NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Passes the SAVE Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Allen (R-GA-12)

    House Passes the SAVE Act

    Requires Proof of Citizenship to Register to Vote

    Washington, April 10, 2025

    Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 22, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. The SAVE Act is commonsense legislation to uphold and strengthen current law to ensure only American citizens can vote in American elections.

    As an original cosponsor of the SAVE Act, Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12) issued the following statement after voting in support of the bill on the House floor:

    “During the Biden-Harris Administration, millions of illegal immigrants entered our country and many states continue to find non-citizens on their voter rolls. This is unacceptable to the highest degree. The SAVE Act ensures only American citizens decide American elections by requiring in-person proof of U.S. citizenship when individuals register to vote in federal elections. It is beyond disappointing to see 208 House Democrats oppose legislation to secure our elections and protect Americans’ constitutional right to vote. House Republicans will continue to work with President Trump to deliver the America First agenda.”

    BACKGROUND:

    • The SAVE Act requires states to obtain proof of citizenship – in person – before registering an individual to vote in an election.
    • Requires states to remove non-citizens from existing voter rolls, while giving them necessary tools to do so.
    • States are also directed to provide reasonable accommodations for disabled Americans and applicants that have discrepancies on their documentation due to a name change.
    • This legislation passed the House in a bipartisan vote (221 – 198) during the 118th Congress before being blocked by Senate Democrats.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Passes Revised Republican Budget Framework

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Allen (R-GA-12)

    House Passes Revised Republican Budget Framework

    Washington, April 10, 2025

    Today, the House of Representatives passed the Senate Amendment to H. Con. Res. 14, which establishes the congressional budget for the United States Government for Fiscal Year 2025 and sets forth the appropriate budgetary levels for Fiscal Years 2026 through 2034. Upon passage, Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12) issued the following statement:

    “My commitment remains the same: fulfill our promise to the American people and deliver President Trump’s America First agenda. This revised Republican budget framework is an appropriate step in achieving that goal. Passage of today’s resolution unlocks the process for House committees to begin crafting reconciliation legislation that will secure our border, reclaim energy dominance, lower costs, prevent tax hikes, and root out wasteful spending. I was proud to vote in support and move us one step closer.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Torres Condemns Republican Rejection of Key Amendments to SAVE Act to Protect Americans’ Right to Vote

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Norma Torres (35th District of California)

    April 10, 2025

    Ensuring Americans Continue to Have Access to Voting

    Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Norma Torres, a member of the House Administration Committee that oversees federal elections, condemned House Republicans’ refusal to consider series of important amendments to the SAVE Act aimed at ensuring all eligible Americans, regardless of zip code, financial situation, or choosing to change your name after marriage, can participate in our democracy and vote.

    The House Republican-led SAVE Act would disenfranchise countless American citizens and cause massive logistical roadblocks for the 69 million women who have changed their name and do not have a matching birth certificate. The SAVE Act would require every American citizen registering to vote – whether a new registration or an updated one based on a move, a party change, or a name change – to provide an election official with, for the most part, (1) a passport, or (2) a birth certificate paired with a current photo identification. 

    Alongside a few other uncommon documents, providing this documentary proof of citizenship, in person at an election office would be the only way for American citizens to register to vote under the SAVE Act.

    In response, Congresswoman Torres’ amendments reflect her commitment to making certain that every eligible voter, regardless of their circumstances, can fully participate in the democratic process.

    This amendment provides an exemption to states where residents lack access to voter registration sites or the financial means to acquire proof of citizenship, ensuring that States will not be burdened by the Act’s requirements. Regardless of zip code or financial means, all Americans deserve the equal right to vote and be heard in our democracy.

    This amendment affirms the longstanding authority of state and tribal governments to determine acceptable forms of identification for voting. It also makes voter list purges voluntary rather than mandatory, protecting eligible voters from being wrongfully removed from voter rolls. Additionally, the amendment requires states to notify individuals who are removed from the voter rolls and create an accessible online platform where citizens can verify their registration status.

