WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families issued a direct final rule to eliminate the requirement for head start programs to maintain a specific COVID-19 mitigation policy. This action aligns with federal efforts to reduce regulatory burdens following the end of the public health emergency. The agency announced that the rescission removes a mandate from the Head Start Program Performance Standards. Previously, progra more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security has issued an order stripping Marco Antonio Santillan Valencia whose last known address was in Whittier, California, of his export privileges for 10 years. The action follows a criminal conviction involving the illegal shipment of weapons and ammunition to Mexico. Valencia was convicted on Jan. 8, 2024, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. He was found guilty of conspirin more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (TNSFR) -- The Bureau of Industry and Security has issued a 10-year denial of export privileges against Marco Santillan Jr. following his conviction for conspiring to smuggle weapons from the U.S. to Mexico. This administrative action strips Santillan of his ability to participate in any transactions involving U.S. commodities, software, or technology until Aug. 1, 2032. The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California convicted Santillan of violating federal more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a proposed rule to prohibit Medicare-participating hospitals from performing sex-rejecting procedures on children. The proposal follows an executive order focused on protecting children and a subsequent review of medical evidence by the Department of Health and Human Services. The rule would revise the federal requirements that Medicare and Medicaid certified hospit more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (TNSFR) -- CAB Enterprises Inc., Houston, Texas, Sueros y Bebidas Rehidratantes S.A. de C.V., Guadalajara, Mexico, Brazos River Ventures LLC and Electrolit Manufacturing USA Inc., both of Albany, New York, filed a complaint seeking a federal import ban through a filing with the International Trade Commission involving electrolyte beverages and packaging. The filing parties allege that several foreign companies are violating section 337 of the Tariff Act by importing products more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration has issued a proposal to update Class E airspace over Franklin, North Carolina. The action aims to ensure the safety and management of instrument flight rules operations for aircraft in the region. The proposal includes changes to the legal descriptions for Macon County Airport and Angel Medical Center. Specifically, the FAA intends to update geographic coordinates for both locations to reflect  more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration issued a final order to classify the electrical tongue nerve stimulator used to treat motor deficits as a class II device. This action follows a De Novo classification request submitted by Helius Medical Inc., Newtown, Pennsylvania, for its portable neuromodulation stimulator (PoNS). By placing this technology into class II, the FDA is establishing special controls to ensure the safety  more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration published a draft guidance document regarding its authority to order mandatory recalls of cosmetic products. This guidance clarifies the implementation of the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022. The document entitled "Questions and Answers Regarding Mandatory Cosmetics Recalls: Guidance for Industry," addresses the criteria and expectations for when the agency must step in more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration has issued a finalized guidance document outlining how data gathered from routine healthcare settings can support the regulatory review of medical devices. The document clarifies the criteria used to evaluate the quality of information generated outside of traditional clinical trials. The filing centers on the use of real-world data to create evidence for regulatory decisions. This guid more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (TNSFR) -- The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. has issued a proposed rule to establish a regulatory framework for U.S. banks seeking to issue payment stablecoins through subsidiaries. This action implements the application provisions of the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act (GENIUS Act), which became law on July 18, 2025. Under the proposal, an FDIC-supervised institution must obtain agency approval before a subsidiary may operate as a pe more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (TNSFR) -- The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. issued an interim final rule to reduce the collection rate for a special assessment designed to recover losses from 2023 bank failures. The rule drops the assessment rate for the eighth collection quarter from 3.36 basis points to 2.97 basis points to prevent the agency from collecting more than the $16.7 billion in estimated losses. The adjustment ensures that the 110 large banking organizations subject to the assessment do no more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (TNSFR) -- The Federal Reserve System issued a final rule to decrease the interest rates charged to depository institutions for short-term loans. The amendments lower the primary credit rate by 0.25 percentage points. The primary credit rate at each Federal Reserve Bank is now 3.75 percent, down from 4.00 percent. Following this action, the secondary credit rate automatically dropped from 4.50 percent to 4.25 percent based on an established formula. While the rule was publi more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (TNSFR) -- The Federal Reserve System issued a rule to decrease the interest rate paid on balances maintained at reserve banks by eligible institutions. The rate, known as interest on reserve balances (IORB) fell from 3.9 percent to 3.65 percent. The change was applicable Dec. 11, 2025, following a decision by the Federal Open Market Committee to lower the target range for the federal funds rate to a span of 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 percent. The Federal Reserve System intended for the more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (TNSFR) -- The Federal Reserve System has received a filing by Justin Byrd and several family members to join the Byrd Family Control Group to retain voting shares of West Tennessee Bancshares Inc. that would allow the group to maintain its influence over the company and its subsidiary, Bank of Bartlett, both of Bartlett, Tennessee. The request involves Justin Byrd, acting individually and as trustee of the Robert C. Byrd Sr. Irrevocable Trust, both are based in Germantown,  more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposed a rule that would prohibit the use of federal funds for sex-rejecting procedures for minors. The proposal follows an executive order aimed at protecting children from chemical and surgical interventions related to gender transition. If finalized, the rule would require State Medicaid plans to ensure no payments are made for these procedures for individuals under ag more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to clarify nondiscrimination protections under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The proposal seeks to resolve interpretative confusion regarding whether gender dysphoria qualifies as a disability for programs receiving federal financial assistance. Under the proposal, HHS interprets the statutory exclusion of "gender identity disorders not resulting from physical more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of Commerce announced the final results of its countervailing duty administrative review regarding mobile access equipment and subassemblies from China. The review focused on subsidies provided to Chinese producers during the period beginning Jan. 1, 2022, and ending Dec. 31, 2022. ITA determined that Zhejiang Dingli Machinery Co. Ltd. and its cross-owned affiliates received countervailable subsidies from the Chinese government. Following an a more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration announced that while the agreement suspending the antidumping duty investigation on sugar from Mexico met statutory requirements, a major producer failed to eliminate required dumping margins. The findings stem from an administrative review covering the period from Dec. 1, 2022, through Nov. 30, 2023. ITA determined that Santa Rosalia de la Chontalpa S.A. de C.V., and its affiliates, known as Grup more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration has issued antidumping duty orders regarding corrosion-resistant steel products from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, the Netherlands, South Africa, Taiwan, Turkiye, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam. Based on affirmative final determinations, the ITA is directing U.S. Customs and Border Protection to assess antidumping duties on relevant entries. These duties are calculated based on the amount by more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration announced the issuance of countervailing duty orders on imports of corrosion-resistant steel products from Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and Vietnam. This action follows final determinations by the International Trade Commission that subsidized imports from these four nations cause material injury to the domestic steel industry. ITC notified the ITA of its findings on Nov. 28, 2025. Based on these resul more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration announced that it is partially revoking antidumping and countervailing duty orders on crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells from China. The decision specifically excludes off-grid solar panels used to power single low-voltage devices. ITA determined that changed circumstances warranted the move after domestic producers expressed no interest in maintaining the duties on these specific products. Th more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration issued final results for its administrative review of non-oriented electrical steel (NOES) from Japan. The investigation focused on whether Nippon Steel Corp. (NSC) sold these products in the U.S. at prices below normal value between Dec. 1, 2022, and Nov. 30, 2023. Following an analysis of the record and comments from interested parties, Commerce determined that NSC sold the subject merchandise at more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration and the U.S. Trade Representative filed a notice to adjust tariff rates for products from Switzerland and Liechtenstein. This request implements elements of a trade framework announced on Nov. 14, 2025. The action follows a Sept. 5, 2025, executive order from President Trump to address trade imbalances and rectify the national emergency regarding goods trade deficits. Under the filing, the U.S. wi more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (TNSFR) -- North Dakota submitted a proposal to the U.S. Department of the Interior Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement to amend its abandoned mine land reclamation plan to align with changes in U.S. federal law. North Dakota seeks to update the purposes for which the North Dakota abandoned mine reclamation fund may be used. A primary feature of the request is the creation of a set-aside trust account in the state treasury. The state also intends to revise  more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (TNSFR) -- The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a proposed rule to amend its regulations to incorporate the 2018 version of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Standard 603. This action aims to align U.S. safety requirements with the most current industry criteria for power, instrumentation and control safety systems at nuclear power generating stations. The proposal would update Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations to replace previous more PR