Federal Executive Branch
Here's a look at documents from the U.S. Executive Branch
Featured Stories
National Park Service: Mammoth Cave National Park Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Rule for Bicycle and Horse Use
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service issued the following news release:
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Mammoth Cave National Park Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Rule for Bicycle and Horse Use
MAMMOTH CAVE, Ky. -- The National Park Service invites public comments on a proposed rule that would amend special regulations for riding bicycles and horses within Mammoth Cave National Park.
The proposed rule would allow the superintendent to authorize:
* Bicycle use on approximately 37 miles of multi-use trails, including existing trails and new trails that will be constructed.
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WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service issued the following news release:
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Mammoth Cave National Park Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Rule for Bicycle and Horse Use
MAMMOTH CAVE, Ky. -- The National Park Service invites public comments on a proposed rule that would amend special regulations for riding bicycles and horses within Mammoth Cave National Park.
The proposed rule would allow the superintendent to authorize:
* Bicycle use on approximately 37 miles of multi-use trails, including existing trails and new trails that will be constructed.
*Horseback riding on the 5.4-mile Houchin Ferry North/Ollie Ridge Road.
The Land and Rivers Trails Management Plan identified these changes as the preferred alternative and an assessment found no significant impact to the changes.
In addition to the proposed rule, the park signed a written determination stating that bicycle use on trails identified in the rule and certain administrative roads that would open to bicycle use under the selected alternative is consistent with protecting the park's natural, scenic and aesthetic values, safety considerations and management objectives. The determination also confirms that these uses would not noticeably disturb wildlife or park resources.
The comment period is open from Feb. 9 to April 10 through the Federal Register website.
www.nps.gov
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Mammoth Cave National Park encompasses 52,830 acres in south central Kentucky, commemorating the diverse geological, biological and historical features associated with the longest cave in the world. Learn more about the park at www.nps.gov/maca, and on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
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About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 430+ national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
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Original text here: https://www.nps.gov/maca/learn/news/bicyclehorseuse.htm
NRC Announces Opportunity to Request a Hearing on Duke Energy Carolinas' Belews Creek Early Site Permit Application
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 -- The Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued the following news release:
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NRC Announces Opportunity to Request a Hearing on Duke Energy Carolinas' Belews Creek Early Site Permit Application
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has announced in the Federal Register the opportunity to request an adjudicatory hearing for Duke Energy Carolinas' Early Site Permit application for the Belews Creek site in North Carolina. The notice covers petitions to intervene in such a hearing.
Petitions must be filed by April 10, by anyone whose interest may be affected by the proposed
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WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 -- The Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued the following news release:
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NRC Announces Opportunity to Request a Hearing on Duke Energy Carolinas' Belews Creek Early Site Permit Application
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has announced in the Federal Register the opportunity to request an adjudicatory hearing for Duke Energy Carolinas' Early Site Permit application for the Belews Creek site in North Carolina. The notice covers petitions to intervene in such a hearing.
Petitions must be filed by April 10, by anyone whose interest may be affected by the proposedpermit and who wishes to participate as a party in the proceeding. Additional information on the hearing process is available on the NRC website.
The NRC staff has determined that the application contains sufficient information for the agency to formally docket it and begin its detailed technical reviews. Docketing the application is not an indication of whether the NRC will grant the ESP.
The company submitted the application on Dec. 30, 2025, seeking an ESP that would accommodate advanced small modular reactors, including designs that cool the core with liquid metals, molten salts or high-temperature gases. The permit would encompass a maximum total output of 2,250 megawatts electric. The 1,000-acre site is adjacent to the Belews Creek Steam Station, an existing coal/natural gas power plant. Information about the NRC's interactions with Duke regarding the Belews Creek project is available on the NRC website.
An ESP resolves certain site safety, environmental protection, and emergency preparedness issues independent of a specific nuclear plant design. An ESP does not allow nuclear power plant construction or operation; Duke would have to successfully apply separately for a construction permit and operating license or combined operating license in the future.
