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Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute: Shared Love of Biodiversity Seeds New Endowment
PANAMA CITY, Panama, Aug. 18 -- The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute issued the following news:
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Legacy of conservation
Shared love of biodiversity seeds new endowment
The Cristian Samper and Adriana Casas Endowment will support future conservation efforts.
Cristian Samper and his late wife Adriana Casas shared a passion for biodiversity and the environment.
Their love was so strong, in fact, that they forewent wedding gifts to create a fellowship fund to train the next generation of conservationists in their native Colombia. Two decades later, their endowment has supported 176 ... Show Full Article PANAMA CITY, Panama, Aug. 18 -- The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute issued the following news: * * * Legacy of conservation Shared love of biodiversity seeds new endowment The Cristian Samper and Adriana Casas Endowment will support future conservation efforts. Cristian Samper and his late wife Adriana Casas shared a passion for biodiversity and the environment. Their love was so strong, in fact, that they forewent wedding gifts to create a fellowship fund to train the next generation of conservationists in their native Colombia. Two decades later, their endowment has supported 176researchers from 42 different universities.
"In some ways, I am building on what we started," said Samper, a tropical biologist and former deputy director of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) and former director of the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH).
Recently, he established the Smithsonian's first international charitable gift annuity, which now benefits his in-laws in Colombia and will later fund The Cristian Samper and Adriana Casas Endowment to support future work at STRI and NMNH. "It's a way of saying thank you to the Smithsonian, which changed our family's life in so many ways."
During his tenure, Samper also served as Acting Secretary, which he fondly refers to as his "sabbatical in the Castle." He would often open talks with an aerial slide of the National Mall that showed the museums adjoining the U.S. Capitol, Washington Monument and White House. "Any nation that can devote its most important real estate to an institution dedicated to knowledge and make it free to anyone from any place in the world--well, that says something about a society."
He first visited the Smithsonian after completing his Master's degree. "My experience tells a story about the Smithsonian--about the nation," Samper reflected. "I came here as an immigrant and had these opportunities, and just 15 years later, I got to lead one of the world's most remarkable organizations."
The role of a museum, as he sees it, is to document a time and place through its collections, use them for science to understand our world, and share it all with millions of visitors. "We often talk about biodiversity extinction, but we don't talk enough about the loss of cultural diversity." The Smithsonian is uniquely positioned to address both issues. "It's really about asking critical questions and then using that knowledge to inform our lives and make different choices as a society."
Samper also values the Smithsonian's long-term commitment to its people and places. When he started at STRI, he said, "It was like going to Mecca. There's no tropical forest better understood than Barro Colorado Island." For over a century, scientists have explored its living collection, yielding pioneering studies and prolific publications. "The Smithsonian looks at the past, present and future of our natural world--and our place in it."
"We are at a critical moment for the planet," said Samper. "We must use scientific knowledge to inform policy and work on the ground. We must also strengthen our connections and partnerships with other organizations that are doing this work across the globe."
Samper is certain that now is the right time to invest in the future of the Smithsonian--and our planet. "I hope that our endowment will extend beyond the knowledge of the moment and translate to real impact on the world."
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About the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Headquartered in Panama City, Panama, STRI is a unit of the Smithsonian Institution. Our mission is to understand tropical biodiversity and its importance to human welfare, to train students to conduct research in the tropics and to promote conservation by increasing public awareness of the beauty and importance of tropical ecosystems. Watch our video, and visit our website, Facebook, X and Instagram for updates.
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Original text here: https://stri.si.edu/story/legacy-conservation
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Legacy of conservation
Shared love of biodiversity seeds new endowment
The Cristian Samper and Adriana Casas Endowment will support future conservation efforts.
Cristian Samper and his late wife Adriana Casas shared a passion for biodiversity and the environment.
Their love was so strong, in fact, that they forewent wedding gifts to create a fellowship fund to train the next generation of conservationists in their native Colombia. Two decades later, their endowment has supported 176 ... Show Full Article PANAMA CITY, Panama, Aug. 18 -- The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute issued the following news: * * * Legacy of conservation Shared love of biodiversity seeds new endowment The Cristian Samper and Adriana Casas Endowment will support future conservation efforts. Cristian Samper and his late wife Adriana Casas shared a passion for biodiversity and the environment. Their love was so strong, in fact, that they forewent wedding gifts to create a fellowship fund to train the next generation of conservationists in their native Colombia. Two decades later, their endowment has supported 176researchers from 42 different universities.
"In some ways, I am building on what we started," said Samper, a tropical biologist and former deputy director of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) and former director of the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH).
Recently, he established the Smithsonian's first international charitable gift annuity, which now benefits his in-laws in Colombia and will later fund The Cristian Samper and Adriana Casas Endowment to support future work at STRI and NMNH. "It's a way of saying thank you to the Smithsonian, which changed our family's life in so many ways."
During his tenure, Samper also served as Acting Secretary, which he fondly refers to as his "sabbatical in the Castle." He would often open talks with an aerial slide of the National Mall that showed the museums adjoining the U.S. Capitol, Washington Monument and White House. "Any nation that can devote its most important real estate to an institution dedicated to knowledge and make it free to anyone from any place in the world--well, that says something about a society."
He first visited the Smithsonian after completing his Master's degree. "My experience tells a story about the Smithsonian--about the nation," Samper reflected. "I came here as an immigrant and had these opportunities, and just 15 years later, I got to lead one of the world's most remarkable organizations."
The role of a museum, as he sees it, is to document a time and place through its collections, use them for science to understand our world, and share it all with millions of visitors. "We often talk about biodiversity extinction, but we don't talk enough about the loss of cultural diversity." The Smithsonian is uniquely positioned to address both issues. "It's really about asking critical questions and then using that knowledge to inform our lives and make different choices as a society."
Samper also values the Smithsonian's long-term commitment to its people and places. When he started at STRI, he said, "It was like going to Mecca. There's no tropical forest better understood than Barro Colorado Island." For over a century, scientists have explored its living collection, yielding pioneering studies and prolific publications. "The Smithsonian looks at the past, present and future of our natural world--and our place in it."
"We are at a critical moment for the planet," said Samper. "We must use scientific knowledge to inform policy and work on the ground. We must also strengthen our connections and partnerships with other organizations that are doing this work across the globe."
Samper is certain that now is the right time to invest in the future of the Smithsonian--and our planet. "I hope that our endowment will extend beyond the knowledge of the moment and translate to real impact on the world."
* * *
About the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Headquartered in Panama City, Panama, STRI is a unit of the Smithsonian Institution. Our mission is to understand tropical biodiversity and its importance to human welfare, to train students to conduct research in the tropics and to promote conservation by increasing public awareness of the beauty and importance of tropical ecosystems. Watch our video, and visit our website, Facebook, X and Instagram for updates.
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Original text here: https://stri.si.edu/story/legacy-conservation
National Museum of African American History and Culture Announces "The Reunion," a Multi-Day Celebration Marking Its 10th Anniversary Sept. 24-27
WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 -- The Smithsonian Institution issued the following news release on Aug. 17, 2026:
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National Museum of African American History and Culture Announces "The Reunion," a Multi-Day Celebration Marking Its 10th Anniversary Sept. 24-27
The Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) today announced "The Reunion," its 10th-anniversary commemoration, featuring a series of multi-day celebrations and signature events for visitors of all ages taking place Thursday, Sept. 24-Sunday, Sept. 27. Guided by the theme "Welcome Home: Our Legacy Continues," ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 -- The Smithsonian Institution issued the following news release on Aug. 17, 2026: * * * National Museum of African American History and Culture Announces "The Reunion," a Multi-Day Celebration Marking Its 10th Anniversary Sept. 24-27 The Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) today announced "The Reunion," its 10th-anniversary commemoration, featuring a series of multi-day celebrations and signature events for visitors of all ages taking place Thursday, Sept. 24-Sunday, Sept. 27. Guided by the theme "Welcome Home: Our Legacy Continues,""The Reunion" brings together visitors, supporters, community partners and friends of the museum to reflect on the journey that has shaped the museum over the past 10 years, celebrate the stories and achievements that define its legacy, and reaffirm its mission to preserve, share and elevate African American history and culture for generations to come.
