Federal Independent Agencies
Here's a look at documents from federal independent agencies
Featured Stories
U.S. Chemical Safety Board Releases Volume 4 of Incident Reports
WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 (TNSrpt) -- The U.S. Chemical Safety Board issued the following news release:
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U.S. Chemical Safety Board Releases Volume 4 of Incident Reports
Reports Cover Thirteen Serious Incidents in California, Indiana, Louisiana, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Virginia
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The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) today released Volume 4 of its Incident Reports. The reports in the Volume detail 13 major chemical incidents that occurred across seven states -- California, Indiana, Louisiana, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Virginia.
The incidents resulted in two fatalities,
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 (TNSrpt) -- The U.S. Chemical Safety Board issued the following news release:
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U.S. Chemical Safety Board Releases Volume 4 of Incident Reports
Reports Cover Thirteen Serious Incidents in California, Indiana, Louisiana, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Virginia
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The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) today released Volume 4 of its Incident Reports. The reports in the Volume detail 13 major chemical incidents that occurred across seven states -- California, Indiana, Louisiana, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Virginia.
The incidents resulted in two fatalities,10 serious injuries, and over $1 billion in property damage. Each report provides a summary of the chemical event and its probable cause based on information provided to the CSB pursuant to the agency's Accidental Release Reporting Rule.
Among the incidents covered in the new Volume is the January 30, 2023, fatal gas release at the Northrop Grumman Bacchus Propulsion Systems in Magna, Utah, that resulted in the deaths of two employees. Argon gas release was released in an enclosed area where the employees were working, and both were asphyxiated. The incident underscores the need for better protections for workers handling inert gases in confined spaces.
Volume 4 also examines two high-consequence incidents in 2025 that were caused by workers mistakenly disassembling the wrong equipment.
In the first incident, on February 1, 2025, contract workers at the PBF Energy Martinez Refinery in Martinez, California inadvertently opened a pipe flange on an active system during turnaround maintenance preparation, releasing and igniting flammable hydrocarbons. PBF estimated that the resulting explosion and fire caused approximately $924 million in property damage.
In the second incident, on May 20, 2025, a maintenance worker at Olin Corporation's facility in Freeport, Texas, disassembled a rupture disc holder in an active chlorine system, releasing approximately 8,000 pounds of toxic chlorine gas. The incident caused one serious injury and resulted in $23 million in property damage. The incident also triggered a shelter-in-place order for the nearby community. Olin's operations team had mistakenly isolated, cleared, and tagged a different but nearly identical piping system and did not isolate, clear, or tag the piping associated with the rupture disc that the maintenance worker disassembled.
The Olin and PBF Energy incidents are part of a concerning trend of serious chemical industry accidents linked to ineffective safety management systems governing the opening of equipment. They are similar to the October 10, 2024, incident at the PEMEX refinery in Deer Park, Texas, being investigated by the CSB, where workers mistakenly opened the wrong piping flange, releasing toxic hydrogen sulfide gas that resulted in two fatalities and 13 injuries. The CSB will release its final investigation report on the PEMEX Deer Park incident soon.
The CSB began publishing Incident Reports in January 2025, and is making them publicly available on the agency's website on a regular basis. Altogether, the four volumes produced by the CSB to date collectively cover 94 serious chemical incidents in 31 states, involving 16 fatalities, 75 serious injuries, and over $4.5 billion in property damage. These summaries provide critical information to the public, industry, and emergency responders about serious chemical incidents and chemical safety issues.
The CSB is an independent, nonregulatory federal agency charged with investigating incidents and hazards that result, or may result, in the catastrophic release of extremely hazardous substances. The agency's core mission activities include conducting incident investigations to identify root cause of releases; formulating preventive or mitigative recommendations based on investigation findings and advocating for their implementation; issuing reports containing the findings, conclusions, and recommendations arising from incident investigations; and conducting studies on chemical hazards.
