Category: United States Government

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ERO El Paso removes Guatemalan fugitive wanted for aggravated rape in his home country

Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

EL PASO, Texas — Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) El Paso deportation officers removed an unlawfully present Guatemalan national, wanted in his home country for aggravated rape, from the United States on Aug. 30.

Antonio David Osorio-Lucas, 23, who had a final order of removal, was flown to Guatemala on a charter flight operated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Air Operations Unit. ERO officers turned custody of Osorio-Lucas over to local authorities at the La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City, Guatemala.

On July 10, Osorio-Lucas illegally entered the United States in El Paso, and U.S. Border Patrol agents encountered and arrested him the same day. On July 12, Osorio-Lucas was issued and served with a notice of expedited removal and was charged with illegal entry. He was convicted on July 18 of the same charge, and was sentenced to six days of confinement or time served.

He was released from the El Paso County Detention Facility on July 19 and turned over to ERO El Paso custody. He remained in ICE custody at the El Paso Processing Center until he was removed from the country.

“Foreign fugitives living among us are a threat to our country’s national security and risk to public safety,” said ERO El Paso Field Office Director Mary De Anda-Ybarra. “ICE considers egregious and violent criminals our highest priority for removal, and we will continue to focus immigration enforcement efforts on identifying and arresting them to make sure they are returned to face justice in their home countries.”

Members of the public who have information about foreign fugitives should contact ICE by calling the ICE Tip Line at 866-347-2423 or internationally at 001-1802-872-6199. They can also file a tip online by completing ICE’s online tip form.

As one of ICE’s three operational directorates, ERO is the principal federal law enforcement authority in charge of domestic immigration enforcement. ERO’s mission is to protect the homeland through the arrest and removal of those who undermine the safety of U.S. communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws, and its primary areas of focus are interior enforcement operations, management of the agency’s detained and non-detained populations, and repatriation of noncitizens who have received final orders of removal. ERO’s workforce consists of more than 7,700 law enforcement and non-law enforcement support personnel across 25 domestic field offices and 208 locations nationwide, 30 overseas postings, and multiple temporary duty travel assignments along the border.

For more updates on noncitizens being removed from the community in the interest of public safety, follow ERO El Paso on X, formerly known as Twitter, @EROElPaso.

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Multiagency investigation involving HSI Tucson leads to prison sentence for Nigerian national who defrauded elderly US victims

Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

TUCSON, Ariz. — A dual U.K.-Nigerian national who was extradited to the United States from the United Kingdom was sentenced to 90 months in prison on Aug. 29 for his role in a transnational inheritance fraud scheme. With this sentencing, all three defendants who were extradited from the United Kingdom in connection with this matter have been sentenced. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated this case.

“International criminal organizations using schemes that target and steal from the elderly will be held responsible for their despicable actions,” said HSI Arizona Special Agent in Charge Scott Brown. “This case demonstrates HSI’s commitment, with our partner law enforcement agencies domestically and abroad, to prove wrong those who believe they are beyond the reach of the law. I thank all the law enforcement agencies that dedicated countless hours in making this investigation a significant success.”

According to court documents, Iheanyichukwu Jonathan Abraham, 44, was part of a group of fraudsters who sent personalized letters to elderly victims in the United States, falsely claiming that the sender was a representative of a bank in Spain and that the recipient was entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance left by a family member who had died years before in Portugal. Victims were told that before they could receive their purported inheritance, they were required to send money for delivery fees and taxes and were instructed to make other payments. Victims sent money to the defendants through a complex web of U.S.-based former victims. Abraham and his co-conspirators also convinced former victims to receive money from new victims and then forward the fraud proceeds to others.

The other two defendants who were extradited from the United Kingdom also received prison sentences. On June 21, Emmanuel Samuel was sentenced to 82 months in prison, and on July 25, Jerry Chucks Ozor was sentenced to 87 months in prison. Two other co-defendants, who were extradited to the United States from Spain, have also pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced in October and November.

“The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch will continue to pursue, prosecute and bring to justice transnational criminals responsible for defrauding U.S. consumers, wherever they are located,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We thank our colleagues at the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency and Crown Prosecution Service for assisting with the successful investigation and extradition of these defendants and the United Kingdom’s National Trading Standards Scams Team for its help in identifying this and other transnational fraud schemes.”

“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has a long tradition of protecting American citizens from these types of schemes and bringing those responsible to justice,” said Inspector in Charge Juan A. Vargas of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Miami Division. “This result is a testament to the dedicated partnership between the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch, Homeland Security Investigations and the USPIS, to protect our citizens from these scams.”

Senior Trial Attorney Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorneys Josh Rothman and Brianna Gardner of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Europol, and authorities from the United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal all provided critical assistance.

If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.

More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.

HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move. HSI’s workforce of more than 8,700 employees consists of more than 6,000 special agents assigned to 237 cities throughout the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’ largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.

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Latest News: Library Awards Stereoscopic Research Fellowships

Source: US Global Legal Monitor

Library of Congress Awards 2023-2024 National Stereoscopic Association Research Fellowships

The Library of Congress today announced Rachel Lee Hutcheson, Isabelle Lynch and Lynn Marie Mitchell as its next class of fellows awarded the National Stereoscopic Association Research Fellowship.

Established in 2022 with a generous monetary donation from the National Stereoscopic Association, the fellowship supports research on stereoscopy and the history of photography within the Prints and Photographs Division holdings and the unparalleled photographic history collections at the Library of Congress — including over 15 million photographs, rare publications, manuscript materials and historic newspapers.

Stereographs are paired photographs that provide an illusion of three-dimensionality when placed in a special viewer called a stereoscope. They were among the first photographic entertainment formats that became popular from the Civil War to the early decades of the 20th century when new technologies like motion pictures captured the public’s attention. Recent technical innovations, including virtual reality, have brought renewed focus to both the history and continued use of the stereo format.

The Library’s Prints and Photographs Division is the premier research center for photographs in this format, holding stereographs dating from early daguerreotypes in the 1850s to published sets from the 1930s. Over 52,000 have been digitized and are available online at https://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/stereo/.

National Stereoscopic Association Research Fellows

Rachel Lee Hutcheson, a Ph.D. candidate in art history and archaeology at Columbia University was awarded $1,000 to conduct research in the Frederic Eugene Ives and Herbert Eugene Ives Papers in the Manuscript Division at the Library in September 2023. Hutcheson’s dissertation explores epistemological shifts in the understanding of early color photography (1890-1920) within contemporaneous scientific and social debates. Frederic Ives was a pivotal figure in the development of color stereoscopic photography and the technology for its presentation through projection.

Isabelle Lynch, a Ph.D. candidate in the history of art at the University of Pennsylvania, was awarded $4,000 for “Subterranean Fire: Artificial Illumination in Underground Photography and Images of the World Under Water,” the third chapter of her dissertation, “Flash Light: Photography and Artificial Illumination c. 1839-1939.” Her work explores the practice of 19th century subterranean photography and its parallels to notions of western expansion through the materials extracted from the earth that made artificial illumination possible. During her fellowship in September 2023, Lynch will explore the Prints and Photographs Division’s collections of artificial light stereographs of Mammoth Cave and textual and photographic material in the Frances Benjamin Johnston collection documenting her exploration of the caverns.

Lynn Marie Mitchell, an independent researcher and former archivist for the National Park Service and Western Archeological and Conservation Center, was awarded $4,000 for “The Interpersonal Relationships Among 19th Century Photographers: Ard G. Emery, Brainard F. Childs, Charles D. Cole and Christian B. Brubaker.” Mitchell will conduct research in November 2023 and March 2024 across the Library’s photographic, manuscript and newspaper collections and the records of the U.S. Copyright Office to identify primary source materials on Ard G. Emery, Brainard F. Childs, Christian B. Brubaker and Charles D. Cole, four photographers from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan who knew each other and worked together for over 15 years.

The National Stereoscopic Association Research Fellowship is awarded annually by the Library. Additional information about the fellowship is available at this link: https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/national_stereoscopic.html.  

The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States — and extensive materials from around the world — both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov; access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov; and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.

# # #

Media Contact: Brett Zongker, bzongker@loc.gov
Public Contact: Micah Messenheimer, stereofellow@loc.gov

PR 23-078
08-31-2023
ISSN 0731-3527

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Nigerian national sentenced to prison for international scheme that defrauded elderly US victims following HSI Tucson investigation

Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

TUCSON, Ariz. — A dual U.K.-Nigerian national who was extradited to the United States from the United Kingdom was sentenced to 90 months in prison on Aug. 29 for his role in a transnational inheritance fraud scheme. With this sentencing, all three defendants who were extradited from the United Kingdom in connection with this matter have been sentenced. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated this case.

“International criminal organizations using schemes that target and steal from the elderly will be held responsible for their despicable actions,” said HSI Arizona Special Agent in Charge Scott Brown. “This case demonstrates HSI’s commitment, with our partner law enforcement agencies domestically and abroad, to prove wrong those who believe they are beyond the reach of the law. I thank all the law enforcement agencies that dedicated countless hours in making this investigation a significant success.”

According to court documents, Iheanyichukwu Jonathan Abraham, 44, was part of a group of fraudsters who sent personalized letters to elderly victims in the United States, falsely claiming that the sender was a representative of a bank in Spain and that the recipient was entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance left by a family member who had died years before in Portugal. Victims were told that before they could receive their purported inheritance, they were required to send money for delivery fees and taxes and were instructed to make other payments. Victims sent money to the defendants through a complex web of U.S.-based former victims. Abraham and his co-conspirators also convinced former victims to receive money from new victims and then forward the fraud proceeds to others.

The other two defendants who were extradited from the United Kingdom also received prison sentences. On June 21, Emmanuel Samuel was sentenced to 82 months in prison, and on July 25, Jerry Chucks Ozor was sentenced to 87 months in prison. Two other co-defendants, who were extradited to the United States from Spain, have also pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced in October and November.

“The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch will continue to pursue, prosecute and bring to justice transnational criminals responsible for defrauding U.S. consumers, wherever they are located,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We thank our colleagues at the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency and Crown Prosecution Service for assisting with the successful investigation and extradition of these defendants and the United Kingdom’s National Trading Standards Scams Team for its help in identifying this and other transnational fraud schemes.”

“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has a long tradition of protecting American citizens from these types of schemes and bringing those responsible to justice,” said Inspector in Charge Juan A. Vargas of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Miami Division. “This result is a testament to the dedicated partnership between the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch, Homeland Security Investigations and the USPIS, to protect our citizens from these scams.”

Senior Trial Attorney Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorneys Josh Rothman and Brianna Gardner of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Europol, and authorities from the United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal all provided critical assistance.

If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.

More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.

HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move. HSI’s workforce of more than 8,700 employees consists of more than 6,000 special agents assigned to 237 cities throughout the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’ largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.

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IAM Lodges Can Support the 41st IAM Grand Lodge Convention With Commemorative Book

Source: US GOIAM Union

The 41st IAM Grand Lodge Convention will be held in New York City in September 2024. An essential part of the Convention will be the 2024 IAM Commemorative Convention Book, and a popular feature of the book will be the ads from our own Local and District Lodges. Proceeds from the ads also help offset the cost of the Convention.

If not purchased already, we ask that each IAM Lodge consider buying an ad. You can submit your own ad design or select one of the personalized ready-made options from templates by submitting print-quality photos of your lodge members. 

For an order form and detailed information on ad choices, pricing, specifications, and sizes, please get in touch with the Communications Department Office Assistant, Terri Crutchfield, at 301-967-4520 or tcrutchfield@iamaw.org. You can also submit your ad online here.

The IAM Communications Department must receive ads and payments on or before May 3, 2024.

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NSF Director Panchanathan heads the US Delegation at the G20 Chief Science Advisers’ Roundtable in India, signs bilateral agreement

Source: US Government research organizations

U.S. National Science Foundation Director Sethuraman Panchanathan traveled to India at the end of August, making stops in three cities: New Delhi, Bengaluru and Gandhinagar. In New Delhi, he announced a new funding opportunity between NSF and the Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and signed a bilateral implementation arrangement with the Indian Department of Biotechnology (DBT). He also participated in an industry roundtable organized by the U.S. Embassy. In Bengaluru, he participated in a biotechnology roundtable organized by DBT; and in Gandhinagar, his last stop, Panchanathan represented the United States and Biden administration as Head of the U.S. Delegation at the G20 Chief Science Advisers’ Roundtable.

“In the last five years, NSF has invested nearly $150 million in India through over 200 projects. Just this last year, we launched 35 new joint projects with India’s Department of Science & Technology in emerging technologies,” said Panchanathan alongside MeitY Secretary Alkesh Kumar Sharma, with whom he announced a bilateral funding opportunity on Aug. 21.

Panchanathan continued, “This joint funding opportunity strengthens the foundation of cooperation, collaboration, and joint investment in science and engineering by unlocking fantastic new discoveries, innovations and opportunities across industries like semiconductor research, next generation communication systems, cyber-security, sustainability and green technologies, and intelligent transportation systems.”

The new NSF-MeitY agreement provides fresh funding for joint projects in applied research areas and builds on an Implementation Arrangement signed by Panchanathan and Secretary Sharma at NSF headquarters in May. It also advances the mutual interests of India and the U.S., outlined in a joint statement made by President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June, during the latter’s visit to the U.S. – which included a stop at NSF’s headquarters.

On Aug. 22, Panchanathan signed an Implementation Arrangement during a ceremony alongside many notable people, including U.S. Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti, India’s Ambassador to the U.S. Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Secretary for DBT and the Department of Science & Technology Rajesh S. Gokhale, and the Minister of State for the Ministry of Science & Technology, the Honorable Dr. Jitendra Singh.

This is a historic moment for India and the U.S., said Panchanathan. This implementation arrangement provides a framework to encourage collaborations between research communities and sets out the principles that will help make joint activities successful and productive. It has potential to tackle

societies’ most pressing challenges, spur economic growth, and advance technologies and innovations in critical research areas like systems and synthetic biology, protein design, cellular and biochemical engineering, and circular bioeconomy engineering, among others.

That evening, Panchanathan spoke with NDTV-India Reporter Pallava Bagla in a televised interview.

Panchanathan and India’s tech industry leaders discussed new vistas of cross-sector collaborations in emerging technologies, like artificial intelligence and quantum technology during the industry round table in Delhi. In Bengaluru, during the biotechnology roundtable, Panchanathan met with cross-sectoral leaders to discuss “bio-innovations” and other opportunities which would bolster biomanufacturing and the bioeconomy for both nations.

Later that week, Panchanathan traveled to Gandhinagar to represent the United States as Head of Delegation at the G20 Chief Science Advisers’ Roundtable, Aug. 27-29. The meeting, under the leadership of Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India Ajay Sood, brought together STEM leaders from G20 members and guest countries to consider evidence-informed science advice with respect to the meeting’s four agenda topics: 

1. Opportunities in One Health for better disease prevention, control and pandemic preparedness.

2. Synergizing global efforts to expand the access to scholarly scientific knowledge.

3. Diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in science and technology ecosystem.

4. Creating an inclusive, continuous, and action-oriented Global Science Advice Mechanism.

The G20 Chief Science Adviser’s Roundtable Meeting Outcome Document and Chair’s Summary may be found on the White House website.

Panchanathan’s trip to India reaffirmed both nations’ commitment to shared values and aspirations and illustrated the Director’s belief that teamwork on a global scale among like-minded players powers scalable opportunities, supercharged progress and universal prosperity — a notion which implicitly endorses India’s G20 Presidency theme: “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,” or “One Earth, One Family, One Future.”

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Disaster Recovery Centers to Close in Observance of Labor Day, Will Reopen September 5

Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

All Disaster Recovery Centers across Vermont will be closed Monday, Sept. 4, 2023, in observance of Labor Day.

They will reopen at 8 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 5, and continue regular hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, closed Sunday. Here are the locations:

Waterbury Armory
294 Armory Drive
Waterbury, VT 05676

Barre Auditorium
16 Auditorium Hill
Barre, VT 05641

Barton Memorial Building 
17 Village Square 
Barton, VT 05822

Northern VT University — McClelland Hall 
131 College Hill Road 
Johnson, VT 05656

Vermont College of Fine Arts University 
36 College St. 
Montpelier, VT 05602

Cabot Town Hall  
3084 Main St. 
Cabot, VT 05647

Wardsboro Town Hall 
99 Main St. 
Wardsboro, VT 05355

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Biden-Harris Administration Responds to Hurricane Idalia, Encourages People to Be Vigilant to Post-Storm Risks

Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

WASHINGTON — Today, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell is in Florida and will survey damage from Hurricane Idalia with Gov. Ron DeSantis. Together with Gov. DeSantis, Administrator Criswell will meet with local officials, emergency response staff and meet with survivors. They will be surveying damage in Cedar Key and Horseshoe Beach following briefings at the state Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee. 

Under President Biden’s leadership, the administration mobilized more than 1,500 federal personnel, including four Incident Management Assistance Teams, over 540 Urban Search and Rescue members and three Disaster Survivor Assistance Strike Teams to support states in Hurricane Idalia’s path. Mobile Emergency Response Support vehicles are also in Florida to ensure communications capabilities. 

FEMA has pre-positioned Disaster Survivor Assistance Strike Teams on standby to survey damages and make assessments. 

Federal response to Hurricane Idalia

Prior to the hurricane’s landfall, FEMA staged commodities and critical supplies, including more than 1.3 million meals and 1.6 million liters of water available pending requests from states. Additional meals, water, tarps and infant and toddler kits are in transit.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers deployed teams and resources to assist the state with infrastructure, power assessment and temporary roofing requirements as needed. 

The U.S Department of Health and Human Services declared a Public Health Emergency for the state of Florida Wednesday. This declaration gives the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services health care providers and suppliers greater flexibility in meeting emergency health needs of those who use Medicare and Medicaid. Medical and disaster management professionals deployed to Florida to address the potential health effects of Hurricane Idalia. These personnel include National Disaster Medical System health and medical task force members and pharmacists.

Non-profit partner support for Hurricane Idalia survivors

  • Our non-profit partners are critical to meeting the immediate needs of survivors after disasters.
  • The Salvation Army has mobile feeding units staged in Lakeland, Florida, with additional teams on standby.
  • Team Rubicon and the American Red Cross both deployed staff and volunteers ahead of the storm to help meet immediate needs of survivors and conduct damage assessments. 

Stay safe after Hurricane Idalia

If you are in an area that has been affected by the storm, be aware of continued risks. Residents and visitors in potentially affected areas should have a family emergency communications plan, keep their devices charged, ensure they are receiving emergency alerts and check on neighbors, especially older adults or those who may need additional assistance. 

  • Use generators safely. Generators can be helpful when the power goes out. It is important to know how to use them safely to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning and other hazards. Generators and fuel should always be used outdoors at least 20 feet away from windows, doors and attached garages. 
  • Stay off the roads. Emergency workers may be assisting people in flooded areas or cleaning up debris. You can help them by staying off the roads and out of the way. 
  • Don’t drive through flood waters. Almost half of all flash flood deaths happen in vehicles. When in your car, look out for flooding in low-lying areas at bridges and at highway dips. As little as 6 inches of water may cause you to lose control of your vehicle.
  • Do not walk or wade in flood waters. The water may be contaminated by oil, gasoline or raw sewage. It may also include dangerous wildlife. If your basement flooded, never attempt to turn off power or operate circuit breakers while standing in water. 
  • Be careful when cleaning up. Wear protective clothing, including a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, work gloves and sturdy thick-soled shoes. Do not try to remove heavy debris by yourself. 
  • Avoid downed power or utility lines. Consider all downed lines live with deadly voltage. Stay away and report them immediately to your power or utility company.

For additional information on staying safe during and after disasters, visit Ready.gov or Listo.gov. 

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Updated Investor Bulletin: An Introduction to 529 Plans

Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy is issuing this Investor Bulletin to provide investors with background information on 529 plans. Please also see our companion Bulletin for a few questions to consider before opening a 529 plan account. 

What is a 529 plan?

A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged savings plan designed to encourage saving for future education costs. 529 plans, legally known as “qualified tuition plans,” are sponsored by states, state agencies, or educational institutions and are authorized by Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code. 

There are two types of 529 plans: education savings plans and prepaid tuition plans. Most education savings plans are available to everyone, but a few have residency requirements for the saver and/or beneficiary. Prepaid tuition plans typically have residency requirements. One exception is a prepaid tuition plan sponsored by a group of private colleges and universities. 

The person who opens the 529 plan account is called the account holder or the saver. The person the account is opened for is called the beneficiary or the student. The account holder and the beneficiary can be the same person.

What are the differences between education savings plans and prepaid tuition plans? 

Education Savings Plans. Education savings plans let a saver open an investment account to save for the beneficiary’s future qualified higher education expenses. Qualified higher education expenses include tuition, mandatory fees and room and board. Withdrawals from education savings plan accounts can generally be used at any college or university, including sometimes at non-U.S. colleges and universities. Education savings plans can also be used to pay for other education-related expenses. These include up to $10,000 per year per beneficiary for tuition at any public, private, or religious elementary or secondary school; certain expenses required for participation in registered apprenticeship programs; and qualified education loan repayments up to $10,000 total per beneficiary. 

A saver may typically choose among a range of investment options, which often include various mutual fund and exchange-traded fund (ETF) investments and a principal-protected bank product. Education savings plans also may include static fund portfolios and age-based portfolios (sometimes called target-date portfolios). These portfolios include a combination of different types of ETFs and/or mutual funds and are designed to help diversify the risk in the account. Typically age-based portfolios automatically shift funds into more conservative investments as the beneficiary gets closer to college age, but static fund portfolios will keep the same mix of investments. If you are using a 529 account to pay for elementary or secondary school tuition, you may have a shorter time horizon for your money to grow. You may not feel comfortable taking on riskier or more volatile investments if you plan on withdrawing the money soon. Therefore, you may consider different investment options depending on when you plan to use the money that is invested.

All education savings plans are sponsored by state governments, but only a few have residency requirements for the saver and/or beneficiary. State governments do not guarantee investments in education savings plans. Education savings plan investments in mutual funds and ETFs are not federally guaranteed, but investments in some principal-protected bank products may be insured by the FDIC. As with most investments, you can lose money in an education savings plan.

Prepaid Tuition Plans. Prepaid tuition plans let a saver or account holder purchase units or credits for the beneficiary to use in the future at participating colleges and universities. The saver is essentially pre-paying future tuition and mandatory fees at the current prices of tuition and mandatory fees. The participating colleges and universities are typically public, in-state institutions in the state that sponsors the plan. Prepaid tuition plans are not as flexible as education savings plans because the credits can only be used for future tuition and mandatory fees at certain schools. If the beneficiary does not attend a participating college or university, they can typically still receive money from the plan to help pay for college tuition and mandatory fees, but the amount is determined by the particular plan.

Most prepaid tuition plans are sponsored by state governments and have residency requirements for the saver and/or beneficiary. Prepaid plans are not guaranteed by the federal government. Some state governments guarantee the money paid into the prepaid tuition plans that they sponsor, but some do not. If your prepaid tuition payments aren’t guaranteed, you may lose some or all of your money in the plan if the plan’s sponsor has a financial shortfall. In addition, if a beneficiary doesn’t attend a participating college or university, the prepaid tuition plan may pay less than if the beneficiary attended a participating college or university. It may only pay a small return on the original investment, depending on how the plan calculates your return.

What fees and expenses will I pay if I invest in a 529 plan? 

It is important to understand the fees and expenses associated with 529 plans because they lower your returns. Fees and expenses will vary based on the type of 529 plan (education savings plan or prepaid tuition plan), whether it is a broker- or direct-sold plan, the plan itself and the underlying investments. You should carefully review the plan’s offering circular to understand what fees are charged for the plan and each investment option.

Education Savings Plans. Education savings plans may charge an enrollment/application fee, annual account maintenance fees, ongoing program management fees, and ongoing asset management fees.   The asset management fees will depend on the investment option you select. Investors that purchase an education savings plan from a broker are typically subject to additional fees, such as sales loads or charges at the time of investment or redemption and ongoing distribution fees.

Prepaid Tuition Plans. Prepaid tuition plans may charge an enrollment/application fee and ongoing administrative fees.  

Fee Saving Tips

If you are interested in contributing to an education savings plan, be sure to research plans sponsored by states other than your state of residence. If an “out of state” plan has lower costs than your in-state plan, the cost savings may outweigh the benefits of the in-state plan, even when taking tax incentives (see below) or other benefits into consideration.

Many states offer direct-sold education savings plans in which savers can invest without paying additional broker-charged fees. In addition, some education savings plans will waive or reduce the administrative or maintenance fees if you maintain a large account balance, participate in an automatic contribution plan, or are a resident of the state sponsoring the 529 plan. Some 529 plans also offer fee waivers if the saver accepts electronic-only delivery of documents or enrolls online.

How does investing in a 529 plan affect federal and state income taxes? 

Investing in a 529 plan may offer savers special tax benefits. These benefits vary depending on the state and the 529 plan. In addition, state and federal laws that affect 529 plans could change. You should make sure you understand the tax implications of investing in a 529 plan and consider whether to consult a tax adviser.

Contributions. Many states offer tax benefits for contributions to a 529 plan. These benefits may include deducting contributions from state income tax or matching grants but may come with various restrictions or requirements. In addition, you may only be eligible for these benefits if you invest in a 529 plan sponsored by your state of residence.

Withdrawals. If you use 529 account withdrawals for qualified higher education expenses or the other expenses detailed above, earnings in the 529 account are not subject to federal income tax and, in many cases, state income tax. However, if 529 account withdrawals are not used for these expenses, they will be subject to state and federal income taxes and an additional 10% federal tax penalty on earnings.

One exception is that you can rollover funds in a 529 account into a Roth IRA account for the same beneficiary. This could be helpful if you have money left over after your student finishes college. These rollovers have some restrictions. For example, the total rollover amount is limited to $35,000, annual Roth IRA contribution limits apply, the 529 account has to have been open for at least 15 years, and the funds you rollover must have been in the 529 account for at least five years.

One of the benefits of 529 plans is the tax-free earnings that grow over a period of time. The longer your money is invested, the more time it has to grow and the greater your tax benefits. You will lose some of these potential benefits if you withdraw money from a 529 plan account within a short period of time after it is contributed.

What restrictions apply to an investment in a 529 plan?

There will likely be restrictions on any 529 plan you may be considering. Before you invest in a 529 plan, you should read the plan’s offering circular to make sure that you understand and are comfortable with any plan restrictions.

Investments. Education savings plans have certain pre-set investment options. It is not permitted to switch freely among the options. Under current tax law, an account holder is only permitted to change his or her investment option twice per year or when there is a change in the beneficiary.

Withdrawals. With limited exceptions, you can only withdraw money that you invest in an education savings plan without incurring taxes and penalties for qualified higher education expenses or the other expenses detailed above. One exception is that you can rollover funds in a 529 account into a Roth IRA account for the same beneficiary with some restrictions, which are explained above.

Beneficiaries of prepaid tuition plans may only use their purchased credits or units at participating colleges or universities.  If a beneficiary doesn’t attend a participating college or university, the prepaid tuition plan may pay less than if the beneficiary attended a participating college or university. It may only pay a small return on the original investment, depending on how the plan calculates your return.

Does investing in a 529 plan impact financial aid eligibility?

While different educational institutions treat assets held in a 529 account differently, investing in a 529 plan will generally impact a student’s eligibility to receive need-based financial aid for college. You may also need to consider how having money in your 529 account for future qualified higher education expenses might affect financial aid for your student’s elementary or secondary school tuition. Keep in mind, for many families, the larger part of a financial aid package may be in loans. So, the more you can save for school, the less debt you or your student may have to incur.

Where can I find more information? 

Offering Circulars for 529 Plans. You can find out more about a particular 529 plan by reading its offering circular. The National Association of State Treasurers created the College Savings Plan Network, which provides links to most 529 plan websites. 

Underlying Mutual Funds or Exchange-Traded Funds. Additional information about a mutual fund or ETF that is an investment option in an education savings plan is available in its prospectus, statement of additional information, and semiannual and annual shareholder reports. You can obtain these documents from the plan manager for no charge. You can also review these documents on the SEC’s EDGAR database. 

Fees and Expenses. You can read about the impact fees and expenses have on your investment portfolios in the SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy’s Updated Investor Bulletin:  How Fees and Expenses Affect Your Investment Portfolio.

Brokers or Investment Advisers. Many education savings plans’ program managers are registered investment advisers. You can search for an investment adviser and view the firm’s Form ADV or Relationship Summary by using the Check Out Your Investment Professional Tool on Investor.gov. You can also use the search tool to find out whether a broker who sells a 529 savings plan product is subject to disciplinary sanctions, information about their professional background and registration and licensing status, and their firm’s Relationship Summary. If you have questions about using the search tool, read our Investor Bulletin: How to Use the Investment Professional Search Tool.

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Biden-Harris Administration Announces $15.5 Billion to Support a Strong and Just Transition to Electric Vehicles, Retooling Existing Plants, and Rehiring Existing Workers

Source: US Department of Energy

WASHINGTON, D.C. — As part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a $15.5 billion package of funding and loans primarily focused on retooling existing factories for the transition to electric vehicles (EVs)—supporting good jobs and a just transition to EVs. This includes making available $2 billion in grants and up to $10 billion in loans to support automotive manufacturing conversion projects that retain high-quality jobs in communities that currently host these manufacturing facilities. In the Domestic Conversion Grant Program, higher scores will be given to projects that are likely to retain collective bargaining agreements and/or those that have an existing high-quality, high-wage hourly production workforce, such as applicants that currently pay top quartile wages in their industry. The Department also announced a Notice of Intent to make available $3.5 billion in funding to expand domestic manufacturing of batteries for electric vehicles and the nation’s grid, as well for battery materials and components currently imported from other countries. The Notice of Intent outlines how DOE will support growing domestic industry while also supporting manufacturing workers and promoting equity and environmental justice. Together, these federal investments underscore President Biden’s deep commitment to helping retain and expand high-paying manufacturing jobs while empowering workers to have a strong voice in and capture the economic benefits of the clean energy transition. The President’s Investing in America agenda is also enhancing our national security by building up the domestic supply chains necessary to reach the Administration’s ambitious climate goals. 

“President Biden is investing in the workforce and factories that made our country a global manufacturing powerhouse,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “Today’s announcements show that President Biden understands that building the cars of the future also necessitates helping the communities challenged by the transition away from the internal combustion engine.”   

Depending on their capital needs, manufacturers can apply to receive assistance via financial grants through DOE’s Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC) or preferable debt financing through DOE’s Loan Program Office.

Converting and Retrofitting America’s Manufacturing Plants
DOE today announced a new $2 billion funding opportunity to spur the conversion of long-standing facilities to manufacture electric vehicles and components. Supported by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the Domestic Manufacturing Conversion Grants for electrified vehicles program, will provide cost-shared grants for domestic production of efficient hybrid, plug-in electric hybrid, plug-in electric drive, and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles. This program will expand manufacturing of light-, medium-, and heavy-duty electrified vehicles and components and support commercial facilities including those for vehicle assembly, component assembly, and related vehicle part manufacturing.  The program aims to support a just transition for workers and communities in the transition to electrified transportation, with particular attention to communities supporting facilities with longer histories in automotive manufacturing. Preference will also be given to projects that commit to pay high wages for production workers and maintain collective bargaining agreements. 

Projects selected for this funding must also contribute to the President’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in America’s workforce and ensure every community benefits from the transition to a clean energy future. This funding supports goals and targets detailed in the 100-day reviews under Executive Order 14017 “America’s Supply Chains and the Federal Consortium for Advanced Batteries’ National Blueprint for Lithium Batteries,” which provides a path to building a strong domestic battery supply chain and accelerating the development of a robust, secure, and equitable domestic industrial base by 2030. 

Concept papers are due October 2, 2023, and the deadline for full applications is December 7, 2023. Learn more about this funding opportunity. 

Leveraging New Loan Authority for Automotive Manufacturing Conversion Projects
DOE is also making up to $10 billion in loan authority available for applications under the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program for automotive manufacturing conversion projects that retain high-quality jobs in communities that currently host manufacturing facilities. Examples include retaining high wages and benefits, including workplace rights, or commitments such as keeping the existing facility open until a new facility is complete, in the case of facility replacement projects. For projects that seek financing to convert or directly replace an existing factory that has high-quality jobs, DOE will assess the projected economic impacts of the facility conversion relative to the existing facility, including factors such as contribution to the local economy, employment history, anticipated employment, and duration of its existence. Interested applicants can learn more about how to apply for these projects here. 

Bolstering American Battery Manufacturing, Strengthening Domestic Supply Chains
DOE also announced today its intent to invest approximately $3.5 billion to boost production of advanced batteries and battery materials that are critical to rapidly growing clean energy industries of the future, including electric vehicles and energy storage. This notice of intent—made possible by the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law—represents the second round of funding for battery materials processing and battery manufacturing grants to support the creation of new, retrofitted, and expanded domestic commercial facilities for battery materials, battery components, and cell manufacturing.  The Notice of Intent outlines how round II will support growing domestic industry, supporting manufacturing workers, and promote equity and environmental justice.   The program will support communities with experienced auto workers and a history of producing vehicles, applicants with strong workforce practices, and applicants who plan to create high-quality jobs. 

Today’s announcements were made possible by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, which is growing the American economy from the bottom up and middle-out by rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, driving over $500 billion in private sector manufacturing and clean energy investments in the United States, creating good-paying jobs and supporting collective bargaining, and building a clean-energy economy that will combat the climate crisis and make our communities more resilient. 

Both the conversion grant funding opportunity and battery manufacturing notice of intent will be administered by MESC. Learn more about MESC’s mission to strengthen and secure manufacturing and energy supply chains needed to modernize the nation’s energy infrastructure and support a clean and equitable energy transition. Conversion Project loans are made available by ATVM, administered by LPO. Learn more about ATVM projects and eligibility requirements.