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The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission was created as an expert, technical agency to protect public health, safety, and security, and regulate the civilian use of nuclear materials, including enabling the deployment of nuclear power for the benefit of society. Among other responsibilities, the agency issues licenses, conducts inspections, initiates and enforces regulations, and plans for incident response. The global gold standard for nuclear regulation, the NRC is collaborating with interagency partners to implement reforms outlined in new Executive Orders and the ADVANCE Act to streamline agency activities and enhance efficiency.
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Original text here: https://www.nrc.gov/sites/default/files/cdn/doc-collection-news/2026/26-018.pdf
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory: Fentanyl or Phony? Machine-learning Algorithm Learns to Pick Out Opioid Signatures
LIVERMORE, California, Feb. 10 (TNSjou) -- The U.S. Department of Energy Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory issued the following news:
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Fentanyl or phony? Machine-learning algorithm learns to pick out opioid signatures
New forms of fentanyl are created every day. For law enforcement, that poses a challenge: how do you identify a chemical you've never seen before?
Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) aim to answer that question with a machine-learning model that can distinguish opioids from other chemicals with an accuracy over 95% in a laboratory setting. The
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LIVERMORE, California, Feb. 10 (TNSjou) -- The U.S. Department of Energy Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory issued the following news:
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Fentanyl or phony? Machine-learning algorithm learns to pick out opioid signatures
New forms of fentanyl are created every day. For law enforcement, that poses a challenge: how do you identify a chemical you've never seen before?
Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) aim to answer that question with a machine-learning model that can distinguish opioids from other chemicals with an accuracy over 95% in a laboratory setting. Thefoundation for this new technique was published in Analytical Methods (https://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2026/AY/D5AY01677K).
To identify synthetic opioids like fentanyl now, chemists try to match their signature to a library of a few hundred known samples. But studies suggest there could be thousands of unknown forms, some more dangerous than others. Recognizing those new versions requires a reference-free identification system: a way to catch an opioid even if it does not exist in a chemical database yet.
"When law enforcement finds a new clandestine drug operation, those labs often produce never-before-seen fentanyl derivatives. We can't just go check a database, and we can't just go back to who made it and ask how they did it," said LLNL computational mathematician and author Colin Ponce. "And law enforcement needs to identify the samples they find quickly because there's going to be another sample tomorrow. I think that's a little bit of a unique situation."
Machine learning might seem like a natural fit to identify novel or unknown opioids. And it is -- to an extent. The method works best with large data sets, which are difficult to generate for toxic substances like synthetic opioids.
To even get a machine learning algorithm off the ground, the team had to create the chemical data. They did so with LLNL's mass spectrometry capabilities coupled to an autosampler, which enabled them to measure hundreds of samples under the same experimental conditions. This minimized variables for the machine learning algorithms.
"In the world of AI, data is gold, and if you don't have good data, then you're not going to generate accurate machine learning models," said LLNL chemist and author Carolyn Fisher. "Good data is something that we can control and generate at LLNL."
With that data in hand, they tried different machine learning techniques as they homed in on the best method: a random forest model.
"When a model like this eventually gets into the hands of a user, the output has to be interpretable and trustworthy," said LLNL scientist and author Kourosh Arasteh. "We explored machine-learning methods ranging from simple regression and random forests to more complex neural network approaches to balance interpretability with performance."
The random forest approach runs through a collection of decision trees. Each tree asks a series of questions about the data and, based on each answer, lands on a prediction: opioid or not. Together, they vote on the final classification.
"Our 650 samples are not the same as having 300,000 samples. On the machine learning side, we needed to make sure that we were designing techniques that that were appropriate for that kind of scale," said Ponce.
This study trained and tested the algorithm with analytically pure samples. These ideal chemicals contain no contaminants or impurities.
"The challenge is that nothing is analytically pure in the real world," said Fisher. "The next step is to add in background noise and have the AI understand what it should care about during a classification task."
Fisher and Ponce emphasized that this work would have been impossible without collaboration across the disciplines of data science and chemistry. The two are friends outside of work, and this study, a Laboratory Directed Research and Development project, emerged from a series of organic conversations between them.