The agency's board members are appointed by the President subject to Senate confirmation. The Board does not issue citations or fines but makes safety recommendations to companies, industry organizations, labor groups, and regulatory agencies such as OSHA and EPA.
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REPORT: https://www.csb.gov/assets/1/6/Incident_Reports_Volume_4_2026-02-18.pdf
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Original text here: https://www.csb.gov/us-chemical-safety-board-releases-volume-4-of-incident-reports/
Office of Advocacy Applauds EPA's Cost-Saving Decision on Vehicle Emissions Rules
WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 -- The Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy issued the following news release:
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Office of Advocacy Applauds EPA's Cost-Saving Decision on Vehicle Emissions Rules
The Office of Advocacy commends the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) recent common-sense action to repeal the 2009 Endangerment Finding, returning decision-making power to U.S. small businesses who understand their fuel and vehicle needs best.
The federal government had taken it upon itself to determine -- rather than let owners decide -- what vehicles were best for small businesses.
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 -- The Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy issued the following news release:
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Office of Advocacy Applauds EPA's Cost-Saving Decision on Vehicle Emissions Rules
The Office of Advocacy commends the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) recent common-sense action to repeal the 2009 Endangerment Finding, returning decision-making power to U.S. small businesses who understand their fuel and vehicle needs best.
The federal government had taken it upon itself to determine -- rather than let owners decide -- what vehicles were best for small businesses.The EPA's final rule, Rescission of the Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding and Motor Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emission Standards Under the Clean Air Act, published today, prioritizes autonomy rather than big government overreach, resulting in estimated cost savings of nearly $4 billion a year.
EPA's final rule withdrew the restrictions on the manufacture of cars, light trucks, medium-duty trucks, and heavy trucks that would be powered with gasoline or diesel.
"Had they continued, the Biden rules would have devastated our small businesses, especially those buying diesel trucks for the tough jobs that keep our country running," said Chief Counsel Casey B. Mulligan. "The Office of Advocacy met with over 12,000 small businesses across the country, who often express frustration with arrogant regulators who have little idea what it takes to run a business."
The rescission of all EPA GHG standards for light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty vehicles and heavy-duty engines is expected to reduce new-vehicle prices by an average of $2,375, and even more for heavier work trucks, relative to keeping the Biden rules in place. In the aggregate, small businesses will experience a combined cost savings of more than $27 billion over the next 10 years (discounted at 7%).
During the first year of the Trump 47 Administration, Advocacy has worked with agencies to save small businesses $110 billion in regulatory costs. In March 2025, the office launched the Red Tape Hotline, which has received approximately 500 submissions. Learn more about Advocacy's other highlights in its 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/2026/02/18/office-of-advocacy-applauds-epas-cost-saving-decision-on-vehicle-emissions-rules/
NASA's Perseverance Now Autonomously Pinpoints Its Location on Mars
PASADENA, California, Feb. 19 (TNSres) -- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory issued the following news:
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NASA's Perseverance Now Autonomously Pinpoints Its Location on Mars
There is no GPS at the Red Planet, but a new technology called Mars Global Localization lets Perseverance determine precisely where it is -- without human help.
Imagine you're all alone, driving along in a rocky, unforgiving desert with no roads, no map, no GPS, and no more than one phone call a day for someone to inform you exactly where you are. That's what NASA's Perseverance rover has been experiencing since landing
... Show Full Article
PASADENA, California, Feb. 19 (TNSres) -- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory issued the following news:
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NASA's Perseverance Now Autonomously Pinpoints Its Location on Mars
There is no GPS at the Red Planet, but a new technology called Mars Global Localization lets Perseverance determine precisely where it is -- without human help.
Imagine you're all alone, driving along in a rocky, unforgiving desert with no roads, no map, no GPS, and no more than one phone call a day for someone to inform you exactly where you are. That's what NASA's Perseverance rover has been experiencing since landingon Mars five years ago. Though it carries time-tested tools for determining its general location, the rover has needed operators on Earth to tell it precisely where it is -- until now.
