RAJA KRISHNAMOORTHI

The Food and Drug Administration banned flavored e-cigarettes, like Juul, citing their popularity among teens.

Two members of the House of Representatives are urging the NFL and the Washington Football Team to release individuals from non-disclosure agreements that would prevent them from discussing sexual harassment and workplace issues at owner Daniel Snyder’s club.

Gruden Racist Comment Football FILE - In this May 1, 2021, file photo, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announces the start of the fourth round of the NFL football draft in Cleveland. Maloney and Krishnamoorthi sent a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Oct. 21 requesting that all documents and communication related to the probe into the Washington Football Team be turned over by Thursday. “While Commissioner Roger Goodell has told the press that victims and witnesses are free to take their story public, he should know many of them do not have that option,” Krishnamoorthi said Friday. “Dan Snyder, the owner of the Washington Football Team, has saddled them with gag orders, preventing them from coming forward due to fear of retaliation. The Washington Football Team hired lawyer Beth Wilkinson in the summer of 2020 to look into allegations of sexual harassment and other improper conduct within the organization.

A team of young scientists in South Africa is assembling the equipment needed to reverse engineer Moderna's coronavirus vaccine.

Gruden Racist Comment Football FILE - In this May 1, 2021, file photo, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announces the start of the fourth round of the NFL football draft in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File) (Tony Dejak)A Congressional committee is seeking documents and information from the NFL regarding the investigation into the Washington Football Team and how the league handled it. We look forward to speaking to her office soon.”The Washington Football Team hired lawyer Beth Wilkinson in the summer of 2020 to look into allegations of sexual harassment and other improper conduct within the organization. Gruden resigned as coach of the Raiders on Oct. 11 and lawyers representing 40 former employees of the Washington Football Team urged the league to immediately release the full findings of the investigation. The NFL has refused but the committee is now asking for that information, as well as any reports about the investigation, details on top league counsel Jeff Pash's role in the investigation, who from the league oversaw Wilkinson's investigation and why there wasn't a written report.

A Congressional committee is seeking documents and information from the NFL regarding the investigation into the Washington Football Team and how the league handled it.

Every week for the past two seasons, NFL players take the field wearing social justice messages on their helmets.

Report: ‘Alarming’ levels of toxic heavy metals detected in more baby food brands Several high-profile baby food brands not only contain “high levels” of heavy metals but have also done little to address the issue, according to a new report released Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021, by the U.S. House Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy. WASHINGTON — Several high-profile baby food brands not only contain “high levels” of heavy metals but have also done little to address the issue, according to a new report released Wednesday by the U.S. House Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy. “Today’s report reveals that companies not only under-report the high levels of toxic content in their baby food, but also knowingly keep toxic products on the market,” Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Illinois, said in a prepared statement. The report also revealed that a large percentage of Plum Organics’ products, including its popular Superpuff snacks, were found to contain heavy metals. “No level of toxic heavy metals and exposure to them is safe for a baby,” Krishnamoorthi stated.

Legislators are calling for stronger federal standards, but one company is not waiting for the government to step in.

The Taliban’s takeover of Kabul has deepened the mutual distrust between the U.S. and Pakistan, two putative allies who have tangled over Afghanistan.

U.S. Capitol Police say that threats to members of Congress have more than doubled this year.

Some menacingly called out for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and chanted for the hanging of Vice President Mike Pence. Comer said it’s “hypocritical” that Pelosi and Democrats are focused on Jan. 6 instead. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., told Miller that he has “never been more offended” by a witness statement than he was at Miller’s testimony defending his own actions. “No, that is not the case.”Under questioning from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Miller said he agreed at 3 p.m. to move guardsmen to the Capitol. Miller testified that D.C. National Guard Commanding Gen. William Walker was preparing a formal plan — a “concept of operations” — for the Guard to enter the Capitol.

A House hearing on the Capitol insurrection has wrapped up after harsh words from lawmakers.

Former Trump officials testified before Congress for the first time on the Jan. 6 insurrection. The proceedings were dominated by the role of former President Donald Trump and his supporters that day.

Postal Service, describing his 10-year plan as necessary to stanch billions of dollars in losses and put the agency on the path to profitability. But critics are voicing concerns about key elements of the plan, including slower delivery standards and planned closures of some postal offices. Notably, the plan would slow the USPS' delivery standard for mail to six days. Although critics and supporters alike note that the post office needs an overhaul, some expressed concern about the impact of slower delivery standards. Closing postal officesThe plan also calls for consolidating some postal offices that receive "low traffic" into full-service retail postal offices, although it didn't specify which offices might face closure.

Members of Congress are demanding one of the largest single product recalls in U.S. history after a top-selling flea and tick collar was linked to the deaths of nearly 1,700 pets and hundreds of injuries to humans. "When we put the collar on, everything changed and was like a switch just flipped," Alex Jaeger said. Alex Jaeger and his mother, Eleanor, say two months after they put a Seresto collar on their golden retriever Blake, he developed seizures. Seresto collars contain two different pesticides designed to ward off fleas and ticks. But government documents obtained by a nonprofit group show more than 75,000 incidents have been reported to the Environmental Protection Agency since the Seresto collars were introduced in 2012.

Members of Congress are demanding one of the largest single product recalls in U.S. history after a top-selling flea and tick collar was linked to the deaths of nearly 1,700 pets and hundreds of injuries to humans. "When we put the collar on, everything changed and was like a switch just flipped," Alex Jaeger said. Alex Jaeger and his mother, Eleanor, say two months after they put a Seresto collar on their golden retriever Blake, he developed seizures. Seresto collars contain two different pesticides designed to ward off fleas and ticks. But government documents obtained by a nonprofit group show more than 75,000 incidents have been reported to the Environmental Protection Agency since the Seresto collars were introduced in 2012.

Top Democrats are pushing the FDA to regulate toxic metals in baby food after a congressional investigation discovered the presence of metals like arsenic, lead and cadmium at levels far higher than those allowed in bottled water and other products. The Food and Drug Administration does not currently set limits on heavy metals for baby foods, specifically, except for arsenic in rice cereal. The four Democrats said Thursday they have drafted legislation that would strengthen regulations for baby food safety and have sent it to FDA staff for technical review. "Through our legislation and FDA regulatory action, we will ensure that the baby foods that reach the market are safe and that our children are safe," Krishnamoorthi said in a statement. An FDA spokeswoman said the agency takes the exposure of toxic metals in foods "extremely seriously" and that the agency is reviewing the findings of the congressional investigation.

The House of Representatives is considering impeaching Trump for a second time. Now, it’s for encouraging the insurrection. The president exits office in 12 days but U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Schaumburg said there is an urgency as Trump continues in the role of commander in chief. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said this morning that she has spoken to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff about preventing Trump from initiating military actions or a nuclear strike, The Associated Press reports.

A congressional investigation is raising new questions about the safety of some popular children's car booster seats. New videos obtained by "CBS This Morning" show child-size dummies flailing violently in car booster seats during side-impact crash tests. Krishnamoorthi and fellow Democratic Representative Katie Porter of California launched a House Oversight Committee investigation involving seven brands of car booster seats following the February report. With this wider variety of harnessed seats now available to caregivers most have voluntarily shifted toward a 40-pound minimum for booster seats. "Graco supports the recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and NHTSA car seat guidelines that all infants and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing car seat as long as possible, until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their car seat.

This photo combination shows from left: musician Christina Aguilera in Los Angeles, March 29, 2012, comedian George Lopez in Los Angeles, Dec. 25, 2012, and actor Jack Black in Las Vegas, April 25, 2012. Public relations firms hired by the Department of Health and Human Services vetted the political views of hundreds of celebrities, including Aguilera, Lopez, and Black, for a health education advertising campaign on the coronavirus outbreak. That's according to documents released Thursday by a House committee.

Public relations firms hired by the Department of Health and Human Services vetted the political views of hundreds of celebrities, including Aguilera, Lopez, and Black, for a health education advertising campaign on the coronavirus outbreak. “I have ordered a strategic review of this public health education campaign that will be led by our top public health and communications experts to determine whether the campaign serves important public health purposes,” Azar told the subcommittee, which is investigating the federal government’s response to the coronavirus outbreak. Because public health policy around the coronavirus pandemic has become so politically polarized, it’s unclear how well a confidence-building campaign from the government would play. And Trump has alienated much of the medical establishment with his dismissive comments about basic public health measures, such as wearing masks. Antony and Quaid were among just a few celebrities who were approved for the campaign, according to the documents.

A House Oversight subcommittee has opened an investigation looking at whether White House officials unduly pressured the nation's top health agencies throughout the pandemic. The letters emphasize the role of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in reviewing agency decisions. In congressional testimony, CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield and FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn have said their agencies have not been affected by political pressure. The allegations of political interference by the White House come at a critical time, particularly for the FDA, which will soon be charged with examining data for and potentially authorizing the first vaccine for the coronavirus. However, The New York Times reported Monday that top White House officials are now blocking the guidance, which has still not been published.

Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi on "The Takeout" — 7/24/2020 Illinois Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi joins Major to talk about negotiations for another COVID-19 stimulus package in the House; the Trump administration's attempt to suppress protests in Portland, Oregon; and the idea of sending federal officers into Chicago other cities, on this week's episode of the "The Takeout with Major Garrett."

REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File PhotoRepresentative Raja Krishnamoorthi, the Democratic chairman of the House oversight subcommittee, said information from several U.S. agencies showed the administration did little to stop the spread of the virus through U.S. airports from those two hot spots until mid-March. White House officials relied on Italian and South Korean screeners to check passengers boarding flights for the United States between March 3 and 14. But U.S. officials had relatively limited oversight for health screenings in Italy, which only barred 13 passengers from flying to the United States, a statement from the oversight subcommittee said. On March 3, Vice President Mike Pence said the United States had begun screening all travelers taking direct flights from Italy and South Korea. But the White House decided to rely on Italy and South Korea to do these screenings before passengers boarded, the House subcommittee said.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A handful of U.S. lawmakers have a unique argument for asking President Donald Trump not to slash the food stamp program - they themselves once relied on it. REUTERS/Joshua RobertsThe Republican president this week proposed $15 billion in cuts to the $71 billion Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly called food stamps, as part of his $4.8 trillion budget plan. Trump argues that many Americans receiving food stamps do not need them, given the strong economy and low unemployment. Trumps proposals for food stamp cuts are not expected to pass. But the Trump administration has already stiffened eligibility guidelines for food stamps, a move projected to end benefits for nearly 700,000 people.

Johnson & Johnson Chief Executive Officer Alex Gorsky has declined to appear at a U.S. congressional hearing set for Tuesday on the safety of the company's Baby Powder and other talc-based cosmetics. J&J spokesman Ernie Knewitz said that the subcommittee had rejected the company's offers to send a talc testing expert or a J&J executive in charge of consumer products. Gorsky "is not, as we have repeatedly told the Subcommittee, an expert in the stated subject of the hearing," Knewitz said. "Since tests for asbestos in talc were first developed, J&J's Baby Powder has never contained asbestos," Gorsky said in the video. J&J said it recalled 33,000 bottles of Baby Powder "out of an abundance of caution."

The Trump administration announced its plan to pull flavored nicotine pods off store shelves last month. Krishnamoorthi also urged the office to ensure the policy removes all non-tobacco flavors, including mint and menthol, from the market. He joins a growing chorus of lawmakers and public health advocates who are urging the Trump administration to keep its initial pledge. They cited data from an annual federal survey that showed mint and menthol was the second-most popular e-cigarette flavor behind fruit. As part of the White House review, stakeholders can request to meet with OIRA to share their perspectives on the issue.

A House panel is requesting a slew of documents from Reynolds after the company ignored the committee's request to stop advertising its e-cigarettes. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, chairman of the House Oversight and Reform committee's panel on consumer products, last month requested Reynolds American, Fontem Ventures, Japan Tobacco International and NJOY to stop advertising e-cigarettes. Market leader Juul, which is partially owned by tobacco giant Altria, announced it would end all product marketing ahead of the letter's publication. NJOY in response to Krishnamoorthi's letter said it will stop advertising its e-cigarettes, the congressman said. Reynolds doesn't have to abide by Krishnamoorthi's request since Congress doesn't have the authority to compel it to stop advertising.

(CNN) - U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi announced new legislation Monday that would put a cap on the concentration of nicotine in e-cigarette products. The move mirrors regulations in places like the European Union, which imposes the same cap of 20 milligrams per milliliter. Experts say that high nicotine concentrations have played a role in what they describe as an epidemic of vaping among youth. "Capping the concentration of nicotine in e-cigarettes is integral to ending the youth vaping epidemic by making these products less addictive, less appealing to youth, and less harmful to public health. "The nicotine salts that are used in the more recent generations of e-cigarettes make the product very palatable."

Of more than 500 patients who offered information on what substances they used, nearly 77% reported THC-containing products, while nearly 57% reported nicotine-containing products. Health officials identified 234 unique vaping products across 87 brand names. In some cases, patients were found to have used THC products who initially said they hadn't. Multiple avenues are being tested for, including cutting agents or adulterants that might be added to vaping products. "However, we do not know whether the only risky substance for lung injury is the THC-containing products."

Getty Images(CNN) - Attorney General William Barr and the president's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani are likely to be called to testify in the House Intelligence Committee's impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump and Ukraine, according to a House Democrat who sits on the committee. Rep. Mike Quigley told CNN's Jim Sciutto on Friday that he has "several questions" for Giuliani including whether the president's personal lawyer has a security clearance. Asked if the committee would enforce subpoenas or hold the two men in contempt should the White House attempt to block their testimony, Quigley said, "I think the committee will take whatever actions are necessary." Illinois Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, another committee member, told reporters on Capitol Hill Friday that it "makes sense" for the committee to invite Barr or Giuliani to testify since "both are obviously central figures." Trump asked Zelensky to work with Giuliani and Barr, even suggesting four times during the call that Barr will call Zelensky.

FILE PHOTO: A man uses a vaping product in the Manhattan borough of New York, New York, U.S., September 17, 2019. REUTERS/Carlo AllegriWASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. House panel sent letters to four e-cigarette companies asking them to stop all print, broadcast and digital advertising of their products in the United States, the same day as market-leader Juul said it would pull its ads, the panel said on Thursday. The CDC has urged people to stop using e-cigarette or vaping products. E-cigarettes, which heat a liquid often containing nicotine to create an inhalable vapor, have been popular in the United States for around a decade. Manufacturers have faced criticism that too many children use vaping products.

The House of Representatives began public hearings this week about the mystery vaping-related lung disease that, as of last week, had sickened 530 people in 38 states. We believe that probably hundreds more (cases) have come in since the numbers we released last week, said Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For those who continue vaping, public health officials urge consumers to avoid buying vaping products on the street, using marijuana-derived oil with the products or modifying a store-bought vape product. On Wednesday, health officials from Michigan, North Carolina, Kansas and Massachusetts will appear before the Energy and Commerce Health subcommittee along with Schuchat and the FDAs Norman Sharpless. Slideshow (5 Images)The FDA has warned Juul that it violated regulations because it marketed its vaping products as less risky than traditional cigarettes.

WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. consumers should avoid all vaping products as U.S. health officials struggle to identify the cause of a deadly vaping illness that's killed nine people and made hundreds more ill in recent months, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told lawmakers at a hearing Tuesday. Health officials have tied the illness to vaping, although they are still trying to identify the exact cause. While most patients reported using THC, the compound in marijuana that produces a high, many patients also used nicotine-based e-cigarettes. Some used nicotine alone. The outbreak, coupled with surging rates of teenagers using e-cigarettes, has prompted a fierce and quick backlash on the vaping industry.

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat from Illinois, said that the agency should "protect the American public from the fraudulent and unapproved medical claims" made by the company. At the subcommittee hearing in July, several people testified that the company was directly marketing to children in high school, to the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and to smoking cessation groups. The FDA said that it will respond to Krishnamoorthi about the questions raised in his letter and that the investigation is ongoing. "The FDA continues to closely scrutinize potentially false, misleading or unsubstantiated claims on a case-by-case basis to ensure that the public, including both adults and youth, are not misled." In other communications, the company says it cannot make claims that its products are safer, in line with FDA regulations.

He acknowledged statistics showing "a significant number of underage Americans are using e-cigarettes, including Juul products." "Juul Labs isn't big tobacco," Monsees told members of a House subcommittee, adding that "combating underage use" is the company's highest priority. "The last thing we wanted was to be confused with any major tobacco company." Monsees told lawmakers the comment was misinterpreted. She said the company told the subcommittee ahead of the hearing that it used influencers sparingly.