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Category: AM-NC

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Learner Success Community of Practice

    Source: Tertiary Education Commission

    Employability Ecosystems – Part 1: Improving learner outcomes through links to industry
    Dr Roy Priest, Associate Professor at Birmingham City University (BCU), gives an overview of their Employability Ecosystems that improve learner engagement, and support successful graduate outcomes by embedding employability into the curriculum and connecting learners with industry throughout their programme of study. 
    Set in the heart of Birmingham, with a focus on practice-based learning, this public university has over 30,000 learners from over 100 countries. Around half of their learners come from the most deprived neighbourhoods of Birmingham. A significant proportion of learners are the first in their family to attend university and commute from home.  
    The BCU’s Employability Ecosystems maximise the potential for ongoing connection between learners, industry-based professionals and tutors through informal frameworks. It’s a holistic approach encompassing research, knowledge transfer, curriculum development, course and programme marketing. Roy discusses what this approach looks like in practice and the support BCU has put in place for academic staff to enhance learner outcomes through informal engagement with industry.
    [embedded content]

    Employability Ecosystems – Part 2: Informal networks to support graduate outcomes
    Dr Roy Priest, Associate Professor at Birmingham City University (BCU) shares insights into three informal network initiatives – Industry Mentors Forums, Special Interest Groups, and Formal and Information Industry Advisory Boards.
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    DREAM Convening
    The annual DREAM Convening is Achieving the Dream’s (ATD’s) flagship event. It attracts influential leaders and practitioners from more than 300 US-based community colleges and organisations who exchange ideas about evidence-based reform strategies that transform higher education and impact learner success.
    Achieving the Dream
    Te Rito Maioha
    Nikki Parsons, Te Rito Maioha General Manager Workforce and Learner Engagement, shares her reflections on the 2024 DREAM conference. She talks about how Te Rito Maioha, a private training establishment, is applying the knowledge she has gained to help their learners to be successful in their tertiary study.
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    Skills Group
    Jon Smith, Skills Group General Manager Academic Skills and Quality, shares his three takeaways from the 2024 DREAM conference. He talks about introducing the Achieving the Dream 2.0 Capability Framework model into the Skills Group, and their robust conversations on what they need to do to build a student success model. The Skills Group is a private training establishment.
    [embedded content]
    English Language Partners
    A key takeaway from the 2024 DREAM conference for Rachel O’Connor, English Language Partners Chief Executive, is the importance of having and applying an equity mindset throughout your organisation – from how you use data to how you train your people. Rachel talks about how English Language Partners are applying the knowledge she’s gained, and using data to support equity and address learner success.
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    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Supermarkets warned about unfair practices

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis has written to the major supermarkets to restate the basic expectation that they take all steps needed to comply with the Fair Trading Act and ensure Kiwi shoppers are not subjected to misleading price claims. 

    “Supermarkets have statutory obligations under the Fair Trading Act to ensure that pricing information is accurate and does not mislead consumers.

    “I am disappointed that I have to spell out to some of New Zealand’s biggest and most sophisticated retail operators – Foodstuffs North Island, Foodstuffs South Island, and Woolworths – that they should have in place processes to prevent inaccurate pricing, institute and publicise refund policies, and train staff to ensure that when errors are reported, fixes occur system-wide. Compliance with the law should be a basic expectation. 

    “I am concerned to hear from the Commerce Commission and Consumer New Zealand that misleading promotional practices and common pricing errors are still occurring within New Zealand’s major supermarket chains.

    “These include customers being charged more at the checkout than the advertised price, specials being advertised that don’t represent a saving on the normal price,  and multibuys that are more expensive than if the products are individually purchased.

    “This week it was reported that two PAKnSave supermarkets that are part of Foodstuffs North Island have pleaded guilty to multiple charges of breaching the Fair Trading Act. The Commerce Commision has also filed proceedings against Woolworths for misleading consumers about prices. 

    “I will not comment on ongoing court proceedings. However, it is clear that as participants in a sector that generates revenue of $27 billion a year, the major supermarkets have the resources to treat their customers fairly. 

    “It should not be customers’ responsibility to alert stores to pricing discrepancies. Kiwi shoppers have the right to expect that the price they pay at the checkout is the same as the price they see in the aisle. 

    “I have asked the major supermarket chains for an update on the actions they are taking to address these issues. It is in their and New Zealand shoppers’ interests that they be clear about what they are doing to ensure shoppers are not misled. 

    “I am considering introducing tougher penalties and potential changes to ensure the provisions of the Fair Trading Act are more readily enforced. 

    “I note that the maximum penalty for a breach of the Fair Trading Act in New Zealand is a fine of $600,000 whereas in Australia the courts can impose a penalty of up to $A50 million.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Virgin Islands Private Nonprofits Affected by Tropical Storm Ernesto

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in the Virgin Islands of the July 25 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by Tropical Storm Ernesto occurring Aug. 13-16, 2024.

    The disaster declaration covers the areas of Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas and Water Island.

    Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to PNPs providing non-critical services of a governmental nature with financial losses directly related to the disaster. Example of eligible non-critical PNPs include, but are not limited to, food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools and colleges.

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

    “SBA loans help eligible small businesses and private nonprofits cover operating expenses after a disaster, which is crucial for their recovery,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “These loans not only help business owners get back on their feet but also play a key role in sustaining local economies in the aftermath of a disaster.”

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

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

    The deadline to return economic injury applications is July 25, 2025.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Virgin Islands Private Nonprofits Affected by Tropical Storm Ernesto

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in the Virgin Islands of the July 25 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by Tropical Storm Ernesto occurring Aug. 13-16, 2024.

    The disaster declaration covers the areas of Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas and Water Island.

    Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to PNPs providing non-critical services of a governmental nature with financial losses directly related to the disaster. Example of eligible non-critical PNPs include, but are not limited to, food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools and colleges.

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

    “SBA loans help eligible small businesses and private nonprofits cover operating expenses after a disaster, which is crucial for their recovery,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “These loans not only help business owners get back on their feet but also play a key role in sustaining local economies in the aftermath of a disaster.”

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

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

    The deadline to return economic injury applications is July 25, 2025.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Offers Relief to Tennessee Private Nonprofits Affected by April Storms and Tornadoes

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – In response to a Presidential disaster declaration for public assistance issued June 19, 2025, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans for certain private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Tennessee affected by severe storms, straight line winds, tornadoes and flooding occurring April 2–24, 2025.

    The disaster declaration covers the counties of Cheatham, Davidson, Decatur, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Grundy, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henry, Hickman, Lauderdale, Madison, McNairy, Obion, Perry, Steward, and Tipton.  

    Under this declaration, PNPs providing non-critical services of a governmental nature are eligible to apply for both business physical disaster loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) from the SBA. Examples of eligible non-critical PNP organizations include, but are not limited to, food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools, and colleges.

    PNPs may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets. Applicants may also be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes.

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

    “SBA loans help eligible PNPs cover operating expenses after a disaster, which is crucial for their recovery,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “These loans not only help PNPs get back on their feet but also play a key role in sustaining local economies in the aftermath of a disaster.”

    Interest rates are as low as 3.625%, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

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

    The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Aug. 19, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is March 19, 2026.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Offers Relief to Tennessee Private Nonprofits Affected by April Storms and Tornadoes

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – In response to a Presidential disaster declaration for public assistance issued June 19, 2025, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans for certain private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Tennessee affected by severe storms, straight line winds, tornadoes and flooding occurring April 2–24, 2025.

    The disaster declaration covers the counties of Cheatham, Davidson, Decatur, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Grundy, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henry, Hickman, Lauderdale, Madison, McNairy, Obion, Perry, Steward, and Tipton.  

    Under this declaration, PNPs providing non-critical services of a governmental nature are eligible to apply for both business physical disaster loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) from the SBA. Examples of eligible non-critical PNP organizations include, but are not limited to, food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools, and colleges.

    PNPs may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets. Applicants may also be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes.

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

    “SBA loans help eligible PNPs cover operating expenses after a disaster, which is crucial for their recovery,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “These loans not only help PNPs get back on their feet but also play a key role in sustaining local economies in the aftermath of a disaster.”

    Interest rates are as low as 3.625%, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

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

    The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Aug. 19, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is March 19, 2026.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Pennsylvania Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Drought

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Pennsylvania of the July 25 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by drought occurring on Nov. 19, 2024.

    The disaster declaration covers the Pennsylvania counties of Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia and the Delaware county of New Castle as well as the New Jersey county of Gloucester.

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

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

    “Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”  

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.62% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

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

    The deadline to return economic injury applications is July 25, 2025.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Pennsylvania Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Drought

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Pennsylvania of the July 25 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by drought occurring on Nov. 19, 2024.

    The disaster declaration covers the Pennsylvania counties of Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia and the Delaware county of New Castle as well as the New Jersey county of Gloucester.

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

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

    “Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”  

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.62% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

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

    The deadline to return economic injury applications is July 25, 2025.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Maryland Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Drought

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Maryland of the July 25 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by drought occurring Nov. 19.

    The disaster declaration covers the Maryland counties of Anne Arundel, Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot as well as Kent County in Delaware.

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

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

    “Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”  

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.65% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

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

    The deadline to return economic injury applications is July 25, 2025.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Maryland Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Drought

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Maryland of the July 25 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by drought occurring Nov. 19.

    The disaster declaration covers the Maryland counties of Anne Arundel, Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot as well as Kent County in Delaware.

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

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

    “Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”  

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.65% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

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

    The deadline to return economic injury applications is July 25, 2025.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Connecticut Private Nonprofits Affected by August Severe Storms

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Connecticut of the July 25 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by severe storm, flooding, landslides, and mudslides occurring on Aug. 18 – Aug. 19, 2024.

    The disaster declaration covers the counties in Fairfield, Litchfield and New Haven.  

    Under this declaration, PNPs providing non-critical services of a governmental nature are eligible to apply for both business physical disaster loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDLs) from the SBA. Examples of eligible non-critical PNP organizations include, but are not limited to, food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools, and colleges.

    PNPs may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets. Applicants may also be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes.

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

    “SBA loans help eligible small businesses and private nonprofits cover operating expenses after a disaster, which is crucial for their recovery,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “These loans not only help business owners get back on their feet but also play a key role in sustaining local economies in the aftermath of a disaster.”

    Interest rates are as low as 3.25%, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

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

    The deadline to return economic injury applications is July 25, 2025.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: S. 180, Protecting First Responders from Secondary Exposure Act of 2025

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    S. 180 would amend the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) to permit the Department of Justice (DOJ) to award competitive grants to state, local, and tribal governments for purchasing devices that prevent secondary exposure to fentanyl and other lethal substances. Under the bill, grants also could be used to train first responders on the use of those devices.

    The underlying authorization for COSSUP expired in 2023. The Congress has continued to provide funding for the program and provided $189 million for the program in 2024. In this estimate, CBO is estimating the cost of the amounts necessary to implement the new activities specified in the bill and not the cost of reauthorizing COSSUP.

    Using information from DOJ about awards in recent years for similar activities under COSSUP, CBO expects that about four governments would each receive grants of roughly $2 million each year under the bill. On that basis and based on the historical spending pattern for similar grant programs, CBO estimates that implementing S. 180 would cost $28 million over the 2025-2030 period. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

    The costs of the legislation, detailed in Table 1, fall within budget function 750 (administration of justice).

    Table 1.

    Estimated Increases in Spending Subject to Appropriation Under S. 180
     

    By Fiscal Year, Millions of Dollars

    		  
     

    2025

    2026

    2027

    2028

    2029

    2030

    2025-2030

    Estimated Authorization

    *

    7

    7

    7

    8

    8

    37

    Estimated Outlays

    *

    1

    4

    7

    8

    8

    28

    * = between zero and $500,000.

    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Jeremy Crimm. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Larry Walker III Applauds $4.4 Million in State Support for Dodge County Road Improvements

    Source: US State of Georgia

    ATLANTA (June 20, 2025) — Sen. Larry Walker III (R-Perry) today celebrated the announcement of a combined $4.4 million in grant and loan funding awarded to Dodge County through the Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank (GTIB), administered by the State Road and Tollway Authority (SRTA). The investment includes a $2 million grant and a $2.43 million low-interest loan to fund the Dodge County Road Improvement Program, a transformative infrastructure initiative aimed at rebuilding, resurfacing, and expanding key roadways across the county.

    “This is a major win for Dodge County and the hardworking Georgians who rely on safe, well-maintained roads every day,” said Sen. Walker. “These funds will go a long way toward improving transportation safety, supporting economic activity and addressing the wear and tear that comes from increasing freight traffic. I’m proud to join Gov. Kemp and my colleagues in the General Assembly to help make sure rural communities like Dodge County aren’t left behind when it comes to infrastructure investment.”

    The Dodge County Road Improvement Program includes three major projects:

    • Paving of Bill Mullis Road from Roddy Highway to SR 87 (3.7 miles);
    • Full-depth reclamation of Milan Eastman Road from SR 117 to SR 280 (8.2 miles), repairing damage from heavy freight use;
    • Resurfacing Zion Hill Church Road from Antioch Church Road to Coody Road (4.5 miles).

    By combining these road segments into one large-scale project, Dodge County is able to accelerate its timeline by nearly a decade and reduce overall unit costs, ensuring taxpayer dollars go further.

    Gov. Brian P. Kemp and SRTA announced this year’s GTIB awards on Tuesday, highlighting a record $26.5 million in funding across 13 local transportation projects. The 2025 cycle includes the largest combined rural investment in the program’s history at $13.3 million.

    Since its creation in 2010, GTIB has awarded more than $240 million in grants and loans, supporting transportation projects with a combined value of over $1.2 billion.

    For more information on the Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank, visit www.srta.ga.gov/gtib.

    # # # #

    Sen. Larry Walker serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Insurance and Labor. He represents the 20th Senate District, which includes Bleckley, Dodge, Dooly, Laurens, Treutlen, Pulaski and Wilcox counties, as well as portions of Houston County.  He may be reached by phone at (404) 656-0095 or by email at Larry.Walker@senate.ga.gov.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Reinbeck Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Second Time

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

    A Reinbeck man who obtained a significant quantity of methamphetamine from a source of supply that he had met in federal prison was sentenced June 23, 2025, to 20 years in federal prison.  