    This amendment expands accommodations under the SAVE Act to not only include individuals with disabilities, but also accommodate family members who assist individuals with disabilities, individuals who lack access to transportation to registration sites, and individuals facing financial or other difficulties in acquiring proof of citizenship. These expanded provisions will help ensure that all voters, regardless of their personal challenges, continue to have access to the voting process.

    “Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy, and we must ensure that every eligible American has the ability to participate in elections without facing unnecessary barriers,” said Congresswoman Torres. “While I oppose this bill as it would suppress voters, especially women, these amendments are designed to protect those who might otherwise be excluded and to make sure that voter registration is accessible, especially those from marginalized and underserved communities. I’m disappointed, but not surprised, that Republicans refused to allow for their consideration, but I will continue to fight to protect the integrity of our elections while ensuring everyone has a voice.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Norma Torres Slams Republican Budget Resolution

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Norma Torres (35th District of California)

    April 10, 2025

    A Betrayal to the Working and Middle Class

    Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Norma Torres (CA-35) today issued a strong condemnation of the latest Republican Budget resolution.  The resolution will endanger the health and well-being of thousands of hardworking families in California’s 35th District and beyond, particularly those who use vital public programs such as Medicaid (Medi-Cal), SNAP, and affordable healthcare.

    “As a member of Congress, my job is to help our community thrive, so everyone in the Inland Empire has the opportunity for a better future– but the Republican budget plan does the exact opposite. It is an outright betrayal of working families, the middle class, and it will hurt the most vulnerable among us,” said Congresswoman Torres. “This budget is nothing more than a massive wealth transfer from working families to billionaires and corporations, and we cannot let this happen.”

    The Republican budget would put 339,369 people in CA-35 at risk of losing their healthcare under Medicaid, which includes 119,966 children under 19 and 28,000 seniors over the age of 65. In addition, it threatens the 60,000 constituents in the district who rely on SNAP benefits to feed their families.

    “Let’s be clear, this isn’t just about numbers on a page. This is about real people. Real children who go to bed hungry, real seniors who depend on life-saving care, and real working families who simply want a fair shot,” Torres continued.

    The impact of the Republican budget would extend to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), with 34,000 people in CA-35 losing affordable healthcare coverage. For these families, average premiums could skyrocket by $2,280 per year—a 114% increase. For a 60-year-old couple in CA-35 earning $85,000 a year, their premiums would soar by $13,600 annually—an alarming 188% increase.

    “This plan is a disaster. It takes affordable healthcare away from working people, hikes their premiums, and forces them to choose between paying for medical care or putting food on the table. It will take us backward, not forward,” said Torres.

    The proposed budget would also jeopardize the well-being of 2,452,931 California children who depend on free school meals under the Community Eligibility Provision, a vital program that helps ensure every child gets a nutritious meal during the school day.

    “Year after year, Republicans have proven that their priorities lie with tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and corporations. This budget is no different. It proposes $5.5 trillion in tax cuts for billionaires, blowing up our deficit, increasing inflation, and leaving everyday Americans to pay the price. I cannot stand by while this reckless agenda puts the most vulnerable in our district at risk. We must protect our children, our seniors, and our working families.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Simpson Votes to Restrict Non-Citizens from Voting in U.S. Elections

    Source: US State of Idaho

    Rep. Simpson Votes to Restrict Non-Citizens from Voting in U.S. Elections

    Washington, April 10, 2025

    WASHINGTON—Today, Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson voted in favor of H.R. 22, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, a bill that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections.
    “Only American citizens should decide American elections,” said Rep. Simpson. “Over the last four years, the American people watched President Biden and Vice President Harris welcome millions of illegal immigrants into our country. Due to these failed open border policies, Congress must take decisive action to safeguard the integrity of our elections by verifying United States citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections. Strengthening current election laws by requiring proof of citizenship is a common-sense solution. I look forward to getting this important bill across the finish line and sending it to President Trump’s desk.”
    The measure was approved with a vote of 220-208.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Leads Eight Lawyers on Judiciary Committee in Commending Law Firms that have Resisted Trump’s Unconstitutional Executive Orders

