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  • MIL-OSI Australia: Investing in early intervention to address violence against women and children

    Source: Ministers for Social Services

    The Albanese Labor Government has announced additional funding for three early intervention support services for men, including those who perpetrate or experience family and domestic violence.

    No to Violence will receive an additional $1.89 million from 2024-25 to 2025-26 for the Men’s Referral Service and the Brief Intervention Service, and Lifeline Australia will receive an additional $800,000 in 2024-25 for MensLine Australia.

    Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth said this funding supports the early intervention goals of the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032.

    Since 2022, our Government has invested $4 billion across 113 initiatives and actions supporting the goals of the National Plan.

    “We know with increased awareness and media reporting on family, domestic and sexual violence, more people are reaching out to these helplines. This is a good thing,” Minister Rishworth said.

    “Particularly with our campaigns like Stop it at the Start and Consent Can’t Wait fostering understanding of what family, domestic and sexual violence is and how it starts, early intervention services are assisting more men across the country.

    “Since 2022, the Government has invested over $400 million in early intervention, as a crucial component in enacting our goal of ending violence against women in one generation.”

    Assistant Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence, Justine Elliot, said the Government knows how important it is to intervene early in order to break the cycle of violence.

    “Our government is proud to deliver an almost $2.7 million funding boost for these vital early intervention services,” Assistant Minister Elliot said.

    “These national programs importantly engage with men early to stop violence from escalating and protect victim-survivors from immediate and long-term harm.”

    The Men’s Referral Service provides a 24/7 counselling, information and referral service for men who use violence, their friends, family and colleagues, and professionals working with these men.

    The Brief Intervention Service provides multi-session telephone-based counselling and referral options to assist men who have used violence to get further support.

    MensLine Australia is a free 24/7 national service that provides early intervention support for men with concerns about mental health, anger management, addiction, relationships, stress, wellbeing, and their use or experience of family and domestic violence.

    More information on the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032 is available on the Department of Social Services website.

    If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, domestic, family, or sexual violence, call 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au for online chat and video call services.

    If you are concerned about your behaviour or use of violence, you can contact the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491 or visit www.ntv.org.au

    Feeling worried or no good? Connect with 13YARN Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporters on 13 92 76, available 24/7 from any mobile or pay phone, or visit www.13yarn.org.au No shame, no judgement, safe place to yarn.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Polis and CEO Executive Director Toor Release Statement on Colorado Joining Updated Filing in Federal Funding Freeze Lawsuit

    Source: US State of Colorado

    Statewide – Today, the State of Colorado, along with 22 other states and the District of Columbia, filed a Motion for Preliminary Injunction to require federal agencies to release funds that were withheld based on instructions from the Office of Management and Budget and related Executive Orders. In support of these efforts, the Colorado Energy Office submitted a declaration outlining the impacts that this funding freeze has had on energy programs that increase the security and resilience of our grid, help Coloradans save money on energy, and reduce pollution. 

    Despite the Temporary Restraining Order that has been in place since Jan. 31, as of Friday, Feb. 7, the Colorado Energy Office is still unable to access the vast majority of funds contracted to it. Colorado, along with the other states and District of Columbia, also filed a Request for Emergency Relief to Enforce Temporary Restraining Order. 

    “The President’s sloppy federal funding freeze is hurting businesses and jobs, impacting home heating assistance in the dead of winter, and is unlawful. The new administration should follow the law, and focus on saving people money rather than causing pain and confusion,” said Governor Jared Polis. 

    Colorado Energy Office Executive Director Will Toor made the following statement in conjunction with the filing: 

    “Our declaration makes it clear: This illegal freeze on funding is already having a negative impact on Coloradans. The federal government has signed contracts granting more than $500 million to Colorado through the IRA and the IIJA and, by not meeting these contractual obligations, the federal government is inflicting real harm on our state. Work like our Weatherization Assistance Program, the Solar For All program, and home energy rebates help residents save money on their energy bills. Other investments, such as work on grid resilience and security, make our electricity grid safer and more reliable, while also helping prevent wildfires. 

    The businesses, local governments, and non-profits that the Colorado Energy Office partners with have continued to do their work to fulfill their contractual obligations to insulate homes, harden grids, and install energy-saving devices in buildings. But through these unprecedented Executive Orders, the Trump Administration is denying them prompt reimbursement for their expenses, which puts them at risk to be unable to make payroll, cover their rent, and compensate their own suppliers. 

    We will not stop working to fulfill our mission of advancing clean, affordable energy for all Coloradans. With this litigation, we are ensuring that the federal government meets its obligations as part of this effort.” 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Colleagues Condemn the Use of U.S. Military Assets or Personnel to Take Over Gaza

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

    February 07, 2025

    Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Peter Welch (D-VT) today unveiled a resolution affirming that the Palestinian people have the right to self-determination and to express the sense of the Senate that the United States shall not deploy U.S. military assets or personnel to Gaza.

    The resolution rebuts Donald Trump’s declared support for forcibly displacing millions of Palestinians. Trump did not rule out using U.S. military force to take over Gaza.

    “Donald Trump’s demented call for ethnic cleansing is cruel even by his debased standards,” Wyden said. “Trump’s latest pronouncement would threaten the security of Americans and all people in the Middle East by inspiring fresh legions of terrorists. I continue to support a two-state solution as the best opportunity for peace, and I vehemently oppose the deployment of U.S. troops that this twisted and dangerous scheme would require.”

    “Gaza is home to Palestinians. The U.S. cannot take it away and must not support displacing Palestinians from their land,” said Kaine. “The lessons of the last 25 years demonstrate that U.S. efforts to nation build in the region are doomed to failure. I’m introducing this resolution with my colleagues to send a clear message: now is the time to support the hope of Israelis and Palestinians living peacefully side by side—not to drag our servicemembers into another endless war in the Middle East.”

    “Any proposal that the United States should take control of Gaza is outrageous,” said Durbin. “We must continue to push for a renewed focus on the future: long-term security for Israel, rebuilding Gaza, a reformed Palestinian Authority, and a two-state solution. The United States has a responsibility to push towards finding a solution that allows Israeli and Palestinian children to once and for all live together in peace and dignity. For the safety and security of our American troops, Congress must continue to push back against the President.”

    “My north star has always been a two-state solution where Israelis and Palestinians can live together in peace and dignity,” said Warnock. “I will always support Israel, but I’m deeply disturbed by President Trump’s opposition to a two-state solution, especially the potential involvement of American troops in the Gaza Strip.”

    “The creation of a Palestinian state has been long-standing U.S. policy supported by presidents of both parties. President Trump’s proposal that the U.S. should ‘take over’ control of Gaza is not only dangerous—it would violate international law. There won’t be lasting peace in the Middle East until Palestinians have equal measures of dignity, safety, and sovereignty, alongside Israel,” said Welch. “Our resolution reaffirms the path to peace and the Palestinian people’s irrefutable right to self-determination.”

    Full text of the resolution is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Merkley Launch Probe into DOGE’s Interference with Department of Education, Access to Federal Student Loan Data

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

    February 07, 2025

    Musk’s Team May Have Obtained Access to Personal Information of Millions of Borrowers; Raises Concerns About Violations of the Law, Failure to Protect Sensitive Information

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today demanded an investigation into recent reports that Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)  staffers have gained access to federal student loan data, which includes personal information for millions of borrowers.

    In a letter to Acting U.S. Education Department Secretary Denise Carter from Wyden, Merkley and 14 senate colleagues, they wrote, “This deeply troubling report raises questions about potential exposures of Americans’ private data, the abuse of this data by the Trump Administration, and whether officials who have access to the data may have violated the law or the federal government’s procedures for handling sensitive information.” 

    There are more than 40 million federal student loan borrowers in the United States. And the Education Department’s student loan database contains millions of borrowers’ highly sensitive information, including Social Security numbers, marital status, and income data. 

    According to public reporting, “a handful of 19-to-24-year-old engineers linked to Musk’s companies, with unclear titles, could be bypassing regular security protocols” during DOGE’s infiltration of federal agencies. The senators also raised concerns that the access provided to DOGE-affiliated staff by the Department may violate the Privacy Act, which generally prohibits the disclosure of such information.

    “We are especially troubled by this reporting given President Trump’s stated pledge to abolish the Department,” concluded the lawmakers, adding that the millions of families who rely on the department “to help them achieve the American Dream deserve answers about reports that an unelected billionaire and his team now have access to some of their most sensitive personal information.”

    Additional reporting suggests that DOGE has “fed sensitive data from across the Education Department into artificial intelligence software” in order to target programs or areas to cut off federal spending The 16 senators demanded answers from Carter about DOGE’s access to federal student loan data and any other sensitive databases by February 13, 2025.

    Wyden and Merkley signed the letter led by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), alongside additional signers Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.). 

    The letter is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Merkley, Murray, King, Heinrich Sound the Alarm Over National Parks Staffing Shortages Due to Trump’s Hiring Freeze

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Energy and Natural Resources National Parks Subcommittee Ranking Member Senator Angus King (I-ME), and Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Martin Heinrich (D-NM) urged newly confirmed U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to immediately take action to resolve looming staffing shortages at the National Park Service.

    The letter follows President Trump’s hiring freeze, his cancellation of thousands of job offers for seasonal National Park Service employees, and his buyout offers made without clear legal authority. These actions pave the way for a damaging loss of staff at national parks across the nation in the coming summer months and beyond.

    “Without seasonal staff during this peak season, visitor centers may close, bathrooms will be filthy, campgrounds may close, guided tours will be cut back or altogether cancelled, emergency response times will drop, and visitor services like safety advice, trail recommendations, and interpretation will be unavailable,” wrote the Senators.

