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  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Kaine, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Increase Transparency in Immigration Enforcement

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    CLICK BELOW TO DOWNLOAD BROADCAST-QUALITY AUDIO AND VIDEO:

    SEN. WARNER ON THIS LEGISLATION

    SEN. KAINE ON THIS LEGISLATION 

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) were joined by Sens. Angus King (I-ME), Michael Bennett (D-CO), and John Hickenlooper (D-CO) in introducing today to increase transparency, accountability, and safety in immigration law enforcement. The Immigration Enforcement Identification Act would prohibit law enforcement officers from obscuring their faces and require that they clearly display their agency, their name and a unique identifier while conducting immigration enforcement functions, with some commonsense exceptions for select tactical missions and officer health and safety. This legislation also provides federal law enforcement agencies with the authority to better protect law enforcement officers and their families from doxing.

    This legislation comes as the Department of Homeland Security prepares to hire and deploy thousands of new immigration enforcement agents, thanks to a dramatic infusion of funding by congressional Republicans that makes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) better funded than all but 15 of the world’s militaries.

    “Communities around the country have been clear: we should not have armed, masked, and unidentified individuals prowling around neighborhoods and snatching people off the street. This conduct poses a great risk for everyone involved, from the officers themselves to well-intentioned bystanders who may misunderstand the situation,” said Warner. “Despite the risks, our local police officers, state troopers, national guardsmen, and even members of the armed forces interact with communities every with full-faced transparency – the kind that creates trust and helps hold us all to higher standards. I’m proud to introduce this legislation to hold ICE to the same standards that the vast majority of American law enforcement are held to.”

    “In recent months, we’ve seen how some ICE officers and agents – without clear indicia that they are law enforcement and often wearing masks – conducting immigration operations have caused fear and unnecessary danger on our streets and even in sensitive locations like county courthouses,” Kaine said. “This legislation would require ICE officers and agents to visibly identify themselves as law enforcement, helping to enhance safety and mitigate risk of violence if people misunderstand what’s happening. Our bill would also help to protect these officers and agents and their families from doxing and physical harm by giving them the tool to take their personal information such as their home addresses off the internet.”

    “This legislation is simple: the bad guys wear masks, not law enforcement officers. Our police, first responders and public safety officials play an important role in keeping our communities safe and free from harm, but there also needs to be accountability and transparency in the line of duty,” said King. “The uptick in immigration agents not clearly identifying themselves while on the job has eroded an already diminishing trust with the communities they serve. The Immigration Enforcement Identification Act would set reasonable, commonsense standards for immigration officer identification, and provide law enforcement personnel and their families with the appropriate resources to prevent doxxing.”

    “Masked immigration enforcement agents performing arrests without identification is deeply troubling,” said Bennet. “We must hold all law enforcement to the same standard of accountability. This legislation protects due process rights, prioritizes safe community encounters, and upholds proper immigration enforcement.”

    “We are deeply concerned about reports of ICE agents taking families off the street without identification,” said Hickenlooper. “Our bill is about promoting trust and transparency in our communities, and enforcing basic due process rights.”

    According to the Department of Homeland Security, ICE does not have a “face-covering” policy. In recent months, ICE and agencies supporting ICE have been widely observed conducting immigration enforcement in plain clothes, out of unmarked cars, and while wearing a variety of imprecise or inscrutable insignia that makes them impossible to identify.

    The Immigration Enforcement Identification Act would require that all federal law enforcement and state and local law enforcement partners be identifiable while conducting immigration enforcement functions. This includes federal law enforcement organizations such as ICE, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Border Patrol (BP), Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), U.S. Marshals, as well as state and local partners working with the federal government on immigration enforcement.

    This bill also takes important steps to help protect members of law enforcement and their families by providing personal data privacy services for immigration enforcement officers whose official duties may put them at increased risk of being the target of threats, intimidation, harassment, stalking, or a similar action. These services can help an individual monitor their sensitive personal information – including their personal phone number, home address, or other information that could be used to commit crimes against members of law enforcement – and remove it from websites, platforms, and data brokers.

    This legislation has the support of the Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP), Immigration Hub, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), and Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

    “This legislation strikes the right balance between transparency and officer safety,” said Law Enforcement Action Partnership Executive Director Lt. Diane Goldstein (Ret.). “Operating with clear identification – name, agency, and badge number – is standard practice for accountability across policing and the military, and there is no reason federal immigration officers should be exempt. At the same time, providing officers with additional tools to protect against doxing ensures that this critical effort to maintain and rebuild public trust does not come at the cost of security.”

    “The Immigration Enforcement Identification Safety Act of 2025 brings long-overdue transparency and accountability to immigration enforcement while giving law enforcement officers more tools to protect themselves. Just as we require our military and law enforcement to identify themselves during civil operations, it is both reasonable and essential to expect the same of immigration officers. Displaying names or unique identifiers and ensuring visible faces not only builds public trust but also protects the integrity of our institutions and the rights of the individuals they encounter. At the same time, this bill provides resources for agents to protect themselves,” said Immigration Hub Co-Executive Director Kerri Talbot.

    “No one – White, Black, Brown, AAPI, or Immigrant – should live in fear of masked agents snatching people off of the streets without identifying themselves. Families often don’t know where their loved ones are being held or who may be next. Our communities need safety and trust, not terror and chaos,” said SEIU Secretary Treasurer Rocio Saenz.

    Text of this legislation is available here. A summary is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Nearly $71 Million for Maine Hospitals and Health Centers Advanced by Senator Collins in Funding Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she advanced $70,872,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for Maine hospitals and health centers in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill. The bill, which was officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee today, now awaits consideration by the full Senate and House.

    “Mainers in every part of our state should be able to receive the vital medical services they need,” said Senator Collins. “This funding would support much-needed equipment and facility upgrades at hospitals and health centers, helping to expand and improve the quality of an array of health care services throughout the state. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”

    This funding advanced through the Committee’s markup of the FY 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill—an important step that now allows the bill to be considered by the full Senate.

    Funding advanced by Senator Collins is as follows: 

    Maternal Delivery and New Infant Project

    Recipient: Northern Light Eastern Maine Health

    Project Location: Bangor, Dover-Foxcroft, Ellsworth, Portland, Presque Isle

    Amount Requested: $1,599,000

    Project Purpose: To replace and modernize equipment across hospitals with labor and delivery units.

    St. Joseph Hospital Emergency Department Expansion

    Recipient: St. Joseph Hospital

    Project Location: Bangor, ME

    Amount Requested: $6,800,000

    Project Purpose: To renovate, expand, and equip the Emergency Department.

    Bingham Area Health Center Dental Services Expansion

    Recipient: HealthReach Community Health Centers

    Project Location: Bingham, ME

    Amount Requested: $650,000

    Project Purpose: To expand the dental services wing of Bingham Area Health Center.

    Bridgton Hospital Emergency Department Expansion

    Recipient: Bridgton Hospital

    Project Location: Bridgton, ME

    Amount Requested: $5,000,000

    Project Purpose: To renovate, expand, and equip the Emergency Department.

    Bucksport Regional Health Center Dental Expansion 

    Recipient: Bucksport Regional Health Center

    Project Location: Bucksport, ME

    Amount Requested: $1,980,000

    Project Purpose: For facilities and equipment to expand dental services.

    Rural Health Clinic Expansion

    Recipient: Calais Community Hospital

    Project Location: Calais, ME

    Amount Requested: $4,990,000

    Project Purpose: To expand and renovate the Rural Health Clinic.

    Pines Health Services Relocation

    Recipient: Pines Health Services

    Project Location: Caribou, ME

    Amount Requested: $8,900,000

    Project Purpose: To support the construction of a new health center for Pines Health Services.

    Houlton Regional Hospital Improvements

    Recipient: Houlton Regional Hospital

    Project Location: Houlton, ME

    Amount Requested: $5,458,000

    Project Purpose: To support facility and safety improvements.

    MaineGeneral Health Electronic Medical Records Infrastructure Improvement

    Recipient: MaineGeneral Health

    Project Location: Kennebec County, ME

    Amount Requested: $5,000,000

    Project Purpose: For facilities and equipment to support electronic medical records software upgrades.

    Spurwink Lewiston Behavioral Health Center

    Recipient: Spurwink Services

    Project Location: Lewiston, ME

    Amount Requested: $5,666,000

    Project Purpose: To renovate an existing structure for behavioral health services.

    St. Mary’s Behavioral Health Emergency Department Expansion

    Recipient: St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center

    Project Location: Lewiston, ME

    Amount Requested: $2,619,000

    Project Purpose: To renovate, expand, and equip the Behavioral Health Emergency Department.

    Stephens Memorial Hospital Renovations 

    Recipient: Western Maine Health (MaineHealth)

    Project Location: Norway, ME

    Amount Requested: $10,810,000

    Project Purpose: To construct and equip a new Emergency Department and oncology infusion center.

    Rumford Hospital Emergency Department Expansion

    Recipient: Rumford Hospital

    Project Location: Rumford, ME

    Amount Requested: $6,400,000

    Project Purpose: To renovate, expand, and equip the Emergency Department.

    York Hospital Electronic Medical Records Infrastructure Improvement

    Recipient: York Hospital

    Project Location: York, ME

    Amount Requested: $5,000,000

    Project Purpose: For facilities and equipment to support electronic medical records software upgrades.

    In 2021, Congress reinstituted Congressionally Directed Spending. Following this decision, Senator Collins has secured more than $1 billion for hundreds of Maine projects for FY 2022, FY 2023, and FY 2024. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins is committed to championing targeted investments that will benefit Maine communities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bill to Fund Key Defense Programs in Maine Clears Appropriations Committee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Appropriations Committee, announced that she secured significant funding and provisions for Maine in the Fiscal Year 2026 Defense Appropriations Act. The bill, which was officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee today, now awaits consideration by the full Senate and House.

    The measure, which was advanced by a vote of 26-3, provides $851.9 billion in discretionary funding.

    “This legislation supports the brave men and women of our armed forces as well as the hardworking Mainers at BIW, PNSY, Pratt & Whitney, and elsewhere across the state, who make invaluable contributions to our nation’s defense,” said Senator Collins. “As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advance this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”

    Bill Highlights: 

    Pay increase: Funds a 3.8 percent pay raise for servicemembers and a 10 percent pay raise for junior enlisted personnel.

    Bath Iron Works (BIW) Workforce:

    • $1.3 billion in advance procurement for a third FY 2027 DDG-51.
    • $450 million for large surface combatant shipyard infrastructure investments.
    • $181.5 million for cost-to-complete costs of prior year DDG-51s.

    Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) Workforce: Maintains a requirement that the Navy induct no fewer than 100 apprentices at PNSY and each of the other shipyards.

    • $19 billion to fund all executable ship depot maintenance operations at public and private shipyards, including $1.4 billion at PNSY.
    • $1.2 billion for the Navy’s Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program, including $24.1 million for infrastructure investments at PNSY.
    • $153.4 million for Virginia-class submarine spares and repair parts to assist in efficient submarine maintenance at PNSY.

    Pratt & Whitney Workforce:

    • $280 million split equally between the Navy and the Air Force for F-135 spare parts.
    • $282.5 million for F-135 Engine Core Upgrade, which will upgrade the current F-35 engine for all three F-35 variants.
    • Bill language prohibiting the integration of any alternative engine into the F-35.

    University of Maine (UMaine) Defense Research: $27.5 million for Department of Defense research that could benefit research and development efforts at UMaine, including $10 million to support the continued construction of UMaine’s flagship Additive and Hybrid Manufacturing pilot facility.

    Marine Corps Investments: $44 million to support ongoing Marine Corps investments in amphibious, autonomous ground vehicle systems that enhance mobility, survivability, and operational reach in contested environments. One such platform is the Ripsaw Robotic Combat Vehicle, developed by Howe & Howe Technologies—a defense manufacturer based in Waterboro, Maine. Senator Collins has championed this cutting-edge technology as a model for the kind of innovation and industrial capability needed to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bill to Fund Key Health, Workforce, and Education Programs in Maine Clears Appropriations Committee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Appropriations Committee, announced that she secured significant funding and provisions for Maine in the Fiscal Year 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The bill, which was officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee today, now awaits consideration by the full Senate and House.

    The measure, which was advanced by a vote of 26-3, provides $197 in discretionary funding.

    “To address Maine’s shortage of health care professionals, we must invest in workforce development programs, provide support for students in lower-income communities seeking higher education, and increase access to affordable child care,” said Senator Collins. “This bill would provide support in each of these areas, as well as make targeted investments into life-saving research on Alzheimer’s, cancer, diabetes, and tick-borne diseases. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”

    Bill Highlights:

    Local Projects: $112.4 million for Congressionally Directed Spending projects in Maine.

    Department of Health and Human Services (HHS):

    National Institutes of Health (NIH): $48.7 billion for NIH, an increase of $400 million, including:

    • $100 million increase for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias research.
    • $150 million increase for the National Cancer Institute, including $28 million for the Childhood Cancer STAR Act.
    • $50 million increase for women’s health research.
    • $25 million increase for ALS research.
    • $19 million increase for rare disease research.
    • $10 million increase for diabetes research.
    • $6 million increase for mental health research.

    Alzheimer’s: In addition to NIH funding, the bill provides $41.5 million for CDC Alzheimer’s disease activities, as well as:

    • Language urging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to reconsider Medicare’s National Coverage Determination policy for FDA-approved Alzheimer’s disease therapies.
    • $31.5 million for the Administration for Community Living’s (ACL) Alzheimer’s Disease Program, including $2 million for the National Alzheimer’s Call Center, which provides 24/7/365 telephone support, crisis counseling, care consultation, and referral services for persons with Alzheimer’s disease, their family members, and informal caregivers.

    NIH Indirect Costs: Maintains language prohibiting changes to indirect cost rates. In February, Senator Collins announced her opposition to the proposed 15 percent cap on indirect costs, which are usually negotiated between NIH and the grant recipient. In April, Senator Collins chaired the first full Committee hearing with a focus on the importance of biomedical research. At Senator Collins’ invitation, Dr. Hermann Haller, President of the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory, provided testimony on how the proposed NIH cap would affect biomedical research occurring in Maine and at institutions across the country. At a June hearing to review the FY 2026 budget request for NIH, Senator Collins questioned NIH Director Jayanta Bhattacharya on the proposed cap on indirect costs.

    Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: $9 million for CDC Muscular Dystrophy activities.

    Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease: $27 million for CDC Lyme activities and $64.6 million for vector-borne diseases to support continued implementation of Senator Collins’ Kay Hagan Tick Act. The bill also includes $110 million for NIH Lyme and tick-borne disease research.

    Substance Use Disorders: $1.6 billion for the State Opioid Response Grants; $1.9 billion for the Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant; and $145 million for the Rural Communities Opioid Response program to support efforts to combat the opioid epidemic and other substance use disorders. In 2024, there were an estimated 80,391 drug overdose deaths.

    Health Workforce Programs: $303.5 million for Title VIII Nursing Workforce programs and $48.2 million for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Geriatric workforce education programs, which include the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program and Geriatric Academic Career Awards.

    Building Communities of Recovery: $17 million for Building Communities of Recovery grants through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

    SIREN Rural EMS: $13.5 million for SAMHSA’s Rural Emergency Medical Services Training and equipment program.

    Lifespan Respite Care: $11 million for ACL’s Lifespan Respite Care Program.

    Low Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP): $4 billion for LIHEAP, an increase of $20 million. At a hearing earlier this year on the FY 2026 budget request for HHS, Senator Collins questioned Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. on the proposed elimination of LIHEAP. At the urging of Senator Collins, HHS released more than $400 million in FY 2025 funding for LIHEAP in May. Maine has received $41.6 million in FY 2025 LIHEAP funding.

    CDC Dog Importation Rule: Includes report language on CDC’s flawed dog importation rule and calls for CDC to maintain the current pause on implementation of the rule and to restart the rule process. Following an effort led by Senator Collins last year, the CDC announced that it will be making critical revisions to its dog importation rule and delay implementation of a problematic provision.

    Early Education: $8.8 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant and nearly $12.4 billion for Head Start.

    Department of Labor (DOL):

    Job Corps: $1.8 billion for Job Corps. Senator Collins has strongly opposed the Administration’s proposed elimination of Job Corps. At a hearing to review the Fiscal Year 2026 budget request for the DOL in May, Senator Collins spoke about Adais Viruet-Torres, a graduate of Loring Job Corps Center and Husson University who overcame homelessness and now works as a nurse practitioner. In April, Senator Collins sent a letter to Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer urging DOL to lift the halt on enrollment at Loring Job Corps Center and Penobscot Job Corps Center. Senators Collins and Jack Reed (D-RI) sent a letter Secretary Chavez-DeRemer requesting DOL to provide information on Job Corps contracts, background check processing, and evaluation plan.

    Apprenticeships: $285 million for the Apprenticeship Grant Program.

    H-2B Visas: Continued inclusion of bill language to ensure the efficacy of the H-2B program. The bill also includes $60.5 million for Foreign Labor Certification program administration, in part to help with H-2B processing, as well as report language directing the Department of Labor (DOL) to take steps to ensure prompt processing of H-2B visa applications.

    DOL Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities Initiative: $6.5 million for workers in areas served by the Northern Border Regional Commission.

    Department of Education:

    TRIO: $1.2 billion to support low-income individuals and first-generation college students. At a hearing earlier this year on the FY 2026 budget request for the U.S. Department of Education, Senator Collins questioned Secretary of Education Linda McMahon on the proposed elimination of TRIO programs.

    Title I Grants to LEAs: $18.5 billion for Title I Grants to LEAs. Maine is expected to receive approximately $61.7 million in FY 2025 funds through this program.

    IDEA Grants to States: $15.2 billion for IDEA Grants to States. Maine is expected to receive approximately $70.8 million in FY 2025 funds through this program.

    Perkins Career and Technical Education (CTE) State Grants: $1.4 billion for CTE State Grants. Maine is expected to receive approximately $7 million in FY 2025 funds through this program.

    Pell Maximum Award: Maintains the maximum Pell award for a total of $7,395 for the 2026-2027 school year. Maine students are expected to receive approximately $126.6 million in Pell Grants through FY 2025 funds.

    Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP): $225 million to support rural school districts.

    Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools: $36 million for Special Olympics programs.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Baldwin Releases Statement on Bipartisan Bill to Fund Labor, Health, and Education Departments for Fiscal Year 2026

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, and Human Services, released the following statement after the full committee advanced her Fiscal Year 2026 funding legislation to the Senate floor. In addition to funding critical programs that the Trump Administration has tried to cut or withhold funding from – including Head Start, the National Institutes of Health, and Job Corps – the bipartisan bill takes further steps to mandate the timely delivery of Congressionally approved funding and adequate staffing levels at federal agencies to carry out the mission of these programs.

    “At the end of the day, my North Star is delivering for the people of Wisconsin. While no one got everything they wanted in this bill, I’m proud to say we found common ground and are doing just that to address the challenges facing working families across the country. From investing in cancer and Alzheimer’s research, to protecting the Department of Education and early education funding, to strengthening my 988 Suicide Lifeline, we came together to deliver for our constituents,” said Senator Baldwin. “This bill not only puts Donald Trump’s budget in the trash, it also reins in this President’s efforts to dismantle and withhold funding for critical programs our constituents rely on. This bill takes on the kitchen table issues families face by addressing childcare costs, connecting more Americans with good-paying jobs, and taking on the mental health and opioid epidemics. While it is not perfect, I look forward to getting it over the finish line on behalf of Wisconsinites who want to see a Washington that works for them.”

    As Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Labor, Health, and Human Services, Senator Baldwin writes the bill that funds the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. A summary of the bill is available below.

    Key Points & Highlights – Department of Health and Human Services

    Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): The bill provides $116.6 billion, an increase of $446 million in discretionary funding for the Department of Health and Human Services over fiscal year 2025.

    The bill rejects the Trump administration’s harmful efforts to defund and dismantle critical work that HHS oversees—maintaining important funding for programs across HHS that touch the lives of nearly every American, while providing targeted increases to important bipartisan priorities. The bill includes new requirements to help ensure adequate staffing and the timely awarding of funding to prevent completely unnecessary delays and disruptions in programs that families and communities across the country count on—from child care and Head Start to substance use and mental health—and that support lifesaving research into cures and treatments for devastating diseases.

    Biomedical Research: The bill provides $48.7 billion in discretionary funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH)—an increase of $400 million to propel lifesaving and life-changing cures and treatments across NIH’s 27 institutes and centers and the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H).

    The bill rejects the catastrophic 40% cut to NIH proposed by President Trump, and instead of slashing funding for biomedical research, includes a:

    • $150 million increase for cancer research;
    • $100 million increase for Alzheimer’s disease research;
    • $30 million increase for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases;
    • $30 million increase for the Office of Research on Women’s Health;
    • $25 million increase for ALS research, fully funding the $100 million as authorized by the ACT for ALS Act of 2021;
    • $20 million increase for the IMPROVE Initiative for research on maternal mortality;
    • $12 million increase for BRAIN Initiative research;
    • $10 million increase for diabetes research;
    • $10 million increase for rare disease research;
    • $9 million increase for the Undiagnosed Diseases Network; and a
    • $5 million to implement the National Parkinson’s Project.

    The bill also rejects the Trump administration’s proposal—and illegal efforts—to cap indirect cost rates at 15%, which would devastate biomedical research, and continues a longstanding provision that prohibits NIH from implementing such a cap. The bill also rejects the Trump administration’s misguided elimination of programs across NIH by maintaining funding for HIV vaccine research, training programs that support the next generation of researchers, and the Safe to Sleep campaign, among others.

    The bill also includes, as part of a manager’s amendment, a new provision that would prevent implementation of the Office of Management and Budget’s misguided policy for NIH to fund significantly more of its multi-year research grants in one lump sum. This poorly thought-out new policy would significantly cut the number of research grants NIH awards this year and next year—according to NIH’s own estimate, by 40% in fiscal year 2025, reducing the percentage of cancer research grants it will award from 13% to 7%, and Alzheimer’s disease grants from 18% to 6%. OMB’s attempt this week to explicitly and illegally withhold billions in funding and halt all remaining NIH research grants through the rest of the year makes its intentions crystal clear. More needs to be done to protect NIH research programs, but the provision included in this bill is an important step in preventing the Trump administration from decimating the biomedical research enterprise Congress has built in a bipartisan manner over decades, which has long been the envy of the world and drives medical innovation that has saved millions of lives.

    The bill also includes a new authority for NIH to address loopholes in sexual harassment reporting and strengthen accountability by requiring institutions to complete investigations into concerns about harassment, bullying, retaliation, or hostile working conditions, even if the alleged perpetrator leaves their current position and is no longer employed by the institution. It provides the NIH Director the authority to decline the transfer of an award to a different institution, helping to close the “pass-the-harasser” loophole. It also provides the NIH Director the authority to share investigation reports on an as-needed basis with any institution that receives NIH funding.

    Child Care and Early Learning Programs: The bill includes $8.8 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG)—an $85 million increase over fiscal year 2025; and $12.4 billion for Head Start, an $85 million increase. Much more needs to be done to address our broken child care system and ensure every working family can find and afford child care, which is critical for businesses and our economy too—but sustained annual increases in these programs are critical in the meantime. The bill also sustains funding for Preschool Development Grants, which President Trump proposed eliminating in his budget request.

    Addressing Substance Use Disorders and Mental Health: The bill sustains funding to address the rising toll of opioid overdoses fueled by fentanyl, maintain access to substance use disorder prevention and treatment, and improve access to mental health services.

    The bill rejects President Trump’s proposed cuts to SAMHSA programs and maintains SAMHSA as its own, independent agency to ensure substance use and mental health remain a priority at HHS. The bill includes targeted increases to SAMHSA programs, including $2.0 billion, a $20 million increase over fiscal year 2025, for the Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant; $1.6 billion for State Opioid Response grants, a $20 million increase; and $145 million for the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program.

    It protects key investments in mental health programs by sustaining funding for the Mental Health Block Grant, Project AWARE, Mental Health Awareness Training, and the National Childhood Traumatic Stress Network. The bill also provides $535 million, a $15 million increase over fiscal year 2025, for the 988 Suicide Prevention Lifeline, to address continued increases in demand as 988 has been stood up over the last several years, and it restores dedicated funding for the LGBTQ+ youth specialized services line that President Trump eliminated this summer.

    Additionally, it includes approximately $180 million in investments within the Department of Education to address the shortage of school-based mental health professionals and services in our nation’s K-12 schools.

    Essential Health Care Programs: The bill protects investments in health care access and affordability and the health care workforce—maintaining investments in core programs, including $1.86 billion for Community Health Centers and $128.6 million for the National Health Service Corps. The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is fully funded, and the bill affirms support for the mission and scientific integrity of the task force. The bill also includes a $9.3 million increase in rural health programs to boost recruitment of health care providers to practice in rural areas and support rural hospitals.

    Importantly, the bill provides a $5 million increase in funding for the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) Modernization Initiative to strengthen and reform the nation’s organ donation and transplant system. There are more than 100,000 individuals on the organ transplant waitlist, and this initiative, which began during the Biden administration, will allow the OPTN to better serve patients and families and strengthen accountability.

    Public Health: The bill rejects the approximately $4 billion—or 50%—cut to CDC programs proposed by President Trump’s budget request. CDC helps keep Americans safe and healthy by protecting against diseases and supporting states and local communities as they do the same. It also rejects the Trump administration’s haphazard proposal to dismantle CDC, which risks Americans’ health and safety, and requires HHS to support staffing levels to carry out the CDC’s programs.

    The bill also helps support state and local health departments by sustaining critical programs across the CDC, including funding for chronic diseases, the Office of Smoking and Health, injury prevention programs (including firearm injury and mortality research), global health programs, and immunization and infectious disease prevention programs.

    HIV/AIDS: The bill includes $613 million for the Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative, which provides high-need jurisdictions with prevention and treatment services for people at high risk for HIV transmission. This includes $220 million within the CDC’s Domestic HIV/AIDS Prevention and Research programs to develop and deploy innovative data management solutions, increase access to PrEP, and better detect and respond to HIV clusters, and $128.9 million for the CDC’s global HIV/AIDS program. The bill also provides full funding for the Ryan White HIV/AIDS program, including dental services and training for health care practitioners, two initiatives that President Trump sought to eliminate in his budget proposal.

    Women’s Health: The bill sustains funding for reproductive health programs, including Title X and the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program, which President Trump eliminated in his budget proposal. The bill also increases investments in maternal health across CDC and NIH with a $53 million increase for programs that aim to address maternal mental health, prevent pregnancy-related deaths, support best practices to improve maternal health outcomes, and invest in women’s health research. The bill also provides funding for a new initiative to support survivors of sexual assault and creates a new menopause initiative within AHRQ to translate research best practices into clinical practice for women. Importantly, the bill includes increases in funding for the Maternal Mental Health Hotline and maternal health safety initiatives through the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health program.

    Pandemic Preparedness and Biodefense: The bill includes $3.6 billion for the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR). It sustains funding for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA); Project Bioshield; the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS); and Industrial Base Management and Supply Chain (IBMSC) activities to help ensure that critical resources in the public health supply chain—including raw materials, medical countermeasures, and ancillary supplies—are manufactured in the United States. It also includes $4 million to support a new program to improve emergency medical services and trauma care during a public health emergency.

    Administration for Community Living: The bill maintains funding for the Administration for Community Living as its own agency within HHS to help support seniors and Americans with disabilities so they can live and participate fully in their communities. This includes providing $1.1 billion for senior nutrition programs and providing targeted increases for family caregiver programs.

    Home Heating and Cooling Assistance: The bill includes $4.045 billion for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), a $20 million increase over fiscal year 2025, to help low-income households heat and cool their homes.

    Key Points & Highlights – Department of Education

    Department of Education: The bill provides $79.0 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Education.

    The bill rejects the Trump administration’s call to eliminate the Department of Education and maintains funding across the Department, including funding for K-12 formula and competitive grant programs, CTE and adult education programs, federal student aid, postsecondary competitive grants, and civil rights enforcement to provide the resources needed to help schools improve educational outcomes for students and protect all students from discrimination.

    The bill includes new requirements that the Department of Education maintain the staff necessary to ensure it carries out its statutory responsibilities, including carrying out programs and activities funded in this bill in a timely manner. The bill also includes new requirements for the Department of Education to make formula grants available to states and districts on time. While this should be unnecessary, this step prevents any administration from withholding key funding for students and creating chaos for states and schools, which distracts educators from helping kids thrive.

    Supporting Elementary and Secondary Education Students: The bill strengthens investments in foundational formula grant programs for elementary and secondary education and in public schools, teachers, and students—rejecting the $4.5 billion cut and the proposed consolidations in President Trump’s budget request for a new $2 billion block grant program.

    The bill boosts funding for Title I-A grants by $50 million above the fiscal year 2025 level to $18.457 billion. More than 80% of the nation’s school districts receive these funds, and nearly 25 million students go to schools receiving Title I funding. The bill also provides $15.224 billion, an increase of $50 million over fiscal year 2025, for all three IDEA Special Education State grant programs and retains each as a separate program. IDEA state grant programs support more than seven million students and children with disabilities and their families who receive IDEA services through these programs. The bill also includes new guardrails to prevent the administration from moving these formula grant programs to other federal agencies and disrupting the efficient and effective use of federal funds intended to improve outcomes for students.

    The bill also continues current investments, except for a few targeted reductions, across a range of other important formula and competitive grant programs authorized to improve teaching and learning in elementary and secondary schools, rejecting President Trump’s proposed elimination of $1.5 billion in total funding for nine important programs.

    Career and Technical Education (CTE): The bill provides $1.45 billion for CTE grants and $729 million for adult education grants and appropriates such funding to the Department of Education to carry out these programs, rejecting President Trump’s call to eliminate federal support for adult education. The bill includes new provisions requiring both CTE and adult education formula grants to be awarded in a timely way to prevent any administration from withholding these critical funds.

    Higher Education: The bill provides a total maximum Pell Grant award of $7,395 for the 2026-2027 award year, rejecting President Trump’s proposal to cut the Pell grant by over $1000. This coming school year, Pell Grants are expected to help over 7 million students at all stages of life pursue postsecondary education and further their careers. The bill also rejects President Trump’s proposals to eliminate a range of postsecondary education programs.

    Instead, the bill sustains funding for Federal Work Study and the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant that provide additional need-based aid to students to help them afford postsecondary education. The bill also includes $65 million for the Teacher Quality Partnership program and $15 million for the Hawkins Centers of Excellence to help educator preparation programs address educator shortages. It also continues other investments available to recruit, develop, and retain an effective and diverse teacher and school leader workforce, including $90 million for the Supporting Effective Educator Development program.

    The bill sustains funding for TRIO at $1.191 billion; $388 million for GEAR UP; $75 million for the Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program (CCAMPIS); a $10 million for the Basic Needs Program; and $40 million for the Postsecondary Student Success Grant Program to help students prepare for and succeed in post-secondary education. The bill also sustains funding for Title III and V programs that support HBCUs, MSIs, Tribal colleges, and other institutions. President Trump had proposed to eliminate CCAMPIS, TRIO, GEAR UP, International Education, the Basic Needs Program, and the Postsecondary Student Success Grant, among other programs in his budget request.

    The bill also sustains funding for the administration of student aid programs. This funding supports a wide range of activities, including: implementing the FAFSA; disbursing student aid; ensuring services are available to student loan borrowers; implementing more affordable repayment plans; and fixing longstanding issues in student loan forgiveness programs. Finally, the bill includes important requirements to help Congress conduct oversight over the new higher education provisions contained in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

    Protecting Students from Discrimination: The bill rejects President Trump’s proposed cut of $49 million, or one-third of the total budget, for the Office for Civil Rights. Instead, the bill maintains the current budget level of $140 million and requires the Department to support the staffing levels necessary for OCR to fulfill its statutory responsibilities.

    Advancing Education Research, Statistics, and Assessments: The bill maintains current funding of $793 million for the Institute of Education Sciences for all programs and activities of IES funded in fiscal year 2024, rejecting the massive reduction of $532 million or 67% proposed in President Trump’s budget request. The Trump administration’s significant workforce reductions and program delays at IES this year have caused it to fail to meet statutory requirements. The bill requires the Department to support staffing levels necessary for IES and the National Center for Education Statistics to fulfill their statutory responsibilities.

    Key Points & Highlights – Department of Labor

    Department of Labor (DOL): The bill includes $13.7 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Labor. The bill rejects the harmful cuts proposed by the Trump administration, including the administration’s proposal to block grant our nation’s workforce training programs.

    Workforce Development: The bill includes $2.9 billion for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) formula grants, protecting essential investments made in recent years. It includes a new directive requiring DOL to award such funds in a timely manner. It provides $285 million for Registered Apprenticeships and $105 million for YouthBuild. The bill also rejects President Trump’s call to eliminate Job Corps and instead provides $1.76 billion for Job Corps. Rejecting President Trump’s proposed cuts for many of these programs and continuing funding for these key workforce development programs will help grow the economy, provide workers with the skills they need to secure good-paying jobs of the future, and help American businesses compete globally.

    Worker Protection: The bill rejects drastic reductions proposed in President Trump’s request and sustains key investments in DOL’s worker protection agencies charged with enforcing requirements for employers to pay workers what they earn and provide safe and healthy workplaces. The bill maintains $191 million in funding for the Employee Benefits Security Administration, which is responsible for, among other things, ensuring private sector employment-based group health plans comply with mental health and substance use disorder parity requirements. The bill also maintains $260 million for Wage and Hour Division to support the Division’s work to recover wages workers are owed and to combat exploitative child labor. Last year, the Division secured more than $273 million in back wages collected and damages for nearly 152,000 workers nationwide.

    The bill also provides $111 million, $41 million more than President Trump’s budget request, for the Bureau of International Labor Affairs to enforce labor provisions of free trade agreements and trade preference programs and combat international child labor and forced labor. Finally, the bill rejects the proposed elimination of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs and Women’s Bureau, providing $106 million and $23 million, respectively.

    Key Points & Highlights – Related Agencies

    Social Security Administration (SSA): The bill includes $15.0 billion for SSA’s administrative expenses—an increase of $594 million over fiscal year 2025. This is $100 million more than President Trump’s budget request to help address staffing challenges and improve service to the public. The Trump administration has single-handedly created completely unnecessary chaos at SSA that has weakened Americans’ ability to get the benefits they are owed—and it has continually misled the public with easily disproven claims about widespread fraud. Instead of admitting to its lie, SSA has doubled down and pursued poorly planned and implemented policy changes. The American public and the beneficiaries SSA serves have paid the price, with unacceptable wait times to access the benefits and services Americans deserve, and that they have literally earned through a lifetime of work. Instead of chasing conspiracy theories, the administration should focus on actually improving services and addressing service delivery challenges impacting Americans across the country. The resources in this bill will help SSA do just that.

    AmeriCorps: The bill rejects President Trump’s elimination of AmeriCorps and sustains funding for all of AmeriCorps’ grant programs by providing a total of $1.25 billion to the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to administer these programs. This bill also includes new provisions requiring any administration to award AmeriCorps state formula funding in a timely way and includes new requirements to ensure CNCS will award competitive grants in a timely fashion, too. The bill will support AmeriCorps members serving in communities across the country and working to address pressing challenges, including responding to natural disasters, assisting in schools, supporting our veterans, promoting economic opportunity, and conserving and protecting the environment.

    Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB): As a result of Congressional Republicans’ approval of the Rescissions Act of 2025—the first ever partisan rescissions bill signed into law—no funds are provided in the bill for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the more than 1,500 locally owned public TV and radio stations nationwide that have, for over 50 years, been supported by CPB funds and infrastructure investments. Republicans’ devastating rescissions bill will particularly hurt 120 stations that rely on CPB for more than 25% of their revenue, who are now scrambling to find new sources of support or significantly reduce programming or close in the coming months.

    Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS): The bill continues to invest $295 million in the nation’s libraries and museums through programs of the Institute of Museum and Library Services and requires IMLS to fund specified programs and activities at amounts identified in the Committee report.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Statement on Senate Republicans’ Threat to Go Nuclear on Senate Rulebook to Expedite Trump’s Nominees

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla Statement on Senate Republicans’ Threat to Go Nuclear on Senate Rulebook to Expedite Trump’s Nominees

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, issued the following statement as Senate Republicans threaten to cave to President Trump and unilaterally rewrite the Senate rulebook once again to expedite the confirmation of Trump’s extreme nominees:

    “Facing Trump’s latest demands to fast track his extreme and blindly obedient nominees, Senate Republicans are considering blowing up the Senate rules yet again.

    “We can and should have thoughtful, bipartisan conversations in the Rules Committee on updating the confirmation process for the future, but Republicans should keep in mind that if they choose to go nuclear — yet again — it will have consequences long beyond Donald Trump’s presidency.”

    Senate Republicans’ willingness to go nuclear on Senate filibuster rules to unilaterally push through Trump’s nominees marks a change from their stance during a bipartisan Senate Rules Committee hearing last year on reforming the Senate confirmation process, which took place before the election. While Democrats emphasized the importance of making any changes to the process ahead of the presidential election to avoid partisan advantage, Senate Republicans turned down the opportunity for bipartisan reform.

    Now that they are in power, Republicans are threatening to go nuclear on the Senate rules for the third time in six months. In May, the Republican majority utilized the nuclear option for the first time to eliminate a legislative filibuster for three joint resolutions on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) waivers issued to California under the Clean Air Act. Last month, Senate Republicans shredded longstanding filibuster rules again by bypassing budget reconciliation restrictions with a fabricated, partisan budget score, abusing Sec. 312(a) of the Congressional Budget Act.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: Padilla Condemns Trump Administration’s Threats to Deport DACA Recipients

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    WATCH: Padilla Condemns Trump Administration’s Threats to Deport DACA Recipients

    Padilla: “This mass detention and deportation operation will go down in our history as a stain, a dark chapter in our nation’s history, an outrageous moral failure, intentionally caused by this Administration.”

    WATCH: Padilla spotlights the story of Javier Diaz Santana, a long-term DACA recipient cruelly detained by the Trump Administration

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Last night, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, took to the Senate floor to defend Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients from the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) baseless statement that “illegal aliens who claim to be recipients of DACA are not automatically protected from deportations.” Padilla slammed the Trump Administration’s push for DACA recipients to “self-deport,” emphasizing that these long-term residents, who were brought to the country as children, have been working, studying, and living legally in the United States since 2012 and are vital members of American communities.

    He highlighted the story of Javier Diaz Santana, a deaf 32-year-old DACA recipient who was arrested while at the Los Angeles car wash where he has worked hard six days a week for the last five years. Masked immigration officials carrying weapons raided the Temple City car wash, confiscating his ID and handcuffing him, preventing him from communicating. Despite having no criminal record and living in the United States since he was five years old, Javier was taken to El Paso, Texas where he faced the risk of deportation.

    As the Trump Administration indiscriminately targets all immigrants, rather than focusing on violent criminals, including arresting lawful permanent residents and those here with legal protections, Padilla pushed for Republicans to finally come together to protect DACA recipients by passing the Dream Act. Padilla emphasized that Republicans continue to voice support for the Dream Act behind closed doors and vowed to keep fighting to secure permanent protections for DACA recipients. He also blasted the Administration for scapegoating hardworking immigrants and using cruel immigration enforcement as spectacles to distract from their failing policy agenda.

    Key Excerpts:

    • “Colleagues, it feels like every single day the Trump Administration finds new ways to defy the rule of law. They will tear families apart, decimate local businesses, and deceive the public in order to distract from their own failures and scandals. And nowhere has this been clearer than in their cruelty towards immigrants.”
    • “If it was just deportation operations focused on dangerous violent criminals, there would be no discussion, there would be no debate, there would be no disagreement. But that’s not what this Administration is doing. They are going after all immigrants. The vast majority of those that have been arrested and detained and many of those deported, many without due process before being deported, are not convicted criminals.”
    • “The Trump Administration is saying that these young adults who were brought to the United States as children and who have lived here, who have studied here, and who have worked here legally — let me emphasize that: worked here, studied here, lived here legally — since the year 2012, thanks to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, this Administration is saying now that they have no right to be here, that they could be deported, or maybe should be deported at a moment’s notice, or worse, that they should choose to leave their families and their communities for countries that they’ve never known.”
    • “The whole point of DACA is protection from deportation because these are not criminals or some danger to society. These are young people who have lived in the United States for as long as they can remember. These are young adults who, as kids, were on your little league team or in your Girl Scout troop. For God’s sake, they’re part of our communities, and they’re young adults who have now grown up to be lawyers, to be doctors, to be teachers, and who have more love for everything that this country stands for than anyone threatening them in Trump’s Department of Homeland Security.”
    • “This week, the Trump Administration is now telling them that they should be arrested and thrown out of the only home they’ve ever known in an attempt to satisfy Donald Trump’s quest for political points or an arbitrary quota. To the Trump Administration, let me say this: you cannot claim to love our country at the same time you’re trying to destroy our future.”
    • “Don’t tell me the Trump Administration is following the law when we hear cases like this, and don’t tell me that the Administration is only targeting dangerous, violent criminals because the data proves otherwise. … For as tragic and as heartbreaking as Javier’s story is, he’s not alone. There have been more and more stories of DACA recipients being arrested and detained, and the fear is just growing across communities.”
    • “One thing is certain: this mass detention and deportation operation will go down in our history as a stain, a dark chapter in our nation’s history, an outrageous moral failure, intentionally caused by this Administration. Because for all the tough talk, this is not just politics as usual. In fact, when the Dream Act was first introduced over 20 years ago, it was bipartisan, and it enjoyed bipartisan support for most of the last 20 years, and even today, polling shows an overwhelming majority of the American public supports DACA recipients. Yes, both Republicans and Democrats across the country.”
    • “Make no mistake, Americans will not soon forget what this Administration is doing to their neighbors — to their neighbors, to their co-workers, to their friends. Now, this story doesn’t end the way you think it might, because we will continue fighting, not just to stop these outrageous arrests, but we will not rest until we enact real and permanent protections for DACA recipients who contribute so much to our country.”

    Video of Senator Padilla’s floor speech is available here.