"To me, this project really captures what LLNL does best," said fellow author and LLNL software engineer Steven Magana-Zook. "When you get chemists and data scientists working side-by-side, you end up with results that neither group could get on their own. That kind of cross-disciplinary work is exactly what makes this place so strong."
That approach, while essential to the work, initially proved to be an obstacle. The team faced rejection of this manuscript from two journals -- reviewers in chemistry didn't fully grasp the machine learning aspects and experts on the computational side felt uncertain about the chemistry.
"I don't think people talk about failure enough. It's so common in science. We fail so much more than we succeed," said Fisher. "But we keep iterating and improving. I'm proud of our resilience."
The team's persistence paid off. Looking ahead, they aim to further develop their algorithm using real-world samples with higher background signals.
Other LLNL coauthors include Roald Leif, Alex Vu, Mark Dreyer, Brian Mayer and Audrey Williams.
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Original text here: https://www.llnl.gov/article/54001/fentanyl-or-phony-machine-learning-algorithm-learns-pick-out-opioid-signatures
Floyd County Felon Sentenced for Threatening to Assassinate President Trump and Murder Federal Agents
ATLANTA, Georgia, Feb. 10 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia posted the following news release on Feb. 9, 2026:
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Floyd County felon sentenced for threatening to assassinate President Trump and murder federal agents
ROME, Ga. - Jauan Rashun Porter has been sentenced to more than three years in federal prison for transmitting threats to kill the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump.
"Threatening to kill the President of the United States is an abhorrent crime that cannot be tolerated," said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. "Because the
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ATLANTA, Georgia, Feb. 10 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia posted the following news release on Feb. 9, 2026:
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Floyd County felon sentenced for threatening to assassinate President Trump and murder federal agents
ROME, Ga. - Jauan Rashun Porter has been sentenced to more than three years in federal prison for transmitting threats to kill the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump.
"Threatening to kill the President of the United States is an abhorrent crime that cannot be tolerated," said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. "Because theConstitution affords no protection to political violence, we will continue to work closely with our federal partners to identify and prosecute criminals who make such threats."
"When free speech devolves into threats against the President of the United States or any of our protectees, you can expect the United States Secret Service to bring those criminals to justice," said Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Atlanta Field Office, Robert Donovan. "We appreciate the work of the U.S. Attorney's Office, as well as our partners at the local law enforcement partners for their assistance in this case."
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On July 26, 2025, Porter joined a TikTok livestream about President Trump captioned "Alligator Alcatraz," commenting: "So there's only one way to make America great and that is putting a bullet in between Trump's eyes."
Over the next few minutes, Porter further stated:
* "I'm gonna kill Donald Trump. I'm gonna put a 7.62 bullet inside his forehead."
* "I'm gonna watch him bleed out and I'm gonna watch him die."
* "It'll be on the news . . . his rally is coming up pretty soon and I'm going there and I'm going to put a bullet in his head."
* "I'mma load up a rifle [and] sit inside . . . an abandoned building . . . and when he approaches the rally . . . I'm gonna put one . . . if not the face then . . . in his chest."
When asked by the livestream host about federal agents coming to his door, Porter stated, "I'm gonna kill them too . . . and then kill myself[.]"
During the investigation, U.S. Secret Service agents, Floyd County police officers, and State of Georgia probation officers conducted searches of Porter's apartment and found two pipes, pistol ammunition, and Tannerite (an explosive). They did not locate a gun.
Porter has multiple prior felony convictions in Floyd County, including for terroristic threats and acts in 2018 and 2019, influencing a witness in 2019, and unlawful act of violence in a penal institution in 2023. He is currently on probation for a 2023 conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and battery domestic violence.
