U.S.A.'s interesting latest

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President Trump visits the wall  Today, President Donald J. Trump travels from Washington to Southern California, where he will examine eight prototypes for the proposed border wall with Mexico. The samples range in height from 18 to 30 feet. “While Congress considers funding for fiscal year 2018, other wall program activities are moving forward,” Paul Koscak of U.S. Customs and Border Protection writes. Those activities include planning and design, as well as upgrades along less fortified or outdated parts of the southwest barrier. The President’s visit today comes as more and more Americans express support for his four-pronged approach to immigration reform. In addition to the majorities that support tougher border security and a permanent resolution for DACA, more than 8 in 10 voters want a system that selects individuals based on their education and skills—not one that chooses immigrants based on whether they have relatives already in the United States. Watch President Trump’s weekly address on immigration and sanctuary cities. Learn more: New poll shows overwhelming support for President Trump’s immigration priorities. You should be in charge of your healthcare information  “Interoperability” isn’t a word most Americans hear every day. But when it comes to the future of healthcare in the United States, few technological developments may prove to be more important. In healthcare, interoperability means being able to share patient data in an instant—regardless of which hospital, pharmacy, or laboratory has the information—and being able to do so with complete reliability and privacy protection. Last week, White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner laid out the Trump Administration’s plans in this area at the HIMSS18 conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. “I could not understand why medical records from the Department of Defense could not be seamlessly transferred to the Veterans' Administration,” Kushner said. “There is overwhelming consensus: America needs better access to patient data and interoperability now.” Read more about the Trump Administration’s plan to put you in charge of your health information. ‘You were Houston strong’  In the same year that Houston battled the challenges of rebuilding from a destructive hurricane, the Houston Astros earned the city’s first baseball World Series Championship. The Astros visited the White House yesterday, where President Trump congratulated the team on a hard-fought series win. “It’s a really befitting tribute—what was really a show of world spirit and Houston Strong,” President Trump said. “You were Houston Strong.” The President explained that the Astros were true champions both on and off the field. “When [Hurricane] Maria ravaged Puerto Rico weeks later, the Houston Astros redoubled their assistance, and many of them went there and helped,” he said. “It really exemplifies what greatness is all about.” See photos from President Trump’s visit with the Astros yesterday. PHOTO OF THE DAY President Donald J. Trump and the 2017 World Series Champion Houston Astros| March 12, 2018 (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian) POTUS TODAY Today, President Trump travels to San Diego, California, to review Border Wall Prototypes. The President will then deliver remarks to members of the military. This morning, Vice President Mike Pence will participate in a Senate Republican Policy Lunch. Later, the Vice President will participate in a series of meetings with lawmakers. =========================== Nectar Brand LLC Agrees to Settle FTC Charges that Company’s Claims about Chinese-Made Mattresses Being ‘Assembled in USA’ Are False A California-based company has agreed to stop making false claims that its Chinese-made mattresses are assembled in the United States, under a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission. According to the FTC’s complaint, Nectar Brand LLC claimed in promotional materials that its mattresses were “Designed and Assembled in USA,” but in fact the mattresses are wholly imported from China, with no assembly taking place in the United States. The company, also doing business as Nectar Sleep; DreamCloud, LLC; and DreamCloud Brand LLC, markets its products online at the company website, nectarsleep.com. Under the terms of the proposed order, Nectar is prohibited from making unqualified U.S.-origin claims for mattresses or other products or services unless it can show that the products’ final assembly or processing – and all significant processing – take place in the United States and that all or virtually all ingredients or components of the product are made and sourced in the United States. Under the order, any qualified U.S.-origin claim must include a clear and conspicuous disclosure about the extent to which the product contains foreign parts, ingredients, and/or processing. To claim that a product is assembled in the United States, Nectar must ensure that the product is last substantially transformed in the United States, its principal assembly takes place in the United States, and United States assembly operations are substantial. The order also prohibits Nectar, its officers, and any other company representatives from making untrue, misleading, or unsubstantiated country-of-origin claims in their marketing materials about any product or service. The FTC’s Enforcement Policy Statement on U.S. Origin Claims provides further guidance on the Made in USA standard. Further details about the consent agreement are set forth in the analysis to aid public comment