Press releases

Establishing Crew Exposure Limits of Martian Dust

Background Human exploration of Mars will expose crews to a persistent, fine particulate environment whose physicochemical properties and health implications remain only partly understood. Because no samples of authentic Martian airborne dust have been returned to Earth, NASA must rely on lunar dust toxicology, Martian regolith simulants, and extensive rover/lander geochemical and mineralogical datasets to […]

A New Compact Instrument Enables High-Fidelity Measurements of Energetic Particles on CubeSats

A team of NASA-sponsored scientists and engineers has developed a novel approach to observing high-energy particles in the near-Earth space environment, incorporating miniaturized sensors into a compact, multi-view particle detection instrument unlike any before it. Built for NASA’s Relativistic Electron Atmospheric Loss (REAL) CubeSat mission, the innovative instrument (also called REAL) enables more complete measurements […]

DOW Identifies an Army Casualty

The War Department announced the death of an active-duty soldier who was supporting overseas operations in Iraq.

US Department of Labor files amicus brief clarifying use of pension risk transfers to annuity providers

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, clarifying the business requirements for offloading defined benefit plan liabilities through pension risk transfers.In the brief, filed in Doherty v. Bristol-Myers Squibb, No. 26-1021, the department reiterates the appropriate standards for pension risk transfers, also known as “derisking.” The brief explains the plaintiffs in this case argue that Bristol-Myers Squibb's choice of annuity provider for its pension risk transfer was not the safest available and resulted in a breach of fiduciary duty under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.ERISA gives employers the ability to manage their defined benefit pension obligations by transferring liabilities to an annuity provider, the department said. Noting that Congress intended for employers to rely on annuity providers to help manage the long-term obligations associated with defined benefit pension plans.Today’s brief is the second on this topic from the department this year. In January, the department filed an amicus brief in Konya v. Lockheed Martin, clarifying the proper constraints and liberties that apply when a business decides to derisk by transferring its pension plan liabilities to an annuity provider.The brief argues that pension risk transfers benefit both employers and beneficiaries when not disrupted and litigating business decisions can hinder or eliminate benefits. The department added that continued litigation could deter employers from derisking their plans and ultimately upset the balance Congress established between federal and state regulation.According to the department’s brief, the plaintiffs in this case lack standing under ERISA to sue because they have received all the benefits they are entitled to and there is no evidence that those benefits are at risk. The brief also makes clear that only the plan sponsor has the authority to enter into a derisking transaction and reiterates longstanding department guidance for the fiduciary process.Read the department’s amicus brief in Doherty v. Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Student Loan Forgiveness Scammer Permanently Banned from Debt Relief Industry and Telemarketing

Dennise Merdjanian, an operator of a student loan debt forgiveness scheme, will be permanently banned from the debt relief industry and telemarketing under a proposed order resolving the Federal Trade Commission’s charges that she and other operators took more than $45.9 million from consumers as part of their illegal student loan debt relief operatio View Press Release

Treasury Successfully Implements New Safeguard to Stop Payments to Deceased Individuals

U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Public Affairs Press Release: July 21, 2026 Contact: Treasury Public Affairs, Press@treasury.gov Treasury Successfully Implements New Safeguard to Stop Payments to Deceased Individuals New Verification Process Screened Over 885 Million Federal Payments Worth Nearly $2.7 Trillion WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Bureau of the Fiscal Service announced the successful implementation of a new government-wide payment verification process that helps stop federal payments from being sent to deceased individuals, fulfilling a key requirement of Executive Order 14249 , Protecting America's Bank Account Against Fraud, Waste, and Abuse. “Treasury has delivered on a key promise of President Trump’s mandate to stop improper payments and fraud before money leaves the Treasury, and strengthen the integrity of the federal payment system,” said Secretary Scott Bessent . “Together with Vice President Vance’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, this new safeguard addresses a longstanding vulnerability and helps ensure every dollar the federal government spends reaches its intended recipient. Treasury will continue efforts to modernize the federal payment system, strengthen safeguards against fraud and improper payments, and protect taxpayer dollars.” BACKGROUND Since President Trump issued Executive Order 14249 , Protecting America's Bank Account Against Fraud, Waste, and Abuse , on March 25, 2025, Treasury has significantly expanded government-wide efforts to detect and prevent fraud and improper payments through the Do Not Pay program and new payment verification tools. To date, Treasury has screened over 885 million payments totaling approximately $2.77 trillion as part of the new payment verification process. The screening has identified more than 4,900 payments worth approximately $99 million that were associated with deceased payees . Those payments were returned to the originating federal agencies for review before any funds were disbursed. The new screening capability builds on Treasury's recent expanded access to the Social Security Administration's Full Death Master File, enabling more comprehensive identification of deceased payees before payments are issued. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 granted Treasury temporary access to the data for a three-year pilot program. During the pilot's first year, Treasury significantly expanded its ability to identify deceased payees and projected an estimated $330 million in net benefits between 2024 and 2026 through reduced improper payments. In February 2026, Congress passed, and President Trump signed, the Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act , providing Treasury with permanent access to the Full Death Master File and allowing these payment integrity efforts to continue on a permanent basis. Treasury will continue implementing the payment verification capabilities required under the Executive Order to further strengthen safeguards against fraud, waste, and improper payments across the federal government. ###

NRC Advisory: NRC to Hold Webinars on Proposed Reactor Licensing Modernization

NRC Moves to Streamline Radioactive Medical Treatment Regulations

Why Maine’s Sandy Shorelines Turn Jagged

Differences in the underlying bedrock and how rivers distribute sediment make the coastlines west of Portland look unlike those northeast of the city.

BLM Announces September 2026 Sale of Oil and Gas Leases in Utah

SALT LAKE CITY – The Bureau of Land Management today announced an oil and gas lease sale scheduled for September 22, 2026, to offer 35 oil and gas parcels totaling 34,596 acres in Utah. The BLM completed scoping on these parcels in April 2026 and held a public comment period that closed in June 2026 on the parcels and the related environmental analysis. A 30-day public protest period to receive additional public input opened today and will close August 21, 2026. Leasing is the first step in the process to develop federal oil and gas resources. Before development operations can begin, an operator must submit an application for permit to drill detailing development plans. The BLM reviews applications for permits to drill, posts them for public review, conducts an environmental analysis and coordinates with state partners and stakeholders. All parcels that are included in a federal oil and gas lease sale include appropriate stipulations to protect important natural resources. Information on current and upcoming BLM leases is available through the National Fluid Lease Sale System . BLM lease sales are held online through Efficient Markets . The parcels BLM analyzed, as well as maps and instructions on how to submit a protest, are available on BLM’s ePlanning website at https://eplanning.blm.gov/Project-Home/?id=759276D6-511E-F111-8341-001DD800B811 .

BLM is accepting public comments on changes to the Cortez Mine in Eureka County

Home Info Press Releases Press Releases The BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

NASA Sets Briefings for SpaceX Crew-13 Mission to Space Station

NASA and its partners will discuss the upcoming crew rotation mission to the International Space Station during a pair of news conferences on Monday, Aug. 3, from the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Mission leadership will provide an overview of NASA’s SpaceX Crew‑13 mission at 12 p.m. EDT. Next, crew members will discuss their […]