Jauan Rashun Porter, 30, of Rome, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge William M. Ray II to three years and five months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Porter was convicted on October 7, 2025, after he pleaded guilty to one count of transmitting interstate threats. Porter was detained in this case on August 8, 2025.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service. The Floyd County Police Department, Floyd County District Attorney's Office, and Troup County Sheriff's Office provided valuable assistance in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Pearce prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney's Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/pr/floyd-county-felon-sentenced-threatening-assassinate-president-trump-and-murder
FCC Public Safety & Homeland Security Bureau Issues Public Notice Announcing Intent to Re-charter Communications Security, Reliability, Interoperability Council & Solicits Nominations for Membership
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 -- The Federal Communications Commission Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau issued the following public notice (Docket No. DA 26-134) on Feb. 9, 2026:
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By this Public Notice, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission), consistent with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA),/1 announces its intent to re-charter the Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council (CSRIC or Council) on or before March 26, 2026, following consultation with the General Services Administration. This will be the FCC's tenth charter of CSRIC, established
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WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 -- The Federal Communications Commission Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau issued the following public notice (Docket No. DA 26-134) on Feb. 9, 2026:
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By this Public Notice, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission), consistent with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA),/1 announces its intent to re-charter the Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council (CSRIC or Council) on or before March 26, 2026, following consultation with the General Services Administration. This will be the FCC's tenth charter of CSRIC, establishedfor a two (2) year term, with an expected first meeting in June 2026. By this Public Notice, we also seek nominations for membership and a chairperson(s) for the Council.
CSRIC X will provide advice and recommendations to the Commission to improve the security, reliability, and interoperability of the nation's communications systems. Specifically, Chairman Brendan Carr will ask CSRIC X to consider and address six topics: National Security Implications of the Dark Fiber Market; Ensuring Submarine Cable Security and Resiliency; Malicious SIM Farm Mitigation; Reducing Common Causes of Sunny Day Outages; Expanding NG911's Multimedia Availability and Increasing 911 Accessibility; and Enhancing Communications Network Security.
In seeking nominations for CSRIC X, Chairman Carr will look to include a broad array of stakeholders in the Council's membership, including representation from the FCC's federal government partners with similar interests.
All organizational or individual members appointed to the Council, or its working groups are subject to an ethics review by the Commission's Office of General Counsel. Some applicants possessing expertise or perspectives of interest to the Council, and who have been appointed to serve on the Council in an individual capacity (and not as the representative of a nonprofit organization, corporation, or other entity) are deemed to be Special Government Employees (SGEs). Such individuals are ineligible to serve if they are federally registered lobbyists. SGEs are subject to a variety of restrictions under the conflict of interest statutes, 18 U.S.C. Sec. 203 et seq., and the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch, 5 C.F.R. Part 2635. SGEs must file confidential employee financial disclosure reports prior to beginning their service and annually thereafter. SGEs will also be subject to ethics restrictions in section 4(b) of the Communications Act, 47 U.S.C. Sec. 154(b), and in the Commission's rules, 47 CFR Part 19 and 5 CFR Parts 3901 and 3902.
All members will have an initial and continuing obligation to disclose any interests in, or connections to, persons or entities that are, or will be, regulated by or have interests before the Commission and shall promptly report to the Council's Designated Federal Officer (DFO) any changes in representation during their tenure on the Council. Council members will not be compensated for their service.
Nominations for membership to CSRIC X should be submitted to the FCC no later than Wednesday, March 11, 2026. Procedures for submitting nominations are set forth below, and applications should be sent by email to CSRIC@fcc.gov .
MISSION
The purpose of the Council is to provide recommendations to the FCC regarding ways the FCC can strive for security, reliability, and interoperability of the nation's communications systems. CSRIC X's recommendations will focus on a range of public safety- and homeland security-related communications matters, including: (1) the security and reliability of communications systems and infrastructure; (2) 911, E911, and NG911; (3) emergency alerting; and (4) national security/emergency preparedness communications, including law enforcement access to communications. CSRIC X will be organized under, and will operate in accordance with, the provisions of FACA. As authorized by FACA, the Council is authorized to facilitate its work through informal subcommittees, or other subgroups of the Council, which shall report their activities and recommendations to the Council as a whole.