for this matter. The Commission vote to issue the complaint and accept the proposed consent order was 2-0. The FTC will publish the consent agreement package in the Federal Register shortly. The agreement will be subject to public comment for 30 days, beginning today and continuing through April 12, 2018, after which the Commission will decide whether to make the proposed consent order final. Comments can be filed electronically or in paper form by following the instructions in the “Supplementary Information” section of the Federal Register notice. NOTE: The Commission issues an administrative complaint when it has “reason to believe” that the law has been or is being violated, and it appears to the Commission that a proceeding is in the public interest. When the Commission issues a consent order on a final basis, it carries the force of law with respect to future actions. Each violation of such an order may result in a civil penalty of up to $40,654. FTC Approves Final Order Requiring Divestiture of Senior Living Facilities Referral Service Caring.com as a Condition of Red Venture’s Acquiring Bankrate Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved a final ordersettling charges that the Red Ventures’ $1.4 billion acquisition of Bankrate would likely harm competition in the market for third-party paid referral services for senior living facilities. Red Ventures and Bankrate supply proprietary internet content and customer leads for a variety of industries. According to the FTC’s complaint, two of Red Ventures’ largest shareholders jointly own A Place for Mom.com, the largest provider of third-party paid referral services for senior living facilities. Competitor Caring.com, a subsidiary of Bankrate, is the second largest such provider. Other competitors comprise a much smaller fringe. The complaint alleged that absent a divestiture, the transaction could have increased the likelihood that Red Ventures would unilaterally exercise market power and the potential for coordinated interaction between Caring.com and A Place for Mom. Under the terms of the order, the parties are required to divest Caring.com no later than six months after the acquisition takes place. The Commission vote approving the final order was 2-0. (FTC File No. 1710196; the staff contact is Joseph A. Lipinsky, Northwest Regional Office, 206-220-4473.) FTC Proposes Repeal of Picture Tube Rule The Federal Trade Commission is proposing to repeal its Picture Tube Rule. The Rule (formally, the “Trade Regulation Rule Concerning the Deceptive Advertising as to Sizes of Viewable Pictures Shown by Television Receiving Sets”) was issued in 1966 to prevent deceptive claims about the size of television screens and to encourage uniformity and accuracy in their marketing. It requires marketers to base any screen size representation on the horizontal measurement of the actual, viewable picture area unless the marketer properly discloses its alternative method of measurement. As part of its systematic review of all current FTC rules and guides, the FTC sought comments on the Rule in 2017. Based on comments received and prevailing market practices, the Commission proposes to repeal the Rule. The Commission seeks comment on the proposed repeal of the Rule. The Commission vote approving the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking was 2-0. The Notice will be published in the Federal Register soon. Instructions for filing comments appear in the Federal Register Notice. Comments must be received on or before May 14, 2018. All comments received will be posted on the FTC’s website. (FTC File No. P174200; the staff contact is John Andrew Singer, Bureau of Consumer Protection, 202-326-3234) Get a Sneak Peek of Your Mail Before It Arrives Curious about what's coming to your mailbox? You can preview your letters and packages securely through images sent to your email address ahead of time through Informed Delivery from the U.S. Postal Service. The tool allows you to also use your online dashboard to schedule package deliveries and more. Find Your Path with the Peace Corps If you're passionate about health, economic development, or education, volunteering with the Peace Corps can help you create change that lasts long after serving. Sharpen your skills in a field you love, or challenge yourself in a new one. Search for opportunities to serve around the world and support communities in need. Oregon Food Bank Issues Alert on Foreign Material in Chia Seeds Oregon Food Bank of Portland, Oregon has initiated a Class II recall of 22,201 pounds of chia seeds, which were donated to the food bank. The product may be contaminated with rodent droppings. While no known illnesses have been associated with this product, use or consumption may present a health hazard to consumers. The chia seeds were distributed in Oregon and Clark County, Washington through the Oregon Food Bank Network of regional food banks and participating food pantries. The product was distributed in one pound plastic poly film bags with a twist-type closure or a re-sealable pouch. All chia seeds distributed in the described packaging between  November 1, 2017 and March 9, 2018 are included. See attached product labels for ease of identification. Consumers should dispose of the product immediately and can get additional information by contacting the food pantry where they received the product or from Oregon Food Bank’s Facilities and Regulatory Compliance Manager Ryan Wist at 503-419-4160. Anyone who has consumed these chia seeds and is experiencing symptoms of food borne illness should consult with their primary physician or county health department.