WASHINGTON, July 26 -- The Center for Biological Diversity issued the following news release:

House Republicans will hold a hearing Thursday on H.R. 1778, sponsored by Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), to lock in an outdated federal coal-leasing program that will lead to more climate-warming fossil-fuel production.

The bill would require approval from both the House and Senate before any Interior secretary could pause the coal-leasing program on public lands, which accounts for more than one-tenth of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

"Rep. Cheney's bill ignores sound science and public health, to the delight of the fossil fuel industry," said Randi Spivak, director of the Center's public lands program. "This bill is so bad for people, wildlife and the planet that it's disturbing our elected officials would even consider it. It's a prime example of Republicans putting coal-company profits before their constituents and the public lands they claim to care about."

In 2016 the Obama administration put a moratorium on most new coal leasing on public lands to allow the federal Bureau of Land Management time to review the program before locking in decades of more coal extraction. The BLM had not significantly updated the coal-leasing program since 1979.

In March 2017 Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke revoked Obama's landmark federal coal-leasing moratorium. A coalition including the Center filed suit against the Trump administration since the BLM had not concluded its review. Preliminary findings by the BLM showed that coal mining fouls the air, pollutes streams and destroys wildlife habitat, and a separate audit found the leasing system shortchanges taxpayers while subsidizing coal companies.

"The coal industry is dying because there's a lack of demand, not a lack of coal," Spivak said. "The U.S. is moving to cleaner, renewable energy sources, so there's no need to continue pillaging our public lands to prop up dirty energy."

In the first six months of the 115th Congress, Republicans have introduced more than 45 bills that attack public lands, weaken environmental safeguards on those lands or turn over control to states and local governments. These attacks come despite the fact that the vast majority of voters across political parties support protecting and maintaining forests, national parks, monuments and other public lands and waters.

A Broward County husband and wife are accused of running a yearslong life insurance fraud scheme that investigators say used fake employment records, false policy paperwork, and people who had not agreed to be enrolled.

Phillip Salvatore Nunzio Jr., 59, and Christine Ann Nunzio, 56, of Hollywood, were arrested Wednesday, according to Local 10 News.

Jail records reviewed by the station show both face more than 20 charges, including racketeering, money laundering, insurance fraud, and criminal use of personal identification information.

The case is based on a complaint affidavit from the Florida Department of Financial Services’ Criminal Investigations Division. Investigators said the alleged scheme ran from at least 2017 through 2023 and centered on fraudulently obtaining life insurance proceeds.

Investigators Say Fake Jobs Were Used To Create Coverage

COUPLE ARRESTED: A husband and wife from Broward County were arrested Wednesday in connection with what investigators described as a yearslong insurance fraud scheme. https://t.co/duncLkKHKi

— WPLG Local 10 News (@WPLGLocal10) June 25, 2026

According to the affidavit, the couple allegedly falsified employment records, insurance enrollment documents, beneficiary designations, and claim forms.

The submissions were made primarily through group life insurance policies issued by Mutual of Omaha and Lincoln Financial Group, investigators said.

The affidavit says Christine Nunzio used business entities under her control, including C&C Construction and Design Group Inc., to make it appear that people had legitimate employment relationships with those companies.

That alleged paper trail mattered because the policies at the center of the case were group life policies. Investigators said the fake employment records helped enroll non-consenting people into the plans.

Death Claims Were Paid Into Accounts They Controlled

Authorities said Christine Nunzio named either herself or her husband as the beneficiary of the policies and directed claim proceeds into accounts she controlled.

One claim was submitted after the death of a person whose name was redacted in the affidavit, Local 10 reported. That claim was paid in the amount of $100,284.93.

Investigators said the money was deposited into a joint account controlled by the Nunzios.

Authorities also identified two additional life insurance claims totaling $110,000 and $63,700. Those proceeds were also deposited into accounts controlled by the couple, according to the affidavit.

After the payments arrived, investigators said the accounts showed what they described as extensive rapid fund transfers.

A Work Laptop Became Key Evidence

Investigators said a forensic review of Christine Nunzio’s work laptop found life insurance claim forms, payroll spreadsheets, job descriptions, and correspondence tied to the allegedly fraudulent claims.

The affidavit also states that deleted files and email attachments helped confirm her role in preparing and submitting claim documentation.

That computer evidence appears to be central to how investigators say the paperwork was created and managed. The alleged scheme depended on documents that made the insurance enrollments, employment relationships, beneficiaries, and claims appear legitimate.

Financial records also showed prior knowledge of financial distress, including loan defaults exceeding $145,000, according to investigators.

As of Thursday, Phillip and Christine Nunzio were being held without bond at the Broward County Main Jail, Local 10 reported.