Since opening Sept. 24, 2016, the museum has welcomed nearly 14 million visitors from 200 countries and hosted more than 26,000 school groups. The museum has presented educational workshops and public programs for all audiences, including over 1.1 million K-12 students, teachers and families. Its digital footprint has expanded through the Searchable Museum, an interactive digital platform and flagship website that has attracted more than 65 million visits. Social media channels have generated nearly 897 million impressions and garnered more than 1.1 million followers. Recognized globally for innovation in exhibitions, education and digital engagement, NMAAHC has received more than 100 awards.
"It is an absolute privilege to celebrate NMAAHC's first decade on the National Mall--a dream more than 100 years in the making," Acting Museum Director Shanita Brackett said. "From African American Civil War veterans to our founding director, Lonnie G. Bunch III, to our donors and visitors--there are countless hands and hearts that shaped NMAAHC into what stands before us--a living, breathing testament to a people's journey and a nation's story."
"The Reunion" will extend from the museum's footprint on the National Mall to The Wharf, a historic site just steps away where one of the most courageous stories of hope, resilience and determination in American history unfolded. The museum invites the community to honor the legacy of those who sought freedom while recognizing the stories, supporters and shared commitment that have sustained the museum and its mission over the past decade.
"For 10 years, we have preserved our history within these walls," Brackett said. "This September, we carry that mission back to the water's edge, to the very shore where, in 1848, 77 enslaved people dared to imagine freedom and boarded the Pearl schooner to escape into the night."
NMAAHC's celebration of events begins with a full museum activation on its 10th anniversary, Thursday, Sept. 24, followed by a schedule of public programs and signature events from Friday, Sept. 25, through Sunday, Sept. 27. Guests are encouraged to wear shades of purple--the museum's signature color--during this commemorative weekend to reflect the warmth and unity of a family reunion both inside the museum and at The Wharf.
"The Reunion" Signature Events
Friday, Sept. 25: "Understanding America: 10 Years of Excellence"
Join the museum's Founding Director and Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III for a special edition of Understanding America, a conversation moderated by award-winning journalist Laura Coates, commemorating the 10th anniversary of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Registration is free. Seating is limited. Advance tickets are required to attend.
Saturday, Sept. 26: "The Purple Ball: Echoes of the Pearl"
Museum patrons and members of the public are invited to a special evening at The Wharf, hosted by Bill Bellamy, featuring performances by GRAMMY Award-winning artist and producer Jermaine Dupri & Friends, and legendary artist and entertainer DJ D-Nice. Proceeds from this fundraising affair will help bolster the museum's exhibitions, programming and education initiatives. Registration required.
Sunday, Sept. 27: "Violet Vibes: A Community Celebration"
Guests will come together for the closing day of the museum's anniversary weekend to celebrate a decade of memory, preservation and belonging through daylong programming on The Wharf grounds. Admission is free. Space is limited. Registration details will be announced in September.
10th-Anniversary Publication
As a companion to the 10-year anniversary celebration, What a Dream Can Do: Building a Collection, Preserving a Legacy, edited by Michelle D. Commander, Ph.D., Michele Gates Moresi, Ph.D. and Douglas Remley and published by Rizzoli Electa, will be available for purchase online and in the NMAAHC museum store Tuesday, Sept. 15. This fully illustrated 320-page catalog details the stories behind some of the most notable acquisitions in the museum's permanent collection through essays by museum scholars and staff and a preface by Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III. What a Dream Can Do offers unparalleled insight into how celebrated African American historical and cultural artifacts came into the museum's collection, including Joseph Trammell's freedom papers, Harriet Tubman's hymnal, the Tuskegee Airmen training biplane and the Johnson Publishing Company's Ebony Test Kitchen.
Sweet Home Cafe
The National Museum of African American History and Culture's Sweet Home Cafe will celebrate 10 years of culinary excellence with an exclusive menu curated by Executive Chef Ramin Coles from Friday, Sept. 25, to Sunday, Sept. 27, followed by a 10th-anniversary menu featuring seasonal offerings throughout the year beginning Monday, Sept. 28.
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About the National Museum of African American History and Culture
Since opening on Sept. 24, 2016, the National Museum of African American History and Culture has welcomed 13.8 million in-person visitors and millions more online. Located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the nearly 400,000-square-foot museum is the nation's largest and most comprehensive cultural destination devoted exclusively to exploring, documenting, and showcasing the African American story and its impact on American and world history. The museum continues to expand its reach through initiatives such as the Searchable Museum portal and other digital platforms. For more information, visit nmaahc.si.edu, follow @NMAAHC on X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, or call Smithsonian information at (202) 633-1000.
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Original text here: https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/national-museum-african-american-history-and-culture-announces-reunion-multi-day
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National Museum of African American History and Culture Announces "The Reunion," a Multi-Day Celebration Marking Its 10th Anniversary Sept. 24-27
The Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) today announced "The Reunion," its 10th-anniversary commemoration, featuring a series of multi-day celebrations and signature events for visitors of all ages taking place Thursday, Sept. 24-Sunday, Sept. 27. Guided by the theme "Welcome Home: Our Legacy Continues," ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 -- The Smithsonian Institution issued the following news release on Aug. 17, 2026: * * * National Museum of African American History and Culture Announces "The Reunion," a Multi-Day Celebration Marking Its 10th Anniversary Sept. 24-27 The Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) today announced "The Reunion," its 10th-anniversary commemoration, featuring a series of multi-day celebrations and signature events for visitors of all ages taking place Thursday, Sept. 24-Sunday, Sept. 27. Guided by the theme "Welcome Home: Our Legacy Continues,""The Reunion" brings together visitors, supporters, community partners and friends of the museum to reflect on the journey that has shaped the museum over the past 10 years, celebrate the stories and achievements that define its legacy, and reaffirm its mission to preserve, share and elevate African American history and culture for generations to come.
Since opening Sept. 24, 2016, the museum has welcomed nearly 14 million visitors from 200 countries and hosted more than 26,000 school groups. The museum has presented educational workshops and public programs for all audiences, including over 1.1 million K-12 students, teachers and families. Its digital footprint has expanded through the Searchable Museum, an interactive digital platform and flagship website that has attracted more than 65 million visits. Social media channels have generated nearly 897 million impressions and garnered more than 1.1 million followers. Recognized globally for innovation in exhibitions, education and digital engagement, NMAAHC has received more than 100 awards.
"It is an absolute privilege to celebrate NMAAHC's first decade on the National Mall--a dream more than 100 years in the making," Acting Museum Director Shanita Brackett said. "From African American Civil War veterans to our founding director, Lonnie G. Bunch III, to our donors and visitors--there are countless hands and hearts that shaped NMAAHC into what stands before us--a living, breathing testament to a people's journey and a nation's story."
"The Reunion" will extend from the museum's footprint on the National Mall to The Wharf, a historic site just steps away where one of the most courageous stories of hope, resilience and determination in American history unfolded. The museum invites the community to honor the legacy of those who sought freedom while recognizing the stories, supporters and shared commitment that have sustained the museum and its mission over the past decade.
"For 10 years, we have preserved our history within these walls," Brackett said. "This September, we carry that mission back to the water's edge, to the very shore where, in 1848, 77 enslaved people dared to imagine freedom and boarded the Pearl schooner to escape into the night."
NMAAHC's celebration of events begins with a full museum activation on its 10th anniversary, Thursday, Sept. 24, followed by a schedule of public programs and signature events from Friday, Sept. 25, through Sunday, Sept. 27. Guests are encouraged to wear shades of purple--the museum's signature color--during this commemorative weekend to reflect the warmth and unity of a family reunion both inside the museum and at The Wharf.
"The Reunion" Signature Events
Friday, Sept. 25: "Understanding America: 10 Years of Excellence"
Join the museum's Founding Director and Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III for a special edition of Understanding America, a conversation moderated by award-winning journalist Laura Coates, commemorating the 10th anniversary of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Registration is free. Seating is limited. Advance tickets are required to attend.
Saturday, Sept. 26: "The Purple Ball: Echoes of the Pearl"
Museum patrons and members of the public are invited to a special evening at The Wharf, hosted by Bill Bellamy, featuring performances by GRAMMY Award-winning artist and producer Jermaine Dupri & Friends, and legendary artist and entertainer DJ D-Nice. Proceeds from this fundraising affair will help bolster the museum's exhibitions, programming and education initiatives. Registration required.
