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  • MIL-OSI Security: Gang Member Sentenced To 144 Months In Prison For Racketeering And Drug Charges

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    NEWARK, N.J. – A member of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips gang was sentenced on Wednesday to 144 months in prison for his role in a racketeering conspiracy and the sale of cocaine, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

    Kareem Green, a/k/a “Try Me”(“Green”), 32, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to a superseding indictment that charged him with Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (“RICO”) conspiracy and a separate indictment charging him with distribution of cocaine. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence on February 5, 2025 in Newark federal court. 

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    From 2015 through Sept. 22, 2022, Green was a member of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips, a criminal enterprise responsible for acts of violence and the distribution of controlled substances in the District of New Jersey and elsewhere. On April 5, 2021, Green worked with other members of the gang to shoot a victim. On April 11, 2021, Green worked with other members of the gang to shoot another victim. On March 5, 2021, Green worked with another member of the gang to distribute cocaine.

    In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Green to three years of supervised release.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the DEA, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz; the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr., as well as investigators of the U.S. Marshals Service, under Marshal Juan Mattos’ direction; the Irvington Police Department, under the direction of Police Division Director Tracy Bowers, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II, the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda, Sr., the Bloomfield Police Department, under the direction of Director of Public Safety Samuel A. DeMaio, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under Sheriff Amir D. Jones’ direction, the East Orange Police Department, under the direction of Chief Phyllis L. Bindi, the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Earl J. Graves, the Edison Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Tom Bryan, the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William A. Daniel, the Spotswood Police Department, under the direction of Chief Philip Corbisiero, and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Fugitive and Missing Person Task Force, which includes members of the FBI, for the investigations leading to the charges in the Rollin 60’s Neighborhood Crips investigation.

    This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    The investigation was conducted as part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The Newark VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, Union County Jail, New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, New Jersey Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francesca Liquori of the Special Prosecutions Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake A. Nasar of the Health Care Fraud Unit.

                                      ###

    Defense Counsel:

    William Strazza, Esq., Chester, NJ 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lockheed Martin Corporation Agrees to Settle False Claims Act Allegations of Defective Pricing

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMC) has agreed to pay $29.74 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations of defective pricing on contracts for F-35 military aircraft. This payment is in addition to $11.3 million that LMC previously paid to the Department of Defense (DOD) for the same undisclosed cost and pricing data on some of the same contracts. LMC, headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, is one of the world’s largest defense contractors.

    According to court documents, between 2013 and 2015, LMC inflated pricing proposals it submitted to obtain contracts for the F-35 by failing to provide to DOD’s F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) accurate, complete, and current cost and pricing data during the negotiations leading to the award of five contracts for the production or sustainment of the F-35. The United States alleged that LMC had knowledge of suppliers’ cost or pricing data that it did not disclose to the JPO in violation of the Truth in Negotiations Act (TINA). Congress enacted TINA in 1962 to help level the playing field in sole source contracts — where there is no price competition — by making sure that government negotiators have access to the cost or pricing data that the offeror used when developing its proposal. The United States alleged that had LMC provided accurate, complete, and current cost and pricing data, JPO would have awarded the contracts in lower amounts.

    “Those who do business with the government must do so fairly and honestly,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will pursue contractors that knowingly misuse taxpayer funds.”

    “The United States relies on contractors such as Lockheed Martin to provide accurate, complete, and current information, including pricing data, when negotiating contracts with the government,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr, for the Eastern District of Texas. “If a contractor fails to do so, and that failure affects the value of its contract with the government, the Eastern District of Texas will take steps to ensure that the contractor is held accountable.”

    “The F-35 program is at the heart of our nation’s defense,” said Air Force Lt. Gen. Mike Schmidt, Director and Program Executive Officer, F-35 Joint Program Office. “The F-35 Joint Program Office will continue to insist on integrity and honesty in all business transactions. We demand 100% accountability for every dollar spent on this program on behalf of U.S. taxpayers and international customers and taxpayers.”

    “The Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) will methodically pursue all alleged violations of the False Claims Act and Truth in Negotiations Act,” said Principal Deputy Director James R. Ives of DCIS. “Today’s outcome reflects the unwavering commitment of DCIS and our investigative partners to hold accountable those who bilk the American taxpayer by perpetrating fraud against the DOD.”

    “Overinflation of production and sustainment costs for an aircraft critical to our national defense undermines operational readiness and erodes the trust placed in the Department of Defense by the American people,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office. “NCIS and our investigative partners remain steadfast in our commitment to investigating entities that compromise the integrity of government contracts.”

    The settlement derives from allegations originally brought in a lawsuit filed in the Eastern District of Texas by a whistleblower under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, which allow private parties, known as relators, to bring suit on behalf of the government and to share in any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Patrick Girard v. Lockheed Martin Corp., No. 4:17-CV-147 (EDTX). The relator’s share of the settlement has not yet been determined.

    This settlement was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section of the Department of Justice, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas with assistance from JPO, DCIS, NCIS, and the Defense Contract Audit Agency.

    Trial Attorney Arnold M. Auerhan of the Justice Department’s Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney James Gillingham for the Eastern District of Texas handled the matter.

    The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘A relentlessly dull world’ – the case for adding more colour to NZ’s grey prisons

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christine McCarthy, Senior Lecturer in Interior Architecture, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington

    Interior of Auckland South Men’s Prison. Getty Images

    Prisons are not colourful places. Typically, they are grey or some variation of a monochrome colour scheme. But increasingly, such a limited palette is being questioned for its impact on health and rehabilitation.

    As the US journalist and broadcaster Michael Montgomery once wrote of the supermax unit of Pelican Bay prison in California:

    I saw a relentlessly dull world; just concrete and steel […] The monochrome landscape seemed to permeate even the faces of the inmates here; men […] had a pasty, ghostly pallor. It was difficult to imagine any kind of sustained life here.

    Prison greyness is partly due to the predominance of steel and concrete, especially in high- and maximum-security units. But the furniture and fixtures – tables, seats and toilets – are also often stainless-steel grey. In New Zealand, even sentenced prisoners’ clothing is grey.

    One reason for this is the Department of Corrections’ concern about gang colours. New Zealand prisoners cannot keep any item of property with gang-related colours. These prohibitions can be zealously but inconsistently enforced.

    As a prisoner once explained to me (when I was president of the Wellington Howard League), a calculator he used for correspondence classes was allowed in one unit but banned in another, simply because it had a blue strip on it.

    Something similar was reported by the Prison Inspectorate in a 2019 report. In that case, staff withheld “black underwear containing small amounts of blue stitching. Staff confirmed this was their approach.”

    Worlds without colour

    Does colour matter in human environments? The answer appears to be yes. Examples include red increasing heart rates, blue and green creating calm, and yellow evoking hope. According to Australian researcher Thomas Edwards:

    yellow may be appropriate in contexts where high motivation and a future-focus are required. By contrast, green and blue may be relevant to settings where low motivation, a present focus, and prosocial behaviours are favoured.

    Colour can also help with legibility and way-finding, and differentiate surfaces to prevent trip hazards – an increasingly important factor as the prison population ages.

    Other over-represented groups in prison can also benefit. For example, Israeli research published in 2022 concluded that soft natural colours and low contrast can improve environments for people with autism spectrum disorder.

    Ultimately, a colourless world is not a good one. Grey and neutral colours reduce visual stimulation, demotivate, increase boredom and can lead to depression. Colour takes on particular importance for people who spend most or all of the day indoors, such as the prisoners in high- and maximum-security units.

    Murals are on the wall and patterned tables in a Californian prison unit.
    Getty Images

    The need for variety

    Colour has a graduated spectrum – there isn’t only one blue, for example. Tints, tones and shades add another level of complexity. Coloured surfaces are affected by their material and degree of sheen. Different combinations of colours and different light sources also affect how a colour looks and its likely impact on people.

    This means there are many possible variants to consider. But most research is highly specific and the findings are rarely universally applicable. The impact of context, cultural differences, our personal preferences and colour associations can also be difficult to measure.

    But this theoretical complexity shouldn’t prevent the use of more colour in prison architecture. Variety in colour, rather than the use of specific colours, is the fundamental change that is needed. Likewise, concerns about gang colours can be mitigated if pattern and colour combinations are astutely used.

    In 2019, Edinburgh College of Art researchers led a project involving dementia patients, adding colour to corridors at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital. Multicoloured strips of block colours were painted on the white corridor walls to relieve the monotony of these spaces.

    Fewer aggressive incidents between patients or with staff were reported after the project. The specific reason is unclear, but it appears better demarcation of spaces led to fewer patients congregating and causing conflict in circulation areas.

    Another example at a semi-open prison in Bosnia saw prisoners painting diagonal lines on walls, creating triangles painted in different colours. Researchers concluded that “bright colours are recommended in the prison, with green and blue […] being the best rated because people perceive them as soothing, stimulating, pleasant and safe”.

    Brighter futures

    There are many other instances in healthcare settings throughout New Zealand where decals of photographic or other images have transformed walls, lifting the atmosphere of a space.

    Increasing the amount of colour on a wall is an inexpensive way to improve prison environments for both staff and prisoners. It can easily create variety and relieve the tedium of otherwise indistinguishable spaces.

    Housing prisoners in a dreary architecture of grey walls, grey furniture and people in grey jumpsuits must make it difficult for them to imagine and prepare for a positive future in the community.

    This can be inferred from studies of prisoners in solitary confinement which have established that living in extremely monotonous environments can cause depression, paranoia, anxiety, aggression and self-harm.

    The new expansion to Waikeria Prison, and its 100-bed mental health unit Hikitia, is an opportunity to significantly shift this attitude to prison interior architecture – but it shouldn’t stop there.

    All prisons would benefit from replacing the typically monochromatic palette of prison architecture with something more colourful.

    Christine McCarthy is a past President of the Wellington Howard League for Penal Reform (2018–20).

    – ref. ‘A relentlessly dull world’ – the case for adding more colour to NZ’s grey prisons – https://theconversation.com/a-relentlessly-dull-world-the-case-for-adding-more-colour-to-nzs-grey-prisons-248665

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Gaza and West Bank – “Inflicting harm and denying care” in the West Bank: MSF report on escalation of attacks and obstructions of healthcare

    Source: Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)

    Jerusalem, 6 February 2025 – Israeli forces and settlers have increased the use of extreme physical violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank since the all-out war on Gaza began in October 2023, according to a new report by Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders (MSF). 

    In total, at least 870 Palestinians have been killed and over 7,100 injured between October 2023 and January 20251. According to the MSF report, “Inflicting harm and denying care”, the escalation of violence in the West Bank has severely hindered access to healthcare and is part of a pattern of systemic oppression by Israel which has been described by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) as amounting to racial segregation and apartheid.

    The report which covers a one-year period from October 2023 and 2024, provides in-depth interviews from 38 MSF patients and personnel, hospital staff paramedics and volunteers supported by MSF who report prolonged and violent Israeli military incursions and stricter movement restrictions, all of which have severely hindered access to essential services, particularly healthcare. The situation has further deteriorated since the ceasefire in Gaza and has exacerbated dire living conditions for many Palestinians who are paying an immense physical and psychological toll.

    “Palestinian patients are dying because they simply cannot reach hospitals,” says Brice de le Vingne, MSF emergency coordinator. “We’re seeing ambulances blocked by Israeli forces at checkpoints while carrying critical patients, medical facilities surrounded and raided during active operations, and healthcare workers subjected to physical violence while trying to save lives.”

    An increased number of attacks on medical personnel and facilities have been reported to MSF teams, including attacks on hospitals, destruction of makeshift medical sites in refugee camps, as well as the harassment, detention, injury, and killing of first responders and medical workers by Israeli forces. Between October 2023 and December 2024, WHO has recorded 694 attacks on healthcare in the West Bank, with hospitals and healthcare structures often besieged by military force. Healthcare workers express a feeling of insecurity as they are frequently harassed, detained, injured and even killed.

    “Israeli forces surrounded the stabilisation point [in Tubas], closing both its entrances, even though it was very clear that this was a medical building. They ordered all the paramedics to exit the stabilisation point. There were around 22 of us paramedics there. Israeli soldiers shot inside and outside the building, damaging our supplies and the stabilisation point,” says a medic from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, supported by MSF.

    In case of medical emergency, restrictions of movement can have deadly consequences. Access to healthcare in this context has been severely impeded by the obstruction and targeting of ambulance movements and the escalation of violent military raids resulting in injuries, fatalities and the destruction of vital civilian infrastructure, including roads, healthcare, water pipelines and electrical systems, particularly in Tulkarem and Jenin refugee camps. In remote areas and outskirts of cities like Jenin or Nablus, the situation is especially dire, as patients with chronic conditions, such as

    those who need regular dialysis treatment, are forced to stay home due to the untenable obstacles to reaching healthcare.

    On top of the frequent Israeli military incursions, settler violence and the ever-increasing expansion of settlements has left many Palestinians vulnerable to violence and afraid to move across the West Bank. In total, 1,500 attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians have been reported by OCHA between October 2023 and 2024.

    As the occupying power, Israel has legal obligations under international law to ensure access to healthcare and protect medical personnel. The healthcare system in the West Bank is under immense strain and forced into a state of perpetual emergency.

    MSF calls Israel to stop the violence against healthcare workers, patients and health facilities and to stop obstructing medical personnel from performing lifesaving duties.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fast-track to accelerate economic growth starts today

    Source: New Zealand Government

    • www.fasttrack.govt.nz open now for project applications
    • Listed projects can apply now for consideration by an expert panel
    • Other projects can also apply to enter the Fast-track process
    • >Retired Environment Court Judge Jane Borthwick appointed as Convener of expert panels

    Today marks the official start of the Fast-track Approvals regime to make it quicker and easier to build the projects New Zealand needs to grow its economy, Infrastructure and RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones say.

    “The Fast-track Approvals Act, part of the coalition agreement between National and NZ First, was signed into law just before Christmas. The new Act helps cut through the thicket of red and green tape and the jumble of approvals processes that has, until now, held New Zealand back from much-needed economic growth,” Mr Bishop says.

    “From today, the Fast-track one-stop shop approvals regime is officially open for project applications. That means we can at last begin to get moving on growing New Zealand’s economy and sorting out our infrastructure deficit, housing crisis, and energy shortage, instead of tying essential projects up in knots for years at a time.”

    Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says the Fast-track Approvals Act lists 149 projects with significant national or regional benefits which were recommended for inclusion by an independent advisory group and agreed to by Cabinet.

    “The list of projects spans housing, renewable energy, transport, mining, quarrying, and the primary sector – everything we need more of to grow our economy and provide much-needed new jobs for the regions,” Mr Jones says.

    Listed project applications

    “The owners of the 149 listed projects can now go to www.fasttrack.govt.nz and lodge substantive applications for their projects to be considered by expert panels facilitated by the Environmental Protection Authority,” Mr Bishop says.

    “Before lodging an application, projects must consult with the relevant administering agencies (including local government); any relevant iwi authorities, hapū, and Treaty settlement entities; and others.

    “Expert panels will consider these applications, decide whether or not each project receives approval, and attach any necessary conditions to those approvals.”

    Other projects

    “Projects not listed in the Act can also apply for referral to an expert panel through the same Fast-track website from today. Their applications will first go to the Minister of Infrastructure for consideration, which includes inviting written comments from the Minister for the Environment and any other Ministers with relevant portfolios, before the Infrastructure Minister decides whether to refer the project for Fast-track,” Mr Jones says.

    Expert panels conveners

    “The conveners who appoint the expert panels to consider applications must be either a former (including retired) Environment Court or High Court Judge, or senior lawyers with expertise in resource management,” Mr Bishop says.

    “As well as appointing expert panels, the panel convener and associates will be able to request reports from relevant agencies and individuals and will set timeframes for panels to consider applications.

    “The Government has appointed retired Environment Court Judge Jane Borthwick as Panel Convener, and Helen Atkins and Jennifer Caldwell as Associate Panel Conveners.

    “Judge Borthwick has a wealth of experience in environmental and resource management litigation. She has worked with multiple industry stakeholders where there has been considerable public interest.”

    Mr Jones says the associate panel convenors also bring significant experience from the private and public sectors.

    “Ms Atkins and Ms Caldwell have both had oversight and leadership on a mixed range of complex projects,” Mr Jones says.

    “The EPA is currently running an Expressions of Interest process to identify a pool of potential expert panel members with knowledge, skills, and expertise relevant to the variety of approvals being handled through the Fast-track Approvals process. Information about the EOI process and the skills and experience needed can be found on the new Fast-track website.”