WHO MAY APPLY FOR MEMBERSHIP
The Commission seeks applications from representatives of various sectors of the communications industry, representatives of state, local and tribal government agencies and organizations, and representatives of consumers and community organizations that wish to be considered for membership on CSRIC X. The Commission is particularly interested in receiving nominations and expressions of interest from individuals and organizations in the following categories:
* State, tribal, territorial and/or local government agencies and organizations with expertise in communications, public safety, emergency management and/or homeland security matters;
* Federal government agencies with expertise in communications, public safety, emergency management and/or homeland security matters;
* Communications service providers and/or industry organizations representing communications service providers (to include representation by different types of communications provider interests, e.g., wireless, wireless, satellite, broadcast radio, and television, and by including representation by smaller and rural providers);
* Developers of software applications and operating systems for mobile and desktop computing devices;
* Developers of mobile devices;
* Developers of new technologies;
* Organizations and other entities representing users of communications systems, such as organizations representing the business, finance, energy, education, health care, and similar sectors;
* Consumer or community organizations, such as those representing people with disabilities, the elderly, those living in rural areas, and those representing populations that speak, as their primary language, languages other than English; and
* Qualified representatives of other stakeholders and interested parties with relevant expertise regarding the subject matter.
Members will be selected to balance the expertise and viewpoints that are necessary to effectively address the issues to be considered by the Council.
OBLIGATIONS OF MEMBERS AND COUNCIL MEETINGS
Members will serve at the discretion of Chairman Carr of the FCC. Members should be willing to commit to a two-year term of service from the date of the re-charter of the Committee. Members will be encouraged to participate in deliberations of at least one (1) informal subcommittee or subgroup, if any are established. The time commitment for participation in any informal subcommittee or other subgroup may be substantial. However, subcommittee or other subgroup meetings may be conducted informally, using suitable technology to facilitate the meetings, subject to oversight by the Designated Federal Officer of CSRIC X.
Meetings of the full Council shall be open to the public and timely notice of each meeting shall be published in the Federal Register and shall be further publicized through other appropriate vehicles. All such meetings will be fully accessible to individuals with disabilities.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE, DEADLINE, AND MEMBER APPOINTMENTS
Organizational Applicants
Applications from nonprofit organizations, corporations, or other entities ("organizational applicants") proposing a nominee should include the following:
* Name, title, and organization of the nominee and a description of the organization, sector or other interest the nominee will represent;
* Nominee's mailing address, e-mail address, and telephone number;
* A statement summarizing the nominee's qualifications and reasons why the nominee should be appointed to the Council;
* A current resume of the nominee; and
* A statement describing the organization the nominee will represent as well as the benefit of having the organization represented on the Council.
For applicants seeking to represent an organization or company, the applicant's nomination to the Council must be accompanied by confirmation on the following two (2) issues:
1. The nomination must be confirmed by a written statement of an authorized person (e.g., organization or company official) that such organization or company supports the application of the nominee to represent it on the Council. The nominating official must possess the executive authority or hold a sufficiently high-level position within the organization or company to select a representative whose actions will be legally binding on the organization or company. For example, this confirmation may be in the following format:
"I am [insert official's name], the [insert official's title] at the [insert name of organization e.g., company, government entity, trade association, etc.], with responsibilities for [concise description of position]. My organization supports [insert proposed member's name], who is currently [an employee of/consultant/attorney to the company], to serve as our representative on the Commission's Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council."
2. For applicants seeking to represent an entity that is, or who are themselves, a party to an FCC contract or subcontract or providing services for the benefit of the FCC under contract or subcontract, the application must include the following: 1) a general description of the contract/agreement; 2) a description of the product/services that the applicant provides pursuant to the contract/agreement; 3) a list of all parties to the contract/agreement; 4) the name of the Commission contracting officer (if known); and 5) a certification of the applicant that the applicant has provided written notice to the contracting officer and the FCC Manager, Contracts and Purchasing Center, that the applicant or representative nominee, as applicable, has applied for membership on the Commission's Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council.
