Government

WASHINGTON — Consumers spent a bit more in August than the previous month, a sign the economy is holding up even as inflation lifts prices for food, rent and other essentials.

Funds from President Biden's American Rescue Plan Act — which provided flexible aid to states and local governments for COVID relief — are being used for infrastructure and public works projects across the country.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Sept. 29 announced that the state will follow California in requiring all new vehicles sold by 2035 be zero-emission, setting in motion the regulatory process to implement a law she signed last year.

Major ports and rail facilities across the U.S. Southeast have halted operations as one of the strongest hurricanes to ever hit the country advances as a tropical storm, causing disruptions along the way and resulting in another blow for already strained supply chains.

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. — Rescue crews piloted boats and waded through flooded streets Sept. 29 to save thousands of Floridians trapped after Hurricane Ian destroyed homes and businesses and left millions in the dark.

The trucking workforce’s contributions during the pandemic were again recognized by the chairman of the transportation panel in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Federal trucking regulators have issued a proposal that would require every commercial motor vehicle operating in interstate commerce be equipped with an electronic identification system.

WASHINGTON — Battered by surging consumer prices and rising interest rates, the U.S. economy shrank at a 0.6% annual rate from April through June, the government announced Sept. 29, unchanged from its previous second-quarter estimate.

With midterm elections season in full swing, Democrats and Republicans are promoting infrastructure proposals as they each pursue control of Congress.

The devastation wrought in Florida by Hurricane Ian prompted the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to issue an emergency declaration for commercial vehicles directly assisting in transporting goods and disaster relief services in seven Southeastern states.