Federal Independent Agencies
Here's a look at documents from federal independent agencies
Featured Stories
NSF Announces New Initiative to Launch and Scale a New Generation of Transformative Independent Research Organizations to Advance Breakthrough Science
WASHINGTON, Dec. 13 -- The National Science Foundation issued the following news release on Dec. 12, 2025:
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NSF announces new initiative to launch and scale a new generation of transformative independent research organizations to advance breakthrough science
NSF invites feedback on its Tech Labs Initiative -- a program designed to fund research teams outside of traditional academic institutions -- through a request for information.
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The U.S. National Science Foundation Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (NSF TIP) on Friday announced the launch of a new initiative
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 13 -- The National Science Foundation issued the following news release on Dec. 12, 2025:
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NSF announces new initiative to launch and scale a new generation of transformative independent research organizations to advance breakthrough science
NSF invites feedback on its Tech Labs Initiative -- a program designed to fund research teams outside of traditional academic institutions -- through a request for information.
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The U.S. National Science Foundation Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (NSF TIP) on Friday announced the launch of a new initiativedesigned to launch and scale a new generation of independent research organizations. These organizations will focus on technical challenges and bottlenecks that traditional university and industry labs cannot easily solve on their own. NSF seeks feedback on this initiative through a Request for Information (RFI).
"As scientific challenges have become more complex and dependent upon the work of cross-disciplinary teams of experts, our nation must expand its scientific funding toolkit to adapt," said Erwin Gianchandani, NSF TIP Assistant Director. "Tech Labs will provide entrepreneurial teams of proven scientists the freedom and flexibility to pursue breakthrough science at breakneck speed, without needing to frequently stop and apply for additional grant funding with each new idea or development."
The NSF TIP Tech Labs initiative is grounded in the recognition that many of the technology acceleration and translation challenges of today require new approaches with coordinated, interdisciplinary teams to achieve success. The Tech Labs initiative will support full-time teams of researchers, scientists, and engineers who will enjoy operational autonomy and milestone-based funding as they pursue technical breakthroughs that have the potential to reshape or create entire technology sectors. Tech Labs teams will move beyond traditional research outputs (e.g., publications and datasets), with sufficient resources, financial runway, and independence to transition critical technology from early concept or prototypes to commercially viable platforms ready for private investment to scale and deploy. NSF anticipates significant investment later in FY 2026, featuring large, multi-year awards for selected teams.
To help shape this initiative, TIP is inviting input from the broader community - including from academia, policymakers, nonprofits, philanthropy, state and local government, venture capital, the private sector and any other interested parties - through an RFI.
To learn more, read the RFI and plan to join a webinar on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, at 11 a.m. EST. Please register in advance for the webinar.
In the coming weeks, NSF TIP will also release more information about a companion initiative, the NSF TIP Tech Accelerators Initiative, that will share many of the same core principles and a complementary mission focus with its Tech Labs Initiative. That program will provide a wider variety of entry points for teams to de-risk and accelerate technology translation into the market and society, focused on specific key technology areas critical to national priorities.
Both new initiatives are guided by the ambition of President Trump's mandate to revitalize and strengthen America's science and technology ecosystem by exploring innovative models for funding and sharing high-value scientific research infrastructure and results. The design choices underpinning these efforts are informed by thoughtful science policy scholarship and entrepreneurship from both emerging and established think tanks, metascience experts, Congressionally-chartered study commissions and the broader scientific community.
Together, these new initiatives position NSF to more effectively support the next generation of American scientific entrepreneurs.
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About NSF TIP
The NSF Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (NSF TIP) seeks to engage all Americans in accelerating critical and emerging technologies to advance U.S. competitiveness. The directorate partners across sectors to advance three strategies - accelerating critical and emerging technology, expanding the geography of American innovation and building a competition-ready workforce. For more information about NSF TIP, visit nsf.gov/tip/latest.