    Senator Padilla is a leading voice in Congress for providing long-term undocumented immigrants with pathways to citizenship or permanent legal residence. Last week, Padilla hosted a press conference in Los Angeles alongside immigration advocates, impacted families, and community leaders to announce legislation to expand a pathway to lawful permanent residency for millions of long-term U.S. residents. As Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and mass deportation assaults intensified in Los Angeles, Padilla marked the 13th anniversary of the DACA policy by urging Congress to take immediate action to deliver permanent protections for millions of families, parents, and individuals who are increasingly at risk amid President Trump’s mass deportation agenda. He also delivered remarks on the Senate floor ahead of the anniversary, pushing for permanent protections for Dreamers rather than the indiscriminate ICE raids stoking fear in Los Angeles communities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Schiff, Markey Decry Homeland Security’s Surveillance of Angelenos, Violation of Privacy and First Amendment Rights

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Schiff, Markey Decry Homeland Security’s Surveillance of Angelenos, Violation of Privacy and First Amendment Rights

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) raised the alarm on the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) recent usage of Predator drones and aerial surveillance against peaceful protesters in Los Angeles. This surveillance is a clear threat to the protesters’ privacy and their constitutional rights guaranteed by the First Amendment.

    In their letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, the Senators likened DHS’ aerial surveillance to authoritarian regimes controlling dissent and warned of the risks of using this technology to target communities of color. They noted that DHS did not give any justification for its use of the drones, nor any details about what information was collected or how it was used.

    On June 8, during the Los Angeles protests, DHS deployed Predator drones with high resolution cameras capable of identifying individuals in a crowd to fly over protests in Paramount and Los Angeles. The Senators blasted DHS’ usage of the footage to create a dramatic video posted June 10 to X with the caption “WATCH: DHS drone footage of LA rioters. This is not calm. This is not peaceful. California politicians must call off their rioting mob.”

    “Even if the technology were perfectly accurate, this form of surveillance could have a chilling effect on constitutionally protected rights, particularly freedom of assembly and speech. Protesters may fear that showing up at a rally could result in DHS or other government entities logging their names into a government database, sharing records with law enforcement, or even subjecting them to reprisal,” wrote the Senators. “That fear is not theoretical. Authoritarian regimes already use facial recognition to track down dissidents. But even in democratic societies, such tools can disproportionately target and harm communities of color, intensifying existing biases in law enforcement and eroding trust in public institutions.” 

    “The publication of these videos appears to be a violation of the Department’s own requirement limiting the disclosure of video collected on an aircraft to authorized personnel with an authorized purpose,” continued the Senators. “Americans could easily understand the publication of this video as an implicit threat to reveal the identities of protesters, instilling fear in any members of the public who seek to exercise their constitutionally protected rights to speech and assembly.” 

    Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) also signed the letter. 

    The lawmakers requested responses by August 21, 2025, to questions including: 

    • What cameras, radar, or other surveillance equipment were equipped on the Predator drones that flew over Paramount and Los Angeles during the June protests? 
    • Did DHS officials identify any individuals based on information collected by the unmanned aircraft that surveilled the California protests, including in combination with other information or with the assistance of facial recognition technology?  
    • Which agencies and officials requested support from the Predator drones, when was the request made, and when and by whom were they approved?  
    • What data privacy protocols are currently used to govern information captured by aerial surveillance at U.S. protests?  
    • How are DHS staff with access to aerial surveillance data trained on data management protocols? 
    • What was the approval process for publishing videos taken by the Predator drones of the protests in Los Angeles on X? 
    • Has DHS deployed manned or unmanned aircraft systems to photograph, record, or otherwise monitor other protests since January 20, 2025? 

    Senator Padilla has been outspoken in criticizing Trump’s unprecedented militarization with the deployment of National Guard troops and active-duty U.S. Marines to respond to overwhelmingly peaceful protests in Los Angeles. Earlier this month, Padilla placed a hold on Trump’s nominee to serve as vice chief of the National Guard Bureau, Lieutenant General Thomas Carden, until the Trump Administration releases all remaining U.S. military forces from their unjustified deployment to Los Angeles. He also recently introduced the VISIBLE Act to require immigration enforcement officers to display clearly visible identification during public-facing enforcement actions. Last month, he led the entire Senate Democratic Caucus in demanding that President Trump immediately withdraw all military forces from Los Angeles and cease all threats to deploy the National Guard or active-duty service members to American cities.

    Full text of the letter is available here and below:

    Dear Secretary Noem,

    In the face of peaceful protests against the Trump administration all across the country — through the public’s exercise of its constitutionally protected rights to assemble and express its views — the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has responded with surveillance and intimidation. For example, DHS deployed at least two Predator drones over the recent protests in Los Angeles, published the collected footage online, and called for local officials to crack down on protestors. This Big Brotherism invades Americans’ privacy and chills the exercise of their constitutional rights. We are writing to request more information on DHS’s use of aerial surveillance at recent protests and to urge DHS to respect the public’s privacy and the First Amendment.

    DHS has disclosed little about its use of Predator drones to surveil protests across the country. On June 8, 2025, flight watchers noticed aircraft without a callsign circling protests in Paramount, California, and downtown Los Angeles for hours. By listening to Air Traffic Control transmission, these observers determined that the aircraft were Predator drones. DHS later confirmed that it had deployed the drones to support “federal law enforcement partners in the Greater Los Angeles area, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” but denied that it was “engaged in surveillance of First Amendment activities.” But DHS has provided no explanation of who specifically requested the support of Predator drones in Paramount and Los Angeles, why that support was needed, what information was collected, or whether drones were deployed during other protests. In other words, DHS is keeping the public in the dark on the important question whether it is conducting aerial surveillance during protests and infringing on Americans’ First Amendment rights.

    Although extraordinary circumstances could justify drone flights over protests, these flights also raise serious concerns about individual privacy and may be intended to intimidate the public and chill free speech rights. As was the case with the Predator drones in Los Angeles, unmanned aircraft are often equipped with high-resolution cameras that can capture images and video of individual protesters within a crowd. DHS could then attempt to use facial recognition technologies to identify those individuals. Facial recognition technologies have known limitations — including reduced accuracy when images are low quality, blurry, obscured, or taken from the side or in poor light — creating serious risks of false identification.

    Even if the technology were perfectly accurate, this form of surveillance could have a chilling effect on constitutionally protected rights, particularly freedom of assembly and speech. Protesters may fear that showing up at a rally could result in DHS or other government entities logging their names into a government database, sharing records with law enforcement, or even subjecting them to reprisal. That fear is not theoretical. Authoritarian regimes already use facial recognition to track down dissidents. But even in democratic societies, such tools can disproportionately target and harm communities of color, intensifying existing biases in law enforcement and eroding trust in public institutions.

    DHS’s own best practices recognize that the use of drones to monitor protests and the retention or publication of images of individuals who are engaged in protest can harm constitutionally protected rights. In particular, in 2013, DHS conducted a privacy impact assessment (PIA) covering the Predator B drone. In that PIA, the Department acknowledged that images and video taken from these drones potentially include images of individuals that can be associated with personally identifiable information. To address the privacy risks with unmanned aircraft, the PIA explained that “the video or other data collected from [Customs and Border Protection] aircraft may only be accessed by authorized personnel with an authorized need to know, and the CBP-held video or other data is controlled through chains of custody and stored in secure locations until it is destroyed.” While this data may be used to support “other DHS components” or “federal law enforcement agencies,” the PIA emphasizes that “each request for information follows a standard process and is reviewed and considered in terms of the requesting agencies’ authorities to receive the sought after information, CBP’s own authority to lend assistance, and CBP’s ability to integrate the information collection into its mission.” Although DHS updated this PIA in 2018 and 2024 to cover tethered and small unmanned aircraft systems, the relevant section and privacy analysis on the Predator drone has not changed.

    But DHS appears to have ignored these requirements in Los Angeles. On June 10, the Department posted a video to X — collected from a drone — overlayed with a dramatic soundtrack and a caption stating “WATCH: DHS drone footage of LA rioters. This is not calm. This is not peaceful. California politicians must call off their rioting mob.”8 The publication of these videos appears to be a violation of the Department’s own requirement limiting the disclosure of video collected on an aircraft to authorized personnel with an authorized purpose. Americans could easily understand the publication of this video as an implicit threat to reveal the identities of protesters, instilling fear in any members of the public who seek to exercise their constitutionally protected rights to speech and assembly.

    Given the serious dangers to individual privacy and free expression from the aerial surveillance of protesters, we request written responses to the following questions by August 21, 2025.

    1. What cameras, radar, or other surveillance equipment were equipped on the Predator drones that flew over Paramount and Los Angeles during the June protests?

    a. Did the drones collect any information on individual protesters?

    b. If so, what information did the drones collect?

    c. What has DHS done with this information?

    2. Did DHS officials identify any individuals based on information collected by the unmanned aircraft that surveilled the California protests, including in combination with other information or with the assistance of facial recognition technology?

    a. If so, how many individuals were identified at the California protests?

    b. Why did DHS seek to identify individual protesters?

    c. Did DHS provide records of the identities of individual protesters to any other agencies or third parties?

    d. How long does DHS intend to maintain records of the identities of individuals at these protests?

    e. Is DHS creating a database of individuals identified at these protests?

    3. Which agencies and officials requested support from the Predator drones, when was the request made, and when and by whom were they approved? Please provide all documents related to the request and approval of these flights.

    4. What data privacy protocols are currently used to govern information captured by aerial surveillance at U.S. protests?

    a. Does DHS still follow the 2013 privacy impact assessment?

    b. If so, how does the aerial surveillance of the Paramount and Los Angeles protests comport with it? If not, why not?

    5. How are DHS staff with access to aerial surveillance data trained on data management protocols?

    6. What was the approval process for publishing videos taken by the Predator drones of the protests in Los Angeles on X? Please provide all documents related to the decision to publish this video.

    7. Has DHS deployed manned or unmanned aircraft systems to photograph, record, or otherwise monitor other protests since January 20, 2025? If so, for each such deployment, please provide:

    a. the date and location of the deployment;

    b. the original request from the state, local, or national agency for this support;

    c. all approval documentation;

    d. the kinds of manned or unmanned aircraft used;

    e. all monitoring equipment on the flights; and

    f. whether any individuals were identifiable, and if so,

    (i) how many were identified,

    (ii) for what purposes,

    (iii) whether that data was provided to any other agencies or third parties,

    (iv) how long DHS intends to maintain the identities of individual protesters, and

    (v) whether DHS is creating a database of protesters identified at these protests.

    Thank you for your attention to this important issue.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, Kennedy Call for NATO Members to Increase Defense Spending

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) in introducing a resolution urging North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member countries to fulfill their commitments to spend 5% of their GDP on defense.

    “It’s past time for NATO members to pony up,” said Sen. Tuberville. “It’s not the job of the American taxpayers to pay to defend the entire world. Thank God for President Trump who is finally standing up for American taxpayers and fighting to put America First.”

    “NATO is one of the greatest defensive alliances in all of human history,” said Sen. Kennedy.“My resolution commends our allies for their commitment to allocate 5% of their GDP to our shared defense and strongly encourages them to fulfill their promises in good faith. If we want to deter our adversaries, we need real investments in our defense, not bridges that have little, if anything, to do with national security.”

    Sens. Tuberville and Kennedy were joined by Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Ted Budd (R-NC), John Cornyn (R-TX), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), and Roger Wicker (R-MS) in introducing the resolution.

    Read full text of the resolution here. 

    BACKGROUND:

    The Trump Administration secured a historic win by encouraging NATO member countries to move toward spending 5% of their GDP on collective defense. However, the Hague Summit Declaration allows countries to evade their commitments in two ways: (1) by not specifying that all allies must meet the 5% requirement, and (2) by permitting 1.5% of the total to include spending that is only loosely related to defense. Spain has recently said that it will not be meeting the 5% commitment. Italy has said it may include a bridge to Sicily as part of its non-traditional defense total.

    Specifically, the resolution would:

    • Congratulate President Trump and NATO leadership on this historic agreement,
    • Strongly urge NATO leadership to compel its members to adhere to the 5% commitment, and
    • Call on NATO allies to ensure their non-traditional defense expenditures are legitimate defense spending.

    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, Risch Introduce Legislation to Protect Firearm Small Businesses

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-ID), and 16 other Republican colleagues to introduce the Equal Shot Act. The legislation prohibits the Small Business Administration (SBA) from discriminating against firearm-related businesses.

    “For years, the far left has tried to undermine Americans’ right to bear arms. Under Joe Biden, the Small Business Administration tried to cut off capital to firearm businesses in hopes of forcing them to close. That’s not acceptable for the freest country in the world.  In Alabama, we respect the 2nd Amendment. We respect freedom. And we stand with the small business owners who make our communities stronger and our country safer,” said Sen. Tuberville.“I’m proud to join this fight to ensure that lawful firearm-related businesses get the same opportunities as any other small business—no more picking winners and losers based on a political agenda. As a proud gun owner, I will always fight to protect our Second Amendment rights.”

    Joining Sens. Tuberville and Risch in introducing the Equal Shot Act are U.S. Sens. Mike Crapo (R-ID), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Ted Budd (R-NC), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Steve Daines (R-MT), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Jim Justice (R-WV), John Kennedy (R-LA), James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Lee (R-UT), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Tim Scott (R-SC), and Tim Sheehy (R-MT).

    Earlier this week, Sens. Tuberville and Risch also introduced the National Shooting Sports Month Resolution recognizing August as National Shooting Sports Month.

    MORE:

    Tuberville Fights for Second Amendment Rights

    Tuberville Continues to Defend Second Amendment Rights
    Tuberville, Barrasso Push for Pro-Growth Tax Reductions, Lower Prices for Small Businesses

    Tuberville Speaks with Trump Defense Nominees on Supporting Small Businesses and Service Academy Oversight

    Tuberville, Colleagues Celebrate Small Businesses During Small Business Week

    Tuberville Fights to Give Small Businesses a Tax Break

    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Talks Defense Technology and Shipbuilding with Navy Nominees

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) spoke with Amy Henniger, President Trump’s nominee to be Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, Benjamin Kohlmann, nominee to be Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, and David Denton, Jr., nominee to be General Counsel of the Department of the Navy during their nomination hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC). Sen. Tuberville spoke about the need to improve technology in the defense industry, address the challenges many military members are facing, and the importance of shipbuilding to our national security.

    Read Sen. Tuberville’s remarks below or on YouTube or Rumble.

    ON SPEEDING UP DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY TESTING:

    TUBERVILLE: “Good Morning. Congratulations to all of you, and thanks for your service. 

    Ms. Henninger, Huntsville, Alabama is a major hub for innovations in hypersonic space warfare and quantum computing, just to name a few. I don’t need to tell you we’re already years behind our adversaries in these critical technologies.

    What would you do to accelerate the testing and evaluation of critical technologies, especially as threats from adversaries, like China, continue to mature?”