In addition, organizational nominees are required to disclose whether they represent clients before the Commission or represent clients in matters that may come before the Council, other than representing the organizational applicant that has nominated them for service on the Council. Each nominee shall provide with the application all details of any such representation.
Individual Applicants
Applications from individual applicants who would serve as SGEs, as defined above, should include the following:
* Name and title of the applicant; current mailing address, email address, and telephone number;
* A statement summarizing the applicant's qualifications and reasons why the applicant should be appointed to the Council. The statement shall include the individual's specific knowledge or expertise that is relevant to the work of the Council;
* A current resume of the applicant;
* A statement that the individual applicant is not a registered federal lobbyist (as noted above, financial and other additional disclosures may also apply to individual applicants);
* An acknowledgement that the individual will not be entitled to receive reimbursement of travel expenses or payment of honoraria or other compensation from the Commission;
* A statement that the applicant does not have a contractual or other financial agreement (including as a subcontractor) with the Commission; and
* A statement that the applicant does not have clients with matters before the Commission or matters that may come before the Council.
Please note this Public Notice is not intended to be the exclusive method by which the Commission will solicit nominations to identify qualified candidates; however, all candidates for membership on the Council will be subject to the same evaluation criteria.
All nominations, including the requisite statements listed above, should be submitted by email to CSRIC@fcc.gov, and should be received by the Commission as soon as possible, but no later than Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
ACCESSIBLE FORMATS
To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice).
More information about the CSRIC can be found at https://www.fcc.gov/about-fcc/advisorycommittees/communications-security-reliability-and-interoperability-council. You may also contact Suzon Cameron, Designated Federal Official (DFO) for CSRIC X, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, at (202) 418-1916, or via the CSRIC e-mail account at CSRIC@fcc.gov.
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Footnote:
1/ 5 U.S.C. Sec. 10.
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-134A1.pdf
Office of Advocacy Connects With Small Businesses in Kansas City, MO
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 -- The Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy issued the following news release on Feb. 9, 2026:
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Office of Advocacy Connects with Small Businesses in Kansas City, MO
On Friday, the Office of Advocacy joined the House Committee on Small Business in Kansas City, Missouri, for the first stop in the committee's bipartisan cross-country roundtable series, The Open Road: Small Business Conversations Across Main Street America (https://alford.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1464).
During the first stop on the tour, titled Main Street at Work: Empowering
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WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 -- The Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy issued the following news release on Feb. 9, 2026:
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Office of Advocacy Connects with Small Businesses in Kansas City, MO
On Friday, the Office of Advocacy joined the House Committee on Small Business in Kansas City, Missouri, for the first stop in the committee's bipartisan cross-country roundtable series, The Open Road: Small Business Conversations Across Main Street America (https://alford.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1464).
During the first stop on the tour, titled Main Street at Work: EmpoweringSmall Businesses to Deliver Greater Affordability, small businesses spoke with Chairman Roger Williams (R-TX) and Representative Mark Alford (R-MO), as well as other committee members about different challenges they face, what can be done to achieve meaningful, constructive change in the nation's capital, and the need to reduce regulation.
"Today's roundtable is an opportunity for us here to listen, and we're here to hear directly from you, and you in the audience, as well, about what is working, what is not working, and how we can affect positive change in Washington, D.C., and be a better partner," said Rep. Alford.
Joe Krenzelok, Region 7 Advocate for the Office of Advocacy at the U.S. Small Business Administration, attended the roundtable to hear directly from small businesses and then relay their policy and regulatory concerns to federal agencies in Washington, D.C., that regulations can be informed by facts, not assumptions."
"Throughout my travels in Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas, I've spoken with small business owners - including trucking firms, farmers, manufacturers, and more - who have voiced real appreciation of the Trump Administration's willingness to not only listen but also ensure they have a seat at the table," said Region 7 Advocate Krenzelok. "Now, the House Committee on Small Business, through their nationwide roundtable tour, is continuing to amplify those voices and highlight the positive steps being taken for our local businesses."