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Original text here: https://www.nsf.gov/news/nsf-announces-new-initiative-launch-scale-new-generation
National Museum of Asian Art Returns Three Sculptures to the Kingdom of Cambodia
WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 -- The Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Asian Art issued the following news release on Dec. 11, 2025:
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National Museum of Asian Art Returns Three Sculptures to the Kingdom of Cambodia
A Result of the Museum's Proactive Provenance Research, in Collaboration With the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Return Marks the Museum's First Repatriation Under the Smithsonian's Shared Stewardship and Ethical Returns Policy
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The Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art announced today the return of three Cambodian sculptures to the Kingdom of Cambodia. The ethical return, which
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 -- The Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Asian Art issued the following news release on Dec. 11, 2025:
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National Museum of Asian Art Returns Three Sculptures to the Kingdom of Cambodia
A Result of the Museum's Proactive Provenance Research, in Collaboration With the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Return Marks the Museum's First Repatriation Under the Smithsonian's Shared Stewardship and Ethical Returns Policy
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The Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art announced today the return of three Cambodian sculptures to the Kingdom of Cambodia. The ethical return, whichwas initiated by the museum, follows an extensive internal assessment conducted since August 2022. The assessment consisted of several years of dedicated research carried out by the museum's provenance researchers and curators and efforts undertaken in close collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts of the Kingdom of Cambodia, which determined that the objects were removed from Cambodia during a period of widespread looting amid civil conflict (1967-1975) before entering the U.S. art market. This repatriation is the museum's first under the Smithsonian's Shared Stewardship and Ethical Returns policy, adopted in April 2022.
The three sculptures--"Head of Harihara" (mid-10th century), "The Goddess Uma" (10th century) and "Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom)" (c. 1200)--were donated to the museum and entered the collection without documentation of export from Cambodia. Each object is associated with art dealers suspected of trafficking looted antiquities from Southeast Asia. Based on their close association with specific extant temples and the date of appearance of these objects on the international art market, the museum identified ethical concerns significant enough to warrant a voluntary return.
The Smithsonian's Shared Stewardship and Ethical Returns policy--created to guide voluntary, good-faith returns based on ethical considerations--enabled the museum to undertake this repatriation through a framework that is unique among U.S. museums. Under this policy, the museum was able to proceed with a voluntary return without requiring a formal restitution claim from Cambodia. The museum has completed the deaccession process for the sculptures and will continue to collaborate with Cambodian partners through ongoing joint provenance research to deepen understanding of their histories.
Details About the Objects and Their Histories
* "Head of Harihara" represents a composite deity combining Shiva and Vishnu. Only half of Shiva's third eye is visible, confirming the dual identity, while the elaborate three-tiered headdress--carved with floral designs matching those found at the temple of Pre Rup--resembles Cambodian temple towers that evoke Mount Meru, the mythic center of the universe. The sculpture was likely acquired by William H. Wolff Inc. before 1968, passed to Dr. Arthur M. Sackler and gifted to the museum in 1987. It was on long-term view in "Sculpture of South Asia and the Himalayas" from 1988 to 2017.
* "The Goddess Uma" stands in an elegant, front-facing pose with a columnar base formed by her pleated skirt and delicately modeled torso emphasizing femininity and fertility. Intricate floral patterns on her headdress and belt reflect carvings at the hilltop temple Phnom Bakheng, and visual parallels with reliefs at Phnom Bakheng further associate the sculpture with this temple. Also thought to have been acquired from William H. Wolff Inc. in 1972, the sculpture entered Sackler's collection and was donated to the museum in 1987. It was previously exhibited in "Sculpture of South Asia and the Himalayas" (1988-2017) and later in "Power in Southeast Asia" (2017-2020).
* "Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom)" presents the goddess of transcendental wisdom in her esoteric Cambodian form. This complex bronze figure, dating to the Bayon period under Jayavarman VII, reflects the rise of state-sponsored esoteric Buddhism and the ritual need for portable devotional icons. Originally part of Christian Humann's Pan-Asian Collection, it passed through Robert H. Ellsworth and was sold at Sotheby's in 1990 and donated to the museum in 2015. It was shown in "Art of the Gift" (2015), "Encountering the Buddha" (2017-2022) and is currently on view in "The Art of Knowing" (since 2023).
"This return marks an important step in the museum's commitment to ethical stewardship, reflecting both the strength of our provenance research program and the values that shape our work today," said Chase F. Robinson, director of the National Museum of Asian Art. "As the museum's first return under the Smithsonian's Shared Stewardship and Ethical Returns policy, this is more than an institutional action. Rather, it's the product of a collaborative and sustained process with our Cambodian partners, combining research from both Cambodian authorities and our own team toward building a trusted and complete picture of each object's history."
Planning of an official repatriation ceremony is underway to mark this ethical return. During the event, representatives from the National Museum of Asian Art will officially return all three sculptures to the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts of the Kingdom of Cambodia. The ministry has also agreed in principle on a path toward the long-term loan of the objects, allowing the museum to continue to share Cambodia's great artistic achievements and provenance histories with visitors while demonstrating the mutual benefits of collaboration in the protection of cultural heritage.
About the Museum's Long-standing Partnership With Cambodia
This repatriation is the latest milestone in the National Museum of Asian Art's decades-long partnership with the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts of the Kingdom of Cambodia. For more than three years, the museum has worked closely on the review that led to this ethical return with the ministry and its legal representative, Edenbridge Asia. In 2023, the museum and the ministry signed a formal memorandum of understanding to deepen collaboration across all areas of museum practice, including staff exchanges, joint research, conservation, exhibition planning and cultural heritage preservation.
That same year, the museum hosted a public forum, "Reclaiming Cambodia's Cultural Heritage: Provenance Research in Action," spotlighting efforts to identify and return Cambodian heritage. With support from the Henry Luce Foundation, the museum also launched a multiyear initiative with the Cambodian government in April 2025, focused on the reintegration and presentation of repatriated objects, particularly those from Koh Ker, a UNESCO World Heritage site. This initiative includes curatorial planning for a major international exhibition focused on Koh Ker debuting in Cambodia in 2030, followed by a Washington, D.C., presentation in 2031.
About Provenance Research and Object Histories at the National Museum of Asian Art
The National Museum of Asian Art has prioritized and led the field of Asian art provenance research since the early 2000s, refining methodologies, advancing scholarship, building global partnerships and networks and making research findings publicly accessible through its Provenance Program.
In 2011, the museum began publishing provenance information on object web pages and in its galleries. Since 2020, it has collaborated with the Stiftung Preussischer Kulturbesitz (SPK, Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation) to co-host six webinars attended by over 2,500 specialists from around the world, fostering knowledge exchange and advancing standardized approaches to provenance research. In 2023, in partnership with SPK, the museum organized the largest open symposium on the provenance of Asian art, bringing together experts to discuss best practices and emerging research. Most recently, in April 2025, it appointed Nancy Karrels, who holds a doctorate in art history and a J.D., as the associate director of provenance research and object histories. This appointment reinforces the museum's commitment to ethical stewardship and leadership in provenance research and expands its provenance team to four full-time members, which include a curator of provenance research and object histories and two provenance research technicians. In 2026, the museum will co-host a second international provenance symposium with SPK in Berlin.
Provenance research involves close examination of an object's physical characteristics alongside documentary evidence that together inform an understanding of an object's ownership and movement over time. Researchers identify and inspect information from sources as varied as export licenses, dealer records, inventories, curatorial files, ship manifests, genealogical records, historical photographs, correspondence and many more to construct as robust an ownership history as possible. This research aims to uncover and tell the complex histories of individual objects and the networks of people who have interacted with them over time.
Learn more about the National Museum of Asian Art's Provenance Program and the provenance of objects in the museum's collections online.
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About the Smithsonian's Shared Stewardship and Ethical Returns Policy
In April 2022, the Smithsonian adopted a Shared Stewardship and Ethical Returns Policy. The policy acknowledges that ethical norms and professional best practices in collecting have changed. The Smithsonian has objects that it would not have acquired under present-day standards. Although the Smithsonian has legal title or custody of its collections, continued retention or sole stewardship may cause harm to descendants or communities and be fundamentally inconsistent with the Smithsonian's ethical standards and values. In these circumstances, shared stewardship or ethical return may be appropriate.
The Smithsonian recognizes the value of community representation in its collections. Preserving and making available to the public--with honor and respect--a diverse range of collections, stories and histories is essential to carrying out the Smithsonian's role as collaborative custodian of cultural and historical legacies. Therefore, the Smithsonian is committed to working transparently and in consultation with individuals, descendent communities and other stakeholders to consider matters of shared stewardship and the potential return of collections based on ethical considerations.
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About the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art
The Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art is committed to preserving, exhibiting, researching and interpreting art in ways that deepen the public and scholarly understandings of Asia and the world. The museum opened in 1923 as America's first national art museum and the first Asian art museum in the United States. It now stewards one of the world's most important collections of Asian art, with works dating from antiquity to the present. The museum also stewards an important collection of 19th- and early 20th-century American art.
Today, the National Museum of Asian Art is emerging as a leading national and global resource for understanding the arts, cultures and societies of Asia, especially at their intersection with America. Guided by the belief that the future of art museums lies in collaboration, increased access and transparency, the museum is fostering new ways to engage with its audiences while enhancing its commitment to excellence.
Located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the museum is free and open 364 days a year (closed Dec. 25). The Smithsonian is the world's largest museum, education and research complex and welcomes 20-30 million visitors yearly. For more information about the National Museum of Asian Art, visit asia.si.edu.
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Original text here: https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/national-museum-asian-art-returns-three-sculptures-kingdom-cambodia-0
NOW OPEN: Registration for EXIM 2026 Annual Conference
WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 -- The Export-Import Bank of the U.S. issued the following news release:
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NOW OPEN: Registration for EXIM 2026 Annual Conference
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Washington, D.C. - The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) has officially opened registration for our 2026 Annual Conference, taking place on April 29-30 in Washington, D.C. This year's program will center on the Bank's "Buy American, Build the Future" initiative, and the four strategic priorities to carry out President Trump's vision of America's reindustrialization:
* Bringing EXIM Back to Basics to put American Jobs First
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 -- The Export-Import Bank of the U.S. issued the following news release:
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NOW OPEN: Registration for EXIM 2026 Annual Conference
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Washington, D.C. - The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) has officially opened registration for our 2026 Annual Conference, taking place on April 29-30 in Washington, D.C. This year's program will center on the Bank's "Buy American, Build the Future" initiative, and the four strategic priorities to carry out President Trump's vision of America's reindustrialization:
* Bringing EXIM Back to Basics to put American Jobs First
* American Energy Dominance
* Supply Chain Security
* Industries of the Future
The conference will showcase how EXIM serves as a frontline economic tool, positioning American exporters to win in strategic global markets while supporting good-paying jobs at home and strengthening critical supply chains that power our economic and national security.
Last year's conference featured high-level dialogue with innovate leaders from the public and private sectors, including Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, Deputy Secretary of State, the Hon. Christopher Landau, Appian Advisory Head of Global Affairs Rt. Hon. Dominic Raab, and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum.
Conference attendees will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with EXIM staff and interface with U.S. government agency partners to gain valuable information about trade financing tools.
Registration for members of media is complimentary! Register here.
Conference website can be viewed here.
ABOUT EXIM:
As the United States government's official export credit agency, the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) supports American jobs by facilitating U.S. exports. As an independent agency, EXIM plays a critical role in supporting economic growth, securing critical supply chains, and ensuring American businesses are given a fighting chance. To achieve this mission, EXIM offers financing including export credit insurance, working capital guarantees, loan guarantees, and direct loans. Learn more at www.exim.gov.
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Original text here: https://www.exim.gov/news/now-open-registration-for-exim-2026-annual-conference
Iraqis Face Ongoing Sectarianism, Genocide-Related Religious Freedom Challenges
WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 -- The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom issued the following news release:
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Iraqis Face Ongoing Sectarianism, Genocide-Related Religious Freedom Challenges
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Washington, DC - The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom ( USCIRF ) released the following report:
Iraq Country Update - Since 2014, when the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) launched a genocide against Iraqi and Syrian religious and ethnic minorities, Iraq's diverse population has continued to suffer ongoing aftereffects. The Iraqi federal government
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 -- The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom issued the following news release:
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Iraqis Face Ongoing Sectarianism, Genocide-Related Religious Freedom Challenges
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Washington, DC - The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom ( USCIRF ) released the following report:
Iraq Country Update - Since 2014, when the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) launched a genocide against Iraqi and Syrian religious and ethnic minorities, Iraq's diverse population has continued to suffer ongoing aftereffects. The Iraqi federal governmentand semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government have each offered some forms of redress to genocide survivors. However, these survivors and other communities and individuals throughout the country suffer varying degrees of systematic and ongoing restrictions on religious freedom. This country update provides an overview of recent religious freedom restrictions, including new legislation that threatens to increase sectarianism and limit freedom of religion or belief for Iraqis of all religious backgrounds.
In its 2025 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. Department of State place Iraq on the Special Watch List for severe violations of religious freedom, pursuant to the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA). Over the course of 2025, many of these unfavorable conditions have persisted and, in some cases, escalated.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan legislative branch agency established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at media@uscirf.gov.
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Original text here: https://www.uscirf.gov/news-room/releases-statements/iraqis-face-ongoing-sectarianism-genocide-related-religious-freedom
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics: Astronomers Create First Map of the Sun's Outer Boundary
CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, Dec. 12 (TNSjou) -- The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics issued the following news release:
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Astronomers Create First Map of the Sun's Outer Boundary
Using NASA's Parker Solar Probe and other near-Earth spacecraft, scientists from the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian have made and validated the first 2D maps of the Sun's outer surface, leading to unprecedented insight into how and where the Sun "loses its grip" on its outer atmosphere.
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Astronomers have produced the first continuous, two-dimensional maps of the outer edge of the Sun's
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CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, Dec. 12 (TNSjou) -- The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics issued the following news release:
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Astronomers Create First Map of the Sun's Outer Boundary
Using NASA's Parker Solar Probe and other near-Earth spacecraft, scientists from the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian have made and validated the first 2D maps of the Sun's outer surface, leading to unprecedented insight into how and where the Sun "loses its grip" on its outer atmosphere.
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Astronomers have produced the first continuous, two-dimensional maps of the outer edge of the Sun'satmosphere, a shifting, frothy boundary that marks where solar winds escape the Sun's magnetic grasp. By combining the maps and close-up measurements, scientists from the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian (CfA) showed that the boundary grows larger, rougher and spikier as the Sun becomes more active. The findings could help scientists improve models showing how the Sun affects Earth, and better predict atmospheric complexity for other stars.
"Parker Solar Probe data from deep below the Alfven surface could help answer big questions about the Sun's corona, like why it's so hot. But to answer those questions, we first need to know exactly where the boundary is," said Sam Badman, an astrophysicist at the CfA, and the lead author of the paper.
The scientists have directly validated these maps using deep dives into the Sun's atmosphere made by NASA's Parker Solar Probe. The findings are published today in the Astrophysical Journal Letters (ApJL) (https://www.doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ae0e5c),
The boundary in the Sun's atmosphere where the solar wind's outward speed becomes faster than the speed of magnetic waves, known as the Alfven surface, is the "point of no return" for material that escapes the Sun and enters interplanetary space; once material travels beyond this point, it cannot travel back to the Sun. This surface is the effective "edge" of the Sun's atmosphere, and provides scientists with an active laboratory for studying and understanding how solar activity impacts the rest of the solar system, including life and technology on and around Earth.
Using Parker's Solar Wind Electrons Alphas and Protons (SWEAP) instrument, developed by the CfA in conjunction with the University of California, Berkeley, the scientists collected data from deep into the Sun's sub-Alfvenic surface.
"There are still a number of fascinating physics questions about the Sun's corona that we don't fully understand," said Michael Stevens, an astronomer at the CfA and the principal investigator of Parker's SWEAP instrument. "This work shows without a doubt that Parker Solar Probe is diving deep with every orbit into the region where the solar wind is born. We are now headed for an exciting period where it will witness firsthand how those processes change as the Sun goes into the next phase of its activity cycle."
"Before, we could only estimate the Sun's boundary from far away without a way to test if we got the right answer, but now we have an accurate map that we can use to navigate it as we study it," added Badman "And, importantly, we also are able to watch it as it changes and match those changes with close-up data. That gives us a much clearer idea of what's really happening around the Sun."
Scientists previously knew this boundary changes dynamically with solar cycles, moving away from the Sun and becoming larger, more structured, and more complex during solar maximum, and the opposite during solar minimum, but until now didn't have confirmation of what exactly those changes looked like.
Badman added, "As the Sun goes through activity cycles, what we're seeing is that the shape and height of the Alfven surface around the Sun is getting larger and also spikier. That's actually what we predicted in the past, but now we can confirm it directly."
The new maps and corresponding data can help scientists answer important questions about the physics happening deep in the Sun's atmosphere; that knowledge can in turn be used to develop better solar wind and space-weather models, sharpening forecasts of how solar activity moves through and shapes the environment around Earth and other planets in the solar system.
It can also help them to answer longheld questions about the lives of stars elsewhere in the galaxy and the universe, from how they're born to how they behave throughout their lives, including how that behavior influences the habitability of their orbiting planets.
The team's findings offer a new window into the workings of our closest star and lay the foundation for ever deeper discoveries. According to Badman, the coordinated multi-spacecraft approach, which combined the observational powers of close-up probes and distant observing stations including the Solar Orbiter, a project of NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA), and NASA's Wind spacecraft, will continue to serve as a model for future breakthrough studies in heliophysics. During the next solar minimum, the team will again dive into the Sun's corona, with an aim to study how it evolves over a complete solar cycle.
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Resource
Badman, S. T. et al, "Multi-spacecraft measurements of the evolving geometry of the Solar Alfven surface over half a solar cycle," Astrophysical Journal Letters, 2025 Dec 11, doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/ae0e5c
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About the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian
The Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian is a collaboration between Harvard and the Smithsonian designed to ask--and ultimately answer--humanity's greatest unresolved questions about the nature of the universe. The Center for Astrophysics is headquartered in Cambridge, MA, with research facilities across the U.S. and around the world.
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Original text here: https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/news/astronomers-create-first-map-suns-outer-boundary
Ginnie Mae Announces Alignment of Liquidation Event Reporting With Industry Standards
WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 -- Ginnie Mae issued the following news release on Dec. 11, 2025:
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Ginnie Mae Announces Alignment of Liquidation Event Reporting with Industry Standards
Today, Ginnie Mae announced it was aligning its Liquidation Event Reporting (LER) for Ginnie Mae Issuers with other large market participants. The requirement is designed to enhance operational resiliency and strengthen the accuracy and timeliness of liquidation data used to calculate investor pass-through payments across the Ginnie Mae Mortgage-Backed Securities (MBS).
LER is designed to:
* Align Ginnie Mae's reporting
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 -- Ginnie Mae issued the following news release on Dec. 11, 2025:
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Ginnie Mae Announces Alignment of Liquidation Event Reporting with Industry Standards
Today, Ginnie Mae announced it was aligning its Liquidation Event Reporting (LER) for Ginnie Mae Issuers with other large market participants. The requirement is designed to enhance operational resiliency and strengthen the accuracy and timeliness of liquidation data used to calculate investor pass-through payments across the Ginnie Mae Mortgage-Backed Securities (MBS).
LER is designed to:
* Align Ginnie Mae's reportingpractices with those other prominent actors in the industry, including Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which collect and disclose liquidation data on an ongoing basis.
* Enhance operational and business resiliency by improving the accuracy of pool factor calculations when standard Issuer reporting is disrupted.
* Improve data timeliness through event-based submission of full loan payoff (liquidation) events during the reporting month.
* Support investor disclosure by providing more timely liquidation data to help investors monitor and value their holdings.
Under the new LER requirements, Issuers will submit liquidation event reports on the business day following each liquidation rather than as part of a single month-end reporting process. This event-based reporting will enable Ginnie Mae to collect liquidation information throughout the reporting month, improving the accuracy of payment estimations if regular reporting is interrupted. In the future, Ginnie Mae plans to make more frequent LER disclosures available to investors.
"This important initiative will reduce the need for Issuers to have different but parallel processes for liquidation event reporting," said Ginnie Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Joe Gormley, "while also making our platform more resilient."
LER implementation is targeted for the February 2026 reporting period. Ginnie Mae will conduct testing and training activities with Issuers ahead of mandatory reporting to support smooth implementation. Additional guidance will be issued ahead of implementation detailing submission processes and reporting requirements and with any relevant updates to program documentation. Contact Ginnie Mae's centralized service desk at askGinnieMae@HUD.gov with any technical questions about this announcement. For any other questions, please contact your Account Executive directly. Visit APM 25-07 for more information.
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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=366
EPA and Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe Sign Agreement to Guide Environmental Protection on Tribal Lands
WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
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EPA and Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe Sign Agreement to Guide Environmental Protection on Tribal Lands
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NEW YORK - This week, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe (SRMT) signed a Performance Partnership Agreement (PPA) to memorializes the trust relationship between EPA and the Tribe while ensuring the continuation of the SRMT's wide-reaching environmental programs. The PPA is accompanied by a Performance Partnership Grant (PPG) of over $11 million. The PPA lays
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
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EPA and Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe Sign Agreement to Guide Environmental Protection on Tribal Lands
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NEW YORK - This week, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe (SRMT) signed a Performance Partnership Agreement (PPA) to memorializes the trust relationship between EPA and the Tribe while ensuring the continuation of the SRMT's wide-reaching environmental programs. The PPA is accompanied by a Performance Partnership Grant (PPG) of over $11 million. The PPA laysout the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe's environmental priorities and short- and long-term strategies to address them. This is the only such PPA that EPA has with any Indian Nation. The agreement is the sixth such agreement that EPA has had over the years with the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe. It covers 16 critical environmental and stewardship programs.
"I am proud to continue the amazing relationship between the EPA and the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe and to ensure the continued success of their many impressive environmental programs," said EPA Regional Administrator Michael Martucci. "I was honored to stand with three Chiefs of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe as we sign this agreement that will strengthen our bonds of mutual respect and professional collaboration to help ensure a bright future for the Tribe's future generations."
"The SRMT Tribal Council acknowledges the many Tribal members who have led environmental initiatives at Akwesasne to get us to this moment," said Tribal Council. "We greatly value and appreciate the continuing partnership with the EPA, which has been vitally important in helping to ensure a better tomorrow for our community."
The PPA covers a wide range of programs, including air quality, Superfund oversight, water quality, hazardous materials spill response, solid waste management, environmental assessment, pesticide, and agriculture programs. The agreement includes a work plan that the Tribe will use to accomplish its environmental goals including improve environmental quality, enhance natural resources, and protect human health from chemical contamination exposures in air, water, soil, and cultural resources. In it are also performance measures to ensure goals are met, including regular interactions between the SRMT's environmental experts and EPA experts. The Tribe and EPA will ensure that evaluations are performed formally during a scheduled meeting twice a year. SRMT will provide written status reports to the appropriate EPA staff before each meeting. The agreement and grant are in effect from January 1, 2026 - December 31, 2030.
For more information about performance partnership agreements and grants visit EPA's National Performance Partnership System webpage.
Background:
Performance Partnership Agreements Overview
EPA, states, and Tribes share responsibility for protecting human health and the environment. The unique relationship between EPA, states, and Tribes is the cornerstone of the nation's environmental protection system. Working together, EPA, states, and Tribes have made enormous progress protecting our air, water, and land resources. The National Environmental Performance Partnership System (NEPPS) was established in 1995 as a performance-based system of environmental protection designed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of EPA partnerships with states, territories, and Tribes. By focusing resources on the most pressing environmental problems and taking advantage of the unique capacities of each partner, performance partnerships can help achieve the greatest environmental and human health protection.
Performance Partnership Agreements and Grants
One of the main ways EPA, states, and Tribes implement performance partnerships is by negotiating PPAs. These agreements set out jointly developed priorities and protection strategies and how EPA and the state or Tribe will work together to address priority needs. States and Tribes can also choose to combine funds from multiple federal environmental program grants into PPGs which allow them to direct resources where they are needed most or try innovative solutions to environmental problems.
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Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-and-saint-regis-mohawk-tribe-sign-agreement-guide-environmental-protection-tribal