    Austin David Hansen, age 39, from Reinbeck, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 23, 2024 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance after having previously been convicted of a serious drug felony.  

    Information disclosed at Hansen’s sentencing hearing and other hearings related to this case showed that, beginning in December 2023, and continuing to May 22, 2024, Hansen worked with a California source of supply that Hansen had met in federal prison to ship methamphetamine and marijuana packages in the mail to post office boxes in Reinbeck, Dike, and Waterloo, Iowa.  After the methamphetamine and marijuana packages arrived at the Iowa post office boxes, Hansen worked with others to distribute the methamphetamine and marijuana to individuals in the Northern District of Iowa.  Hansen then sent packages containing thousands of dollars of drug proceeds to the source of supply in California.  In total, the California source of supply sent at least 37 packages to the Northern District of Iowa, and Hansen sent the source of supply over $260,000 of drug proceeds.    

    During the investigation, law enforcement seized a package from California and intended for one of the post office boxes, and it contained over 5,000 grams of methamphetamine.  On May 22, 2024, officers executed several search warrants in this case, including at Hansen’s residence.  At Hansen’s residence, officers seized over 600 grams of methamphetamine, a firearm, over $12,000 in United States currency, and receipts of all the money packages Hansen sent to the source of supply in California.  

    Hansen had previously been convicted of a federal drug trafficking crime and sentenced to federal prison in November 2011.  

    Hansen was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Hansen was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment, and he must also serve a ten‑year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    Hansen is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

     The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by the United States Postal Service; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Tri‑County Drug Enforcement Task Force consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Office; the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Mid‑Iowa Drug Task Force; the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office; the Iowa State Patrol; and the Santa Ana, California Police Department.  

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 24‑CR‑00044‑CJW.

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: A preservative removed from childhood vaccines 20 years ago is still causing controversy today − a drug safety expert explains

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Terri Levien, Professor of Pharmacy, Washington State University

    A discredited study published in 1989 first alleged a link between thimerosal and autism. Flavio Coelho/Moment via Getty Images

    An expert committee that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccines is meeting for the first time since Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. abruptly replaced the committee’s 17 members with eight hand-picked ones on June 11, 2025.

    The committee, called the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, generally discusses and votes on recommendations for specific vaccines. For this meeting, taking place June 25-26, 2025, vaccines for COVID-19, human papillomavirus, influenza and other infectious diseases were on the schedule. According to an updated agenda, however, the committee is now also scheduled to hear a presentation on a chemical called thimerosal and to vote on proposed recommendations regarding its use in influenza vaccines.

    Public health experts have raised concerns about the presentation, noting that anti-vaccine advocates continue to promote confusion regarding the purported health risks of thimerosal despite extensive research demonstrating its safety.

    I’m a pharmacist and expert on drug information with 35 years of experience critically evaluating the safety and effectiveness of medications in clinical trials. No evidence supports the idea that thimerosal, used as a preservative in vaccines, is unsafe or carries any health risks.

    What is thimerosal?

    Thimerosal, also known as thiomersal, is a preservative that has been used in some drug products since the 1930s because it prevents contamination by killing microbes and preventing their growth.

    In the human body, thimerosal is metabolized, or changed, to ethylmercury, an organic derivative of mercury. Studies in infants have shown that ethylmercury is quickly eliminated from the blood.

    Even though thimerosal is no longer used in childhood vaccines, many parents still worry about whether it can harm their kids.

    Ethylmercury is sometimes confused with methylmercury. Methylmercury is known to be toxic and is associated with many negative effects on brain development even at low exposure. Environmental researchers identified the neurotoxic effects of mercury in children in the 1970s, primarily resulting from exposure to methylmercury in fish. In the 1990s, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration established limits for maximum recommended exposure to methylmercury, especially for children, pregnant women and women of childbearing age.

    Why is thimerosal controversial?

    Fears about the safety of thimerosal in vaccines spread for two reasons.

    First, in 1998, a now discredited report was published in a major medical journal called The Lancet. In it, a British doctor named Andrew Wakefield described eight children who developed autism after receiving the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella. However, the patients were not compared with a control group that was vaccinated, so it was impossible to draw conclusions about the vaccine’s effects. Also, the data report was later found to be falsified. And the MMR vaccine that children received in that report never contained thimerosal.

    Second, the federal guidelines on exposure limits for the toxic substance methylmercury came out about the same time as the Wakefield study’s publication. During that period, autism was becoming more widely recognized as a developmental condition, and its rates of diagnosis were rising. People who believed Wakefield’s results conflated methylmercury and ethylmercury and promoted the unfounded idea that ethylmercury in vaccines from thimerosal were driving the rising rates of autism.

    The Wakefield study was retracted in 2010, and Wakefield was found guilty of dishonesty and flouting ethics protocols by the U.K. General Medical Council, as well as stripped of his medical license. Subsequent studies have not shown a relationship between the MMR vaccine and autism, but despite the absence of evidence, the idea took hold and has proven difficult to dislodge.

    The Wakefield study severely damaged many parents’ faith in the MMR vaccine, even though its results were eventually shown to be fraudulent.
    Peter Dazeley/The Image Bank, Getty Images

    Have scientists tested whether thimerosal is safe?

    No unbiased research to date has identified toxicity caused by ethylmercury in vaccines or a link between the substance and autism or other developmental concerns – and not from lack of looking.

    A 1999 review conducted by the Food and Drug Administration in response to federal guidelines on limiting mercury exposure found no evidence of harm from thimerosal as a vaccine preservative other than rare allergic reactions. Even so, as a precautionary measure in response to concerns about exposure to mercury in infants, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S. Public Health Service issued a joint statement in 1999 recommending removal of thimerosal from vaccines.

    At that time, just one childhood vaccine was available only in a version that contained thimerosal as an ingredient. This was a vaccine called DTP, for diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. Other childhood vaccines were either available only in formulations without thimerosal or could be obtained in versions that did not contain it.

    By 2001, U.S. manufacturers had removed thimerosal from almost all vaccines – and from all vaccines in the childhood vaccination schedule.

    In 2004, the U.S. Institute of Medicine Immunization Safety Review Committee reviewed over 200 scientific studies and concluded there is no causal relationship between thimerosal-containing vaccines and autism. Additional well-conducted studies reviewed independently by the CDC and by the FDA did not find a link between thimerosal-containing vaccines and autism or neuropsychological delays.

    How is thimerosal used today?

    In the U.S., most vaccines are now available in single-dose vials or syringes. Thimerosal is found only in multidose vials that are used to supply vaccines for large-scale immunization efforts – specifically, in a small number of influenza vaccines. It is not added to modern childhood vaccines, and people who get a flu vaccine can avoid it by requesting a vaccine supplied in a single-dose vial or syringe.

    Thimerosal is still used in vaccines in some other countries to ensure continued availability of necessary vaccines. The World Health Organization continues to affirm that there is no evidence of toxicity in infants, children or adults exposed to thimerosal-containing vaccines.

    Terri Levien does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. A preservative removed from childhood vaccines 20 years ago is still causing controversy today − a drug safety expert explains – https://theconversation.com/a-preservative-removed-from-childhood-vaccines-20-years-ago-is-still-causing-controversy-today-a-drug-safety-expert-explains-259442

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: A preservative removed from childhood vaccines 20 years ago is still causing controversy today − a drug safety expert explains

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Terri Levien, Professor of Pharmacy, Washington State University

    A discredited study published in 1989 first alleged a link between thimerosal and autism. Flavio Coelho/Moment via Getty Images

    An expert committee that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccines is meeting for the first time since Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. abruptly replaced the committee’s 17 members with eight hand-picked ones on June 11, 2025.

    The committee, called the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, generally discusses and votes on recommendations for specific vaccines. For this meeting, taking place June 25-26, 2025, vaccines for COVID-19, human papillomavirus, influenza and other infectious diseases were on the schedule. According to an updated agenda, however, the committee is now also scheduled to hear a presentation on a chemical called thimerosal and to vote on proposed recommendations regarding its use in influenza vaccines.

    Public health experts have raised concerns about the presentation, noting that anti-vaccine advocates continue to promote confusion regarding the purported health risks of thimerosal despite extensive research demonstrating its safety.

    I’m a pharmacist and expert on drug information with 35 years of experience critically evaluating the safety and effectiveness of medications in clinical trials. No evidence supports the idea that thimerosal, used as a preservative in vaccines, is unsafe or carries any health risks.

    What is thimerosal?

    Thimerosal, also known as thiomersal, is a preservative that has been used in some drug products since the 1930s because it prevents contamination by killing microbes and preventing their growth.

    In the human body, thimerosal is metabolized, or changed, to ethylmercury, an organic derivative of mercury. Studies in infants have shown that ethylmercury is quickly eliminated from the blood.

    Even though thimerosal is no longer used in childhood vaccines, many parents still worry about whether it can harm their kids.

    Ethylmercury is sometimes confused with methylmercury. Methylmercury is known to be toxic and is associated with many negative effects on brain development even at low exposure. Environmental researchers identified the neurotoxic effects of mercury in children in the 1970s, primarily resulting from exposure to methylmercury in fish. In the 1990s, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration established limits for maximum recommended exposure to methylmercury, especially for children, pregnant women and women of childbearing age.

    Why is thimerosal controversial?

    Fears about the safety of thimerosal in vaccines spread for two reasons.

    First, in 1998, a now discredited report was published in a major medical journal called The Lancet. In it, a British doctor named Andrew Wakefield described eight children who developed autism after receiving the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella. However, the patients were not compared with a control group that was vaccinated, so it was impossible to draw conclusions about the vaccine’s effects. Also, the data report was later found to be falsified. And the MMR vaccine that children received in that report never contained thimerosal.

    Second, the federal guidelines on exposure limits for the toxic substance methylmercury came out about the same time as the Wakefield study’s publication. During that period, autism was becoming more widely recognized as a developmental condition, and its rates of diagnosis were rising. People who believed Wakefield’s results conflated methylmercury and ethylmercury and promoted the unfounded idea that ethylmercury in vaccines from thimerosal were driving the rising rates of autism.

    The Wakefield study was retracted in 2010, and Wakefield was found guilty of dishonesty and flouting ethics protocols by the U.K. General Medical Council, as well as stripped of his medical license. Subsequent studies have not shown a relationship between the MMR vaccine and autism, but despite the absence of evidence, the idea took hold and has proven difficult to dislodge.

    The Wakefield study severely damaged many parents’ faith in the MMR vaccine, even though its results were eventually shown to be fraudulent.
    Peter Dazeley/The Image Bank, Getty Images

    Have scientists tested whether thimerosal is safe?

    No unbiased research to date has identified toxicity caused by ethylmercury in vaccines or a link between the substance and autism or other developmental concerns – and not from lack of looking.

    A 1999 review conducted by the Food and Drug Administration in response to federal guidelines on limiting mercury exposure found no evidence of harm from thimerosal as a vaccine preservative other than rare allergic reactions. Even so, as a precautionary measure in response to concerns about exposure to mercury in infants, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S. Public Health Service issued a joint statement in 1999 recommending removal of thimerosal from vaccines.

    At that time, just one childhood vaccine was available only in a version that contained thimerosal as an ingredient. This was a vaccine called DTP, for diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. Other childhood vaccines were either available only in formulations without thimerosal or could be obtained in versions that did not contain it.

    By 2001, U.S. manufacturers had removed thimerosal from almost all vaccines – and from all vaccines in the childhood vaccination schedule.

    In 2004, the U.S. Institute of Medicine Immunization Safety Review Committee reviewed over 200 scientific studies and concluded there is no causal relationship between thimerosal-containing vaccines and autism. Additional well-conducted studies reviewed independently by the CDC and by the FDA did not find a link between thimerosal-containing vaccines and autism or neuropsychological delays.

    How is thimerosal used today?

    In the U.S., most vaccines are now available in single-dose vials or syringes. Thimerosal is found only in multidose vials that are used to supply vaccines for large-scale immunization efforts – specifically, in a small number of influenza vaccines. It is not added to modern childhood vaccines, and people who get a flu vaccine can avoid it by requesting a vaccine supplied in a single-dose vial or syringe.

    Thimerosal is still used in vaccines in some other countries to ensure continued availability of necessary vaccines. The World Health Organization continues to affirm that there is no evidence of toxicity in infants, children or adults exposed to thimerosal-containing vaccines.

    Terri Levien does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. A preservative removed from childhood vaccines 20 years ago is still causing controversy today − a drug safety expert explains – https://theconversation.com/a-preservative-removed-from-childhood-vaccines-20-years-ago-is-still-causing-controversy-today-a-drug-safety-expert-explains-259442

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News in Brief: National Defense Area established in South Texas

    Source: United States Spaceforce

    The U.S. Air Force will manage a new NDA covering approximately 250 miles of the Rio Grande River in Cameron and Hidalgo Counties, Texas, on land transferred from the International Boundary and Water Commission through the General Services Administration.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Video: The future of peacekeeping starts today

    Source: United Nations (video statements)

    The communities who are served by UN Peacekeeping are at the heart of its efforts to build lasting peace. But for peacekeepers to continue to do their vital work, we need to ensure peacekeeping is fit for the future and that local and global partnerships remain strong.

    More on peacekeeping: peacekeeping.un.org

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62RQNvGCG44

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Hirono Demand Answers on Trump Rescinding Emergency Reproductive Care Guidance

    US Senate News:

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

    June 25, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Mazie K. Hirono, D-Hawai’i, today demanded answers from the Trump Administration about its decision to rescind Biden-era guidance that reaffirmed the obligation of hospitals to provide life-saving, emergency abortion care under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA).

    Passed into law in 1986, EMTALA requires any hospital receiving Medicare funding to provide necessary stabilizing treatment for any individuals experiencing a medical emergency, including abortion care. The law clearly mandates that hospitals offer abortion care in cases where it is deemed medically necessary to prevent serious harm to patients.

    However, since the Supreme Court handed down the disastrous Dobbs decision three years ago, more than 20 states have passed laws to ban or severely restrict access to abortion, creating chaos and confusion over conflicting state and federal laws and resulting in countless women being denied lifesaving care – despite an obligation by hospitals to provide necessary emergency abortion care under federal law, no matter which state they operate.