During the first year of the Trump 47 Administration, Advocacy has worked with agencies to save small businesses $110 billion in regulatory costs. The office met with more than 12,000 small businesses in 48 states and launched the Red Tape Hotline, which has received approximately 500 submissions. Learn more about Advocacy's other highlights in the First Year Report.
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Created by Congress in 1976, the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration is an independent voice for small business within the executive branch. Appointed by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, the Chief Counsel for Advocacy directs the office. The Chief Counsel advances the views, concerns, and interests of small business before Congress, the White House, federal agencies, federal courts, and state policymakers. Economic research, policy analyses, and small business outreach help identify issues of concern. Regional Advocates and an office in Washington, DC, support the Chief Counsel's efforts. For more information on the Office of Advocacy, visit advocacy.sba.gov or call (202) 205-6533.
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Original text here: https://advocacy.sba.gov/2026/02/09/office-of-advocacy-connects-with-small-businesses-in-kansas-city-mo/
Exchange Invites Shoppers To Share Their Best Smile For A Chance at $1,750 in Prizes
DALLAS, Texas, Feb. 10 -- The Army and Air Force Exchange Service issued the following news release:
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Exchange Invites Shoppers To Share Their Best Smile For A Chance at $1,750 in prizes
Army & Air Force Exchange Service shoppers can turn their best smile into a chance to win big through the Procter & Gamble Best Smile Contest.
From Feb. 6 through Feb. 19, authorized shoppers 18 and older can submit a photo of their smile at ShopMyExchange.com/sweepstakes for a chance to win one of three prizes. The grand-prize winner will receive a $1,000 Exchange gift card, while second place will earn
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DALLAS, Texas, Feb. 10 -- The Army and Air Force Exchange Service issued the following news release:
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Exchange Invites Shoppers To Share Their Best Smile For A Chance at $1,750 in prizes
Army & Air Force Exchange Service shoppers can turn their best smile into a chance to win big through the Procter & Gamble Best Smile Contest.
From Feb. 6 through Feb. 19, authorized shoppers 18 and older can submit a photo of their smile at ShopMyExchange.com/sweepstakes for a chance to win one of three prizes. The grand-prize winner will receive a $1,000 Exchange gift card, while second place will earna $500 gift card and third place will receive a $250 gift card.
"Smiles are a big part of the connections we make with our shoppers every day," said Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Rich Martinez, the Exchange's senior enlisted advisor. "This contest is a fun way to celebrate those moments while giving back to the community we're honored to serve."
Winners will be selected and notified no later than March 6. No purchase is necessary to enter. For full sweepstakes rules, visit ShopMyExchange.com/sweepstakes.
Department of War and Coast Guard civilians and honorably discharged Veterans who have confirmed their eligibility to shop online may also enter. Veterans can visit https://aafes.media/paveterans to learn more about their shopping benefit. DoD civilians can visit https://aafes.media/cacbenefitspa.
Facebook-friendly version: Your smile could win! Exchange shoppers can enter the Procter & Gamble Best Smile Contest by submitting a photo of their best smile at ShopMyExchange.com/sweepstakes from Feb. 6-19 for a chance to win up to a $1,000 Exchange gift card. Read more: https://wp.me/p9Q7PG-39R
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Since 1895, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service has gone where Soldiers, Airmen, Guardians and their families go to improve the quality of their lives by providing valued goods and services at exclusive military pricing. The Exchange is the 51st-largest retailer in the United States. 100% of Exchange earnings support military communities. In the last 10 years, your Exchange benefit has provided $15 billion in earnings that support the military community, including through contributions to critical military Quality-of-Life programs. The Exchange is a nonappropriated fund entity of the Department of War and is directed by a Board of Directors. To find out more about the Exchange history and mission or to view recent press releases please visit our website at http://www.shopmyexchange.com or follow us on X at https://x.com/shopmyexchange.
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Original text here: https://publicaffairs-sme.com/ExchangePost/2026/02/09/exchange-invites-shoppers-to-share-their-best-smile-for-a-chance-at-1750-in-prizes/