A new technology developed at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California enables Perseverance to figure out its whereabouts without calling humans for help. Dubbed Mars Global Localization, the technology features an algorithm that rapidly compares panoramic images from the rover's navigation cameras with onboard orbital terrain maps. Running on a powerful processor that Perseverance originally used to communicate with the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, the algorithm takes about two minutes to pinpoint the rover's location within some 10 inches (25 centimeters). Mars Global Localization was first used successfully in regular mission operations on Feb. 2, then again Feb. 16.
"This is kind of like giving the rover GPS. Now it can determine its own location on Mars," said JPL's Vandi Verma, chief engineer of robotics operations for the mission. "It means the rover will be able to drive for much longer distances autonomously, so we'll explore more of the planet and get more science. And it could be used by almost any other rover traveling fast and far."
The upgrade is especially valuable given how well Perseverance's auto-navigation self-driving system has been working. Enabling the rover to re-plan its path around obstacles en route to a preestablished destination, AutoNav has proved so capable that the distance Perseverance can drive without instructions from Earth is largely limited by the rover's uncertainty about its whereabouts. Now that it can stop and determine its exact location, Perseverance can be commanded to drive to potentially unlimited distances without calling home.
Implementation of Mars Global Localization comes on the heels of another innovation from the Perseverance team: the first use of generative artificial intelligence to help plan a drive route by selecting waypoints for the rover, which are normally chosen by human rover operators. Both technologies enable Perseverance to travel farther and faster while minimizing team workload.
Beyond visual odometry
Unlike on Earth, there is no network of GPS satellites in deep space to locate spacecraft on planetary surfaces. So missions -- whether robotic or crewed -- must come up with other ways to determine their location.
As with NASA's previous Mars rovers, Perseverance tracks its position using what's called visual odometry, analyzing geologic features in camera images taken every few feet while accounting for wheel slippage. But as tiny errors in the process add up over the course of each drive, the rover becomes increasingly unsure about its exact location. On long drives, the rover's sense of its position can be off by more than 100 feet (up to 35 meters). Believing it may be too close to hazardous terrain, Perseverance may prematurely end its drive and wait for instructions from Earth.
"Humans have to tell it, 'You're not lost, you're safe. Keep going,'" Verma said. "We knew if we addressed this problem, the rover could travel much farther every day."
After each drive comes to a halt, the rover sends a 360-degree panorama to Earth, where mapping experts match the imagery with shots from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). The team then sends the rover its location and instructions for its next drive. That process can take a day or more, but with Mars Global Localization, the rover is able to compare the images itself, determine its location, and roll ahead on its preplanned route.
"We've given the rover a new ability," said Jeremy Nash, a JPL robotics engineer who led the team working on the project under Verma. "This has been an open problem in robotics research for decades, and it's been super exciting to deploy this solution in space for the first time."
The small team began working in 2023, testing the accuracy of the algorithm they'd developed using data from 264 previous rover stops. The algorithm compared rover panoramic photos to MRO imagery and correctly pinpointed the rover's location for every single stop.
How Ingenuity helped
Key to Mars Global Localization is the rover's Helicopter Base Station (HBS), which Perseverance used to communicate with the now-retired Ingenuity Mars Helicopter. Equipped with a commercial processor that powered many consumer smartphones in the mid-2010s, the HBS runs more than 100 times faster than the rover's two main computers, which, built to survive the radiation-heavy Martian environment, are based on hardware introduced in 1997.
As a technology demonstration designed to test capabilities, the Ingenuity mission was able to risk employing more powerful commercial chips in the HBS and the helicopter even though they hadn't been proven in space. It paid off: Expected to fly no more than five times, the rotorcraft completed 72 flights.
The power of the HBS processor inspired Verma to look for ways the Perseverance mission might harness it. "It's almost like a gift. Ingenuity blazed the trail, proving we could use commercial processors on Mars," Verma said.
