appearances on Capitol Hill : Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt concedes he did have some knowledge of big pay raises awarded to two close aides. At a hearing, Democrat Rep. Paul Tonko of New York pressed Pruitt on whether he knew about the raises for 30-year-old senior legal counsel Sarah Greenwalt and 26-year-old scheduling director Millian Hupp.

EPA Chief Scott Pruitt Faces Capitol Hill Hearings Over Ethical Missteps

Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt testified Thursday in potentially make-or-break hearings on Capitol Hill, where he faced questions about spending and ethics scandals that have triggered bipartisan calls for his ouster. Pruitt read a prepared statement about his agency's fiscal year 2019 budget priorities to begin the first of two back-to-back hearings before House subcommittees.

Sessions: Pardons Granted by Bill Clinton Were ‘Stunning,…

Democrats, panicked that President Trump might pardon former associates who now find themselves in legal trouble, pressed Attorney General Jeff Sessions on that issue at a Senate hearing on Wednesday. "The President of the United States clearly has the constitutional power to pardon," Sessions said; and the president may do so without going through the Justice Department's pardon attorney.

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt heads to Capitol Hill to defend his conduct and management

As calls for his ouster rise, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt heads to Capitol Hill Thursday were he's expected to face scrutiny for misconduct allegations EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt heads to Capitol Hill to defend his conduct and management As calls for his ouster rise, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt heads to Capitol Hill Thursday were he's expected to face scrutiny for misconduct allegations Check out this story on USATODAY.com: https://usat.ly/2Hs06yU President Trump is defending Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt who is under fire for allegedly spending a lot of taxpayer money.

Michigan House OKs $56.7B budget with per-pupil funding hike

The Michigan House approved a $56.7 billion budget plan Tuesday that would boost spending on school security after the Florida high school shooting and cut funding for universities that fail to comply with proposed sexual misconduct rules in the wake of the Larry Nassar scandal. The two spending measures cleared the Republican-controlled chamber on 71-36 and 66-41 votes, mostly along party lines.

EPA security chief also worked for owner of tabloid company

The security chief for the head of the Environmental Protection Agency worked on the side as a private investigator for the owner of a tabloid news company with close ties to President Donald Trump. EPA special agent Pasquale "Nino" Perrotta performed regular work for National Enquirer publisher American Media Inc. during the 2016 election, according to person with knowledge of the company's internal workings.

FDA cracks down on sales of Juul, other e-cigarettes to youth

Scott Gottlieb, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, has announced a nationwide crackdown on the sale of e-cigarettes to minors. Scott Gottlieb, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, has announced a nationwide crackdown on the sale of e-cigarettes to minors.

Opponents decry Scott Pruitt’s plan to roll back groundwater protections at coal ash sites

Heavy machinery excavate and carry coal ash from a drained coal ash pond at Dominion Power's Possum Point Power Station in Dumfries, Virginia. CREDIT: Kate Patterson for The Washington Post via Getty Images Residents have not been clamoring for Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt to weaken the nation's coal ash waste rules.

Climate deniers and tobacco flacks headline the EPA’s new science standard announcement

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt testifies during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works on Capitol Hill January 18, 2017 in Washington, DC. On Tuesday afternoon, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt signed a proposed rule limiting the kinds of science that the agency can use in its rulemaking, a step that he described as bringing transparency and trust back to the agency's scientific process.

Opioid treatment gap in Medicare: methadone clinics

One in three older Americans with Medicare drug coverage is prescribed opioid painkillers, but for those who develop a dangerous addiction there is one treatment Medicare won't cover: Methadone is the oldest, and experts say, the most effective of the three approved medications used to treat opioid addiction. It eases cravings without an intense high, allowing patients to work with counselors to rebuild their lives.

Waffle House slaying suspect arrested after manhunt

The mentally unstable gunman suspected of opening fire at a Waffle House restaurant in the middle of the night was arrested not far from his apartment Monday after hiding from police for more than a day following the attack that killed four people, authorities said. Authorities had mounted a massive manhunt for 29-year-old Travis Reinking, after the Sunday morning attacks, in which a gunman clad only in a jacket used an AR-15 rifle to kill four and injure others.

Waffle House shooting suspect captured

The mentally unstable gunman suspected of opening fire at a Waffle House restaurant in the middle of the night was arrested not far from his apartment Monday after hiding from police for more than a day following the attack that killed four people, authorities said. Authorities had mounted a massive manhunt for 29-year-old Travis Reinking, after the Sunday morning attacks, in which a gunman clad only in a jacket used an AR-15 rifle to kill four and injure others.

Lawmakers: EPA analysis said Pruitt bug sweep was inadequate

In this April 3, 2018, file photo, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt speaks at a news conference at the EPA in Washington. New internal documents say a sweep for hidden listening devices in Pruitt's office was shoddy and wasn't properly certified under U.S. government practices less FILE - In this April 3, 2018, file photo, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt speaks at a news conference at the EPA in Washington.

Justice report’s findings clash with Sessions’ actions

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made overhauling the chronically backlogged immigration courts a top priority -- but some of his moves seem to run counter to recommendations in a Justice Department-commissioned report made public on Monday. While some of the recommendations, such as increasing staffing, have been part of his efforts, other steps -- such as requiring judges to process a target amount of cases -- run contrary to the study's suggestions.

Donnelly Welcomes $10.9 Million Federal Grant to Combat Opioid Epidemic

U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly Friday welcomed a $10.9 million federal grant to Indiana aimed at combatting the opioid epidemic. The grant comes in the second round of funding from the bipartisan 21st Century Cures Act, which Donnelly pushed for and helped pass into law.