    “We are also alarmed that the administration’s offer of deferred resignation and voluntary early retirement, made without clear legal authority, as well as open threats about future terminations will lead to a damaging loss of full-time staff at the National Park Service, which is already operating well below prior staffing levels despite significant increases in visitation,” the Senators continued. “As a result of onerous budget caps during the 2010s, the National Park Service lost 15% of its staff while park visitation also increased by 15%. If a significant number of National Park Service employees take one of the offers – or further terminations are made – park staffing will be in chaos.  Not only does this threaten the full suite of visitor services, but could close entire parks altogether.”

    The Senators concluded, “Americans showing up to national parks this summer and for years to come don’t deserve to have their vacations ruined by a completely preventable – and completely irresponsible – staffing shortage. And local economies don’t deserve to have their livelihoods destroyed for political gain. We urge your cooperation in protecting national parks for the enjoyment of everyone by ensuring National Park Service staffing meets the needs of the 433 national park units in all 50 states.”

    In addition to Merkley, Murray, King, and Heinrich, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff (D-GA), John Fetterman (D-PA), Mark Warner (D-VA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), and John Hickenlooper (D-CO).

    Full text of the letter can be found by clicking here and below.

    +++

    Dear Secretary Burgum: 

    We urge you to immediately reissue seasonal employment offers for the National Park Service, officially rescind damaging and short-sighted deferred resignation and early retirement offers, and to instead work to safeguard, grow, and shape the National Park Service workforce to meet the needs of our national parks and their visitors.

    We are alarmed that the National Park Service revoked employment offers for seasonal staff for the upcoming summer season. Incoming seasonal staff – whose work is critical to managing the influx of visitors during the summer “peak season” – had offers in their hands that were yanked away just days after the inauguration.

    National Park Service rangers carry out a wide array of functions critical to protecting natural resources, keeping visitors safe, providing for recreation, and creating an inspiring and educational experience for visitors. National Park units experience a summer surge in visitation that peaks in July, and the Service hires more than 6,000 seasonal employees to manage that extra work. Without seasonal staff during this peak season, visitor centers may close, bathrooms will be filthy, campgrounds may close, guided tours will be cut back or altogether cancelled, emergency response times will drop, and visitor services like safety advice, trail recommendations, and interpretation will be unavailable. 

    We are also alarmed that the administration’s offer of deferred resignation and voluntary early retirement, made without clear legal authority, as well as open threats about future terminations will lead to a damaging loss of full-time staff at the National Park Service, which is already operating well below prior staffing levels despite significant increases in visitation. As a result of onerous budget caps during the 2010s, the National Park Service lost 15% of its staff while park visitation also increased by 15%. If a significant number of National Park Service employees take one of the offers – or further terminations are made – park staffing will be in chaos.  Not only does this threaten the full suite of visitor services, but could close entire parks altogether.

    Gutting staffing at national park units will devastate local “gateway” communities where parks generate significant economic activity – from hotels to restaurants to stores to outfitters. In 2023, an estimated 325 million park visitors spent an estimated $26.4 billion in local gateway regions, supporting an estimated 415,000 jobs and $55.6 billion in total economic output in the national economy.

    Americans showing up to national parks this summer and for years to come don’t deserve to have their vacations ruined by a completely preventable – and completely irresponsible – staffing shortage. And local economies don’t deserve to have their livelihoods destroyed for political gain. We urge your cooperation in protecting national parks for the enjoyment of everyone by ensuring National Park Service staffing meets the needs of the 433 national park units in all 50 states.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Colleagues Demand VA Secretary Collins Defend Veterans’ Private Information from Elon Musk

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined a group of 26 Democratic Senators calling on Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins to take immediate action to secure veterans’ personal information provided by VA or other agencies to Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This letter follows Musk’s takeover of the U.S. Treasury’s payment system, which includes private information of veterans and their families and could jeopardize critical payments veterans rely on.

    In a letter to Collins, Cortez Masto and the Senators demanded the Secretary deny and sever Musk and DOGE’s access to any VA or other government system with information about veterans, and to delete any veterans’ information in their possession: “Among many tasks, the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is entrusted with safeguarding the private and sensitive information of millions of veterans…Veterans risked their lives to defend our country, and they deserve better than to have an unelected billionaire reviewing their medical records, targeting the benefits they have earned, or using their private information for personal gain.”

    The Senators underscored the vast amounts of veterans’ private, sensitive information entrusted to VA, at-risk of being abused by Musk. The Senators also stressed their concerns of Musk and DOGE’s ability to freely access this information with no transparency or accountability mechanisms: “Meanwhile, the President has given unfettered access to federal databases and systems to Mr. Musk, an unelected citizen, and a team of colleagues with no formal documented employment agreement with the U.S. government…We are outraged these unelected, unvetted, and unaccountable individuals now have access to sensitive information that has been heavily secured for decades and by Administrations of both parties.”

    There are millions of veterans’ medical records stored in VA’s computer systems. These confidential records include veterans’ prescriptions, diagnoses, and procedures they have undergone. Access to these medical records could give Musk and DOGE the ability to identify veterans who have received abortions or abortion counseling in the past. The Million Veteran Program, which manages the genomic data of its more than one million veteran participants for authorized research programs, also stores its data in VA data systems. In addition, the U.S. Treasury’s payment system stores private information of veterans, surviving spouses, and their families, including their monthly disability compensation amount, home address, and bank account numbers.

    Calling on VA Secretary Collins to uphold the promises he made to Senators during his confirmation process, the group of Senators concluded: “During your confirmation process, you claimed you would be focused on rooting out corruption and ensuring accountability at VA, and committed to following the laws passed by Congress. We now call on you to respond quickly and comprehensively to these privacy violations by revoking DOGE’s access to VA systems and insisting they permanently remove all VA data collected from their files.”

    The full text of the senators’ can be found here.

    Senator Cortez Masto is a champion for our service members and their families, as well as our veterans. She passed her Brian Neuman Act into law to remove roadblocks for disabled veterans accessing their benefits. She passed the PACT Act to ensure veterans suffering from toxic exposure in the line of duty get the medical care they need and worked across the aisle to get legislation helping veterans exposed to Agent Orange and expanding benefits for women veterans signed into law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto Continues Push to Reauthorize Program Supporting Rural Nevada Counties

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and 18 other Senate colleagues reintroduced bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the U.S. Forest Service’s Secure Rural Schools and Self-Determination Program (SRS) through Fiscal Year 2026. The legislation passed the Senate unanimously last Congress, but did not receive a vote in the House of Representatives.
    The SRS was originally enacted in 2000 to provide critical funding for schools, roads, and other services in rural counties across the country. For the many rural counties in Nevada that contain large amounts of federal land, these SRS payments provide critical funding for schools and infrastructure that would otherwise be paid for by property taxes. In 2023, Nevada counties received $4,975,394.51 in funding from the SRS program.
    “Nevada’s rural communities deserve funding and support, no matter what part of the state they are in,” said Cortez Masto. “Without SRS payments, Nevada’s rural schools would lack needed resources to teach future generations and pay educators, and rural roads and public safety programs could go unfunded. Congress must act quickly to reauthorize this program before our rural communities are left hanging.”
    “Reauthorizing Secure Rural Schools for three years will help counties with large tracts of federal forests meet the needs of residents and visitors,” said National Association of Counties Executive Director Matthew Chase. “Without SRS, counties would face, on average, an 80 percent drop in resources for infrastructure improvement, education programs and forest health projects. Many rural counties and school districts are already making difficult decisions due to a lack of funds. Counties applaud the leadership of Senators Crapo and Wyden and look forward to prompt passage of this vital legislation.”
    The full text of the bill can be found here.
    Senator Cortez Masto is a champion for Nevada’s rural communities, working across the aisle to deliver for families. She is leading legislation to support key tourism and outdoor industries in every corner of Nevada through economic development, and she’s fighting to pass her bipartisan bill to cut red tape for small businesses—including those in rural areas. She also ensured rural Nevada communities have better access to federal funds and services through the Rural Partners Network. In the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, she secured funding for rural schools and over $460 million for broadband. She also made sure the law included her legislation to help rural counties with internet access at local schools and streamline federal broadband funding to improve internet access for rural areas.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Kaine Join Democratic Colleagues in Demanding VA Defend Veterans’ Private Information from Elon Musk’s DOGE

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined Ranking Member of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and 23 of their Senate Democratic colleagues in a letter to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins pushing him to take immediate actions to secure veterans’ personal information provided by the VA or other agencies to Elon Musk and his “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE). This call follows Musk’s takeover of the U.S. Treasury’s payment system, which includes private information of veterans and their families, and reports of DOGE employees accessing VA computer systems at the Department’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.

    There are millions of veterans’ medical records stored in VA’s computer systems. These confidential records include veterans’ prescriptions, diagnoses, and procedures they have undergone. Access to these medical records could give Musk and DOGE the ability to identify veterans who have received abortions or abortion counseling in the past. The Million Veteran Program, which manages the genomic data of its more than one million veteran participants for authorized research programs, also stores its data in VA data systems. In addition, the U.S. Treasury’s payment system stores private information of veterans, surviving spouses, and their families, including their monthly disability compensation amount, home address, and bank account numbers.

    In their letter, the senators demanded the Secretary deny and sever Musk and DOGE’s access to any VA or other government system with information about veterans, and to delete any veterans’ information in their possession writing, “Among many tasks, the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is entrusted with safeguarding the private and sensitive information of millions of veterans…Veterans risked their lives to defend our country, and they deserve better than to have an unelected billionaire reviewing their medical records, targeting the benefits they have earned, or using their private information for personal gain.”

    “Our nation’s veterans have entrusted their health records, including genetic samples, disability data, bank information, and other private information, to VA. The Department also stores sensitive veteran casework, files of whistleblowers who have come forward with concerns about waste, fraud, and abuse, and sensitive investigative files with veteran and federal employee information,” they continued.

    The senators wrote, “Meanwhile, the President has given unfettered access to federal databases and systems to Mr. Musk, an unelected citizen, and a team of colleagues with no formal documented employment agreement with the U.S. government. It is a group of private citizens with no experience in the federal government, who lack proper approval from legal and agency authorities, lack the appropriate security clearances, and lack the requisite background investigations or ethical conflict requirements. We are outraged these unelected, unvetted, and unaccountable individuals now have access to sensitive information that has been heavily secured for decades and by Administrations of both parties.”

    A copy of the letter is available here and below:

    Dear Secretary Collins,

    Among many tasks, the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is entrusted with safeguarding the private and sensitive information of millions of veterans. Today, we call on you to immediately secure any personal and related information regarding veterans provided by VA or other agencies to Elon Musk and associates under the auspices of the “Department of Government Efficiency” established under Executive Order 14158. Further, we call on you to deny and sever their access to any VA or other government system that includes information about veterans, and to require them to immediately and permanently delete any information in their possession. Veterans risked their lives to defend our country, and they deserve better than to have an unelected billionaire reviewing their medical records, targeting the benefits they have earned, or using their private information for personal gain.

     Our nation’s veterans have entrusted their health records, including genetic samples, disability data, bank information, and other private information, to VA. The Department also stores sensitive veteran casework, files of whistleblowers who have come forward with concerns about waste, fraud, and abuse, and sensitive investigative files with veteran and federal employee information. Veterans and VA employees entrusted the Department with this information with the understanding that it would be kept private and only used to help deliver the highest quality of services to veterans, their families, and survivors.

     Meanwhile, the President has given unfettered access to federal databases and systems to Mr. Musk, an unelected citizen, and a team of colleagues with no formal documented employment agreement with the U.S. government. It is a group of private citizens with no experience in the federal government, who lack proper approval from legal and agency authorities, lack the appropriate security clearances, and lack the requisite background investigations or ethical conflict requirements. We are outraged these unelected, unvetted, and unaccountable individuals now have access to sensitive information that has been heavily secured for decades and by Administrations of both parties.

     These actions are in direct violation of federal laws meant to protect our national security and the privacy of our citizens’ personal information. This includes information on Social Security payments, Medicare, Medicaid, student loans, veterans’ disability compensation payments, GI Bill payments, federal civil servants’ personnel records, and much more. With every hour, we see DOGE further expand its efforts to create a massive private database of previously guarded data outside the federal government’s cyber and legal protections. It is an abhorrent and illegal overreach of executive powers, which conflicts with various federal statutes, including the Federal Information Security Modernization Act, the Privacy Act, the E-Government Act of 2002, and likely several other cyber and national security laws.

    During your confirmation process, you claimed you would be focused on rooting out corruption and ensuring accountability at VA, and committed to following the laws passed by Congress. We now call on you to respond quickly and comprehensively to these privacy violations by revoking DOGE’s access to VA systems and insisting they permanently remove all VA data collected from their files.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper, Young, Coons, Cornyn Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Critical Minerals Supply Chains

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Hickenlooper – Colorado
    STRATEGIC Minerals Act would increase U.S. supply of critical minerals essential for energy and national security technologies
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper, Todd Young, Chris Coons, and John Cornyn reintroduced their bipartisan Securing Trade and Resources for Advanced Technology, Economic Growth, and International Commerce (STRATEGIC) Minerals Act to strengthen America’s critical minerals supply chain by expanding trade with international partners.
    This December, China announced that they would immediately block the export of gallium, germanium, and antimony to the U.S. These minerals are essential to the U.S. defense industry, clean energy, and advanced technologies like microchips.
    “Critical minerals are key to our clean energy future and American innovation,” said Hickenlooper. “China currently controls the supply chain for many of these essential resources. Our international allies will help us diversify our critical mineral supply and strengthen our national security.”
    “Our nation depends on critical minerals for everything from consumer goods to defense technologies, and relying on foreign adversaries for these materials is a national security vulnerability we cannot afford,” said Young. “Negotiating more trade agreements specific to critical minerals with trusted partners will help shore up our supply of these resources, protect American interests, and strengthen our national security.”
     “If America is to remain a superpower, we need resilient supply chains for critical minerals— and that means strong relationships with reliable trading partners around the world,” said Coons. “The STRATEGIC Minerals Act will help us achieve that goal, and it’s one more way Congress is doing its part to position the U.S. to produce the technologies that will define the rest of the 21st century.”
    “China dominates the critical minerals supply chain, which leaves America vulnerable to national security risks,” said Cornyn. “By shoring up America’s critical minerals supply chain, this legislation would increase our competitiveness on the world stage, reduce our dependence on foreign adversaries, and foster greater trade with trusted allies.”
    Critical minerals are essential for U.S. technologies including smartphones, electric vehicle batteries, solar panels, and wind turbines. Experts warn that U.S. dependence on China for these critical minerals poses a significant risk to national security. This legislation addresses these challenges by building up domestic processing and establishing a diverse network of trade alliances that protect U.S. critical mineral supply chains.
    Specifically, the Strategic Minerals Act would:
    Authorize the president to negotiate specialized trade agreements for critical minerals
    Set trade negotiation objectives aiming to reduce or eliminate trade barriers with allies
    Prohibit critical minerals negotiations with countries designated as non-market economies unless approved by a joint resolution of Congress
    Require the president to consult with Congress before negotiations, detailing objectives, potential impacts, and ensuring legislative oversight
    Expand U.S. funding access to foreign critical minerals projects by amending the Defense Production Act
    In the 118th Congress, Hickenlooper introduced several bills to bolster U.S. energy independence and support the transition to renewable energy, including:
    Critical Materials Future Act, which seeks to establish a pilot program for the Department of Energy to financially support domestic critical mineral processing projects.
    National Critical Minerals Council Act, which establishes a National Critical Minerals Council to develop and implement a national critical mineral strategy and coordinate our federal investments and research.
    Unearth Innovation Act, which creates a Mining and Mineral Innovation Program within the Department of Energy to drive the responsible production of domestic critical minerals, with a focus on minimizing the environmental impact of mining.
    Global Strategy for Securing Critical Minerals Act, which works to ensure that the U.S., its allies, and global partners can count on a diverse and secure end-to-end supply of critical minerals.
    Enhancing Public-Private Sharing on Manipulative Adversary Practices in Critical Minerals Projects Act, which directs the intelligence community to develop a strategy to improve information sharing with private sector companies regarding foreign adversaries’ attempts to thwart U.S. involvement in critical minerals, energy generation, and storage projects.
    Critical Minerals Security Act which directs the Department of the Interior to evaluate the global supply and ownership of critical minerals and make it easier for the U.S. to establish stable supply chains with international allies.
    Full text of the legislation can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján, Colleagues Raise Concerns About Risks in Delays to Accessing Funding for New Mexico Community Health Centers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M) joined U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and 19 of their colleagues in writing a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Acting Secretary Dorothy A. Fink, M.D. regarding reports that Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grantees, including community health centers, are experiencing significant delays in accessing funding. The senators also expressed concerns about restrictions on regular communications between HRSA and grantees. These issues come after an Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memo that suspended all federal grant and loan funding. The memo has since been rescinded following pressure from the senators, other Democrats in Congress, and the public, but many grantees that rely on federal funding are still experiencing confusion and uncertainty, and have received little to no guidance from the Trump Administration about their funding.

    There are 19 Federally Qualified Health Centers with over 200 locations—a majority of which serve rural areas with limited access to medical care—in New Mexico. Disruption to funding could lead to closures of New Mexico’s community health centers, disrupting access to critical services thousands of New Mexicans rely on. This week, Senator Luján met with leaders from the New Mexico Primary Care Association to discuss ongoing challenges and support for the vital medical care they provide.

    “We are writing to express serious concerns regarding reports that Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grantees, such as Community Health Centers (health centers), continue to experience significant delays in accessing funding to support services, as well as restrictions on regular communications with agency staff as a result of the Trump Administration’s January 20, 2025 executive orders to pause external communication from federal agencies, and subsequent memorandum directing all federal departments and agencies to freeze all financial assistance.” wrote the members.

    The members continued, “While nearly 70 percent of health center revenue comes from payments from Medicaid, Medicare, commercial insurance, and self-pay patients, health centers rely on their regular federal grant funding to meet payroll obligations and keep their doors open. Beginning in late January, health centers started reporting issues accessing the Payment Management System (PMS) – getting “locked out”, being denied funding they had been awarded, and experiencing long delays in funding being released. As a result, health centers across the country are experiencing panic, unsure how to pay their staff and keep their doors open.”

    “Despite a judge’s order blocking the funding freeze, we are troubled by reports that health centers are unable to access funding duly appropriated by Congress through the PMS. To compound this issue, our offices have heard troubling reports that since the Trump Administration’s executive orders and funding freeze, funding that has already been appropriated and directed by Congress is still being restricted, and standing webinars, briefings, and meetings are being cancelled at the last minute,” they wrote. “Health centers are receiving little communication regarding these cancellations and changes, and the communication they have received from HRSA has been unclear, directing actions that may conflict with current court orders.”

