Embattled company plagiarized bid for Puerto Rico hot meal contract, senators say

The company that failed to deliver nearly all of the hot meals it promised to Puerto Ricans after Hurricane Maria plagiarized the bid that won it the $156 million contract from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, according to a letter penned by three senators this week. Democratic Sens. Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Gary Peters of Michigan say that Tribute Contracting LLC - which lost its contract in October after just 20 days because it had delivered only 50,000 of the 30 million meals promised - lifted paragraphs from two other companies related to logistics and delivery.

Lawmakers battle over bill to prevent breaching of dams

In this Oct. 19, 2016 file photo, a man fishes for salmon in the Snake River above the Lower Granite Dam in Washington state. Three Republican U.S. House members from Washington state are criticizing Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., for opposing their legislation that would prevent the breaching of four dams on the Snake River to help improve endangered salmon runs.

Kinzinger: Bump stocks should be banned; Congress needs to find middle ground

In the wake of the Florida school shooting killing 17 people, U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger said the aisles of Congress need to find common ground on gun control. The Channahon Republican, who's running for re-election in the 16th Congressional District, told the Sauk Valley Media Editorial Board on Thursday that gun control is a bipartisan issue that needs to be approached outside of the far-leaning stances, the "ban all guns" or "do nothing" sides of the spectrum.

U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem to open in May, officials say

A view of the Western Wall and the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem's Old City. Two Trump administration officials say the new U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem will open in May to coincide with the 70th anniversary of Israel declaring independence.

Intel ‘intentionally hid’ Meltdown and Spectre from US cyber security officials

CHIP GIANT Intel intentionally hid the discovery of the Meltdown and Spectre chip security flaws from US cybersecurity officials, according to a bunch of tech companies who wrote to lawmakers on Thursday. In a number of letters seen by Reuters , the companies wrote that Intel didn't make the issue known to the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team, or US-CERT, until they leaked to the public.

NFTA hires WSP consultants to plan Metro Rail extension, initially $5M

Rejecting advice from Rep. Brian Higgins to shrink its plans, the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority board Thursday voted to hire a consultant to plan extensions of Metro Rail. The NFTA said the $5 million environmental study might take three years and then more years for final design - all if Washington, DC pays - and around 10 years from now before the Metro Rail extension would be running trains.

Nominations sought for hall of fame

Started by the school's Renaissance program in 1996, the Wall of Fame is a way for the school and community to come together to promote and recognize achievements of past graduates and to celebrate the mark they have made on the world. To be considered a candidate for Wall of Fame honors, nominees must have graduated at least 10 years ago, have been recognized by their peers as highly successful in their chosen career field and have received district, state, national or international commendations or awards for their contributions.

At CPAC, Trump’s base trusts him on guns

In the aftermath of a high school shooting in Parkland, Florida, that left 17 dead, President Donald Trump is urging the country and Congress to act. But, pushing the boundaries of conservative orthodoxy on something as fundamental to the Republican Party as the Second Amendment has the potential to reveal schisms between Trump and the base that elected him.

Weber County vegetable farmers dependent on Mexican workers

While the unseasonal weather is allowing local farmers to start plowing fields in February, the American Farm Bureau is lobbying for better access to foreign labor this summer for agriculture. The future of farming depends upon a program that allows Mexican seasonal workers to come here and return when the job is done, local farmers say.

California Focus: Gender gap is key to Dems’ aims in House

The most dramatic news in the year's first big round of political polling, out a few days ago, was that Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, once the presumptive frontrunner in the run for governor, has fallen into a virtual tie for first place with former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa in the seven-candidate field of significant candidates.

Ex-staffer regrets racy photos sent to congressional hopeful

In this March 4, 2015 file photo, Arizona House Majority Leader Steve Montenegro, R-Avondale, speaks during a legislative session at the Arizona Capitol in Phoenix. Two former Republican Arizona lawmakers who are leading candidates to fill a vacant U.S. House seat are embroiled in controversy as Tuesday's special primary election looms.

Pence rallies conservatives with call to fight hard in 2018

Vice President Mike Pence rallied thousands of conservative activists on Thursday to fight back against a Democratic drive to take over the U.S. Congress in 2018 elections, calling a Republican victory at the midterm votes crucial to advancing President Donald Trump's agenda. A Christian conservative, Pence spoke at the annual gathering of the Conservative Political Action Conference, a traditional venue where the grassroots of the Republican Party makes itself felt.

Congressional District 8 voters, ignore your ballot’s…

A set of instructions sent to voters in the special primary election to replace U.S. Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., could cause confusion. The Republic's politics teams talks Don Shooter's claims of being privately investigated, a new and controversial abortion bill, and Steve Montenegro's legal path to citizenship on Feb. 13, 2018.

Perdue to food box critics: Give the idea a chance

Perdue is defending a proposal that would cut food stamp benefits in half and replace them with a pre-ass... WASHINGTON - Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on Thursday defended a proposal that would replace a portion of food stamp benefits with pre-assembled boxes of shelf-stable goods delivered to recipients' doorsteps - an idea one lawmaker called "a cruel joke." The idea was first floated last week in the Trump administration's 2019 budget proposal, tucked inside a larger plan to slash the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, by roughly $213 billion - or 30 percent- over the next 10 years.

Single higher ed board may sound good, but it’s a long shot

But if recent history is any indication, Hewitt will have a tough time getting traction for her idea. Three governors in as many decades, including Buddy Roemer, Mike Foster and Bobby Jindal, explored the single board concept in earnest but never could make it happen.

Military to Maritime Digital Career Platform Launched

The American Maritime Partnership today announced the launch of the Military to Maritime digital career platform , which is dedicated to helping veterans find meaningful, family-wage jobs in the maritime industry while supporting America's national and economic security. Building on the numerous Military to Maritime career fairs across the country, the enhanced digital platform connects veterans with career opportunities in the U.S. shipbuilding and maritime industry and provides training and credentialing information to help in their transition from military service to the maritime sector.