A selection of recent news releases issued by the U.S. government agencies, the White House and Congress.

Online System Speeds Up Veterans' Home Loan Processing
A new federal Internet-based system for mortgage bankers and other lenders will speed up the processing of home loans for veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Boxer Launches Juneteenth 2002 Webpage
Senator Barbara Boxer announced the launch of her Juneteenth 2002 feature Web page today, celebrating the African American journey from slavery to freedom. Juneteenth marks the specific day in 1865 when news that slavery was outlawed reached Texas.

Smoking Cessation Among Pregnant Women
Hispanic women and women with incomes above poverty level are the most likely to try to quit smoking while they are pregnant, according to a new HRSA study. However, older pregnant women who had smoked the longest were the least likely to quit successfully.

17 Members of Gambino Crime Family Indicted
New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer and federal and state authorities today announced the arrests and indictments of 17 members and associates of the Gambino Organized Crime Family of La Cosa Nostra for racketeering, extortion, wire-fraud, loan sharking, operating illegal gambling businesses, money laundering, witness tampering and other related crimes.

Conditions Fuel El Niño Development
Scientists from the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) detail new information that points toward development of mature El Niño conditions during the remainder of 2002.

HHS Awards $30 Million to Ease Nursing Shortage
HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced a series of grants totaling more than $30 million to increase the number of qualified nurses and the quality of nursing services across the country. The awards will help to ease the shortage of nurses available to provide essential health care services across the country.

Study Shows Sharp Reduction in Welfare Rate
HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today released a new study showing that a sharp reduction in the poverty rate coincided closely with the historic drop in the number of people dependent on welfare in the years immediately following the landmark 1996 welfare reform law.

Girls Start Smoking to Lose Weight: Study
Concern about weight and the drive to be thin increase the risk a girl will become a daily smoker by the time she’s 18 or 19 years old, according to a new study sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Weight concerns increased the risk for both black and white girls.

Bush Celebrates African American Music, History, and Culture
"The music and culture of Black Americans has brought great beauty into this world. Today it brings great pride to our country. And for the contributions so many of you have made to that legacy, your fellow Americans are very grateful." - President Bush, May 31, 2002.