News From Our Blog

Image description: Brand new manufactured parts give off gases from chemicals and residual solvents involved in their manufacture in a process known as outgassing. These gases filling your cabin are the cause of that familiar “new car smell.”
However, if your new car were actually a new spaceship full of extremely sensitive instruments and astronauts unable to roll down the windows, those gases could be a big problem.
In this image, a NASA technologist studies a paint sample as part of research that has resulted in a low-cost technique for preventing damage from outgassed contaminants. Find out more.
Photo by Pat Izzo, NASA.

Image description: Brand new manufactured parts give off gases from chemicals and residual solvents involved in their manufacture in a process known as outgassing. These gases filling your cabin are the cause of that familiar “new car smell.”

However, if your new car were actually a new spaceship full of extremely sensitive instruments and astronauts unable to roll down the windows, those gases could be a big problem.

In this image, a NASA technologist studies a paint sample as part of research that has resulted in a low-cost technique for preventing damage from outgassed contaminants. Find out more.

Photo by Pat Izzo, NASA.

Sign up to Get Your Federal Benefits Electronically by March 1

If you receive your federal benefits by paper check, you’ll need to switch to electronic payments by March 1, 2013.

The federal benefits affected are:

  • Social Security
  • Supplemental Security Income
  • Veterans Affairs
  • Railroad Retirement Board
  • Office of Personnel Management
  • Department of Labor (Black Lung)

You have two options for receiving benefits electronically:

1. Direct Deposit: The U.S. Treasury deposits your benefits directly into your bank account. You can sign up for direct deposit in one of these ways:

  • Enroll online.
  • Visit your bank or credit union.
  • Call (800) 333-1795 (Mon-Fri, 8am-8pm ET).
  • Contact the local office of the agency providing your federal benefits.
  • Enroll by mail.

2. Prepaid Debit Card: The U.S. Treasury deposits your benefits directly to a debit card. This is an option if you don’t have a bank account and do not want to open one. You can request a debit card by calling (800) 333-1795 (Mon-Fri, 8am-8pm ET).

Be ready with the information you’ll need to set up your federal benefit payments by direct deposit or debit card.

If you have questions, call the Go Direct Helpline at (800) 333-1795.

The Library of Congress provides historical facts and images every day.

Image description: The State of the Union, given in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol on January 24, 2012.
Photo from the The Architect of the Capitol on Flickr.
President Obama will give the 2013 State of the Union address on Tuesday, February 12, at 9 pm ET. You can watch it live on the White House’s website.

Image description: The State of the Union, given in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol on January 24, 2012.

Photo from the The Architect of the Capitol on Flickr.

President Obama will give the 2013 State of the Union address on Tuesday, February 12, at 9 pm ET. You can watch it live on the White House’s website.

Double-Arm Transplant Helps Iraqi Vet

Image description: A team of surgeons at Johns Hopkins performs the hospital’s first double-arm transplant on former infantryman Brendan Marrocco. Photo couresty of the U.S. Amry.

Former infantryman Brendan Marrocco lost both his arms and legs while serving in Iraq. However, after a successful double-arm transplant surgery, Marrocco has two arms again.

The double-arm transplant was the first surgery of its kind performed at Johns Hopkins hospital in Baltimore, Md. A team of 16 surgeons performed the surgery, which lasted 13 hours.

The surgical team replaced Marrocco’s right arm with a donor arm. On his left side, where Marrocco still had an elbow, the team replaced his entire forearm with his own remaining tissue, said Dr. W.P. Andrew Lee, director of the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Johns Hopkins.

Marrocco is currently in intensive hand therapy which helps him learn how to move his fingers, wrists and elbow.

“One of my goals is to hand cycle a marathon,” Marrocco said, after his surgery. “I want to get the most out of these arms. And as goals come up, knock them down and absolutely take it as far as I can. I want to get to the point where I can be on my own and get back to enjoying my life.”

Learn more about Marrocco’s surgery.