    “While EMTALA remains binding federal law, the rescission will create further confusion for hospitals and providers, especially in states with abortion bans, and will result in medically-necessary care being withheld from pregnant patients in crisis,” wrote the lawmakers in their letter to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. “When doctors are forced to navigate the complex legal interplay of state abortion bans and federal EMTALA protections, pregnant people experience care delays and may receive substandard care.”

    The senators asserted that by rescinding this guidance, HHS has further complicated how hospitals and doctors navigate existing health care law, needlessly putting pregnant women at severe risk of harm, medical complications, lasting health consequences, and even preventable death.  

    “This abrupt decision will further the chaos and confusion that hospitals, physicians, and patients have experienced since the Dobbs decision and will result in negative and deadly consequences for women and families across the United States,” the lawmakers concluded. 

    In addition to Wyden and Hirono, the letter was signed by Senators Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del., Tammy Duckworth,D-Ill., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md, Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Tina Smith, D-Minn., and Jacky Rosen, D-Nev.

    Wyden has been a longtime advocate in the Senate for upholding abortion access, including the federal protections granted under EMTALA.  In December 2024, Wyden released the results of an investigation into eight hospitals that delayed or denied reproductive care in violation of EMTALA. In March, he condemned Donald Trump’s Department of Justice for dropping a case brought by the Biden administration that challenged Idaho’s extreme abortion ban. 

    The full text of the letter is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: On Third Anniversary of Roe Being Overturned, Merkley and Wyden Join Bill to Restore Abortion Access Nationwide

    US Senate News:

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

    June 25, 2025

    Women’s Health Protection Act comes as Trump and Congressional Republicans move to restrict a woman’s right to choose and toward a national abortion ban

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – On the third anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined the entire Senate Democratic caucus in introducing the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025, legislation to guarantee access to abortion everywhere across the country and restore the right to comprehensive reproductive health care for millions of Americans. 

    The bill’s introduction comes as the Trump Administration further attacks reproductive freedom and Congressional Republicans barrel ahead with a bill that defunds Planned Parenthood. Put together, Trump and Congressional Republicans’ assault on Americans’ reproductive rights is ripping away millions of women’s access to abortion care and right to control their bodies.

    “Politicians have no place in the exam room,” said Merkley. “The freedom to be in control of your own body is an essential freedom. Here in America, everyone should have the same right to make medical decisions about their own body, and to access the care they need—including reproductive care—free from political interference. The Women’s Health Protection Act codifies Roe v. Wade into law and protects access to the full scope of reproductive health care.”

    “Three years after gutting Roe, Donald Trump and Republicans across the country aren’t slowing down on their efforts to strip women of the right to make their own health care decisions,” said Wyden. “This bill will take the much-needed step of codifying reproductive health care protections under Roe once and for all, and stop Republicans in their crusade to put a politician in every exam room and bedroom in America. I am proud to join my Democratic colleagues in making sure every woman in red and blue states alike once again has the right to choose their future.”

    President Trump appointed the Supreme Court Justices who ruled in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case to overturn Roe v. Wade and nearly 50 years of precedent. Since the Dobbs decision, 19 states have banned abortion or severely restricted women from being able to access the procedure, leaving one in three American women without access to safe, legal abortion care. Additionally, state legislatures across the country have introduced hundreds of bills to codify medically unnecessary restrictions that limit access to abortion care. 

    In his second term, President Trump has continued to relentlessly attack reproductive rights, including freezing Title X funding for clinics that offer reproductive care, cutting Biden-era emergency abortion protections, pardoning anti-abortion extremists, and fighting to defund Planned Parenthood. Additionally, the House-passed Republican budget bill kicks 16 million people off their health insurance and defunds Planned Parenthood—threatening the closure of 200 health centers across the country and putting access to vital reproductive care for millions of families at risk.

    The Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025 creates federal rights for patients and providers to protect abortion access. Specifically, the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025 would:

    • Prohibit states from imposing restrictions that jeopardize access to abortion earlier in pregnancy, including many of the state-level restrictions in place prior to?Dobbs, such as arbitrary waiting periods, medically unnecessary mandatory ultrasounds, or requirements to provide medically inaccurate information.
    • Ensure that later in pregnancy, states cannot limit access to abortion if it would jeopardize the life or health of the mother.
    • Protect the ability to travel out of state for an abortion, which has become increasingly common in recent years.

    Merkley and Wyden are cosponsors of the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025, which is led in the Senate by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Patty Murray (D-WA). The legislation is supported by the entire Democratic caucus, including Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D- DE) Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

    Full text of the bill is available by clicking here. A one-pager on the bill is available by clicking here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Passes Sen. Johnson’s Resolution Designating July as National Sarcoma Awareness Month

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson

    WASHINGTON – Yesterday, the Senate passed U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson’s (R-Wis.) resolution designating July as National Sarcoma Awareness Month. The resolution raises awareness of sarcoma, a form of cancer, and honors the life of Melissa Locke and the many other Americans that this disease affects.

    “I am pleased that my resolution passed the Senate in honor of Melissa Locke and the countless other Americans who have struggled with this life-threatening disease. I hope we can continue to increase awareness of this complex form of cancer that is diagnosed thousands of times each year,” said Sen. Johnson.

    Sen. Johnson with Melissa and Brendan Locke 

    The full text of the resolution can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Aftermath of Iran Strikes, Reed Urges Trump Admin. to Strengthen Cybersecurity

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. cyber officials and private experts are warning that Iran and Iran-linked groups may try to target the U.S. with a range of cyberattacks that could cause serious damage and disruption to private and public sector interests.  In the wake of U.S. airstrikes on Iran, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a bulletin through the National Terrorism Advisory System, which read: “Low-level cyber attacks against U.S. networks by pro-Iranian hacktivists are likely, and cyber actors affiliated with the Iranian government may conduct attacks against U.S. networks.”

    In addition to these warnings, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is urging the Trump Administration to take action to bolster the nation’s cyber defenses and assist American industries and municipalities that may be targeted for attacks. 

    “As sophisticated cyber threats mount, we should be surging resources and reinforcements to America’s cyber defenses.  We’ve got to secure our infrastructure and protect critical systems.  Unfortunately, the Trump Administration has undermined the capacity and capabilities of our country’s most critical cybersecurity agencies,” said Senator Reed.

    Reed warns that the Trump Administration’s partisan efforts to purge the federal workforce and slash the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) — America’s primary cyber agency — is putting U.S. national security at risk.  CISA is the frontline federal agency in charge of defending federal networks, state and local governments, and critical infrastructure against cyber threats.  CISA’s mission includes ransomware defense, supply chain resilience, and public-private coordination.

    The Trump Administration has targeted CISA for downsizing, already forcing out over 1,000 CISA employees – roughly one-third of CISA’s workforce.  The drastic staff reductions coupled with proposed future budget cuts jeopardize America’s ability to effectively repel, thwart, and deter cyberattacks; defend federal networks; and support critical infrastructure operators.

    Reed stated: “As the cyber threat level is rising from Iran, affiliated hacktivists, and other adversaries, the Trump Administration is gutting CISA and taking down our best defenses, leaving America dangerously exposed to cyberattacks.  The Trump Administration must stop undermining the capacity of America’s cyber defense agency.  I urge the Trump Administration to take immediate action to rehire technical cyber talent, restore CISA funding, and reinstate key cyber defense programs immediately.  We need to ramp up in the weeks and months ahead and be vigilant in defending against offensive cyber operations by Iran or their partners.”

    The Trump Administration is seeking to reduce CISA’s budget by over $490 million – reducing the agency’s operational funding obligations from $2.38 billion to $1.96 billion.  This includes dismantling and eliminating several key programs entirely, such as the agency’s Election Security Program and the innovative Cyber Safety Review Board.

    Meanwhile, the Trump Administration is targeting other key U.S. cyber defense assets for major budget cuts, including:

    • The FBI, which leads domestic cybercriminal investigations, would have its budget reduced $560 million, alongside a loss of nearly 1,900 staff.
    • The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) National Security Division, which handles foreign intelligence surveillance policy and various counterintelligence operations, would have its budget reduced by $14 million, accompanied by a reduction of full-time employees.
    • The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security and Emergency Response, which oversees cybersecurity for the nation’s electric grid, would see a sharp cut of $43 million and a staffing reduction of more than 30 percent.
    • The National Science Foundation’s computer science research activities would be cut by $606 million, or 64 percent of its budget, in FY26.

    Beyond CISA and domestic cyber defenses, President Trump abruptly fired the previous director of the National Security Agency (NSA) and head of U.S. Cyber Command, General Timothy Haugh, and his top deputy, without explanation this April, following a meeting with right-wing activist Laura Loomer at the White House.  With support from U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Army Lt. General Richard Angle was then announced as the nominee to be the successor for the job.  However, the White House then opted not to move forward with Lt. General Angle’s nomination, without public explanation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Colleagues Demand Trump Administration Explain Disturbing Secret VA Hospital Guideline Changes

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and 25 of her colleagues to demand the Trump Administration’s Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) explain why it changed certain VA Medical Center bylaws in a way that could invite discrimination against veteran patients and health care providers.

    The letter follows recent reporting detailing how the Trump Administration secretly changed guidelines in a way that could allow political affiliation or sexual orientation to serve as reasons for denial of health care for veterans or the hiring of medical professionals. Language that previously required VA providers to care for veterans regardless of politics, marital status, age, national origin, and disability has been removed from certain VA health care facilities’ medical bylaws. Language that also previously ensured decisions for who was able to be a part of VA’s medical staff were made without regard to political affiliation, marital status, age, national origin, disability, gender, sexual orientation, and union membership have been removed from certain VA facilities’ medical bylaws.

    “We write today to request information regarding recent changes to patient and staff policies governing medical facilities within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA),” wrote the Senators in a letter to VA Secretary Doug Collins. “Having reviewed past and current versions of bylaws for multiple medical facilities within the Department, we have confirmed the Department made changes, in secret and without notification to the veterans you serve or to Congress, that could allow for discrimination in treating patients and hiring medical professionals.”

    The senators continued highlighting the Administration’s unjustified changes: “While many of the previously specified traits that have been removed from VA facilities’ bylaws potentially remain protected under existing statutes, the message VA is sending by stripping explicit references to these criteria is still deeply disturbing. Allowing, let alone encouraging, this ambiguity opens the door for widespread discrimination. These changes invite uncertainty as to whether a patient can be denied access to their earned health care or whether a provider is considered unfit to serve veterans based on anything other than their expertise and credentials. Even the appearance of allowing discrimination directly violates VA’s own mission…”

    The senators concluded by declaring it Collins’ responsibility as Secretary to explain why this Administration would strip certain anti-discrimination provisions from VA’s bylaws and publish clear and immediate assurances that the Department will not discriminate against patients or employees: “It is your duty to answer to veterans, the public, and Congress as to why VA is sowing confusion and potentially putting veterans at risk and jeopardizing the Department’s medical workforce, clinicians’ licensure, and accreditation of its medical facilities nationwide. We insist you publish proper justification and clarification of these changes so as to leave no uncertainty as to the Department’s protections for patients and employees against unlawful and unethical discrimination.”

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

    Senator Cortez Masto is a champion for our service members and veterans. She helped pass the PACT Act to ensure veterans suffering from toxic exposure in the line of duty get the medical care they need, and she worked across the aisle to get legislation helping veterans exposed to Agent Orange and expanding benefits for women veterans signed into law. The senator sent a letter to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Collins demanding he provide answers on the mass terminations of personnel across the VA, specifically those in Nevada, and how those terminations would impact services to Nevada veterans.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murkowski Engages with VA Secretary Collins on Alaska Veterans’ Priorities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski

    06.24.25

    Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) welcomed the Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee to discuss the Department of Veteran Affairs’ Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) budget request. Senator Murkowski reinforced to the Secretary the unique needs of Alaska’s veterans, and sought confirmation that the VA Advisory Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs will continue to serve the needs of Alaska Native veterans.

    Watch the Senator’s full line of questioning here.

    The full transcript is below.

    TRANSCRIPT

    Murkowski: Welcome, thank you. To follow on Senator Collins’ comments about our rural veterans, you kind of pointed out that Alaska is in that same bucket. I’m just going to say, we’re bigger, we’re badder, we’re just more complicated as you know. We’re very proud to host more veterans per capita in Alaska than anywhere else out there. So, how we do outreach to our rural veterans has long been a challenge. You and I have had an opportunity to talk about that. But it’s everything from traveling the long distances, we’re not going to be able to put that veteran in a car. More likely than not, it’s going to be travel that requires flying. It may be trying to access them through telehealth but when you have limited broadband that’s a problem. Then we have shortages of local healthcare providers, it’s complicated in many ways. But all of our veterans deserve this care and I think we recognize that.

    So, know that I, along with Senator Collins, are very interested in any strategies that you are looking to advance to maintain and expand services in our rural communities. I have talked about establishing an outreach program that would send teams to rural areas that are off the road system to just kind of let them know about their benefits, about the services that are made available. We can’t necessarily do everything, but we can at least let you know this is what your VA can do for you. I would hope that you’d work with us to support that kind of an event.

    Collins: I definitely would and if you would allow me to expand just a minute on that: I think this is one of the issues that… I want us to break out of the model in many ways, and I say this in a very generic fashion. I want us to break out of the model that everything has to be the way we’ve always done it.

    Murkowski: Right.

    Collins: We have to go to a brick and mortar, we have to go to this as a clinic. We have one of the things, and it just highlighted recently: we had to close our ambulatory clinic. This is not a rural issue, but it’s sort of the class of the issue, we had to close our ambulatory clinic in L.A. because of the riots and other things going on in L.A. We had interrupted almost 1,800 appointments and some were telehealth, some we were able to move to others, but for the most part we had folks who weren’t getting care. Very familiar, if you were in the middle of a rural state or Alaska or anywhere else you’re not getting it.

    So, we were already beginning to see how could we bring in mobile clinics and others even in that area, in a safe area, where our appointments could be kept. So, for me, if we have those kind of resources, can we do those in states such as Alaska and others? Instead of always just defaulting to something as you said, like a telehealth model or a visiting doctor, maybe have regular roundabouts that have our health teams go out with these mobile vehicles that could actually do and provide primary care and others. Of course, they need to go elsewhere, and we could do that I think. I’m willing to think outside the box to do that. It would work in a very rural state, it could work in a state like you know New York, Georgia, anywhere else.

    Murkowski: You’ve kind of picked my brain. We provide or there are some non-profits and some for-profits that provide mobile mammography units, that go out to put them on a barge, you go up the river. It has provided access to women in rural parts of the state that would never be able to get this kind of screening. You can do that kind of teaming, but you do have to be willing to think outside the box a little bit, and I appreciate that you’re looking into that.

    Let me ask you here about the Tribal health side. I’m pleased that IHS and VA have entered into a reimbursement agreement as we’re trying to figure out how we access some of the unique challenges in VA services. Office of Tribal Government Relations, this is an office that has proven to be important. I would like to know if you think that that government relations office will continue. And then, the VA Advisory Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs, this is another VA advisory body, this is under review. Know that the committee really does play a vital role in ensuring that Native voices are represented when VA policies are developed. We think that it’s good, it helps to advance culturally competent care, strengthens Tribal consultation, and helps the VA fulfill its commitment.

    So, I don’t know if you can give me an update on the current status of this committee and whether its work will continue uninterrupted. And then, if you can share with me whether or not you think the Office of Tribal Government Relations will continue.

    Collins: Yes, to both, they’re both going to be continuing and also, we’re continuing to outreach as well through, and as I said earlier, we’re making sure our intergovernmental offices and working with different organizations is strengthening. We brought in our caseload to make sure that we’re reaching out to States, Tribes, and others, that is being a part of what we do, so, they’re both increasing. Also, I’m looking forward to being there I think, if my schedule told me correctly, I’ll be up there in October. I think around some of these issues that will be going on with the Tribes.

    Murkowski: Great, hopefully you’re scheduling that trip to coincide with the Alaska Federation of Natives Conference in October.

    Collins: I believe it is, yes.

    Murkowski: That’s great. Mr. Chairman, I’ve got a couple questions that I’m going to submit for the record, one is on the roof of the Palmer Pioneer Home. I can’t let a hearing go by without mentioning that. As well as the electronic health record roll out,  as you know the Alaska VA system is going to get the roll out of this technology in 2026. There’s a lot of people anxious about that because previous rollouts have not exactly been fun. So, you will see those questions submitted for the record.

    Collins: I look forward to that and maybe later on you know, we’ll discuss it. Electronic health record is very important.

    Murkowski: Yes, it sure is, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Murkowski, Shaheen Lead Bipartisan Legislation to Impose Sanctions on Perpetrators of Global Violence against LGBTQ+ Communities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski

    06.25.25

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) led a bipartisan group of lawmakers in reintroducing the Global Respect Act. The legislation would impose sanctions on foreign actors responsible for human rights violations against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQ+) individuals abroad. Additional cosponsors of the bill include Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Peter Welch (D-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Edward Markey (D-MA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). 

     “Around the world, individuals who are part of the LGBTQ+ community are in danger for simply existing,” said Senator Murkowski. “Hate and violence cannot and should not be tolerated. I’m hopeful that this legislation will establish actionable consequences for these inexcusable human rights violations, and create a safer world for all people— regardless of who they are or who they love.” 

    “I am re-introducing this legislation because the risk of personal harm for LGBTQI individuals for publicly identifying who they are or expressing who they love has tragically increased in recent years,” said Senator Shaheen. “Human rights, as defined by the Universal Declaration of Human rights, recognizes that global freedom, justice and peace depend on ‘the inherent dignity’ and ‘the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family.’  LBGTQI human rights are universal human rights. We must ensure that we hold all violators of those rights accountable.” 

    Specifically, the Global Respect Act would: 

    • Require the Executive Branch to biannually send Congress a list of foreign persons responsible for, or complicit in, cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment of an individual; prolonged detention of an individual without charges or trials; causing the disappearance of an individual by abduction and clandestine detention of an individual; other flagrant denials of the right to life, liberty or the security of an individual; 
    • Authorize the Administration to deny or revoke visas to individuals placed on the list; 
    • Require the annual State Department Report on Human Rights to include a section on LGBTI international human rights, as well as an annual report to Congress on the status of the law’s effectiveness; and  
    • Require the Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor to designate a senior officer responsible for tracking violence, criminalization and restrictions on the enjoyment of fundamental freedoms in foreign countries based on sexual orientation or gender identity.   

    Ranking Member Shaheen first introduced the Global Respect Act in the 114th Congress. The legislation has been endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign, the Council for Global Equality, American Jewish World Service and Human Rights First.  

    Full text of the bill is available HERE. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sens. Warner & Kaine Introduce Bill to Protect Access to Reproductive Health Care

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON—Yesterday, on the third anniversary of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner and Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate, Health, Education and Labor (HELP) Committee, joined Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Patty Murray (D-WA) in introducing the Women’s Health Protection Act, legislation to guarantee access to abortion care across the country. The bill’s introduction comes as the Trump Administration and Republicans continue to attack reproductive freedom. Virginia is the last southern state where abortion is still legal, and Virginia has seen an increase in demand for abortions after other states have passed laws restricting access.

    “In the three years since Roe v. Wade was overturned, we’ve seen the consequences unfold in real time: women denied lifesaving care, doctors forced to navigate confusing and dangerous legal gray areas, and families left to deal with the fallout. Decisions about pregnancy should be made between a woman and her doctor, not by politicians,” said Sen. Warner. “This bill would once and for all restore the constitutional right to abortion, permanently making it safe and legal nationwide.”

    “Three years ago, the Supreme Court took away Americans’ ability to access reproductive health care, and since then, we’ve seen the tragic impacts of this decision for women across the country,” said Sen. Kaine. “I’m proud to be joining my colleagues in introducing this legislation to protect access to abortion nationwide and restore Americans’ freedom to make their own health care decisions.”

    Since the Dobbs decision, 19 states have banned abortion or severely restricted women from being able to access the procedure, leaving one in three American women without access to safe, legal abortion care. Additionally, state legislatures across the country have introduced hundreds of bills to include medically unnecessary restrictions that limit access to abortion care. In his second term, President Trump has continued to attack reproductive rights, including freezing Title X funding for clinics that offer reproductive care, cutting Biden-era emergency abortion protections, and fighting to defund Planned Parenthood. Additionally, the House-passed Republican budget bill kicks 16 million people off their health insurance and defunds Planned Parenthood, threatening the closure of 200 health centers across the country and putting access to vital reproductive care for millions of families at risk.

    The Women’s Health Protection Act guarantees the right to access an abortion—and the right of an abortion provider to deliver these services—free from medically unnecessary restrictions that interfere with a patient’s individual choice or the provider-patient relationship. The bill also protects the ability to travel out of state for an abortion, which has become increasingly common in recent years.

    Following the Dobbs decision, Sens. Warner and Kaine have strongly advocated for legislation to protect Americans’ access to reproductive health care. The senators cosponsored legislation to protect the right of women to travel across state lines for abortion services and help protect medical providers from being punished for providing patients with this care.

    In addition to Sens. Warner, Kaine, Baldwin, Blumenthal, and Murray, the Women’s Health Protection Act is cosponsored by Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    Full text of the legislation is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Mark Pocan Opens Military Service Academy Applications for 2025

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mark Pocan (2nd District of Wisconsin)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Mark Pocan (WI-02) announced that his office is now accepting applications for nominations to the U.S. Military Service Academies. The U.S. Service Academies are among the most highly respected educational programs in the nation. Admission requires a Congressional nomination and meeting rigorous academic, physical, and medical standards. Accepted students receive a fully funded four-year college education and, upon graduation, are commissioned as officers in their respective branches of the military. Applications close October 17, 2025.

    For more information, click here or email Diego Benitez at diego.benitez@mail.house.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Press Release: Agencies Release List of Distressed or Underserved Nonmetropolitan Middle-Income Geographies

    Source: US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation FDIC

    WASHINGTON – Federal bank regulatory agencies today released the 2025 list of distressed or underserved nonmetropolitan middle-income geographies where certain bank activities are eligible for Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) credit.

    Under the CRA, the agencies assess a bank’s record of meeting the credit needs of its entire community, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, consistent with safe and sound operations. The list released by the agencies includes distressed or underserved nonmetropolitan middle-income geographies where revitalization or stabilization activities are eligible to receive CRA consideration. The designations reflect local economic conditions, including unemployment, poverty, and population changes. Previous years’ lists and criteria for designating these areas are available here.

    Revitalization or stabilization activities in these geographies are eligible to receive CRA consideration under the community development definition for 12 months after publication of the current list. As with past lists, the agencies apply a one-year lag period for geographies that were included in 2024 but are no longer designated as distressed or underserved in the current list.

    The agencies leveraged an updated methodology to designate underserved middle-income census tracts for this list, based upon revised source information from various agencies. As a result, the amended urban influence codes use similar criteria and methods as previous delineations but have been consolidated from 12 to 9 categories. Additional information is available in the Source Information and Methodology.

    # # #

    Attachments:

    MEDIA CONTACT: 

    Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation                        
    LaJuan Williams-Young        
    (202) 898-3876

    Federal Reserve Board                          
    Chelsea Grate                       
    (202) 452-2955

    Office of the Comptroller of the Currency                        
    Anne Edgecomb                   
    (202) 649-6870

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: National Defense Area established in South Texas

    Source: United States Air Force

    The U.S. Air Force will manage a new NDA covering approximately 250 miles of the Rio Grande River in Cameron and Hidalgo Counties, Texas, on land transferred from the International Boundary and Water Commission through the General Services Administration.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: From HAL 9000 to ME3AN: what film’s evil robots tell us about contemporary tech fears

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Daniel, Associate Lecturer in Communication, Western Sydney University

    © 2025 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Filmgoers have long been captivated by stories about robots. We are fascinated by their utopian promise, their superhuman intelligence and, in the case of the cyborg, their often uncanny resemblance to humans.

    But it is the evil robot – the machine that malfunctions, rebels or was built to harm – that has most powerfully gripped the collective imagination of audiences.

    From the silent menace of Maschinenmensch in 1927’s Metropolis, to the relentless pursuit of the Terminator, to the campy violence of M3GAN, evil robots continue to resonate.

    These films not only thrill, scare and entertain audiences. They also reflect deep-seated cultural anxieties about the unpredictable consequences of the current and future human-robot relationship.

    The killer robot is far from a simple villain. It is a mirror held up to some of the most pressing cultural questions we have about human autonomy and responsibility in the digital age.

    The precarity of human control

    The enduring appeal of the evil robot narrative lies in the way horror often channels our deepest cultural anxieties about the speed of technological advancement and the precarity of human control in an increasingly digital (and robotic) world.

    In The Spark of Fear, scholar Brian Duchaney posits that improvements in technology necessitate new types of horror stories, and that horror as a genre acts out our distrust of the social advances that new technology brings.

    In the late 1960s, there was unease about the growing sophistication of computers and the impacts of the Space Race. HAL 9000 of 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) represented this threat through a disembodied AI that icily turned against its human creators.

    The android Ash in Alien (1979) added another layer of menace, disguised as a human embedded in the spacecraft crew and programmed to prioritise corporate interests over human life. In this case, Ash became a proxy for concerns over corporate adoption of automation, and the increasing role of technology in military and industrial contexts.

    During the Cold War era, fears of nuclear annihilation and concerns over reaching a point where we could no longer switch off the machines led to the unforgettable T-800 and shape-shifting T-1000 in the first two Terminator films (1984 and 1991).

    In the 21st century, as artificial intelligence and robotics became more prevalent in everyday life, the cinematic robot has entered our homes, culminating in M3GAN’s companion-gone-rogue.

    In M3GAN (2022), Gemma (Allison Williams) is a robotics designer who creates an AI-powered companion doll to help her orphaned niece Cady (Violet McGraw) cope with her grief. But the doll becomes dangerously overprotective.

    In M3GAN 2.0 (2025), the consciousness of the titular robot appears to have survived the 2022 film and, in a move that borrows from The Terminator 2, M3GAN shifts from villain to protector.

    The new film explores the consequences of the underlying tech for M3GAN being stolen and misused by a powerful defence contractor to create a military-grade robot, known as Amelia. The only option to counteract Amelia is for Gemma to resurrect M3GAN – complete with upgrades to make her faster, stronger and more deadly.

    Our technological anxieties

    Why is M3GAN such an effective avatar for our contemporary anxieties?

    Horror theorist Noël Carroll argues that monsters are often frightening because they don’t fit neatly into normal categories. They may be “in-between” things (such as part human, part machine) or contradictory (for example a zombie: both alive and dead at the same time).

    M3GAN is a great example of both. She looks and acts like a young girl, with expressive facial features and a snarky sense of humour. But she’s really just artificial intelligence inside a robot body.

    She’s also contradictory: she is designed to care for and protect her owner, yet she does so in exceedingly violent and deadly ways. These paradoxes make her both frightening and fascinating for audiences.

    M3GAN and M3GAN 2.0 bring to the surface our technological anxieties, and defuse them through their camp qualities.

    One sequence in the earlier film sees M3GAN break into a fluid yet unsettling dance, mimicking the performance of many a TikTok teen, only for the dance to end abruptly when she snatches a paper cutter blade and returns to stalking her victim.

    This meme-ified moment – combined with some deadpan one-liners and often comically ironic facial expressions – have led to M3GAN becoming a gay icon in the wake of the original film.

    M3GAN’s campiness doesn’t completely neutralise the horror. It reformulates it, offering a cathartic release that makes the subject matter more digestible. While we feel fear, we do so without real-world consequences. The fear is disarmed through humour.

    This multifaceted horror experience more fully reflects the complexities of our evolving relationship with new technology. These relationships often move through a spectrum of concern, anxiety and fear before we find ways to manage and normalise those feelings.

    Humour and catharsis are two of these coping mechanisms. Movies provide us with a way of neatly and temporarily resolving what often remain unresolved questions.

    Films like M3GAN 2.0 illustrate how horror narratives can also transform alongside the technologies they critique, offering not only tension and jump scares, but also philosophical consideration, comedy and cathartic release.

    Adam Daniel 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. From HAL 9000 to ME3AN: what film’s evil robots tell us about contemporary tech fears – https://theconversation.com/from-hal-9000-to-me3an-what-films-evil-robots-tell-us-about-contemporary-tech-fears-258397

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –