Source: US Congressional Budget Office
On September 25, 2024, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs ordered reported the following two pieces of legislation that would name U.S. Customs and Border Protection facilities:
• H.R. 5799, the James R. Dominguez Memorial Act of 2023; and
• S. 3181, the Michel O. Maceda Memorial Act, which was subsequently reported by the committee on the same day.
Source: US National Republican Congressional Committee
The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –
September 27, 2024
New footage of extreme Democrat Rebecca Cooke reveals she supports a ban on assault weapons and AR-15s.
“Extreme Democrat Rebecca Cooke is running her campaign on lies about her radical record and long history as a paid political consultant for far-left Democrats. Voters see through her facade and will reject her this November because her policies are too out of touch with Western Wisconsin.” — NRCC Spokesman Mike Marinella
Read more from National Review here or see excerpts below.
‘AR-15s Have No Place at a Deer Camp’: Wisconsin Democrat Running as Moderate Calls for Banning Popular Rifle Platform
National Review
Brittany Bernstein
September 27, 2024
Rebecca Cooke, the Democratic challenger to Representative Derrick Van Orden (R., Wis), has previously said she supports a ban on assault weapons and AR-15s, according to recordings obtained by National Review.
Cooke… has not strongly highlighted her stance on gun control during the campaign. Of eleven policy priorities listed on her website, none mention gun-policy reform.
In the first of two recordings, she was asked during a campaign meet-and-greet on February 13 whether she would support an assault-weapons ban.
“I do. Yeah,” she replied, according to an audio recording of the event.
And on July 16 at the WI-03 Democrat forum, Cooke voiced support for a ban on AR-15s.
[…]
The recordings find Cooke taking an even stricter stance on gun reform than is laid out in her biography on the website of the pro-gun control group Giffords, which has endorsed her.
“In Congress, she’ll work to close the Charleston Loophole, enact red flag laws that allow law enforcement and families to disarm those who pose a risk to themselves or others, and expand background checks to all gun sales. She’ll also be a champion for strong safe storage requirements, because she wants people to be able to responsibly own guns, while still ensuring that they can’t fall into the hands of an innocent child or someone who shouldn’t have access,” the biography reads.
Cooke’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment on the extent of her gun-control policy goals.
Cooke is running as a moderate in the district that has been represented by Van Orden, a conservative Republican, since 2022. The congressman is a self-described “American patriot, retired Navy SEAL and Christian.”
[…]
Read more here.
Source: Government of Canada News
September 27, 2024 Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Employment and Social Development Canada
Canadian youth are one of the country’s greatest strengths and sources of potential, and the Government of Canada is supporting young people at every stage of their journey toward a prosperous future. Every young person deserves a good job, but we know that many youth face barriers to employment. Creating opportunities for young people to gain the skills and experience they need for a fair chance at financial success is key to strengthening our economy, building a more inclusive country, and ensuring that no one is left behind.
Today, on behalf of the Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, Terry Sheehan, Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie, announced over $1.07 million over four years to the Sault Community Career Centre for their Transition to Independence Program (TIP). Funding is being provided through Employment and Social Development Canada’s (ESDC’s) Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS) Program.
TIP is a flexible and personalized program that supports Sault Ste. Marie youth. Over the next four years, funding for TIP through the YESS Program will assist 66 youth, aged 15 to 30, who face barriers to employment, such as those who are not in education, employment or training; those facing poverty or homelessness; recent immigrants and refugees; and those experiencing discrimination. By offering a range of activities, skills training and work experiences, TIP will empower participants to overcome socio-economic challenges and transition to the labor force or return to education.
In total, the YESS Program is expected to fund more than 200 new projects worth approximately $370 million between now and 2028, as part of the Government’s plan to create 90,000 youth job placements per year between 2024 and 2026. These projects will provide flexible employment services and holistic supports tailored to each participant to help young people gain transferable skills with a lasting positive impact on their careers. This approach has already demonstrated success, with over 80% of participants from June 2019 to December 2022 either employed or returning to school following their participation in YESS programming.
The Government of Canada recognizes the vital role governments can play in making sure young people succeed. That is why, as announced in Budget 2024, the Government is helping to restore fairness for every generation by unlocking access to post-secondary education, investing in the skills of the future, and creating opportunities for younger Canadians to get good jobs.
“Young people want to succeed—for themselves, for their families, and for their communities. The federal government is making sure that this is possible by helping them access the skills and experience they need to successfully transition into the labour market. The Sault Community Career Centre’s project is a great example of how, with federal support, community organizations can create opportunities for all young people, particularly youth facing barriers and with disabilities, to find a good job and build a fulfilling career.”
– The Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth
“I am proud that our government is recognizing the hard work done by the Sault Community Career Centre. Providing enhanced career-development opportunities with wraparound services including mental health, food security and personal resources is a model for encouraging and supporting these future community leaders. Helping young people facing barriers to find employment in our community and develop skills for the workforce are how we ensure that that we remain a prosperous and thriving city.”
– Terry Sheehan, Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie
“The Transition to Independence Program is a vital initiative that equips youth in Sault Ste. Marie with the skills and support they need to overcome barriers and achieve long-term success. This generous funding from the Government of Canada allows us to provide a tailored approach to help each participant reach their full potential. By offering employment training, wraparound supports, and personal development resources, we are not only investing in their futures but also in the future of our community.”
– Adam Pinder, Executive Director, Sault Community Career Centre
ESDC’s YESS Program was designed to give all youth an equal opportunity to find meaningful work. New to this funding cycle is the Youth with Disabilities Stream, which places an emphasis on supporting projects that target youth with disabilities. Over 30% of funded projects are expected to address the unique employment challenges faced by youth with disabilities, surpassing the original target of 20%.
Other priority groups include Indigenous youth, 2SLGBTQI+ youth, Black and racialized youth, and youth in official language minority communities.
ESDC’s YESS Program is part of the Government of Canada’s broader Youth Employment and Skills Strategy, a horizontal initiative championed by 12 federal departments, agencies and Crown corporations. Together, these 12 partners deliver funding programs to help Canadian youth (aged 15 to 30) develop the skills and gain the experience they need to successfully transition into the labour market.
To help younger Canadians pursue and achieve their dreams, the Government is investing to create more job opportunities and ensure that hard work pays off for the next generation. To create 90,000 youth job placements and employment support opportunities per year, Budget 2024 proposes to provide $351.2 million for the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy in the 2025 to 2026 fiscal year. These investments in youth job opportunities include:
For media enquiries, please contact:
Carolyn Svonkin
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth
Carolyn.svonkin@fegc-wage.gc.ca
Media Relations Office
Employment and Social Development Canada
819-994-5559
media@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
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Source: Government of Canada News
Businesses and organizations receive federal support to boost tourism activities
September 27, 2024 · North Rustico, Prince Edward Island · Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)
Tourism plays a vital role in Atlantic Canada, driving local economies, creating jobs and strengthening communities. Tourism also helps preserve, promote and celebrate the region’s diverse cultural heritage – fostering awareness and understanding of the many peoples who call this place home. The Government of Canada is investing to help six tourism operators in central Prince Edward Island seize opportunities to boost tourism and ensure the industry is well positioned for long-term, sustainable growth.
Experience the Island year round
Today, Heath MacDonald, Member of Parliament for Malpeque, announced a total contribution of $1,725,333 for 10 projects to support the advancement of Prince Edward Island’s tourism industry. The announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for ACOA.
These investments will help the Town of North Rustico, Tourism Cavendish Beach, the Tourism Industry Association of PEI, Island Walk, the Central Coastal Tourism Partnership, and Golf PEI in the planning and development of vibrant tourism experiences, and support the P.E.I. Events Innovation Fund, which helps not-for-profit organizations imagine and deliver cultural festivals and events to expand the Island’s four-season tourism offerings.
The Province of Prince Edward Island is also contributing $986,575 toward nine of the projects.
For more information on the projects, please see the attached backgrounder.
Today’s announcement further demonstrates the Government of Canada’s commitment to strengthen Atlantic Canada’s tourism sector and grow the region’s potential as a world-class destination of choice.
“From breathtaking vistas, to vibrant cultures, and the friendliest people, Prince Edward Island is ready for you to explore all year long. And this magical island sees folks returning again and again to explore more and more. It’s World Tourism Day, so make sure you plan to discover all that this incredible region has to offer.”
– The Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for ACOA
“Folks come from around the world to experience the beautiful landscapes, world-class food scene and lively cultural events that Prince Edward Island has to offer. Investing in our province’s tourism operators and associations will help them meet that demand and showcase this incredible destination. “
– Heath MacDonald, Member of Parliament for Malpeque
“The Government of Prince Edward Island firmly believes in our tourism industry and the exciting future that lies ahead. With this funding announcement, it allows Island communities to plan and create exciting new tourism experiences. We look forward to supporting this sector so it continues to be one of our greatest assets. It truly is a place to visit and enjoy any time of the year.
– The Honourable Cory Deagle, PEI Minister of Fisheries, Tourism, Sport and Culture and MLA for Montague-Kilmuir
“For the past 26 years, the North Rustico Seawalk Promenade Boardwalk has been a vital part of the community, used daily by residents and visitors of all ages. With a large gazebo, picnic areas, access to the National Park beach, restaurants and shopping at the North Rustico Harbour, the boardwalk provides both wellness and economic benefits. The replacement of the Boardwalk is a step to ensure the safety, accessibility, and enjoyment of our residents and the many tourists who visit North Rustico every year. The Town of North Rustico thanks the Government of Canada for their financial commitment through ACOA to our Boardwalk project.”
– Stephanie Moase, CAO, Town of North Rustico
World Tourism Day (WTD) is celebrated on September 27th to foster awareness of tourism’s social, cultural, political and economic value, and the contributions the sector can make toward reaching sustainable development goals. The theme of World Tourism Day 2024 is ‘Tourism and Peace’.
Over 7,500 businesses are part of the tourism sector in Atlantic Canada, working in food and beverage, accommodations, recreation, transportation, and travel services. Together, these companies employ over 111,000 full and part-time workers.
Tourism is a major employer for Atlantic Canadians living outside major cities, representing approximately 9.5% of all local jobs in rural communities.
The funding announced today is provided through ACOA’s Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) program, Business Development Program (BDP), and Innovative Communities Fund (ICF).
Connor Burton
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Connor.Burton@acoa-apeca.gc.ca
David Fleming
Communications Manager
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
david.fleming@acoa-apeca.gc.ca
April Gallant
Senior Communications Officer
Department of Fisheries, Tourism, Sport and Culture for the Province of Prince Edward Island
aldgallant@gov.pe.ca
Stephanie Moase
Chief Administrative Officer
Town of North Rustico
smoase@northrustico.com
MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –
Source: Government of Canada – in French 2
The Government of Canada is investing more than $1.7 million in ten projects to support the continued development of Prince Edward Island’s tourism industry products.
| CUSTOMER NAME | PROJECT | APECA HELP | PROVINCIAL AID |
| Municipality of North Rustico | Undertake the modernization of the promenade infrastructure to promote connections between communities, active transportation and improve the tourist experience. |
$437,033 Non-refundable |
$450,000 Non-refundable |
| Tourism Cavendish Beach | Stimulate the development of tourism products and create an annual marketing plan for 2023-2024. |
$100,000 Non-refundable |
$59,000 Non-refundable |
| Tourism Cavendish Beach | Stimulate the development of tourism products and create an annual marketing plan for 2024-2025. |
$100,000 Non-refundable |
$63,000 Grant |
| Tourism Cavendish Beach | Engage a consultant to carry out the launch phase of a new and innovative tourism experience in Cavendish. |
$37,000 Non-refundable |
$35,000 Non-refundable |
| Tourism Industry Association of | Administer the PEI Events Innovation Fund to support |
$650,100 Non-refundable |
|
| The Island Path | Implement a strategic plan and strengthen marketing efforts. |
$30,000 Non-refundable |
$50,875 Non-refundable |
| Central Coastal Tourism Partnership | Lead marketing, product and professional development initiatives in partnership with tourism business operators for the period 2023-2024. |
$25,200 Non-refundable |
$38,200 Non-refundable |
| Central Coastal Tourism Partnership | Lead marketing, product and professional development initiatives in partnership with tourism operators for the period 2024-2025. |
$28,500 Non-refundable |
$37,500 Grant |
| Central Coastal Tourism Partnership | Conduct a destination market readiness program in the Rustico area to exploit tourism potential. |
$33,500 Non-refundable |
$10,000 Grant |
| Golf PEI | Deliver on the 2023-2024 Strategic and Marketing Plan objectives to position PEI as a world-class destination. |
$284,000 Non-refundable |
$243,000 Grant |
| TOTAL | $1,725,333 | $986,575 |
Connor BurtonPress SecretaryOffice of the Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities AgencyConnor.Burton@acoa-apeca.gc.ca
David FlemingCommunications ManagerAtlantic Canada Opportunities Agencydavid.fleming@acoa-apeca.gc.ca
April GallantSenior Communications OfficerFisheries, Tourism, Sport and Culture, Province of Prince Edward Islandaldgallant@gov.pe.ca
Stephanie MoaseCity ManagerMunicipality of North Rusticosmoase@northrustico.com
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.
Source: US Congressional Budget Office
On September 25, 2024, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs ordered reported the following two pieces of legislation that would name U.S. Customs and Border Protection facilities:
• H.R. 5799, the James R. Dominguez Memorial Act of 2023; and
• S. 3181, the Michel O. Maceda Memorial Act, which was subsequently reported by the committee on the same day.
Source: US Congressional Budget Office
H.R. 8936 would authorize appropriations for several Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) programs to assist Rohingya communities in Burma and in surrounding countries. It also would require the department and USAID to report to the Congress on their implementation of the bill and on related matters. In total, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 8936 would cost $1.1 billion over the 2024-2029 period. Such spending would be subject to appropriation of the specified and estimated amounts.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01)
WASHINGTON D.C. —Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) introduced the Stop the Opioid Pill Presser and Fentanyl Act (STOPP Fentanyl Act) to commercially disrupt global criminal networks and suppliers of illicit drugs like fentanyl.
“The devastating impact of the fentanyl crisis is deeply personal for me. Sadly, like millions of Americans, this epidemic has touched my life with the death of a close friend,” said Rep. Melanie Stansbury (NM-01). “Drug traffickers and suppliers adapt quickly, and so should we. Our focus must remain on criminals who pour fentanyl into our streets through tablets and counterfeit pills. Regulating pill presses stops this process at the start – another step in protecting Americans.”
Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) has identified the need to deny illicit synthetic drug producers’ access to pill presses, die molds, encapsulating machines, and other counterfeit pill manufacturing materials.
Tablets and counterfeit pills containing fentanyl have become more common, and people who consume them may not know that they include fentanyl or other dangerous substances.
Congresswoman Stansbury’s legislation targets the production of these fake pills by requiring those who manufacture or distribute pill tableting or encapsulating machines and their critical parts to “serialize” their machinery, keep records of all relevant transactions, and report those transactions to the Attorney General by creating a national registry to track the movement of these pill tableting or encapsulating machines and their critical parts in the stream of commerce.
Those who violate the serialization, record-keeping, reporting, or registry requirements will be subject to penalties.
Original co-sponsors include: Assistant Leader Joe Neguse (CO-02), Ranking Member Raul Grijalva (AZ-07), Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02), Rep. Steven Horsford (NV-04), Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01), Rep. Angie Craig (MN-02), Rep. Wiley Nickel (NC-13), Rep. Andrea Salinas (OR-06), and Rep. Brittany Petterson (Co-07).
“Too many in Southern Arizona have been impacted by the scourge of fentanyl. This legislation will help with the regulation of pill presses and make it harder for fentanyl traffickers to push illegal drugs on American streets,” said Rep. Raul Grijalva (AZ-01). “I’m proud to support this common-sense safety legislation.”
“Illicit, counterfeit pills containing fentanyl continue to pose a deadly threat to our communities. I have had countless conversations with law enforcement about the growing threat as well as heard from families who share heartbreaking stories about the toll these counterfeit pills are taking on their loved ones,” said Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01). “This legislation would put common sense regulations in place to monitor pill press machines, stop them from getting into the hands of bad actors, and combat deadly pills from being put onto our streets. I want to thank Congresswoman Stansbury for introducing this important bill, and I remain committed to working across the aisle to do all we can to keep our communities safe, support the work of law enforcement, and bring traffickers and operators of illegal pill press operations to justice.”
“I’m proud to cosponsor the Stop Opioid Pill Press Act, a critical step in cracking down on the manufacturing of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl,” said Rep. Wiley Nickel (NC-13). “I’ll continue to raise awareness about this deadly epidemic and will keep up the fight to secure our southern border and stop the flow of these dangerous drugs into our communities.”
“Regulating pill presses and disrupting the production of counterfeit pills will help stem the flow of dangerous synthetic substances like fentanyl, ultimately preventing overdoses and saving lives,” said Rep. Brittany Pettersen (CO-07). “Addressing this public health crisis has been my top priority in Congress, and this legislation marks an important step towards holding cartels accountable.”
A copy of the bill text, videos, and photos from the press event can be found here.
Facts about fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl:
###
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) introduced the San Felipe Pueblo Land into Trust bill, 37 years after the land was designated as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern back in 1987.
First introduced by then-Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham in the 115th Congress, again by then-Congresswoman Deb Haaland in the 116th Congress, and now co-sponsored by Representative Teresa Leger Fernandez (N.M.-03) in the 118th, this bill would direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey the area currently known as the Ball Ranch Area of Critical Environmental Concern in New Mexico, into trust for the benefit of San Felipe Pueblo.
“Indigenous peoples have been stewards of the land since time immemorial,” said Rep. Stansbury (NM-01). “But time and time again, they have been forced from their homes and the land that holds sacred meaning to them. For the people of San Felipe Pueblo, the area currently known as Ball Ranch holds a deep cultural and religious significance because of the many irreplaceable cultural resources found there. That’s why I’ve introduced this legislation: because Indigenous people deserve to keep and protect the land they’ve lived on for thousands of years free from pollution and destruction.”
“This legislation is the culmination of more than a decade of work, spanning several Congresses, to transfer this land into trust,” said San Felipe Pueblo Governor Anthony Ortiz. “It is a recognition that, working with the BLM, the Pueblo of San Felipe is the best possible steward of this land. This is our aboriginal homeland, surrounded by the Pueblo, and is sacred to all area Pueblos. The Pueblo of San Felipe is very grateful to Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury who is leading this effort here in Washington. She and her staff have gone above and beyond to make this bill a reality and she has demonstrated her strong commitment to Tribal Sovereignty and respect for the federal government to government relationship.”
“This bill highlights the importance of everyone working together to make this dream a reality,” said Rep. Leger Fernandez (NM-03). “We must return the land to those for whom it is sacred and who will dedicate themselves to protect it. We will not give up until San Felipe Pueblo gets their land returned.”
Read the bill here.
Watch a video of the press conference here.
Other statements of support:
“I am proud to support Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury’s bill, which protects our public lands and recognizes the critical need for land to be returned to tribal communities like San Felipe Pueblo,” said Sandoval County Commissioner Joshua Jones. The Pueblo have deep cultural, historical, and spiritual ties to this land, and ensuring they have the resources to preserve their heritage is essential for justice and sustainability. This legislation would allow the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to facilitate land transfers that respect tribal sovereignty while promoting environmental stewardship. By supporting this bill, we can help San Felipe Pueblo reclaim land that is rightfully theirs, ensuring their community can thrive both economically and culturally. I urge the BLM to prioritize these land transfers and recognize the significance of this legislation for tribal nations.”
###
Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken meets with the Foreign Ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan (C5+1) in New York City, New York.
———-
Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.
The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.
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Source: NATO
NATO’s Defence Education Enhancement Programme (DEEP) organised the 3rd Annual Conference of Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) Academies and Schools, from 16 to 19 September 2024, in Batumi, Georgia. The event was held in cooperation with the Partnership for Peace Consortium of Defence Academies and Security Studies Institutes and the Defence Forces of Georgia, with well over 80 participants from more than 30 countries.
Participants included high level officials, such as NATO’s Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Operations, Burcu San, the Head of the NATO Liaison Office in Georgia, Alexander Vinnikov, and the Deputy Chief of the Georgian General Staff, Major General Zaza Chkhaidze, as well as commandants and senior enlisted leaders, and senior instructors of Schools for Non-Commissioned Officers from both NATO Allies and partners. Representatives from Malawi and Columbia also participated for the first time.
They discussed a range of issues, including the preparation of NCO specialists and the education of young generations of NCOs, as well as various initiatives run by NATO’s Defence Education Enhancement Programme in the domain of NCOs’ development. They also received an update from representatives of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the role performed by their NCOs corps in defending against Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
Non-commissioned officers are vital to the effectiveness and resilience of modern militaries, as they provide critical role-models for service members and support the development of military education systems.
This year’s conference in Georgia built on two previous conferences hosted by Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, in 2022 and 2023, respectively. The Conference of NCO Academies and Schools was established by NATO’s DEEP Team as a platform to enable these institutions to communicate, synchronise curricula, and share best practices.
Source: US State of Vermont
A federal grand jury in Gulfport, Mississippi, returned an indictment, unsealed yesterday, charging a Florida financial advisor with a years-long scheme to promote and operate an illegal tax shelter, stealing some of his clients’ funds and money laundering.
According to the indictment, Stephen T. Mellinger III, of Florida, was a securities broker, financial advisor and insurance salesman. Beginning in late 2013, Mellinger allegedly conspired with several others to defraud the IRS by promoting an illegal tax shelter.
Mellinger allegedly instructed clients participating in the shelter, including clients in Mississippi, to transfer money to a company controlled by Mellinger or his co-conspirators in the amount they wished to claim as a deduction on their tax returns. The conspirators then allegedly returned the money to a bank account that clients controlled less a percentage fee that they charged for their services. Even though tax shelter clients received their money back, Mellinger allegedly directed them to claim the transfer to the company as a deduction on their tax returns, and to label the deduction as a “royalty” payment. Mellinger allegedly earned more than $3 million in fees from the shelter.
Also, in January 2016, the federal government allegedly seized funds from some of Mellinger’s clients, who were engaged in a scheme to defraud health care benefit programs, including TRICARE, the U.S. Department of Defense’s health care benefit program. Mellinger conspired with a close relative to take advantage of the seizure to steal some of the money that those clients had transferred through the tax shelter. Mellinger then allegedly laundered the stolen funds, which he knew were proceeds of healthcare fraud. Ultimately, he allegedly used some of the funds he stole from his clients to buy a home in Delray Beach, Florida.
Mellinger was charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, aiding in the preparation of false tax returns, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering. If convicted, Mellinger faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for conspiring to defraud the IRS, a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each substantive count of aiding in the preparation of false tax returns, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for conspiring to commit wire fraud, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for conspiring to commit money laundering and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each substantive count of money laundering. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation and Defense Criminal Investigative Service are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys William Montague, Richard J. Hagerman and Matthew Hicks of the Tax Division, Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham for the Southern District of Mississippi and Trial Attorneys Emily Cohen and Jasmin Salehi Fashami of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: US State of Vermont
The Justice Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) today announced that it will provide an Organizational Assessment of the Hackensack, New Jersey, Police Department through its Collaborative Reform Initiative. This is a voluntary program that is offered at the request of law enforcement agencies that are seeking to ensure fair, impartial, and effective policing for the communities they serve. Over the next year, the Hackensack Police Department will work in partnership with the COPS Office Collaborative Reform Initiative team to focus on:
“The in-depth assessments undertaken as part of the Collaborative Reform Initiative benefit both the Hackensack Police Department and the community,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “By taking an honest look at what might need to be strengthened or reformed, agencies can continue to improve public safety and trust.”
“By examining an agency’s historical practices, their current practices, and their goals for the future, a solid plan for moving forward can be put in place,” said Director Hugh T. Clements Jr. of the COPS Office. “It is this kind of strategic thinking and planning that is critical in helping agencies meet the standards that the community has set for them.”
Regular updates on the Collaborative Reform Initiative team’s work with the Hackensack Police Department will be provided at www.cops.usdoj.gov/active-oa-site-hackensack-nj-police-department as part of the transparency and public accountability of this new Organizational Assessment effort.
The Collaborative Reform Initiative encompasses three programs offering expert services to state, local, territorial, and Tribal law enforcement agencies: the Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center, Critical Response, and Organizational Assessment programs (complete details of these programs can be found at www.cops.usdoj.gov/collaborativereform). Managed out of the COPS Office, this continuum of services is designed to build trust between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve; improve operational efficiencies and effectiveness; enhance officer safety and wellness; build agencies’ capacity for organizational learning and self-improvement; and promote community policing practices nationwide.
The Organizational Assessment program provides the most intensive form of technical assistance on the continuum, involving in-depth assessments and long-term assistance to improve the fairness, effectiveness, and efficacy of agency operations that build trust with communities. A continual assessment and implementation process ensures that time and resources are used to focus on identifying areas for improvement, reinforcing agency strengths, and assisting with the implementation of improvements expeditiously. At the same time, the process provides transparency and accountability with routine public reporting and community input. Each engagement will be supported by a multidisciplinary assessment team composed of subject matter experts with diverse experience and perspectives, including in law enforcement, community engagement, research and evaluation, program management, and organizational reform.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Justice Department responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Justice Department agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to organization for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served. The COPS Office has been appropriated more than $20 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local, territorial, and Tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 138,000 officers.
Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE
Headline: Enhancing co-operation between the public sector and financial institutions in countering the financing of terrorism focus of OSCE training course in Albania
Enhancing co-operation between the public sector and financial institutions in countering the financing of terrorism focus of OSCE training course in Albania | OSCE
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Source: US State of Vermont
Chester Gallagher, the leader of a March 5, 2021, blockade of a Mount Juliet, Tennessee, reproductive health clinic was sentenced yesterday to 16 months in prison and three years of supervised release following his convictions for federal conspiracy against rights and Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act offenses.
“This defendant, like everyone else, has a right to his personal views regarding reproductive healthcare, and the right to speak, write and demonstrate about those views,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “But he does not have the right to impose his views on others by using intimidation and physical obstruction to prevent access to reproductive health care. This defendant is being held accountable for leading both a conspiracy to blockade a reproductive health clinic and the actual blockade, which physically obstructed patient access. The Justice Department will continue to protect patients seeking reproductive health services and the providers delivering those services.”
“The defendant and his co-conspirators knowingly chose to violate a law that was enacted to protect health care providers and patients in an effort to impose their views about reproductive healthcare on others” said U.S. Attorney Henry Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee. “While we are all entitled to our personal views, yesterday’s sentence is a reminder that we cannot pick and choose which laws we follow and that those who violate the law will be held accountable.”
“This sentencing should send a clear message that the FBI will always work to bring to justice those who violate the civil rights of others,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Memphis Field Office. “The FBI will continue to investigate FACE Act violations to protect the rights of those who receive or provide lawful reproductive health care without the threat of violence or intimidation.”
Gallagher and five co-defendants were previously convicted at trial of all charges. A sixth co-defendant previously pleaded guilty. Evidence presented at trial proved that Gallagher and his co-defendants engaged in a conspiracy to prevent employees at the Mount Juliet reproductive health clinic from providing, and patients from receiving, reproductive health services, a civil right secured by the FACE Act. As part of the conspiracy, Gallagher and others traveled to Tennessee from other states to participate in the clinic blockade, and Gallagher and another co-defendant stalled the Mount Juliet Police Department through phony negotiations. Evidence at trial further proved that the defendant violated the FACE Act by using physical obstruction to interfere with the clinic’s employees and a patient, because the clinic provided, and the patient sought, reproductive health services.
Gallagher was also convicted of conspiracy against rights and FACE Act offenses in the Eastern District of Michigan on Aug. 20.
The FBI Memphis Field Office, Nashville Resident Agency, investigated the case.
The U.S Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee and Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Source: US Coast Guard (video statements)
A Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater helicopter crew rescued a man and dog from a disabled and taking-on-water 36-foot sailing vessel 25 miles off Sanibel Island, Florida, on Sept. 26, 2024. The man and his dog were reportedly in good health and taken to Southwest Florida International Airport to meet with EMS. (U.S. Coast Guard video by Air Station Clearwater)
Download the video here: https://www.dvidshub.net/video/938165/coast-guard-rescues-man-and-dog-during-hurricane-helene
Source: The Conversation – UK – By David Scott, Head of Division, School of Business and Creative Industries, University of the West of Scotland
The concept album is often viewed as an art form that is primarily focused on lyrical storytelling. But in these five key records, musical ambition, performance and production combine to take the listener on a road-trip through America.
Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs, by Marty Robbins, has rightly been lauded as one of the most important artworks of the 20th century – indeed it was preserved in the Library of Congress in 2017.
The thematic album transports the listener into a mythical west. Each song tells its own story, but there is a distinct unity of characterisation. The tearful convict awaiting death in They’re Hanging Me Tonight might well be an alter ego of the desert rider, hallucinating and desperate in Cool Water. Or even the ebullient narrator celebrating his own American dream in A Hundred and Sixty Acres.
The album’s arrangements are mostly simple and stripped back, allowing Robbins’ extraordinary vocal performances and expressive backing vocal arrangements to fly. This reaches a stylistic peak in his greatest song, the white-knuckle ride of El Paso, wherein our protagonist willingly throws himself into a living hell.
The Beach Boys released 15 studio albums in the 1960s. Their voluminous output represented one of the most supercharged evolutions in contemporary music – fired by the imagination, energy and ambition of Brian Wilson.
In 1965, in partnership with lyricist Mike Love, Wilson was extolling the virtues of California girls. Just a few months later, he was creating the mature, introspective humanity of Pet Sounds with collaborator Tony Asher. From there Wilson engaged lyricist Van Dyke Parks to help him realise an “American gothic trip”. Smile describes a journey across the country on the “ribbon of concrete”, or along the railroad with the early settlers.
One key track on Smile, Heroes and Villains, took its narrative cue directly from Marty Robbins’ El Paso. But others – Cabin Essence and Surf’s Up – painted a new old west and still feel revolutionary today. However, the album became most famous for being left unfinished for 34 years, with snippets appearing piecemeal before its completion as a new recording by Brian Wilson in 2004.
Van Dyke Park’s lyrics remain intriguing and unique. But I’d argue the real conceptual unity of Smile comes from its musical design. This is an album about American music as much as it is about America. It’s a kaleidoscope of Gershwin, Ives, Bernstein and goofy doo-wop, scaffolded by unexpected and rich textural juxtapositions (double bass, banjo and backing vocals going “boing boing” anyone?). And, of course, there’s the peerless vocal performances of The Beach Boys.
Bobbie Gentry’s The Delta Sweete is another concept album that looks at both America (in this case the Mississippi Delta) and American music.
Gentry first found fame with Ode to Billie Joe, a narrative ballad that became a major hit single. In The Delta Sweete, Gentry blended her own distinctive vignettes of southern life with skilfully curated covers of classics, like Mose Allison’s Parchman Farm.
In Reunion, Gentry invites listeners into the front parlour of an alternately loving and warring southern family. She illustrates the scene by interweaving dialogue, vocal chants and rhythmic solo cello. Elsewhere we meet the swaggering, comedic Okolona River Bottom Band and experience a southern gothic nightmare in Refractions.
The sense of journey is enhanced by a series of orchestral pieces that link each of the 12 tracks. So when we finally alight on the solitude of the closing track, Courtyard, there is a feeling of coming home.
The ambition of The Delta Sweete was not met with commercial success, but Gentry never quite gave up the conceptual flame. Her follow up – Local Gentry, in 1968 – shared some of the same approach to musical portraiture. And in her final studio album, Patchwork (1971), she returned to a series of vignettes with orchestral links. All make for essential listening.
From a journey across America, to a journey across the Mississippi Delta, we turn now to the streets of 1971 inner-city America, via Marvin Gaye’s masterly record, What’s Going On.
This album represented a clear shift in Gaye’s artistic voice towards commentary, question and critique, against the will of Motown Records boss Berry Gordy resulting in a standoff during which Gaye threatened never to record for the label again. What’s Going On is perhaps most famous for its engagement with the social and political issues of the day, but the ambition of the music, performance and sound stand up thrillingly, 55 years after its release.
Motown Records house arranger David Van De Pitte set congas and guiros against sweeping orchestral arrangements, glockenspiel, choirs and jazz influences. The juxtaposition of tempo and feel created by transitions between the tracks hold you there as listener, walking around Gaye’s landscape, and seeing it through his eyes.
The key sound of What’s Going On though – and the element that most solidifies its status as a conceptual album – is the approach taken with the vocals. Different takes of the same song overlap, and different ad libs collide and diverge as choral passages peek out from the background. These are the voices talking to Gaye during his walk through the inner city of What’s Going On.
Cowboy Carter’s conceptual birth sprang from the artist’s performance at the 2016 Country Association Awards, where prejudiced questions were raised (in the room and online) about Beyonce’s legitimacy and place in the context of a country music performance. Her ultimate response was this detailed exploration, celebration and critique that gets under the skin of American music itself. Beyoncé creates a searing and detailed a commentary on, and road-map to, American music.
Read more:
The genius of Cowboy Carter is Beyoncé’s accent – a musicologist explains
Big questions around the origin and evolution of genre are asked via the medium of a Jolene cover, use of the banjo, impressionistic music arrangements and flights of performative imagination.
There are spoken inserts (from Linda Martell, Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton) and striking musical juxtapositions. Like other albums on this list, Cowboy Carter’s conceptual veracity springs as much from this kaleidoscopic approach to sound as from the central narrative at its heart.
In this collage we hear new songs, interpretations of classic songs and quotes from American classics, including one from The Beach Boys’ Smile – Good Vibrations.
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David Scott does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Five classic concept albums that will take you on a sonic road-trip across America – https://theconversation.com/five-classic-concept-albums-that-will-take-you-on-a-sonic-road-trip-across-america-239011
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Becky Alexis-Martin, Peace Studies and International Development, University of Bradford
Hushed silence descends as two opponents engage in a battle of wits, memory and strategy. The atmosphere becomes more tense with each shuffle of a pawn or sweeping arc of the queen. The drama is palpable, but there can be only one winner. This year – at the 45th Chess Olympiad finals in Budapest – it was India, whose players won both men’s and women’s gold medals and four individual golds, signalling a new era of Indian domination.
Chess has become more than just a game. The recent upholding of the bans on Russian and Belorussian players from international competition by the International Chess Federation (Fide) is an example of the soft power of sanctions as a geopolitical tool against the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This ban has been welcomed by the US and Ukraine, among others, although Fide was divided on the issue, with 41 delegates voting to uphold the ban while 21 countries favoured lifting the ban and 27 abstained or were absent.
Over the centuries, chess – which has its roots in military strategy – has become a symbol of geopolitical competition made peaceful. The game’s first incarnation has been traced back to 6th-century India, as military generals sought a pastime to exercise strategic thinking.
The original game of chess was named chaturanga, which translates from Sanskrit into “the four military divisions”. The game allowed leaders to simulate conflict by using reasoning and logic to contemplate future battles. The term “checkmate” itself derives from “shah mat”, which loosely translates to “the king has lost” in Persian and Sanskrit.
Chess was to become the focus of international, cultural and political competition during the cold war. It captured the world’s political imagination as a symbolic battleground between east and west. The Soviet Union supported promising chess players by establishing chess schools. Soviet grandmasters were unbeatable national heroes, from Mikhail Botvinnik to Tigran Petrosian and Boris Spassky. Their victories were framed as evidence of socialist intellectual superiority.
But American grandmaster Bobby Fischer disrupted 24 years of Soviet dominance when he beat Spassky at the 1972 World Chess Championships in Rekjavik, Iceland. It would become a critical moment in the cold war.
For years chess had been seen by both the Soviet Union and the US as a proxy for superpower military competition. Unlike US-Chinese “ping-pong diplomacy” – when goodwill between US and Chinese players in the early 1970s was followed by enhanced diplomatic engagement between the two countries – Fischer’s defeat of Spassky ended more than 20 years of Russian domination of chess.
The prospect that Fischer might win was seen as so important by the US government that the then secretary of state, Henry Kissinger, personally called Fischer to urge him to go to Rekjavik.
Years later, Russian former world champion and dissident Garry Kasparov recalled that: “This event was treated by people on both sides of the Atlantic as a crushing moment in the midst of the cold war. Big intellectual victory for the United States, and you know, a hugely painful, almost insulting defeat for the Soviet Union.”
Chess does not exist in a vacuum. It is shaped by and reflects historical rivalries, the rise of new power and contemporary geopolitics. And along the way, their refusal to maintain the national status quo and instead articulate their concerns about their societies has led to several grandmasters from various countries having to go into political exile.
Garry Kasparov’s pro-democracy advocacy and criticism of the Russian state led him to flee Russia with his family to New York in 2013. He was chairman of the Human Rights Foundation from until 2024, and has since been added to Vladimir Putin’s terrorist blacklist.
Kasparov is in good company. Six of Iran’s female grandmasters have been forced to leave their country, fleeing their country’s oppressive patriarchal regime after being barred from national competition for playing without a headscarf.
Sara Khadem fled to Spain with her family after refusing to wear the hijab during a match in Kazakhstan in 2022. Her family have since gained Spanish citizenship. However, women who cannot find citizenship elsewhere pay a steep price as their talents are not nurtured and they cannot play professionally. Mitra Hejazipour waited three and a half years to gain citizenship. In 2023, she consecutively became a French citizen and the French national women’s champion.
Ukrainian players continue to use chess as a platform for resistance against the Russian invasion. Prominent players who have spoken out include Vasyl Ivanchuk, Anna Muzychuk and her sister Mariya. Anna has consistently used her global social media following to condemn the invasion and advocate for peace in Ukraine.
Projects in Rwanda, Uganda and Palestine have demonstrated that chess is more than just a game by bringing together disparate communities. So by sanctioning Russia and Belarus, the International Chess Federation has made an important statement.
Chess can be a form of cultural diplomacy, a symbol of non-violent conflict resolution, and a platform for dialogue and understanding between people and nations. Chess is its own universal language. It requires no common tongue or expensive kit, yet it offers a formidable tool to promote critical thinking, international cooperation and conflict resolution.
Becky Alexis-Martin does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Chess: a game rooted in military strategy that has become a tool of international diplomacy – https://theconversation.com/chess-a-game-rooted-in-military-strategy-that-has-become-a-tool-of-international-diplomacy-239739
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Llŷr ap Cenydd, Lecturer in Computer Science, Bangor University
Meta supremo Mark Zuckerberg unveiled Orion smart glasses, a new augmented reality (AR) prototype, at the annual Meta Connect developer conference. Ten years in the making, and still not expected on high streets until 2027, these will be a new way to meld the real and digital worlds. They will be controlled by the eyes and also the fingers via a neural interface on the wrist.
So what does this mean for the future of AR wearables and how we interface with computers? We asked three tech specialists at the University of Bangor, Peter Butcher, Llŷr ap Cenydd and Panagiotis Ritsos.
There are serious technical challenges in packing so much sophisticated technology into something so compact. This includes new holographic display technology, hand and eye tracking, off-device processing, cameras, speakers and microphones – all while ensuring the device remains aesthetically appealing and has decent battery life.
Meta’s chief tech officer, Andrew Bosworth, recently captured the scale of the challenge by saying: “In consumer electronics, it might be the most advanced thing that we’ve ever produced as a species.”
The optical design is a huge challenge. Mixed reality headsets such as Meta Quest 3 and Apple Vision Pro rely on “passthrough” technology, in which external cameras capture real-time video of the user’s surroundings. This is displayed inside the headset, with digital elements overlaid.
In contrast, Orion’s holographic projection allows users to directly see through transparent lenses, with graphics projected into their view. This has demanded substantial R&D.
One key factor that determines the immersiveness of mixed reality headsets is their field of view, meaning the angular range that the viewer can see through the headset. The state of the art is the 70° field of view of the Magic Leap 2, bigger holographic AR glasses aimed at businesses currently priced above US$3,000 (£2,240)]. They are made by Magic Leap, a US company whose backers include Google and AT&T.
With Orion, Meta has achieved a field of view of 70° in a much smaller product, which is a grand innovation and crucial for Zuckerberg’s vision of an unobtrusive wearable device.
The neural interface wristband is also vital. It listens to nerve impulses from the brain to the hand, allowing users to control the device using subtle finger gestures such as pinching and swiping thumb against index finger. Newer mixed reality headsets such as Apple Vision Pro are controlled similarly, but rely on external cameras to interpret hand movements.
An advantage of tapping into nerve impulses directly is that gestures do not require line of sight, and eventually might not even require the person to perform the full gesture – only to think about it. The technology also opens up brand new input methods, such as texting via mimicking handwriting, and is likely to mature before consumer-grade holographic displays become available.
Meta initially gave the Orion prototype only a 10% chance of success, so it has exceeded expectations. While there is still much work to be done, particularly in reducing costs and miniaturising components, Orion could eventually lead to a consumer-ready device.
Meta thinks the initial price will be comparable to flagship phones or laptops the new iPhone 16 starts at £799. We might see development kits released towards the end of the decade, aimed at early adopters and developers, much like how VR headsets were introduced a decade ago.
In the meantime, other AR glasses and mixed reality headsets such as Meta Quest 3 and Apple Vision Pro serve as platforms for developing applications that could eventually run on AR glasses.
Holographic AR glasses remain expensive because much of the hardware – including Ledos micro-display panels and silicon carbide waveguides (which are used to optimise light transmission) – isn’t yet produced at scale. These components are critical for achieving high resolution and holographic displays – and production constraints are reportedly pushing Orion unit prices close to US$10,000. Even then, battery life is currently limited to around two hours.
Thanks to Meta’s multi-billion dollar investment in R&D through its Reality Labs subsidiary, it has become a leader in virtual and mixed reality headsets, with a robust app ecosystem. However, Apple, Microsoft, Samsung and Google are developing similar technologies.
Microsoft’s HoloLens and [Snapchat owner] Snap Inc’s Spectacles series have made strides in AR, but responses have been mixed due to limitations such as narrow fields of view and lower graphics quality. Orion appears to be ahead in holographic display technology. Another company to particularly watch is Apple, which is refining Vision Pro and also exploring AR smart glasses.
AR glasses could ignite a transformative “iPhone moment” that redefines how we interact with technology. Zuckerberg envisions them as the next major computing platform, offering a more natural and intuitive alternative to smartphones.
The success of early mass-market smart glasses such as Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses, which allow users to make calls, capture videos and interact with Meta AI, hints that AR glasses could see widespread adoption.
Zuckerberg initially believed holographic technology would be necessary for smart glasses to offer functionality beyond the basic features of these Ray-Bans. But being able to incorporate an AI voice-powered assistant has made Meta realise that smart glasses can be developed from the ground up as a new consumer product category. While the four-hour battery life requires improvement, the positive feedback from both reviewers and users, particularly using them on Instagram and TikTok, demonstrates the potential.
Reading messages, watching a virtual screen on the wall, playing games, collaborative work – all the things you can do with mixed-reality headsets, but shrunk down to a pair of glasses. Friends will teleport into your living room, a video call where both people feel present in the same space.
It gets even stranger when you incorporate AI: virtual assistants can already see what you see, hear what you hear, talk to you, answer questions and follow commands using smart glasses. In future, AI will be able to manifest itself in your vision, and you’ll be able to have natural conversations with it.
By 2030, AI will radically change the ways in which we interact with each other, our physical world and computers. Orion aims to prepare us for a world in which the physical, artificial and virtual co-exist.
Llŷr ap Cenydd develops VR games for Meta Quest headsets.
Panagiotis Ritsos and Peter Butcher do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Will Meta’s Orion smart glasses be the next ‘iPhone moment’? Expert Q&A – https://theconversation.com/will-metas-orion-smart-glasses-be-the-next-iphone-moment-expert-qanda-240029
Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements
The Prime Minister has appointed Professor Kirstie Blair and Rupert Morley as Trustees of the Kennedy Memorial Trust.
The Prime Minister has approved the appointments of Professor Kirstie Blair and Rupert Morley as Trustees of the Kennedy Memorial Trust, for a term of five years from 30 September 2024.
Kirstie Blair is Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the University of Sterling. She holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Cambridge, and MPhil and DPhil degrees from the University of Oxford. She studied at Harvard University as a Kennedy Scholar.
Rupert is Chairman of Pershing Square Holdings, a FTSE 100 company, Chair of Bremont Watches and Trustee for Comic Relief. Rupert holds a degree in economics from Cambridge University and an MBA from Harvard Business School, which he attended as a Kennedy Scholar.
The Kennedy Memorial Trust was established in 1964 to administer monies raised in the United Kingdom as a tribute to the late President John Kennedy. Part of the fund was used to create and maintain the Kennedy Memorial site at Runnymede. The remaining capital is used to provide Kennedy Scholarships which enable British postgraduate students to study at Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Trustees are responsible for the selection process for those scholarships and for managing the maintenance of the Kennedy Memorial at Runnymede.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Brandon Williams (NY-22)
Washington, September 25, 2024
“David’s Sling has intercepted a ballistic missile over Tel-Aviv, saving countless lives. This escalation is unprecedented, even for Hezbollah’s terrorists. The range and precision of missiles such as these give them the potential to cause great destruction. I am relieved to see that this failed attack resulted in no casualties. We must continue to reaffirm our commitment to our strongest ally in the Middle East—I stand with Israel.”
WASHINGTON — Congressman Brandon Williams (NY-22) issued the following statement upon confirmation that Hezbollah launched a ballistic missile which was intercepted over Tel Aviv, Israel’s second-most populous city:
“David’s Sling has intercepted a ballistic missile over Tel-Aviv, saving countless lives. This escalation is unprecedented, even for Hezbollah’s terrorists. The range and precision of missiles such as these give them the potential to cause great destruction. I am relieved to see that this failed attack resulted in no casualties. We must continue to reaffirm our commitment to our strongest ally in the Middle East—I stand with Israel.”
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Brandon Williams (NY-22)
Volney, NY, September 25, 2024
“I’m devastated to learn of the passing of Cailee Campbell. She was one of our best and bravest—tragically killed this morning in the line of duty. She was taken from us far too soon. My prayers are with her family, Sheriff Hilton, and all of her fellow officers.”
VOLNEY — Upon hearing of the tragic death of Oswego County Sheriff’s Deputy Cailee Campbell, Congressman Brandon Williams (NY-22) said the following:
“I’m devastated to learn of the passing of Cailee Campbell. She was one of our best and bravest—tragically killed this morning in the line of duty. She was taken from us far too soon. My prayers are with her family, Sheriff Hilton, and all of her fellow officers.”
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Brandon Williams (NY-22)
“This is the kind of technology that will define the coming eras of human history. To ensure prosperity at home and maintain America’s scientific advantage abroad, we must innovate. We must utilize every resource available to develop newer, stronger, safer tech which, in turn, will spur advances in national security, energy-efficiency, manufacturing, and more,” said Congressman Williams.
WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Brandon Williams (NY-22) and Suzanne Bonamici (OR-1) introduced the Department of Energy Artificial Intelligence Act of 2024, a bill providing updated guidance for the Department of Energy’s (DOE) activities in developing advanced artificial intelligence (AI) systems to carry out missions pertaining to national security, energy-efficiency, and scientific discovery.
The DOE AI Act of 2024 amends the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020 by updating the section directing a Department of Energy artificial intelligence research program. This bill codifies multiple activities and objectives for DOE’s AI research and development activities, including:
Authorizing the activities of the Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence for Science, Security, and Technology (FASST) initiative, an effort between the DOE and its seventeen National Laboratories to build the most powerful integrated scientific AI systems in the world,
Facilitating the development of high-performance computing systems and artificial intelligence platforms through DOE-owned infrastructure data and computing facilities,
Authorizing at least one data center testbed for the development and assessment of hardware and algorithms for energy-efficient AI training, and
Directing the DOE to establish partnerships with nonprofit organizations and private companies for the purpose of collaboration toward shared goals of scientific discovery and technological innovation in the field of AI.
“This is the kind of technology that will define the coming eras of human history. To ensure prosperity at home and maintain America’s scientific advantage abroad, we must innovate. We must utilize every resource available to develop newer, stronger, safer tech which, in turn, will spur advances in national security, energy-efficiency, manufacturing, and more,” said Congressman Williams.
“Artificial intelligence is evolving rapidly and the government must be equipped to respond to new developments and stay on the cutting edge,” said Congresswoman Bonamici.
“I’m introducing the bipartisan DOE AI Act with Rep. Williams to position the Department of Energy to develop high-performance platforms, responsibly cultivate training data, and improve energy efficiency to support safe AI innovation.”
The full bill is available here.
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Source: Government of Canada regional news
Released on September 27, 2024
According to data from the National Fire Protection Association, nearly three out of five (59 per cent) fire deaths happen in homes with no smoke alarms or smoke alarms that failed to operate. That is one of the reasons why the Government of Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) have proclaimed September 28, 2024, as Test Your Smoke Alarm Day in the province.
Test Your Smoke Alarm Day encourages residents to properly install and maintain smoke alarms in their homes. This is fundamental to ensure that occupants are warned of a fire and have the time needed to escape.
“Smoke alarms save lives,” SPSA President and Fire Commissioner Marlo Pritchard said. “September 28 is the perfect time to test your smoke alarms and change their batteries. Protect yourself and your loved ones by properly installing and maintaining your smoke alarms.”
As of July 2022, all Saskatchewan residential buildings are required to have working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms.
To learn more about smoke alarms, home fire escape planning and fire safety, visit: saskpublicsafety.ca.
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For more information, contact:
Source: Government of Canada News
Today in Toronto, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, alongside Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, and Olivia Chow, Mayor of Toronto, highlighted how the federal government is working with the City of Toronto to accelerate public transit for Torontonians.
September 27, 2024 – Toronto, Ontario – Department of Finance Canada
Public transit gets Canadians to where they need to be, creates new Canadian manufacturing and construction jobs, reduces pollution and congestion, makes life more affordable, and keeps Canadians and communities connected as they grow. That is why the federal government is investing in better public transit.
Today in Toronto, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, alongside Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, and Olivia Chow, Mayor of Toronto, highlighted how the federal government is working with the City of Toronto to accelerate public transit for Torontonians.
In April 2023, the federal government and the City of Toronto announced a joint investment of $700 million to procure 340 battery-electric buses for the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). Today, the first two of these 340 electric buses joined the TTC’s fleet, with all 340 electric buses expected to be in service by the end of 2026.
This investment will help the TTC—as the largest public transit system in Canada—achieve its goal of electrifying its entire fleet by 2040.
Building up Toronto’s electric bus fleet is just one part of the federal government’s work to improve public transit in Toronto, and across Canada. To connect people across the Greater Toronto Area, the federal government is investing $10.4 billion in four major public transit projects—the Scarborough Subway Extension, the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, the Ontario Line, and the Yonge North Subway Extension. And, in July, the federal government launched the Canada Public Transit Fund—a permanent ongoing program that will invest an average of $3 billion per year to help cities and communities deliver better public transit systems for Canadians.
Katherine Cuplinskas
Deputy Director of Communications
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Katherine.Cuplinskas@fin.gc.ca
Source: United Nations secretary general
Mr. President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Let me begin by congratulating Uganda on its leadership of the G77 plus China this year.
And I want to salute your entire membership.
For 60 years – year in and year out — the G77 plus China has been on the frontlines for fairness, equality, justice and solidarity.
You have been the engine driving progress to eradicate poverty, to fight inequalities, to root out injustices in our post-colonial world.
And you have been shining a spotlight on the need for fundamental reforms of the multilateral system.
Reforms of the international financial architecture and the Security Council to make them more legitimate and more effective.
Reforms to make sure our institutions reflect the realities of today’s world and respond to today’s challenges instead of the world and the challenges of 1945.
We have taken some steps forward with the adoption of the Pact for the Future, the Declaration on Future Generations, and the Global Digital Compact.
Of course, not everything we may have hoped for was in the final package.
But none of the achievements would have been possible without your insistence and persistence. If you allow me an image, if you compare the documents that we approved on Sunday with the continued documents of the G7 and the G77, we have to recognize that they are much closer to the documents of the G77. One 7 makes a lot of difference.
I commend the G77 plus China for always pushing for maximum ambition and look forward to working with you as we continue pursuing the justice your countries deserve – and our world needs.
We still have a long way to go.
Our world is on a knife’s edge.
Climate chaos is worsening.
Conflicts are raging.
Human rights are floundering.
Inequality and injustice are eroding trust and undermining the social contract of societies.
The rights of women and girls are being snuffed out.
Entire economies are drowning in debt.
The digital divide is fast becoming a gaping chasm.
And the Sustainable Development Goals are hanging by a thread.
We need action on a number of fronts in line with what was approved in the Summit of the Future.
First, financial justice.
Finance is the fuel to drive progress on sustainable development.
Yet so many countries remain locked out from accessing capital for essential investments.
This situation is unsustainable – and a recipe for social unrest.
That is why we have been pushing for fundamental reforms to the outdated, ineffective and unfair international financial system, and an SDG Stimulus to provide developing countries with the resources they need while seeking medium- and long-term solutions.
We must keep working to make Multilateral Development Banks bigger, bolder and better, enabling them to massively scale up affordable financing for sustainable development, namely in developing countries.
We must expand contingency financing through the recycling of Special Drawing Rights that until now have essentially benefitted rich countries and not those that have needed it the most.
We must promote effective long-term debt restructuring that puts people and planet at the centre.
And we must keep on working for a more inclusive and effective international tax system. I applaud the Ad Hoc Committee for drafting ambitious and practical Terms of Reference for a UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation.
Second, climate justice.
We urgently need supercharged action to reduce emissions and avoid the worst of climate chaos.
This must be in line with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in light of different national circumstances.
Every country must create new national climate action plans – or NDCs – well ahead of COP30, that align with 1.5 degrees and put the world on track to phase out fossil fuels – fast and fairly.
G20 countries – which together produce eighty percent of global emissions – have a responsibility to lead. I am working closely with President Lula of Brazil to drive action in the G20.
And I urge every developing country to make sure new national climate plans double as investment plans and boost sustainable development – harnessing renewables to power prosperity and pull people out of poverty.
The United Nations is mobilizing our entire system to support these efforts through the Climate Promise initiative.
We also need a strong finance outcome – including on innovative finance – from COP29. This also means significant contributions to the new Loss and Damage Fund.
I will continue to press developed countries to honour their promises;
Doubling adaptation funding to at least $40 billion a year by 2025.
Showing concretely how the enormous adaptation finance gap will be closed.
And everyone on earth must be protected by an effective early warning system by 2027.
We must address the injustices of the energy transition.
Developing countries are being locked out of the renewables revolution.
Investments in developing countries outside of China and India are stuck in a time warp reflecting 2015 levels. Africa attracted just 1% of renewable installations last year. It is clear that we must support developing countries to have the resources and the capacity to attract the investments that are necessary for the renewables revolution.
The UN Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals has identified ways to ground the renewables revolution in justice and equity, spur sustainable development, and power prosperity in resource rich developing countries.
We must ensure that the race to net zero does not lead to developing countries being trampled underfoot.
Third, technological justice.
Technology must benefit all of humanity.
The Global Digital Compact is a blueprint for how governments, together with tech companies, academia and civil society, can work together to make sure new technologies benefit everybody and to manage the risks they pose – including Artificial Intelligence.
AI has the potential to be an excellent servant but also a dangerous master.
I am pleased that the Compact includes proposals building on the resolution led by China on capacity building for Artificial Intelligence.
The High-Level Advisory Body on AI released its recommendations last week, which include bridging the AI divide through a Global Fund on AI for the SDGs, and an AI Capacity Development Network to boost AI expertise in developing countries.
We must keep working to ensure AI serves everyone, leaving no one behind and it will not be another factor to increase inequalities in the world.
Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Across a very full agenda, the G77 and China are crucial to building a more just, inclusive and prosperous world.
The G77 was vital in the adoption of the conclusions of the Summit of the Future but its implementation will not be easy. There will be a lot of resistance. The G77 must be an engine to make sure that what we have achieved in the Summit will be translated in effective realities to the benefit of developing countries.
You can count on me in that essential cause.
Thank you.
Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry
27 September 2024
Award-winning comedian, author and musician David O’Doherty is bringing his brand new show ‘Tiny Piano Man’ to The Alley Theatre, Strabane on Friday 25th October 2024
The show features a lot of talking and a few songs on a glued-together plastic keyboard from 1986.
David has previously appeared on TV shows such as Live at the Apollo and 8 out of 10 Cats does Countdown, as well as writing a children’s book, hosted various radio shows and plays.
With over 20 years’ experience entertaining audiences worldwide, O’Doherty is looking forward to impressing the Strabane audience with his hilarious new show.
He first walked out on stage at Dublin’s Comedy Cellar in 1998 and in that time has won the Perrier Award for Best Newcomer and the Main Award.
He thrilled crowds at The Alley last year when performing his ‘Whoa Is Me’ tour to a packed house.
Tickets are selling fast so get yours now at www.alley-theatre.com or call 028 71 384444. Tickets are £20.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) sent the following letter to his colleagues as we head into the October district work period:
Dear Colleagues,
It’s hard to believe, but only two years ago the Democrats were signing their deceptively named “Inflation Reduction Act” into law. That capped four years of unified Democrat control of Washington, where they jammed their radical agenda through Congress, spending $10 trillion and causing runaway inflation the American people still struggle with today.
Thankfully, in November 2022, the American people had enough of the destruction caused by the Democrats’ radical agenda and voted us into a narrow House majority. House Republicans were a small beacon of hope in an otherwise desolate Washington landscape controlled by the Democrat Party, their army of bureaucrats, and a media propaganda machine.
It’s been a David versus Goliath fight over the last 21 months of our House majority, and I’m so proud to fight alongside all of you. As we head into the final stretch before this pivotal election, we have a lot to be proud of and important accomplishments we can talk about at home.
While we do not control the Senate or White House, we should be encouraged by the fact that we, as House Republicans, unified around an ambitious agenda that addressed the real concerns American families face every day. From inflation and energy costs to historic illegal immigration and crime to national security and holding those in power accountable, we put on full display the contrast of our vision for the country versus the vision of chaos and economic distress of radical Democrats. Here are some of the highlights:
H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act:
Our conference fought back against the Biden-Harris Administration’s war on American energy by passing the Lower Energy Costs Act to cut burdensome red tape and boost energy production here at home, instead of relying on hostile foreign dictators that put our energy security at risk. In addition to making America energy independent again, H.R. 1 lowers costs for families who are struggling every day thanks to skyrocketing prices at the gas pump, in the grocery store, and elsewhere.
H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act:
It’s no secret that, even in larger Republican majorities, we have historically struggled to unify around one comprehensive border bill. It was an uphill battle that required painstaking deliberations with all members of our diverse conference. The result was the most comprehensive border security bill in history, H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act, to address the worst border crisis in history. Over 8.2 million illegal immigrants have entered the U.S. and more than 2 million gotaways under President Biden and “Border Czar” V.P. Harris’ open border policies, which cost American lives every day, like Laken Riley, Jocelyn Nungaray, and Rachel Morin. H.R. 2 increases the number of border patrol agents, resumes construction of the border wall, ends catch-and-release, reinstates ‘Remain in Mexico’, cracks down on the flow of fentanyl, and keeps our communities safe.
H.R. 5, the Parents Bill of Rights:
When the Administration and school boards tried to silence parents and remove them from their child’s education while using taxpayer dollars to promote woke agendas in classrooms, House Republicans stood up for parents’ right to be involved in their child’s education by passing H.R. 5, the Parents Bill of Rights Act. Parents have the right to transparency when it comes to their child’s education, to know how their taxpayer dollars are being used by schools, and to express their concerns to school boards without being silenced by the federal government.
H.R. 7521, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act:
TikTok, which is controlled by ByteDance and tied to the Chinese Communist Party, poses a significant national security threat to the United States by allowing the CCP to spy on Americans and dictate what we see. House Republicans passed H.R. 7521, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, and placed the choice in TikTok’s hands: either they can sever their ties with the CCP or no longer be available in the United States. The Senate and President Biden followed our lead, signing our TikTok bill into law.
Standing with Our Ally Israel:
After the horrific attack of October 7th, House Republicans stood by our commitment to provide Israel with the tools it needs to defend itself and defeat terror. We passed H.R. 6126, the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, to quickly provide additional military equipment for our ally Israel, and in the face of Biden-Harris Administration efforts to pressure Israel by withholding critical weapons, we passed H.R. 8369, the Israel Security Assistance Support Act, to force the delivery of congressionally approved military aid. We have also taken on Iran and its terrorist proxies like Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis through legislation like H.R. 5961, the No Funds for Iranian Terrorism Act, to freeze the Biden-Harris Administration’s $6 billion payday for Iran, H.R. 6046, the Standing Against Houthi Aggression Act, and H.R. 340, the Hamas International Financing Prevention Act.
Taking on the Chinese Communist Party:
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) poses a generational threat to America, and dealing with it requires working across committee jurisdictions to develop a comprehensive approach. Since beginning this Congress with the establishment of the China Select Committee, that is exactly what we have done, culminating in this month’s China Week. We passed H.R. 9456, the Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act, to prevent foreign adversaries from gaining control of our American farmland, H.R. 1398, the Protect America’s Innovation and Economic Security from CCP Act, to defend American research and intellectual property, and H.R. 8333, the BIOSECURE Act, to kick the CCP out of our biotechnology supply chains, among many other strong bills.
H.R. 277, the REINS Act of 2023:
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, federal agencies continue to expand their authority by assuming the powers of the legislative and judicial branches, allowing unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats to make laws behind closed doors that will have serious impacts on the American way-of-life. House Republicans stepped up to rein in executive overreach by passing H.R. 277, the REINS Act of 2023, which requires congressional approval before major rules can take effect.
Ending the COVID National and Public Health Emergencies:
Long after schools reopened and the majority of workers returned to the office, President Biden delayed terminating the COVID-19 national and public health emergencies because he didn’t want to give up the powers it gave his Administration. The National Emergencies Act was never intended to give the president unlimited authority over the American people’s lives – we passed H.J. Res. 7 and H.R. 382, the Pandemic is Over Act, to end the COVID national and public health emergencies and get America back to normal.
H.R. 8281, the SAVE Act:
With the over 8.2 million illegal immigrants that have come across our southern border thanks to President Biden and Vice President Harris’ open border policies, it is vital we shore up our election security and ensure that only American citizens are voting in American elections. House Republicans came together in strong support of H.R. 8281, the SAVE Act
, which would require individuals to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections.
H.J. Res 26:
Last year, Washington, D.C. tried to implement Democrats’ soft-on-crime policies, including weakening criminal penalties for violent offenses, such as carjacking, robberies, and burglary. To keep our nation’s capital safe, House Republicans passed H.J. Res. 29 to reverse the D.C. Council’s misguided crime bill, which all present Republicans voted for and more than 170 Democrats voted against. Thanks to our work in forcing this issue, President Biden eventually caved, and the measure passed the Senate and was signed into law.
H.R. 7024, the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024:
In 2017, under President Trump’s leadership, Republicans passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, a pro-family, pro-worker, and pro-growth tax reform package. Because of constraints associated with reconciliation, some temporary provisions of TCJA have begun to expire, and substantially more will expire at the end of 2025. House Republicans are working to support American families and the economy by extending expiring provisions of TCJA. This Congress, we passed H.R. 7024, the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024, which allows working families to keep more of their paycheck and also restores important tax incentivizes that drive investment in the American economy.
Digital Assets:
Despite hostility from the Biden-Harris Administration, the digital asset ecosystem continues to grow. To foster continued growth by providing regulatory certainty and appropriate consumer protections, House Republicans passed three trailblazing bills in the digital asset space: H.J. Res. 109, a congressional resolution of disapproval against the SEC’s misguided “Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 121”; H.R. 4763, the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act; and, H.R. 5403, the CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act. Taken together, these bills set a clear path for the future of digital assets and their regulation.
H.R. 26, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act:
To protect the sanctity of life, House Republicans passed H.R. 26, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which secures medical protections for babies that survive an attempted abortion. This comes after four years of Democrats refusing to hold a vote on the life-saving legislation. Newborn babies deserve protection and care regardless of the circumstances under which they are born – this should not be a partisan issue, but common sense and basic morality.
Attempted Assassinations of President Trump:
The House quickly acted after the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump on July 13th in Butler, Pennsylvania, and formed a task force to investigate the series of failures by the U.S. Secret Service that day. The Task Force is also investigating the subsequent assassination attempt that occurred on September 15th in Florida, as it works to deliver answers to the American people and ensure their choice of president is never again threatened by a deranged, radical individual.
Antisemitism on Campuses:
After Hamas’ horrific October 7th attacks on Israel, and the subsequent military actions taken by Israel to defend itself, the U.S. has seen a disturbing uptick in antisemitism on college campuses. Led by the Committee on Education and the Workforce, House Republicans discovered a troubling culture on campuses, where administrators fail to implement protections for Jewish students and even mock Jewish students, and has demanded answers from these universities about student safety and funding of pro-Hamas groups and propaganda. As a result, the presidents of Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia resigned in disgrace.
The Biden-Harris Border Crisis Report:
The Committee on Homeland Security released a report exposing the many ways the Biden-Harris Administration knowingly and intentionally undermined U.S. border security to create the crisis we currently see at the border. The report revealed that even before taking office, the Administration was warned by experienced border security professionals about the dangers of their plan to open our borders and dismantle our border security. The Biden-Harris border crisis was not some inevitable phenomenon – it was directly caused by the actions taken by President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas. Earlier this year, House Republicans impeached Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for violating border security laws enacted by Congress and threatening the safety of the American people – unfortunately, Senate Democrats refuse to hold him accountable for his failures.
The Biden-Harris Failed Afghanistan Withdrawal Report:
The Foreign Affairs Committee’s investigation into the Biden-Harris Administration’s catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan revealed that the Administration disregarded the advice of military and security professionals, ignored the facts on the ground, and indulged in wishful thinking and endless deliberation that left American troops and diplomats in-country dangerously exposed – ultimately resulting in the tragic and unnecessary deaths of 13 U.S. servicemembers. This week, House Republicans passed legislation to condemn key figures and officials in the Administration, including President Biden, Vice President Harris, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby, State Department Secretary Antony Blinken, and others, for their part in this historic disaster.
President Biden’s Influence Peddling and Classified Documents:
On December 13, 2023, the House voted to formalize the impeachment inquiry into President Biden allowing the Oversight, Judiciary, and Ways and Means Committees to continue developing compelling evidence revealing how President Biden knew, was involved, and benefited directly from his family’s influence peddling schemes. The committees took key actions to bring in significant witnesses, including Hunter Biden and James Biden, both of whom had lied during their appearances, and the committees sent criminal referrals to the Department of Justice recommending they be charged with making false statements.
In February, the House Oversight and Judiciary Committees subpoenaed Attorney General Merrick Garland for records, including transcripts, notes, video, and audio files, related to Special Counsel Robert Hur’s investigation of President Biden’s willful mishandling of classified information, after Hur declined to recommend charges against Biden citing his memory problems. A.G. Garland refused to produce the audio recordings of Special Counsel Hur’s interviews with President Biden and his ghostwriter, and on June 12, 2024, House Republicans voted to hold A.G. Garland in contempt for failing to comply with the subpoena. On July 2, 2024, the House Judiciary Committee filed a lawsuit in D.C. federal court to obtain these recordings. We remain committed to obtaining this critically important evidence in our investigation into Biden’s mishandling of classified documents.
Regulatory Burdens:
In the wake of the Supreme Court overruling Chevron, to assure the Biden-Harris Administration respects the limits placed on its authority, our House committees sent oversight letters to nearly every agency in the Executive branch requesting information on legislative rules, agency adjudications, enforcement actions, and agency guidance documents. Additionally, the House Oversight Committee issued a thorough report on the Biden-Harris Administration’s regulatory overreach
, concluding that it has imposed an estimated $1.7 trillion in regulatory costs, with EPA counting for $1.3 trillion.
This Congress hasn’t been easy, but nothing worth fighting for is. The future of our country is at stake, and it is critical that we make our case across the country of what we’ve accomplished so far and how much more we have left to do to save our country from the chaos and destruction that we have seen under the Biden-Harris Administration and their far-left partners in Congress. We are a team, and I am proud of all of you for the work you have done to help us keep our promises and unite to fulfill the agenda we set out to achieve on behalf of the American people. It’s an honor to serve as your Majority Leader.
-Steve
Source: Government of Canada regional news
Released on September 27, 2024
Ensuring a better quality of life for Saskatchewan people is a team effort which includes our residents, communities, businesses and building industries. The Government of Saskatchewan values input from stakeholders when planning for growth, including an effective regulatory structure and safe, healthy, habitable and energy efficient buildings.
As a result, the Ministry of Government Relations is delaying the implementation of Tier 3 energy efficiency in buildings across Saskatchewan by one year, to January 2026.
“An additional year to implement the next tier in energy efficiency allows our industry partners to have the time and tools needed to ensure the best possible builds,” Government Relations Minister Don McMorris said. “This will maintain Saskatchewan’s competitiveness with other provinces while maintaining affordability for residents.”
In January 2024, Saskatchewan adopted the 2020 edition of the National Building Code (NBC) by regulation under The Construction Codes Act. These regulations involved the implementation of Tier 2 and Tier 3 energy-efficiency requirements on January 1, 2024, and January 1, 2025, respectively in new-build construction across Saskatchewan. The energy efficiency tiers of the NBC only apply to residential buildings of three storeys or less in building height, having a building area not exceeding 600 metres squared.
To learn more about Saskatchewan’s building code regulations, visit: saskatchewan.ca.
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US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper
Hickenlooper: “Now is the time to make sure every worker has access to the professional development training that they need to succeed”
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper chaired a hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee’s Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety on how artificial intelligence (AI) skills training can prepare workers to compete in the modern job market and leverage AI tools in the workplace.
“AI-literacy training is going to help empower employers to choose the safest applications for their workforce, and make sure workers can give well-informed feedback about their experiences with AI,” said Hickenlooper in the hearing. “We know that having a well-trained and informed workforce is key, is really essential, to making sure that AI is used responsibly and that both workers and businesses can reap the full benefits of the tools.”
Hickenlooper was joined by Ranking Member Mike Braun; Dr. Karin Kimbrough, Chief Economist at LinkedIn; Alex Kotran, Chief Executive Officer of aiEDU; Ken Meyer, Senior Director of Human Resources of Ryan Health; and Denzel Wilson, Grassroots Program Manager at Seed AI.
During the hearing, Hickenlooper and the other senators asked witnesses about how businesses of all sizes were implementing AI in their operations and what AI trainings and skills American workers would benefit from.
“As AI technologies and training programs change over time, we’ll need everyone – our union partners, employers, nonprofits, everyone – to make sure we get this right and we set ourselves up for success,” said Hickenlooper in the hearing.
Last year, Hickenlooper chaired a Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety hearing to explore how to best ensure workers are trained and empowered for the widespread integration of AI in the workplace and to discuss helpful ways for companies and workers to prepare to leverage AI in their workflows. Hickenlooper also chaired a Senate hearing on how to increase transparency in AI technologies for consumers, identify uses of AI that are beneficial or “high risk,” and evaluate the potential impact of policies designed to increase trustworthiness in the transformational technology.
For a full video of Hickenlooper’s opening remarks, click HERE.
Full text of Hickenlooper’s opening remarks below:
“Last year, this subcommittee heard from witnesses on the potential benefits of AI to our economy, but concluded that those benefits will only become a reality if we have a well-trained workforce.
“Since then, AI has only continued to explode with innovation, and has remained at the forefront of conversations for both employers and workers as new applications of AI continue to transform the workplace.
“Unlike most previous technologies, like all previous technologies, previous technologies like personal computers or cell phones, they initially had substantial barriers that limited consumer access. AI has already achieved wide access.
“AI-powered applications are being used by students and workers and business owners all across the country.
“By some estimates, more than 60% of companies are exploring how to integrate some form of generative AI technology even as we speak.
“Additionally, some workers already have their own subscriptions to AI applications and are using them to enhance their work, to accelerate their projects.
“Bottom line: AI clearly does have the potential to change how we all work.
“While some tasks may become more automated, the majority of jobs will use processes that employ, in some form, a collaboration between AI and human-run systems.
“Despite the clear interest in AI technologies from employers and workers alike, we have more work to do to create widely available AI literacy training opportunities to put everyone on an even playing field.
“The rapidly-changing landscape in AI technologies is making some employees and even some industries hesitant to invest in comprehensive training opportunities. They’re not sure if what they’re training will be useful and remain relevant in a relatively short period of time.
“But we know that having a well-trained and informed workforce is key, is really essential, to making sure that AI is used responsibly and that both workers and businesses can reap the full benefits of the tools.
“For example, human talent is needed to evaluate outputs generated by AI for accuracy, or to tailor AI-generated concepts into customized solutions that support their customers.
“AI literacy should also include an emphasis on methods to help workers identify AI-generated content versus human-generated content.
“AI-literacy training is going to help empower employers to choose the safest applications for their workforce, and make sure workers can give well-informed feedback about their experiences with AI.
“I think we’ve read the room. Now is the time to make sure every worker has access to the professional development training that they need to succeed.
“That’s why earlier this year I introduced the Lifelong Learning Act with Senators Budd and Peters to make sure we can appropriately invest in training opportunities for current and future workers.
“Senator Braun and I have also been working together to make sure the Department of Labor, as well as other agencies, understand the urgent need for these programs and need to address the safety factors connected to that urgent need.
“During today’s hearing, we’ll hear from panelists from various sectors and communities, who are providing or benefiting AI-literacy training opportunities.
“As AI technologies and training programs change over time, we’ll need everyone – our union partners, employers, nonprofits, everyone – to make sure we get this right and we set ourselves up for success.”