Federal Executive Branch
Here's a look at documents from the U.S. Executive Branch
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Tulsa District Awards Construction Contract for Fort Gibson Bridge Replacement
TULSA, Oklahoma, Dec. 16 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Tulsa District issued the following news:
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Tulsa District awards construction contract for Fort Gibson bridge replacement
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa District awarded a construction contract to replace the State Highway 251A bridge over Fort Gibson Dam near Fort Gibson, Okla., Dec. 15.
Tulsa District awarded $63.8 million contract to Alberici Constructors, of St. Louis.
The Tulsa District closed the Hwy 251A bridge, which spans the Fort Gibson Dam spillway over the Grand-Neosho River, April 22, 2025 after a bridge
... Show Full Article
TULSA, Oklahoma, Dec. 16 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Tulsa District issued the following news:
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Tulsa District awards construction contract for Fort Gibson bridge replacement
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa District awarded a construction contract to replace the State Highway 251A bridge over Fort Gibson Dam near Fort Gibson, Okla., Dec. 15.
Tulsa District awarded $63.8 million contract to Alberici Constructors, of St. Louis.
The Tulsa District closed the Hwy 251A bridge, which spans the Fort Gibson Dam spillway over the Grand-Neosho River, April 22, 2025 after a bridgesafety inspection identified critical findings.
The construction contract calls for demolition and replacement of the bridge. The SH-251A bridge was constructed concurrent with the Fort Gibson Dam from 1942 to 1949.
Tulsa District will provide updates as the bridge replacement project progresses.
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Original text here: https://www.dvidshub.net/news/554268/tulsa-district-awards-construction-contract-fort-gibson-bridge-replacement
Minnesota Residents Charged After Allegedly Trafficking 150 Pounds of Methamphetamine Through the District of Utah
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Dec. 16 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah posted the following news release on Dec. 15, 2025:
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Minnesota Residents Charged After Allegedly Trafficking 150 Pounds of Methamphetamine through the District of Utah
ST. GEORGE, Utah - A federal judge remanded two Minnesota residents into federal custody today during their arraignment hearings for alleged drug crimes after law enforcement allegedly seized 150 pounds of methamphetamine during a traffic stop in October 2025.
Guy Francis Bloomquist, 66, of Fridley, Minnesota, and Leslie Elisabeth Gordon,
... Show Full Article
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Dec. 16 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah posted the following news release on Dec. 15, 2025:
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Minnesota Residents Charged After Allegedly Trafficking 150 Pounds of Methamphetamine through the District of Utah
ST. GEORGE, Utah - A federal judge remanded two Minnesota residents into federal custody today during their arraignment hearings for alleged drug crimes after law enforcement allegedly seized 150 pounds of methamphetamine during a traffic stop in October 2025.
Guy Francis Bloomquist, 66, of Fridley, Minnesota, and Leslie Elisabeth Gordon,45, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, were indicted by a federal grand jury on December 9, 2025.
According to court documents, on October 19, 2025, a Utah Highway Patrol trooper conducted a traffic stop on a Dodge Caravan for a window tint violation on I-15 in Millard County, Utah. After interacting with the occupants of the vehicle, identified as Bloomquist and Gordon, the trooper deployed a narcotic detection K-9, which indicated to the odor of illegal narcotics in the vehicle. A search of the vehicle was conducted and troopers located and seized 53 packages in plastic wrapping totaling approximately 150 pounds of methamphetamine. Bloomquist and Gordon were placed in custody and taken to the Millard County Jail.
Bloomquist and Gordon are charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. A two-day jury trial is scheduled for February 24, 2026, in courtroom 2B 206 in St. George.
United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Utah Department of Public Safety, State Bureau of Investigation (DPS-SBI) and the Utah Highway Patrol (UHP).
Assistant United States Attorney Joseph M. Hood of the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
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An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ut/pr/minnesota-residents-charged-after-allegedly-trafficking-150-pounds-methamphetamine
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory: 3D-Printed Helixes Show Promise as THz Optical Materials
LIVERMORE, California, Dec. 16 (TNSjou) -- The U.S. Department of Energy Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory issued the following news:
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3D-printed helixes show promise as THz optical materials
Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have optimized and 3D-printed helix structures as optical materials for Terahertz (THz) frequencies, a potential way to address a technology gap for next-generation telecommunications, non-destructive evaluation, chemical/biological sensing and more.
The printed microscale helixes reliably create circularly polarized beams in the THz
... Show Full Article
LIVERMORE, California, Dec. 16 (TNSjou) -- The U.S. Department of Energy Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory issued the following news:
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3D-printed helixes show promise as THz optical materials
Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have optimized and 3D-printed helix structures as optical materials for Terahertz (THz) frequencies, a potential way to address a technology gap for next-generation telecommunications, non-destructive evaluation, chemical/biological sensing and more.
The printed microscale helixes reliably create circularly polarized beams in the THzrange and, when arranged in patterned arrays, can function as a new type of Quick Response (QR) for advanced encryption/decryption. Their results, published in Advanced Science (https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202507931), represent the first full parametric analysis of helical structures for THz frequencies and show the potential of 3D printing for fabricating THz devices.
Lending a handedness
The THz frequency on the electromagnetic spectrum is the backbone of 5G/6G telecommunications and a potential non-ionizing alterative to X-rays and gamma rays, in addition to being able to detect chemical and biological signatures that are inaccessible at other wavelengths. However, common optical components like waveplates and cameras are difficult to realize because the THz frequency is too high for electronics and its wavelength is too long for photonics. In the study, the team focused on one of these missing pieces: quarter waveplates to generate circularly polarized beams.
"Metamaterials are the most effective way to generate circularly polarized beams in the THz frequency range using optimized geometries, as there are currently no optical crystals available for such long electromagnetic wavelengths," said Materials Science Division scientist and Lawrence fellow Wonjin Choi, who led the project.
Circularly polarized beams twist like a spiral staircase in a right-handed or left-handed direction, giving them a "handedness" property known as chirality. Chirality is a fundamental property of biomolecules like amino acids, DNA and proteins, and using a chiral beam to investigate their molecular vibrations can reveal critical information about structure, composition and biological activity. The THz regime supercharges this capability, making it possible to study much larger groups of atoms and detect vibrations resulting from long-range ordering and secondary-bonding networks. This can help quickly identify or characterize diseases and potentially hazardous materials like drugs and explosives.
Creating circularly polarized beams involves using chiral structures as quarter waveplates, which introduce a 90-degree phase shift between two orthogonal components of a wave's electric field. Previous attempts at making THz chiral structures have resulted in limited transmission and frequency range, but the team saw an opportunity to make something much more optimal with two-photon polymerization (2PP), an ultrahigh resolution light-based 3D printing technique.
"At around 300 um, the wavelength of the THz frequency is a sweet spot [for 2PP], so we can create any geometries in that length scale comfortably and control it very nicely," said Materials Engineering Division (MED) staff engineer Xiaoxing Xia, who led the printing efforts for the project.
Optimization to innovation
With the flexibility to print nearly any shape, the team focused on optimizing helixes. Helixes are difficult to design because they have extra variables to consider like number of turns, radius, height and handedness, but their inherent circular geometry makes them ideal for creating strong circular polarization.
"One of the most intuitive and powerful approaches to inducing chirality is to create a helix," said Choi. "We nearly perfectly optimized these parameters through simulations and then precisely 3D-printed the structures to achieve the desired functionality."
The printed helixes demonstrated strong broadband activity in the THz range and reliably created circularly polarized beams at nearly any azimuthal angle. The team also discovered that single helixes have distinct left-handed or right-handed signals, and that arranging them in an array had a coupling effect that enhanced the response of both types. This inspired the world's first "chiral QR code."
"I realized we can make pixelation if we make black pixels right-handed and white pixels left-handed," said Choi. "A typical QR code encodes information in binary amplitude or brightness, but this one does so in phase with left- and right-handed polarization rotation."