    Judge Jane Borthwick is approaching her 30th year post-admission to the bar. She has experience in environmental and resource management litigation throughout New Zealand. She has been a lawyer and judge in the environment court and has worked in policy and plan development, resource consents, designations, and land acquisitions. She has been a judge for 15 years and has recently had a particular focus on freshwater management in public policy and consenting domains. She has worked closely with the energy sector, local authorities, the farming sector, and iwi.

    Helen Atkins has been a practicing lawyer in environmental, local government, and public law for over 30 years. She has vast experience in the legal sector and managing roles in different organisations both domestically and internationally.

    Jennifer Caldwell has over 30 years’ experience in environmental law and litigation, including strategic management, oversight and leadership of complex consenting projects. She has held many leadership positions within the legal sector both domestically and internationally and has previously worked with the Environmental Protection Authority as an Expert Panel Chair.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Name release – workplace incident, Patoka

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police can now release the name of the man who died in a workplace incident in Patoka on Tuesday 4 February.

    He was Malcolm Douglas MacDonald, 81, of Camberley.

    Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time.

    His death has been referred to WorkSafe and the Coroner.

    ENDS 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Local News – Motorcycle sessions in Porirua you don’t want to miss

    Source: Porirua City Council

    All keen motorcycle riders and enthusiasts, pay attention because the legendary Dave Moss is about to hit town.
    Dave, an expert on motorcycle tuning and suspension, will be in Porirua this month to help you increase your safety on the ride. He has been on a mission for nearly 15 years, not just in New Zealand but all over the world, to teach people how to understand their bikes and set them up to meet their own physical needs while maximizing their safety on the road.
    Dave’s sessions, to be held on 11 and 16 February at Te Rauparaha Arena, will be two safety tuning presentations, a two-hour, hands-on suspension workshop, and a three-hour suspension tuning session.
    Porirua road safety coordinator Paulette Pavelich says it’s amazing to have a motorcyclist of Dave’s reputation and renown in Porirua.
    “There’s so much that people will take away from their interactions with Dave – being safer on the road with an expertly-tuned motorcycle, with straightforward and honest feedback that can only improve where you are with your bike,” she says.
    The events are a mix of free and paid, so check Eventfinda to check times and cost:

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Local News – Aniva residency offers creative space for Pacific artists – Porirua City

    Source: Porirua City Council

    Porirua’s Pātaka Art + Museum and Creative New Zealand are on the lookout for an artist to take up the Aniva Artist in Residency programme opportunity for 2025.
    The programme offers an Aotearoa-based Pacific artist or practitioner who identifies as LGBTQIA+/MVPFAFF- a paid, three-month residency to create a new body of work. Applications are being accepted between 7 February and 17 March.
    South Auckland interdisciplinary artist Moe Laga (she/they) was the Creative New Zealand Pacific Aniva Artist in Residence for 2024.
    During her residency, Moe created the performance piece Fetū/Fetu’u: The Stars/Curses, which chronicled her experiences as a Samoan Fa’fafine born in Aotearoa, grappling with the complexities of life.
    Moe performed this piece in October at the end of her residency, and it has been included in the upcoming Performance Arcade live art event, to be staged on the Wellington waterfront from 19-21 February.
    Pātaka Director Ana Sciascia says they were honoured to have such a body of work created during the residency.
    “Moe’s performance was reflective, intimate and intensely moving. It was a stunning arrangement of poetry, video, choreography, and a sublime curated playlist.
    “I am thrilled that Fetū/Fetu’u: The Stars/Curses will receive a second outing at this year’s Performance Arcade.”
    Moe says the residency provided her with the perfect opportunity to develop new ideas that had been in the back of her mind but not yet fully explored.
    “It allowed me to experiment with various mediums and explore innovative ways of storytelling.”
    This residency was first offered in 2021 and awarded to Saviiey Aliiva’a Nua (she/her) – a Porirua-based community artist. She is also the chairwoman and director of Ngā Uri o Whiti Te Rā Mai Le Moana Trust.
    The opportunity for artists to develop their arts practice and engage with the Porirua arts community is made possible through Creative New Zealand’s Pacific Arts Strategy, which enables connection and investment in Pacific arts for the benefit of Aotearoa.
    This year Creative New Zealand is also offering the Aniva Residency at the Govett-Brewster/Len Lye Centre and Puke Ariki Museum in New Plymouth.
    Creative New Zealand Manager Pacific Arts Cultivation Ali Foa’i says they are thrilled to continue the partnership with Pātaka to again provide the residency for 2025.
    “Aniva has opened up more opportunities for previous recipients.”
    As well as Moe’s upcoming performance at the Performance Arcade, 2023 recipient Manu Vaea had an exhibition at Auckland Art Gallery and Wheke Fortress following their residency.
    To read the full guidelines for the Creative New Zealand Pacific Aniva Artist Residency 2025 or to apply for the residency, go to the Pātaka website:  https://pataka.org.nz/whats-on/events/aniva-residency-offers-creative-space-for-pacific-artists/
    DEFINITIONS
    MVPFAFF (Pacific LGBTQiA+)
    M for Mahu in Tahiti and Hawai’i.
    V for Vaka sa lewa lewa in Fiji.
    P for Palopa in Papua New Guinea.
    F for Fa’afafine in Samoa and American Samoa.
    A for Akava’ine in the Cook Islands.
    F for Fakaleiti or leiti in the Kingdom of Tonga.
    F for Fakafifine in Niue.
    LGBTQIA+
    L for Lesbian
    G for Gay
    B for Bisexual
    T for Transexual
    Q for Queer, Queer Gender
    I for Intersex
    A for Agender, Asexual
    + for other Queer identifying community.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Griffith, Latta, Bresnahan, McDowell, and McClain Statements After the U.S. House Passed a Bill to Help Tackle the Fentanyl Crisis

    Source: US House of Representatives Republicans

    The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI – WASHINGTON – Today, Representatives Morgan Griffith (R-Va.), Bob Latta (R-Ohio), Rob Bresnahan (R-Pa.), Addison McDowell (R- N.C.), and House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) issued the following statements after the U.S. House passed the Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act:

    “The HALT Fentanyl Act highlights House Republicans’ commitment to tackling deadly fentanyl-related substances and saving lives,” Griffith said. “I appreciate Speaker Johnson, Leader Scalise, Whip Emmer and Chairwoman McClain for supporting this critical legislation. The American people, including those in Appalachia, deserve nothing less than safe neighborhoods and safe streets.”

    “I’m encouraged the House has overwhelmingly advanced our HALT Fentanyl Act, which will help curb the devastating fentanyl poisoning crisis,” Latta said. “While making the scheduling of fentanyl-related substances permanent to get this crisis under control, this bill does not impede research into fentanyl-related substances, nor does it restrict access to fentanyl for those who rely on it for medicinal purposes. I’m proud to have worked on this extremely important bill with my friend, Congressman Griffith, and I’m even more pleased that the House recognized the urgency in which this bill is needed and passed it today. I call upon the Senate to take up our bill immediately and send it to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law.”

    “As someone who has lost a family member to the fentanyl crisis, I know that no community is immune from this epidemic,” Bresnahan said. ‘We could not afford to sit idly by, and I am proud we took this significant action. The HALT Fentanyl Act confronts this crisis head on, protecting our children, families, and neighbors from this dangerous substance.”

    “Fentanyl took my little brother Luke’s life. He was just 20 years old. My family’s pain is something too many American families have felt. Fentanyl is a weapon used by our adversaries to weaken our communities,” McDowell said. “The HALT Fentanyl Act is about cracking down on traffickers who would rather see our towns devastated than safe and prosperous. This is about saving lives.”
     
    “Every single life lost to the fentanyl crisis is more than just a statistic. Our country needs solutions, and House Republicans have taken action to make our communities safer and help save lives,” McClain said. “Although this bill should’ve become law sooner, I am glad 98 Democrats joined us today on passage. I commend my colleagues, Congressman Griffith and Congressman Latta, for their tremendous efforts to help stop the deadly fentanyl crisis affecting American families.”
     
    The HALT Fentanyl Act would permanently classify fentanyl analogues as a Schedule I substance. This designation will equip our border patrol agents and law enforcement officials with the power to go after those who traffic fentanyl analogues into the country and throughout American communities.
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Boosting the financial security of Australians doing it tough

    Source: Ministers for Social Services

    The Albanese Labor Government is strengthening the financial futures of Australia’s most vulnerable people.

    We’re investing $51.5 million to ensure the successful Saver Plus program continues to support Australians experiencing disadvantage to improve their financial literacy and better navigate financial crises.

    Under Saver Plus, lower-income families also receive matched savings of up to $500 for education costs for themselves or their children. 

    Brotherhood of St. Laurence, in partnership with ANZ and supported by The Smith Family and Berry Street, will continue to deliver Saver Plus until 2030 under the new funding agreement. 

    Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth said the investment reflects the Government’s commitment to supporting Australians most at risk of financial disadvantage. 

    “The Albanese Labor Government is doing more than ever to help Australians experiencing financial stress,” Minister Rishworth said.

    “We’ve reformed our Financial Wellbeing and Capability programs – providing Australians with a clearer pathway away from the financial cliff and Saver Plus is a big part of that story.

    “This funding is vital for those who need help to manage their finances, navigate financial crises and build a stronger, more secure future.

    “We are proud to continue our partnership with Brotherhood of St. Laurence over the next five years, ensuring this important program continues to deliver excellent outcomes for Australians and empower them to take control of their finances.”

    More than 64,000 vulnerable Australians have collectively saved over $30 million since Brotherhood of St. Laurence launched Saver Plus in 2003. ANZ matches savings up to $500.

    A recent survey of past participants also found:  

    • 84 per cent are still saving more than seven years after completing the program;
    • 85 per cent agreed they are better able to provide for their families; and
    • 52 per cent were meeting bill and credit commitments ‘without any difficulty’ up from 15 per cent before participating in the program. 

    The critical funding is part of our Financial Wellbeing and Capability Activity which helps people build their financial resilience and navigate financial stress. 

    The Government invests around $150 million a year into Financial Wellbeing and Capability programs, enabling organisations to deliver critical services to Australians in financial hardship. 

    This is another way Labor is helping with cost of living pressures. It follows our Government’s tax cuts, energy rebates and cheaper medicines, along with increasing maximum rates of Commonwealth Rent Assistance by 45 per cent.

    Brotherhood of St. Laurence Executive Director Travers McLeod said: “Working in partnership with the Federal Government, ANZ and our delivery partners The Smith Family and Berry St, we’re incredibly proud of the positive difference Saver Plus has made over the past 21 years. It provides life changing support and critical education that improves financial wellbeing, reduces household stress and builds the confidence of so many Australians.

    “As cost of living weighs heavily on the minds of all Australians – especially at this time of year with back-to-school costs – we’re delighted Saver Plus will be able to provide much-needed financial relief and support during 2025 and beyond. We thank the Government and our partners for continuing to support this critical program,” Mr McLeod said. 

    ANZ CEO Shayne Elliott said: “We appreciate the ongoing support from the Federal Government and are proud that Saver Plus has been acknowledged for its significant impact on the long-term financial wellbeing of Australian individuals, families and communities.

    “This additional funding will enable us to expand the Saver Plus program and assist more Australians to improve their financial literacy. We look forward to continuing to work closely with the Federal Government and our community partners to support better outcomes for many Australians,” Mr Elliot said. 

    More information about Saver Plus is available on the Brotherhood of St. Laurence website.

    Further information on financial services, including how to find financial wellbeing providers, is available on the Department of Social Services website.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Homemade firearms, gel blaster seized during Preston search

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Homemade firearms, gel blaster seized during Preston search

    Friday, 7 February 2025 – 9:12 am.

    Two homemade firearms and an imitation firearm were seized during a targeted search at an address in Preston in the state’s North- West.
    Members of Western Drugs and Firearms Unit as well as specialist police resources executed a search warrant at the address on Thursday 6 February, locating and seizing a modified .22 calibre rifle, a home-made 12-gauge slam gun and a gel blaster Glock.
    Police also located ammunition and drug paraphernalia. 
    Investigations are ongoing and police are following a specific line of inquiry in relation to the seized weapons.
    Anyone with information about illegal firearms should contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au
    Under Tasmania’s permanent firearms amnesty, people can surrender illegal and unwanted firearms, firearm parts, ammunition, or gel blasters that have the appearance of a firearm, without being prosecuted for the possession.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Appointment of acting Commissioner NT Fire and Emergency Services

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Ms Collene Bremner has been announced as the Acting Commissioner of NT Fire and Emergency Services (NTFES), while current Commissioner Andrew Warton embarks on a sabbatical overseas.

    Ms Bremner who has served as the Executive Director of Bushfires NT since 2016, brings over 20 years of experience in the Northern Territory Public Service. Her extensive background in emergency management has seen her lead the response to numerous significant events locally and interstate.

    Throughout her career, Ms Bremner has held numerous senior roles, including as Chair of the Australian and New Zealand Emergency Management Recovery Sub-Committee, the NT representative on the Australian and New Zealand Emergency Management Committee, and as a board member of the National Aerial Firefighting Centre (NAFC). She is also a member of NAFC’s Strategic Committee under the Australian Fire Authorities Council (AFAC).

    Ms Bremner will bring a wealth of knowledge to the role and is committed to leading the service and protecting Territorians during times of crisis.  Chief Minister and Minister for Fire and Emergency Services, Lia Finocchiaro directly appointed Ms Bremner to act in the role from 15 February 2025.

    Mr Warton is taking leave to embark on a once in a lifetime experience as Station Leader at Australia’s Casey Research Station in Antarctica. There he will lead a team of expeditioners and support crucial scientific research through the Antarctic winter.

    Casey Station is one of three Australian research stations in Antarctica and the selection process is long and comprehensive with roles like Station Leader highly sought after and very competitive. Due to the length of the selection process and how far in advance applications are taken, this sabbatical was a known factor when Mr Warton was appointed Commissioner NT Fire and Emergency Services in 2024.

    During his sabbatical, Mr Warton will remain in contact with NTFES staff and volunteers and will provide regular updates to his team during his time away.

     Acting arrangements will remain in place until Commissioner Warton’s return later in the year. His return will depend on the logistics of accessing Casey Research Station, which becomes generally inaccessible during the Antarctic winter.

    The recent formation of the NT Fire and Emergency Services, which combines the NT Fire and Rescue Service, NT Emergency Service, and Bushfires NT into one agency, enhances our ability to respond to emergencies while prioritising community resilience. For more information on the service, visit Welcome | NT Police, Fire & Emergency Services

    For more information on Casey Research Station, visit Antarctic operations – Australian Antarctic Program

    Quotes from Commissioner, Andrew Warton:

    “Leading an emergency services organisation and an Antarctic station may seem worlds apart, but both rely on teamwork, resilience, recognition of community and a commitment to something bigger than ourselves. Whether facing emergencies or keeping a remote station running, success comes down to ordinary people doing extraordinary things. It is an honour to lead the Northern Territory Fire and Emergency Services and I’m grateful for the opportunity to undertake this short-term experience, and to bring new perspectives on leadership back to the Northern Territory.”

    “I am pleased to announce Ms. Collene Bremner as Acting Commissioner of NTFES today. Collene’s leadership experience and involvement in both local and national emergency management efforts will ensure that the service continues to operate effectively. I am confident that NTFES staff and the community are in capable hands.

    Quotes from Collene Bremner:

    “I am honoured to have the opportunity to lead the NT Fire and Emergency Services.  I have a long association with the operational arms of the Northern Territory Fire and Emergency Services and am excited to continue to lead the ongoing development of the new agency during Andrew’s time in Antarctica.”

    Media contact:

    Rickie Abraham

    0400 814 524

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Air Ronge — Saskatchewan RCMP seizes one kilogram of cocaine in Air Ronge

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Saskatchewan RCMP’s La Ronge Crime Reduction Team (CRT) seized one kilogram of cocaine during a traffic stop in Air Ronge, SK.

    On February 2, 2025 at approximately 1 a.m., RCMP officers with the La Ronge CRT initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle at the intersection of Far Reserve Road and Mikisiw Drive.

    During the traffic stop, officers determined the female driver’s license had been suspended and a male passenger had an active warrant for his arrest. As officers were arresting the wanted male, they located and seized a small amount of cocaine. Officers proceeded to arrest the driver of the vehicle and two remaining occupants – a male and a female.

    While searching the vehicle, officers located and seized approximately one kilogram of cocaine, a handgun, ammunition, a baton, and additional drug trafficking paraphernalia.

    As a result of investigation, the following individuals are facing multiple firearms and drug charges:

    • Keannu Starnyski, a 19-year-old male from Sucker River, SK
    • Katelynn Charles, a 27-year-old female from Stanley Mission, SK
    • Freda Charles, a 24-year old female from La Ronge, SK
    • Gary Roberts, a 32-year-old male from Sucker River, SK

    Keannu Starnyski, Katelynn Charles, Freda Charles and Gary Roberts are each charged with:

    • one count, possession for the purpose of trafficking – cocaine, Section 5(2), Controlled Drugs and Substances Act;
    • one count, unsafe storage of firearms, Section 86(2), Criminal Code;
    • one count, possession of a firearm when knowing possession unauthorized, Section 92(1), Criminal Code;
    • one count, possession of a firearm in motor vehicle, Section 94(1), Criminal Code;
    • one count, possession of a restricted firearm/prohibited weapon with ammunition without license/registration, Section 95(2), Criminal Code; and
    • one count, possession of a firearm with serial number removed, Section 108(1)(b), Criminal Code.

    Additionally, Keannu Starnyski is facing one count, possession of a firearm contrary to order, Section 117.01(1), Criminal Code; and one count, fail to comply with probation orders, Section 733.1(1), Criminal Code.

    Gary Roberts is also facing one count, possession of a firearm contrary to order, Section 117.01(1), Criminal Code.

    Keannu Starnyski, Katelynn Charles, Freda Charles, and Gary Roberts made their first appearance in provincial court from La Ronge on February 3, 2025.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Madison Man Sentenced to 3 Years for Possessing a Machinegun

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Andre Miller Jr., 24, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 3 years in federal prison for possessing a machinegun. Miller pleaded guilty to this charge on November 8, 2024. The prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release.

    On October 27, 2021, Town of Madison Police Department officers responded to a reported stolen vehicle parked in Madison. Miller was identified as the driver of the stolen vehicle. When an officer attempted to make contact with Miller, he fled. When officers caught up with Miller, they saw a gun magazine in the backpack he had been carrying. Officers then searched Miller’s backpack and recovered a loaded Glock 26 9mm handgun with a machinegun conversion device. A machinegun conversion device is an illegal, after-market device that converts a semi-automatic handgun into a fully functioning machinegun. In the backpack, officers also located 48 grams of cocaine and 10 grams of heroin.

    “Machinegun conversion devices are extraordinarily dangerous,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea. “These devices are often used in weapons that are not designed to function as machine guns, thus making the weapons incredibly difficult to aim. Discharging a weapon equipped with such a device in a public area endangers every child and adult within range. Keeping these illegal devices off the streets in Wisconsin and keeping our citizens free of fear from these weapons is one of my highest priorities,” said O’Shea.

    At sentencing, Judge Conley said that he found it very troubling that Miller was going around with a machinegun that was connected to drug trafficking.

    The charge against Miller was the result of an investigation conducted by the Town of Madison Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consisting of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven P. Anderson and William M. Levins prosecuted this case.

    This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Boston Man Sentenced ro Five Years in Prison for Trafficking More Than Two Dozen Illegal Firearms into Boston

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today in federal court for conspiring to traffic dozens of illegal firearms from South Carolina to Boston.

    Aizavier Roache, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In October 2024, Roache pleaded guilty to one count of firearms trafficking and conspiracy.

    The investigation arose after a firearm recovered from a shooting in Boston was identified as having been purchased in South Carolina 15 days prior. Over a three-year period, Roache and his co-conspirator Trevon Brunson, conspired to traffic dozens of illegal firearms from South Carolina to Massachusetts. Specifically, Roache would text Brunson photos of the firearms he wanted. After purchasing the firearms in South Carolina, Brunson would meet Roache at different locations in Columbia, S.C. to transfer the firearms.

    Numerous text messages as well as bank, travel and firearm records detailed the conspiracy. Intercepted communications uncovered an instance were Brunson used Roache’s credit card to complete a multi-gun purchase because he didn’t have enough cash on hand, during which Roache texted Brunson the pin number for the card. Additionally, a video recovered from Roache’s phone showed him on a bus showing off a carry-on bag that contained four firearms. The date of the video corresponded with Roache’s trip back to Massachusetts after a multi-gun purchase in April of 2023.  

    In total, the defendants trafficked more than 24 illegal firearms into Massachusetts from South Carolina. Eleven of the trafficked firearms were recovered in Massachusetts after being used in a crime.

    Brunson pleaded guilty in October 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 21, 2025.

    United States Attorney Leah Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Montgomery Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison Following Federal Drug and Gun Convictions

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

               MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced the sentencing of a Montgomery, Alabama man following federal drug and gun convictions. On February 5, 2025, a federal judge sentenced 37-year-old Richard Eugene Moore, Jr., to 180 months in prison. In addition, the judge ordered that Moore serve three years of supervised release following his prison term. Federal inmates are not eligible for parole.

               According to the plea agreement and other court records, on September 20, 2023, an Alabama state trooper attempted to stop a vehicle in the city of Montgomery after observing a traffic violation. Inside the vehicle was a male driver, two female passengers, and a toddler. The driver, later identified as Moore, refused to stop. A pursuit ensued and the trooper observed Moore throwing objects out of the driver-side window. Moore continued to flee through a residential area, often driving at a high rate of speed. The pursuit ended when Moore ran a stop sign and struck an unmarked police car. Moore then attempted to flee on foot but was apprehended just a few feet from the vehicle. All four occupants of the vehicle, including the toddler, sustained minor injuries. The police officer in the unmarked vehicle sustained more serious injuries and was hospitalized for several days.

               Investigators recovered the items discarded by Moore during the pursuit. The items included a Glock handgun and a backpack. Moore has prior felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Inside the backpack, investigators found several bags of suspected marijuana and a digital scale. Laboratory analysis confirmed the substance in the bags to be marijuana.

               On September 16, 2024, Moore pleaded guilty to possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute the illegal drug and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Moore also enter a plea of guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

               “On a weekday afternoon, Moore led law enforcement on a high-speed chase through the streets of Montgomery when school traffic was at its peak,” said Acting United States Attorney Davidson. “This type of reckless behavior cannot be tolerated. The 15-year sentence ordered by the judge was completely justified due to Moore’s total disregard for the safety of everyone on the road that day, including law enforcement and his passengers.”

               The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, and Montgomery Police Department investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorney Brandon W. Bates prosecuted.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pasco County Man Sentenced To 9 Years In Federal Prison For Trafficking Methamphetamine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Carlos Solorio (25, Dade City) to nine years in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine. Solorio pled guilty on November 7, 2024.

    According to court documents, on May 31, 2023, Solorio sold 3 kilograms of methamphetamine to another person at a grocery store parking lot in Dade City, Florida. This narcotics transaction was arranged by brokers in Mexico and Atlanta, Georgia.

    This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Pardo.

    This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Montgomery Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing a Machinegun Conversion Device

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

               Montgomery, Ala. – On February 5, 2025, 24-year-old Domonique McKee, from Montgomery, Alabama, received a sentence of 60 months in prison for possession of a machinegun, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson. Following his prison sentence, McKee will serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. 

               According to his plea agreement and other court records, on December 2, 2023, a Montgomery police officer stopped a vehicle suspected of containing illegal narcotics. The officer identified McKee as the driver and conducted a search of the vehicle. In addition to finding a substance suspected of being methamphetamine, law enforcement found three handguns, numerous rounds of ammunition, and multiple magazines, including extended capacity magazines. One of the handguns seized was equipped with a machinegun conversion device. On September 25, 2024, McKee pleaded guilty in federal court to possessing a machinegun.

               “When installed on a firearm, a machinegun conversion device, or ‘switch,’ allows a gun to function as a fully automatic weapon capable of firing a continuous spray of bullets with a single pull of the trigger,” said Acting United States Attorney Davidson. “The mere possession of a machinegun conversion device, regardless of whether it is installed on a firearm, is a federal crime. My office will continue to prioritize the prosecution of those carrying these dangerous devices and to work with our law enforcement partners to remove them from our communities.” 

               The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Montgomery Police Department investigated this case, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Assistant United States Attorney Justin L. Jones prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Topeka man indicted for possession of child sexual abuse materials

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TOPEKA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Topeka returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with having child sexual abuse materials.

    According to court documents, Joseph Donald Dube, 38, of Topeka was indicted on one count of possessing of child sexual abuse materials. 

    Dube is accused of knowingly accessing and possessing materials depicting minors under 12 years of age engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

    The defendant made his initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. 

    The U.S. Secret Service and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) are investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Hunting is prosecuting the case.

    Project Safe Childhood
    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

    An indictment 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: South Deerfield Resident Arrested for Alleged Assault on Federal Agent

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A South Deerfield resident has been arrested and charged for allegedly assaulting a federal agent executing a search warrant in connection with a U.S. Capitol Police investigation. The defendant allegedly spit in the face and eye of an agent during a residential search.  

    James Gerard Pepe III, a/k/a “Judith Pepe,” 25, is charged with one count of assaulting a federal officer. Pepe was arrested on Jan. 4, 2025 and, following an initial appearance in federal court in Springfield, Mass., was released on conditions.

    According to the charging document, on Feb. 4, 2025, federal law enforcement agents executed a search warrant of a bedroom inside a South Deerfield apartment believed to be used by the subject of a U.S. Capitol Police investigation. Pepe allegedly resided in the same apartment where the target bedroom was located.  

    During the search, Pepe was directed to sit in a kitchen chair, unhandcuffed. Shortly thereafter, it is alleged that Pepe became visibly agitated. Specifically, Pepe allegedly yelled and directed profanity, insults, taunts and threats at agents, as well as threatened to spit in an agent’s face. Agents warned Pepe to remain calm and allow agents to complete the search or be placed in handcuffs. According to the charging document, Pepe continued to behave in an agitated and aggressive manner after the warning. Pepe was subsequently placed in handcuffs and, while being escorted out of the apartment, allegedly spit in the face and eye of the escorting agent.

    The charge of assaulting a federal officer provides for a sentence of up to eight years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.  

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas A. Barnico, Jr. of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

    The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Guatemalan National Previously Removed From The United States On Nine Prior Occasions Pleads Guilty To Illegal Reentry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Dimas Obispo Yuman-Parada (62, Guatemala) has pleaded guilty to illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. Yuman-Parada faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

    According to court documents, Yuman-Parada was previously removed from the United States on nine prior occasions—1986, 1999, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2015. Following his removal from the United States in 2015, Yuman-Parada did not receive the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. Yuman-Parada was found to be voluntarily back in the United States in October 2024, when he was arrested in the Middle District of Florida on a state charge of domestic battery. Yuman-Parada was previously convicted in the Southern District of Texas of illegal reentry in 2014.

    This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Madison Couple Sentenced for Methamphetamine and Cocaine Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Yelitzia Ortiz Chaparro, 29, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 3 years in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine. Her husband, Emanuel Gonzalez, 25, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced on February 4, 2025, by Judge Peterson to 8 years in federal prison for possessing 500 grams of more of cocaine intended for distribution. Gonzalez pleaded guilty to this charge on November 4, 2024. Ortiz Chaparro pleaded guilty to the methamphetamine charge on November 6, 2024.

    Between November of 2022 and February of 2023, Ortiz Chaparro sold cocaine to a confidential source working with the Drug Enforcement Administration on three occasions for a total of 362 grams. On March 17, 2023, Gonzalez and Ortiz Chaparro worked together to deliver one pound of methamphetamine to the confidential source in Madison.

    On May 9, 2024, and again on May 15, 2024, Gonzalez sold cocaine to a second confidential source for a total of 198 grams. On June 13, 2024, the second confidential source contacted Gonzalez in order to purchase one pound of methamphetamine.  During a telephone call with Gonzalez and Ortiz Chaparro to set up the deal, Ortiz Chaparro told the second confidential source that the price for the methamphetamine was $2,100. Later that day, Gonzalez delivered one pound of methamphetamine to the second confidential source in Madison.

    On July 15, 2024, the second confidential source contacted Gonzalez and negotiated the purchase of two ounces of cocaine. Later that day, Gonzalez delivered 56 grams of cocaine to the second confidential source in Madison.

    On July 18, 2024, agents executed a federal search warrant at Gonzalez and Ortiz Chaparro’s residence in Madison. Prior to the search, agents arrested Gonzalez and found $9,660 on his person. During the search of the master bedroom of the residence, agents found nearly a kilogram of cocaine in a closet and a loaded 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun in a dresser drawer. Agents also found $8,600 inside of a safe in a second bedroom. Agents performed a firearms trace on the recovered 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun and discovered that Gonzalez had purchased it in 2020.

    At the sentencing hearing for Ortiz Chaparro, Judge Peterson stated that the large amounts of drugs she distributed for a significant period of time made it a very serious crime. Judge Peterson noted that the while the evidence showed that Gonzalez initially got Ortiz Chaparro involved in drug trafficking, she quickly “leaned into” selling significant quantities of drugs on her own.

    At the sentencing hearing for Gonzalez, Judge Peterson stated that the evidence showed that Gonzalez had been responsible for distributing large amounts of illegal drugs prior to selling drugs to the confidential sources during the investigation. Judge Peterson also stated that Gonzalez made the situation worse by keeping a loaded firearm in an unlocked dresser drawer that was accessible to his young child and in close proximity to a large amount of cocaine.

    The charges against Gonzalez and Ortiz Chaparro were the result of an investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Wisconsin State Patrol, and the Madison Police Department. The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner handled the prosecution. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Who Fired Shots Into the Air Outside San Angelo Home Sentenced to 2.5 Years for Gun Crime

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A man who fired shots outside a San Angelo residence was sentenced to 30 months in prison for a federal gun crime, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham.

    Edgar Eduardo Gamez-Rodriguez, a 22-year-old citizen of Mexico, was indicted in September 2024 and pleaded guilty in October 2024 to illegal alien in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix.

    According to a plea papers, at around 5:05 a.m. on Oct. 1, 2023, law enforcement responded to a call of “shots fired” outside a home in San Angelo. Witnesses, who were attending a party there, reported that Mr. Gamez-Rodriguez had fired several rounds from a handgun into the air.

    A sheriff’s office incident report details how Mr. Gamez-Rodriguez – intoxicated and irate at having his keys taken away – pulled out his gun, racked the slide, and pointed it straight at two musicians who’d been hired to play at the party. He climbed into his vehicle, then fired four to six shots into the air before driving off, according to multiple witnesses. He later allegedly told a partygoer he “knows people” who could “shoot up” the house.

    According to plea papers, law enforcement later executed a search warrant at Mr. Gamez-Rodriguez’s residence, where they recovered a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic handgun along with two 9mm magazines. In the drawer where the gun and ammunition were stored, they found an employment contract with Mr. Gamez-Rodriguez’s signature and the keys to his vehicle.

    Officers also reviewed Mr. Gamez-Rodriguez’s facebook profile photo, which showed him holding a black handgun.

    A query of the defendant’s immigration records showed that he was a citizen of Mexico based on his birth in Acuna, Coahuila, Mexico. Mr. Gamez-Rodriguez had never been given permission to enter or remain in the United States, and had been removed to Mexico previously via Laredo.

    After serving his sentence, Mr. Gamez-Rodriguez will once again face deportation proceedings.

    Homeland Security Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Haag prosecuted the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Viventium Recognized for Multimedia Excellence at 2025 Aspect Awards for Influential Caregiver Onboarding Research

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BERKELEY HEIGHTS, N.J., Feb. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Viventium, the leading SaaS-based human capital management platform serving the healthcare industry, has earned second place in the Multimedia Campaign category for Home Health & Home Care (Vendor) at the 2025 Aspect Awards. The award recognizes the 2024 Caregiver Onboarding Experience Report: A Re-Think is Overdue, a proprietary research initiative that brings much-needed attention to critical workforce challenges in home-, facility-, and community-based care.

    Presented by WTWH Healthcare, the Aspect Awards celebrate innovation and creativity in marketing and advertising across the care continuum. A panel of nine industry experts in sales, public relations, and branding evaluated entries based on creativity, style and impact, quality, and alignment with business goals. Each category awarded first, second, and third place distinctions, recognizing both care providers and solution innovators—with Viventium standing out for its data-driven storytelling and commitment to advancing industry conversations.

    The 2024 Caregiver Onboarding Experience Report: A Re-Think is Overdue takes a deep dive into the staffing shortages and high turnover rates that continue to challenge home-, facility-, and community-based care organizations. The research uncovers critical gaps in onboarding, an often-overlooked factor contributing to caregiver retention issues. Through proprietary data and actionable insights, the report equips administrators and managers with strategies to enhance onboarding, boost engagement, and improve long-term staff retention.

    “We are honored to be recognized for highlighting onboarding as a critical factor to the retention issue,” said Navin Gupta, CEO at Viventium. “Effective onboarding plays a key role in caregiver retention, yet many organizations face challenges in optimizing the process. With this report, we aim to provide valuable insights and strategies to help agencies and facilities strengthen their workforce and enhance patient care.”

    For more information about Viventium and to access the 2024 Caregiver Onboarding Experience Report, visit www.viventium.com or follow @viventium on LinkedIn.

    About Viventium

    Viventium provides a SaaS-based human capital management solution that is focused on the healthcare industry. The company’s mission is to enrich the lives of caregivers through technology so they love going to work every day. By providing specialized software and expert guidance, Viventium helps its clients throughout the lifecycle of each caregiver. The company has clients in all 50 states and supports over 500,000 client employees each year.

    For more information about Viventium, visit https://www.viventium.com or follow @viventium on LinkedIn.

    Press Contact:
    press@viventium.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f8fa55c8-472a-4306-9481-513b0b21991e

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: HP Inc. Names Songyee Yoon to Board of Directors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PALO ALTO, Calif., Feb. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — HP Inc. (NYSE: HPQ) today announced the appointment of Songyee Yoon to its Board of Directors. Songyee is the Founder and Managing Partner of Principal Venture Partners and former President for NCSoft Corporation, a leading gaming developer. Her appointment is effective immediately.

    “We’re thrilled to welcome Songyee to the HP Board of Directors,” said Chip Bergh, Chair of the HP Board. “Songyee brings expertise in international business and a deep understanding of AI. As a renowned leader and innovator, Songyee offers a global perspective on emerging technologies and trends in AI, which will undoubtedly help us advance HP’s strategic priorities.”

    Ms. Yoon holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, a Juris Doctor degree from Santa Clara University, and a PhD in Computational Neuroscience from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Additionally, she serves on the Board of Trustees of MIT.

    A respected leader in the industry, Ms. Yoon brings significant experience in technology, AI, and international business. Her venture fund, Principal Venture Partners, L.P., focuses on investments in AI-native companies. As a former President and Chief Strategy Officer of NCSoft, she led global expansion and AI integration across multiple countries. She has also served under two presidents as a member of South Korea’s Presidential Advisory Council for Science and Technology.

    “We are pleased to welcome Songyee to our Board of Directors,” says HP Inc. President and CEO, Enrique Lores. “With a proven track record in strategic capabilities and extensive experience in AI, Songyee will play a crucial role in advancing HP’s plans to lead in the future of work. I am confident that her addition to the Board will strengthen our leadership in AI-enabled technology and contribute to our continued growth.”

    The full HP Board is listed at HP.com.

    About HP Inc.

    HP Inc. (NYSE: HPQ) is a global technology leader and creator of solutions that enable people to bring their ideas to life and connect to the things that matter most. Operating in more than 170 countries, HP delivers a wide range of innovative and sustainable devices, services and subscriptions for personal computing, printing, 3D printing, hybrid work, gaming, and more. For more information, please visit: http://www.hp.com.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: OPEC Fund arranges US$50 million syndicated loan facility to promote access to finance for SMEs in Paraguay

    Source: OPEC Fund for International Development (the OPEC Fund)

    February 6, 2025: The OPEC Fund for International Development (the OPEC Fund) has arranged a syndicated loan with a US$50 million facility for the benefit of Banco Continental in Paraguay. While the OPEC Fund will contribute US$25 million from its own resources as A-lender, it has also mobilized a US$25 million B-loan from Commercial Bank of Dubai. The OPEC Fund acted as sole Bookrunner, Mandated Lead Arranger and Facility Agent.

    The funding will support Banco Continental’s efforts to expand lending to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and to support the agricultural sector in Paraguay by driving economic growth and bolstering food security through the provision of finance.

    The successful syndication marks a milestone in the OPEC Fund’s mission to mobilize financing for the development needs of partner countries: CBD is one of the largest banks in the UAE, one of the OPEC Fund member countries, and the financing represents its first operation in Paraguay.

    OPEC Fund President Abdulhamid Alkhalifa said: “This syndication reflects the OPEC Fund’s ability to mobilize resources for impactful development and create opportunities for economic growth. Partnering with CBD and Banco Continental we are channeling resources from our member country UAE to initiatives that directly support SMEs and the agricultural sector – key pillars of sustainable growth and food security in Paraguay. This transaction also demonstrates the strength of cross-border collaboration in addressing global development needs.”

    Banco Continental CEO Juan Carlos Carranza said: “We are proud to have successfully completed this transaction with the OPEC Fund and Commercial Bank of Dubai. At Continental, we are leaders in providing financial assistance to the most productive sectors of Paraguay with a strategic vision and social inclusion, meeting the various needs of our clients. Recently, with the investment grade rating, we have strengthened our ability to offer innovative, solid, and competitive solutions, contributing to the economic development of the country and consolidating our market position.”

    Fahad Al Muhairi, General Manager for Institutional Banking at Commercial Bank of Dubai stated: “We are pleased to partner with the OPEC Fund to participate in this facility. At CBD, we are committed to advancing sustainable finance while expanding our global footprint. Our partnership with the OPEC Fund exemplifies our strategy to collaborate with leading international institutions to support economic growth in emerging markets and underscores our commitment to building strategic alliances that drive responsible banking.”

    About the OPEC Fund

    The OPEC Fund for International Development (the OPEC Fund) is the only globally mandated development institution that provides financing from member countries to non-member countries exclusively. The organization works in cooperation with developing country partners and the international development community to stimulate economic growth and social progress in low- and middle-income countries around the world. The OPEC Fund was established in 1976 with a distinct purpose: to drive development, strengthen communities and empower people. Our work is people-centered, focusing on financing projects that meet essential needs, such as food, energy, infrastructure, employment (particularly relating to MSMEs), clean water and sanitation, healthcare and education. To date, the OPEC Fund has committed more than US$29 billion to development projects in over 125 countries with an estimated total project cost of about US$225 billion. The OPEC Fund is rated AA+ (Stable Outlook) by Fitch and S&P. Our vision is a world where sustainable development is a reality for all.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Van Hollen, Castro Lead House and Senate Democrats in Push to Protect Military, National Security Families from Forced Attrition

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and U.S. Representative Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20) led House and Senate Democrats in a letter asking the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to explicitly exempt military and national security families from the Trump administration’s new restrictions on telework and remote work for federal employees.

    Spousal employment challenges are a major cause of forced attrition in both the military and the national security community. While OPM has issued limited guidance exempting military spouses from the termination of remote work opportunities, advocates for these families have expressed frustration about the lack of clarity surrounding full implementation of this exception. Additionally, OPM has not announced exemptions for the families of other national security professionals, such as those in the State Department and the intelligence community.

    “We write to express our deep concerns about the unintended consequences of the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) January 22, 2025, implementation guidance regarding a recent Presidential Memorandum on remote and telework arrangements for federal employees. The broad implementation overlooks the economic security and well-being of America’s military families, diplomatic spouses, and other national security professionals who are stationed away from home in service of the U.S. government. The impacted personnel are less than one percent of the federal workforce, but their ability to work from their families’ duty stations for limited periods of time (typically 2-3 years) is essential to recruitment for hard-to-fill assignments, family unity, and retention of their valuable experience and contributions to national security. We urge you to revise OPM’s guidance to explicitly exempt the small number of affected spouses and dependents and avoid attrition issues that could negatively impact American military readiness and national security, “the lawmakers wrote.

    “It is commonly said that when one person joins the military, the whole family serves. This maxim is no less true for diplomats, intelligence professionals, federal law enforcement officers, and other national security professionals who are routinely required to relocate to postings across the world. As a result of these relocations, spouses and dependents often struggle to find consistent employment, creating personal and financial strains that have been cited as a major cause of attrition,” the lawmakers continued.  

    Booker, Van Hollen, and Castro are senior members of the House and Senate committees with jurisdiction over foreign affairs and international relations.

    The letter is cosigned by U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA-08), Johnny Olszewski, Jr. (D-MD-02), Veronica Escobar (D-TX-16), Jonathan L. Jackson (D-IL-01), and Sara Jacobs (D-CA-51).

    To read the full text of the letter, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Thune Reintroduce American Beef Labeling Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) reintroduced the American Beef Labeling Act, legislation that would reinstate mandatory country of origin labeling (MCOOL) for beef. The legislation would require the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), in consultation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to develop a World Trade Organization-compliant means of reinstating MCOOL for beef within one year of enactment. USTR would have six months to develop a reinstatement plan followed by a six-month window to implement it. If USTR fails to reinstate MCOOL for beef within one year of enactment, it would automatically be reinstated for beef only.

    “This bipartisan legislation will help Americans know exactly where their beef is coming from,” said Senator Booker. “For too long, the big meatpackers have been misleading people with deceptive labeling. More transparency will enable consumers to support local family farmers and ranchers, and I look forward to working with Senator Thune to get this bill enacted into law as quickly as possible.”

    “South Dakota ranchers – who work tirelessly to produce some of the highest quality beef in the world – deserve a fair labeling system that provides consumers with basic information on the origin of their beef,” said Senator Thune. “As a longtime supporter of MCOOL, I’m proud to reintroduce this legislation that would promote the viability of cattle ranching across our country and provide full transparency for American consumers.”

    “America’s cattle producers are grateful for Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s steadfast support for mandatory country of origin labeling for beef,” said Bill Bullard, chief executive officer of R-CALF USA. “Our cattle and beef markets cannot function properly when consumers are denied basic market information, such as where the beef they purchase for their families was produced, under which country’s food production and food safety regime it was produced, and whether their purchase will help strengthen our domestic food supply chains. The American Beef Labeling Act will remedy this situation and bring needed transparency to the marketplace for producers and consumers alike.”

    “United States Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) commends Majority Leader Thune for introducing the American Beef Labeling Act,” said Justin Tupper, president of USCA. “His leadership in restoring truth to labeling is a critical step toward ensuring transparency for U.S. consumers in the marketplace. This legislation puts U.S. producers first and we look forward to collaborating with Senator Thune and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to uphold integrity in the domestic beef market.”

    “MCOOL is necessary for consumers who need to know where their food comes from,” said Doug Sombke, president of the South Dakota Farmers Union. “MCOOL is necessary for cattle producers who invest heavily in practices that produce the safest and highest quality meat in the world. Thank you Senator Thune for your efforts to secure fair markets for cattle producers in South Dakota and across the nation.”

    This legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-SD), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), and John Fetterman (D-PA).

    To read the full text of the bill, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Padilla, Hirono, Hayes Reintroduce Resolution Declaring Racism a Public Health Crisis

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) reintroduced a Senate Resolution to declare racism a public health crisis in the United States. This resolution aims to highlight the detrimental effects communities of color face when seeking healthcare treatment. Additionally, this resolution encourages concrete action to address health disparities and inequity across all sectors of society. U.S. Representatives Jahana Hayes (D-CT-05) and Delia C. Ramirez (D-IL-03) introduced companion legislation in the House. 

    “This resolution is an important step toward recognizing that communities of color, particularly Black, Indigenous, and Latino communities, face disproportionate rates of chronic illness, shorter life expectancies, and increased barriers to quality health care,” said Senator Booker. “These disparities are not accidents. They are the direct result of decades of unjust policies and systems that determine whether your air or water is clean, or how close your family is to a toxic waste site. I remain committed to working with my colleagues to dismantle the systemic injustices that continue to impact the health outcomes of communities of color across America.”

    “Racism and its compounding impacts have harmed the health and well-being of communities of color across America for generations,” said Senator Padilla. “Declaring racism as a public health crisis is an initial step to bring more attention to these deep-rooted inequities, but we have much more work to do to address these disparities and deliver justice for millions of Americans.”

    “Racism is deadly for people of color, adversely impacting access to health care resources and disproportionately exacerbating health outcomes of marginalized communities including life expectancy, infant mortality, maternal morbidity, risk of cancer, and more,” said Senator Hirono. “The first step in addressing a crisis is naming it, which is why I am proud to reintroduce this resolution recognizing the impacts of systemic racism on the health of minority groups, and reaffirming our commitment to addressing health disparities and inequity across all communities.”

    “Across our nation, communities of color face deeply rooted and systemic barriers to quality care and health outcomes. This has resulted in lower life expectancies for people of color,” said Congresswoman Hayes. “Declaring racism a public health crisis is a step towards delivering a more equitable and healthier future for every American. It is unacceptable for anyone to be denied adequate care or access to medical resources because of race, and Congress must work to address the barriers to quality care faced by communities of color.”

    “Compared to other developed countries, the United States has among the worst health care outcomes. That is especially true for communities of color, who confront systemic barriers, biases, and neglect when seeking necessary, life-saving medical care. It is time we face the facts. Racism is a public health crisis,” said Congresswoman Ramirez.“ I’m proud to join Congresswoman Hayes, Senator Booker, and Senator Hirono in introducing a resolution that challenges us to confront and combat health care disparities that put communities of color at greater risk.”

    The resolution highlights the effects of systemic racism on the health and wellness of communities of color, resulting in shorter life expectancy, worsened health outcomes, and enhanced exposure to harmful or dangerous environments. 

    Additionally, the resolution calls on the United States Congress to:

    1. Establish a nationwide strategy to address health disparities and inequities across all sectors in society.
    2. Dismantle systemic practices and policies that perpetuate racism.
    3. Advance reforms to address years of neglectful and apathetic policies that have led to poor health outcomes for members of racial and ethnic minority groups.
    4. Promote efforts to address the social determinants of health for all racial and ethnic minority groups in the United States to move forward with urgency.

    The resolution is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Andy Kim (D-NJ), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    To read the full text of the resolution, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fischer Urges Colleagues to Include Paid Family Leave Bill in Upcoming Tax Package

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer

    During a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) called on her colleagues to make American families’ lives better by including her Paid Family and Medical Leave Tax Credit Extension and Enhancement Act in the upcoming tax package.

    Yesterday, Senator Fischer reintroduced her legislation with Senator King (I-Maine) to make the Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) Employer Tax Credit permanent. The Senators first passed their PFML tax credit as part of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, but it is set to expire soon if not extended by the PFML Tax Credit Extension and Enhancement Act.

    In her remarks, Senator Fischer emphasized the bipartisan support her legislation has received, as well as its role in fulfilling Republican promises to create a more prosperous and affordable future for American families.

    Click the image above to watch a video of Senator Fischer’s remarks.

    Click here to download audio 

    Click here to download video


    Following is a transcript of Senator Fischer’s remarks as prepared for delivery:

    M. President,

    In America, our news cycle is often fraught with controversy and dispute. From watching the news or scrolling social media, it might seem like there are few issues Americans agree on.

    It may be true that we disagree on some big issues—important issues. But behind the headlines and social media posts, there are many things Americans still agree on.

    One of those is paid family and medical leave.

    The Pew Research Center found that the vast majority of Americans support paid parental leave—up to 82 percent. That’s a broad consensus.

    85 percent of Americans say people should receive paid leave to deal with their own serious health conditions. 67 percent say they should receive leave to care for a family member with a serious health condition.

    We rarely see Americans so united on other issues. But it’s for good reason that Republicans and Democrats come together on paid family leave.

    The reality is that Americans shouldn’t have to choose between their paychecks and caring for their families.

    That’s why I spearheaded our nation’s first-ever federal family leave policy in 2017 with Senator King.

    As part of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, we passed a Paid Family and Medical Leave tax credit that encourages businesses to offer leave to their employees.

    Employers are able to receive the tax credit if they voluntarily offer up to 12 weeks of paid leave.

    Our credit increases access to paid leave without penalizing small businesses with limited resources, like a government entitlement program or a mandate would.

    Almost eight years later, this tax credit is about to expire. And Congress is set to work on another tax package.

    Now is the perfect time to pass my bill with Senator King to make our tax credit permanent and improve it.

    Yesterday we introduced the PFML Tax Credit Extension and Enhancement Act. Representative Feenstra is leading the introduction of companion legislation in the House.

    Our bipartisan, bicameral bill supports additional options for financing paid leave, such as paid family leave insurance. It also allows employers to begin offering paid leave to workers sooner after being hired.

    The legislation includes a strategy for educating employers and employees about the option to receive this credit. It requires the Small Business Administration and the IRS to provide targeted outreach and assistance to those who need it, which will raise awareness of the credit and expand the number of Americans who have paid leave.

    Passing this bill in our upcoming tax package will deliver on the promises Republicans made to the American people this November.

    We promised to make families’ lives better, more prosperous and more affordable. More access to family leave will contribute to that goal.

    Our tax credit is a tried-and-true method, one with a bipartisan track record of success. It’s the paid family leave solution that will do the most good with the smallest price tag.

    I urge my colleagues to join me in pushing for this legislation’s inclusion in this year’s tax package.

    This is how we expand paid family and medical leave for employees across the country. This is how we deliver for the American people. I’m determined to get this done, and I hope my colleagues will join me. 

    Thank you, M. President, I yield the floor.

    MIL OSI USA News –