    HENNINGER: “Senator Tuberville, thank you for the opportunity to answer this. I am very familiar with Huntsville. I’ve been there many, many times to Redstone. I worked with the Cyber Red Team there, and I agree [that] it is a hotbed of innovation for the country. I appreciate all the smart people down there. And speed is very, very important. And speed with rigor is even better.

    So, there are a number of levers in place right now that DOT&E can encourage the operational test agencies to employ. They include things like shifting left. They include things like taking advantage of training exercises or operational experimentation exercises. They include things like more tightly integrating DT and OT. The issue, in my view, is that those things are becoming our go-to for surge, and they should be everyday baseline in every test we do. So, I would like to see us move beyond surging with manpower and find […] more automated T&E, more digital methods, digital modeling, to speed and facilitate our test and evaluation processes.”

    TUBERVILLE: “Thank you. Our F-35 program seems to take one step forward and two steps back. How do we fix that?”

    HENNINGER: “Sir, thank you for the question. I’ve been out of the office for four years and […] I’m not tracking exactly what’s going on with the F-35. I haven’t been briefed on it. I know the Block 4 is coming up. I know there’s a lot of classified work on that. I am slightly familiar with it because I worked on it previously. But one of my first steps back into the office would be to come up to speed on all these weapon systems, especially the classified ones that I’ve missed the last four years, and understand where we, where our baseline is and what we’re doing.”

    TUBERVILLE: “You’ll find out pretty quick. Again, it’s a great machine. We just continue to have problems.

    ON WORKFORCE PROBLEMS IN THE MILITARY:

    “Mr. Kohlmann, DOD civilian workforce numbers have exploded in the last two decades while service end strengths have decreased, the tail is eating the tooth and has become an enormous burden to the American taxpayer. Under the previous administration, there were additional protections put in at the request of labor unions to make it harder to fire unperforming employees. What is your plan to fix this bloated bureaucracy?”

    KOHLMANN: “Senator, thank you for the question. Coming from the private sector, there were many opportunities when we had to reassess our workforce to understand if it was at the correct size. I think it is appropriate for government to make similar assessments. I want, if confirmed, [to] get in the seat and understand where the core areas’ priority are and if we have to reshift, reshift allocations of civilian workforce from one area to the other or maybe re-rightsize areas as well. I think holding civilians and military personnel to very high standards and holding them accountable for poor performance is critical to driving the change that we need.”

    TUBERVILLE: “Yeah. And also, with a lot of our military bases, brick and mortar is an absolute disgrace. I know […] you’re not going to be over brick and mortar, but we’re going to need your help to fix a lot of that. You know, we’re behind.”

    KOHLMANN: “Senator, the state of how our service members live is critical to both retention and recruitment and I look forward to working with the Secretary of Navy. I know it’s a priority of his to make sure that our service members have the right places to live.”

    TUBERVILLE: “Yeah, the quality of life should be a lot better than what it is for a lot of our families. And that’s important for recruiting as we were talking about earlier.”

    ON ADVISING SENIOR LEADERSHIP IN THE NAVY:

    TUBERVILLE: “Mr. Denton, the previous administration flouted the law and used the office [to seek] and many others to advance a political agenda. As the Navy’s top lawyer, can you commit to helping ensure the Navy will follow statute and advise senior leaders in an apolitical manner?”

    DENTON: “Absolutely, Senator.”

    ON SHIPBUILDING:

    TUBERVILLE: “[Do] you see any problems? What do you think will be your number one agenda when you first go into office?”

    DENTON: “Senator, I think that my most important priority, if confirmed, will be supporting Secretary Phelan’s most important priority, which is shipbuilding and getting the battle force back to where it needs to be. That’s going to be a full life cycle effort, throughout the entire acquisition and sustainment process, making sure that we are receiving value for dollar from industry, but at the same time, ensuring that we have the right authorities and the right resources deployed to sustain the fleet and make sure that we have the capabilities that our sailors and marines need to deter and, if necessary, win any fight that might come our way.”

    TUBERVILLE: “Thank you.

    Senator Wicker and I like to hear that word ‘shipbuilding,’ don’t we, Senator?”

    WICKER: “Senator Tuberville, I don’t think we could have had a finer answer to that question.”

    TUBERVILLE: “Exactly right.”

    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Pfluger Holds Town Hall in Mertzon

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11)

    Rep. Pfluger Holds Town Hall in Mertzon

    Mertzon, Texas, July 31, 2025

    MERTZON, TX—Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) hosted a community town hall in Mertzon to recognize a local good news story, give an update on the 119th Congress, and take questions from those in attendance.

    During the town hall, Congressman Pfluger recognized the 2025 Senior Rifle Team – consisting of Daniel Crutchfield, James Crutchfield, Arely Reyes, and Payton Rose – who recently placed 9thout of 28 teams at the State 4-H Shooting Sports Match in Victoria, Texas. The 4-H Rifle Team is one of the largest 4-H programs in Irion County, and this was a huge accomplishment for their school.

    “It was an honor to be in Mertzon and recognize Irion County High School’s 2025 Senior Rifle Team for their outstanding achievements at the State 4-H Shooting Sports Match. Our students are the future of America, and it was great having these young and bright individuals represented at the town hall,” said Rep. Pfluger. “Hosting town halls across Texas-11 will always be a top priority of mine because hearing directly from the hardworking men and women who call this district home is essential to my work. Thank you to everyone who came out to listen, ask questions, and provide feedback on how I can better represent you and your families in Congress.”

    Photos from the town hall available for broadcast and distribution can be found HERE, and a few highlighted below.

    Rep. Pfluger pictured with Senior Rifle Team members Daniel Crutchfield, James Crutchfield, Arely Reyes, and Payton Rose

    Rep. Pfluger pictured with members of Irion County High School’s Rifle Team

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK outshines global competitors as Arbitration Act comes into effect

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Press release

    UK outshines global competitors as Arbitration Act comes into effect

    Businesses will benefit from faster and cheaper dispute resolution as major reforms to arbitration law come into effect today.

    • New law comes into force today to strengthen UK’s world-leading status in arbitration
    • Businesses can now settle disputes faster and at less cost
    • Part of Government’s Plan for Change to drive new business straight into £42.6 billion legal sector

    The modernisation of the Arbitration Act is set to boost the UK economy by millions while creating new employment opportunities within the legal sector.   

    The new law will reinforce Britain’s position as the world’s number one destination for arbitration – building on London’s status as the globally preferred location for these services over competitors like Singapore, Hong Kong and Paris.  

    This will attract further investment to the UK’s £42.6 billion legal services economy and create highly-skilled jobs, supporting the sector’s existing 384,000 workforce.  

    Businesses around the world already look to the UK as the gold standard in arbitration, and this new law cements our place as the global jurisdiction of choice – competing globally and keeping British companies on top.   

    As part of our Plan for Change, we will continue to drive new business straight into the UK to boost jobs and support economic growth.

    As the largest legal services market in Europe, international arbitration represents a major growth sector for the UK economy. England and Wales handle at least 5,000 domestic and international arbitrations annually, contributing £2.5 billion in fees alone.  

    From today, arbitrators have the power to dismiss weak cases quickly, preventing businesses from wasting time and money on disputes with no chance of success.   

    The reforms also require arbitrators to declare any potential conflicts of interest upfront, ensuring fairer outcomes for businesses.   

    Courts have gained new powers to better support the arbitration process, while simplified procedures will cut delays and costs for all parties involved.  

    The Arbitration Act received Royal Assent in February and has now been fully implemented. 

    Cristen Bauer, Director of External Affairs, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators 

    As the leading professional body globally for dispute resolvers, we are delighted to see the Arbitration Act 2025 come into force. We commend the Government’s commitment to modernise the Arbitration Act and to engage in a collaborative reform process with stakeholders from across the dispute resolution ecosystem. 

    Ciarb is proud to have contributed to this important reform and stands ready to support the global arbitration community in harnessing the full potential of this new framework. This milestone not only strengthens arbitration in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, but also reinforces global efforts to uphold high standards of fairness, efficiency, and integrity across the profession.

    Updates to this page

    Published 1 August 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Further Modifies the Reciprocal Tariff Rates

    Source: US Whitehouse

    RESTRUCTURING GLOBAL TRADE TO BENEFIT AMERICAN WORKERS: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order modifying the reciprocal tariff rates for certain countries to further address our exploding, annual U.S. goods trade deficits. This decisive action reflects the President’s continued efforts to protect the United States against foreign threats to the national security and economy of the United States by securing fair, balanced, and reciprocal trade relationships to benefit American workers, farmers, and manufacturers and to strengthen the United States’ defense industrial base.

    • On April 2, President Trump announced an additional 10% tariff on all countries, and for countries with which the United States has large trade deficits, he announced higher additional tariffs individualized to each country, effective April 9.
    • A lot has happened since then. For example: 
      • Several countries have agreed to, or are on the verge of agreeing to, meaningful trade deals and security agreements with the United States.
      • Some countries, through negotiations, have offered terms that, in the President’s judgment, do not sufficiently address the national emergency he declared on April 2.
      • Some countries have not negotiated at all with the United States.
    • Based on this additional information and recommendations from senior officials, among other things, the President has determined that it is necessary and appropriate to modify the reciprocal tariff rates for certain countries.
      • Countries listed in Annex I of the Executive Order will be subject to the tariff specified therein.
      • Countries not listed in Annex I will be subject to a 10% tariff.

    STRENGTHENING AMERICA’S POSITION IN THE GLOBAL MARKET: President Trump has reset decades of failed trade policy. Today’s Order underscores President Trump’s commitment to take back America’s economic sovereignty by addressing the many nonreciprocal trade relationships that impact foreign relations, threaten our economic and national security, and disadvantage American workers.

    • President Trump’s bold trade strategy has yielded historic agreements with major trading partners, unlocking unprecedented investments in the United States and expanding market access for American goods. These deals strengthen America’s economic and security positions and create opportunities for American workers, farmers, and businesses.
      • In a massive deal with the European Union, the EU has agreed to purchase $750 billion in U.S. energy and make new investments of $600 billion in the United States, all by 2028, while accepting a 15% tariff rate.
      • Japan has agreed to invest $550 billion in the United States to rebuild and expand core American industries, as well as to further open its own market to U.S. exports, all while paying a baseline 15% tariff rate.
      • The United States-United Kingdom trade deal includes billions of dollars of increased market access for American exports.
      • Additional trade deals with Indonesia, the Philippines, South Korea, Vietnam, and others will protect our industries, open foreign markets, and encourage foreign investment in American industries.
    • These investments position the United States as the world’s premier destination for innovation, manufacturing, and economic growth.
    • President Trump is using tariffs as a necessary and powerful tool to put America First after many years of unsustainable trade deficits that threaten our economy and national security. 
    • President Trump encourages businesses to build and manufacture on American soil: as these countries are aware, they will face no tariff if they decide to build or manufacture products in our country.
      • President Trump has committed that the United States will do everything possible to get approvals quickly, professionally, and routinely to bring back manufacturing jobs for Americans.

    DELIVERING FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE: President Trump’s tariff policies have generated significant investment into the United States, strengthening the U.S. economy while addressing unfair trade practices that have disadvantaged American workers for decades.

    • By imposing tariffs on countries with nonreciprocal trade practices, President Trump is incentivizing manufacturing on American soil and defending our industries.
    • With billions in reshoring investments already announced, President Trump is bringing manufacturing jobs back to America, revitalizing communities, and strengthening supply chains.
    • The Administration will continue to use all available tools to protect our national security, advance our economic interests, and uphold a system of trade based in fairness and reciprocity.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Amends Duties to Address the Flow of Illicit Drugs Across our Northern Border

    Source: US Whitehouse

    ADDRESSING A NATIONAL EMERGENCY: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order increasing the tariff on Canada from 25% to 35%, with the higher tariff set to go into effect on August 1, 2025.

    • Shortly after returning to office, President Trump declared a national emergency under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to address, among other things, the public health crisis caused by fentanyl and illicit drugs flowing across the northern border into the United States.
    • Canada has failed to cooperate in curbing the ongoing flood of fentanyl and other illicit drugs, and it has retaliated against the United States for the President’s actions to address this unusual and extraordinary threat to the United States.
    • In response to Canada’s continued inaction and retaliation, President Trump has found it necessary to increase the tariff on Canada from 25% to 35% to effectively address the existing emergency.
    • Goods qualifying for preferential tariff treatment under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) continue to remain not subject to the IEEPA Canada tariffs.
    • Goods transshipped to evade the 35% tariff will be subject, instead, to a transshipment tariff of 40%.

    COMBATING CANADA’S CONTINUED ROLE IN THE OPIOID CRISIS: Given Canada’s continued failure to arrest traffickers, seize illicit drugs, or coordinate with U.S. law enforcement and Canada’s retaliation against the United States for the President’s actions to address the unusual and extraordinary threat to America, further presidential action is necessary and appropriate to protect American lives and the national security and foreign policy of the United States.

    • Mexican cartels are increasingly operating fentanyl- and nitazene-synthesis labs in Canada. 
    • A recent study highlighted Canada’s heightened domestic production of fentanyl, and its growing footprint within international narcotics distribution.
    • Canada-based drug trafficking organizations maintain robust “super labs,” mostly in rural and dense areas in western Canada, some of which can produce 44 to 66 pounds of fentanyl weekly.
    • Fentanyl seizures at the northern border this fiscal year, with two months remaining, have surpassed total seizures of the past three years combined, underscoring Canada’s escalating role in this crisis.
    • The amount of fentanyl seized at the northern border to date this fiscal year could have killed more than 16 million Americans due to the drug’s potency.
    • Canada’s retaliatory trade measures against the United States further complicate bilateral efforts to address this escalating drug crisis.

    PUTTING AMERICA FIRST: President Trump is keeping his promise to stop the flood of illegal aliens and drugs into the United States.

    • Last November, President Trump promised to “sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff” on their imports “into the United States, and [their] ridiculous Open Borders.”
    • In February, President Trump signed Executive Order 14193 to impose an ad valorem duty rate of 25% on imports from Canada in response to the national emergency.
      • President Trump then provided Canada ample opportunity to curb the dangerous cartel activity and influx of lethal drugs flowing into our country.
    • In March, the President determined that Canada had failed to adequately address the situation and proceeded with the imposition of the 25% tariff.
    • Now, President Trump is taking further action to hold Canada accountable for its continued role in the illicit drug crisis.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Norcross, Stevens, Lawler, Markey Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill to Improve Warehouse Worker Safety

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Donald Norcross (1st District of New Jersey)

    WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Representatives Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Haley Stevens (D-MI), and Mike Lawler (R-NY), along with Senator Edward Markey, introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Warehouse Worker Protection Act. The bill aims to improve safety by requiring companies with large warehouses to disclose quotas to workers and prohibiting quotas that interfere with health and safety.

    The Warehouse Worker Protection Act requires companies to provide written descriptions of quotas workers are subjected to, any disciplinary action that would result from failure to meet the quota, and the existence of any incentive or bonus program associated with each quota and how the quota is monitored. The bill also prohibits companies from establishing quotas that prevent a worker from complying with any meal or rest period or from using bathroom facilities.

    “In 2022, three New Jersey warehouse workers tragically died on the job within weeks of each other, bringing attention to working conditions and injury rates in warehouses. Businesses can keep workers safe and earn a profit, but that’s only possible with more transparency and accountability,” said Congressman Donald Norcross (D-NJ). “As a former electrician, I know firsthand what it’s like to lose a coworker on the job. The Warehouse Worker Protection Act takes necessary steps to ensure everyone can come home from work safely.”

    “Too often, the people powering our supply chains go unseen. Warehouse workers, including thousands across Michigan, are essential to keeping goods moving and our economy strong,” said Congresswoman Haley Stevens (D-MI). “That’s why I’m proud to co-lead the Warehouse Worker Protection Act, a bill that prioritizes worker safety. It establishes fair limits on productivity demands and guarantees access to basic needs like meal and restroom breaks. This legislation is about honoring the hardworking people of Michigan, and beyond, who keep our communities and businesses running every day.”

    “Injury and illness rates in warehouses remain unacceptably high. While progress has been made, far too many warehouse workers are still operating in conditions that are unsafe and unsustainable,” said Congressman Mike Lawler (R-NY). “It’s time to bring greater transparency, accountability, and basic protections to the job site. I’ll continue working across the aisle on policies like the Warehouse Worker Protection Act to ensure our economy works for both employers and the hardworking Americans who keep it running.”

    “Workers deserve to clock in knowing they will return home safe and healthy at the end of their shift. The Warehouse Worker Protection Act would protect the basic health and dignity of workers from corporate bosses who time and again have prioritized unfettered greed and profit over their own people,” said Senator Markey. “I am proudly in solidarity with nearly two million warehouse workers nationwide in the fight to ensure that their rights, safety, and dignity are protected.”

    “Amazon and other abusive warehouse employers are squeezing their workers for every penny of profit, leaving behind tired and broken bodies,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “These corporate criminals are destroying good jobs in an industry that once supported a strong middle class. But one thing stands in their way—that’s the Teamsters Union, along with a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers who understand what’s at stake. It’s time to pass the Warehouse Worker Protection Act and put workers’ safety over corporate profits.”

    The Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General audit found that injury and illness rates in warehouses are consistently high. The report found that in 2021, the injury and illness rate was 5.5 per 100 employees for warehouses, which is more than double the rate across all industries. A recent study also found that more than half of employees at Amazon and Walmart, two of America’s largest private companies, report that their production rate makes it hard for them to use the bathroom at least some of the time.

    The Warehouse Worker Protection Act is endorsed by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the National Employment Law Project, the Athena Coalition, and Oxfam.

    Bill text of the Warehouse Worker Protection Act can be found here. More information on the legislation can be found below:

    Enforcement

    The bill will establish a Fairness and Transparency Board within the Department of Labor to share resources and responsibilities through OSHA and Wage and Hour. It will be comprised of union and employer representatives, health experts, civil rights experts, workplace technology experts, and worker protection experts and will be charged with enforcing the guidance and rules laid out within the legislation.

    Requirements with Respect to Warehouse Quotas

    All workers hired will be given a written description of the following:

    • Each quota the worker is subject to, any disciplinary action that could result from failure to meet each quota, how performance targets for each quota are calculated, the existence of any incentive or bonus program associated with each quota and how the quota is monitored. 
    • Each employer will have to provide updates to these quota systems to each worker no later than 2 days after any change is made.
    • Require workers be notified when employers take an adverse action against them for failing to meet any quota.
    • Employers will have to provide a training and written description for how workers can file a complaint when quota rules are violated.
    • An employer would not be able to take adverse action against a worker for violating any of the prohibited quotas listed above or for the completion of work based solely on the ranking and comparison with other workers. 
    • Employers will be required to maintain work speed records for all workers, written description of all quotas and make them available to workers and the DOL upon request. Workers may request certain pieces of work data up to 3 years after employment has been ended.

    Prohibited Quotas

    Employers will not be able to establish quotas that would:

    • Prevent a worker from complying with any meal or rest period.
    • Prevent a worker from complying with any health or safety provision required by law.
    • Prevent a worker from the use of bathroom facilities, including responsible time to travel to and from said facility. 
    • Set a performance target that measures the output for a worker that is shorter than one workday.
    • Include time for paid or unpaid breaks.
    • Prevent a worker from exercising any right already guaranteed by a collectively bargained agreement.

    First Aid Standard

    • OSHA will be charged with establishing a proposed rule requiring all employers have trained individuals on site ready to administer first aid to workers to reduce delays in medical treatment for workers following injuries.

    ###

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta, Coalition Secure Major Win as Education Department Restores Previously Withheld Funding

    Source: US State of California

    Thursday, July 31, 2025

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today responded to official confirmation that the U.S. Department of Education has released previously withheld education funding to California. Attorney General Bonta co-led a coalition in filing a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s abrupt and unlawful decision to freeze this funding earlier this month. 

    “The Trump Administration has officially reversed course on its blatantly illegal, misguided effort to freeze critical education funds weeks before the school year was set to start,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Let’s be clear: This funding should never have been frozen in the first place – that’s why we filed our lawsuit. We’re glad to see the Administration back down from its illegal effort to withhold these funds, but we can’t lose sight of the long-term damage caused by the President’s campaign of chaos and uncertainty. California will not stop fighting to hold the President and his Administration accountable to the law and to protect our children’s educational future.” 

    BACKGROUND

    On June 30, the Trump Administration abruptly and unlawfully froze funding for six longstanding programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education just weeks before the school year in many parts of California is set to start. For decades, California and other states have used funding under these programs to carry out a broad range of programs and services, including educational programs for migrant children and English learners; programs that promote effective classroom instruction, improve school conditions and the use of technology in the classroom; community learning centers that offer students a broad range of opportunities for academic and extracurricular enrichment; and adult education and workforce development efforts. 

    On July 14, Attorney General Bonta co-led a coalition of 23 attorneys general and two states together in filing a lawsuit and motion for a preliminary injunction, arguing that the freeze violates federal funding statutes and regulations authorizing these critical programs and appropriating funds for them, federal statutes governing the federal budgeting process, and the constitutional separation of powers doctrine and the Presentment Clause.  

    On July 25, the California Department of Education (CDE) received notice from ED that beginning the week of July 28, 2025, ED would begin releasing previously impounded federal funds for the current federal and education fiscal year. Yesterday, CDE received Grant Award Notifications confirming that the entirety of the funds is being released. 

    Attorney General Bonta is committed to defending California’s educational institutions and students against the Trump Administration’s illegal attacks. Attorney General Bonta has filed lawsuits challenging the unlawful termination of grant funding for K-12 teacher preparation programs; the mass firings and dismantling of the Education Department; unlawful conditioning of K-12 education funding; and the discontinuation of school mental health grant funding. He’s also secured other relief for California schools including the funding released this week and $200 million in previously awarded education funding to address the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on schools.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: CLEAR Joins White House and CMS Effort to Power an Interoperable, Secure Digital Health Ecosystem

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, July 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CLEAR (NYSE: YOU), the secure identity platform, is participating in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Health Tech Ecosystem initiative, a nationwide effort to deliver a more connected, patient-centered healthcare system.

    CLEAR was proud to stand alongside government, healthcare, and technology leaders at the White House this week to support the launch of this national collaboration, and to reinforce its role as the trusted, full service Identity Assurance Level 2 (IAL2)/Authenticator Assurance Level 2 (AAL2) identity layer underpinning partner ecosystems across healthcare.

    “CLEAR applauds the Administration’s commitment to accelerating the digital transformation of healthcare and is proud to be a trusted partner in this nationwide effort,” said Caryn Seidman Becker, CEO of CLEAR. “By serving as an IAL2 identity layer in healthcare ecosystems, CLEAR is helping to kill the clipboard, eliminate friction, and give patients control of their medical information in a secure, seamless way. We believe identity is the key to unlocking personalized, efficient, and patient-centered care.”

    At the heart of this CMS-led effort is a push to make health data more accessible, interoperable, and actionable, empowering patients, reducing provider burden, and improving outcomes. CLEAR’s reusable identity platform for healthcare organizations and businesses, CLEAR1, is already enabling this transformation across leading platforms and health systems, including Epic, Surescripts, Wellstar, Community Health Network, University of Miami Health and b.well.

    These partners are leveraging CLEAR1 for use cases such as streamlining patient onboarding and check-in, enhancing workforce security, simplifying access to medical records, and strengthening data protection. Together, these efforts demonstrate how secure, interoperable identity can reduce friction, lower costs, and enable a more connected healthcare experience.

    CLEAR1 is a NIST IAL2/AAL2-compliant identity solution that gives patients and providers a reusable, privacy-centric credential to unlock services across the care journey, whether creating a MyChart account, verifying coverage, or accessing claims data.

    Over 60 companies have signed on to the CMS Health Tech Ecosystem pledge, committing to advance tools that:

    • Help patients manage chronic conditions like diabetes and obesity
    • Use AI assistants to navigate symptoms and schedule care
    • “Kill the clipboard” by digitizing check-in and intake
    • Securely share data across trusted networks using modern identity credentials

    “We are excited that identity services – like CLEAR – are making it possible for patients and providers to use verified, secure identity as part of CMS’s Health Tech Ecosystem,” said Amy Gleason, Acting Administrator for the U.S. DOGE Service and Strategic Advisor to the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. “Checking in at the doctor’s office should be the same as boarding a flight. Patients should be able to scan a QR code to instantly and safely share their identity, insurance and medical history”.

    “Our work with CLEAR has meaningfully improved the speed and reliability of provider identity verification across our network,” said Frank Harvey, CEO of Surescripts. “It’s a powerful example of how focused collaboration can drive real progress. This pledge builds on that momentum—demonstrating how innovators across healthcare are advancing interoperability to reduce administrative burden and refocus clinicians’ time where it matters most: patient care.”

    “Identity is foundational to creating the connected, consumer-first healthcare experience that people expect, and it’s what b.well was built to deliver,” said Kristen Valdes, CEO and Founder of b.well. “Our partnership with CLEAR brings a trusted, IAL2-compliant identity layer into that experience, giving patients and caregivers a seamless, unified way to access and share their health information across providers and platforms.”

    “As part of our pledge to become a CMS Aligned Network, our relationship and planned integration with CLEAR will give us a unique opportunity to bring IAL2 identity verification to providers who are newer to the interoperability space,” said Therasa Bell, President and Founder of Kno2. “That includes nurses, physical therapists, behavioral health providers, dentists, and paramedics, and it will enable them to securely communicate and share patient records across the broader healthcare ecosystem.”

    “Modern identity is the key to enabling safe, secure, and trusted data exchange across healthcare,” said Aneesh Chopra, former Chief Technology Officer of the United States. “CLEAR’s work to deliver IAL2-compliant digital identity helps unlock the promise of interoperability—giving patients and providers the confidence to share information seamlessly and securely.”

    CLEAR1 is already powering many of these functions across CLEAR’s health, financial services, and workforce partners—and stands ready to support the rollout of CMS-Aligned Networks in 2026 and beyond.

    About CLEAR
    CLEAR’s mission is to strengthen security and create frictionless experiences. With over 31 million Members and a growing network of partners across the world, CLEAR’s secure identity platform is transforming the way people live, work, and travel. Whether you are traveling, at the stadium, or on your phone, CLEAR connects you to the things that make you, you – making everyday experiences easier, more secure, and friction-free. CLEAR is committed to privacy done right. Members are always in control of their own information, and we never sell Member data. For more information, visit clearme.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This release may contain statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This includes, without limitation, statements relating to CLEAR’s participation in the CMS Health Tech Ecosystem initiative. Investors are cautioned that any and such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results, developments and events may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including risks associated with the initiative and CLEAR’s participation therein, and those described in the Company’s filings within the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the sections titled “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10- K. The Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained herein.

    CLEAR
    media@clearme.com

    This press release was published by a CLEAR® Verified individual.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Geotab Unveils Advanced Cold Chain Solution with New Hardware and Enhanced Software

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, Aug. 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In Southeast Asia, where up to 90% of food loss occurs during transportation due to poor cold chain infrastructure, tackling waste within the temperature-controlled supply chain is critical. Geotab Inc. (“Geotab”), a global leader in connected vehicle and asset solutions, today announced a significant upgrade to its cold chain solution, featuring new hardware and enhanced software capabilities designed to provide businesses with more visibility, control, and compliance assurance for their temperature-sensitive shipments.

    Geotab’s enhanced cold chain solution addresses the evolving market need – driven by stricter regulations and higher customer expectations – for more comprehensive, simple, and granular temperature monitoring. The relaunch introduces the advanced IOX-COLD (in-cabin) and IOX-COLD RUGGED (IP67-rated for external mounting) hardware devices. These devices offer deeper, direct integration with refrigeration units from major OEMs, simplifying installation, improving data accuracy, and reducing potential points of failure compared to solutions requiring multiple sensors.

    Complementing the new hardware are several changes within the MyGeotab platform to further streamline processes:

    • Near Real-Time Monitoring: Gain an up-to-the-minute view of cargo conditions for proactive decision-making.
    • Multi-Zone Temperature Support: Ensure the integrity of multi-temperature loads with monitoring for each zone directly from the refrigeration unit – often eliminating the need for extra sensors.
    • Advanced Alerts & Remote Commands: Set custom temperature alerts and utilise remote command capabilities (for supported units) to take immediate corrective action.
    • Dynamic Historical Data: Analyse past shipment performance through interactive graphs, grids, and maps to identify trends and optimise logistics.
    • Improved Installation Process: An updated MyInstall tool streamlines the configuration and verification process.

    “The impact of inadequate cold chain management is felt across industries, especially in regions where long distances, fragmented infrastructure and climate extremes challenge food and pharmaceutical logistics,” said David Brown, AVP APAC at Geotab. “Our cold chain solution is designed to give businesses in Asia Pacific the visibility and assurance they need to protect temperature-sensitive goods, streamline compliance, and operate more sustainably. It’s about making smarter, data-driven decisions that improve outcomes every step of the way.”

    The integrated hardware and software solution supports businesses across various sectors, including food and beverage, to mitigate the risks of spoilage, help meet regulatory compliance, protect brand reputation, and gain peace of mind.

    To know more about this, please visit https://www.geotab.com/apac/cold-chain-management/

    About Geotab

    Geotab is a global leader in connected vehicle and asset solutions, helping fleets boost their efficiency and management. We use advanced data analytics and AI to transform fleet performance, safety, and sustainability, reducing costs and driving efficiency. Supported by top data scientists and engineers, we serve over 55,000 customers worldwide, processing 80 billion data points daily from more than 4.7 million vehicle subscriptions. Geotab is trusted by Fortune 500 companies, mid-sized fleets, and the biggest public sector fleets globally, including the US Federal Government. Committed to data security and privacy, we hold FIPS 140-3 and FedRAMP authorisations. Our open platform, network of excellent partners, and Marketplace deliver hundreds of ready-to-go third-party solutions for fleets. This year, we are celebrating 25 years of innovation. Find out more at https://www.geotab.com/apac, and follow us on LinkedIn.

    Media Contact

    Joseph Chung

    josephchung@geotab.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a2428dd4-f3c6-4465-89cc-cb600b854ec2

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: UPDATE: Charges – Aggravated assault – Moulden

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Investigators from Strike Force Lyra have now charged a 28-year-old male in relation to an aggravated assault that occurred in Moulden on Wednesday morning.

    He was served with two domestic violence orders and charged with Reckless endangering serious harm-aggravated, Aggravated assault, and Going armed in public.

    He will appear in Darwin Local Court today. 

    If you or someone you know are experiencing difficulties due to domestic violence, support services are available, including, but not limited to, 1800RESPECT (1800737732) or Lifeline 131 114.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick Demands Accountability After ICE Wrongfully Detains U.S. Citizen

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Florida 20th district))

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) issued the following statement in response to a video documenting the unlawful detention of a U.S. citizen by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Palm Beach County.
     
    “The recent video of a U.S. citizen being wrongfully detained by ICE is deeply alarming and unacceptable. This is not just an immigration issue; it is a human rights crisis unfolding on American soil.
     
    “When even American citizens are not safe from ICE arrests, it is a clear sign that the system is broken. The fear and trauma inflicted on families, immigrant and American alike, is not just a policy failure. It is a moral one.
     
    “I will continue fighting in Congress to protect due process and ensure that no one, regardless of citizenship, is subjected to unlawful detention or abuse at the hands of our government.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall: Keep the Wins Coming

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Senator Marshall Joins Newsmax to Discuss Trump Trade Deals and the MAHA Movement
    Washington – On Thursday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), joined Newsmax to discuss President Trump’s trade deal winning streak, where the Canada trade deal stands following their recent stance on Gaza, and American companies joining the MAHA movement.

    Click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full interview.
    On Trump trade deals:
    “Great to be with you. Are you tired of winning yet? Another big deal in South Korea. We had a $60 billion trade deficit with them last year, so this is going to help close that gap. With 15% tariff coming in on South Korean products. Guess what this tariff is for U.S. products going in there? Well, it’s zero. But more importantly, what they’re going to remove is their non-tariff barriers and allow us to sell more energy in there. Beyond that, as you all mentioned, is that they’re going to invest in America $350 billion. I think part of this will be used on a ship fund. Right now, very few ships are made in America. I have a feeling President Trump is rallying some finances to start building ships in America again.
    On how Canada’s stance on the Israel and Gaza conflict affects a potential trade deal:
    “Look, I think Americans are tired of the killing in Gaza, that Israel needs to end this war one way or another. We need to stop this famine. I would just ask, and Canada is making this really complicated. They’re hamstringing President Trump. And I would ask our friends in Canada, what type of statehood are they talking about? If you look at Palestinians’ past, they’ve been a failed government. They paid no attention to water, to sewers, to schools, to the economics of their country. I’ve been over there, and it’s a disaster right now. Instead, they focused on chaos, on terrorism, so I don’t think that’s a viable solution right now. Again, I think President Trump, if anyone can solve this, I think it’s going to be President Trump. And what Canada is doing there is not very helpful for the cause.”
    On American companies joining the MAHA movement:
    “Yeah, I think they’re more interested in marketing than they are on making America healthy. And my favorite thing to do is to go into a Starbucks and order an iced latte with almond juice in it. I won’t buy Starbucks, it’s too expensive. But for my wife; she deserves it. When I ask them for the almond juice, they say, well, we don’t have any, and I’ll say, ‘look behind the counter,’ there it is. Oh, the almond [milk]. No, it’s almond juice. Look, I think there’s nothing healthier out there than whole milk, as far as strong nutrients as well. I’m not sure what they’re up to here. I appreciate them hopping on the bandwagon. I’m absolutely committed to making America healthy.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall: Jerome ‘Too Late’ Powell

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Senator Marshall Joins the Sean Spicer Show Live
    Washington – On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), joined Sean Spicer on The Sean Spicer Show to discuss the tenure of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, the MAHA movement, and whether the Senate will stay or go for the August recess.

    Click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full interview.
    On the economic growth so far in 2025:
    “What did the first thing I go to is our interest rate, and Jerome ‘Too Late’ Powell, he’s got to be eating a little bit more crow here, in my humble opinion. You know, maybe he should have decreased the interest rate a quarter point a month ago, a quarter point today, and maybe a half point next month. So I think he’s eating a lot of crow.
    “We’re seeing unemployment stay low. We’re seeing inflation down, grocery, [and] gas prices are stabilized… good GDP, and why? You know, this isn’t just happenstance. I’ve never seen an economy and a country’s attitude turnaround in six months like it has. I think a lot of this goes back to rolling back the regulations and really just a re-establishment of law and order and people having faith in this country once again.”
    On whether Jerome Powell should resign or be fired:
    “So I think they’re going to grow louder, but my advice to the President, if he asked for it, is not to fire Jerome Powell. This guy reminds me of a lame duck coach that’s having three losing seasons. I mean, they’re having a horrible season right now, and he should resign.”
    “[If he fires Jerome Powell tomorrow] I will, absolutely, I’ll support the President’s decision. And I think it’s making the play call, right? Someone has to make the play call, and I’d be okay with that. But if Jerome Powell was a man, he should resign. And again, we just have no confidence in him. The economy has no confidence in him. He served his country, in my opinion, not very well. He’s added to the debt. He continues to have an upside-down balance of economic situation there at the Feds as well. I can’t believe that he’s losing money like he has. What they’ve done with quantitative easing is absolutely criminal. It goes back to 2008.”
    On whether the President has the authority to fire Jerome Powell:
    “You’re the political analyst here. I think we have to think about the political side of this as well. I mean, we can get all the lawyers in and all the king’s men in and give us an opinion, but there’s a huge political risk to this. And that’s if I was his advisor, that’s what I’d be talking to him more about. I think it’s one more reason you would go to Jerome Powell, have my chief go to Jerome Powell, and say, here’s the cause. Why don’t you help us all out here and resign and let the country get down the road? Look at just a new chapter, it’s a new day, this is the dawn of a new golden economic era and safety for this country. And it’s best for him to move along and enjoy his retirement.”
    On the trade deficits with the EU:
    “We haven’t sold a cheeseburger in Europe in maybe forever, certainly in this century, right? And we make the best beef in the world. No one can argue that. No one can replicate it. The cattle industry is what’s keeping our ag sector together right now. We’re struggling with our commodities like wheat and sorghum soybeans. So cattle is driving the agriculture industry right now in the state of Kansas. So selling them cheeseburgers is really important.
    “The other issue is ethanol. 40, 50% of our corn crop goes to making ethanol. We have capacity to do more. So selling it to them is a huge, huge opportunity. And remember, if you put the EU together, they’re the number one trade deficit that we have. It kind of caught me off guard, but China’s, I think, is closer to $300 billion and and the EU’s collectively is about $250 billion. So, between these two countries, between the EU and China, is half of our trade deficit.
    “So I think that agriculture is a great opportunity for us to grow back and to shrink that deficit. And want to emphasize all these deals, it’s not necessarily the tariffs that are important to farmers and ranchers. It’s the non-tariff barriers that the EU uses to keep us from selling American beef into that country.”
    On advocating for both farmers and ranchers and the MAHA movement:
    “Yeah, well, Sean, I feel like my whole life, God has prepared me for this moment. To be a fifth-generation ag kid, and spent 25 years in healthcare, managing a diabetic clinic for pregnant women was a big part of my practice. So, I think I’ve been prepared for this particular moment. And being able to have a great relationship with Secretary Kennedy and Secretary Rollins, with the Secretary of Agriculture, and at the same time know what Kansas farmers and ranchers are doing. And we’re doing so many great things already, and sharing that with the MAHA people and helping them to understand that we’re trying to get there.
    “Look, a Kansas farmer doesn’t want to have to use any more fertilizer or pesticide than they have to. They’re very, very expensive. So we’re developing modern regenerative agriculture practices, where we’re decreasing by 90% the drift of those chemicals leaving the field, and we’re using 60% less, again, through precision agriculture, through modern-day technology. So we’re getting there.
    “And I think just what can we do then on the Ag Committee, to help accentuate the positive, to help these early adapters, to spread that love, so to speak, as well. So I’m spending a lot of time educating MAHA on what we’re doing in agriculture, and kind of focusing on soil health. That healthy soil leads to healthy food, leads to healthy people, so motivating farmers to grow that healthy soil.”
    On processed foods and healthier nutrition in America:
    “I think we have a long way to go on what America chooses to eat, and that would be the ultra-processed food. I think that the boogeyman here is the ultra-processed food. I don’t think it. In my humble opinion, I’ve looked at the studies on plant-based seed oil versus fat from animals, and I don’t think that’s the issue. I know that my MAHA people disagree with me. I think it’s that they’re they happen to be using that seed-based oil in ultra-processed food. I think it’s the salt and the sugar that are in the ultra-processed food that’s the actual problem.
    “I think we’ve made huge strides when it comes to these potential toxins. Right now, we only put down most of these pesticides before we plant the seed. So by the time the seeds coming up… there’s minimal around to actually be left in a residue, which is what they call it. And we’re becoming more and more strict on what we’re doing to measure that residue, whether you’re at the a co-op elevator or whether you’re at the milling plant.
    “My sorghum growers especially have adapted these modern practices where they’re using just minimal, minimal, they’re measuring it, they’re proving that indeed, it’s healthy. And you’re concerned about our waters again – 90% less fertilizer is ever leaving the field by modern-day agriculture. So we’re getting there, Sean, but I’m not nearly satisfied…And remember, we’re we’re dads and grandfathers and mothers and grandmothers first. We happen to be farmers, but we want our children to be healthy as well. We certainly you don’t want to go out and misuse these pesticides. You don’t want to be dipping your fingers in it. You don’t want to be breathing it. You need to be using it with the very strictest of techniques.”
    On the FDA approval process of vaccines and doctor-patient relationships:
    “Yeah, Sean, so I don’t have a single answer. Number one is, this is why I think the relationship between the doctor and the patient is sacred. And each person’s an individual. The advice I gave my parents on the COVID-19 shot was different than the advice I gave my children and for their children as well on the COVID shot. Completely, two different risk factor profiles there as well.
    “My big concern here is when vaccines are made, not in the United States. China does knockoffs, and they don’t have the highest safety standards that we do. You know, just recently, I’m going to give you an example, the GLP one drugs. China has been making a knockoff drug, and then they’re sending it to compounders in the United States. And they may not know it’s a knockoff drug, but 14 people have died from using that compounded GLP one this in the past year. Zero people have died from using US-based FDA-approved drugs. So it’s the impurity that scares the death out of me. On the vaccine, the interaction amongst them scares the death out of me.
    “I’ll give you one example. Secretary Kennedy and myself have both said MMR is the best way to prevent measles, but it’s not given until you’re a year of age. It’s been around forever. It’s proven to be safe, and… Measles can actually kill, especially young kids. So my advice is to get the MMR vaccine at age one.
    “On the other hand, the hepatitis vaccine for a two-day-old or one-day-old… who are the risk of people with hepatitis, right? It would be homosexuals and prostitutes, that type of thing… drug abusers, right? That’s who’s at risk for hepatitis. So I don’t see what is there to gain from giving my two-day-old granddaughter the hepatitis vaccine, let their immune system develop a little bit. So the science is not settled. Sean, it’s never settled. And it’s my job as your doctor to keep try to keep up with that and give you the very best advice I can. Sorry, that’s a long answer.”
    On the August recess and President Trump’s nominees:
    “We were elected to do the work of the people. President Trump, 78 million people voted for him, for him to fulfill his mission and his agenda, we need more of these people approved. Look, Chuck Schumer is jamming us right now. He’s doing things that we never did, people that should be easily confirmed by unanimous consent, not take any time up. So if we stay here this August, it’ll be Chuck Schumer’s fault, just like if we end up in some type of financial shutdown in September. This is Chuck Schumer overreacting to AOC and just the psychotic nature right now of the Democrat Party, if that makes sense.
    “So I’m willing to stay. I want to stay, whatever it takes to get these people confirmed; the Senate needs to do its job. Yes, I want to go home, see family, go out and do our town halls, all those types of things I want to do, but my number one mission right now – got The Big Beautiful Bill done – my number one mission right now is to get these people confirmed.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Budd, Scott, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Stop Federal Government Overreach in Small Business Lending

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) joined Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) in reintroducing the Protecting Access to Credit for Small Businesses Act to protect community banks and credit unions from competing with the federal government. The bill does so by prohibiting a Biden-era rule that allows the Small Business Administration (SBA) to facilitate direct government lending.  

    “Time and again, the federal government has shown it is neither efficient nor effective when it comes to delivering direct loan support to small businesses. Community banks and credit unions, not Washington bureaucrats, understand the needs of the businesses they serve. It’s time we stop sidelining them. I am proud to join Senator Scott and my colleagues to put power back in the hands of local institutions that invest in our communities, rather than forcing them to compete with the federal government,”said Senator Budd.

    “The SBA has a poor track record as a direct lender, especially compared to local banks that know the communities they serve. Allowing the SBA to directly offer loans is not just another example of government overreach, it would also hurt Main Street by creating unnecessary competition with community banks and credit unions. The private sector has a much stronger record of managing loans effectively, and the last thing we need is big government disrupting a system that local businesses rely on,” said Senator Scott.

    Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), James Risch (R-Idaho), and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) also co-sponsored the legislation.

    The bill has received support from the American Bankers Association, America’s Credit Unions, Bank Policy Institute, Carolinas Credit Union League, Consumer Bankers Association, Independent Community Bankers of America, and South Carolina Bankers Association.

    Read the full bill text HERE.

    BACKGROUND 

    • President Biden’s fiscal year 2025 budget included a proposal that allows the SBA to directly make loans under the 7(a) lending program.
    • The SBA has a history of performing poorly in lending programs compared to the private sector.
      • According to the SBA Office of Inspector’s 2023 report, the government-led COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program had $136 billion in potential fraud (33 percent of total funds disbursed). In contrast, the private-sector-led Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) had $64 billion (8 percent of funds disbursed).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy, Risch introduce bill to protect small firearm businesses from discrimination

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) joined Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and 16 colleagues in introducing the Equal Shot Act, which would prohibit the Small Business Administration (SBA) from discriminating against lawful firearm-related businesses.

    “Big Government officials in Washington should never be able to punish small business owners just because they support the Second Amendment. The Equal Shot Act would protect Louisiana’s firearm businesses from out-of-control bureaucrats trying to pick winners and losers based on politics,” said Kennedy.

    “The Equal Shot Act defends the Second Amendment rights of Idaho’s small business firearm industry and ensures these law-abiding Americans have fair access to resources that will help them thrive,” said Risch.

    The Equal Shot Act ensures that firearm-related businesses are treated the same as any other eligible small business when applying for SBA programs without political or ideological bias. 

    • The bill responds to reports that the SBA, under the Biden administration, used internal policies to deny financial support to lawful firearm-related businesses that help Americans exercise their Second Amendment rights.
    • The bill reinforces that federal agencies must remain neutral and may not withhold access to assistance programs from law-abiding businesses based on their industry.

    Rep. Roger Williams (R-Texas), chairman of the House Committee on Small Business, introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

    “The Equal Shot Act ensures every eligible small business is treated fairly and without political bias. Under the Biden Administration, firearm-related businesses were targeted and singled out by federal agencies and financial institutions simply because of what they represent. These law-abiding job creators should not be punished for supporting the Second Amendment. I want to thank Senator Risch for his support on this important legislation. Every business on Main Street deserves the same opportunity to succeed,” said Williams.

    Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) also cosponsored the bill.

    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Environmental Justice Caucus Co-Chairs Duckworth, Booker, Markey Slam Trump Administration for Plan to Eliminate EPA’s Ability to Protect Public Health from Climate Change

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    July 31, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA)—co-chairs of the U.S. Senate Environmental Justice Caucus—issued the following statement after Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin announced his proposal to rescind the 2009 endangerment finding, a landmark determination that requires the EPA to address greenhouse gas emissions and pollution because of the threat that climate change poses to public health and welfare. By rescinding the endangerment finding, the Trump administration will effectively declaw the EPA, giving big businesses a green light to pollute our air and devastate environmental justice communities.

    “Once again, the Trump Administration is sacrificing our children’s future to protect polluters in the present. Trump and Zeldin are annihilating the key legal foundation that requires our government to act on climate change because it threatens the health of Americans—their repeal of the endangerment finding is ignorant, runs counter to scientific fact and will put lives at risk. Environmental justice communities are particularly threatened by this wrong-headed decision, since they are most exposed to climate impacts and have the fewest resources to protect themselves. The Trump Administration must reverse this decision—it flies in the face of science, the law and our moral responsibility to protect our future.”

    As co-chairs of the Senate Environmental Justice Caucus, Duckworth, Booker and Markey have long pushed to strengthen and defend environmental justice efforts across the country. Earlier this month, the three condemned Republicans’ cuts to environmental justice grants that were included in Donald Trump’s Big, Beautiful Betrayal. Earlier this week, Markey held a press conference outside EPA headquarters to rail against the Trump Administration’s plans to rescind the endangerment finding. In March, Duckworth and Booker condemned the Trump Administration for shutting down all of EPA’s environmental justice offices and slashing over 30 EPA regulations that have helped protect our nation’s public health and the environment for decades.

    In February, Duckworth, Booker and Markey—along with U.S. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE)—urged EPA Administrator Zeldin to reopen the EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights (OEJECR), which Duckworth and Booker led the charge to create. Duckworth, Booker and Markey also helped introduce legislation that would permanently codify the Office of Environmental Justice within the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) in response to Attorney General Bondi’s order eliminating all environmental justice efforts at the DOJ.

    For years, Duckworth and Booker have led the charge pushing for their A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice For All Act—the most comprehensive environmental justice legislation in history—which would help achieve health equity and climate justice for all, particularly in underserved communities and communities of color that have long been disproportionately harmed by environmental injustices and toxic pollutants.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth-Murkowski Bipartisan Bill Passes Committee to Provide Public Health Commissioned Officers With Essential Leave Benefits Enjoyed by All Other Uniformed Services

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    July 31, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Bipartisan legislation introduced by combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC)—and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) that would help expand leave benefits for the devoted health professionals serving in the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) Commissioned Corps passed the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP). Despite being responsible for leading our nation’s emergency response to dangerous public health crises and natural disasters, PHS officers are still the only federal entity—civilian or uniformed—without access to essential leave benefits, including extended parental leave, emergency leave, court appearance leave and rest and recuperation leave. The Senators’ Uniformed Services Leave Parity Act would rectify this issue by ensuring PHS officers have access to the same authorized leave that is available to members of the Armed Services.

    “When disease or disaster threatens our public safety, PHS officers are on the front lines helping keep the American people healthy and out of harm’s way—there’s no reason they shouldn’t have the same leave benefits that officers of the Army, Navy or any of our other uniformed services do,” said Duckworth. “I’m proud that our bipartisan legislation to help right this wrong passed through committee. Now it’s time for the Senate to call a full vote so we can help ensure these devoted health professionals have equal access to the benefits they deserve.”

    “I was pleased to help lead the effort to report the Uniformed Services Leave Parity Act from committee and bring our dedicated PHS officers one step closer to receiving the benefits they deserve,” Senator Murkowski said. “These past oversights must be addressed so that all who serve our nation in times of crisis and disaster are treated equally under federal law.”

    When it comes to leave benefits, the inequity that persists between PHS and the other uniformed services undermines PHS’s ability to recruit and retain qualified professionals that help our nation tackle public health crises like natural disasters, COVID-19 or Ebola. Not only does this inequity compromise the wellbeing of PHS officers, but it also ultimately threatens our nation’s public health emergency preparedness.

    The Uniformed Services Leave Parity Act is endorsed by the Commissioned Officers Association, Military Officers Association of America and Reserved Officers Association.

    Full text of the legislation can be found on the Senator’s website.

    Duckworth has long been a leader in pushing for better benefits and support for members of the armed and uniformed services. Three weeks ago, Duckworth secured her provision to ensure IVF treatment costs are covered on servicemembers’ and military families’ health care plans in the committee-passed Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Last December, Duckworth helped pass the bipartisan Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that gave servicemembers a pay raise and included a Duckworth-led provision to improve access to high-quality medical care for servicemembers and their families in the Indo-Pacific region, among other wins for military families. Duckworth also successfully passed a provision in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) make sure each service is paying its Guard and Reserve members the same monthly incentive pay for maintaining critical skills and taking on hazardous duty as those in the active component. Since this defense bill was signed into law, Duckworth has also pushed to hold DoD accountable for implementing her pay parity provision.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy Introduces Amendment to Prevent Transfer of Gifted Qatari Jet to Trump After His Presidency Ends

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    July 31, 2025

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Thursday introduced an amendment to the FY26 Defense Appropriations bill that would prevent the luxury jet gifted to President Trump by the Qatari government from being transferred to the Trump presidential library after the president leaves office.

    “President Trump has already corrupted our foreign policy by accepting a $400 million luxury jet from a foreign government, and now he’s asking taxpayers to foot a $1 billion bill to refurbish that jet before he takes it with him for his own personal use. It’s so plainly corrupt and Republicans in Congress should join with Democrats to stop it,” Murphy said.

    Text of the amendment is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy Statement on Joint Resolutions of Disapproval on Offensive Weapons Transfers to Netanyahu Government

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    July 31, 2025

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement after voting in support of two Joint Resolutions of Disapproval on offensive weapons transfers to the Netanyahu government:

    “The images of children starving to death as a famine unfolds across Gaza shock anyone with a conscience. The situation is completely untenable, and I believe the United States cannot continue to militarily support the Netanyahu government so long as it is refusing to take the necessary steps to urgently alleviate this crisis.

    “My views on the conduct of this war have been clear for some time, but I understand those who have grappled with the urgency of destroying the threat from the terrorist group that perpetrated the October 7th attacks. I understand that Hamas cares nothing for civilians and often intentionally puts them in harm’s way. And finally, I accept that Israel has a profound responsibility to protect the historic homeland of the Jewish people and, given the deep, long history of persecution and extermination of Jewish peoples, feels the need to use extraordinary means to defend themselves in a region where many would deny their very right to exist.

    “But this is a moment where no one—even the most ardent supporters of Israel’s fight against Hamas—can close their eyes. One can support Israel’s right to exist and defend itself while also drawing a line in the sand that starvation can never be used as a weapon of war. Hamas’ lack of humanity cannot become an excuse to allow thousands of children—who play no role in this conflict—to die of hunger.

    “Israel must take immediate action to allow massive amounts of food, water, fuel, and medication to surge into Gaza. Organizations like the UN, the World Food Programme, and their humanitarian partners have proven their capability to deliver aid to Palestinians in need, without diversion to Hamas, but they need full cooperation from the Israeli and U.S. authorities. There are no excuses remaining—the Trump administration must demand action now, before thousands more are needlessly condemned to die.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: British steelmakers regain access to EU market

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    British steelmakers regain access to EU market

    British steelmakers regain access to EU market

    • UK steel producers to regain tariff-free access to the EU market for key steel products from today [1 August].
    • Cuts costs and gives UK steel producers more certainty when exporting to the EU — one of our largest trading partners.
    • Delivers on a UK-EU Summit commitment and reinforces the Government’s Plan for Change to rebuild Britain’s industrial strength.

    British steelmakers stand to make millions extra a year as the EU gets rid of its steel tariffs today [Friday 1 August] – a direct win from the Prime Minister’s EU deal signed back in May.

    This means UK steelmakers will be able to export more steel used for large building projects – like support beams – to the EU tariff-free, supporting the UK’s wider economic growth ambitions and helping deliver on the Plan for Change.

    This follows the decision to take control of British Steel following years of mismanagement – a decision which saved thousands of jobs and secured Britain’s place as a steelmaker. This builds on the significant support that this pro-steel Government has already delivered — from our £500 million investment in Tata’s green steel transition and our deal with the US to reduce tariffs on UK steel.

    The UK steel sector supports around 40,000 jobs across 1,145 firms, with a further 61,000 jobs in related industries that supply materials and services to steel producers. These changes will enable UK steelmakers to once again export goods worth several millions of pounds annually to the EU, strengthening vital revenue streams for UK businesses.

    Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds said:

    This is yet another positive step forward for the UK steel sector and a clear example of our Plan for Change in action — removing barriers, supporting jobs, and backing British industry.

    Restoring our steel quota helps give producers the certainty they need to compete, grow, and maintain vital export relationships.

    This builds on the significant support that this pro-steel Government has already delivered — from our £500 million investment in Tata’s green steel transition, to action to safeguard jobs at British Steel in Scunthorpe, and our deal with the US to reduce tariffs on UK steel.

    The restored quota will re-establish historic trade flows between the UK and the EU, easing the administrative and financial burdens that have affected steel exporters. It will also provide much-needed certainty for UK steel operating in an increasingly volatile global market. Crucially, this change will help safeguard skilled jobs across the country and preserve long-standing supply chains with EU customers.

    The country-specific quota allows the UK to export a certain amount of steel to the EU without paying an extra tariff, helping maintain fair trade and avoid sudden surges in imports. We can now export up to 27,000 tonnes of steel to the EU each quarter — that’s roughly a football stadium’s worth of steel every year.

    This follows complex negotiations and demonstrates the UK Government’s ability to secure practical wins for domestic industry. It builds on a series of recent measures delivered under the Plan for Change, including a £500 million investment in greener steelmaking at Port Talbot, targeted action to reduce electricity costs and strengthen procurement rules. These steps have been complemented by enhanced trade defences designed to protect jobs and support long-term competitiveness in the sector.

    EU Relations Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds said:

    We have worked constructively with the EU to deliver in our national interest and achieved a bespoke agreement to help secure jobs in steel across Britain.

    Today’s news that the EU is slashing tariffs on British Steel shows our approach is working and is another win for UK PLC.

    Gareth Stace UK Steel said:

    The restoration of the country specific quota is excellent news for UK steel companies which have been plagued by problems shipping category 17 products into the European Union.

    The quota will restore historic trade flows and is good news for both UK steelmakers and their EU customers.

    British Steel Chief Commercial Officer (interim) Lisa Coulson said:

    The removal of EU tariffs on British-made steel is a significant boost to our business.

    The EU is an important market to us, particularly for the products our highly skilled colleagues manufacture in Scunthorpe, Teesside, and Skinningrove.

    We are delighted we will be able to provide the high-quality products our loyal and supportive EU customers require tariff-free and thank the UK Government for delivering this agreement.

    We now look to the future with even greater optimism as we focus on building stronger futures for our customers.

    This announcement reinforces the Government’s commitment to fair, open, and stable trade in key sectors — with steel being a clear example of strengthened UK-EU cooperation delivering results for British industry.

    Notes to editors:

    • The European Commission’s decision restores the UK’s Country Specific Quota (CSQ) for Category 17 steel products from 1 August 2025.
    • The UK steel industry employs thousands of people in key manufacturing regions and supports critical supply chains in construction, automotive, and defence.
    • The UK Government will publish a comprehensive Steel Strategy later this year to support long-term competitiveness and sustainability in the sector.

    Updates to this page

    Published 1 August 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –