Podcasts about modernization act

Healthcare HR leaders finally get a moment to exhale, but the work is far from over. In this week's Monday News Drop, Bo Brabo, Luke Carignan, and ASHHRA President & CEO Jeremy Sadlier break down three critical developments shaping workforce strategy, compliance, and recruiting right now. Segment 1: The 11th-Hour Telehealth Save Congress narrowly avoided the telehealth cliff. The Healthcare Access and Modernization Act of 2026 has been signed, extending Medicare telehealth flexibilities through December 31, 2027. Patients can continue receiving care from home, but new guardrails are in place. Starting in Q2, CMS will conduct quarterly audits of providers billing more than 50% of visits via telehealth. HR takeaway: Release February 1 claims, but immediately flag high-volume telehealth providers and refresh documentation protocols to prepare for increased scrutiny. Segment 2: Kaiser Strike Enters Week Two The Kaiser Permanente labor dispute continues to escalate. With more than 2,000 travel nurses deployed to maintain operations, unions have filed unfair labor practice charges, arguing replacement workers are being paid double what staff nurses requested. Tensions are rising, and public perception is becoming a key pressure point. HR reality check: The hardest work comes after the strike ends. Rebuilding trust, preventing “us vs. them” culture, and aligning leadership, HR, and labor relations will define long-term outcomes. Segment 3: The Visa Surprise The State Department's February 2026 Visa Bulletin delivered unexpected good news. EB-3 priority dates for nurses from the Philippines and India advanced nearly nine months, opening a rare window to accelerate international hiring. Strategic guidance: Speed matters, but ethics matter more. Vet international recruitment partners carefully, ensure compliance with ethical standards, and invest in structured onboarding and community integration to support long-term retention. This Week's Priorities: • Green-light telehealth billing while preparing for CMS audits • Monitor labor activity and cultural risk inside union environments • Accelerate international nurse pipelines with integrity and structure Healthcare HR is no longer reacting to disruption. It is shaping what comes next. From Our Sponsor(s)...Optimize Pharmacy Benefits with RxBenefitsElevate your employee benefits while managing costs. Did you know hospital employees fill 25% more prescriptions annually than other industries? Ensure cost-effective, high-quality pharmacy plans by leveraging your hospital's own pharmacies. Discover smarter strategies with RxBenefits.Learn More here - https://rxbene.fit/3ZaurZN HealthCare Associates Credit Union partners with healthcare organizations to offer a no-cost financial wellness benefit for employees. Built specifically for healthcare professionals, HACU provides everyday banking, loans, mortgages, and financial education - all with no added administrative burden for HR teams. Learn more at HACU's Human Resource Benefit or email directly at busdev@hacu.org and we are happy to take you through the process whether it's opening a membership for yourself or bringing us on as your employee benefits partner. HealthCare Associates Credit Union — a healthier benefit for healthcare HR leaders and their teams.  Support the show

Oregon lawmakers passed the Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act in 2021, but the changes just went into effect on July 1, 2025. It’s a sweeping, multi-pronged approach to reduce waste, and many of the changes the law drives are the responsibility of producers and manufacturers. New recycling centers are one element of the Act, the first of which came online this fall. At the RecycleOn Center in Ashland, more kinds of plastic can be recycled, along with shredded paper, aluminum foil and other material that often ends up in landfills or contaminating recycling picked up by curbside collectors. Kim Holmes is the executive director of Oregon’s Circular Action Alliance, the producer responsibility organization that co-operates the Ashland facility. She joins us to tell us more about the impact of this center and the other 143 planned for the state.

The Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Modernization Act is on the move again at the State Capitol. Sen. Patrick Testin, Chair of the Senate Agriculture and Revenue Committee says this legislation could relax some of the human resource issues being faced in Wisconsin, especially rural communities. Under APRN, qualified registered nurses would be able to practice independently and without the need for a collaborative agreement with a physician – so long as the cases do not fall outside their areas of expertise. Testin says the bills language has been circulating in Madison for over a decade. He hopes this time, with bipartisan support, it will cross the finish line and be signed by Governor Tony Evers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Chapter 10 of The Informed Fed, "Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) Modernization Act of 2017," Jeffrey Roediger and Bryant Stone explore the Act's transformative updates. These include allowing up to four partial withdrawals annually, removing the 30-day waiting period, enabling withdrawal from specific account types, and offering flexible payment schedules. They compare these changes to the prior restriction of one partial withdrawal post-age 59.5 and highlight how funds can now remain invested indefinitely. The chapter underscores the importance of these enhancements and the value of professional advice in optimizing TSP strategies and retirement planning.To order the book: https://a.co/d/gdQclm6To schedule a consultation with Bryant Stone: https://go.oncehub.com/consultation3For additional resources for the federal employee, visit www.myfeduniversity.comBryant.Stone@toprankadvisors.com(919) 300-5870

✈ A quick note: I will be traveling through the middle of the month and will be posting a bit less than usual and perhaps a bit shorter than usual.After decades of resistance to nuclear power, growing concern over climate change, rising electricity needs, and a desire for greater energy independence are spurring renewed public interest in a future powered by atomic fission (perhaps fusion, too). Today on Faster, Please! — The Podcast, I talk to Dr. Mike Goff about the state of US nuclear power, the developing advancements in nuclear technology, and what it will take to reach our vast potential.Goff is the acting assistant secretary and the principal deputy assistant secretary for the Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy. He previously spent over 30 years at Idaho National Laboratory, including a major advisory and management role. He has written over 70 publications on the nuclear fuel cycle.In This Episode* Atomic Age 2.0 (1:31)* Major concerns (7:37)* Out of practice (11:04)* Next-generation policy (17:38)* Human capital (21:48)* Fusion forecast (23:12)Below is a lightly edited transcript of our conversationAtomic Age 2.0 (1:31)The Energy Secretary recently spoke about adding a lot more nuclear capacity, tripling it, I think, by 2050 or so. And before we get into whether that's possible, I wanted to ask you: As you understand it, what is the current consensus explanation for why the Nuclear and Atomic Age of the '50s and '60s, why that kind of ended? Because when the secretary spoke about building more capacity, I thought about the — and this is something maybe a lot of people are unaware of, that President Nixon had a plan to build a lot of more nuclear reactors in this country back in the '70s during the oil crisis; that didn't happen, and we all know about Three Mile Island. But is there a consensus as to why Atomic Age 1.0 came to an end? Obviously we still get a lot of energy from nuclear, but not what people had imagined 40 years ago.There are a variety of reasons. We did build a lot at one point, and we were building 10 plants a year, pretty extensive builds out there. We did then have Three Mile Island in the late '70s, and then we got costs started going up, and schedules started increasing on the builds, and we ended up not having a lot of energy growth, in fact, we went for a long period where we weren't having a lot of energy growth, and we had a lot of other energy sources, natural gas, coal, and all. We had a lot of other energy sources out there as well. So yeah, we became pretty stagnated around 20 percent of the electricity. But now, like you say, yeah, there's been a big change in what we think the needs are for nuclear going forward, for a variety of reasons.My background is journalism, and as a journalist I've written, I know, multiple stories in my life about a Nuclear Renaissance. So I'm wondering why this time looks to be different. You suggested in your previous answer that there might be some reasons. What are those reasons that we may be entering a new age where we will see an expansion in the nuclear sector?I do think we will see that expansion, and, in fact, I think we have to see that expansion, and it's because of a lot of the positive attributes of nuclear right now. Obviously there's a lot of focus on trying to get more clean energy out there, and nuclear is a large base load source of clean energy. And it's not just CO2 emission, but it doesn't emit particulates and all, as well, so it's good air, good quality of life. So it has those key attributes. But there are other clean energy sources as well: renewables, hydro, and all that. But I think the recognition that, if you are going to go toward decarbonization, you need still base load electricity too. You need base load electricity to help intermittent sources like renewables to be able to expand more as well. So nuclear is very good at enabling decarbonization, not just by adding clean electricity to the grid, but enabling you to expand out other renewables like wind and solar and all, as well.Additionally, nuclear is very reliable. Of the energy sources, it has the highest capacity factor of any of the energy sources. In the United States, we run 93 percent of the time, so the existing fleet that we have out there of 94 plants, they're producing a 100 percent of the power 93 percent of the time, which dwarfs what any other energy source does out there as well.Nuclear is safe. At times people are concerned about safety, but, in reality, it's actually one of the safest energy sources out there and continues to demonstrate that.It's resilient for different weather-related events. It can still produce electricity out there as well. It also has a lot of energy security. And as we've learned, unfortunately, from Russia's unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine, we recognize energy security is national security, so nuclear really does help us on that national security front. It provides an energy source that we can largely on-source from us and our allies. We've got assured fuel supplies, and provides that long-term power. You can put fuel in it and it can last for two years or so.And I guess one other thing I'll add out there as well, is it's a job creator. Of the different energy sources, the amount of jobs associated with nuclear are some of the highest on the amount of electricity produced. And when you actually start building nuclear, like we saw in Vogtle in Georgia where they were building the two plants, it creates huge amounts of jobs. In fact, I heard a stat recently that 35,000 union workers were trained as part of the construction of the Vogtle power plant, so it's a good job creator in all, as well. And again, the power density is great, it doesn't take up a lot of space, and with the advanced technologies that we've developed in the United States, you've continued to increase in the safety, you can have plants of a variety of different sizes that can be easily deployed to, say, retiring coal plants. It just has a lot of flexibility that it hasn't had in the past, but also it's that key recognition of its clean energy attributes, but its energy security attributes as well.Major concerns (7:37)I did not major in nuclear science, I majored in history and political science, but I remember I took a class as an undergraduate at Northwestern University on the nuclear fuel cycle, and I remember to this day that my professor — of course, this was obviously a while ago, and I think what most of the students knew about nuclear energy was probably Three Mile Island — and I remember to this day distinctly the professor saying, “If they wanted to build a nuclear reactor in my backyard, I would be totally fine with it.” He had zero fear on the safety issue. Now when you give that rap that you just gave me about the wonders of nuclear energy before regular people, what is their response? Do they worry about the nuclear waste? Do they worry about safety? Are they immediately sold, or what are the concerns that typically get raised to you?You brought them up. I mean, safety is brought up because you do see these high profile accidents like Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, Fukushima, which were accidents. They weren't good things that you want to have happen, but the industry's also a very learning industry. The improvements that come out of those events have just made the industry even safer and safer. And again, it's still safer than most any other electricity-producing industry out there as well.Waste does get brought up. We have not implemented a final disposal solution for the spent fuel from our reactors, but we have safely stored and managed the spent fuel over the last six decades, and the amount of fuel that's generated, I think the stat that gets tossed around, you could fit it all in a Walmart parking lot. This is not a lot of material because it's a high energy-density fuel. It's not a lot of material, and again, we safely manage that and store that. We have countries now that are moving forward with geological repositories, which we need to be doing in the United States. In fact, just last week, I went and visited the repository that hopefully will be operating next year in Finland for disposing of their spent fuel. We can do that, it's not a technical issue, so we can safely manage the spent fuel.The other issue that always comes up is still cost. We do have to demonstrate now that we can build these plants safely, and efficiently, and at a reasonable cost. On the Vogtle plant there were cost overruns and schedule overruns, but between Vogtle Unit 3 and Unit 4, there was about a 30 percent reduction in costs between those plants, so we are starting to get to where we can be deploying nth-of-a-kind cost plants out there as well. And hopefully with some of the small modular reactor designs and all that are going to rely more on modular construction, we can even get to nth-of-a-kind cost even quicker. It still takes some pushing and understanding to make sure that people do understand the advancements that have been made on nuclear technology, that it's not our parents' nuclear technology, there's a new round of technology out there.Out of practice (11:04)You raised two good points there. The cost issue, and that's a great stat about the Vogtle plant and the reduction between the two reactors. Is it your sense that the fact that we haven't been consistently building reactors and learning from the previous build, and having trained people who've worked on multiple reactors, that each one has become like this bespoke mega project? It's my sense, and it seems logical, at least to me, that that has been a cost driver, that we haven't been able to churn these out like 10 a year, every year, decade after decade, because clearly, if that was the case, I don't see how we don't learn how to build them better, faster, and more efficiently. But that's not what we've been doing, obviously.That's right. It's not. Even when I say with Vogtle, you had to stand back up the whole supply chain, you had to retrain the workforce, so there was a lot of learning in that process, even though, too, we did recognize on that plant you need to have designs very well finalized and standardized as well. One of the problems we realized from the buildout of the 90-something plants that we have now is no two plants were ever that similar. Everyone wanted to make a tweak in their plant, so we never got to where we had standardized designs. So I think now that we're getting that trained workforce, getting the supply chain up there, and our vendors are really saying, “We're doing standardized plants. If someone else wants to make a tweak on this plant, they have to go somewhere else,” that people are going to go with standardized designs so we can really replicate these and get that cost benefit from it. The challenges that you brought up, we have to overcome, and I think we're set up now to be able to overcome that. I appreciate all the effort that went into building Units 3 and 4 at Vogtle. We've got enough benefit from that learning there and hopefully build very soon here.There's a world where we have tripled our nuclear generating capacity, as Secretary Granholm said. Can that be a world where we get all our nuclear power from light water nuclear reactors, or must there be different kinds of reactors? You mentioned the small modular reactors, and I've interviewed startups doing microreactors, I don't know, maybe they'll be used to power data centers, but can that world of greatly increased nuclear generation, even with improvements in light water reactors, must there be different kinds of reactors?I wouldn't say “must.” I think there will be. I think we will have that variability. I think we will still have large plants being built. I think maybe five years ago you wouldn't hear that people were talking about building gigawatt-sizes plants again. I think we'll have the gigawatt-size plants, we'll have the small modular reactors that are water-cooled, but I think we will get some of those advanced reactors out there: the Generation IV reactors, the sodium-cooled fast reactors that have the capacity to be able to burn waste better and also increase the sustainability of the amount of fuel they use. I think you'll also have the high-temperature gas reactors that are helium-cooled, that use TRISO fuel. You'll have those because we need to not only decarbonize the electricity sector, we've got to decarbonize the industrial sector. That's much more challenging, and the high temperatures that can be provided from those reactors will help us in that decarbonization process. So I think we will have a mixture out there. There are cases where the Gen IV systems are going to be better than the gigawatt-sized plants for the needs that are out there, but large power plants are going to be needed as well. Especially, like you say, you bring up the data centers, the amount of growth that we're hearing for electricity right now, I think again, we'll see gigawatt-sized plants will be needed to be able to meet that growth.Yeah, I tell you, nothing frustrates me more than reading about what AI could perhaps do for our economy and then having people say, “Well, but we know we can't do it because we can't supply the power” or “We can't supply enough clean power,” I mean, well then it'd be sure great to have more nuclear energy. And I wonder, as you sort of tick off some of the potential advances and new kinds of reactors, maybe I look backward too much, but I can't help but wonder what nuclear reactors would be like today, where we would be today, maybe we would already have fusion reactors had we proceeded with this kind of momentum every decade since 1980. It drives me crazy, and you're a nuclear engineer, that must drive you crazy.It does, I've been doing this . . . my first job in the nuclear industry was almost 40 years ago when I was still in college, and there have definitely been ups and downs in funding. In fact, there were some periods where there was almost zero research and development dollars spent in the government on nuclear energy. Luckily, though, the thing that we have is, under the four presidential administrations, there's been a real steady climb in the recognition of the importance of nuclear, and the funding to support it. So I'm happy that we have had this period that goes back to the early 2000s that's been really steady growth in recognition of nuclear. If we would've not had some of those laws in the late '80s and '90s, yeah, we could probably be further ahead, especially on some of the advanced technologies. Because yes, some of those advanced technologies started on research that was back in the '50s, '60s and '70s: the sodium-cooled fast reactor, the molten salt reactor, all of those were based on R&D that we did back in the early days, as well.Next-generation policy (17:38)Which leads me to this question: You work for the government. I work for a public policy think tank, so of course I'm going to think about: Given where we are today, what government needs to do going forward, both on the R&D front and on the regulatory front, are we doing enough basic research for whatever the next, or the next next generation of nuclear is, and do we now have the kind regulatory framework we need for that next generation of reactors?I'll go to the research one first—and I should note, my background is, I'm an R&D person, I came out of the national labs, so of course we always need more research and development. But that said, we have been blessed by funding from Congress and the administration that there's a significant amount of money for research and development in the United States. And I'll say that's good, because the one thing I will note, I do believe innovation in the US, as far as the nuclear technology, we are the best. The technologies that we're developing and our vendors are deploying it, really, it is the cutting edge technology, so it's good we have that R&D, and it's important, as you know, we need to continue to have it to move forward on that next generation of technologies and continue to make improvements on the technologies out there. So I think we have a good research base.There's some infrastructure that we still need if we start deploying, say, when we mentioned that sodium-cooled fast reactor, we don't have a testing capability for that type of system. We shut down our last testing system on a fast reactor in 1994. We would probably need some additional infrastructure. But again, we have a pretty good base. And I'll say that also on the regulatory side. We do have a pretty good base as well. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is obviously focused on light water reactors throughout its history, but they've actually been doing a good job at being able to work with some of the developers. We have three entities out there that are working on Generation IV reactors. TerraPower did submit their construction authorization to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and they've accepted it, so they're working well with them, even though they have a water-based system. Hopefully X-energy, who's doing a high-temperature gas reactor, working with the government and all, as well, will be moving forward, as well. And we've had a third that's working in the molten salt space, a molten salt-cooled reactor that has already received a construction permit to go forward on a prototype reactor, a Kairos company.I'm sure there's got to be reforms still on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and make sure that we are timely and responding to license applications, but they are moving in the right direction. There's been a lot of interface with various laws, whether it's the NEICA (Nuclear Energy Innovation Capabilities Act), or NEIMA (Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act), two bills that were passed a little while back looking at reforming. And I think there still needs to be improvements and still need to be increase in the resource and capacity of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, but they're heading in the right direction.We have a good regulator, and that's one of the things that helps us make sure we feel that we can deploy this technology safely here, but also helps us in exporting our technology, where we can say, “Our technology has been licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission,” which has such a high view externally in other countries, that helps us. So I want them to continue to be that safe regulator, but again, they are continuing to work to improve and streamline the process. Hopefully we get toward where we're standardizing, that we don't have to have a lot of interface and we don't — that'll come to the utilities, too — we don't make changes once we've got something approved, so we hopefully can speed up the process from the utility side, and all is well.Human capital (21:48)Are we going to turn out enough nuclear engineers? I imagine that, for a while, that probably seemed like a hard sell to someone who had an interest in science and engineering, to be in this industry versus some others. Probably a little easier sell; are we going to have enough people going into that to build all these reactors?We are going to need to continue to increase it. We're already seeing the uptick, though, in that area. I'll note: Our office, the office of Nuclear Energy, we've really — going back to the 2010 timeframe — really recognized that we needed to do more in that area, so we actually started investing almost 20 percent of our R&D budget to the universities to hopefully foster that next generation. And in fact, this year we just hit the mark where we've now spent $1 billion since the start of those programs on the universities to make sure we're doing R&D there and getting that next generation of folks out there. It's something that we've got to continue to focus on to make sure that we do. Because yeah, if we triple, it's going to need a lot more nuclear engineers. But I also note, the thing I'm concerned about also is making sure we have the right trades and all, as well. If we're building these plants, making sure you have the welders, the pipe fitters, and all, that's going to be a big challenge, as well, especially if we're going to start building, say, 10 plants a year. That's a lot of people out there.Fusion forecast (23:12)I'm excited about the prospects for nuclear fusion, and I've talked to people at startups, and it has probably looked as promising as it ever has. How promising is it? How should I think about it as being part of our energy solution going forward, given where we're at? In fact, there are no commercial nuclear fusion reactors right now. Obviously people at startups give a lot of optimistic forecasts. How should I even think about that as being a partial solution in the coming decades? How do you look at it, at least?I think it can be part of the solution in the coming decades. I think some of the changes that's taken place, especially over the last two years where there is more of a change to focus on, not fusion as a science program, but fusion as deployment, as an energy producer, you look at it as an applied energy. I think that's an important change that's occurred over the last two years, and the fusion programs within the Department of Energy are much more focused to that. It's similar to what's happened somewhat with fission. Fission, about 15 years ago, it was government-driven, and you pull along industry, until about 15 years ago you started having industry investing a lot of money and pulling along the government. You're now starting to see that happen in fusion, where people are doing a lot of a private investment, they're pulling along the government, and the government's working to see, how can we use the resources of the government to enable it? So I think it will happen. I don't think fusion is going to be producing electricity to the grid this decade, but I think the vision that's been put forth by the government is their bold, decade-old vision to have a fusion pilot facility sometime within the decade. I think that is feasible. So maybe before the 2050s you can start having fusion generating some of our electricity. I'm a fission person at my heart, but I think fusion is, we're getting much more focused on moving it forward as an electricity source, and that'll help it be able to be deployed sometime here in our lifetime.Faster, Please! is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Micro ReadsHow Elon Musk and SpaceX Plan to Colonize Mars - NYTWhat happened to the artificial-intelligence revolution? - Economist The EV trade war between China and the West heats up - Economist Defeated by A.I., a Legend in the Board Game Go Warns: Get Ready for What's Next - NYTPfizer pins hopes on daily pill to crack market for weight-loss drugs - FTRise of the Restaurant Robots: Chipotle, Sweetgreen and Others Bet on Automation - WSJSaudi Arabia's Trillion-Dollar Makeover Faces Funding Cutbacks - BbergAI Spending: Goldman Strategists Say Big Tech's Splurge Worries Investors - BbergIt's Time for AI to Start Making Money for Businesses. Can It? - WSJFaster, Please! is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. 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Douglas Holtz-Eakin was formerly a professor of economics at Syracuse University and served as the director of the Congressional Budget Office from 2003 – 2005. He was the chief economic policy adviser to Senator John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign and is currently president of the American Action Forum, a highly respected think tank in Washington, DC. While heading the CBO, Douglas played a pivotal role in designing and implementing the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, aka the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit. Given his experience, in this podcast, we reflect upon how that legislation led to the rapid expansion of the U.S. innovative biopharma sector and the material risks posed by the Inflation Reduction Act.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We have a very important episode this week on the Oklahoma Outdoors Podcast. At the end of march, the governor of Oklahoma signed the "License Modernization Act." This legislation drastically changes the current license structure for the state and is set to go into effect this summer. This act combines current licenses, simplifies many, and raises some costs. One change that is sure to strike up some hot conversations is how the non resident deer license has almost doubled! John walks through the act and talks about the good and the bad of what is about to take place.  This episode isn't all legislative talk however. John also talks about his recent hog hunt with the boys from up north. Two Michiganders and one Ohio native make the trek to Oklahoma to help John and his family with their hog problem, and do a pretty dang good job of it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have a very important episode this week on the Oklahoma Outdoors Podcast. At the end of March, the governor of Oklahoma signed the "License Modernization Act."  This legislation drastically changes the current license structure for the state and is set to go into effect this summer. This act combines current licenses, simplifies many, and raises some costs. One change that is sure to strike up some hot conversations is how the non resident deer license has almost doubled! John walks through the act and talks about the good and the bad of what is about to take place. This episode isn't all legislative talk however. John also talks about his recent hog hunt with the boys from up north. Two Michiganders and one Ohio native make the trek to Oklahoma to help John and his family with their hog problem, and do a pretty dang good job of it!

SMRs: a new horizon in Nuclear Power.This week on The Interchange: Recharged, David is joined by Ted Nordhaus, Executive Director at the Breakthrough Institute, an environmental research centre in Berkley, California. They focus on finding technological solutions to environmental problems.Achieving a net-zero emission grid by 2050, they claim, with a significant nuclear component would not only be feasible but also cost-effective compared to over-reliance on variable renewable energy sources. This approach requires substantial investment, estimated between US$150 to US$220 billion by 2035, escalating to over a trillion dollars by 2050. Together Ted and David discuss the likelihood that the private sector will drive this investment, provided that nuclear technologies are economically viable and regulatory uncertainties are addressed. They look at the Build Nuclear Now campaign, which aims to rally public support for nuclear energy and drive towards grassroots pro-nuclear advocacy. Is this a sign that public sentiment is changing?The main challenges hindering the adoption of nuclear energy include regulatory hurdles, financial barriers and ongoing concerns surrounding nuclear safety. Ted explains that regulatory reform and public sector commitment could overcome these obstacles. The Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act are examples of a policy aimed at modernising the regulatory environment, to facilitate the licensing of advanced nuclear reactors.So, are SMRs the solution to everything nuclear? They're designed to produce between 50 to 300 MW of electricity per module, which is about one-third of the generation capacity of traditional nuclear power reactors. NuScale's design (listen back to our episode from April last year for more on this) for instance, is for a 77 MW module, with plans to deploy modules in groups that can generate up to 924 MW. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has been actively supporting SMR development, investing over US$600 million in the past decade to assist in the design, licensing and siting of new SMR technologies in the U.S. The technology seems to be there, as does the baseline investment.What's next for the nuclear industry? Listen to find out.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Customs Modernization Act was introduced, but it only focuses on enforcement. Listen for more info on today's Two Minutes in Trade. 

In part two of our foreign investment law episode with Dany Assaf, we speak about Bill C-34 – a proposed new statute that seeks to strike a balance between welcoming investment and safeguarding national security interests ✨ Read the full episode transcript HERE ✨ Learn more about the topics/cases on the Lawyered website✨ Help to declutter the law on the Lawyered crowdfunding page  

In part three of our foreign investment law episode with Dany Assaf, we discuss a new mechanism that will allow foreign investors to voluntarily notify the government about investments that could raise national security concerns. ✨ Read the full episode transcript HERE ✨ Learn more about the topics/cases on the Lawyered website✨ Help to declutter the law on the Lawyered crowdfunding page

Food and Travel Nation with Elizabeth Dougherty The TRUTH about Food and Travel Broadcast Date:  10/7/2023 In 2011, then-president Obama signed the Food Modernization and Safety Act.  That horrific piece of legislation was written largely by members of the Grocery Manufacturers Association, and was in direct response to a growing list of ballot initiatives and/or actions taken by various state legislatures that would have required the labeling of GMOs.  Over the years, changes have been made that have weakened the law even further.  QR codes were incorporated into food packaging label, making it even more difficult for customers to know what they were purchasing and feeding their families. Now in 2023, the USDA has spent BILLIONS to extend high-speed internet access to farmers across the country. Why? It's a part of a larger plan using QR Codes:  (1) to protect big agricultural interests (2) to monitor and track foods from the farm to the recycling center (3) to regulate small family farms out of business! And... it's the weaponization of the food supply. ### About the show:  Food And Travel Nation with Elizabeth Dougherty is the fusion of food and travel. This fresh, compelling nationally-syndicated weekend program includes information for homesteading, traveling, gardening, taste tests, and in a twist, listeners hear what restaurant servers say about customers. Each week our listeners get the very latest food and travel information We produce homemade videos of healthy, easy to make recipes We feature no-holds barred interviews in a LIVE, fast-paced, nationwide call-in show. Elizabeth Dougherty is a writer, trained chef, world traveler and now an award-winning talk show host. Food Nation Radio was on the forefront of presenting expert guests with vital information about GMOs, at a time when no one was talking about or even knew about the subject. We give our listeners, advertisers and stations a LIVE SHOW. (NO “BEST OF'S” EVER!) We present hard-hitting topics and interviews without the same old political spin. We are very social media conscious and stay in touch with our audience. (200,000 plus) We work closely with advertisers and stations to ensure their success. We are ready to deliver a fresh, tight, first-class show to your station from our digital studio utilizing Comrex Access and our own automation system. Executive Producer – Michael Serio Requests: Sammone@proton.me FOOD AND TRAVEL NATION FAST FACTS Website: Food And Travel Nation.com Social Media Sites: Facebook | Twitter 24/7 AUDIO STREAM ON iHEART RADIO

FIA President and CEO Walt Lukken discusses the history and the legacy of the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000, the importance of principles-based regulation, and the regulatory building blocks of the exchange-traded derivatives industry with David Greely of SmarterMarkets.

The Model Money Transmission Modernization Act, also known as the Money Transmitter Model Law, is a single set of nationwide standards and requirements created by industry and state experts. We speak with two CSBS experts on money transmission to learn how this model law came to be, what it accomplishes and how it's being implemented nationwide.GuestsMatt Lambert - Deputy General Counsel, Policy, CSBSCamille Polson - Manager, Policy Development, CSBS

House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) introduced the Food Labeling Modernization Act of 2023. The bill would update front-of-package food labeling requirements, require updates to the ingredient list on packaged foods, and apply consumer friendly labeling requirements.Among many other labeling issues, the bill would amend FALPCA (Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act) to require that food product packaging disclose ALL gluten-containing grains. We've been down this road before with the FLMA of 2021, but we are making progress. As is stated in the press release, “Food labels play an important role in managing conditions such as celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, but they need to be complete and easier to understand.” said Senator Cardin." The press release also lists the groups currently supporting this legislation: "The Food Labeling Modernization Act is supported by Center for Science in the Public Interest, Consumer Reports, Consumer Federation of America, Environmental Working Group, International Fresh Produce Association, Gluten Free Watchdog, Celiac Disease Foundation, and Beyond Celiac."Stay tuned for ways to get involved by asking your representative for support.Read the full press release here: https://democrats-energycommerce.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/pallone-and-blumenthal-introduce-food-labeling-modernization-legislation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Western Congressman Dan Newhouse says the key to getting this bill on to the President's desk… is gathering enough bipartisan support in the Senate.

Let's dive into how the election results can impact current bills that are sitting between the House and the Senate… for example, a very important one to all of agriculture, The Farm Workforce Modernization Act.

Let's dive into how the election results can impact current bills that are sitting between the House and the Senate… for example, a very important one to all of agriculture, The Farm Workforce Modernization Act.

Rusty Halvorson provides an update on the Farm Workforce Modernization Act and the impact it could have on farms. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The clock is ticking for Senators to pass the Farm Workforce Modernization Act before the end of the lame duck session.

The clock is ticking for Senators to pass the Farm Workforce Modernization Act before the end of the lame duck session.

Mykel Bickham shares how they are hoping the Workforce Modernization Act can get pushed through the lame duck session. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let's dive into how the election results can impact current bills that are sitting between the House and the Senate… for example, a very important one to all of agriculture, The Farm Workforce Modernization Act.

On this month's Revamping Retirement, Scott Matheson and Jennifer Doss are joined by Lindsay Barnard, senior product manager at Alegeus, to discuss trends in today's Health Savings Account (HSA) industry.   The health savings account (HSA) has only been around since 2003, thanks to an amendment to the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act. Despite the short time on the market, these accounts can make a huge impact on a participant's retirement financial planning. In this episode of Revamping Retirement, Lindsay shares the industry trends she sees regarding HSAs for participants from her vantage point as senior product manager at Alegeus, which provides innovative software to health plan providers for programs like HSAs, flexible spending accounts (FSAs), continuation of health coverage (COBRA), and other wellness incentives. Lindsay, Scott, and Jennifer dive into questions on topics like employer HSA contributions, utilizing a spouse's HSA, and targeting amounts for healthcare needs in retirement.  Later in Minute with Mike, Mike Webb breaks down the Form 5500 filing process for plan sponsors.    Mentioned in the Podcast    How HSAs Can Help Participants Tackle Retirement Healthcare Costs (Webinar Recording)  Alegeus | SaaS-based benefit funding and payment solutions   

Passed by the House of Representatives earlier this year, the bill now awaits movement in the Senate.

Kyle sits down this week to share some facts on why the Farm Workforce Modernization Act would actually hinder current business based immigration programs. Listen for all the updates! We know, the immigration system is messy! It's complicated and confusing, especially for those looking to gain a visa or hire foreign workers. Farmer Law PC's Immigration Guy, Kyle Farmer, knows all of the tricks of the trade. The firm specializes in innovative immigration solutions, some of which you'll get to hear about on this podcast. Tune in for commentary on immigration-related news and industry insights, and The Immigration Guy's thoughts on much more!If you're interested in talking with one of our Business Relationship Developers about solving your business labor needs, click the link and fill out your contact information. We will get back to you shortly!Sign up for our free webinars using the links below:H2A: https://share.hsforms.com/1eHfHv447S_iuMUANi5jT4wbupb3H2B: https://share.hsforms.com/1KLC0MF6oQWu4hohiILWhoQbupb3TN: https://share.hsforms.com/1WYtbRWFQSK-GN8YJVcjIKgbupb3Send an email to media@farmerlawpc.com if you'd like to be featured in an episode, if you have a question Kyle can answer, or if you'd like to purchase an advertisement on the podcast.Follow Kyle Farmer on LinkedIn, here.Subscribe to our monthly Immigration Insider Newsletter, here.You can find more information about Ferris and Grass Works by clicking here. **The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available are for general informational purposes only. Listeners of this podcast should contact their attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular legal matter.  No reader, user, or browser of this site should act or refrain from acting on the basis of information on this site without first seeking legal advice from counsel in the relevant jurisdiction.  Only your individual attorney can provide assurances that the information contained herein – and your interpretation of it – is applicable or appropriate to your particular situation.  Use of, and access to, this podcast or any of the links or resources contained within the description do not create an attorney-client relationship between the listener and Kyle Farmer. **Produced & Edited By: Drew Tattam

Matt Irby joins JT to discuss Rand Paul and Tuberville to pass Bipartisan FDA Modernization Act in Senate to cut drug costs for Alabamians.

In this episode, supported by BrandTech, returning guest Rob Vries, CEO of HUB organoids (Utrecht, The Netherlands), fills us in on the advancement of 3D cell cultures and organoids over the last 2 years, starting off by documenting how the pandemic impacted their development and uptake. We also discuss how the recent FDA Modernization Act, removing the requirement for drug candidates to be tested on animals, has impacted the drive for improved models, the key techniques available to analyze them and what still needs to change for 3D cell cultures to fully replace animal models in the lab. Listen today to find out which resources can help you begin to work with 3D cell cultures, their most exciting recent applications and how issues of reproducibility are currently being addressed in the field. Contents:Intro: 00:00-00:50How COVID-19 impacted the uptake and development of 3D cell cultures: 00:50-02:05Key developments in 3D cell culture technology in the last 2 years: 02:05-03:00Intestinal organoids and the investigation of irritable bowel syndrome: 03:00-5:50Evaluating assembloids: 05:50-08:35Complexity vs clinical relevance: 08:35-10:45The impact of 3D cell cultures in precision medicine in cancer: 10:45-12:40The impact of the FDA's Modernization Act on 3D cell culture uptake: 12:40-14:45What needs to improve in organoid technologies to fully replace animal models? 14:45-16:10Changing inbuilt reliance on animal models: 16:10-18:30Key techniques to analyze organoids: 18:30-19:50Developments in imaging technology that have improved the analysis of organoids: 19:50-21:15Current challenges in 3D cell culture implementation and reproducibility: 21:15-24:15Improving access to 3D cell cultures: 24:15-25:55Resources to help people implement organoids into their work: 25:55-27:15Searching for the holy grail in 3D cell cultures: 27:15-28:00

Now the US Congress is weighing in on credit union boards and Chris Otey, an executive with CU 2.0 but importantly for this podcast, board chair at South Bay Credit Union in California, tells what he likes about the H. R. 6889, the Credit Union Board Modernization Act, which now has been voted out of committee and will come up for a vote in the full House.The bill has bipartisan support in both the House and Senate.CUNA has indicated support. Ditto NAFCU. What would it do? It's narrowly focused legislation that would allow most credit union boards to meet six times annually rather than the currently mandated twelve. That's it.But Otey is plain that as board chair he thinks this would be a very good move. He tells why in the podcast.Remember to tell your member of Congress and US Senators how you feel about H.R. 6889.  And, by the way, this podcast is a coming home for Otey.  He was the guest in the first podcast - click here to listen.  It's not exactly as big a landmark as the first Rolling Stones album but, for credit union geeks, it may rate right up there.Listen up.

Farm Workforce Modernization Act sponsor, U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse brings us up to date on why it's time for the Senate to pass this legislation.

Webcast URL: https://knowledgewebcasts.com/know-portfolio/2022-guide-to-the-trademark-modernization-act-cle/ Important rule changes under the Trademark Modernization Act (TMA) of 2020 have been implemented in efforts to streamline key trademark procedures as well as to combat the surge of filings at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The new regulations are likely to have a profound impact on several aspects of the trademark law and practice In this LIVE Webcast, leading trademark attorneys Steven D. Lustig (Panitch Schwarze Belisario & Nadel LLP) and Daniel I. Schloss (Greenberg Traurig, LLP) will provide an in-depth discussion of the recent significant amendments resulting from the Trademark Modernization Act (TMA) of 2020. Speakers will also offer practical strategies on how to harness the key benefits of the newly-introduced procedures. For any more information please click on the webcast URL at the top of this description.

There are many details and information involved with recent changes resulting from the Trademark Modernization Act (TMA). In this episode, Erik provides a brief tour of trademark expungement proceedings and other key details from the TMA. Listen to Podcast The post What is the Trademark Modernization Act? appeared first on Erik M Pelton & Associates, PLLC.

U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse says enough time has passed, let's get the Farm Workforce Modernization Act through the Senate before it's too late.

U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse says enough time has passed, let's get the Farm Workforce Modernization Act through the Senate before it's too late.

We begin speaking with Wayne Pacelle about pending legislation in both the House and Senate, the FDA Modernization Act, which would eliminate the animal testing mandate for development and approval of new pharmaceutical drugs for human use. Mr. Pacelle, as President of Center for a Humane Economy, Founder of Animal Wellness Action, and CEO of […]

Over the past few years, record numbers of trademark applications have been filed, causing concerns about the integrity of the U.S. trademark registry and the value of the highly-sought-after U.S. trademark registration. In response, Congress passed the Trademark Modernization Act in December of 2020, which gave the USPTO one year to implement new proceedings called "expungement" and "reexamination." These new procedures came into effect on December 18, and allow third-parties to provide evidence that a registered trademark was not in-use when the applicant said it was, thus canceling the existing registration. Our guest, Eric Perrott, is a Trademark attorney in D.C. and was the first attorney to file a "petition for expungement" against a trademark registrant that used a doctored stock image in its trademark application. We will discuss with him the implications of this development for brand owners and trademark attorneys, particularly international filers who will need to hire a U.S. based attorney to respond to these proceedings. Please note, the positions and opinions expressed by the speakers are strictly their own, and do not necessarily represent the views of their employers, nor those of the D.C. Bar, its Board of Governors or co-sponsoring Communities and organizations. Thank You to Our Sponsors! LawPay is a simple, secure solution that was developed specifically to help law firms streamline billings and collections. LawPay is the industry leader in legal payments, providing a cost-effective solution for more than 50,000 law firms across the country. MyCase is a top-rated, end-to-end legal case management software that helps firms run efficiently from anywhere, provide an exceptional client experience, and easily track firm performance. Streamline day-to-day firm processes in one, easy to adopt solution -- lead tracking, client intake, case management, eSignature, billing, payments and more. DC Bar members are eligible for a 10% lifetime discount. Start your free trial (no credit card required) today!

Returning guest, Alex Hilton, lays out the facts involving the Smith-Mundt Modernization Act, which allows the U.S. Agency for Global Media to publish deceptive, psychologically impacting lies to major media platforms in the U.S. and abroad. –– Link to Alex Hilton's Lawless Cloud of Smith-Mundt Act records: https://lawless.cloud/s/awRYQ7JEKXNTbRL

The Elder Justice Reauthorization and Modernization Act of 2021 was introduced in the House and Senate on August 9. This bill would channel funding to existing and new elder justice initiatives including long-term care workforce, Adult Protective Services and programs to address social isolation. On this episode of LeverAGE, ASA's Leanne Clark-Shirley talks with Bob Blancato and Meredith Ponder Whitmire, both of Matz Blancato & Associates, about this bill, likely next steps and how ASA members can get involved. 

Dan Lennington - Deputy Counsel at Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty. A group of parents seeks recall of four Mequon-Thiensville School Board members. The city claimed recall sign violated a City sign ordinance and that citations would be issued in the future. Lennington says this is unconstitutional and amounts to a violation of the First Amendment. Andre Jacque - State Senator of the 1st Senate District. Brian Schimming with the weather Dr. Rebekah Bernard on nurse practitioners push to operate stand alone clinics. Assembly Bill 396 APRN "Modernization Act 2021" The Voice of Reason in a city of chaos. Weekday afternoons on 1310 WIBA Madison.

It is impossible to listen to or read news reports concerning the VA without finding volumes of information, mostly negative, regarding the delays in the benefit system. What likely will not be found is information explaining why some of the reasons for the delays in the system are actually positives. This podcast will address the aspects of the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/vet2vet/support

Intro: On today's show we're going to be talking about HSA's and how they can be used as a useful tool in your financial planning picture. We will also be talking about what we call the HSA HACK for early retirement or to supplement your retirement income. Headline of the week: Inflation speeds up in April as consumer prices leap 4.2%, fastest since 2008 - CNBC The Consumer Price Index rise for April from a year earlier was the sharpest since September 2008. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had been looking for an increase of 3.6%. What does this mean for us: A result is that goods/services are going to cost more. What can you do to protect yourself against inflation? Stay invested! Stocks provide a shelter in an inflationary environment. Main Topic In this episode we're going to be doing a deep dive on HSA's. What are they, what are some of the tricks that make this a really useful retirement tool… What is an HSA? An HSA is a health savings account that allows you to set aside money on a pre-tax basis to pay for qualified medical expenses. Think of it as a bucket of money that's there to pay for anything from a medical standpoint. Instead of paying out of pocket for anything your health insurance plan doesn't cover, you can utilize the HSA account to do so. If you don't use the money in a given year, it runs over into the next year AND stays with you if you change up employers or take a new job. History of the HSA Enacted back in 2003 and were spun out of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act. Put in place to help consumers start thinking more about their medical costs - goes hand in hand with the HDDP (High Deductible Health Plan) If consumers have to pay the first few thousand dollars in health care costs, they're going to think twice about what they need and where they get care - is the thinking. Link to qualified medical expenses / BIG list: https://www.hsabank.com/hsabank/learning-center/irs-qualified-medical-expenses How much can you contribute to an HSA account? In 2021 - you can contribute $3,600 for employee only and $7,200 for a family insurance policy. Investing inside of an HSA HSA's allow you to INVEST inside of them. They can be used like a brokerage account or 401k or Roth IRA. Just like a 401k at work - they have investment options you can choose inside of an HSA. We obviously recommend choosing a fund with LOW FEES that is broadly diversified, like an S&P 500 fund or a broad market mutual fund or ETF. Reimbursement You are permitted to reimburse yourself for qualified medical expenses from an HSA account as long as the expenses are incurred after the HSA was established. NO TIME LIMIT ON REIMBURSEMENT, but you must retain documentation/receipts Use the HSA as a retirement tool, and reimburse yourself in the future tax free

The VA appeals system has been completely revamped. In this episode, Robin helps answer some questions many Veterans have about the new appeals modernization act. Robin goes over what the new changes are, how these changes may benefit you, and what you need to know about the new appeals modernization act. Tune in to hear more about how the new appeals modernization act may benefit you.Visit our website to learn more about how we may be able to help you get service-connected - http://bit.ly/3dKJhOT*Podcast DisclaimerTrajector Medical does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of the information contained in this podcast episode. Nothing contained or provided in this podcast episode is intended to constitute advice or to serve as a substitute for the advice of a licensed healthcare provider, attorney, or agent accredited by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to assist with the filling of disability claims. Any reliance you place on this information is strictly at your own risk. Always seek the advice of your qualified medical provider, attorney, or VA agent, to address individual circumstances. This podcast episode is for general information purposes only. All uses of the term "you" are for illustrative purposes regarding a hypothetical Veteran. Trajector Medical disclaims any control over, relationship with, or endorsement of the ideas expressed by viewers of this content.

It's been a year since Congress passed the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act that charged the Veterans Affairs Department with creating a new process for veterans pursuing appeals. VA has been working to stand up the new program for the past year. But veterans have an opportunity to get their claims in the door now, and faster. David McLenachen is the director of the appeals management office at the Veterans Benefits Administration. He told Federal News Radio's Nicole Ogrysko about the options veterans currently have to pursue their appeals on Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

In this week's Tax Credit Tuesday Podcast, Michael J. Novogradac, CPA, starts off with the general section with news about Treasury Secretary nominee Steven Mnuchin's highly anticipated Senate confirmation hearing last week. In low-income housing tax credit news, he talks about the state of the low-income housing tax credit equity market and what states like Ohio are doing to fill the equity shortfall. He also discusses implementation of the Housing Opportunity through Modernization Act of 2016 and expansion of HUD's Moving to Work program. He outlines President Donald Trump's suspension of a decrease in the Federal Housing Administration's mortgage insurance premium. He then talks about the 2017 poverty guidelines released by the Department of Health and Human Services, which allow HUD to calculate its income limits. In new markets tax credit news, he discusses the latest qualified equity investment issuance report and the fiscal year 2017 rounds of the CDFI program and Native CDFI program. In renewable energy tax credit news, he discusses Marathon Capital's report, "U.S. Federal Corporate Tax Reform: Potential Impact on U.S. Renewable Energy Financing." Then, he details New Mexico's recently introduced solar investment tax credit bill, HB 82.

In this week's Tax Credit Tuesday Podcast, Michael J. Novogradac, CPA, begins with the general section, where he talks about how Paul Ryan's bid to keep his job as speaker of the House could affect the future of tax reform. In the low-income housing tax credit section, he discusses the inflation-adjustment caps for the low-income housing tax credits and private activity bonds in 2017. He also talks about HUD's initial guidance for the Housing Opportunities through Modernization Act. In community development news, he outlines the CDFI Fund's five-year strategic plan and how it'll affect administration of CDFI Fund programs, including the new markets tax credit. In the historic tax credit section, he talks about a sign-on letter being circulated by historic preservation groups to ramp up support for the Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act. He closes with renewable energy tax credit news, where he discusses some important deadlines regarding the renewable energy investment tax credit and production tax credit.

In this week's Tax Credit Tuesday Podcast, Michael J. Novogradac, CPA, starts off with the general news section where he talks about the recently approved 2016 Democrat Party platform, how it compares to the Republican platform and what those priorities could mean for affordable housing, community development and renewable energy. In the low-income housing tax credit section, he shares an update on the Housing Opportunity through Modernization Act of 2016 (H.R. 3700), which President Barack Obama recently signed into law and will modify several housing programs, including Section 8 and public housing. Then, he talks about a new tool released by the Urban Institute and the National Housing Conference that shows why the low-income housing tax credit is crucial to building affordable housing. In new markets tax credit news, he discusses the Rebuilding and Renewing Rural America Act (S. 3243), a recently introduced bill that would double new markets tax credit allocation authority to $7 billion annually for the next three years. In the historic tax credit section, he shares an updated resource from the National Trust that could help historic tax credit advocates illustrate how effectively the federal historic tax credit creates jobs and generates revenue in each state. And he closes out with renewable energy tax credit news, where he discusses how Louisiana's solar energy system tax credit reached its allocation cap early.

In this week's Tax Credit Tuesday Podcast, Michael J. Novogradac, CPA, starts off with the general news section, where he talks about the Republican and Democratic conventions and what each party has outlined as its priorities, as they relate to affordable housing and energy policy. He also discusses new Community Reinvestment Act regulation guidance and what one particular change could mean for the historic tax credit industry. In the low-income housing tax credit section, he shares big news on two pieces of legislation. The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2016 (S. 3237) would greatly expand the low-income housing tax credit and make numerous enhancements to the program, while the Housing Opportunity through Modernization Act of 2016 (H.R. 3700) makes significant changes to several housing programs, especially HUD's Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. Then, he talks about a new housing choice voucher fee formula proposed by HUD that could make administration of vouchers more efficient. In new markets tax credit news, he discusses how new rules issued by the Department of Agriculture would align USDA's Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan program with new markets tax credit leverage and qualified low-income community investment loans. In the historic tax credit section, he shares news about the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's newly appointed and reappointed members. And he closes out with renewable energy tax credit news, where he outlines one federal bill (S. 3169) that would eliminate the wind production tax credit two years earlier than scheduled and the Energy Storage Tax Incentive and Deployment Act of 2016 (S. 3159), which 'would create a new investment tax credit for energy storage.