Sunday, Sept. 27: "Violet Vibes: A Community Celebration"
Guests will come together for the closing day of the museum's anniversary weekend to celebrate a decade of memory, preservation and belonging through daylong programming on The Wharf grounds. Admission is free. Space is limited. Registration details will be announced in September.
10th-Anniversary Publication
As a companion to the 10-year anniversary celebration, What a Dream Can Do: Building a Collection, Preserving a Legacy, edited by Michelle D. Commander, Ph.D., Michele Gates Moresi, Ph.D. and Douglas Remley and published by Rizzoli Electa, will be available for purchase online and in the NMAAHC museum store Tuesday, Sept. 15. This fully illustrated 320-page catalog details the stories behind some of the most notable acquisitions in the museum's permanent collection through essays by museum scholars and staff and a preface by Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III. What a Dream Can Do offers unparalleled insight into how celebrated African American historical and cultural artifacts came into the museum's collection, including Joseph Trammell's freedom papers, Harriet Tubman's hymnal, the Tuskegee Airmen training biplane and the Johnson Publishing Company's Ebony Test Kitchen.
Sweet Home Cafe
The National Museum of African American History and Culture's Sweet Home Cafe will celebrate 10 years of culinary excellence with an exclusive menu curated by Executive Chef Ramin Coles from Friday, Sept. 25, to Sunday, Sept. 27, followed by a 10th-anniversary menu featuring seasonal offerings throughout the year beginning Monday, Sept. 28.
* * *
About the National Museum of African American History and Culture
Since opening on Sept. 24, 2016, the National Museum of African American History and Culture has welcomed 13.8 million in-person visitors and millions more online. Located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the nearly 400,000-square-foot museum is the nation's largest and most comprehensive cultural destination devoted exclusively to exploring, documenting, and showcasing the African American story and its impact on American and world history. The museum continues to expand its reach through initiatives such as the Searchable Museum portal and other digital platforms. For more information, visit nmaahc.si.edu, follow @NMAAHC on X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, or call Smithsonian information at (202) 633-1000.
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Original text here: https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/national-museum-african-american-history-and-culture-announces-reunion-multi-day
Preventing Deaths from Cardiovascular Complications During and After Pregnancy
WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 -- The National Academy of Medicine issued the following news:
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Preventing Deaths from Cardiovascular Complications During and After Pregnancy
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Interview conducted by Laura DeStefano
The United States has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among developed nations, and a large portion of those deaths arise from cardiovascular complications. A new report from the National Academies reveals some surprising facts: more than half of maternal deaths occur in the year after the birth, and more than three-quarters of pregnancy-related cardiovascular deaths are potentially ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 -- The National Academy of Medicine issued the following news: * * * Preventing Deaths from Cardiovascular Complications During and After Pregnancy * Interview conducted by Laura DeStefano The United States has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among developed nations, and a large portion of those deaths arise from cardiovascular complications. A new report from the National Academies reveals some surprising facts: more than half of maternal deaths occur in the year after the birth, and more than three-quarters of pregnancy-related cardiovascular deaths are potentiallypreventable.
We spoke with Michelle Debbink, MD, PhD, an NAM fellow and maternal-fetal medicine specialist based in Utah who contributed to the report. Debbink explains the physiology behind pregnancy-related cardiovascular strain, what pregnancy complications can reveal about a person's long-term health, and how gaps in the US health care system contribute to preventable maternal deaths.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Why does pregnancy cause cardiovascular strain?
A lot of people don't realize that the cardiovascular impacts of pregnancy can start very early in the first trimester. Your blood volume continues to increase up until weeks 32-34 of pregnancy, which means your heart is working harder to move more blood around your body, and to get enough blood flow to the uterus. Because of the extra volume and extra work, there can be a stretch or strain on the heart. There can be arrhythmias where the heart is not beating at a normal rate or rhythm, or there can be damage to the cardiac muscle.
One of the other changes that happens in pregnancy is your peripheral blood pressure (the pressure in your arms and legs) is supposed to drop substantially. So, even though the heart is working harder, it's easier work. The pipes are more open. But if you have high blood pressure or a vascular problem that means your body can't respond to those pregnancy signals as well, and your peripheral blood pressure stays high, you've got a heart that is working harder against pipes that are less open.
Preeclampsia is one of the major cardiovascular complications in pregnancy. Can you explain what that is?
Preeclampsia is a disease that's caused by the placenta. It is unique to pregnancy. We don't understand exactly how it develops, but hormones released by the placenta play a role in making your blood pressure go up, and that creates downstream consequences for other organs, including the kidneys, liver, and lungs. It also causes something called capillary leak, which means the tiniest blood vessels where the arteries and veins connect start to leak plasma and proteins. When that happens, the surrounding organs can get "waterlogged," if you will. An example of this is pulmonary edema, which means "water on the lungs." There can also be consequences for the brain with preeclampsia, including seizures and stroke. But the most common neurologic symptom people report is an unrelenting severe headache, sometimes with vision changes.
Does the health of the male partner play a role? Can I blame my husband because I got preeclampsia?
While the male partner's health may not directly play a role, there are some interesting data around the male partner's contribution to pregnancy, placental function, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. For example, if someone has had several pregnancies with one partner, and then they have a pregnancy with a new partner, their risk for preeclampsia changes and can look more like the risk profile for a first pregnancy.
We do see some placental function as being primarily driven by the male contribution to the pregnancy. But the relationship between male health and cardiovascular problems in pregnancy is not really well understood. It's certainly worth investigating.
What are other possible cardiovascular complications in pregnancy?
Preeclampsia exists on a spectrum that also includes gestational hypertension, HELLP syndrome (Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes, and Low Platelets), and eclampsia (which is when preeclampsia has progressed to causing seizures). In addition, changes in pregnancy can induce heart failure, most often as a result of peripartum cardiomyopathy, which is heart failure that starts abruptly during pregnancy (often near the end) or soon after delivery. You can have a stroke, either from preeclampsia or from blood clots in your legs or lungs. Patients can also experience dissections - tears in their arteries - especially in the setting of high blood pressure.
Can these complications be prevented?
Many of them can be, through close attention to symptoms, especially blood pressure. The challenge is that many of the symptoms of heart failure, for instance, can overlap really closely with the symptoms of pregnancy - shortness of breath, trouble sleeping, swelling in your feet. So, providers need to have a high index of suspicion to make sure that the symptoms someone's reporting are not blown off but really interrogated to make sure they aren't cardiac related.
Why do so many deaths occur in the postpartum period? It seems counterintuitive because the additional strain on the body is gone.
Deaths in the postpartum period are less related to physiology, or ongoing changes in how the body works due to pregnancy, and more related to problems with care coordination or loss of care due to lack of coverage, unreliable transportation, or other factors. People with risk factors for cardiovascular problems, or who have pregnancy-related conditions that increase their risk for cardiovascular problems, often have access to stabilizing care around the time of pregnancy and delivery. However, after pregnancy, they can lose coverage, which interrupts continuity of care.
Pregnancy and delivery create a big strain on the body, and patients need eyes on them a little bit more during that first year postpartum, especially if they have developed a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy (the spectrum of diseases related to preeclampsia) or have underlying risk factors for cardiovascular disease (such as diabetes or chronic hypertension).
We as obstetric clinicians need to do a much better job with warm handoffs between patients with risk factors for cardiovascular disease and primary care providers or other clinicians who can take care of them throughout that first year postpartum. When patients don't have follow-up and their blood pressure remains high or not treated, or they have an underlying risk factor for heart failure or stroke that goes untreated, that's when we can see deaths in the postpartum period.
Are there implications for health more than 1 year postpartum?
There are some really good emerging data that indicate that for folks who have preeclampsia, lifelong risk is elevated for heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular issues. While the way we assess and study risk for pregnancy-related death ends around 1one year postpartum, the risk for lifelong cardiovascular disease does not.
We need to do a better job of teaching our clinicians that these kinds of health problems in pregnancy are important throughout someone's life and make sure they're getting screenings on time, or sometimes earlier or more frequently than a person who has not had these pregnancy related disorders. Screenings can reduce risk for poor cardiovascular outcomes.
What advice do you have for people concerned about their cardiovascular risk?
It depends on where you are in your reproductive life. If you've never had a pregnancy, it can be hard to predict whether you'll have a complication. For people who start pregnancy with risk factors, like type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure, I recommend chatting with a high-risk obstetrician to discuss how to mitigate your risks. Just at baseline, the best way to mitigate your risks is to have good control over your existing health conditions. The better controlled they are, the safer a pregnancy will be. If you have a family history of heart disease, early cardiac deaths, or other cardiovascular problems, it's important that your obstetric clinicians know about that as well.
If you're pregnant already and concerned that you may be experiencing cardiovascular issues, you can advocate for yourself or ask someone to advocate for you. Say to your doctor, "I just want to be sure we're not missing something going on with my heart or blood pressure. Can we talk this through in a little more detail?"
If you're postpartum and contemplating another pregnancy, check in with your regular physician or obstetrician to make sure your body is recovering well from pregnancy. Make sure your future providers are aware of your history when you begin your next pregnancy, especially if you experienced complications like preeclampsia or gestational diabetes.
If you're postpartum with cardiovascular risk factors and not planning another pregnancy, keep a really close eye on any cardiac-related symptoms and monitor your blood pressure throughout your life. That doesn't necessarily mean checking twice a day, but checking it once a month or twice a quarter might help you to identify a potential problem earlier because high blood pressure can be a silent problem until it is very high. You can even just stop at Walgreen's and put your arm in the automated blood pressure cuff. To the extent that you are able, maintain good contact with a primary care clinician to ensure you have the needed screenings, and always have a low threshold for checking with your doctor if something feels off with your health.
What does good preventive care look like? What is the state of things now, and where do we want to be?
The state we're in now is generally one of highly fragmented care. Many people pregnant for the first time are young adults who haven't visited a doctor since they last saw their pediatrician. Ensuring that people have access to care throughout their life course can help uncover risk factors like high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes that can be managed prior to pregnancy.
Fragmentation after pregnancy is also really problematic. A lot of clinicians don't receive training or education about how pregnancy-related conditions can increase risk for non-pregnancy-related conditions. For example, gestational diabetes is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. About half of people with gestational diabetes will end up with type 2 diabetes within 10 years. We need to do a better job communicating about this within the health care community.
Other contributors to fragmentation are the lack of access to health care or health insurance that many people have, and when information doesn't carry over when people move between health systems or providers. We end up with a "Swiss cheese" approach to post-pregnancy care.
In an ideal world, everyone would have access to preventive care follow-ups after each pregnancy for at least 12 months postpartum, but ideally throughout their reproductive life and beyond. All of their clinicians would know what their risk factors are and how those contribute to lifelong health. Comorbidities like diabetes or high blood pressure would be optimized going into any future pregnancy, and access to the needed tools, medications, support, and care coordination to make that happen would be universally available. Care coordination across systems and across geography would be a lot tighter, so that patients don't have to repeat their histories all the time. Some of these diagnoses are really nuanced and asking patients to hold all of that can be really challenging when they are also living their lives, taking care of families, jobs, school, and all of the other things we take care of in our lives.
How can we get closer to the ideal state of preventive care?
We need to increase education for clinicians and make system changes that allow them to spend as much time as they need with someone who has risk factors going into pregnancy or cardiovascular morbidity (illnesses) in pregnancy. In particular, the National Academies report recommends a focus on increasing capacity within federally qualified health centers to allow for continuity of care. An obvious piece of this puzzle is to increase access to healthcare and decrease barriers to how people use health care, follow up with their providers, and receive treatment for risk factors.
Obstetrician-gynecologists and maternal fetal medicine doctors need to take responsibility and accountability for handoffs in the postpartum period to ensure that high-risk patients get seen by cardiologists or internal medicine specialists as needed. We could also do a better job of utilizing telehealth to reach people in rural areas or even people in urban areas who may be working multiple jobs,lack reliable transportation, or don't have childcare support. Systems- level changes are needed to improve our ability to help provide the depth and continuity of care that would create an ideal preventive care landscape to reduce pregnancy-related cardiac deaths.
Nearly every state in the country has passed 12-month postpartum Medicaid coverage - an increase from 60 days. Could this help to address some of the fragmentation?
Absolutely. I had a patient with type 1 diabetes who ended up in the ICU in the first trimester of her pregnancy due to very low blood sugars. Unfortunately, she experienced a pregnancy loss, but because Medicaid coverage was extended for 12 months from the end of her pregnancy, she was able to see an endocrinologist and start getting care for her diabetes, which will improve her health going into her next pregnancy as well as her lifelong health. We have anecdotal evidence and also emerging demographic and epidemiologic evidence that postpartum Medicaid expansions are helpful.
Can the United States learn from other countries that are outperforming us in terms of maternal health outcomes?
Well, comparative research on this issue is actually kind of challenging because other high-income countries have completely different health systems. The vast majority have universal, or nearly universal, health care access. On a foundational level, that's such a different playing field that porting over another country's programs wouldn't necessarily achieve the same outcomes. That said, we desperately need coordinated research efforts to better understand the most effective models for interventions and implementation in the United States.
Download and read the full report.
Laura DeStefano is the Director of Strategic Communications & Engagement at the National Academy of Medicine and a science communicator.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
***
Original text here: https://nam.edu/news-and-insights/preventing-deaths-from-cardiovascular-complications-during-and-after-pregnancy/
* * *
Preventing Deaths from Cardiovascular Complications During and After Pregnancy
*
Interview conducted by Laura DeStefano
The United States has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among developed nations, and a large portion of those deaths arise from cardiovascular complications. A new report from the National Academies reveals some surprising facts: more than half of maternal deaths occur in the year after the birth, and more than three-quarters of pregnancy-related cardiovascular deaths are potentially ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 -- The National Academy of Medicine issued the following news: * * * Preventing Deaths from Cardiovascular Complications During and After Pregnancy * Interview conducted by Laura DeStefano The United States has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among developed nations, and a large portion of those deaths arise from cardiovascular complications. A new report from the National Academies reveals some surprising facts: more than half of maternal deaths occur in the year after the birth, and more than three-quarters of pregnancy-related cardiovascular deaths are potentiallypreventable.
We spoke with Michelle Debbink, MD, PhD, an NAM fellow and maternal-fetal medicine specialist based in Utah who contributed to the report. Debbink explains the physiology behind pregnancy-related cardiovascular strain, what pregnancy complications can reveal about a person's long-term health, and how gaps in the US health care system contribute to preventable maternal deaths.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Why does pregnancy cause cardiovascular strain?
A lot of people don't realize that the cardiovascular impacts of pregnancy can start very early in the first trimester. Your blood volume continues to increase up until weeks 32-34 of pregnancy, which means your heart is working harder to move more blood around your body, and to get enough blood flow to the uterus. Because of the extra volume and extra work, there can be a stretch or strain on the heart. There can be arrhythmias where the heart is not beating at a normal rate or rhythm, or there can be damage to the cardiac muscle.
One of the other changes that happens in pregnancy is your peripheral blood pressure (the pressure in your arms and legs) is supposed to drop substantially. So, even though the heart is working harder, it's easier work. The pipes are more open. But if you have high blood pressure or a vascular problem that means your body can't respond to those pregnancy signals as well, and your peripheral blood pressure stays high, you've got a heart that is working harder against pipes that are less open.
Preeclampsia is one of the major cardiovascular complications in pregnancy. Can you explain what that is?
Preeclampsia is a disease that's caused by the placenta. It is unique to pregnancy. We don't understand exactly how it develops, but hormones released by the placenta play a role in making your blood pressure go up, and that creates downstream consequences for other organs, including the kidneys, liver, and lungs. It also causes something called capillary leak, which means the tiniest blood vessels where the arteries and veins connect start to leak plasma and proteins. When that happens, the surrounding organs can get "waterlogged," if you will. An example of this is pulmonary edema, which means "water on the lungs." There can also be consequences for the brain with preeclampsia, including seizures and stroke. But the most common neurologic symptom people report is an unrelenting severe headache, sometimes with vision changes.
Does the health of the male partner play a role? Can I blame my husband because I got preeclampsia?
While the male partner's health may not directly play a role, there are some interesting data around the male partner's contribution to pregnancy, placental function, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. For example, if someone has had several pregnancies with one partner, and then they have a pregnancy with a new partner, their risk for preeclampsia changes and can look more like the risk profile for a first pregnancy.
We do see some placental function as being primarily driven by the male contribution to the pregnancy. But the relationship between male health and cardiovascular problems in pregnancy is not really well understood. It's certainly worth investigating.
What are other possible cardiovascular complications in pregnancy?
Preeclampsia exists on a spectrum that also includes gestational hypertension, HELLP syndrome (Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes, and Low Platelets), and eclampsia (which is when preeclampsia has progressed to causing seizures). In addition, changes in pregnancy can induce heart failure, most often as a result of peripartum cardiomyopathy, which is heart failure that starts abruptly during pregnancy (often near the end) or soon after delivery. You can have a stroke, either from preeclampsia or from blood clots in your legs or lungs. Patients can also experience dissections - tears in their arteries - especially in the setting of high blood pressure.
Can these complications be prevented?
Many of them can be, through close attention to symptoms, especially blood pressure. The challenge is that many of the symptoms of heart failure, for instance, can overlap really closely with the symptoms of pregnancy - shortness of breath, trouble sleeping, swelling in your feet. So, providers need to have a high index of suspicion to make sure that the symptoms someone's reporting are not blown off but really interrogated to make sure they aren't cardiac related.
Why do so many deaths occur in the postpartum period? It seems counterintuitive because the additional strain on the body is gone.
Deaths in the postpartum period are less related to physiology, or ongoing changes in how the body works due to pregnancy, and more related to problems with care coordination or loss of care due to lack of coverage, unreliable transportation, or other factors. People with risk factors for cardiovascular problems, or who have pregnancy-related conditions that increase their risk for cardiovascular problems, often have access to stabilizing care around the time of pregnancy and delivery. However, after pregnancy, they can lose coverage, which interrupts continuity of care.
Pregnancy and delivery create a big strain on the body, and patients need eyes on them a little bit more during that first year postpartum, especially if they have developed a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy (the spectrum of diseases related to preeclampsia) or have underlying risk factors for cardiovascular disease (such as diabetes or chronic hypertension).
We as obstetric clinicians need to do a much better job with warm handoffs between patients with risk factors for cardiovascular disease and primary care providers or other clinicians who can take care of them throughout that first year postpartum. When patients don't have follow-up and their blood pressure remains high or not treated, or they have an underlying risk factor for heart failure or stroke that goes untreated, that's when we can see deaths in the postpartum period.
Are there implications for health more than 1 year postpartum?
There are some really good emerging data that indicate that for folks who have preeclampsia, lifelong risk is elevated for heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular issues. While the way we assess and study risk for pregnancy-related death ends around 1one year postpartum, the risk for lifelong cardiovascular disease does not.
We need to do a better job of teaching our clinicians that these kinds of health problems in pregnancy are important throughout someone's life and make sure they're getting screenings on time, or sometimes earlier or more frequently than a person who has not had these pregnancy related disorders. Screenings can reduce risk for poor cardiovascular outcomes.
What advice do you have for people concerned about their cardiovascular risk?
It depends on where you are in your reproductive life. If you've never had a pregnancy, it can be hard to predict whether you'll have a complication. For people who start pregnancy with risk factors, like type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure, I recommend chatting with a high-risk obstetrician to discuss how to mitigate your risks. Just at baseline, the best way to mitigate your risks is to have good control over your existing health conditions. The better controlled they are, the safer a pregnancy will be. If you have a family history of heart disease, early cardiac deaths, or other cardiovascular problems, it's important that your obstetric clinicians know about that as well.
If you're pregnant already and concerned that you may be experiencing cardiovascular issues, you can advocate for yourself or ask someone to advocate for you. Say to your doctor, "I just want to be sure we're not missing something going on with my heart or blood pressure. Can we talk this through in a little more detail?"
If you're postpartum and contemplating another pregnancy, check in with your regular physician or obstetrician to make sure your body is recovering well from pregnancy. Make sure your future providers are aware of your history when you begin your next pregnancy, especially if you experienced complications like preeclampsia or gestational diabetes.
If you're postpartum with cardiovascular risk factors and not planning another pregnancy, keep a really close eye on any cardiac-related symptoms and monitor your blood pressure throughout your life. That doesn't necessarily mean checking twice a day, but checking it once a month or twice a quarter might help you to identify a potential problem earlier because high blood pressure can be a silent problem until it is very high. You can even just stop at Walgreen's and put your arm in the automated blood pressure cuff. To the extent that you are able, maintain good contact with a primary care clinician to ensure you have the needed screenings, and always have a low threshold for checking with your doctor if something feels off with your health.
What does good preventive care look like? What is the state of things now, and where do we want to be?
The state we're in now is generally one of highly fragmented care. Many people pregnant for the first time are young adults who haven't visited a doctor since they last saw their pediatrician. Ensuring that people have access to care throughout their life course can help uncover risk factors like high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes that can be managed prior to pregnancy.
Fragmentation after pregnancy is also really problematic. A lot of clinicians don't receive training or education about how pregnancy-related conditions can increase risk for non-pregnancy-related conditions. For example, gestational diabetes is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. About half of people with gestational diabetes will end up with type 2 diabetes within 10 years. We need to do a better job communicating about this within the health care community.
Other contributors to fragmentation are the lack of access to health care or health insurance that many people have, and when information doesn't carry over when people move between health systems or providers. We end up with a "Swiss cheese" approach to post-pregnancy care.
In an ideal world, everyone would have access to preventive care follow-ups after each pregnancy for at least 12 months postpartum, but ideally throughout their reproductive life and beyond. All of their clinicians would know what their risk factors are and how those contribute to lifelong health. Comorbidities like diabetes or high blood pressure would be optimized going into any future pregnancy, and access to the needed tools, medications, support, and care coordination to make that happen would be universally available. Care coordination across systems and across geography would be a lot tighter, so that patients don't have to repeat their histories all the time. Some of these diagnoses are really nuanced and asking patients to hold all of that can be really challenging when they are also living their lives, taking care of families, jobs, school, and all of the other things we take care of in our lives.
How can we get closer to the ideal state of preventive care?
We need to increase education for clinicians and make system changes that allow them to spend as much time as they need with someone who has risk factors going into pregnancy or cardiovascular morbidity (illnesses) in pregnancy. In particular, the National Academies report recommends a focus on increasing capacity within federally qualified health centers to allow for continuity of care. An obvious piece of this puzzle is to increase access to healthcare and decrease barriers to how people use health care, follow up with their providers, and receive treatment for risk factors.
Obstetrician-gynecologists and maternal fetal medicine doctors need to take responsibility and accountability for handoffs in the postpartum period to ensure that high-risk patients get seen by cardiologists or internal medicine specialists as needed. We could also do a better job of utilizing telehealth to reach people in rural areas or even people in urban areas who may be working multiple jobs,lack reliable transportation, or don't have childcare support. Systems- level changes are needed to improve our ability to help provide the depth and continuity of care that would create an ideal preventive care landscape to reduce pregnancy-related cardiac deaths.
Nearly every state in the country has passed 12-month postpartum Medicaid coverage - an increase from 60 days. Could this help to address some of the fragmentation?
Absolutely. I had a patient with type 1 diabetes who ended up in the ICU in the first trimester of her pregnancy due to very low blood sugars. Unfortunately, she experienced a pregnancy loss, but because Medicaid coverage was extended for 12 months from the end of her pregnancy, she was able to see an endocrinologist and start getting care for her diabetes, which will improve her health going into her next pregnancy as well as her lifelong health. We have anecdotal evidence and also emerging demographic and epidemiologic evidence that postpartum Medicaid expansions are helpful.
Can the United States learn from other countries that are outperforming us in terms of maternal health outcomes?
Well, comparative research on this issue is actually kind of challenging because other high-income countries have completely different health systems. The vast majority have universal, or nearly universal, health care access. On a foundational level, that's such a different playing field that porting over another country's programs wouldn't necessarily achieve the same outcomes. That said, we desperately need coordinated research efforts to better understand the most effective models for interventions and implementation in the United States.
Download and read the full report.
Laura DeStefano is the Director of Strategic Communications & Engagement at the National Academy of Medicine and a science communicator.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
***
Original text here: https://nam.edu/news-and-insights/preventing-deaths-from-cardiovascular-complications-during-and-after-pregnancy/
GSA IG: 'The Processes FAS Uses to Ensure It Awards and Collects Accurate Product Data Are Ineffective'
WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 (TNSrep) -- The General Services Administration Inspector General issued the following audit report entitled "The Processes FAS Uses to Ensure It Awards and Collects Accurate Product Data Are Ineffective."
Here are excerpts:
* * *
Why We Performed This Audit
This audit was included in our Fiscal Year 2024 Audit Plan. In prior audits of GSA's pricing tools, we identified: (1) deficiencies in Transactional Data Reporting (TDR) data quality, including the use of inaccurate part numbers; and (2) limited effectiveness of the Price Point Plus Portal. If contracting officers do ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 (TNSrep) -- The General Services Administration Inspector General issued the following audit report entitled "The Processes FAS Uses to Ensure It Awards and Collects Accurate Product Data Are Ineffective." Here are excerpts: * * * Why We Performed This Audit This audit was included in our Fiscal Year 2024 Audit Plan. In prior audits of GSA's pricing tools, we identified: (1) deficiencies in Transactional Data Reporting (TDR) data quality, including the use of inaccurate part numbers; and (2) limited effectiveness of the Price Point Plus Portal. If contracting officers donot have fully reliable and effective data to conduct price analysis, federal customer agencies risk overpaying for products and wasting taxpayer dollars.
Our audit objective was to determine if GSA's systems and processes ensure transactional data submitted by the contractor and the contractor's product catalog contains actual manufacturer part numbers in accordance with applicable regulations and GSA policies.
What We Found
Access to accurate and consistent manufacturer names and part numbers is imperative to: (1) maximize the price analysis capability of the GSA Federal Acquisition Service's (FAS's) pricing tools and (2) provide information FAS contracting personnel can use to make fair and reasonable price determinations.
However, we found inaccurate manufacturer names and part numbers for products in the GSA Advantage! catalog and TDR data, including multiple variations for the same product, as well as names and part numbers that did not match those from the manufacturer. We also found that FAS does not standardize part numbers for related product add-ons and base products with options that have a single manufacturer part number for multiple variations, which inhibits identification and comparability across Multiple Award Schedule contracts.
Absent reliable manufacturer name and part number data, FAS's pricing tools cannot identify identical products and provide useful pricing information for contracting officers' use in negotiations, potentially resulting in higher awarded pricing. As a result, federal customer agencies may overpay for products offered on Multiple Award Schedule contracts and waste taxpayer dollars.
What We Recommend
We recommend that the FAS Commissioner:
1. Identify and correct existing manufacturer part number and name inconsistencies in TDR and GSA Advantage! catalog data for products to ensure that identical products use the same part numbers.
2. Develop and implement processes that ensure accurate and consistent part numbers are established upon new contract award and modification approval, while continuing to improve TDR data match rates through the TDR Data Quality Dashboard.
3. Improve the FAS Catalog Platform's automated data quality checks to ensure that incorrect part numbers are flagged and corrected to minimize the need for FAS contracting personnel to perform manual market research.
4. Provide FAS contracting personnel with tools, guidance, and resources that allow for efficient and effective manual market research.
5.Ensure FAS industrial operations analysts verify the accuracy of TDR data, as required, and verify whether part numbers are consistent with manufacturer sources.
6.Implement processes to ensure identical related product add-ons and base products with options that have a single manufacturer part number for multiple variations can be identified and compared.
The Acting FAS Commissioner agreed with Recommendation 4 and partially agreed with Recommendations 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6. FAS's written comments are included in their entirety in Appendix C.
* * *
The report is posted at: https://www.gsaig.gov/sites/default/files/audit-reports/A240054-1%20-%20Final%20Report.pdf
Here are excerpts:
* * *
Why We Performed This Audit
This audit was included in our Fiscal Year 2024 Audit Plan. In prior audits of GSA's pricing tools, we identified: (1) deficiencies in Transactional Data Reporting (TDR) data quality, including the use of inaccurate part numbers; and (2) limited effectiveness of the Price Point Plus Portal. If contracting officers do ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 (TNSrep) -- The General Services Administration Inspector General issued the following audit report entitled "The Processes FAS Uses to Ensure It Awards and Collects Accurate Product Data Are Ineffective." Here are excerpts: * * * Why We Performed This Audit This audit was included in our Fiscal Year 2024 Audit Plan. In prior audits of GSA's pricing tools, we identified: (1) deficiencies in Transactional Data Reporting (TDR) data quality, including the use of inaccurate part numbers; and (2) limited effectiveness of the Price Point Plus Portal. If contracting officers donot have fully reliable and effective data to conduct price analysis, federal customer agencies risk overpaying for products and wasting taxpayer dollars.
Our audit objective was to determine if GSA's systems and processes ensure transactional data submitted by the contractor and the contractor's product catalog contains actual manufacturer part numbers in accordance with applicable regulations and GSA policies.
What We Found
Access to accurate and consistent manufacturer names and part numbers is imperative to: (1) maximize the price analysis capability of the GSA Federal Acquisition Service's (FAS's) pricing tools and (2) provide information FAS contracting personnel can use to make fair and reasonable price determinations.
However, we found inaccurate manufacturer names and part numbers for products in the GSA Advantage! catalog and TDR data, including multiple variations for the same product, as well as names and part numbers that did not match those from the manufacturer. We also found that FAS does not standardize part numbers for related product add-ons and base products with options that have a single manufacturer part number for multiple variations, which inhibits identification and comparability across Multiple Award Schedule contracts.
Absent reliable manufacturer name and part number data, FAS's pricing tools cannot identify identical products and provide useful pricing information for contracting officers' use in negotiations, potentially resulting in higher awarded pricing. As a result, federal customer agencies may overpay for products offered on Multiple Award Schedule contracts and waste taxpayer dollars.
What We Recommend
We recommend that the FAS Commissioner:
1. Identify and correct existing manufacturer part number and name inconsistencies in TDR and GSA Advantage! catalog data for products to ensure that identical products use the same part numbers.
2. Develop and implement processes that ensure accurate and consistent part numbers are established upon new contract award and modification approval, while continuing to improve TDR data match rates through the TDR Data Quality Dashboard.
3. Improve the FAS Catalog Platform's automated data quality checks to ensure that incorrect part numbers are flagged and corrected to minimize the need for FAS contracting personnel to perform manual market research.
4. Provide FAS contracting personnel with tools, guidance, and resources that allow for efficient and effective manual market research.
5.Ensure FAS industrial operations analysts verify the accuracy of TDR data, as required, and verify whether part numbers are consistent with manufacturer sources.
6.Implement processes to ensure identical related product add-ons and base products with options that have a single manufacturer part number for multiple variations can be identified and compared.
The Acting FAS Commissioner agreed with Recommendation 4 and partially agreed with Recommendations 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6. FAS's written comments are included in their entirety in Appendix C.
* * *
The report is posted at: https://www.gsaig.gov/sites/default/files/audit-reports/A240054-1%20-%20Final%20Report.pdf
EPA IG: Evaluation of the EPA's E-Manifest System
WASHINGTON, Aug. 16 (TNSLrpt) -- The Environmental Protection Agency Inspector General issued the following report (No. 26-E-0047) entitled "Evaluation of the EPA's e-Manifest System."
Here are excerpts:
* * *
Evaluation of the EPA's e-Manifest System
August 11, 2026 | Report No. 26-E-0047
Why We Did This Report
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General conducted this evaluation to determine the effectiveness of the EPA's e-Manifest system, including the impact of and efforts to address errors in the system.
Summary of Findings
Neither the EPA nor industry has ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 16 (TNSLrpt) -- The Environmental Protection Agency Inspector General issued the following report (No. 26-E-0047) entitled "Evaluation of the EPA's e-Manifest System." Here are excerpts: * * * Evaluation of the EPA's e-Manifest System August 11, 2026 | Report No. 26-E-0047 Why We Did This Report The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General conducted this evaluation to determine the effectiveness of the EPA's e-Manifest system, including the impact of and efforts to address errors in the system. Summary of Findings Neither the EPA nor industry hasrealized the full benefits of the EPA's e-Manifest system. Although the number of electronic manifests increased from 2019 to 2024, fewer than 0.5 percent of manifests each year were electronic. Because hazardous waste handlers manually transcribe information from paper manifests into electronic data files, the e-Manifest system is vulnerable to data entry errors. Consequently, the very low adoption of electronic manifests contributes to significant data quality issues in the e-Manifest system.
* * *
The report is posted at: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2026-08/_epaoig_20260811-26-e-0047_cert.pdf
Here are excerpts:
* * *
Evaluation of the EPA's e-Manifest System
August 11, 2026 | Report No. 26-E-0047
Why We Did This Report
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General conducted this evaluation to determine the effectiveness of the EPA's e-Manifest system, including the impact of and efforts to address errors in the system.
Summary of Findings
Neither the EPA nor industry has ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 16 (TNSLrpt) -- The Environmental Protection Agency Inspector General issued the following report (No. 26-E-0047) entitled "Evaluation of the EPA's e-Manifest System." Here are excerpts: * * * Evaluation of the EPA's e-Manifest System August 11, 2026 | Report No. 26-E-0047 Why We Did This Report The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General conducted this evaluation to determine the effectiveness of the EPA's e-Manifest system, including the impact of and efforts to address errors in the system. Summary of Findings Neither the EPA nor industry hasrealized the full benefits of the EPA's e-Manifest system. Although the number of electronic manifests increased from 2019 to 2024, fewer than 0.5 percent of manifests each year were electronic. Because hazardous waste handlers manually transcribe information from paper manifests into electronic data files, the e-Manifest system is vulnerable to data entry errors. Consequently, the very low adoption of electronic manifests contributes to significant data quality issues in the e-Manifest system.
* * *
The report is posted at: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2026-08/_epaoig_20260811-26-e-0047_cert.pdf
SBA Announces 90% Loan Guarantee for Energy Sector
WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 -- The Small Business Administration issued the following news release on Aug. 14, 2026:
* * *
SBA Announces 90% Loan Guarantee for Energy Sector
New loan guarantee for small producers will support expanded energy capacity, lower energy prices, and stronger supply chain
-
Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that small businesses across the energy production supply chain are now eligible for a new 90% Energy Guarantee through the SBA International Trade Loan (ITL) Program. Established as part of SOP 50 10 8.1, the enhanced guarantee encourages participating ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 -- The Small Business Administration issued the following news release on Aug. 14, 2026: * * * SBA Announces 90% Loan Guarantee for Energy Sector New loan guarantee for small producers will support expanded energy capacity, lower energy prices, and stronger supply chain - Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that small businesses across the energy production supply chain are now eligible for a new 90% Energy Guarantee through the SBA International Trade Loan (ITL) Program. Established as part of SOP 50 10 8.1, the enhanced guarantee encourages participatinglenders to unleash private investment in energy production, distribution, grid modernization, and equipment manufacturing to increase energy output and support lower costs for households and small businesses.
"Since his first term, President Trump has unleashed American energy dominance by ending Green New Scam mandates, reviving clean, beautiful coal, and advancing drill, baby, drill," said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. "By establishing a 90% Energy Guarantee, the Trump SBA is offering lenders more incentive to deploy capital to the local businesses expanding America's energy production and distribution. Supercharging domestic energy capacity across America will bring down utility costs - fueling long-term economic growth on Main Street and cost savings for families."
The ITL Program unlocks long-term, affordable financing to support American producers - offering borrowers additional flexibility through an increased SBA guarantee of 90% compared to the standard 75% guarantee for the agency's popular 7(a) Loan Program. The expanded ITL eligibility for energy producers mirrors two similar enhanced guarantees the SBA launched in recent months to incentivize investment in critical industries, including food production and manufacturing. Since May, the SBA has approved $110 million in capital through its 90% Made in America Guarantee and $82 million in capital through its 90% Grocery Guarantee.
Effective immediately, small businesses in the following NAICS codes are eligible for the expanded ITL Loan Program:
* 211120 -- Crude Petroleum Extraction
* 211130 -- Natural Gas Extraction
* 212111 -- Bituminous Coal and Lignite Surface Mining
* 212112 -- Bituminous Coal Underground Mining
* 212113 -- Anthracite Mining
* 212210 -- Iron Ore Mining
* 212221 -- Gold Ore Mining
* 212222 -- Silver Ore Mining
* 212230 -- Copper, Nickel, Lead, and Zinc Mining
* 212291 -- Uranium-Radium-Vanadium Ore Mining
* 212299 -- All Other Metal Ore Mining
* 212311 -- Dimension Stone Mining and Quarrying
* 212312 -- Crushed and Broken Limestone Mining and Quarrying
* 212313 -- Crushed and Broken Granite Mining and Quarrying
* 212319 -- Other Crushed and Broken Stone Mining and Quarrying
* 212321 -- Construction Sand and Gravel Mining
* 212322 -- Industrial Sand Mining
* 212324 -- Kaolin and Ball Clay Mining
* 212325 -- Clay and Ceramic and Refractory Minerals Mining
* 212391 -- Potash, Soda, and Borate Mineral Mining
* 212392 -- Phosphate Rock Mining
* 212393 -- Other Chemical and Fertilizer Mineral Mining
* 212399 -- All Other Nonmetallic Mineral Mining
* 213111 -- Drilling Oil and Gas Wells
* 213112 -- Support Activities for Oil and Gas Operations
* 213113 -- Support Activities for Coal Mining
* 213114 -- Support Activities for Metal Mining
* 213115 -- Support Activities for Nonmetallic Minerals (except Fuels) Mining
As part of SOP 50 10 8.1, the agency is making additional updates to streamline program execution, eliminate unnecessary red tape, and align federal lending tools with President Trump's agenda to restore American industrial dominance. Beyond energy financing, the updated SOP also aligns acquisition underwriting with commercial norms to streamline owner buyouts and generational transitions. The SBA is also modernizing its revolving credit offerings for capital-intensive industries, including the Manufacturers Access to Revolving Credit (MARC) Loan and SBA Express.
Lenders and small businesses interested in the updated International Trade Loan Program can contact SBA's national team of Finance Managers for more information. SBA's Finance Managers team not only supports the ITL Program but also serves as the agency's working capital specialists and can help lenders and borrowers understand how ITL can be paired with SBA's expanding suite of working capital solutions.
* * *
About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of entrepreneurship. As the leading voice for small businesses within the federal government, the SBA empowers job creators with the resources and support they need to start, grow, and expand their businesses or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
* * *
Original text here: https://legacy.sba.gov/article/2026/08/14/sba-announces-90-loan-guarantee-energy-sector
* * *
SBA Announces 90% Loan Guarantee for Energy Sector
New loan guarantee for small producers will support expanded energy capacity, lower energy prices, and stronger supply chain
-
Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that small businesses across the energy production supply chain are now eligible for a new 90% Energy Guarantee through the SBA International Trade Loan (ITL) Program. Established as part of SOP 50 10 8.1, the enhanced guarantee encourages participating ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 -- The Small Business Administration issued the following news release on Aug. 14, 2026: * * * SBA Announces 90% Loan Guarantee for Energy Sector New loan guarantee for small producers will support expanded energy capacity, lower energy prices, and stronger supply chain - Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that small businesses across the energy production supply chain are now eligible for a new 90% Energy Guarantee through the SBA International Trade Loan (ITL) Program. Established as part of SOP 50 10 8.1, the enhanced guarantee encourages participatinglenders to unleash private investment in energy production, distribution, grid modernization, and equipment manufacturing to increase energy output and support lower costs for households and small businesses.
"Since his first term, President Trump has unleashed American energy dominance by ending Green New Scam mandates, reviving clean, beautiful coal, and advancing drill, baby, drill," said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. "By establishing a 90% Energy Guarantee, the Trump SBA is offering lenders more incentive to deploy capital to the local businesses expanding America's energy production and distribution. Supercharging domestic energy capacity across America will bring down utility costs - fueling long-term economic growth on Main Street and cost savings for families."
The ITL Program unlocks long-term, affordable financing to support American producers - offering borrowers additional flexibility through an increased SBA guarantee of 90% compared to the standard 75% guarantee for the agency's popular 7(a) Loan Program. The expanded ITL eligibility for energy producers mirrors two similar enhanced guarantees the SBA launched in recent months to incentivize investment in critical industries, including food production and manufacturing. Since May, the SBA has approved $110 million in capital through its 90% Made in America Guarantee and $82 million in capital through its 90% Grocery Guarantee.
Effective immediately, small businesses in the following NAICS codes are eligible for the expanded ITL Loan Program:
* 211120 -- Crude Petroleum Extraction
* 211130 -- Natural Gas Extraction
* 212111 -- Bituminous Coal and Lignite Surface Mining
* 212112 -- Bituminous Coal Underground Mining
* 212113 -- Anthracite Mining
* 212210 -- Iron Ore Mining
* 212221 -- Gold Ore Mining
* 212222 -- Silver Ore Mining
* 212230 -- Copper, Nickel, Lead, and Zinc Mining
* 212291 -- Uranium-Radium-Vanadium Ore Mining
* 212299 -- All Other Metal Ore Mining
* 212311 -- Dimension Stone Mining and Quarrying
* 212312 -- Crushed and Broken Limestone Mining and Quarrying
* 212313 -- Crushed and Broken Granite Mining and Quarrying
* 212319 -- Other Crushed and Broken Stone Mining and Quarrying
* 212321 -- Construction Sand and Gravel Mining
* 212322 -- Industrial Sand Mining
* 212324 -- Kaolin and Ball Clay Mining
* 212325 -- Clay and Ceramic and Refractory Minerals Mining
* 212391 -- Potash, Soda, and Borate Mineral Mining
* 212392 -- Phosphate Rock Mining
* 212393 -- Other Chemical and Fertilizer Mineral Mining
* 212399 -- All Other Nonmetallic Mineral Mining
* 213111 -- Drilling Oil and Gas Wells
* 213112 -- Support Activities for Oil and Gas Operations
* 213113 -- Support Activities for Coal Mining
* 213114 -- Support Activities for Metal Mining
* 213115 -- Support Activities for Nonmetallic Minerals (except Fuels) Mining
As part of SOP 50 10 8.1, the agency is making additional updates to streamline program execution, eliminate unnecessary red tape, and align federal lending tools with President Trump's agenda to restore American industrial dominance. Beyond energy financing, the updated SOP also aligns acquisition underwriting with commercial norms to streamline owner buyouts and generational transitions. The SBA is also modernizing its revolving credit offerings for capital-intensive industries, including the Manufacturers Access to Revolving Credit (MARC) Loan and SBA Express.
Lenders and small businesses interested in the updated International Trade Loan Program can contact SBA's national team of Finance Managers for more information. SBA's Finance Managers team not only supports the ITL Program but also serves as the agency's working capital specialists and can help lenders and borrowers understand how ITL can be paired with SBA's expanding suite of working capital solutions.
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of entrepreneurship. As the leading voice for small businesses within the federal government, the SBA empowers job creators with the resources and support they need to start, grow, and expand their businesses or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
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Original text here: https://legacy.sba.gov/article/2026/08/14/sba-announces-90-loan-guarantee-energy-sector
IDB Strengthens Belize's Hurricane Resilience With First Catastrophe Swap
WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following news release:
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IDB Strengthens Belize's Hurricane Resilience with First Catastrophe Swap
Belize will be able to access emergency funds more rapidly after a major hurricane thanks to a pioneering catastrophe swap executed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), strengthening the country's financial resilience and ability to respond to disasters over the next two hurricane seasons.
Under the transaction, the IDB arranged the transfer of a layer of Belize's hurricane risk to international reinsurance markets ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following news release: * * * IDB Strengthens Belize's Hurricane Resilience with First Catastrophe Swap Belize will be able to access emergency funds more rapidly after a major hurricane thanks to a pioneering catastrophe swap executed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), strengthening the country's financial resilience and ability to respond to disasters over the next two hurricane seasons. Under the transaction, the IDB arranged the transfer of a layer of Belize's hurricane risk to international reinsurance marketsthrough Swiss Re, which provides the underlying parametric coverage. The protection runs from August 1, 2026, through May 31, 2028, ensuring quick access to financing when pre-agreed hurricane triggers are met. The transaction provides up to $20 million in coverage, subject to a maximum payout of $10 million per policy year.
The transaction, the first of its kind at the IDB, marks a significant step in efforts to develop innovative financial products and scale solutions for disaster-risk financing through Ready and Resilient Americas financial instruments (FIRRe). The operation creates a blueprint for strengthening resilience across Latin America and the Caribbean by showcasing how countries can transfer disaster risks to international markets and access rapid liquidity following extreme events.
The catastrophe swap is part of the IDB's broader support to Belize in implementing its financial risk management strategy and strengthening the country's financial resilience to disasters. The new risk-transfer protection complements the $25 million in contingent financing already available to Belize through the IDB's Contingent Credit Facility for Natural Disaster Emergencies (CCF) and the $118 million in approved loans protected by Climate Resilient Debt Clauses (CRDC) that will allow the country to postpone principal payments for two years following the occurrence of an eligible natural disaster.
Backed by technical cooperation resources from the Ready and Resilient Americas Initiative, donor contributions from the French Climate Fund, and the government of Belize's contribution toward the premium, the catastrophe swap highlights the importance of partnerships in scaling innovative financial solutions for resilience and reflects Belize's strong commitment and engagement throughout the process.
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About the IDB
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), a member of the IDB Group, is devoted to improving lives across Latin America and the Caribbean. Founded in 1959, the IDB works with the region's public sector to design and enable impactful, innovative solutions for sustainable and inclusive development. Leveraging financing, technical expertise, and knowledge, it promotes growth and well-being in 26 countries.'
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Original text here: https://www.iadb.org/en/news/idb-strengthens-belizes-hurricane-resilience-first-catastrophe-swap
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IDB Strengthens Belize's Hurricane Resilience with First Catastrophe Swap
Belize will be able to access emergency funds more rapidly after a major hurricane thanks to a pioneering catastrophe swap executed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), strengthening the country's financial resilience and ability to respond to disasters over the next two hurricane seasons.
Under the transaction, the IDB arranged the transfer of a layer of Belize's hurricane risk to international reinsurance markets ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following news release: * * * IDB Strengthens Belize's Hurricane Resilience with First Catastrophe Swap Belize will be able to access emergency funds more rapidly after a major hurricane thanks to a pioneering catastrophe swap executed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), strengthening the country's financial resilience and ability to respond to disasters over the next two hurricane seasons. Under the transaction, the IDB arranged the transfer of a layer of Belize's hurricane risk to international reinsurance marketsthrough Swiss Re, which provides the underlying parametric coverage. The protection runs from August 1, 2026, through May 31, 2028, ensuring quick access to financing when pre-agreed hurricane triggers are met. The transaction provides up to $20 million in coverage, subject to a maximum payout of $10 million per policy year.
The transaction, the first of its kind at the IDB, marks a significant step in efforts to develop innovative financial products and scale solutions for disaster-risk financing through Ready and Resilient Americas financial instruments (FIRRe). The operation creates a blueprint for strengthening resilience across Latin America and the Caribbean by showcasing how countries can transfer disaster risks to international markets and access rapid liquidity following extreme events.
The catastrophe swap is part of the IDB's broader support to Belize in implementing its financial risk management strategy and strengthening the country's financial resilience to disasters. The new risk-transfer protection complements the $25 million in contingent financing already available to Belize through the IDB's Contingent Credit Facility for Natural Disaster Emergencies (CCF) and the $118 million in approved loans protected by Climate Resilient Debt Clauses (CRDC) that will allow the country to postpone principal payments for two years following the occurrence of an eligible natural disaster.
Backed by technical cooperation resources from the Ready and Resilient Americas Initiative, donor contributions from the French Climate Fund, and the government of Belize's contribution toward the premium, the catastrophe swap highlights the importance of partnerships in scaling innovative financial solutions for resilience and reflects Belize's strong commitment and engagement throughout the process.
* * *
About the IDB
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), a member of the IDB Group, is devoted to improving lives across Latin America and the Caribbean. Founded in 1959, the IDB works with the region's public sector to design and enable impactful, innovative solutions for sustainable and inclusive development. Leveraging financing, technical expertise, and knowledge, it promotes growth and well-being in 26 countries.'
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Original text here: https://www.iadb.org/en/news/idb-strengthens-belizes-hurricane-resilience-first-catastrophe-swap