Federal Independent Agencies
Here's a look at documents from federal independent agencies
Featured Stories
Ginnie Mae Mortgage-Backed Securities Portfolio Reached $2.95 Trillion in May
WASHINGTON, June 12 -- Ginnie Mae issued the following news release:
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Ginnie Mae Mortgage-Backed Securities Portfolio Reached $2.95 Trillion in May
Ginnie Mae's mortgage-backed securities (MBS) portfolio outstanding grew to $2.95 trillion as of May 2026. In addition, Ginnie Mae issued $54.9 billion in total MBS, resulting in net portfolio growth of $20 billion. Ginnie Mae facilitated the pooling and securitization of more than 271,000 loans for first-time homebuyers year-to-date.
Key highlights from the March issuance include:
* $52.9 billion in Ginnie Mae II MBS.
* $1.9 billion in
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, June 12 -- Ginnie Mae issued the following news release:
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Ginnie Mae Mortgage-Backed Securities Portfolio Reached $2.95 Trillion in May
Ginnie Mae's mortgage-backed securities (MBS) portfolio outstanding grew to $2.95 trillion as of May 2026. In addition, Ginnie Mae issued $54.9 billion in total MBS, resulting in net portfolio growth of $20 billion. Ginnie Mae facilitated the pooling and securitization of more than 271,000 loans for first-time homebuyers year-to-date.
Key highlights from the March issuance include:
* $52.9 billion in Ginnie Mae II MBS.
* $1.9 billion inGinnie Mae I MBS, including $1.8 billion for multifamily housing loans.
* The pooling and securitization of loans for more than 157,000 American households, including more than 61,600 first-time homebuyers.
For detailed information on monthly MBS issuance, unpaid principal balance, Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduit (REMIC) issuance, and a broader analysis of global market trends, visit Ginnie Mae Disclosure.
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About Ginnie Mae
Ginnie Mae is a wholly government-owned corporation that attracts global capital into the housing finance system to support homeownership for veterans and millions of homeowners throughout the country. Ginnie Mae MBS programs directly support housing finance programs administered by the Federal Housing Administration, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Public and Indian Housing, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Housing Service. Ginnie Mae is the only MBS to carry the explicit full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. Additional information about Ginnie Mae is available at www.ginniemae.gov and on X, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
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Original text here: https://www.ginniemae.gov/newsroom/Pages/PressReleaseDispPage.aspx?ParamID=376
Bridging the Homeownership Gap in Wisconsin's Northwoods
CHICAGO, Illinois, June 12 -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago, a district bank in the Federal Home Loan Bank System, issued the following news:
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Bridging the Homeownership Gap in Wisconsin's Northwoods
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In Michigan's Western Upper Peninsula and Wisconsin's Northwoods region, the path to homeownership presents a unique challenge. While homes may be affordable, the local economy doesn't always provide wages to match, and much of the rental stock has been converted to vacation properties. For Carmen Schipferling, Home Lending Specialist at IncredibleBank, FHLBank Chicago's Downpayment
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CHICAGO, Illinois, June 12 -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago, a district bank in the Federal Home Loan Bank System, issued the following news:
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Bridging the Homeownership Gap in Wisconsin's Northwoods
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In Michigan's Western Upper Peninsula and Wisconsin's Northwoods region, the path to homeownership presents a unique challenge. While homes may be affordable, the local economy doesn't always provide wages to match, and much of the rental stock has been converted to vacation properties. For Carmen Schipferling, Home Lending Specialist at IncredibleBank, FHLBank Chicago's DownpaymentPlus (r) (DPP (r) ) Program has become an essential tool for bridging that gap.
"After moving to the area, I saw firsthand how hard it was for families to get into homes," Schipferling said. "DPP has helped open doors for people who never thought homeownership was possible."
IncredibleBank, a community bank with eight lenders serving the country from their offices in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Florida, has leveraged DPP as its primary down payment assistance program since Schipferling first used it in 2016. The program's simplicity and substantial grant amount has made a meaningful difference for first-time homebuyers who might otherwise remain locked out of the market.
Since 2024, the partnership has accelerated, with IncredibleBank helping approximately 30 families achieve homeownership through DPP, most receiving the maximum funding. One story stands out: a single mother raising her three-year-old daughter and teenage sister arrived at closing needing only one dollar to complete her purchase.
"She was in tears," Schipferling recalled. "She said, 'I never thought this would happen. And now here I am buying a house with one dollar.'"
Behind every successful closing is the support of FHLBank Chicago's DPP team. Schipferling credits Community Investment Operations Specialist Kait Decker with going above and beyond-once resolving a critical issue just two days before closing. "She makes us feel well cared for," said Schipferling. "There's never anything too small to ask."
Looking ahead, all IncredibleBank lenders have enrolled in DPP training for 2026, with the goal of offering the program to every qualifying customer. "DPP has become an essential part of how we support first-time homebuyers," Schipferling said. "Our goal is to make sure it's available to as many qualifying families as possible."
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Original text here: https://www.fhlbc.com/news/news-detail/2026/06/10/bridging-the-homeownership-gap-in-wisconsin's-northwoods
Smithsonian STARS Pilots in Arizona
CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, June 11 -- The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics issued the following news release:
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Smithsonian STARS Pilots in Arizona
This spring, the Smithsonian Scientists Taking Astronomy to Rural Schools (STARS) initiative completed its pilot program in southeastern Arizona. STARS educators tested the program's lesson plans and materials and gathered student and teacher feedback in preparation for the full Arizona rollout this fall.
Educators from the program visited six schools, ranging from a one-room schoolhouse to larger campus environments. The program engaged
... Show Full Article
CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, June 11 -- The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics issued the following news release:
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Smithsonian STARS Pilots in Arizona
This spring, the Smithsonian Scientists Taking Astronomy to Rural Schools (STARS) initiative completed its pilot program in southeastern Arizona. STARS educators tested the program's lesson plans and materials and gathered student and teacher feedback in preparation for the full Arizona rollout this fall.
Educators from the program visited six schools, ranging from a one-room schoolhouse to larger campus environments. The program engagedabout 500 students across grades 1-12.
Students participated in a range of activities including solar observing with Celestron telescopes, optics demonstrations using mirrors and lenses, telescope modeling exercises, and discussions about galaxies, stars, and the structure of the universe. Viewing included the use of Sunspotter technology to allow direct viewing of the Sun.
Feedback from both students and educators was positive. Students identified the telescope experience as the highlight of the program, while teachers shared excitement about bringing more astronomy and hands-on STEM learning into their classrooms.
The project leaders will use this pilot to launch the full program in the fall.
The program facilitators included:
* Emma Marcucci -- Executive Director, Smithsonian STARS
* Mary Dussault -- Instructional Systems Specialist, Science Education Department
* Frank Sienkiewicz -- MicroObservatory Project Engineer, Science Education Department
* Neel Gudka -- Communications Specialist, Smithsonian STARS
* Kelsie Murphy -- Education Specialist, Smithsonian STARS
* Erika Wright -- Education Specialist, Science Education Department
* Jackie Westman -- SPARK Post-Baccalaureate Researcher, OIR
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Original text here: https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/news/smithsonian-stars-pilots-arizona
SBA IG: 'Independent Auditors' Report on SBA's Fiscal Year 2025 Financial Statements'
WASHINGTON, June 11 (TNSrep) -- The Small Business Administration Inspector General issued the following report (No. 26-03) on Jan. 21, 2026 entitled "Independent Auditors' Report on SBA's Fiscal Year 2025 Financial Statements."
Here are excerpts:
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DATE: January 21, 2026
TO: Kelly Loeffler, Administrator
FROM: William W. Kirk, Inspector General
SUBJECT: Independent Auditors' Report on SBA's Fiscal Year 2025 Financial Statements (Report 26-03)
I am pleased to present the attached independent auditors' report on the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) financial statement for fiscal
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, June 11 (TNSrep) -- The Small Business Administration Inspector General issued the following report (No. 26-03) on Jan. 21, 2026 entitled "Independent Auditors' Report on SBA's Fiscal Year 2025 Financial Statements."
Here are excerpts:
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DATE: January 21, 2026
TO: Kelly Loeffler, Administrator
FROM: William W. Kirk, Inspector General
SUBJECT: Independent Auditors' Report on SBA's Fiscal Year 2025 Financial Statements (Report 26-03)
I am pleased to present the attached independent auditors' report on the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) financial statement for fiscalyear (FY) 2025. The Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990, as amended, requires the Inspector General or an independent auditor, as determined by the Inspector General, to audit SBA's financial statements.
We contracted with the independent certified public accounting firm KPMG LLP to conduct an audit of SBA's consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2025 and the related notes. KPMG was not engaged to audit the consolidated statement of net cost, consolidated statement of changes in net position, and combined statement of budgetary resources. Our contract required KPMG to conduct the audit in accordance with Government Auditing Standards (GAS) and Office of Management and Budget Bulletin No. 24-02, Audit Requirements for Federal Financial Statements.
KPMG issued a disclaimer of opinion on the consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2025. The basis for the disclaimer was that because of control deficiencies identified, SBA was unable to provide adequate evidential matter in support of a significant number of transactions and account balances related to the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan programs. Additionally, management was unable to provide sufficient appropriate audit evidence to support the data used to develop assumptions used in the subsidy allowance estimate for SBA's direct loan and loan guaranty programs.
During the audit, KPMG identified four material weaknesses and one significant deficiency in internal control over financial reporting. We note that SBA made considerable progress addressing prior year audit findings, resulting in the successful remediation of two material weaknesses (controls over general information technology and controls over the evaluation of service organizations) and the downgrading of one material weakness (controls over monitoring Restaurant Revitalization Fund and Shuttered Venue Operators Grant programs) to a significant deficiency. Appendices I and II of this report describe details of KPMG's conclusions about the material weaknesses and significant deficiency. KPMG also identified three instances of noncompliance with applicable laws or other matters, which are discussed in Appendix III of this report.
We reviewed KPMG's report and related documentation and inquired of its personnel. Our review, as differentiated from an audit of the financial statements in accordance with GAS, was not intended to enable us to express, and we do not express, opinions on 1) SBA's financial statements or internal control over financial reporting; 2) whether SBA's financial systems complied substantially with the Federal Financial Management Improvement Act of 1996 requirements; 3) or conclusions on compliance and other matters. KPMG is responsible for the attached auditors' report dated January 21, 2026 and the conclusions expressed. Our review disclosed no instances where KPMG did not comply in all material respects with GAS.
We appreciate the cooperation and assistance extended to KPMG and our office during the audit. Should you or your staff have any questions, please contact me or Andrea Deadwyler, Assistant Inspector General for Audits, at (202) 205-6586.
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The report is posted at: https://www.sba.gov/document/report-26-03-independent-auditors-report-sbas-fiscal-year-2025-financial-statements
[Category: IGIGRep]
National Academy of Medicine to Convene Workshop on Preparing for a Future of AI-Enabled Biology
WASHINGTON, June 11 -- The National Academy of Medicine issued the following news:
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National Academy of Medicine to Convene Workshop on Preparing for a Future of AI-Enabled Biology
The National Academy of Medicine (NAM), in collaboration with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and with support from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), will convene a two-day workshop on August 11-12, 2026, examining how advances in artificial intelligence (AI) may reshape biological risks, preparedness, and response in the years ahead.
As AI increasingly
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, June 11 -- The National Academy of Medicine issued the following news:
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National Academy of Medicine to Convene Workshop on Preparing for a Future of AI-Enabled Biology
The National Academy of Medicine (NAM), in collaboration with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and with support from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), will convene a two-day workshop on August 11-12, 2026, examining how advances in artificial intelligence (AI) may reshape biological risks, preparedness, and response in the years ahead.
As AI increasinglytransforms the life sciences, including biological design, disease detection, and drug discovery, experts are working to better understand how these technologies could affect biosecurity, public health, and medical countermeasure preparedness. The workshop will bring together leaders from AI, biotechnology, public health, medicine, biosecurity, government, and industry to examine how AI-enabled biological risks may evolve, identify critical uncertainties, and explore opportunities to strengthen preparedness systems.
" Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing what is possible in biology, from scientific discovery to the development of tools t hat protect public health. At the same time, these advances raise important questions about how biological risks may evolve and whether current preparedness systems are equipped to respond," said Victor J. Dzau, NAM president. " This workshop will bring together experts from across disciplines to help clarify those risks, identify knowledge gaps, and explore practical steps to strengthen preparedness for future biological threats."
Discussions will explore how AI may meaningfully expand biological capabilities, with particular attention to AI-enabled biological and viral design. The workshop will examine how risks may emerge across the AI-bio lifecycle, from model development and biological design to synthesis, access, detection, and deployment, while also focusing on distinguishing what may be technically possible from what is likely in practice, identifying key uncertainties, and considering how public health, biosecurity, and preparedness systems may need to adapt to emerging technologies.
A multidisciplinary planning committee has been convened to help design the workshop and identify key topics for discussion. Committee members bring expertise spanning AI, computational biology, synthetic biology, genomics, infectious diseases, biosecurity and biosafety, medical countermeasure development, public health preparedness, global health, and science and technology policy. The Workshop Planning Committee Members are listed below.
* Lalitha Sundaram, PhD, University of Cambridge (Co-chair)
* Herbert "Skip" Virgin, MD, PhD, Washington University School of Medicine (Co-chair)
* Kate Adamala, PhD, University of Minnesota
* Jasper Gotting, PhD, SecureBio
* Christian Happi, PhD, Redeemer's University; Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
* Sebastian Maurer-Stroh, PhD, A*STAR
* Harshini Mukundan, PhD, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
* Suryesh Kumar Namdeo, PhD, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
* Amarda Shehu, PhD, George Mason University
* Yunyun Wang, OpenAI
Insights from the workshop will help inform a forthcoming National Academies consensus study focused on how advances in AI and biotechnology may change biological risks and preparedness needs in the future. The study will examine both the potential benefits and risks of these technologies, including their implications for the development of vaccines, treatments, diagnostics, and public health response systems. The final report will provide recommendations to help policymakers, researchers, public health leaders, and other stakeholders strengthen preparedness for emerging biological threats.
Register for the workshop (https://nam.edu/event/preparing-for-a-future-of-ai-enabled-biology).
Learn more about preparing for a future of AI-enabled biology (https://nam.edu/our-work/programs/committee-on-emerging-science-technology-and-innovation-in-health-and-medicine/preparing-for-a-future-of-ai-enabled-biology/).
Learn more about the National Academies Consensus Study (https://www.nationalacademies.org/projects/CHPP-LSB-25-04).
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Original text here: https://nam.edu/news-and-insights/national-academy-of-medicine-to-convene-workshop-on-preparing-for-a-future-of-ai-enabled-biology/
EPA Launches Website in Support of its Collaboration with FIFA 26 and Host Cities
WASHINGTON, June 11 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
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EPA Launches Website in Support of its Collaboration with FIFA 26 and Host Cities
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Website will enhance environmental stewardship and sustainability of FIFA World Cup 2026(tm)
WASHINGTON -Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the launch of a website designed to help U.S. host cities, venues, partners, and fans access practical tools, information, and gold standard science to enhance environmental stewardship during the FIFA World Cup 2026(tm). With more than 10 million
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, June 11 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
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EPA Launches Website in Support of its Collaboration with FIFA 26 and Host Cities
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Website will enhance environmental stewardship and sustainability of FIFA World Cup 2026(tm)
WASHINGTON -Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the launch of a website designed to help U.S. host cities, venues, partners, and fans access practical tools, information, and gold standard science to enhance environmental stewardship during the FIFA World Cup 2026(tm). With more than 10 millionfans expected across 11 U.S. host cities, this site supports EPA's mission to protect human health and the environment by making it easier to find tools and resources for a clean and healthy FIFA World Cup 2026(tm). The site will also feature information about FIFA and host city environmental efforts.
EPA is also providing technical assistance, science-based tools, air quality data, and advisory support to FIFA 26 and local partners to reduce food waste, improve recycling, bolster air quality management, and expand environmental education to support clean air, land, and water efforts in U.S. host cities during and after the FIFA World Cup 2026(tm).
For more information about EPA's collaboration with FIFA 26 and host cities in support of the FIFA World Cup 2026(tm), including technical materials and resources from federal, state, and local partners visit the EPA and the FIFA World Cup 2026(tm) webpage.
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Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-launches-website-support-its-collaboration-fifa-26-and-host-cities
Best Practices, Opportunities for Plugging Orphan Wells Identified in New Report
WASHINGTON, June 11 -- The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine issued the following news release:
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Best Practices, Opportunities for Plugging Orphan Wells Identified in New Report
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WASHINGTON -Plugging orphan oil and gas wells is an effective practice to mitigate the risks of leaks and reduce potential environmental and public health consequences from orphaned wells, says a new National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report. State leadership and federal support have strengthened the nation's capacity to address plugging orphan wells on state, federal,
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, June 11 -- The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine issued the following news release:
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Best Practices, Opportunities for Plugging Orphan Wells Identified in New Report
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WASHINGTON -Plugging orphan oil and gas wells is an effective practice to mitigate the risks of leaks and reduce potential environmental and public health consequences from orphaned wells, says a new National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report. State leadership and federal support have strengthened the nation's capacity to address plugging orphan wells on state, federal,and tribal lands. The report recommends that future state and federal funding be considered to continue advancing such efforts.
Orphan oil and gas wells exist across much of the United States, and potentially hundreds of thousands of them have not been permanently sealed or plugged using modern standards, materials, or technologies. Unplugged or improperly plugged wells risk the migration of contaminants such as oil and gas, produced water, methane, or other gases. Migrating contaminants can endanger public and environmental health and inhibit use of the surrounding land.
"We hope our report will be used to advance best practices and new technologies for plugging wells," said Mary Feeley, co-chair of the committee that wrote the report and a retired chief geoscientist at ExxonMobil. "This would benefit the public, the environment, and the economy."
Most hydrocarbon wells are located on private lands and fall under the regulatory authority of states. Decades of state leadership combined with recent federal investment have accelerated orphan well plugging and abandonment efforts, but more can be done, says the report. It identifies opportunities to improve data collection, management, and access; improve post-plug monitoring; and support the development and adoption of emerging technologies and materials.
"States have historically taken the lead in addressing the risks posed by orphaned wells," said Jim Slutz, managing director at the National Petroleum Council and co-chair of the committee. "Our recommendations seek to bolster their capacity to do this critical work."
Improved Data and Monitoring
Access to orphan well data is important to the public sector, oil and gas industry, and researchers, but information about well construction, operations, plugging records, and plugged well failures is not readily available. The committee recommended that a coordinated reporting and corrective action system be implemented to help standardize the collection and storage of data on orphan wells and plugged well failures. The report also advises regulatory agencies to require procedures to test and verify the structural integrity of well barriers.
States should make efforts to establish prioritization frameworks for post-plug monitoring. This will allow states and tribes to focus resources on wells where monitoring would likely yield significant environmental and public health and safety benefits.
New Technologies and Workforce Development
New technologies have the potential to improve well plugging and make these efforts more cost-effective, but financial, institutional, and regulatory barriers complicate widespread adoption. The report recommends that states, federal and tribal agencies, industry, and researchers explore ways to share information about the effectiveness of new and evolving technology.
Workforce readiness presents another challenge to plugging wells in the future; the workforce in the oil and gas industry has been shrinking, while the need for workers skilled in plugging and abandonment practices is anticipated to increase. The report urges universities, technical schools, apprenticeship programs, and states to implement training and certification programs specific to well plugging and abandonment.
The study was undertaken by the Committee on Technologies and Practices for Plugging and Remediating Orphaned and Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells and sponsored by the U.S. Department of the Interior's Orphaned Wells Program Office.
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine are private, nonprofit institutions that provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions related to science, engineering, and medicine. They operate under an 1863 congressional charter to the National Academy of Sciences, signed by President Lincoln.
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Original text here: https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/best-practices-opportunities-for-plugging-orphan-wells-identified-in-new-report