Tapping into the HBS computer has had its challenges. To address reliability, the team developed a "sanity check": The algorithm runs on the HBS multiple times before one of the rover's main computers checks to ensure the results match. During testing, the team repeatedly found the rover's position was off by 1 millimeter. They discovered damage to about 25 bits -- a minuscule fraction of the processor's 1 gigabyte of memory -- and developed a solution to isolate those bits while the algorithm runs.
Alongside the broader Mars Global Localization process, the team's sanity check and memory solutions are expected to find new uses as faster commercial processors are employed in future missions. In the meantime, the team has already turned their sights to the Moon, where difficult lighting conditions and long, cold lunar nights make knowing exactly where spacecraft are located all the more critical.
More about Perseverance
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed for the agency by Caltech, built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover on behalf of NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, as part of NASA's Mars Exploration Program portfolio.
To learn more about Perseverance:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/mars-2020-perseverance
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Original text here: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-perseverance-now-autonomously-pinpoints-its-location-on-mars/
"We Do Declare": Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Amplifies Women's Voices on Financial Independence
WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 -- The Smithsonian Institution American Women's History Museum issued the following news release on Feb. 18, 2026:
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"We Do Declare": Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Amplifies Women's Voices on Financial Independence
Online Exhibition Explores the Stories of More Than 30 Women and How They Changed the Course of Women's Financial Independence
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The Smithsonian American Women's History Museum announced today the expansion of "We Do Declare: Women's Voices on Independence," a multi-year oral history project that began in 2024 in commemoration of the 50th anniversary
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WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 -- The Smithsonian Institution American Women's History Museum issued the following news release on Feb. 18, 2026:
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"We Do Declare": Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Amplifies Women's Voices on Financial Independence
Online Exhibition Explores the Stories of More Than 30 Women and How They Changed the Course of Women's Financial Independence
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The Smithsonian American Women's History Museum announced today the expansion of "We Do Declare: Women's Voices on Independence," a multi-year oral history project that began in 2024 in commemoration of the 50th anniversaryof the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. The complete set of oral histories will debut online March 1 as part of the museum's Women's History Month programming and in celebration of America's 250th.
The project documents the history of women's financial independence in the United States through firsthand accounts from women across generations and professional fields. Drawing on more than three dozen interviews, it examines how women's access to credit, financial services and economic opportunity have developed over the past several decades and the central role women have played in influencing these changes.
"We Do Declare" is led by Rachel Seidman, historian and curator for the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum. The project's digital resources will include interview excerpts, curator essays and public programs, such as a Wikipedia edit-a-thon highlighting women who helped change laws, contributed new research, created new networks and, ultimately, bolstered economic independence for women.
Before the Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974, many women were unable to obtain credit in their own names. The law--which made it illegal for banks to discriminate against women applying for credit cards based on their sex or marital status--fundamentally changed women's ability to access credit and shifted their relationship to the banking industry. "We Do Declare" places that period in historical context and traces the developments that followed through interviews with women who worked in finance, government, business, labor and community organizations.
The project will showcase the stories of trailblazers, including Jacki Zehner, founder of SheMoney and the youngest woman and first female trader to be made a Goldman Sachs partner; Karen Nussbaum, former director of the United States Women's Bureau and co-founder of 9to5, which inspired the 1980 film by the same name; Claudia Goldin, the Henry Lee Professor of Economics at Harvard University and Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences (2023); La June Montgomery Tabron, president and CEO of W.K. Kellogg Foundation, among others.
"'We Do Declare' honors the women who insisted on economic agency and, in doing so, expanded what independence could look like for all Americans," said Melanie Adams, interim director of the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum. "This important addition to our nation's history is a key part of the museum's mission to highlight the overlooked and untold stories of women from all walks of life who have moved our country forward."
"Oral histories allow us to capture not just what changed, but how it felt to live through those changes," Seidman said. "The women featured in 'We Do Declare' describe the persistence, creativity and collective action required to claim financial agency--and how those efforts have reshaped laws, institutions and economic opportunities in America. I hope these stories inspire the next generation to continue to learn about the women who have shaped America and worked tirelessly for a better future for all."
The initiative also reflects the museum's broader commitment to collaborative, digital-first engagement as it builds toward opening its permanent home on the National Mall. Visit the museum's website for more information.
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About the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum
The Smithsonian American Women's History Museum expands the story of America through the often-untold accounts and accomplishments of women--individually and collectively--to better understand our past and inspire our future. Through new scholarship and innovative exhibitions and online experiences, storytelling and participation, the museum inspires the next generation. The legislation creating the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum passed Dec. 27, 2020, and the museum is working with Congress to finalize a site for the physical building on the National Mall, even as it continues to advance history education and scholarship.
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Original text here: https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/we-do-declare-smithsonian-american-womens-history-museum-amplifies-womens-voices
Postal Service celebrates Bruce Lee
WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- The U.S. Postal Service issued the following news release:
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Postal Service celebrates Bruce Lee
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SEATTLE -The U.S. Postal Service honors and celebrates the life of Chinese American martial artist, actor and filmmaker Bruce Lee with a new stamp featuring an eye-popping image of his iconic flying kick. The stamp was dedicated at a ceremony today at the Nippon Kan Theater in Seattle.
"He was mesmerizing to watch. Unlike the theatrical, acrobatic kung fu that came before, Lee's movements were economical, explosive and real," said Ben Kuo, USPS senior vice president
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- The U.S. Postal Service issued the following news release:
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Postal Service celebrates Bruce Lee
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SEATTLE -The U.S. Postal Service honors and celebrates the life of Chinese American martial artist, actor and filmmaker Bruce Lee with a new stamp featuring an eye-popping image of his iconic flying kick. The stamp was dedicated at a ceremony today at the Nippon Kan Theater in Seattle.
"He was mesmerizing to watch. Unlike the theatrical, acrobatic kung fu that came before, Lee's movements were economical, explosive and real," said Ben Kuo, USPS senior vice presidentof facilities and infrastructure who spoke at the event. "Bruce Lee has earned this special tribute because he wasn't just an action film star who could fight -he was a philosopher who could think and a teacher who inspired millions."
Joining Kuo for the ceremony were Lee's daughter, Shannon Lee; Sue Ann Kay, a former student and friend of Lee; and journalist Jeff Chang. Mimi Gan, an officer of the board of trustees for the Wing Luke Museum, was master of ceremonies, Genelia Lai performed the national anthem and American Legion Cathay Post 186 served as color guard for the day.
Known as Hollywood's first Asian American leading man, Bruce Lee was a celebrated box office star in Hong Kong well before he dazzled American moviegoers. Shannon Lee says her father's life was about breaking through barriers and bringing people together along the way.
"His legacy is one of resilience, self-mastery and flow that resonates and connects people across multiple demographics, which is why this stamp is such a profoundly perfect touchpoint and a true honor, especially at this moment in time," said Lee, CEO of Bruce Lee Enterprises. "Our family is deeply grateful to the USPS for choosing to recognize Bruce Lee, and we are excited to see his kicks flying all across the country on our mail."
Lee Jun Fan was born in San Francisco on Nov. 27, 1940, while his father, Lee Hoi Chuen, a singer and actor from Hong Kong, and mother, Grace Ho, were in the United States on an extended tour. Their son, who would have dual citizenship, received not only a Cantonese name but an American one suggested by the midwife who delivered him: Bruce. The family returned to Hong Kong when he was a few months old.
With family connections in the Hong Kong film industry, Bruce Lee began appearing in movies as a child, with his first lead role at age 10. His stage name was Li Xiao Long, or "Lee the Little Dragon," because he was born in both the hour and year of the Dragon in Chinese astrology. As a teenager, Lee studied the Wing Chun style of Chinese kung fu and became an expert boxer as well as a competitor in cha-cha dancing.
Lee arrived back in the United States in 1959. After earning the equivalent of a high school diploma, he started taking classes at the University of Washington and teaching martial arts on the side.
In 1964, he opened a martial arts school in Oakland, CA, and married Linda Emery. Later that year, he would attend karate competitions and demonstrate the "one-inch punch" technique, which enabled him to strike an opponent at close range with extraordinary force.
Watching in the crowd was celebrity hairstylist and martial arts enthusiast Jay Sebring, who was struck by the combination of Lee's remarkably chiseled frame, lightning-fast hands and feet, and Zen-like composure. A few months later, when a producer-friend was searching for a Chinese actor, Sebring passed along Lee's name. This was groundbreaking. In Hollywood, Asian roles usually went to Caucasian actors, with Asian actors rarely given a chance. Producer William Dozier gave Lee a screen test in 1965.
Lee's first major American role was in the television version of "The Green Hornet," which aired on ABC from September 1966 to March 1967. He played Kato, the title character's martial artist partner. After one season, the program was canceled in the United States, but caught on in Hong Kong, where it became known as "The Kato Show." In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Lee choreographed movie fight scenes and appeared in a few TV series but had no starring roles.
During this time, Lee was also developing his own philosophy and style of martial arts. With "Jeet Kune Do" -which roughly translates as "the way of the intercepting fist" -he pushed aside the rigidity of traditional martial arts for a more free-flowing approach. "When there is freedom from mechanical conditioning, there is simplicity," he wrote in his posthumously published book "Tao of Jeet Kune Do."
It would be several more years before Warner Bros. studios produced the first Hollywood movie starring Lee. Released in 1972, "Enter the Dragon" became a worldwide phenomenon. It was also added to the National Film Registry, which honors "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant motion pictures.
Tragically, Lee did not live to see his opus stun American audiences. On July 20, 1973, a month before the film's premiere, he lay down for a nap and fell into a coma, dying at age 32 of cerebral edema.
In the following decades, Lee's legend grew. In 1999, he was included in Time magazine's list of the Top 100 Most Important People of the Century. In 2012, the U.S. House of Representatives paid tribute to Lee with an official statement calling him "a true catalyst for social change and civil rights" and "a cultural and American icon." The statement concluded that Lee "remains a beacon of hope and opportunity for future generations in America."
Antonio Alcala, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp with Kam Mak's egg tempera painting on traditional gesso. The black-and-white palette with a brush stroke of yellow references his final movie, "The Game of Death," which was completed and released after his death. Lee's name and the words "USA" and "FOREVER" are arranged to appear as if Lee's flying kick were breaking them in half.
The Bruce Lee stamp is available in panes of 20. As a Forever stamp, it will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #BruceLeeStamp.
Postal Products
Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through The Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps, by calling 844-737-7826, by mail through USA Philatelic or at Post Office locations nationwide. For officially licensed stamp products, shop the USPS Officially Licensed Collection on Amazon. Additional information on stamps, first-day-of-issue ceremonies and stamp-inspired products can be found at stampsforever.com.
The United States Postal Service is an independent federal establishment, mandated to be self-financing and to serve every American community through the affordable, reliable and secure delivery of mail and packages to more than 170 million addresses six and often seven days a week. Overseen by a bipartisan Board of Governors, the Postal Service is celebrating its 250th year of service to customers amidst a network modernization plan aimed at restoring long-term financial sustainability, improving service, and maintaining the organization as one of America's most valued and trusted brands.
The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
For USPS media resources, including broadcast-quality video and audio and photo stills, visit the USPS Newsroom. Follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter ; Instagram ; Pinterest ; Threads ; and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the USPS YouTube Channel and like us on Facebook. For more information about the Postal Service, visit usps.com and facts.usps.com.