Made from a printed helical array, the chiral QR code's information is inaccessible unless viewed through a special "handedness" filter that is properly polarized and within the correct electromagnetic frequency. This makes it possible either hide or add an important layer of security in sensitive environments.
"For hospitals or banks or military purposes, sometimes we might need to add encryption while maintaining the convenience of the rapid scan," said Choi.
New applications
For Xia's team, the study was an opportunity to test their innovative parallel printing technique, which uses novel optical materials called metalenses to tightly focus the laser for direct 2PP printing. A large metalens array can generate more than 100,000 focal spots at the same time, creating a 3D printing assembly line. The array can also be turned on and off to control printing path and create complex, layered and aperiodic structures significantly faster.
"Because we have active control of the focal spots, we can selectively print helixes of different handedness in different locations," said Xia. "It would take a very long time to print on a commercial printer, but our parallel printer really improves the throughput to make the application tangible."
Potential applications for the helixes include chiral molecular sensing, band-pass filtering for 5G/6G telecommunications, as well detection and sensing for fields like medicine, biology, astronomy and more. The study also shows the potential of combining high-throughput 3D printing with materials science and optimization to create new THz technologies that take advantage of the frequency's full potential.
Other co-authors include LLNL's Widi Moestopo, Songyun Gu, Jae-Hyuck Yoo and Michael Armstrong, and Professor Taeil Lee from Gachon University in South Korea.
-- Noah Pflueger-Peters
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Original text here: https://www.llnl.gov/article/53731/3d-printed-helixes-show-promise-thz-optical-materials
Justice Department Reaffirms Veterinary Accreditation Standards and Procedures Are Subject to Antitrust Scrutiny
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on Dec. 15, 2025:
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Justice Department Reaffirms Veterinary Accreditation Standards and Procedures Are Subject to Antitrust Scrutiny
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Today, the Justice Department filed a statement of interest in a private lawsuit challenging accreditation standards and procedures employed by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). The statement of interest explains that professional accreditation societies, like the AVMA, cannot erect anticompetitive hurdles that reduce competition by restricting the number
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on Dec. 15, 2025:
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Justice Department Reaffirms Veterinary Accreditation Standards and Procedures Are Subject to Antitrust Scrutiny
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Today, the Justice Department filed a statement of interest in a private lawsuit challenging accreditation standards and procedures employed by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). The statement of interest explains that professional accreditation societies, like the AVMA, cannot erect anticompetitive hurdles that reduce competition by restricting the numberof veterinary providers entering the profession.
"Pets and animals give us so much in life and form the backbone of American food security, but their healthcare needs can add up over time," said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Dina Kallay of the Justice Department's Antitrust Division. "The Justice Department is committed to supporting pet owners, livestock farmers, and aspiring veterinarians by ensuring that accreditation standards and procedures do not unnecessarily restrict competition in veterinary education and services. Free markets succeed when there is robust competition unhindered by unnecessary restrictions. Veterinarian services are no exception to this rule."
The rising cost of veterinary services threatens livestock farmers and pet owners' ability to afford healthcare for their animals. Yet, despite growing population, for decades the United States has had only about 34 accredited veterinary colleges, all solely accredited by the AVMA. In this lawsuit, an accredited veterinary school alleges that the AVMA has effectively reinterpreted its research accreditation standard to require schools to adopt a high-cost research model with an on-site teaching hospital. That policy, the plaintiff alleges, not only jeopardizes its accreditation, but also prevents new veterinary colleges from opening and unreasonably raises the cost of veterinary education.
While taking no position on the plaintiff's claims, the Justice Department's statement of interest explains that, when establishing accreditation standards and assessing conformance with them, professional associations must comply with the antitrust laws. Accreditors, which typically consist of interested market participants who develop standards in closed doors, face an inherent conflict of interest when regulating admission into a profession. Their professional and occupational restrictions can unnecessarily impede market entry, increase costs, stymie innovation, and otherwise harm Americans. To safeguard against these anticompetitive practices, the antitrust laws have long scrutinized self-regulation by professional and trade associations and emphasized the importance of procedural safeguards in standards development. As the statement of interest explains, accreditation practices are not exempt from the antitrust laws merely because states require veterinarians to graduate from accredited schools and the AVMA has been recognized as an accreditor under federal law.
The Antitrust Division routinely files statements of interest and amicus briefs in federal court where doing so helps protect competition and consumers, including by encouraging the sound development of the antitrust laws. These statements are publicly available on the Division's website.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-reaffirms-veterinary-accreditation-standards-and-procedures-are-subject
Jamaican National Sentenced for Long-Running Sweepstakes Scheme
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release:
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Jamaican National Sentenced for Long-Running Sweepstakes Scheme
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An extradited Jamaican citizen was sentenced today to 63 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for participating in a long-running scheme to defraud an elderly California woman.
According to court documents, Dwayne Anderson, 36, of Hannover, Jamaica, undertook a scheme to defraud an American woman from 2010 until 2017. Using fake names, Anderson contacted the victim by telephone, text message, and email and
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release:
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Jamaican National Sentenced for Long-Running Sweepstakes Scheme
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An extradited Jamaican citizen was sentenced today to 63 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for participating in a long-running scheme to defraud an elderly California woman.
According to court documents, Dwayne Anderson, 36, of Hannover, Jamaica, undertook a scheme to defraud an American woman from 2010 until 2017. Using fake names, Anderson contacted the victim by telephone, text message, and email andfalsely informed her that she had won millions of dollars in a sweepstakes. The defendant persuaded the victim to send money to pay various purported fees and taxes associated with the alleged winnings. He also carefully instructed the victim how to make the payments, including having her send money to an individual in South Dakota. In furtherance of the scheme, Anderson repeatedly contacted the victim with additional requests to pay money and falsely told her that her winnings would be forthcoming so long as she paid the requested amounts. In total, the victim paid Anderson over $181,000.
In September 2025, Anderson pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. Anderson was arrested on July 11, 2024, by Jamaican authorities based on a U.S. indictment and was extradited to the United States. At sentencing, Anderson was ordered to pay more than $181,075 in restitution.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department's Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Ronald A. Parsons Jr. for the District of South Dakota; and Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group made the announcement.
The USPIS investigated the case.
Assistant Chief J. Matt Williams and Trial Attorneys Brandon J. Robers and Edward E. Emokpae of the Criminal Division's Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson for the District of South Dakota prosecuted this case. The Justice Department's Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Jamaica to secure the arrest and August 2024 extradition of Anderson. The Department of Justice further acknowledges the assistance of the Jamaica Constabulary Force in this matter.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/jamaican-national-sentenced-long-running-sweepstakes-scheme
Future USS Idaho Delivered to U.S. Navy
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 -- The U.S. Navy U.S. Fleet Forces Command issued the following news:
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Future USS Idaho Delivered to U.S. Navy
GROTON, Conn. - The U.S. Navy accepted delivery of the Submarine Force’s newest fast attack submarine, the future USS Idaho (SSN 799), from General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB) Dec. 15, marking the second delivery of a Virginia-class fast attack submarine this year.
The delivery represents the official transfer of the submarine from the shipbuilder to the Navy. The submarine and crew will continue to undergo a series of tests and trials before being
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 -- The U.S. Navy U.S. Fleet Forces Command issued the following news:
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Future USS Idaho Delivered to U.S. Navy
GROTON, Conn. - The U.S. Navy accepted delivery of the Submarine Force’s newest fast attack submarine, the future USS Idaho (SSN 799), from General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB) Dec. 15, marking the second delivery of a Virginia-class fast attack submarine this year.
The delivery represents the official transfer of the submarine from the shipbuilder to the Navy. The submarine and crew will continue to undergo a series of tests and trials before beingcommissioned into active service, which is expected to take place in the spring.
"Idaho represents the hard work and tenacity of shipbuilders, industry partners and Navy personnel to deliver the best undersea warfighting platform to the fleet," said Capt. Mike Hollenbach, Virginia-class submarine program manager. "With each delivery, the Navy reinforces our Nation's superiority in the maritime domain."
Idaho is the 26th Virginia-class submarine co-produced by GDEB and HII-Newport News Shipbuilding through a long-standing teaming arrangement. It is the 14th delivered by GDEB and is the eighth of 10 Block IV configured attack submarines.
When it joins the fleet, Idaho will bring significant warfighting capability to the fleet, underscoring the Nation's asymmetrical advantage at sea. Virginia-class fast-attack submarines have enhanced stealth, sophisticated surveillance capabilities and special warfare enhancements that enable them to meet the Navy's multi-mission requirements.
The future USS Idaho is the fifth Navy ship to be named for the state of Idaho. The first was a wooden-hulled storeship commissioned in 1866. The last was battleship BB 42, which was commissioned in 1919 and received seven battle stars for service in World War II.
The delivery of USS Idaho symbolizes the Navy's 250-year commitment to innovation and maritime dominance. From seabed to space, the Navy delivers power for peace - always ready to fight and win. This milestone marks the Navy's enduring legacy and commitment to shaping the future of maritime power.
For more information: https://www.navy.mil/Resources/Fact-Files/Display-FactFiles/article/2169558/attack-submarines-ssn/
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Original text here: https://www.usff.navy.mil/Press-Room/News-Stories/Article/4360825/future-uss-idaho-delivered-to-us-navy/
Fed: Funds of Funds' Portfolio Rebalancing During the COVID-19 Crisis
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 (TNSres) -- The Federal Reserve issued the following white paper abstract (No. 2025-106) on Dec. 15, 2025, by Nathan Foley-Fisher and Jeongmin (Mina) Lee entitled "Funds of Funds' Portfolio Rebalancing during the COVID-19 Crisis."
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Funds of Funds' Portfolio Rebalancing during the COVID-19 Crisis
Abstract:
During the COVID-19 crisis, large outflows from bond mutual funds disrupted debt markets. We show that "funds of funds"-mutual funds that invest in other mutual funds-accounted for a third of those outflows in March 2020. They rebalanced their portfolios mechanically
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 (TNSres) -- The Federal Reserve issued the following white paper abstract (No. 2025-106) on Dec. 15, 2025, by Nathan Foley-Fisher and Jeongmin (Mina) Lee entitled "Funds of Funds' Portfolio Rebalancing during the COVID-19 Crisis."
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Funds of Funds' Portfolio Rebalancing during the COVID-19 Crisis
Abstract:
During the COVID-19 crisis, large outflows from bond mutual funds disrupted debt markets. We show that "funds of funds"-mutual funds that invest in other mutual funds-accounted for a third of those outflows in March 2020. They rebalanced their portfolios mechanicallyin response to equity market losses, selling bond funds and purchasing equity funds. While they sold 14 percent of their total bond fund holdings, they concentrated sales in government bond funds, liquidating 34 percent of their holdings, over 100 percent of outflows from these funds. Our findings highlight how mechanical portfolio rebalancing can transmit shocks across markets and generate destabilizing effects.
Keywords: Funds of Funds, Mutual Funds, Portfolio Rebalancing, Bond Fund Outflows, COVID-19 Crisis, Target-Date Funds, Financial Fragility
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17016/FEDS.2025.106
PDF: Full Paper
Disclaimer: The economic research that is linked from this page represents the views of the authors and does not indicate concurrence either by other members of the Board's staff or by the Board of Governors. The economic research and their conclusions are often preliminary and are circulated to stimulate discussion and critical comment. The Board values having a staff that conducts research on a wide range of economic topics and that explores a diverse array of perspectives on those topics. The resulting conversations in academia, the economic policy community, and the broader public are important to sharpening our collective thinking.
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View full text here: https://www.federalreserve.gov/econres/feds/funds-of-funds-portfolio-rebalancing-during-the-covid-19-crisis.htm
[Category: Fed]