    In addition to Senators Luján, Kaine, and Warner, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Chris Coons (D-CT), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Angus King (I-ME), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). The letter is also signed by U.S. Representatives Bobby Scott (D-VA-02), Gerry Connolly (D-VA-11), Don Beyer (D-VA-08), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-04), Eugene Vindman (D-VA-07), Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA-10), and Sarah McBride (D-DE-At-Large).

    The full text of the letter is available here and below.

    Dear Acting Secretary Fink,

    We are writing to express serious concerns regarding reports that Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grantees, such as Community Health Centers (health centers), continue to experience significant delays in accessing funding to support services, as well as restrictions on regular communications with agency staff as a result of the Trump Administration’s January 20, 2025 executive orders to pause external communication from federal agencies, and subsequent memorandum directing all federal departments and agencies to freeze all financial assistance.

    Community Health Centers provide high-quality primary and preventive care, dental care, behavioral health and substance use disorder services, and low-cost prescription drugs to more than 32 million Americans annually, serving one in five rural Americans and one in three people living in poverty. Nationally, more than 1,400 health centers operate over 15,000 service sites across every state and Territory, employing more than 500,000 individuals and generating nearly $85 billion in economic output.

    Despite the critical role health centers play in addressing health inequities, many centers struggle to keep up with the growing demand for services and rising costs to deliver high-quality care in their communities. While nearly 70 percent of health center revenue comes from payments from Medicaid, Medicare, commercial insurance, and self-pay patients, health centers rely on their regular federal grant funding to meet payroll obligations and keep their doors open. Beginning in late January, health centers started reporting issues accessing the Payment Management System (PMS) – getting “locked out”, being denied funding they had been awarded, and experiencing long delays in funding being released. As a result, health centers across the country are experiencing panic, unsure how to pay their staff and keep their doors open. Due to delays in funding, health centers have reported:

    1. “We have put off signing a contract to replace our mammography machine, which has reached end of life, because of this freeze and the uncertainty.”
    2. “I’m also now getting providers asking if they should be looking for a new job. Without any understanding and guidance, I’m pretty limited with how much I can actually assure them to do other than tighten our belts…”
    3. “Any services that are directly funded by federal funds will be placed on hold…”
    4. “We had to use all reserves in 2024. We will not make payroll or any other payments next week without access to this federal funding. Staff will be dismissed without access to federal funds.”
    5. “If everything stays the same…the best guess is that we could be fully operational for six months.”
    6. “We have the ability to sustain current or full operations for 60 days…Outreach and case management staff…would be in the first wave of layoffs. Unfortunately, those positions rely on federal support as they are typically not reimbursable through third-party payors. In a short period of time, this has had a profound impact on our staff. [Staff are] concerned that we will lose valuable staff members as they are concerned about the stability of the organization.”
    7. “We will step back on hiring and likely implement hiring pause unless this is resolved quickly.”
    8. “We have enough in reserve to cover two payroll periods.”
    9. “The pause in grant funding would create a deficit for us…We would likely need to start reducing staff and healthcare services to the…patients we serve…within the next couple of weeks if the freeze persists.”

    As safety net providers operating on razor-thin margins, health centers need certainty to provide care in underserved communities. In Virginia alone, ongoing delays in accessing funding have caused health centers to close their doors and cancel patient appointments. When health centers close, people with chronic conditions miss appointments, pregnant women miss prenatal visits, and behavioral health services are interrupted, worsening outcomes and increasing costs to the entire health care system.

    Despite a judge’s order blocking the funding freeze, we are troubled by reports that health centers are unable to access funding duly appropriated by Congress through the PMS. To compound this issue, our offices have heard troubling reports that since the Trump Administration’s executive orders and funding freeze, funding that has already been appropriated and directed by Congress is still being restricted, and standing webinars, briefings, and meetings are being cancelled at the last minute. Health centers are receiving little communication regarding these cancellations and changes, and the communication they have received from HRSA has been unclear, directing actions that may conflict with current court orders.

    We request that you provide answers to the following questions in writing no later than Wednesday, February 12, 2025.

    1. How many health centers have draw-down requests pending in the PMS?
      1. How has that number changed, daily, since January 27, 2025?
      2. What is the average wait time from submission of a draw-down request to disbursement of funds prior to January 27, 2025 and after January 27, 2025?
    2. How many health center draw-down requests have been denied since January 27, 2025?
      1. What is the rationale for these denials?
    3. What is the exact timeline for ensuring the PMS is fully operational and disbursing all pending health center draw-down requests?
    4. What specific authority and under which executive action did HRSA or the Department of Health and Human Services use to restrict health center access to the PMS and funding that they had been previously awarded?
    5. Please provide a list of regular standing calls or meetings between HRSA staff and HRSA grantees that have been cancelled since January 20, 2025. Please include the following:
      1. A description of the grantees impacted, including the type of grantees and number of grantees.
      2. Whether funds appropriated by Congress for the purpose of the grant are being withheld from being awarded to the grantees.
    6. Please provide a list of webinars, briefings, information sessions, and trainings that have been cancelled since January 20, 2025. Please include the following:
      1. A description of the purpose of each webinar, briefing, information session, or training.
      2. Whether or not the webinar, briefing, information session, or training is required by statute and if so, provide the corresponding citation.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Exemption From Exchange Act Rule 13f-2 and Related Form SHO

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    The Securities and Exchange Commission today provided a temporary exemption from compliance with Rule 13f-2 under the Securities Exchange Act and from reporting on Form SHO. As a result of the exemption, filings on initial Form SHO reports from institutional investment managers that meet or exceed certain specified thresholds will be due by Feb. 17, 2026, for the January 2026 reporting period. The effective date for Rule 13f-2 and Form SHO was Jan. 2, 2024, and the compliance date for such rule and form was Jan. 2, 2025, with initial Form SHO filings originally due by Feb. 14, 2025. 

    Rule 13f-2 requires institutional investment managers that meet or exceed certain specified thresholds to file Form SHO with the Commission within 14 calendar days after the end of each calendar month with regard to certain equity securities via the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval System (EDGAR). The Commission will publish, on an aggregated basis, certain information regarding each equity security reported by institutional investment managers on Form SHO and filed with the Commission via EDGAR.

    “It is important that data collected by the Commission is accurate, complete, and helpful to the market,” said SEC Acting Chairman Mark Uyeda. “This exemption gives filers more time to implement the technical updates required for compliance according to standards that were released only on Dec. 16, 2024, immediately prior to the holidays. Regardless of this exemption, abusive naked short selling as part of a manipulative scheme remains unlawful, and the Commission will use its regulatory tools to combat such illegal activity.”

    This exemption will provide industry participants sufficient time to work with Commission staff to address any outstanding operational and compliance questions. This exemption will also provide filers sufficient time to complete implementation of system builds and testing. 

    Transparency is essential to well-functioning markets. And the Commission has stated the importance of providing more disclosure about short selling. It is also important to enhance the accuracy of the short sale-related data that would ultimately be provided to investors by giving institutional investment managers additional time.

    Rule 13f-2 and Form SHO reporting will enhance the transparency of other available short sale-related information. Currently, several self-regulatory organizations (SROs) are providing on their websites daily aggregate short selling volume information for individual equity securities. The SROs are also providing website disclosure on a one-month delayed basis of information regarding individual short sale transactions in all exchange-listed equity securities. Hyperlinks to short sale data provided by specific SROs are available. Further, the SROs are also publishing monthly statistics on short interest in securities that trade on their markets.

    Additionally, the Commission publishes on its website failures to deliver data for all equity securities, regardless of the fails level, twice per month.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Ecuador’s tough on crime approach is popular, but major challenges remain

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Robert Muggah, Richard von Weizsäcker Fellow na Bosch Academy e Co-fundador, Instituto Igarapé

    Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa moved quickly to impose the rule of law immediately after his surprise election victory in 2023. In the short-term, the results of the country’s youngest ever leader were impressive, including a reported 18% decline in murder in 2024. The president’s administration also reportedly increased drug seizures by over 30% – up from 188 tons in 2023 to 250 tons last year. Despite what some observers describe as a year of chaos, this has made him popular among many Ecuadorians.

    A central thrust of the president’s tough-on-crime strategy involves the imposition of states of emergency and the consolidation of security institutions under his control. Launched in early January 2024, the so-called Bloque de Seguridad strategy integrates the police, armed forces and ministries of interior and national defence. Prisons have also been declared “security zones” and are firmly under the control of the police and military. The president promises to do more of the same if he is re-elected on Feb. 9, 2025.

    The risks of militarized security

    While the militarization of public security has helped reduce sky-high homicide rates, this is only part of the story. Incidents of extortion and kidnapping actually increased last year, suggesting that far from being dismantled, several criminal organizations may be changing their tactics. The head of the national agency responsible for fighting violent crime, DINASED, claims that criminal groups are diversifying into new illicit economies in order to survive.

    One of the limitations of the Ecuadorian government’s response to organized crime is the absence of preventive measures to keep young people from joining criminal groups in the first place. While there is ample support to crack down on criminals, there is appetite for social, educational, and economic initiatives to encourage at-risk to avoid crime altogether. If there is any home of weakening the structures and networks of crime in the longer-term, more comprehensive strategies are needed.

    Another concern is that militarized security responses could give rise to new armed groups, including paramilitaries. While there is still limited evidence of paramilitary activity in Ecuador, the risk is real. Afterall, there is a tradition of so-called “autodefense” and “militia” across the Americas. Meanwhile, researchers have documented over 160 “criminal sanctuaries” (especially in the country’s Guayas and Esmeraldas provinces) where local gangs offer protection in return for “law and order”.

    A related worry among analysts is that harsh crackdown on criminal groups while improving some aspects of public security, may unintentionally contribute to structural transformation of the organized crime landscape. In Ecuador, as in other parts of Latin America, the risks appear to be particularly acute within the prison system itself. Indeed, over the past five years, criminal groups embedded in the penitentiary system have expanded operations nationwide.

    As in countries like Colombia and Mexico, Ecuador’s criminal networks are using violence to coerce and corrupt local politicians. In some cases, crime groups force local authorities to pay them in return for “protection”. Over time this degrades the latter’s authority and legitimacy and entrenches a kind of criminal governance. The so-called “Metastasis scandal” is revealing. Last year, Ecuador’s Attorney General accused 13 people, including politicians and prosecutors, of being involved in the largest case of corruption and drug trafficking in the country’s history.

    Despite repeated police and military interventions to assert control over Ecuador’s penitentiaries, there are still signs of lively criminal economies within the prison walls. Some of these appear to persist on account of involvement of corrupt police and prison guards officials. And even as the Noboa administration cracks down on criminal entities such as Los Choneros, Los Lobos and Los Tiguerones, their fragmentation has resulted in hyper-violent internal power struggles.

    Resorting to states of emergency

    While controversial, the Ecuadorian authorities have issued roughly half a dozen states of emergency since 2022. Some of these are restricted to specific provinces where crime “hotspots” persist. Ecuador’s Constitutional Court recently curbed Noboa’s emergency decrees, citing lack of justification for “internal armed conflict” and unconstitutional restrictions on rights. These rulings likewise stressed the need for lawful security measures rather than resorting to emergency decrees.

    Ecuador was under a state of emergency for more than 250 days in 2024. The latest state of emergency, issued in January this year, grants broad powers to security forces and calls for the deployment of the national police and armed forces into affected areas and prisons. It also permits inspections, searches, and seizures without a warrant, curbs privacy controls and facilitates arbitrary surveillance. Curfews between 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. are enforced in over 22 municipalities.

    Not surprisingly, human rights groups have sounded the alarm, linking the government’s hardline approach to violations of civil liberties on the street and in prisons. Social movements in Guayaquil and towns along the coast have carried-out protests, even as criminal violence escalates. Working in highly insecure conditions, rights activists and defenders continue to mobilize, though public support for Noboa’s law and order approach remains high.

    The enduring appeal of ‘mano dura’ in the Americas

    The spread and influence of transnational organized crime is generating complex challenges across Latin America. On the one hand, it is contributing to rising violence in countries with historically low homicide rates including Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Peru. On the other hand, it is generating rising insecurity in countries that are experiencing stable or declining homicide rates such as Brazil, Colombia, Panama and across Central America and the Caribbean.

    The hyper-aggressive response of certain governments to organized crime is getting considerable attention. The approach adopted by Nayib Bukele in El Salvador since 2022 is widely admired, including by officials in the new Trump administration in the U.S. Similar approaches were also put in place in neighboring Honduras as well as by Noboa in Ecuador. As admiration of Bukele grows, so to the attraction to so-called “mano dura” – or “iron fist” – measures across the region, including the imposition of states of emergency.

    Ecuador’s states of emergency are already generating reverberations across South America. On the one hand, they are being watched closely by political authorities in neighboring countries: if they are seen to be effective, then they will likely be emulated. On the other hand, they are also being monitored by civil society and human rights activists who are deeply concerned that such approaches may be emulated in ways that undermine basic freedoms and liberties.

    There are other practical ways in which Ecuador’s states of emergency are generating regional impacts. The fragmentation of criminal organizations means that some are relocating to areas far from state control, including near frontiers and neighboring countries. This could lead to so-called “contagion”, “displacement” or “balloon” effects, including across international borders. This could lead to a surge in criminal economies, as well as other externalities such as population displacement and migration.

    Ecuador’s next president must adopt a comprehensive approach to tackling organized crime. Disrupting the country’s 22 criminal groups will require cooperation with international partners to take-on the Colombian, Mexican, and Albanian drug trafficking and money laundering networks that back them. It will also involve reversing the infiltration of criminal networks into politics, many of which are corrupting politicians, prosecutors, police and prison guards. Preventive measures targeting impacted communities and poorly managed prisons are likewise essential if Ecuador stands a chance of changing course.

    Os autores não prestam consultoria, trabalham, possuem ações ou recebem financiamento de qualquer empresa ou organização que se beneficiaria deste artigo e não revelaram qualquer vínculo relevante além de seus cargos acadêmicos.

    – ref. Ecuador’s tough on crime approach is popular, but major challenges remain – https://theconversation.com/ecuadors-tough-on-crime-approach-is-popular-but-major-challenges-remain-249441

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Video: President Trump Greets the Prime Minister of Japan

    Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)

    The White House

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ygz0xGUYvo

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: President Trump Hosts a Bilateral Meeting with the Prime Minister of Japan

    Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)

    The White House

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVYTmxCVNXI

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Serious crash, Great South Road, Manurewa

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Northbound lanes of Great South Road at Manurewa are blocked following a serious crash involving a motorcycle.

    Emergency services were called to the scene, near Mahia Road, about 11.20am. The rider of the bike received critical injuries.

    The Serious Crash Unit will be carrying out a scene examination and traffic management is in place.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: California Department of Justice Releases Report on Officer-Involved Shooting of Marcos Maldonado

    Source: US State of California

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta, pursuant to Assembly Bill 1506 (AB 1506), today released a report on Marcos Maldonado’s death from an officer-involved shooting in Los Angeles, California, on July 27, 2022. The incident involved officers from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). The report is part of the California Department of Justice’s (DOJ) ongoing efforts to provide transparency and accountability in law enforcement practices. The report provides a detailed analysis of the incident and outlines DOJ’s findings. After a thorough investigation, DOJ concluded that criminal charges were not appropriate in this case. 

    “The loss of life is always heartbreaking,” said Attorney General Bonta. “We recognize the considerable challenges and difficulties faced by all those impacted, including Mr. Maldonado’s family, the law enforcement agencies involved, and the community at large. The California Department of Justice is dedicated to collaborating with all law enforcement entities to maintain a legal system that is fair, transparent, and accountable to every Californian.”

    On July 27, 2022, LAPD Officers answered a call for service regarding reports that there was a man with a gun walking down the street. They found the man, who was later identified as Marcos Maldonado, and saw that he was holding what appeared to be a gun. They ordered Mr. Maldonado to drop the gun, but he did not comply. After a short period of time, Mr. Maldonado pointed the gun at the officers. When he did so, they fired their own guns, killing Mr. Maldonado. The gun pointed by Mr. Maldonado at law enforcement was later determined to be a replica airsoft handgun.

    Under AB 1506, which requires DOJ to investigate all incidents of officer-involved shootings resulting in the death of an unarmed civilian in the state, DOJ conducted a thorough investigation into this incident and concluded that there is insufficient evidence to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the officers involved acted without the intent to defend themselves and others from what each of them reasonably believed to be the imminent risk of death or serious bodily injury. Therefore, there is insufficient evidence to support a criminal prosecution of the officers. As such, no further action will be taken in this case. 

    As part of its investigation, DOJ has identified several policy recommendations that it believes will help prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. The first recommendation is regarding officer communication. First, it is recommended that LAPD amend their policies and training regarding communication of significant contextual information impacting responding officers’ use of force decision-making as articulated in their other policies to include additional information.

    The second set of recommendations is regarding scene control. It is recommended that LAPD evaluate their policies and training regarding perimeter control. A significant concern in this incident was the presence of bystanders, both on foot and in vehicles, close to Mr. Maldonado and between Mr. Maldonado and the LAPD officers who arrived at the scene. The presence of these bystanders limited officers’ options and created additional dangers.

    The third set of recommendations is regarding the LAPD use of force policy. Government Code section 7286, enacted by Senate Bill 230 sets minimum standards for use of force policies maintained by law enforcement agencies in California. During the review of LAPD’s use of force policies relevant to this incident, it is recommended two provisions be updated. The recommended updates relate to the requirements of Government Code section 7286, separate and apart from the particular facts of the shooting of Mr. Maldonado.

    A copy of the report can be found here.   

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Votes to Confirm Russ Vought for OMB Director

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statement after Russell Vought was confirmed as Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB):
    “It’s no secret that Joe Biden’s handling of our economy was a disaster. As the Director of OMB during President Trump’s first term, Russ Vought is the right choice to assume the role once again and get our federal agencies back on track.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Statement on DOGE Threatening to Dismantle FEMA

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today reacted to reporting that Elon Musk’s so called “Department of Government Efficiency,” or DOGE, has started to review disaster recovery grant programs at FEMA, and gained private and sensitive data of disaster victims:  
    “Disaster-impacted communities in Vermont and across America have been through hell and back—the last thing they need is Elon Musk and his sycophants rifling through their sensitive personal information.  
    “DOGE’s infiltration of FEMA is yet another example of the chaos and confusion that have become hallmarks of President Trump’s second term. Elon Musk doesn’t have the mandate or the authority to do what he’s doing. It’s a gross overreach of executive powers, and on a human level—it’s cruel. These are victims of a disaster. To gut FEMA or withhold funding to a community recovering from a flood, fire, or hurricane would be beyond cruel.  
    “We need to fix FEMA, not kill it. That’s why I’m pulling together a group of leaders in Congress who are willing to work on improvements to FEMA’s long-term recovery process that will help Americans in their darkest hour, and help rebuild communities in a more resilient way.” 
    Senator Welch recently published an opinion piece in the New York Times entitled “Don’t Kill FEMA. Fix It.” In the guest essay, Senator Welch outlined why President Trump’s actions to undermine and potentially dissolve FEMA are misguided and dangerous—but also committed to working with the President on good faith efforts to reform the agency’s long-term recovery process. Following Vermont’s catastrophic floods of July 2023 and July 2024, flood-impacted families and communities have struggled with red tape and frustrating bureaucracy. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins Leads Bipartisan Group in Introducing Bill to Improve Access to High-Quality Job Training

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Washington, D.C. —U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Tim Kaine (D-VA), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Roger Marshall (R-KS) introduced the Jumpstarting Our Businesses by Supporting Students (JOBS) Act, bipartisan legislation to help more Americans get good-paying jobs by allowing students to use federal Pell Grants—need-based education grants for lower-income individuals—to pay for shorter-term job training programs for the first time. Currently, students can only use Pell Grants for two- and four-year colleges and universities. By expanding Pell Grant eligibility, the JOBS Act would help close the skills gap by allowing people to access job training they might otherwise be unable to afford but need for careers in high-demand fields. Senator Angus King is a cosponsor of the legislation.

    “Job training programs are proven, successful tools that help people gain the skills they need to prepare for rewarding careers,” said Senator Collins.  “By helping students in Maine and across the country access this career pathway, this bipartisan legislation would assist young people with obtaining good-paying jobs and make it easier for businesses to find qualified workers.”

    “When we give Maine people the tools and resources to access critical career education training, we’re setting them up for a lifetime of success,” said Senator King. “The bipartisan Jumpstarting Our Businesses by Supporting Students (JOBS) Act will expand Pell Grant eligibility and, in turn, make a real difference for folks across our state by breaking down financial barriers and opening the door to good-paying jobs. Supporting and strengthening our workforce will also help ensure our businesses thrive with the help of highly-trained, hardworking Maine people. It’s a win-win.”

    “All across Maine there are lower-income people desperate to get the practical, relevant skills they need for good-paying jobs – but they can’t afford it. This legislation would remove the financial barriers that hold those people back. Just this year, one of our colleges struggled to fill a five-week welding course that cost about $1,000 – until they used one-time grant funds to make it tuition-free and about 100 people immediately signed up. The demand is there. The jobs are there. We need to fill the gap with affordable training. Pell Grants for short-term workforce training like that welding class would allow those students ongoing access to training that will fill critical jobs across Maine’s industries,” said David Daigler, President of the Maine Community College System.

    Thanks to historic investments like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the U.S. economy added 14.8 million jobs between January 2021 and January 2025. Senator Collins was part of the core group of 10 Senators who negotiated the text of the IIJA. Still, there remains a skilled labor shortage that is expected to intensify in the coming years, in part because unemployed Americans lack access to the job training needed to fill vacant jobs.

    The JOBS Act would allow Pell Grants to be used for high-quality job training programs that are at least eight weeks in length and lead to industry-recognized credentials or certificates. Under current law, Pell Grants can only be applied toward programs that are over 600 clock hours or at least 15 weeks in length, rendering students in shorter-term high-quality job training programs ineligible for this crucial assistance.

    Specifically, the JOBS Act would amend the Higher Education Act by:

    • Expanding Pell Grant eligibility to students enrolled in rigorous, high-quality, short-term skills and job training programs that lead to industry-recognized credentials and certificates, ultimately preparing them for employment in high-wage, high-skill industries;
    • Ensuring students who receive Pell Grants earn high-quality postsecondary credentials by requiring that they meet Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) standards, are recognized by employers or industry partnerships, align with the skill needs of the state or local economy, and receive approval from both the state workforce board and the U.S. Department of Education; and
    • Defining eligible job training programs as those that provide career and technical education at institutions such as community or technical colleges, meet minimum instructional time requirements, align with local or regional workforce needs, offer transferable credits for continued education, and equip students with licenses, certifications, or credentials that meet hiring requirements across multiple employers in the field.

    The legislation is also cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), John Boozman (R-AR), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Steve Daines (R-MT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Dan Sullivan (D-AK), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    The JOBS Act is supported by Advance CTE, the American Association of Community Colleges, the Association for Career and Technical Education, the Association of Community College Trustees, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, Business Roundtable, the Center for Law and Social Policy, the Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance, Higher Learning Advocates, HP Inc., the Information Technology Industry Council, Jobs for the Future, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, the National Association of Workforce Boards, the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals, the National Skills Coalition, the Progressive Policy Institute, and Rebuilding America’s Middle Class.

    Full text of the bill is available here, and a summary of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Responsible Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence Critical, Speakers Say, as Economic and Social Council Concludes Its Coordination Segment

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    Amid the fourth industrial revolution, responsible global governance of artificial intelligence (AI) is paramount, the Economic and Social Council heard today as speakers at its 2025 coordination segment explored the transformative potential of data, science, technology and innovation to advance sustainable development.

    The first of the four panel discussions held today — moderated by Mahlet Zeleke Redi, Focal Point of Global Youth Caucus on Decent Work and Sustainable Economies Major Group for Children and Youth — focused on “Creating employment and decent work opportunities for all”.

    It began with a fireside chat featuring José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), and Cynthia Samuel-Olonjuwon, Director of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Office for the United Nations.

    Mr. Salazar-Xirinachs, spotlighting the challenge of job creation, said that in the era of technological and AI revolutions, one of the key drivers of investment flows to countries is not just cheap but skilled labour.  Therefore, he stressed, the quality of education and vocational training systems and the digital skills of the labour force are essential for people to get good jobs and for countries to thrive.

    Ms. Samuel-Olonjuwon underscored that prioritizing decent work for young people pays back “sustained and multifaceted dividends” for their families and nations.  Technological transformation is rapidly driving change in the world of work and beyond, she observed, adding that “skills have become a priority”.  Noting the importance of education, training and entrepreneurship for young businesses, she said that policy actions should be guided by the actual needs of young people and “put them in the driver seat”.

    The panel began with Gerd Müller, Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), who underscored — via video message — that “creating decent jobs is the core of our mission” to fight poverty and hunger worldwide.  While spotlighting AI’s massive opportunities — including to improve productivity and competitiveness — he underlined the need to “close the existing digital divides”.  More specifically, it is crucial to address the potential downsides of digitalization and automation, including the risk of job losses and shifting production away from developing countries, he stressed, pointing to UNIDO’s projects which equip young people and women in developing countries with technical skills for decent jobs.

    Abdulaziz M. Alwasil (Saudi Arabia), Chair of the Commission on the Status of Women on its sixty-ninth session, stressed that an inclusive society cannot be built without gender equality.  The empowerment of women and girls is paramount, he said, adding that in many countries, women and girls are deprived of equal access to economic opportunities and leadership roles.  “This undermines the resilience of societies,” he stated, underscoring the need to push for policy outcomes that are “not just ambitious in rhetoric but transformative in practice”.

    “We gather here at a moment of profound reckoning” — from the devastating impacts of conflict and rise of authoritarianism to the assaults on fundamental human rights, said Veronica Brown, Women’s Major Group Coordinator for the Women’s Environment and Development Organization.  Warning against forces that aim to roll back hard-won gains in gender equality, she observed:  “Gender equality is too often treated as an add-on rather than a prerequisite for sustainable development.”

    Echoing her concerns, Jemimah Njuki, Chief of the Economic Empowerment section at the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women), said the empowerment of women and girls is not just a moral imperative but a necessity for achieving all of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ensuring a resilient economy.  Nevertheless, women face a 20 per cent gender pay gap and, in many countries, informal employment — where mostly women are to be found — is as high as 90 per cent.  Accordingly, she called for sustainable financing, ensuring that “gender equality remains at the heart of financial systems”.

    Georges-Simon Ulrich, Director General of the Federal Statistical Office of Switzerland and Chair of the Statistical Commission on its fifty-fifth session, speaking via videoconference, called for comprehensive data and statistical systems which permit evidence-based decision-making and detailed the Commission’s work towards supporting inclusive growth strategies and building resilient economies.

    The second panel, moderated by Quintin Chou-Lambert, Senior Adviser to the Under-Secretary-General and Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies, focused on “Harnessing data, science, technology and innovation to advance digital progress”.

    The fireside chat included Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, Chancellor of Nelson Mandela University, and Tomas Lamanauskas, Deputy Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

    Ms. Fraser-Moleketi said public administration is responsible for ensuring that AI is used to improve lives.  Governance frameworks must leverage scientific expertise to do this, she said, calling for targeted interventions to address the digital divide and technological exclusion.

    Mr. Lamanauskas said:  “Done right, [AI] can mitigate 5-10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions by 2030”, and highlighted the “AI for Good summit” which showcases responsible innovation and spotlights AI solutions for each SDG.  He also drew attention to the UN System White Paper on AI Governance, which identifies pre-existing instruments that could also cover AI, from broad ethics to sector-specific technical guidelines. 

    The panel began with Muhammadou M.O. Kah (Gambia), Chair of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development on its twenty-eighth session, who stressed that “when we establish transparent and consistent data governance frameworks, we create an environment of legal certainty that empowers innovators, businesses and consumers alike”.  It is also crucial to establish clear avenues for redress, he said, underscoring the importance of interoperability — “by aligning our legal and technical standards, we could create pathways for seamless data flows that enhance cooperation and facilitate the global exchange of ideas and best practices”.

    Next, Tatiana Molcean, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), highlighted its efforts to facilitate trade by streamlining trade-related processes and digitalizing the exchange of information.  ECE hosts the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business, which develops interoperable data exchange standards and policy recommendations, enabling seamless data exchange across systems, borders and value chains.  “Today, many products have AI embedded.  Ensuring their conformity and safety presents new challenges,” she said, adding that ECE has released guidance for regulatory compliance of products and services using embedded AI or other digital technologies.

    Julia Glidden, Group President of Ipsos Public Affairs, said that “it is easy to talk about sexy data-driven topics like GenAI, Edge Computing [and] geospatial intelligence”, but it is also essential to combine established technologies with sophisticated data analytics.  As an example, she said, her organization worked with Mondelez, a multinational food producer, to use data to understand cocoa farmers’ working conditions and economic growth.  Collecting reliable data meant reaching communities in remote areas, often traveling by foot, donkey and canoe to capture and transmit data from areas that often lack electricity, let alone Wi-Fi.  They did so “by using tablet devices enabled by Ipsos’s iField” technology, she added.

    Fernand Bale, Director of the Geographic and Digital Information Center of Côte d’Ivoire, said that because geospatial information integrates diverse data and scientific approaches, it “enables policymakers to process large amounts of data, thereby strengthening the interface between policy and science”.  Communities and Governments can use geospatial information and maps to visualize locations where critical infrastructure is needed, or areas affected by disasters, pollution or biodiversity loss.  By enhancing policies and capacities related to geospatial information, “we democratize access to data and knowledge”, he said.

    Moderated by Lok Bahadur Thapa (Nepal), Vice-President of the Economic and Social Council and co-facilitator of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, the sixth panel focused on “Financing and investment solutions for sustainable development in countries in special situations”.

    The speakers for the fireside chat were Jose Antonio Ocampo, Professor at the School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University, and Robert Powell, Special Representative of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

    Mr. Ocampo noted that levelling the playing field is not enough for countries in special situations.  Debt and tax cooperation are “pressing problems”, he said, calling for interaction between regional and global institutions and urging the fulfilment of historical commitments for developing countries.  He observed that interaction with Governments and monitoring of graduating countries will uncover systemic inequalities on the ground. 

    Mr. Powell, stating that coordination and trust are critical for efficiency across the UN system, said that Member States in New York are responsible for ensuring that “messaging remains consistent”.  Noting that major financial reforms are already taking place, he spotlighted the Fund’s “historic” special drawing rights (SDRs) allocation of $650 billion and the creation of the Resilience and Sustainability Trust.

    The panel began with Rabab Fatima, High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, stressing that the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development must deliver a renewed global financing framework.

    For her part, Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), pointing to the term “countries in special situations”, observed that States’ perseverance and transformation potential make them “truly special”.  However, there is nothing “special” about small island developing States defaulting on their development to not default on their debt, she said, calling for maximizing the impact of development on technological progress.

    Mathew Gbonjubola, Co-Chair of the Committee of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters, said that developing countries widely adopt the UN Model Double Taxation Convention.  The Committee also supports capacity-development activities and reviews standards — designed from the point of view of developed economies — through the prism of developing countries.  He added that giving the developing countries the ability to sit at the table in designing the world tax system is key.

    “Although Africa has integrated into the global financial system, its economies remain constrained by limited access to stable financing,” observed Claver Gatete, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).  The continent’s debt exceeds $1 trillion, and its countries annually spend millions in debt servicing — “resources that could have been invested in other development priorities”, he noted.  Through the African High-Level Working Group, the Commission works to scale up bank financing and ensure better returns.

    “Over the past two days, we have witnessed the [Economic and Social Council] ecosystem in action, providing ideas and solutions on how to turbocharge implementation as we approach the 2030 deadline of the SDGs,” said Navid Hanif, Assistant Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, in his closing remarks.  Noting that this year’s coordination segment was the first since the adoption of the Pact for the Future, he said it has delivered “a clear call to strengthen coordination within the UN system, reduce duplication and address misalignment of partnerships”.

    Anatolio Ndong Mba (Equatorial Guinea), Vice-President of the Economic and Social Council and Chair of the Coordination Segment, said that this year’s meeting has demonstrated that political will can elevate international cooperation to new heights and deliver concrete solutions. “The coordination segment is not just about reflection; it is about action and charting the way forward”, he stated, urging those present to carry forward the momentum and translate discussions into action.  He added:  “We have a responsibility to the people we represent.  The time for bold and coordinated leadership cannot be postponed anymore.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Relief Still Available to South Carolina Businesses Hit by Severe Storms

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in South Carolina of the Feb. 28 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by severe storms, high winds and hail that occurred on April 20, 2024. 

    The disaster declaration includes the following counties: Cherokee, Chester, Lancaster, Union and York in South Carolina; and Cleveland, Gaston and Mecklenburg in North Carolina. 

    Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs that suffered financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises. 

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that would have been paid had the disaster not occurred. 

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amount terms based on each applicant’s financial condition. 

    For more information and to apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services. 

    The deadline to return economic injury applications is Feb. 28, 2025. 

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    About the U.S. Small Business Administration 

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Relief Remains Available to Tennessee Businesses Hit by Severe Weather in April

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Tennessee of the Feb. 28 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by excessive rain, hail, high winds and lightning that occurred May 8-9, 2024. 

    The disaster declaration covers the counties of Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Knox and Union. 

    Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, and PNPs that suffered financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises. 

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that would have been paid had the disaster not occurred. 

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amount terms based on each applicant’s financial condition. 

    For more information and to apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services. 

    The deadline to return economic injury applications is Feb. 28, 2025. 

    ### 

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration 

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Readout of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s Call With Indonesian Minister of Defense Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin

    Source: United States Department of Defense

    Department of Defense Spokesman John Ullyot provided the following readout:

    Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Indonesian Minister of Defense Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin held an introductory call today.

    Secretary Hegseth and Minister Sjafrie reiterated the United States’ and Indonesia’s commitment to a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific. Both leaders also reaffirmed the importance of the bilateral defense partnership and expressed willingness to work together on facilitating defense cooperation and cooperating on regional maritime security.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The Cowsert Column: Week Three Under the Gold Dome

    Source: US State of Georgia

    The third week of the 2025 Legislative Session has concluded, and we remain focused on advancing commonsense legislation that prioritizes Georgia’s families, businesses and communities.

    The General Assembly has been hard at work, carefully reviewing agency budget requests to ensure taxpayer dollars are allocated responsibly. As I mentioned last week, passing a balanced budget is our constitutional duty—and the foundation of a responsible government that serves its people.

    This week, our focus shifted to committee meetings. As legislative committees ramp up their work, we are addressing issues that matter most to our communities, from safeguarding our schools to strengthening local infrastructure. I was pleased to participate in meetings of the Senate Rules, Finance, Health and Human Services and Insurance and Labor Committees. I have also been reviewing bills assigned to the Senate Regulated Industries & Utilities Committee, which I chair, to determine which bills should receive committee hearings.

    Tort reform is a key issue that will take center stage in this legislative session. Governor Brian Kemp has made it his top priority for 2025—for good reason. Georgia businesses and their employees are being unfairly burdened by civil lawsuits that result in excessive payouts and create a legal environment that is anything but fair and welcoming to businesses that provide jobs to our citizens. The Governor’s proposals aim to pass meaningful reforms to our civil justice system to make the rules fair for both parties. I’m proud to stand with Gov. Kemp as we work to level the playing field and protect businesses from skyrocketing insurance rates resulting from continued outlandish court rulings and crippling financial judgments.

    But what exactly is tort reform? A tort is a civil wrong for which an aggrieved or injured party can seek monetary compensation through litigation. The most common type of tort is based upon the negligence or carelessness of a person or company that causes harm. The “reforms” are changes in the civil justice system aimed at reducing frivolous lawsuits and limiting excessive damages in personal injury and other civil cases. This complex issue has plagued our state for far too long, and as a result, Georgia has been labeled a “judicial hellhole” by the American Tort Reform Association.

    Consider a few examples of how our current legal system is tilted against hardworking Georgians. Under existing rules of evidence, Georgia jurors are prohibited from knowing whether an injured party in an automobile accident was wearing a seatbelt—a crucial piece of information when evaluating the full context of a case. This is especially important when a person is thrown from a vehicle and killed or severely injured, or when a person slams into the windshield and sustains disfiguring facial scars or a closed head injury. There is a criminal law that requires you to wear your seatbelt for your personal safety. It is negligent for a person to disregard this law and place themselves in danger of injury. However, this information is hidden from the jury and cannot be mentioned by the defense in court. This evidentiary rule will be changed to allow juries to hear evidence of seatbelt use at trial.

    Similarly, under rules of evidence, jurors are often led to believe that plaintiffs are paying medical bills entirely out of pocket when, in reality, insurance may have already covered significant portions of their medical expenses. All Americans are now required to have medical insurance under the provisions of the Affordable Care Act. The cost of premiums is subsidized if they cannot afford them, and this coverage applies to pre-existing injuries. Medical providers negotiate with insurers to accept discounted payments from insurers as full compensation for their services. However, juries are only informed of the inflated original amounts of the bills. This allows plaintiffs and their attorneys to receive windfalls by recovering damages for expenses never incurred. This rule will be changed to allow juries to hear the truth about medical expenses actually incurred by plaintiffs and reflect the true amount of their damages awarded in verdicts.

    Another important provision of the civil justice reform bill is relief for businesses from lawsuits brought to recover for injuries while on the premises of a business open to the public. Existing laws allow persons injured by criminal actions committed on business premises to hold the business responsible if the business failed to make their premises safe for customers. This duty to keep the premises safe for customers arises when the property owner is aware of criminal activity in the area and fails to take reasonable steps to protect the safety of its customers. The result is that businesses end up having to spend significant amounts on private security to protect customers from criminal harm since if someone is injured or killed they sue both the property owner and the criminal actor. The jury is allowed to apportion the verdict between the defendants in accordance with their respective percentage of fault. However, juries know that the business has the deep pockets to pay a verdict whereas the criminal probably doesn’t. As crazy as it seems, skillful trial attorneys have been able to persuade juries that the business is 95% at fault while the criminal is held to be only 5% at fault. This bill will guarantee that business owners are not responsible for criminal acts occurring off of the premises. In addition, under no circumstances shall a business be held more than 50% responsible for the defendant’s injuries caused by a criminal on its property. These, and other changes, will help make sure that businesses do not close in high crime (often primarily minority) neighborhoods. This is one reason that Democratic legislators will join with Republicans in protecting all Georgians from business closings caused by the current legal environment.

    I was honored to stand alongside Gov. Kemp this week as these issues were addressed at one of the largest press conferences ever held under the Gold Dome. There were citizens from many professions (truck drivers, factory workers, medical professionals and business owners) that came to the Capitol to express their support for this civil justice reform legislation. This issue is critically important to countless hardworking Georgians. I look forward to working with my Senate colleagues to advance meaningful civil justice reform throughout this legislative session in an effort to restore balance and fairness for the civil justice system.

    As always, if you have any questions, concerns, or ideas about our work at the Capitol, please do not hesitate to reach out. It is an honor to serve you, and I appreciate your trust as we continue working together throughout the 2025 legislative session.

    # # # #

    Sen. Bill Cowsert serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Regulated Industries and Utilities. He represents the 46th Senate District which includes portions of Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Oconee and Walton Counties. He may be reached at (404) 463-1366 or via email at bill.cowsert@senate.ga.gov

    For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Logan County Physician Found Guilty of Drug Crimes by Federal Jury

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – After four days of trial, a federal jury convicted Brian McDevitt, D.O., 61, of Chapmanville, today of four counts of distribution of a controlled substance and also found that McDevitt shall forfeit his West Virginia medical license and the Chapmanville Medical Clinic, which he operated as a sole practitioner.

    Evidence at trial proved that McDevitt provided controlled substances outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose when he wrote prescriptions for hydrocodone on May 17, 2022, and March 29, 2024, and alprazolam on May 18, 2022, and March 29, 2024.

    McDevitt is scheduled to be sentenced on May 22, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 50 years in prison.

    McDevitt previously pleaded guilty on January 20, 2010 to conspiracy to use a registration number in violation of federal law and to engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity. McDevitt admitted that he allowed others to use his federal registration number to distribute the prescription diet drug phentermine and then converted the cash proceeds from the conspiracy for his personal benefit. On June 29, 2010, McDevitt was sentenced to one year and one day, followed by three years of supervised release, and fined $60,000 for these prior convictions.

    “Dr. McDevitt was one of the original drug dealers in a lab coat, and did not learn his lesson from his prior convictions and prison sentence,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “Instead, he chose to continue violating his ethical duties and responsibilities as a physician to enrich himself at the expense of vulnerable West Virginians.”

    Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the U.S. Route 119 Drug Task Force, which consists of members of the Mingo County Sheriff’s Office, the Logan County Sheriff’s Office, the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, and the West Virginia State Police, conducted the investigation.

    “Dr. McDevitt chose to put his own greed above the health and well-being of his patients, causing great harm in the process,” said Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott, head of DEA’s Louisville Division. “Doctors are expected to follow their oath to first do no harm; when they intentionally prescribe controlled substances in a manner outside of accepted medical norms, they reduce themselves to drug dealers in lab coats and they should expect to meet the full measure of our justice system.”

    United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the jury trial. Assistant United States Attorneys Owen Reynolds and Andrew J. Tessman are prosecuting the case.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-96.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jamaican Nationals Arrested in Lottery Scam Investigation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MOBILE, AL – Four current and former residents of Baldwin County, Alabama were arrested today in Foley on criminal charges related to their alleged participation in a fraudulent lottery scam.

    According to court documents, the defendants, all Jamaican nationals, received more than $200,000 in over 100 shipments of cash from victims across the country who had falsely been told that they had won a lottery. The victims, many of them elderly, had been directed to pay “taxes” on their lottery winnings by sending cash to fictitious names at addresses controlled by the defendants in Baldwin County. The following individuals were arrested on a criminal complaint charging them with mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud:

       Peter Walcott, Malik Chambers, Romario Nembhard, and Jermaine Smith.

    If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama; and Special Agent in Charge Paul W. Brown of the Mobile Division of the FBI made the announcement.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Mobile Division, is investigating the case, with the assistance of the agencies participating in today’s enforcement action, including the FBI Baltimore Division, the United States Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Customs and Border Patrol, the Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Foley Police Department, the Gulf Shores Police Department, and the Silverhill Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mike Anderson and Kasee Heisterhagen are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

    A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rumford Man Sentenced for Evading Employment Taxes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PORTLAND, Maine: A Rumford man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for willfully evading the payment of employment taxes.

    U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Jeffrey Richard, 50, to 12 months and one day in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $910,980.37 in restitution to the IRS. Richard pleaded guilty on July 17, 2023.

    According to court records, between 2013 and 2017, Richard willfully attempted to evade payment of employment withholding taxes owed by his company, Black Bear Industrial, Inc. Despite being aware of the company’s unpaid employment tax liability, Richard took a variety of steps to evade payment. He regularly used funds from Black Bear’s business bank account to make business and personal purchases, all while making no payments toward Black Bear’s tax liability. He also created two nominee companies and took steps to disguise his ownership of the companies. He falsely represented to an IRS revenue officer that he had anything to do with one of the companies. The other company did business and had over $174,000 of business income in 2017, but none of the money was used to pay the IRS. Richard never informed the IRS about the company, and the company never filed any corporate or employment tax returns.

    “Today’s sentencing of Jeffrey Richard sends a strong message to all individuals and businesses that think they are above the law and can evade their obligation to pay their fair share of taxes,” said Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. “Richard knowingly chose to steal and cheat from every America taxpayer when he selfishly chose to use business funds for personal purchases and took other steps to evade paying his tax liability. Tax evasion is not a victimless crime, it impacts every American by stealing resources vital to fund schools, maintain public infrastructure and enhance social welfare.”

    IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Orlando Convicted Felon Sentenced To Federal Prison For Illegal Possession Of A Firearm And Ammunition

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Ocala, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Elijah Noah Petit-Frere (24, Orlando) to 46 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Petit-Frere pled guilty on November 12, 2024.

    According to court documents, an officer with the Ocala Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Petit-Frere. When Petit-Frere was placed under arrest for a driving offense, officers discovered Petit-Frere had a loaded firearm holstered on his waistband. Petit-Frere had previously been convicted of state felony offenses, including carrying a concealed firearm, fleeing and attempting to elude a police officer, and possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. 

    This case was investigated by the Ocala Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

    This case is part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence for occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduran National Pleads Guilty To Illegally Possessing A Firearm While Intoxicated During A Domestic Incident

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Walner Josue Alvarado-Sabonje (27, Honduras) today pleaded guilty to being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. Alvarado faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

    According to court records, Alvarado illegally entered the United States near Hidalgo, Texas in April 2019, and is subject to a final order of removal. On June 16, 2024, Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to multiple callers who reported hearing gunshots from the back of Alvarado’s home. The deputies received permission to search the backyard and found nine 9mm shell casings in the backyard.

    In the afternoon of September 22, 2024, sheriff’s deputies responded to a call from Alvarado’s wife, who told the dispatcher that Alvarado was intoxicated on the front porch of their home and acting recklessly with a gun. Deputies arrived approximately five minutes later, but Alvarado had left the home. A red Chevrolet Suburban sport utility vehicle registered to Alvarado was no longer parked at the house, so deputies determined that he had driven it elsewhere.

    Minutes later, a deputy located Alvarado alone in the driver’s seat of his SUV parked at a 7-Eleven approximately one mile away from Alvarado’s home.  Alvarado had two open beer cans in the center console and smelled like alcohol.  After arresting Alvarado for driving under the influence of alcohol, the deputies found a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol in the center console. The pistol and ammunition are traceable to the offense and subject to forfeiture. 

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam W. McCall.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Who Stabbed His Girlfriend 21 Times Gets 15 Year Prison Term

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Devan Green, 30, of Washington DC, was sentenced today to 180 months in prison, for stabbing his girlfriend in their apartment on September 19, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                The defendant was convicted on November 14, 2024, by a Superior Court jury of one count of assault with intent to kill while armed, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, one count of aggravated assault while armed, and one count of assault with significant bodily injury while armed following a 13-day jury trial. The Honorable Judge Rainey Brandt also ordered Green to stay away and have no contact with the victim or her son. 

                According to the evidence presented at trial, Green held his girlfriend and her child inside of their apartment against their will for over forty minutes while her family called 911 numerous times. Green put her son in a back bedroom and stabbed his girlfriend once in the chest with a knife. When she went to check on her son, he stabbed her 20 more times. He then fled the apartment and was apprehended a month later.

                In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Martin and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Molly K. Smith and Katharine E. Yaske of the Domestic Violence Section, who prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –