Federal Independent Agencies
Here's a look at documents from federal independent agencies
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USPS issues new stamp celebrating 150 years of Colorado statehood
WASHINGTON, Jan. 24 -- The U.S. Postal Service issued the following news release:
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USPS issues new stamp celebrating 150 years of Colorado statehood
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WASHINGTON -Today, the United States Postal Service (USPS) released Colorado Statehood, a new stamp commemorating the state's 150th anniversary with a photograph called "Foggy Jagged Mountain, Weminuche Wilderness" by nature photographer John Fielder. The first-day-of-issue event was held at the History Colorado Center in Denver in conjunction with the opening of the "Mountains Majesty: On the Summit with John Fielder" exhibition.
"The
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WASHINGTON, Jan. 24 -- The U.S. Postal Service issued the following news release:
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USPS issues new stamp celebrating 150 years of Colorado statehood
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WASHINGTON -Today, the United States Postal Service (USPS) released Colorado Statehood, a new stamp commemorating the state's 150th anniversary with a photograph called "Foggy Jagged Mountain, Weminuche Wilderness" by nature photographer John Fielder. The first-day-of-issue event was held at the History Colorado Center in Denver in conjunction with the opening of the "Mountains Majesty: On the Summit with John Fielder" exhibition.
"Thenew Colorado Statehood stamp captures a glimpse of the majestic beauty of our 38th state so it can be shared and enjoyed by all of us across the country," said Amber McReynolds, chairwoman of the USPS Board of Governors. "As a Colorado resident, I see a state that embodies its pioneer spirit and comes together with a palpable sense of cooperation and community."
Joining McReynolds as speakers at today's ceremony were Colorado Governor Jared Polis and Exhibition Developer and Historian Katherine Mercier. History Colorado President and CEO Dawn DiPrince facilitated the event.
Fielder had a talent for capturing the state's varied terrain, animals, flowers and vegetation in unique and engaging ways. The exhibit was distilled from the more than 200,000 photographs taken by Fielder over 50 years. His photographs continue to showcase Colorado vistas to new audiences around the globe.
Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp using Fielder's image.
News of the stamp is being shared on social media with the hashtag #ColoradoStamp. The stamps are available in panes of 20 and are being issued as Forever stamps, meaning they will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price. The Postal Service has printed 16 million Colorado Statehood stamps.
About Colorado
Nicknamed the Centennial State, Colorado joined the Union in 1876 - 100 years after the United States declared independence from Great Britain. Its average elevation is approximately 6,800 feet, the highest of all the states.
Colorado is known around the world for its high-ranked ski areas and resorts and more than 39,000 miles of hiking trails. It has many state parks and four national parks, hundreds of ghost towns, and many museums, including the Denver Art Museum, Ute Indian Museum, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum.
The numerous archaeological sites throughout Colorado speak to the richness and complexity of the people who have shaped the state's heritage. Many Native American tribes -including the Ute, Cheyenne and Apache - continue to call Colorado home.
Postal Products
Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through the Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps, by calling 844-737-7826, by mail through USA Philatelic or at Post Office locations nationwide. For officially licensed stamp products, shop the USPS Officially Licensed Collection on Amazon. Additional information on stamps, first-day-of-issue ceremonies and stamp-inspired products can be found at stampsforever.com.
The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
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/2026/0124-usps-issues-new-stamp-celebrating-150-years-of-colorado-statehood.htm
National Portrait Gallery Announces Winners of the Seventh Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition and Opening of "The Outwin 2025: American Portraiture Today"
WASHINGTON, Jan. 24 -- The Smithsonian Institution issued the following news release:
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National Portrait Gallery Announces Winners of the Seventh Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition and Opening of "The Outwin 2025: American Portraiture Today"
Kameron Neal Receives $25,000 and New Commission as First-Prize Winner of the National Triennial
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The Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery has announced Brooklyn-based artist Kameron Neal as the first-prize winner of the seventh national Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition. Neal's two-channel video installation "Down the Barrel (of a Lens)"
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WASHINGTON, Jan. 24 -- The Smithsonian Institution issued the following news release:
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National Portrait Gallery Announces Winners of the Seventh Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition and Opening of "The Outwin 2025: American Portraiture Today"
Kameron Neal Receives $25,000 and New Commission as First-Prize Winner of the National Triennial
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The Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery has announced Brooklyn-based artist Kameron Neal as the first-prize winner of the seventh national Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition. Neal's two-channel video installation "Down the Barrel (of a Lens)"(2023) draws upon his time as a public artist in residence at New York City's Department of Records, and it places the audience between two screens of declassified New York Police Department surveillance footage filmed between 1960 and 1980. As the first-prize winner, Neal will receive $25,000 and a commission to create a portrait of a living individual for the museum's permanent collection. "Down the Barrel (of a Lens)" will be on view as part of "The Outwin 2025: American Portraiture Today" exhibition, co-curated by the competition's director Taina Caragol, the Portrait Gallery's senior curator of painting and sculpture, and Charlotte Ickes, the Portrait Gallery's curator of time-based media art and special projects.
Held every three years, the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition is dedicated to supporting the next wave of contemporary portraiture in the U.S. "The Outwin 2025: American Portraiture Today" will be on view at the museum Jan. 24 through Aug. 30. From the exhibition's opening through April 5, visitors--in person and online--can vote for their favorite artwork to receive the People's Choice Award.
Previous first-prize winners of the national competition include David Lenz (2006), Dave Woody (2009), Bo Gehring (2013), Amy Sherald (2016), Hugo Crosthwaite (2019) and Alison Elizabeth Taylor (2022).
Second prize for the 2025 competition was awarded to Jared Soares of Washington, D.C., for his photograph "Misidentified by Artificial Intelligence: Alonzo and Carronne" (2023), a portrait of a Maryland resident who was falsely accused of a crime and arrested based on facial recognition software. Third prize was awarded to David Antonio Cruz of New York City for his painting "isaiditoncebefore,butnowIfeelitevenmore_feelin'pretty,pretty,pretty" (2023). Part of the artist's "chosenfamilies" series, the painting shows the artist with Archel, one of his lifelong friends. Soares and Cruz will receive $10,000 and $7,500, respectively.
"As the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition rounds the corner on two decades since its founding in 2006, it continues to highlight contemporary artists working in portraiture who push to expand preconceived notions of the centuries-old genre," Caragol said. "The 2025 competition-based triennial invites visitors to explore how artists are engaging with portraiture, sometimes embracing its tradition and other times redrawing the boundaries of the genre, with the intent of examining what it means to be human."
"The Outwin 2025: American Portraiture Today" includes 34 portraits (by 35 artists) in mediums ranging from painting, photography and sculpture to immersive, time-based media installations. The artworks were chosen from more than 3,300 submissions to an anonymous open call, which was juried by experts in the fields of portraiture and contemporary art. The finalists include portraits by artists based in 12 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
Jurors for the 2025 Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition were Carla Acevedo-Yates, curator, writer and member of the artistic team for documenta 16; Huey Copeland, the Andrew W. Mellon Chair and Professor of Modern Art and Black Study, Department of History of Art and Architecture, University of Pittsburgh; LaToya Ruby Frazier, artist; and Daniel Lind-Ramos, artist. "The Outwin 2025" co-curators Caragol and Ickes also served on the jury with Rhea L. Combs, the Portrait Gallery's former director of curatorial affairs. The full list of exhibiting artists is below.
"The Outwin 2025: American Portraiture Today" will be accompanied by a fully illustrated catalog available at the museum's store or online.
The competition and exhibition are made possible by the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition Endowment, which was established by Virginia Outwin Boochever, a longtime docent at the National Portrait Gallery. The endowment is sustained by her family.
National Portrait Gallery
The Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery tells the multifaceted story of the United States through the individuals who have shaped American culture. Spanning the visual arts, performing arts and new media, the Portrait Gallery portrays poets and presidents, visionaries and villains, actors and activists whose lives tell the nation's story.
The National Portrait Gallery is located at Eighth and G streets N.W., Washington, D.C. Smithsonian Information: (202) 633-1000. Connect with the museum at npg.si.edu and on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.
Note to Editors: The use of diacritics on individual names reflects personal use by the artist and does not necessarily obey Spanish grammar rules.
"The Outwin 2025: American Portraiture Today" Artist List:
Ron Anteroinen, New York City
Gloriann Sacha Antonetty-Lebron and Juan Pablo Vizcaino, Carolina, Puerto Rico
Sandra Bacchi, Pittsburgh
Ramon Miranda Beltran, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Philip Cheung, Los Angeles
Rachel Cox, Iowa City, Iowa
David Antonio Cruz, New York City*
Ruth Dealy, Providence, R.I.
Mar Figueroa, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Joseph Mario Giordano, Baltimore
Steven Harwick, Brooklyn, N.Y.
LaToya Hobbs, Baltimore
Kevin Hopkins, Richmond, Va.
Vikesh Kapoor, Los Angeles
Clementine Keenan, Berkeley, Calif.
Luisiana Mera, New York City
Stella Nall, Missoula, Mont.
Kameron Neal, Brooklyn, N.Y.*
Arcmanoro Niles, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Aliza Nisenbaum, New York City
Katie O'Keefe, Baltimore
Al Rendon, San Antonio, Texas
Sandy Rice, Canton, Mich.
Adrian Roman, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Sarah Smith, Oakland, Calif.
Jared Soares, Washington, D.C.*
Christian Soto-Martin, Ponce, Puerto Rico
Edra Soto, Chicago, Ill.
TT Takemoto, Daly City, Calif.
Vicente Telles, Albuquerque, N.M.
Daniel Terna, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Rupy C. Tut, Oakland, Calif.
Samantha Yun Wall, Portland, Ore.
Stephanie J. Woods, Albuquerque, N.M.
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Original text here: https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/national-portrait-gallery-announces-winners-seventh-outwin-boochever-portrait
Exports From Latin America and Caribbean Accelerate Expansion, Rising 6.4% in 2025, According to IDB Estimates
WASHINGTON, Jan. 24 (TNSrpt) -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following news release:
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Exports from Latin America and Caribbean Accelerate Expansion, Rising 6.4% in 2025, According to IDB Estimates
The value of goods exported from Latin America and the Caribbean grew an estimated 6.4% in 2025, an improvement over the 4.7% increase recorded in 2024, according to the latest edition of the Inter-American Development Bank's (IDB) report, "Trade Trends Estimates for Latin America and the Caribbean."
The expansion was driven by higher export volumes, while prices improved only
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Jan. 24 (TNSrpt) -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following news release:
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Exports from Latin America and Caribbean Accelerate Expansion, Rising 6.4% in 2025, According to IDB Estimates
The value of goods exported from Latin America and the Caribbean grew an estimated 6.4% in 2025, an improvement over the 4.7% increase recorded in 2024, according to the latest edition of the Inter-American Development Bank's (IDB) report, "Trade Trends Estimates for Latin America and the Caribbean."
The expansion was driven by higher export volumes, while prices improved onlymarginally, the report found. Regional exports were boosted mainly by higher sales of metals -- especially gold, copper, and silver -- and solid performance in the agro-industrial sector, with gains in products such as coffee, cocoa, fruit, and meat. Several manufacturing sectors also stood out, including data-processing machinery, medical supplies, vehicles, and plastics.
"Despite the challenging global environment, Latin America and the Caribbean's recent export performance has shown remarkable resilience," said Paolo Giordano, Principal Economist in the IDB's Productivity, Trade, and Innovation Sector, who coordinated the report.
The analysis identified signs that the region may be entering a phase of sustained trade growth, although the balance of risks remains moderately tilted to the downside, and the outlook continues to be shaped by a highly uncertain environment.
The report notes that countries in the region need to promote reforms and attract investments to improve productivity and make their economies more competitive in international markets. In particular, they need to reduce trade costs and support exports and investments to ensure that international trade remains a major driver of economic growth.
Increases were observed across all subregions, though dynamics varied. In South America and Mesoamerica, the expansion of exports accelerated, driven by faster growth in volumes. In Central America, shipments posted strong growth, but momentum weakened in the second half of the year. In the Caribbean, aggregate results masked pronounced volatility and significant disparities across countries.
Total imports in Latin America and the Caribbean also gained momentum. External purchases increased by 6.1% in 2025, up from 3.2% in 2024, in line with the rebound in domestic demand and the evolution of world trade, the report estimated.
Export Prices
Prices for the region's main export commodities followed different paths in 2025. In the agriculture sector, coffee prices rose 49.9% compared to the same period in 2024 (January-November), while soybean prices fell 6.7% year-on-year and sugar prices declined by 17.4%. Gold prices rose by 42.2% year-on-year in the same period, and copper prices averaged a 12.9% increase. Iron ore prices dropped by 7.8%, while oil prices dropped by 14.3% year-on-year between January and November.
Performance by Subregion
South America's exports are estimated to have grown by 5.1% in 2025, up from 4.4% in 2024. The subregion's performance improved more noticeably in the second half of the year, driven by higher volumes. The destinations that contributed most to the increase in exports were Asia, the European Union, and the subregion itself.
Exports from Mesoamerica accelerated sharply, growing at an estimated 7.2% in 2025, nearly double the 3.8% growth recorded in 2024. Within the subregion, Central America's exports posted strong average growth (11.5%) after remaining flat in 2024, although momentum weakened in the second half of the year. Mexico's exports expanded by an estimated 6.6%, up from 4.2% in 2024, driven mostly by higher volumes.
Exports continued to expand in the Caribbean, but at a more moderate pace: the 41.2% expansion of 2024 gave way to a 14.6% rise in 2025. This growth was highly volatile and concentrated in a few countries.
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Chart: Growth in Export Values (Annual Growth Rate, 2025 and 2024)
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About the IDB
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), a member of the IDB Group, is devoted to improving lives across Latin America and the Caribbean. Founded in 1959, the Bank works with the region's public sector to design and enable impactful, innovative solutions for sustainable and inclusive development. Leveraging financing, technical expertise, and knowledge, it promotes growth and well-being in 26 countries. Visit our website: https://www.iadb.org/en.
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REPORT: https://publications.iadb.org/publications/english/document/Trade-Trends-Estimates-Latin-America-and-the-Caribbean.-2026-Edition.pdf
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Original text here: https://www.iadb.org/en/news/exports-latin-america-and-caribbean-accelerate-expansion-rising-64-2025-according-idb-estimates
What They are Saying: Leaders Across America Applauding EPA's Action to Eliminate Animal Testing by 2035
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
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What They are Saying: Leaders Across America Applauding EPA's Action to Eliminate Animal Testing by 2035
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WASHINGTON - Yesterday, U.S. Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin announced that the agency is renewing its commitment to reducing mammalian animal testing, with the ambitious goal of eliminating the practice by 2035, a target first established during the first Trump Administration. After the Biden Administration canceled the agency's animal testing phase-out
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WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
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What They are Saying: Leaders Across America Applauding EPA's Action to Eliminate Animal Testing by 2035
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WASHINGTON - Yesterday, U.S. Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin announced that the agency is renewing its commitment to reducing mammalian animal testing, with the ambitious goal of eliminating the practice by 2035, a target first established during the first Trump Administration. After the Biden Administration canceled the agency's animal testing phase-outdeadlines, EPA is now moving forward with developing alternatives that will spare animals from experimentation while advancing scientific progress. EPA will prioritize the development and implementation of high-quality alternatives to reduce testing on vertebrate mammals, like rabbits, mice, rats, and dogs, while maintaining regulatory compliance and rigorous gold standard science in support of EPA's Make America Healthy Again agenda.
Here's what people are saying:
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin: "I'm absolutely committed to making sure EPA gets back on track with the historic goal set out during President Trump's first term in office. Unlike the previous administration, the Trump EPA will not delay scientific progress on developing alternatives to animal testing. We will pursue this goal while adhering to the law and the highest quality scientific standards."
EPA Deputy Administrator David Fotouhi on X Exit EPA's website : "While the Biden EPA impeded the phaseout of testing on mammals by 2035-a date set by the Trump EPA in 2019-Administrator Zeldin is recommitting EPA's efforts to this historic goal. Today's announcement demonstrates the Trump EPA's dedication to following the law and using gold standard science, including New Approach Methods, to protect human health and the environment while working to eliminate the use of mammals in testing."
Former EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler on X Exit EPA's website : "Thank you Administrator Zeldin for standing up for animals. Honored to join Administrator Zeldin and my friends at White Coat Waste as Administrator Zeldin reaffirmed the ban on animal testing at EPA. It is the correct and moral course of action."
Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA): "It's about time we cur-tail-ed the wasteful spending on silly science projects using animals that have no value for taxpayers. I've worked to cut off the Pentagon funding this research in the NDAA. Now, thanks to the paw-some leadership of Administrator Zeldin, folks can rest easy knowing their hard-earned tax dollars are protected throughout the Trump administration."
Senator John Kennedy (R-LA): "On a bad day in Washington, I like animals more than people. I believe the way we treat God's creatures says a lot about the character of our nation. I'm grateful for Administrator Zeldin's leadership at the EPA to show greater compassion for our animal friends and reduce unnecessary animal testing."
Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO): "What the Biden administration did to animals during their experiments was cruel, inhumane, and wholly unnecessary, and the Biden EPA's decision to cancel animal testing phase-out deadlines was shameful. I applaud Administrator Zeldin's decision to recommit the EPA to the ambitious goal to develop alternative research methods that would end animal experimentation completely by 2035."
Congressional Animal Protection Caucus Co-Chair Vern Buchanan (R-FL-16): "As Co-Chair of the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus, I've worked for years to eliminate inhumane animal testing and advance modern, humane alternatives that strengthen science and protect animals from needless suffering. I applaud President Donald Trump and Administrator Lee Zeldin for getting the Environmental Protection Agency back on track and taking meaningful steps to eliminate mammalian animal testing. It's a commonsense step that protects animals and moves science in the right direction."
Congressional Animal Protection Caucus Co-Chair Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY-11): "I thank Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin for taking this important step to get America back on track to reduce-and ultimately end-all animal testing at the EPA. It was unfortunate that the Biden Administration canceled the agency's phase-out causing a terrible setback, but today's announcement is welcome news for the well-being of animals. I look forward to the day when these innocent animals no longer have to endure cruel, costly and unnecessary treatment in this country."
American Chemistry Council: "The American Chemistry Council (ACC) commends EPA's commitment to phase out animal testing and ongoing efforts to advance modern, science-based approaches for chemical safety assessment... As EPA moves forward, ACC remains committed to working with the Agency and the broader scientific community to expand the use of credible NAMs that enhance chemical safety evaluations while reducing reliance on animal testing."
Human World Action Fund President Sara Amundson: "EPA is back on track to end animal testing. Transforming a system based on outdated methods takes time, persistence and collaboration. The road to this moment hasn't been easy but we look forward to working with the EPA and other agencies to chart a new course, one that marries scientific advances with our conviction that no animal should suffer unnecessarily when better options are available."
Institute for In Vitro Sciences Vice President and COO Hans Raabe: "For nearly 30 years, the Institute for In Vitro Sciences has worked to demonstrate that non-animal methods are scientifically robust and often more predictive of human health than traditional animal tests. We applaud the EPA's commitment to expanding the use of New Approach Methodologies to protect human and environmental health. We look forward to helping to facilitate this transition by supporting agency and industry scientists to ensure the rapid adoption of reliable, human-relevant methods."
People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) on X Exit EPA's website : "Today, the EPA announced its recommitment to eliminating animal tests by 2035, following years of collaboration between the EPA and PETA scientists. This commitment to increase reliance on non-animal testing will enable more relevant and reliable approaches to better protect humans, wildlife, and our environment."
PETA Managing Director of Regulatory Toxicology Dr. Amy Clippinger: "The EPA is a leader in advancing reliable and human-relevant non-animal testing, an urgent priority given the tens of thousands of animals used each year in toxicity tests for the agency. Today's commitment builds on that leadership and reflects scientific advances showing that modern non-animal methods are as predictive, or more predictive, of human health outcomes than decades-old animal tests. PETA scientists are proud to have contributed to this progress through collaborative research and training initiatives, and we look forward to continuing our work with the agency to accelerate the adoption of the best available science to protect people, animals, and the environment."
PETA Science Consortium on X Exit EPA's website : "The EPA has recommitted to ending its reliance on toxicity tests on animals. This is the latest step in the agency's long-standing commitment to advancing reliable and relevant non-animal testing approaches."
Physicians Committee Acting Director of Research Policy Janine McCarthy: "Replacing animal tests with innovative, reliable, and more relevant methods and strategies has been a long time coming, reflecting growing scientific evidence that nonanimal methods help better predict human health outcomes. The EPA has been a leader in the development and implementation of nonanimal approaches, and today's announcement reflects the EPA's strong commitment to accelerating this work. The Physicians Committee has worked with the EPA to advance nonanimal testing through scientific partnerships and training, and we are proud to see this progress. This decision will accelerate the use of the best available science, protect people and the environment, and save animal lives."
National Institute of Health (NIH) Deputy Director for Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives Nicole Kleinstreuer: "I am enthusiastic about EPA's renewed commitment to advancing high-quality NAMs and reducing reliance on animal testing. NIH strongly supports this vision and looks forward to partnering closely with EPA, both directly and through ICCVAM, to accelerate the development, validation, and regulatory acceptance of scientifically robust alternatives. This collaboration is essential to ensuring that regulatory decisions continue to be grounded in gold-standard science while reflecting the significant advances in human-relevant methods."
White Coat Waste Project Senior Vice President Justin Goodman: "Reinstating the Trump EPA's animal testing phase-out deadline and lab animal retirement plan has been a top White Coat Waste priority since Day 1 of the new administration."
White Coat Waste Project on X Exit EPA's website : "White Coat Waste just joined Trump's EPA to announce they are reinstating their historic plan to end all dog, rabbit, and mammal experiments by 2035. We're proud to have been instrumental in delivering this victory for taxpayers and innocent animals alongside EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin today."
Ann Coulter on X Exit EPA's website : " Fauci funded the torture and killing of beagles. Trump's EPA head Lee Zeldin just reinstated a phaseout of animal testing begun in the first Trump admin, but killed by Biden."
Lauren Lee on X Exit EPA's website : "The EPA Just Committed to ENDING All Animal Testing!! Trump originally instituted the phase-out in 2019, but Biden had it canceled. Now, Administrator Zeldin says "we are back on track and already reducing animal testing across the agency, getting the agency's animals adopted, and validating new non-animal methods." Tireless activism from White Coat Waste-the same group that exposed the Fauci beagle experiments -made reinstating the ban a priority. Pups like Oliver will now have a second chance at life."
Laura Loomer on X Exit EPA's website : "Yesterday, at EPA Headquarters, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the EPA is getting back on track to phase out animal testing on dogs and other mammals, and recommit to the goal of eliminating it altogether by 2035... Lee Zeldin has been a leader on animal welfare for many years. As a Congressman, he received an award from White Coat Waste in 2018 for helping them end dog testing at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Now, thanks to President Trump and Lee Zeldin, the EPA is restoring the commonsense and compassionate plan to eliminate cruel, outdated and expensive taxpayer funded animal tests. Thank you President Trump and Administrator Zeldin! And congratulations to White Coat Waste on this huge victory!"
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Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/what-they-are-saying-leaders-across-america-applauding-epas-action-eliminate-animal
SBA Opens Review of Over $88 Million in Planned Parenthood Paycheck Protection Program Loans
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 -- The Small Business Administration posted the following news release on Jan. 22, 2026:
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SBA Opens Review of Over $88 Million in Planned Parenthood Paycheck Protection Program Loans
Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issued letters Link is external to 38 affiliates of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. (PPFA), the largest provider of abortions in the United States, requiring them to produce documentation proving they were eligible to receive more than $88 million in COVID-era relief through the SBA Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) while
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WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 -- The Small Business Administration posted the following news release on Jan. 22, 2026:
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SBA Opens Review of Over $88 Million in Planned Parenthood Paycheck Protection Program Loans
Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issued letters Link is external to 38 affiliates of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. (PPFA), the largest provider of abortions in the United States, requiring them to produce documentation proving they were eligible to receive more than $88 million in COVID-era relief through the SBA Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) whilethe program was operational. The letters, part of a new review by the agency, aim to uncover whether PPFA affiliates misrepresented the size of their respective organizations or the nature of their affiliation with PPFA to fraudulently qualify for the loans.
Affiliates who fail to provide the required material may face a determination that they were ineligible for the PPP loan and any subsequent loan forgiveness. Affiliates who are found to have provided incorrect or false eligibility certifications will be subject to severe penalties, including repayment of the loan, ineligibility for loan forgiveness, and possible referral for civil or criminal penalties.
"At the height of the pandemic, affiliates of Planned Parenthood took $88 million in taxpayer dollars to fund their abortion-on-demand agenda - and the Biden Administration made sure they got nearly every cent forgiven, even after the first Trump Administration protested," said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. "Six years later, the Trump SBA holds the same conviction: Planned Parenthood Federation of America was never eligible to receive a dime in pandemic-era relief from taxpayers. As part of the review underway, not only will we expose the Planned Parenthood affiliates who took advantage of the American people - we will take every necessary step to force every bad actor to pay them back."
The PPP Program was designed to support small entities during the COVID-19 pandemic, and applicants were required to self-certify their size and affiliate eligibility status. Each Planned Parenthood affiliate certified that they were an independent qualified entity with fewer than 500 employees. However, during the first Trump Administration in 2020, the SBA preliminarily concluded that none of them were eligible for PPP due to numerous indicators of PPFA's control over them and their services - including requirements to perform on-site abortions - in violation of SBA's affiliation standards.
The Biden Administration later forgave many of those loans without engaging in a meaningful review of their respective applications. Prior loan forgiveness does not prevent the SBA from exercising its authority to reopen a review of the loans.
About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of entrepreneurship. As the leading voice for small businesses within the federal government, the SBA empowers job creators with the resources and support they need to start, grow, and expand their businesses or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
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Original text here: https://www.sba.gov/article/2026/01/22/sba-opens-review-over-88-million-planned-parenthood-paycheck-protection-program-loans
SBA Issues Clarifying Guidance That Race-Based Discrimination is Not Tolerated in the 8(a) Program
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 -- The Small Business Administration posted the following news release on Jan. 22, 2026:
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SBA Issues Clarifying Guidance That Race-Based Discrimination is Not Tolerated in the 8(a) Program
Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issued formal guidance to SBA program officials reiterating, in alignment with policy changes implemented by Administrator Kelly Loeffler last year, that race-based discrimination within the 8(a) Business Development Program is unconstitutional and unlawful. The agency reiterated that SBA does not deny any small business owner admission
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WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 -- The Small Business Administration posted the following news release on Jan. 22, 2026:
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SBA Issues Clarifying Guidance That Race-Based Discrimination is Not Tolerated in the 8(a) Program
Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issued formal guidance to SBA program officials reiterating, in alignment with policy changes implemented by Administrator Kelly Loeffler last year, that race-based discrimination within the 8(a) Business Development Program is unconstitutional and unlawful. The agency reiterated that SBA does not deny any small business owner admissionto the 8(a) Program simply because they are white. The agency does not consider any business owner to be "socially disadvantaged" - and therefore eligible to participate in the program - simply because they are a member of a certain minority group. No American, including white Americans, can be denied government services based on race. Finally, as has been the case since the Trump Administration began, SBA will not approve admissions to the program based solely on unsubstantiated claims or Biden-era narratives of racial discrimination, or provide guidance to applicants to help them construct such narratives that bolster claims of discrimination, as was the practice during the Biden Administration. These reforms are just the first steps in a broader process of remediating the deficiencies in the 8(a) Program, which have been in progress for some time.
In its totality, this guidance clarifies that the 8(a) Program is open to job creators of every race - consistent with court orders Link is external, notices Link is external from the U.S Department of Justice (DOJ), and President Trump's broader effort to eliminate DEI across the federal government - and that any race-based presumptions of social disadvantage have been inoperative since 2023. In addition to issuing this guidance, and to avoid any confusion, the SBA has further removed from its website the Biden-era "Guide for Demonstrating Social Disadvantage."
"The Biden Administration expanded and then abused the 8(a) Program to hand out billions in taxpayer-funded government contracts to favored minorities at the direct expense of honest small businesses, which is why we ended the practice on Day One," said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. "Since then, the Trump SBA has been working to reverse the damage - and today, we're reiterating one simple fact: the Biden-era practice of discriminating against white Americans is over, and reforms to enshrine that fact are well underway. The SBA is ending DEI in federal contracting - and our programs will remain open to all eligible job creators in compliance with federal law."
The 8(a) Program was dramatically expanded under the Biden Administration as a vehicle for partisan and DEI preferences in federal contracting - crowding out legitimate job creators, especially white men. Since Day One, the Trump SBA has been working not only to hold bad actors accountable for abusing the program, but to ensure that it benefits only deserving entrepreneurs instead of favored minorities. As evidence of this fact, the Trump SBA accepted just 65 new 8(a) firms into the program last year - compared to over 2,100 who were accepted during the Biden Administration.
The Trump SBA is also cracking down on widespread fraud and abuse in the 8(a) Program to further ensure compliance with federal law, taking the following actions:
* In February 2025, on the first day of Administrator Loeffler's term, the Trump SBA cut the Small Disadvantaged Business contracting goal back to its statutory 5% and ended the practice of approving firms based solely on unsubstantiated claims of racial discrimination.
* In June 2025, SBA launched the first-ever audit of the 8(a) Program in its nearly 50-year history - initiating an investigation into all high-dollar and limited-competition contracts going back over a period of fifteen years.
* In July 2025, the agency rescinded the independent 8(a) contracting authority of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) after a DOJ investigation uncovered a $550 million bribery scheme involving several 8(a) contractors.
* That same month, SBA issued a letter of warning to all federal contracting officers, outlining the penalties for failing to report suspected fraud, waste, and abuse within the 8(a) Program.
* In October 2025, SBA suspended Link is external numerous 8(a) contractors following allegations of fraud involving more than $253 million in previously issued contract awards.
* In November 2025, SBA cleared the Biden-era backlog of 2,700 Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert) applications, which accumulated after the prior Administration diverted all resources away from VetCert to increase certification approvals for the 8(a) Program.
* In December 2025, SBA ordered all 4,300 8(a) contractors to produce three years' worth of financial documents for review by the agency in the effort root out pass-through abuse and fraud by shell companies.
* In January 2026, SBA suspended over 1,000 contractors from participation in the 8(a) Program after they failed to submit the documents SBA requested in December.
* Additionally, as core users of these contractors, the U.S. General Services Administration, Department of the Treasury and Department of War began their own internal audits of the 8(a) Program.
Any job creator who believes they have been unconstitutionally excluded from participation in the 8(a) Program is encouraged to contact the SBA at certifications@sba.gov. Additionally, to address fraud, illegality, and Constitutional concerns in the 8(a) program, the SBA is hiring additional program officers who can help administer the 8(a) Program as a race-neutral vehicle for small business success in a fair and lawful manner. If you are interested in applying, you may inquire about open roles at HR4U@sba.gov by submitting an email with "8(a)" in the subject line.
About the 8(a) Business Development Program
The SBA certifies small businesses considered to be socially and economically disadvantaged under its nine-year 8(a) Business Development Program. The 8(a) program helps these firms develop and grow their businesses through one-to-one counseling, training workshops and management and technical guidance. It also provides access to government contracting opportunities, allowing them to become solid competitors in the federal marketplace.
About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of entrepreneurship. As the leading voice for small businesses within the federal government, the SBA empowers job creators with the resources and support they need to start, grow, and expand their businesses or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
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Original text here: https://www.sba.gov/article/2026/01/22/sba-issues-clarifying-guidance-race-based-discrimination-not-tolerated-8a-program
EPA Hosts Roundtable Discussion with Data Center Coalition on Clean Air Resources and Energy Reliability
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
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EPA Hosts Roundtable Discussion with Data Center Coalition on Clean Air Resources and Energy Reliability
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WASHINGTON -On Tuesday, January 20, 2026, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) convened a roundtable with the Data Center Coalition, led by senior Trump EPA officials, to discuss how the rapid growth of data centers can be harnessed to make the U.S. the AI capital of the world while keeping energy prices low and ensuring clean air, land, and water for all Americans. During the discussion,
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
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EPA Hosts Roundtable Discussion with Data Center Coalition on Clean Air Resources and Energy Reliability
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WASHINGTON -On Tuesday, January 20, 2026, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) convened a roundtable with the Data Center Coalition, led by senior Trump EPA officials, to discuss how the rapid growth of data centers can be harnessed to make the U.S. the AI capital of the world while keeping energy prices low and ensuring clean air, land, and water for all Americans. During the discussion,EPA program office leaders detailed regulatory and operational considerations related to the nationwide data center build-out, including clean air requirements and ensuring grid reliability, and officials also hit on the valid concerns in many communities about data center development and what the agency is doing to ensure these concerns are appropriately addressed.
Making the U.S. the AI capital of the world is a key pillar of EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin's Powering the Great American Comeback initiative. The Trump EPA is committed to ensuring U.S. data centers and related facilities are powered and operated in a clean manner with American-made energy. The roundtable with DCC represents a critical step in delivering on that commitment.
"Ensuring clean air for all Americans, advancing cooperative federalism, and making America the AI capital of the world are all pillars of EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin's Powering the Great American Comeback Initiative. In the Office of Air and Radiation (OAR), we are diligently working to ensure we move these goals forward, and do so as quickly as possible," said EPA Assistant Administrator for Air Aaron Szabo. "At the end of 2025, my office launched the Clean Air Act Resources for Data Centers webpage to provide data center developers, local communities, and Tribes with a central location for Clean Air Act-related resources. EPA will also be announcing permitting reform to cut burdensome red tape in the near future. We are doing all of this with one goal in mind-help Americans successfully build data centers while following the law and ensuring human health and the environment are protected."
"EPA is committed to furthering AI development and accessibility for local communities and developers. This roundtable supported coordination across the Agency and engagement with industry on how clean air considerations and energy reliability intersect with infrastructure development," said EPA Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Pouya Lavian.
"The Office of Water was pleased to participate in today's roundtable with the Data Center Coalition. Water is a critical input supporting the datacenter and AI revolution happening in the U.S. We look forward to continuing the conversation and exploring opportunities for EPA and the private sector to work together on policies that both reinforce the nation's position as number one in AI while strengthening water resources," said Deputy Assistant Administrator for Strategic Initiatives Caitlin McHale.
President Trump's Executive Order 14179, "Removing Barriers to American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence (AI)," boldly calls for America to advance dominance in technological innovation through the creation of an AI Action Plan. "America's AI Action Plan," released in July 2025, is comprised of three pillars-innovation, infrastructure, and international diplomacy and security-that provide the foundational framework for victory in this hypercompetitive global race. EPA is focused on strengthening America's energy foundation and ensuring our nation remains the global leader in AI and the infrastructure that powers it. In fact, the agency has already taken great strides in turning that vision into reality.
In December 2025, EPA launched the Clean Air Act Resources for Data Centers webpage to provide data center developers, local communities and Tribes with a central location for Clean Air Act (CAA)-related resources. These resources provide state and private sector partners with regulatory information, guidance and technical tools that can assist with modeling, air quality permitting, and regulatory interpretations relevant for data centers and AI facility development.
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Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-hosts-roundtable-discussion-data-center-coalition-clean-air-resources-and-energy
