Federal Independent Agencies
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Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute: Ancient Fish Ear Stones Reveal Modern Caribbean Reefs Have Lost Their Dietary Complexity
PANAMA CITY, Panama, Feb. 13 (TNSjou) -- The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute issued the following news:
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Trophic Simplification on Reefs
Ancient fish ear stones reveal modern Caribbean reefs have lost their dietary complexity
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A study of 7,000-year-old fossils and cutting-edge isotope chemistry shows that food chains on today's Caribbean coral reefs are 60% shorter than before human impact, with fish diets becoming strikingly uniform: a hidden dimension of reef degradation with consequences for ecosystem resilience
Coral reefs are undoubtedly in crisis. Scientists have documented
... Show Full Article
PANAMA CITY, Panama, Feb. 13 (TNSjou) -- The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute issued the following news:
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Trophic Simplification on Reefs
Ancient fish ear stones reveal modern Caribbean reefs have lost their dietary complexity
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A study of 7,000-year-old fossils and cutting-edge isotope chemistry shows that food chains on today's Caribbean coral reefs are 60% shorter than before human impact, with fish diets becoming strikingly uniform: a hidden dimension of reef degradation with consequences for ecosystem resilience
Coral reefs are undoubtedly in crisis. Scientists have documentedconcerning coral bleaching events, dramatic declines in coral cover, fish and shark populations across the Caribbean over recent decades. But a critical question has remained unanswered: has the way energy flows through reef ecosystems also changed? A new study led by scientists at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) and published in Nature reveals that it has, profoundly. Food chains on modern Caribbean reefs are 60-70% shorter than they were 7,000 years ago, and individual fish have lost the dietary specialisation that once sustained a complex web of energy pathways.
The discovery was made possible by an unlikely combination: thousands of tiny fish ear stones (otoliths) preserved in ancient reef sediments, and a high-sensitivity technique for measuring nitrogen isotopes locked inside them. The nitrogen isotope ratio in an otolith reflects what a fish ate during its lifetime, providing a chemical record of its place in the food chain. By comparing otoliths and corals from 7,000-year-old fossil reefs with those from nearby modern reefs in Panama and the Dominican Republic, the research team reconstructed the trophic structure of Caribbean reef fish communities before and after centuries of human impact.
The results paint a stark picture. Relatively higher-trophic-level fishes such as grunts and cardinalfishes now feed at lower positions in the food chain, whilst low-level fishes like gobies have shifted surprisingly up the food chain. The net effect: the distance between them has compressed by around 60% in both regions. At the same time, the dietary variation within fish families has narrowed by 20-70%, meaning individual fish that once specialised on distinct prey now eat much the same things as their neighbours.
"What struck us is how consistent the pattern is," said Jessica Lueders-Dumont, a postdoctoral marine biogeochemist who led the study. "In every fish family we examined, in both Panama and the Dominican Republic, the dietary diversity has contracted. These reefs have lost an entire dimension of ecological complexity that we didn't even know was missing."
This study builds on over a decade of fieldwork at STRI in Panama. Beginning in the early 2010s, a team led by STRI scientist Aaron O'Dea excavated tonnes of sediment from exceptionally well-preserved fossil reefs in Bocas del Toro, Panama, and the Enriquillo Basin in the Dominican Republic. These beautiful 7,000-year-old, mid-Holocene reef deposits in the Caribbean preserve conditions before human impact: a remarkable archive that has already yielded insights into coral shifts and the ecological consequences of predator loss.
"Otoliths are incredible structures, and when we first started finding them in our fossil reef samples, I realised we had an opportunity to reconstruct not just what corals were like before humans, but also the fishes that live on reefs" said O'Dea.
The painstaking work of sorting, identifying and cataloguing thousands of otoliths from bulk reef sediment was carried out largely by STRI researcher Brigida de Gracia, a Ngabe palaeontologist, and Chien-Hsiang Lin of Academia Sinica in Taiwan. Their development of otolith reference collections and taxonomic expertise laid the groundwork for the study.
"Picking otoliths from sediment, grain by grain, is challenging but you develop an intimate relationship with these ancient reefs," said de Gracia. "Every otolith tells the story of a fish that lived thousands of years ago. To see those stories come alive through isotope chemistry is incredibly rewarding."
The isotopic technique at the heart of the study was developed by Lueders-Dumont in co-author Daniel Sigman's laboratory at Princeton University. The method extracts and measures nitrogen locked within the mineral structure of the otoliths: organic matter that has been sealed away for millennia, protected from degradation by the surrounding calcium carbonate.
The team focused on four fish families that represent different ecological roles on the reef: gobies (small bottom-dwellers), silversides (pelagic schooling fish), cardinalfishes (nocturnal predators) and grunts (larger omnivores that roam between reef and mangrove habitats). Crucially, most of these species are not targeted by fisheries, meaning the changes reflect broad ecosystem shifts rather than direct harvesting effects.
The findings carry a sobering message for reef conservation. When individual fish within a population all rely on the same pool of resources (rather than each specialising on different prey), a single disruption to food supply can affect the entire population simultaneously. The prehistoric reefs, by contrast, supported a diversity of energy pathways that would have buffered the system against shocks. The loss of this trophic complexity represents a hidden vulnerability: one that is invisible to standard reef monitoring but may increase the risk of cascading ecosystem collapse.
"We already knew that modern Caribbean reefs are home to fewer corals and fewer sharks," said O'Dea. "Now we can see that the fish that remain are feeding and behaving differently too. It strengthens the case that modern Caribbean reefs are not simply diminished versions of what came before; they are potentially functioning in different ways"
The study also provides a new tool for reef assessment. "We now have a way to explore how entire systems function," said Lueders-Dumont. "These tiny ear stones are opening a window into how energy moves through reef ecosystems on time scales previously unimaginable to ecologists".
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Reference: Lueders-Dumont, J. A., O'Dea, A., Dillon, E. M., de Gracia, B., Lin, C.-H., Oleynik, S., Finnegan, S., Sigman, D. M. & Wang, X. T. 2026. Fossil isotope evidence for trophic simplification on modern Caribbean reefs. Nature. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-10077-z
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Original text here: https://stri.si.edu/story/trophic-simplification-reefs
Smithsonian Planetary Scientists Discover Recent Tectonic Activity on the Moon
WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 (TNSjou) -- The Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum issued the following news release:
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Smithsonian Planetary Scientists Discover Recent Tectonic Activity on the Moon
New Map of Small Ridges in the Lunar Maria Reveals New Seismic Threats to Human Exploration
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Scientists have produced the first global map and analysis of small mare ridges (SMRs) on the moon, a characteristic geological feature of tectonic activity. Published in The Planetary Science Journal (https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/PSJ/ae226a) Dec. 24, 2025, the analysis performed
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 (TNSjou) -- The Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum issued the following news release:
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Smithsonian Planetary Scientists Discover Recent Tectonic Activity on the Moon
New Map of Small Ridges in the Lunar Maria Reveals New Seismic Threats to Human Exploration
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Scientists have produced the first global map and analysis of small mare ridges (SMRs) on the moon, a characteristic geological feature of tectonic activity. Published in The Planetary Science Journal (https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/PSJ/ae226a) Dec. 24, 2025, the analysis performedby scientists at the National Air and Space Museum's Center for Earth and Planetary Studies and colleagues reveals for the first time that SMRs are geologically young and are widespread across the lunar maria--the vast, dark plains on the moon's surface. The team's discovery of how SMRs form introduces a new set of potential moonquake sources that could affect future site selections for lunar landings.
Both the moon and the Earth are tectonically active; however, the tectonic forces affecting each body are different. Earth's crust is divided into plates that have converged, separated, and slide past each other to produce expansive mountain ridges, deep ocean trenches and a ring of volcanoes around the Pacific Ocean. The moon's crust is not divided into plates, yet stresses within the lunar crust give rise to several distinctive landforms. One of the most common of these is lobate scarps, which form when the crust compresses and the resulting forces push material up and over adjacent crust along a fault, creating a ridge. These scarps, found in the lunar highlands, have formed only within the last billion years, or the last 20% of the moon's history.
In 2010, co-author Tom Watters, a senior scientist emeritus at the Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, discovered that the moon is slowly shrinking. This contraction caused the lobate scarps in the lunar highlands to form. Yet the formation of lobate scarps does not account for all the recent contractional landforms on the moon. Another recently identified class of tectonic landforms is SMRs.
SMRs are caused by the same forces that form lobate scarps. But while lobate scarps are found in the highlands, SMRs are found only in the maria. The research team sought to map out SMRs in the lunar maria and analyze their connection to recent tectonic activity.
"Since the Apollo era, we've known about the prevalence of lobate scarps throughout the lunar highlands, but this is the first time scientists have documented the widespread prevalence of similar features throughout the lunar mare," said Cole Nypaver, a post-doctoral research geologist at the Center for Earth and Planetary Studies and the first author on the paper. "This work helps us gain a globally complete perspective on recent lunar tectonism on the moon, which will lead to a greater understanding of its interior and its thermal and seismic history, and the potential for future moonquakes."
The team compiled the first exhaustive SMRs catalog. They discovered 1,114 new SMR segments across the nearside lunar maria, increasing the number of known SMRs across the moon to 2,634. They also found that the average SMR was 124 million years old, consistent with the average age of lobate scarps (105 million years old), previously found by Watters and colleagues. Those ages suggest that, like the lobate scarps, the SMRs are among the youngest geologic features on the moon. Finally, the analysis shows that SMRs formed via the same type of faults as lobate scarps, and that lobate scarps in the highlands often transition to SMRs in the mare, suggesting a similar origin for these two structures. Together with lobate scarps in the lunar highlands, the team's SMR data provide a more complete picture of recent contractional tectonic activity on the moon.
"Our detection of young, small ridges in the maria, and our discovery of their cause, completes a global picture of a dynamic, contracting moon," Watters said.
The Potential for More Moonquakes
Previously, Watters found a link between the tectonic activity that causes lobate scarps to form and the incidence of moonquakes. The discovery that SMRs originate from the same type of tectonic activity indicates that moonquakes could also occur across the lunar maria, anywhere an SMR is present. Expanding the list of potential sources for moonquakes creates new opportunities to better understand the tectonics of the moon, but it also shows an elevated risk for humans who might explore or live on the moon in the future, given the potential for seismic activity.
"We are in a very exciting time for lunar science and exploration," Nypaver said. "Upcoming lunar exploration programs, such as Artemis, will provide a wealth of new information about our moon. A better understanding of lunar tectonics and seismic activity will directly benefit the safety and scientific success of those and future missions."
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About the National Air and Space Museum
The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., is located at 650 Jefferson Dr. S.W. and is open every day except Dec. 25 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission is free, but timed-entry passes are required to visit. The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is located in Chantilly, Virginia, near Washington Dulles International Airport and is open every day except Dec. 25 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission is free, timed-entry passes are not required, and parking is $15.
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Original text here: https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/smithsonian-planetary-scientists-discover-recent-tectonic-activity-moon
National Science Board: U.S. Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics Talent
ARLINGTON, Virginia, Feb. 13 (TNSrep) -- The National Science Board issued the following news:
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U.S. Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics Talent
NSB publishes report on nation's STEM education, training, and workforce
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Science and engineering (S&E) is the new global currency of prosperity and power, and a strong science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) workforce is the engine that drives the nation's S&E enterprise. A robust, relentless cycle of people making discoveries, innovating, and creating jobs fuels both the economic strength and the national security of
... Show Full Article
ARLINGTON, Virginia, Feb. 13 (TNSrep) -- The National Science Board issued the following news:
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U.S. Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics Talent
NSB publishes report on nation's STEM education, training, and workforce
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Science and engineering (S&E) is the new global currency of prosperity and power, and a strong science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) workforce is the engine that drives the nation's S&E enterprise. A robust, relentless cycle of people making discoveries, innovating, and creating jobs fuels both the economic strength and the national security ofthe United States.
A new report, STEM Talent: Education, Training, and Workforce (https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsb20261), published today by the National Science Board (NSB), provides high quality data to inform decision makers about U.S. STEM education and workforce trends, including how the U.S. compares with other countries.
"Developing America's STEM talent is one of the most strategic investments our nation can make," says Wanda Ward, who led NSB's review of the report. "The NSB is prioritizing the advancement of multisectoral initiatives to build the STEM workforce that the country needs, ranging from skilled technical workers to PhDs."
"These data give us reason for both optimism and concern," says Julia Phillips, Chair of NSB's Committee on Science and Engineering Policy. "For example, employment in STEM occupations grew at a faster rate than in non-STEM occupations between 2013 and 2023 and contributed to increasing shares of our country's workforce. On the other hand, distressingly, U.S. K-12 students continue to perform lower on average in math and science than students in other countries."
The STEM workforce is defined as those currently employed in S&E, such as engineers and software developers, S&E-related workers, such as registered nurses and pharmacy technicians, and STEM middle-skill occupations. Examples of middle-skill occupations include electricians and farmers, who require technical knowledge but are not classified as S&E or S&E-related and do not require a bachelor's degree.
Key U.S. Trends
* Employment in STEM occupations grew by 26% from 2013 to 2023, with STEM workers experiencing lower unemployment rates and enjoying higher median earnings than those in non-STEM jobs.
- In 2023, there were 36 million STEM workers in the United States, accounting for 25% of the total workforce.
- Between 2024 and 2034, employment in the STEM workforce is projected to increase by 6% (compared to 3% for all occupations), with S&E occupations expected to grow the fastest (9%).
= Data science, information security analysis, and operations research analysis are projected to be the highest growing S&E occupations between 2024 and 2034.
- The professional, scientific, and technical services sector, and the information sector employed the highest shares of the S&E workforce (26% and 17% respectively). The health care and social assistance sector employed the highest share of the S&E-related workforce (43%). The construction sector (37%) and the agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting sector (35%) employed the highest share of the STEM middle-skill workforce.
* In 2023, the U.S. continued to attract the largest number of internationally mobile students worldwide, although its share of international students has dropped since 2017.
* In 2023, 22% of the U.S. STEM workforce was foreign born.
* In higher education, the number of students earning S&E master's and doctoral degrees reached new peaks between 2021 and 2023. In contrast, the number of students earning associate's and bachelor's degrees went down.
- In 2023, Computer and information sciences was the top field of study for associate's and master's levels. The top major at the bachelor's level was Social Sciences, and Engineering was the top major for doctorates.
* The U.S. awarded 45,000 S&E doctoral degrees in 2022. China awarded 53,000 S&E doctorates.
* Math performance among U.S. 4th, 8th, and 12th graders showed some learning recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic, but only for students in the highest performing percentiles.
- In 2024 math assessments, 8th graders taught by more experienced teachers, traditionally credentialed teachers, or with access to extracurricular enrichment activities performed better than students without such teachers or activities.
"Indicators data and trends reveal opportunities for public and private action to produce the robust STEM workforce our country needs to compete and prosper," says Phillips. "STEM workers are the backbone of our entire S&E enterprise. We must create more opportunities for domestic students to excel in and pursue STEM professions and simultaneously continue to attract and retain STEM talent from around the world."
STEM Talent: Education, Training, and Workforce, is part of the 2026 edition of the congressionally mandated Science and Engineering Indicators report on the on the state of the U.S. science and engineering enterprise in a global context. The Board previously published Discovery: R&D Activity and Publications and will publish two more 2026 Indicators reports, Translation to Impact: U.S. and Global Science, Technology, and Innovation Output, and the State of U.S. Science and Engineering, in April and May, respectively.
State-level data and other geographic analyses on mathematics and science achievement can be found in Science and Engineering Indicators: State Indicators. The U.S. National Science Foundation's National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics prepares Indicators under NSB guidance.
Learn more about the National Science Board (https://www.nsf.gov/nsb/about)
Learn more about the U.S. NSF's National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (https://ncses.nsf.gov/about)
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Original text here: https://www.nsf.gov/nsb/updates/us-science-technology-engineering-mathematics-talent
Harriet Powers stamps to be issued Feb. 28
WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- The U.S. Postal Service issued the following news release:
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Harriet Powers stamps to be issued Feb. 28
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What:
The U.S. Postal Service will commemorate quiltmaker Harriet Powers (1837-1910) with four new stamps. Powers was a formerly enslaved woman who stitched works that are celebrated as masterpieces of American folk art and storytelling.
The ceremony for the stamps is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #HarrietPowersStamps.
Who:
Lisa Bobb-Semple, director of Stamp Services, USPS
When:
Saturday, Feb. 28,
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- The U.S. Postal Service issued the following news release:
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Harriet Powers stamps to be issued Feb. 28
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What:
The U.S. Postal Service will commemorate quiltmaker Harriet Powers (1837-1910) with four new stamps. Powers was a formerly enslaved woman who stitched works that are celebrated as masterpieces of American folk art and storytelling.
The ceremony for the stamps is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #HarrietPowersStamps.
Who:
Lisa Bobb-Semple, director of Stamp Services, USPS
When:
Saturday, Feb. 28,2026, at 11:00 a.m. EST
Where:
Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH)
Black History Month Celebration (ASALH Luncheon requires separate ticket)
JW Marriott, Washington DC
Capitol Ballroom (D&E)
1331 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20004
RSVP:
Attendees are encouraged to register at: usps.com/harrietpowersstamps
Background:
Born Oct. 29, 1837, on a plantation near Athens, GA, the future quilter is believed to have learned to sew as a child. At 18, she married Armstead Powers, an enslaved farmhand. They would go on to have nine children. After emancipation, they bought four acres in nearby Sandy Creek, GA, where they raised cotton and vegetables.
Along the way, Harriet Powers began creating quilts and completed at least five. Of the five, it is known that two are referred to as story quilts because each of their panels features a pieced, appliqued, and embroidered scene from a familiar story drawn from local lore or the Bible.
In 1886, Powers entered her "Bible Quilt" in a local fair, most likely the second annual Northeast Georgia Fair, in Athens. There, a young white art teacher named Jennie Smith fell in love with it and tried to purchase it. Powers initially turned her down but sold her the quilt a few years later.
Smith displayed the piece in the Negro Building of the 1895 Cotton States and International Exposition in Atlanta, and several Atlanta University faculty wives were so impressed they decided to commission a new quilt from Powers as a gift for the vice president of the university board, Charles Cuthbert Hall. The "Pictorial Quilt," completed in 1898, remained in the Hall family for 62 years.
Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS, had worked on previous stamps featuring quilts but never thought of these works of fabric art as canvases for telling stories. "This is what is extraordinary about Harriet Powers's quilts," she said. Noyes chose details that would hold up well at stamp size and still communicate the stories Powers was trying to tell, and looked for variety and color combinations that worked well together.
Each of the four stamps in the pane of 20 features a panel selected from Powers's "Pictorial Quilt." Noyes took a novel approach to arranging the panels. "I wanted the pane to look as if there were more than just four different scenes," she said. "By changing the starting order at the beginning of each row I was able to create the impression of a multitude of scenes."
Powers's other existing work, the "Bible Quilt," now belongs to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. The donor shipped it to the museum in 1968 through the U.S. Mail.
The Harriet Powers stamps are being issued as Forever stamps and will always be equal to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.
Postal Products
Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through the The Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps, by calling 844-737-7826, by mail through USA Philatelic or at Post Office locations nationwide. For officially licensed stamp products, shop the USPS Officially Licensed Collection on Amazon. Additional information on stamps, first-day-of-issue ceremonies and stamp-inspired products can be found at stampsforever.com.
The United States Postal Service is an independent federal establishment, mandated to be self-financing and to serve every American community through the affordable, reliable and secure delivery of mail and packages to more than 170 million addresses six and often seven days a week. Overseen by a bipartisan Board of Governors, the Postal Service is celebrating its 250th year of service to customers amidst a network modernization plan aimed at restoring long-term financial sustainability, improving service, and maintaining the organization as one of America's most valued and trusted brands.
The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
For USPS media resources, including broadcast-quality video and audio and photo stills, visit the USPS Newsroom. Follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter ; Instagram ; Pinterest ; Threads ; and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the USPS YouTube Channel and like us on Facebook. For more information about the Postal Service, visit usps.com and facts.usps.com.
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Original text here: https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2026/0213ma-harriet-powers-stamps-to-be-issued-feb-28.htm
Ginnie Mae Mortgage-Backed Securities Portfolio Reached $2.9 Trillion in January
WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- Ginnie Mae issued the following news release:
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Ginnie Mae Mortgage-Backed Securities Portfolio Reached $2.9 Trillion in January
Ginnie Mae's mortgage-backed securities (MBS) portfolio outstanding grew to $2.9 trillion as of January 2026. In addition, Ginnie Mae issued $52.1 billion in total MBS, resulting in net portfolio growth of $20.6 billion. Ginnie Mae facilitated the pooling and securitization of more than 57,000 loans for first-time homebuyers year to date.
Key highlights from the January issuance include:
* $50.9 billion in Ginnie Mae II MBS.
* $1.1 billion
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- Ginnie Mae issued the following news release:
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Ginnie Mae Mortgage-Backed Securities Portfolio Reached $2.9 Trillion in January
Ginnie Mae's mortgage-backed securities (MBS) portfolio outstanding grew to $2.9 trillion as of January 2026. In addition, Ginnie Mae issued $52.1 billion in total MBS, resulting in net portfolio growth of $20.6 billion. Ginnie Mae facilitated the pooling and securitization of more than 57,000 loans for first-time homebuyers year to date.
Key highlights from the January issuance include:
* $50.9 billion in Ginnie Mae II MBS.
* $1.1 billionin Ginnie Mae I MBS, including $1 billion for multifamily housing loans.
* The pooling and securitization of loans for more than 147,000 American households, including over 57,000 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=372
GSA Unveils Freedom 250 Cornerstone at Huntsville U.S. Courthouse Dedication
WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- The General Services Administration issued the following news release:
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GSA Unveils Freedom 250 Cornerstone at Huntsville U.S. Courthouse Dedication
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HUNTSVILLE, Ala. -Today, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced the unveiling of the inaugural Freedom 250 commemorative cornerstone at the Huntsville U.S. Courthouse, in honor of the Nation's upcoming 250th birthday. GSA Administrator Edward C. Forst unveiled the stone as part of the courthouse dedication ceremony, marking the completion of a modern, secure facility designed to support the long-term
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- The General Services Administration issued the following news release:
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GSA Unveils Freedom 250 Cornerstone at Huntsville U.S. Courthouse Dedication
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HUNTSVILLE, Ala. -Today, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced the unveiling of the inaugural Freedom 250 commemorative cornerstone at the Huntsville U.S. Courthouse, in honor of the Nation's upcoming 250th birthday. GSA Administrator Edward C. Forst unveiled the stone as part of the courthouse dedication ceremony, marking the completion of a modern, secure facility designed to support the long-termoperational needs of the federal judiciary and court-related agencies in northern Alabama.
GSA Administrator Edward C. Forst and Senator Katie Britt unveil the first Freedom 250 cornerstone in Huntsville, Alabama.
Download full resolution [JPG - 77 KB]
"For two and a half centuries, America has led the fight for freedom. Today, by dedicating this cornerstone, we strengthen a legacy rooted in justice. I'm proud of GSA for building a structure that does more than house our courts; it stands as a testament to the spirit of our people and our enduring commitment to the rule of law," said GSA Administrator Edward C. Forst. "I thank President Trump for his leadership in making this day possible, and I commend everyone whose hard work brought us to this moment."
"What an incredible way to honor America's 250th birthday and advance President Trump's vision of Making Federal Architecture Beautiful Again. The new Huntsville U.S. Courthouse is emblematic of great American design-past and future-and underscores the importance of investing in timeless, classical architecture, particularly that serves our nation's citizens," said Senator Katie Britt. "Together, this courthouse and Freedom 250 inaugural cornerstone represent our deep commitment to justice, the rule of law, and architecture that embodies the strength and dignity of our republic."
The unveiling ceremony recognized the strong partnership among GSA, project partners, and community stakeholders throughout the planning, design, and construction process.
"This courthouse strengthens access to justice for the people of North Alabama," said Judge Liles C. Burke, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. "The Freedom 250 plaque honors the democratic principles that guide our work every day."
Funded by Congress during President Trump's first term, the 123,000 square-foot courthouse serves the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama and the Bankruptcy Court of Northern Alabama. The facility includes five courtrooms, six judges' chambers, and space for other court-related offices from the Judiciary and U.S. Department of Justice.
The new three-story facility provides efficient, functional, and secure space while incorporating resilient design features to support long-term federal operations. The project represents a significant federal investment in Huntsville and the surrounding region, supporting job creation, economic activity, and long-term civic infrastructure.
In February 2022, GSA awarded the project's Art-in-Architecture commission to artist Caleb O'Connor. In addition the project supported the relocation of a Works Progress Administration mural by Xavier Gonzalez from the former courthouse to the new facility, reflecting GSA's commitment to integrating public art and preserving historic assets.
Following completion of the new courthouse, the historic former federal courthouse in Huntsville was conveyed to the city in March 2025, and judicial functions were consolidated, improving operational efficiency and reducing long-term leasing costs.
GSA will be incorporating Freedom 250 commemorative cornerstones in all major construction projects during the anniversary year.
About GSA: GSA provides centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government. GSA manages a nationwide real estate portfolio of approximately 360 million rentable square feet, oversees more than $116 billion in products and services via federal contracts, and delivers technology services to millions of people across dozens of federal agencies. GSA's mission is to deliver exceptional customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.
Contact
press@gsa.gov
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Original text here: https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/newsroom/news-releases/gsa-unveils-first-freedom-250-cornerstone-huntsville-ch-02132026
Congress Should Ban Lobbying by CPC Countries that Violate FoRB
WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom issued the following news release:
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Congress Should Ban Lobbying by CPC Countries that Violate FoRB
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Congress Should Ban Lobbying by Countries that Violate FoRB
Washington, DC - The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom ( USCIRF ) urges the U.S. government to publicly identify and admonish foreign governments that violate religious freedom. Several USCIRF-recommended Countries of Particular Concern (CPCs) engage in lobbying, public diplomacy campaigns, and media outreach to mislead the
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom issued the following news release:
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Congress Should Ban Lobbying by CPC Countries that Violate FoRB
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Congress Should Ban Lobbying by Countries that Violate FoRB
Washington, DC - The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom ( USCIRF ) urges the U.S. government to publicly identify and admonish foreign governments that violate religious freedom. Several USCIRF-recommended Countries of Particular Concern (CPCs) engage in lobbying, public diplomacy campaigns, and media outreach to mislead theU.S. Congress regarding their restrictions on freedom of religion or belief (FoRB).
" Every day, we hear heartbreaking stories of religious minorities suffering horrendous persecution perpetrated or tolerated by foreign governments who then distort their records in the halls of Congress," said USCIRF Chair Vicky Hartzler. " The U.S. Congress should prohibit any person from receiving compensation for lobbying on behalf of foreign governments of countries that the United States has designated as CPCs. "
Last month, Nigeria's government signed a $9.0 million contract to lobby the U.S. government after President Donald J. Trump designated it as a CPC in October 2025. Saudi Arabia continues to use public relations firms to conceal its systematic targeting and execution of Shi'a Muslims, including those who were minors when their alleged crimes occurred. In January, India hired a public relations firm to advance its interests while downplaying violent mob attacks, illegitimate arrests, and the destruction of houses of worship for Christians, Muslims, and other religious minorities.
" Rather than working to meet their obligations under international law, CPC designated governments are trying to misconstrue religious freedom violations in their countries," said USCIRF Vice Chair Asif Mahmood. " Congress should introduce legislation that sufficiently restricts the efforts of foreign, CPC designated governments to pay lobbyists to conceal their particularly severe religious persecution."
The full list of CPC, SWL, and EPC recommendations are made in USCIRF's 2025 Annual Report. All previous USCIRF annual reports, including the latest version, can be found here.
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/congress-should-ban-lobbying-cpc-countries-violate-forb