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Original text here: https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2026/0218-postal-service-celebrates-bruce-lee.htm
FHLBanks Will Not Issue a Global on February 17
WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- The Federal Home Loan Bank System Office of Finance issued the following news release:
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FHLBanks Will Not Issue a Global on February 17
Today, the FHLBank System is announcing that no Global will be issued or reopened on the February 17 calendar date.
The next Global opportunity for the FHLBanks is March 3, 2026, per the Global calendar that is published and available on the Office of Finance website. On these predetermined dates, the FHLBanks have the option of issuing a new Global, reopening an existing Global, or deferring until the next scheduled opportunity.
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- The Federal Home Loan Bank System Office of Finance issued the following news release:
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FHLBanks Will Not Issue a Global on February 17
Today, the FHLBank System is announcing that no Global will be issued or reopened on the February 17 calendar date.
The next Global opportunity for the FHLBanks is March 3, 2026, per the Global calendar that is published and available on the Office of Finance website. On these predetermined dates, the FHLBanks have the option of issuing a new Global, reopening an existing Global, or deferring until the next scheduled opportunity.
This announcement is neither an offer to sell, nor a solicitation of offers to buy, these securities.
The FHLBanks have delivered innovation and service to the U.S. housing market since 1932, and currently have approximately 6,400 members serving all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. Please contact Tom Heinle at (703) 467-3646 or theinle@fhlb-of.com for additional information.
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Original text here: https://fhlb-of.com/ofweb_userWeb/resources/PR2026-0217-NoGlobal.pdf
Excess Federal Property in Battle Creek, Michigan, Listed for Accelerated Disposition
WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- The General Services Administration issued the following news release:
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Excess Federal Property in Battle Creek, Michigan, Listed for Accelerated Disposition
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GSA seeks to rightsize federal agency space, reduce taxpayer burden
CHICAGO - Today, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced the accelerated disposition listing of the Hart-Dole-Inouye Federal Center, Battle Creek, Michigan. This marks a strategic step in ongoing efforts by GSA to rightsize the federal real estate portfolio, cut costs for American taxpayers and optimize the space agencies
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WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- The General Services Administration issued the following news release:
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Excess Federal Property in Battle Creek, Michigan, Listed for Accelerated Disposition
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GSA seeks to rightsize federal agency space, reduce taxpayer burden
CHICAGO - Today, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced the accelerated disposition listing of the Hart-Dole-Inouye Federal Center, Battle Creek, Michigan. This marks a strategic step in ongoing efforts by GSA to rightsize the federal real estate portfolio, cut costs for American taxpayers and optimize the space agenciesneed to achieve their missions.
The disposition will eliminate maintenance costs for an underutilized and functionally obsolete campus and allow GSA to find new, more optimal space that allows partner agencies to better carry out their missions. Additionally, it will provide economic development opportunities for the property and the Battle Creek community. The disposition of the federal center is expected to save taxpayers approximately $170 million in delinquent maintenance and another $6 million in annual operating costs.
"Under President Trump's leadership, GSA is clearing out inefficiency and honing the federal real estate portfolio," said GSA Administrator Edward C. Forst. "We are putting Americans first and ensuring federal resources are delivering value."
GSA has already identified other buildings in its real estate footprint for potential disposal to ensure taxpayers no longer pay for underutilized federal office space, or significant maintenance costs -potentially saving more than $430 million in total annual operating costs.
GSA remains committed to solving long-term problems that exist in the federal portfolio of assets, reducing waste, and delivering long-term value to the American people. For more information, visit realestatesales.gov.
About GSA: GSA provides centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government. GSA manages a nationwide real estate portfolio of approximately 360 million rentable square feet, oversees more than $116 billion in products and services via federal contracts, and delivers technology services to millions of people across dozens of federal agencies. GSA's mission is to deliver exceptional customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.
Contact
press@gsa.gov
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Original text here: https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/newsroom/news-releases/excess-federal-property-in-battle-creek-michigan-listed-for-accelerated-dispos-02182026