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, this week led eight lawyers on the Senate Judiciary Committee in sending a letter to the American Bar Association (ABA), commending lawyers and law firms that are resisting President Trump’s illegal and unconstitutional attacks on the legal profession.  
    “As fellow members of the legal community, we applaud lawyers who are resisting President Trump’s illegal and unconstitutional attacks on the legal profession,” wrote the Democratic lawyers on the Senate Judiciary Committee. “These orders are unlawful—a tool of intimidation, and a weaponization of the federal government. The President’s actions existentially threaten essential rights guaranteed by our Constitution.  
    “The Sixth Amendment right to counsel is undermined when a President signals that choosing to represent his political opponents carries the risk of retribution. The First Amendment protection against viewpoint discrimination is imperiled when a president seeks to punish lawyers who advocate against his policies. By levying punishments outside the ordinary legal process, these orders violate Constitutional due process.” 
    The Senators concluded: “The American Bar Association has stalwartly supported lawyers that have resisted President Trump’s bullying. We join the ABA in commending these lawyers, who have taken financial and professional risks to fight for the rule of law and our constitutional rights. We urge others to join you.” 
    Between March 6th and March 27th, President Trump issued Executive Orders targeting four law firms against whom he has personal grievances—including representing his political opponents and associating with lawyers who have been critical of the President. The Executive Orders limit the targeted law firms’ access to federal buildings, suspend security clearances, and prevent federal agencies from engaging with firm lawyers. 
    Three law firms—Jenner & Block, WilmerHale, and Perkins Coie—have rightfully challenged the President’s Executive Orders in court, asserting that the orders are in violation of the Constitution and the principles that underlie it. In each of these cases, judges appointed by Presidents from both political parties have properly issued temporary restraining orders against the orders. 
    The letter was signed by nine lawyers on the Senate Judiciary Committee, including Senator Welch, Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.). 
    Read the full text of the letter. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Calls Out Trump Administration for Abandoning Afghan Refugees Facing Persecution

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) yesterday spoke on the Senate Floor on how President Trump’s January 20th Executive Order suspending admission to the United States for Afghan refugees has left vulnerable families stranded and abandoned thousands who face persecution.
    In his remarks, Senator Welch urged Congress to expedite the resettlement of Afghan refugees, many of whom worked with, and for, the U.S. government, our diplomats, and our intelligence officers. Senator Welch praised the Vermont Afghan Alliance and other resettlement organizations which have connected Afghans to state and local services. He also urged Congress and the Trump Administration to streamline and overhaul the resettlement process.  
    “I so appreciate the work of the Vermont Afghan Alliance, and the many other refugee assistance organizations around the country. They have been indispensable in helping us meet our obligation to support the Afghans who helped our soldiers—that’s our obligation. But ultimately, resettlement is the responsibility of the federal government…This population of refugees exists, I state again, because of their work with and for our government, for our soldiers, for our diplomats, and our intelligence officers. We have abandoned our partners in their time of need,” said Senator Welch. 
    “We have to meet our commitments to people who helped us…So, this must be an opportunity to expedite, expedite the resettlement to the United States of these Afghan refugees who trusted in us and whose lives are very much at risk.” 
    Watch Senator Welch’s speech below: 
    Read a key excerpt from Senator Welch’s remarks: 
    “The Trump Administration’s termination of USAID’s assistance programs in more than a hundred countries—including Afghanistan—without any meaningful review, has caused people everywhere to doubt that they can rely on the United States. We’re putting our reputation in jeopardy. And President Trump and Secretary Rubio provided literally no credible explanation or justification, in clear violation of Congress’ intent with the destruction of these USAID programs.  
    “But by abandoning thousands of Afghans, who do face persecution if forced to return, we reinforce those doubts. And by doing so, we encourage those who have long seen the United States as a world leader and as a partner to look for more reliable partners elsewhere—bad for our national security… 
    “There’s no justification for us to abandon them. You know, I’m really concerned about the Administration’s—what I see as an increasingly brazen flaunting of court orders. And I think all of us in Congress should condemn any deviation from abiding by court orders by the Administration. And I hope the Administration’s review of the refugee admissions is not another pretext review like we had—supposedly—of the USAID programs. It cannot, it cannot be an excuse to manufacture a false justification for abandoning the victims of our nation- building’s debacle. We have to take ownership of what it is we did.” 
    Senator Welch’s Committee and Subcommittee Assignments for the 119th Congress include:   
    Senate Committee on Finance   
    Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry
    Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit   
    Senate Committee on the Judiciary
    Ranking Member, Subcommittee on the Constitution   
    Senate Committee on Rules & Administration  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Pierre Poilievre’s proposals on intimate partner violence will do little to stop it

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Walter S. DeKeseredy, Anna Deane Carlson Endowed Chair of Social Sciences, Director of the Research Center on Violence, and Professor of Sociology, West Virginia University

    Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre recently announced that if elected in Canada’s upcoming federal election, his party would enact tougher sentences for anyone accused of intimate partner violence.

    He has also vowed to institute a three-strikes policy for anyone who commits three serious offences, with a minimum 10-year prison sentence with no eligibility for parole.

    The proposed actions include creating a new offence of “assault of an intimate partner,” requiring stricter bail conditions for anyone accused of intimate partner violence and ensuring first-degree murder convictions for anyone who kills their partner.

    There are many steps policymakers who are concerned about victims could take. For example, they could fund a variety of effective prevention programs. However, the approach articulated by Poilievre does not appear to centre the victim, but rather the offender.

    Punishment is often ineffective

    Although government policies in Canada and other countries have emphasized punitive actions towards men who abuse their partners, relatively few of these men are arrested, incarcerated or treated.

    This is due in large part to the fact that most perpetrators are not reported to the police. In fact, one important factor hindering women from reporting their abuse to law enforcement is that officers often express distrust of victims.

    Starting with this survey in 1992, studies repeatedly show that at least one out of every four Canadian female undergraduate students will experience at least one type of sexual assault during their time at university.

    Furthermore, at least 11 per cent of Canadian women in marital or cohabiting relationships are physically abused by their male partners in a year, and in the mid-1990s, there was evidence showing that Canadian men appeared to have higher rates of physical violence towards female intimates than their U.S. counterparts.

    The prevalence of such violence is unlikely to decrease much if all the men who have beaten, raped or killed their partners are arrested and locked up. Decades of research shows that punishment is ineffective in reducing crimes like violence against women.

    Prison and other harsh legal sanctions do not deter abusive men from injuring their female partners any more than they deter the myriad of violent crimes that occur outside domestic or intimate contexts. This has been the conclusion of the majority of deterrence studies conducted in the past 50 years.

    Legal scholar Michelle Alexander and sociologists like Loic Wacquant and Bruce Western have outlined how incarceration can actually increase crime and exacerbate other social problems like unemployment and poverty.

    This information has been available to virtually every Canadian politician for many years, yet they have lacked the political will to act on this information. However, calls to institute more severe sentences often play into public desires to see those accused of crimes punished.

    Improve lives, not punish more

    Violence against women is often a key symptom of structured social inequality. Those who want to reduce it must find ways of reducing social inequality. Governments often compartmentalize social problems like violence against women along bureaucratic lines.

    In other words, some government departments are expected to handle economic issues and find ways to cut spending. However, those working for these departments rarely consider how reductions in unemployment or cuts to social programs and so on affect rates of abuse.

    Rather, the police and courts are often left to respond to male-to-female violence after it has happened. Yet, in real life, jobs, welfare, housing, employment equity, child care, gender inequality and a host of other factors affect the ways men treat women.

    It is time that we move beyond the well-worn path of using after-the-fact approaches to dealing with violence against women.
    (Shutterstock)

    It should be noted that police, courts, prisons and treatment programs play an important role in responding to violence against women. Nevertheless, neither the criminal justice system nor battered women’s shelters should be solely, or even primarily, responsible for dealing with violence against women. Relying only on them to make women’s lives safer is tantamount to “closing the barn doors after the horses have left.”

    Calling the police after a beating, rape or femicide does not prevent the crime from taking place. And although shelters are undoubtedly necessary in our society, shelter workers cannot be expected to solve the problem of woman abuse single-handedly.

    Therefore, it is time that we move beyond the well-worn path of using after-the-fact approaches. Hopefully, if implemented sensitively, what legal professor Leigh Goodmark refers to as a balanced policy approach will result in major reductions in violence against women.

    This approach entails using initiatives such as: putting cash resources directly in the hands of abused women, providing affordable housing and childcare, creating an anti-poverty movement, increased funding for the development and evaluation of community-based prevention programs and encouraging progressive men to be part of the solution.

    Will these strategies make a difference? As criminologist Elliott Currie puts it:

    “We have tried moral exhortation. We have tried neglect. We have tried punishment. We have even grudgingly, tried treatment. We have tried everything but improving lives.”

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Pierre Poilievre’s proposals on intimate partner violence will do little to stop it – https://theconversation.com/pierre-poilievres-proposals-on-intimate-partner-violence-will-do-little-to-stop-it-254014

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McClellan Statement on Passage of the SAVE Act, Ushering in a New Era of Voter Suppression

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (Virginia 4th District)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) issued the following statement on House passage of H.R. 22, the SAVE Act, which threatens millions of Americans’ fundamental right to vote:

    “The SAVE Act is the latest chapter in this country’s dark history of suppressing the sacred right to vote through a modern-day poll tax.

    “House Republicans just imposed a modern day poll tax on millions of American citizens and erected barriers to registration for active duty service members stationed away from home, women who no longer use their maiden name, homebound seniors and disabled individuals, and rural communities.

    “Masquerading as ‘election security’ — a solution in search of a problem — the SAVE Act forces millions of Americans to pay for documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote. It also forces citizens to register to vote in person by eliminating mail-in and online options.

    “Whether it’s the $2.12 poll tax my father paid in 1947, a $130 passport, or a $1,385 certificate of citizenship, no American should have to pay to cast their vote.

    “My great-grandfather had to take a literacy test and find three white men to vouch for his character just to register to vote. My father and grandfather had to pay poll taxes to be able to register to vote. I stand firm against efforts to return to these Jim Crow tactics. I voted No on the SAVE Act today.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kamlager-Dove Statement on Passage of the Republican Budget Proposal

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager California (37th District)

    WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) released the following statement following her “no” vote on the Republican budget proposal:  

    “The American people are demanding relief from skyrocketing costs. Instead, Donald Trump and Republicans are launching a full-scale assault on the financial security of hard-working families. As if tanking the economy with temper tariffs and inflating costs wasn’t enough, Congressional Republicans just closed their eyes and handed Trump the power to rob everyday people to fund tax breaks for billionaires.

    “In my district, which ranks fourth highest in the nation for Medicaid enrollment, over 409,000 people are on the verge of losing their health care; 225,000 individuals stand to lose the nutrition assistance that puts food on their tables; and the futures of 13,411 students who rely on Pell Grants are now in jeopardy.

    “While my Republican colleagues abandon their constituents and submit to the grifter-in-chief, I will stand firm–eyes wide open–and fight to protect the programs that keep Angelenos alive.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Mrvan Announces Community Conversations Schedule

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank J. Mrvan (IN)

    Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Frank J. Mrvan announced his Community Conversations to be held throughout Indiana’s First Congressional District on Thursday, April 24, 2025. 

    Congressman Mrvan stated, “I invite residents to attend one of my Community Conversations that I will be holding on April 24, 2025.  I believe these opportunities allow me to hear directly from constituents and better represent our collective interests in our nation’s capital.  Additionally, I will provide a brief update on the 119th Session of Congress and my work on the House Appropriations Committee.”

    Thursday – April 24, 2025

    • 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. – Michigan City – City Hall Council Chambers, 100 East Michigan Boulevard, Michigan City, IN 46360
    • 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. – Memorial Opera House, 104 Indiana Avenue, Valparaiso, IN 46383
    • 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. – Indiana University Northwest, Bergland Auditorium in the Savannah Center, 65 West 33rd Avenue, Gary, IN 46408

    Please note that all times listed are Central Standard Time.  

    Additional Community Conversations are planned to be held in other locations in Indiana’s First Congressional District in the coming months.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hinson: The No Rogue Rulings Act will End Judicial Weaponization

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (IA-01)

    Washington, DC – Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (IA-02) released the following statement after voting for the No Rogue Rulings Act, legislation that would prohibit district judges from legislating from the bench and single handedly overturning the president’s agenda.

    “The courts are an important check and balance in our democracy. However, activist lower court judges have repeatedly issued politically motivated nationwide injunctions to obstruct President Trump’s agenda. For example, U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg ordered planes carrying dangerous illegal immigrants to turn around midair back to the United States, even after President Trump and President Bukele of El Salvador negotiated an agreement to deport these illegals. The No Rogue Rulings Act will ensure district court judges cannot issue nationwide injunctions and end this latest judicial weaponization tactic.” – Congresswoman Ashley Hinson 

    Background:

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Fitzgerald Statement on House Passage of FY25 Senate Budget Resolution

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05) issued the following statement in response to the House passage of the FY25 Senate Budget Resolution.

    “House Republicans are keeping our word to the American people. By passing the Senate Budget Resolution, we’re moving forward on our commitment to extend the Trump Tax Cuts, secure the border, and rein in inflation through responsible spending cuts,” said Congressman Fitzgerald. “With ‘one big, beautiful bill,’ we’re advancing President Trump’s America First agenda and putting our country back on a path to prosperity.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Garbarino Hosts Thousands of Constituents During Telephone Town Hall

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Andrew Garbarino (R-NY)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Monday, Congressman Andrew R. Garbarino (R-NY-02) held a telephone town hall where he took live questions from constituents, provided updates on his work in Congress, addressed concerns related to federal agencies, and shared helpful resources. 10,281 residents of New York’s Second District joined the call. 

    “I always value hearing directly from my constituents about the issues that matter most to them. The strong participation in this town hall shows how effective these events are in reaching a broad audience across my district,” said Rep. Garbarino. “I’m grateful to everyone who took the time to join and provided me the opportunity to answer your questions directly.”

    Rep. Garbarino took questions and provided updates on a range of topics—from SALT and tariffs to proposed cuts to federal agencies. Check out some highlights below:

    On Securing SALT Relief 

    “The fight right now is front and center…Now we have the numbers, and any extension of the $10,000 cap will not fly…We’re going to have [SALT relief] in the [reconciliation] bill, and it’s gonna be something that I think you all can be very proud of, because if it’s not something I can be proud of, I’m not going to vote for it.”

    On Medicaid

    “You may have seen commercials or social media posts claiming that I voted to cut Medicaid. That accusation is categorically false. There’s been a lot of misinformation flying around, so let me be clear — there was no legislation voted on that would cut Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security.”

    On Protecting Veterans’ Benefits

    “The legislators here in D.C., both in the House and Senate, have no interest in harming veterans or stopping programs that we authorized and appropriated…Right now, we are working with the VA, the Secretary of the Veterans Administration, and we are working with the White House to make sure that these cuts [to veterans’ benefits] don’t actually happen…at this point, it’s just rumors. Here on Capitol Hill, we’re doing whatever we can to work with the Administration to ensure that anything Congress has authorized and appropriated funds for continues.”

    On Potential Cuts To Social Security

    “Social Security, under the budget reconciliation process, is not permitted to be touched. There is a lot of bad information out there, saying that the reconciliation bill will affect Social Security benefits and such. We are not legally allowed to touch it under this process, so that information that you’re getting out there, that this might be changed under reconciliation, is false.”

    To stay up to date on Rep. Garbarino’s work in Congress, subscribe to his newsletter. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 10 April 2025 Departmental update Worldwide rally for maternal and newborn health marks World Health Day 2025

    Source: World Health Organisation

    On the occasion of the World Health Day 2025 dedicated to the theme of Healthier beginnings, hopeful futures, over 100 global offices of the World Health Organization (WHO) have organized wide-ranging public advocacy actions in collaboration with Member States, communities, health workers, partner and donor agencies and civil society organizations.

    The unprecedented global action to defend maternal and newborn health care services highlights the importance of protecting critical maternal, newborn health related services that are increasingly under threat of funding challenges affecting the global health sector.
     

    World Health Day 2025 actions by WHO offices

    African Region

    • Angola launched a dynamic Facebook live event and media campaign with UNICEF and UNFPA and partners.
    • Burundi orchestrated a 10-day celebration featuring refugee clinic visits, school disease screenings, and maternal health workshops.
    • Central African Republic hosted a presidential-level celebration launching maternal health roadmap with nationwide media coverage.
    • Chad mobilized 250 UN volunteers for the campaign, culminating in a ministerial ceremony and refugee camp celebrations.
    • Republic of the Congo featured a high-profile Walk the Talk event with the Regional Director to launch a maternal death management system, among other events.
    • Comoros held a joint event with the Directorate of Family Health.
    • Côte d’Ivoire spotlighted reproductive health of disabled women through powerful exhibitions and data showcases.
    • Eritrea conducted knowledge competitions and community visits to maternal waiting homes led by Minister of Health, among other events.
    • Eswatini organized community dialogues on maternal issues with strategic media placements across multiple platforms.
    • The Gambia commemorated through media engagements on national radio and TV networks.
    • Guinea implemented nationwide vaccination campaigns alongside free consultations and high-level advocacy efforts.
    • Lesotho engaged the Prime Minister in a community event complemented by university debates and a scientific symposium.
    • Liberia held a Walk the Talk event with the Ministry of Health.
    • Madagascar combined official ceremonies with free health care services, video broadcasts, among many other activities including an energetic Zumba fitness event.
    • Malawi delivered a bilingual media campaign featuring the Minister of Health addressing maternal and neonatal health priorities.
    • Mali showcased perinatal clinic facilities through an official ceremony and comprehensive media coverage.
    • Mauritania blended cultural performances with scientific panels on reproductive health in a high-impact ceremony.
    • Nigeria: WHO Nigeria, MOH and partners organized a walk to sensitize on improving maternal and newborn health, ending preventable deaths, and prioritizing women’s long-term well-being.
    • South Sudan: amidst the ongoing security concerns, no public events were held but advocacy messages were disseminated.
    • Republic of Sierra Leone facilitated the First Lady’s visit to a maternal hospital alongside diplomatic tours of health monitoring facilities.
    • South Africa produced impact videos and coordinated joint statements with the National Department of Health across media platforms.
    • Uganda published compelling human-interest stories on maternal health alongside policy dialogues and community health check-ups, among many other events (see here).
    • Zambia released a presidential video message highlighting maternal health partnerships and community outreach initiatives (also see here and here).
    • Tanzania: WHO joined the Ministry of Health and partners for the climax of National Health Week.

    WHO Region of the Americas/Pan American Health Organization

    • The Bahamas launched the SIP+ maternal health initiative through a strategic press conference and social media campaign.
    • Belize hosted a media breakfast with the Ministry of Health featuring targeted video content for multiple platforms.
    • Chile partnered with the Ministry of Health for a nationwide campaign launch with sustained media presence.
    • Colombia showcased traditional midwifery alongside technical experts in a ministerial panel on maternal mortality reduction.
    • Cuba celebrated zero maternal deaths in Villa Clara province through a festival and a multi-agency scientific symposium.
    • Guatemala secured vice presidential participation for a high-profile campaign launch at the national palace.
    • Guyana transformed the Rosignol Health Centre into a community hub with a health fair and live social media coverage (also see here).
    • Haiti launched a National Health Week with the Prime Minister featuring themed days and nationwide health fairs.
    • Suriname combined a public health fair with a technical forum on Perinatal Health Information System implementation.
    • Trinidad and Tobago placed strategic advertorials in major newspapers highlighting SIP implementation success.

    WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region

    • Bahrain coordinated joint UN-Ministry of Health events with a cross-platform media campaign, among other events (see here and here).
    • Djibouti celebrated the dual milestone of World Health Day and 40 years of WHO presence with a maternal health focus.
    • Jordan launched a Let’s talk about health video from the WHO country office staff to share insights and inspire change.
    • Iraq designed a comprehensive Health Week with daily themes engaging youth, media, and community volunteers.
    • Kuwait secured prime national TV coverage with coordinated social media messaging (see here and here).
    • Oman mobilized a multi-ministry response integrating higher education institutions in maternal health initiatives.
    • Pakistan engaged government officials in high-visibility events complemented by human interest stories and op-eds.
    • Tunisia implemented Health Champions Week featuring centre visits and a bilingual media campaign.

    WHO European Region

    • Republic of Armenia combined provincial and ministerial leadership in a women’s health event with national TV coverage.
    • Republic of Azerbaijan inaugurated a cutting-edge simulation laboratory at Azerbaijan Medical University with national television coverage.
    • Bosnia and Herzegovina distributed ministerial certificates alongside strategic op-eds in local newspapers.
    • Bulgaria honoured Bulgarian nurses through a campaign supporting a new national nursing strategy with UNICEF amplification.
    • Cyprus launched the National Mental Health Strategy alongside breastfeeding advocacy initiatives.
    • Czechia leveraged World Health Day to amplify a national alcohol action plan through high-profile press events.
    • Estonia published influential op-eds supporting early childhood vaccination with a multi-stakeholder social media campaign.
    • Hellenic Republic unveiled WHO European Quality Standards for child/youth mental health services with expert consultation.
    • Hungary launched a targeted campaign on heatwave impacts during pregnancy featuring expert recommendations.
    • Kazakhstan mobilized the Ministry of Health and Astana Medical University for a dynamic Walk the Talk event.
    • Kyrgyz Republic engaged university students through specialized talks on maternal and newborn health priorities.
    • Montenegro secured a national television interview alongside a smoking cessation initiative for pregnant women.
    • North Macedonia combined a media briefing with a doctors’ association and prime-time national TV news coverage.
    • Republic of Moldova produced a national TV health series complemented by school campaigns and a breastfeeding caravan.
    • Romania showcased kangaroo mother care through a strategic partners exhibition and technical roundtables.
    • Serbia illuminated Belgrade Tower with campaign messaging alongside prime-time media interviews.
    • Türkiye lit the iconic Atakule landmark while hosting a university seminar with the Ministry of Health and UN agencies.
    • Turkmenistan organized a bicycle marathon and youth dialogue with health network members.
    • Republic of Uzbekistan unveiled a maternal health mural at the National Center of Mother and Child with a influencer video series.

    WHO South-East Asia Region

    • Bangladesh hosted a national event at Osmani Memorial Auditorium with a newspaper supplement and district-level activities.
    • Bhutan combined a team-building hike with a celebration featuring video messages from the Minister of Health.
    • India showcased achievements in reducing maternal and child mortality rates through a regional webinar (also see here).
    • Indonesia celebrated 75 years of WHO partnership through an online talk show and targeted social media campaign.
    • Nepal highlighted mortality rate reductions through ministerial messages and video testimonies.
    • Sri Lanka delivered a specialized webinar series on maternal health topics with technical policy briefs.
    • Thailand focused on preterm infant care through a Department of Health event featuring regional voices.
    • Timor-Leste launched the Every Newborn Action Plan alongside a Ministry of Health–WHO exhibition and technical seminar.

    WHO Western Pacific Region

    • Cambodia connected health workers nationwide through a virtual gathering with parliamentary engagement.
    • China secured ministerial leadership for a National Health Commission event featuring the Director-General’s video remarks.
    • Lao People’s Democratic Republic published a joint WR/Minister of Health opinion piece with a planned UN partner MCH event.
    • Mongolia simultaneously launched the Healthy Newborn Initiative and the Cervical Cancer Elimination Programme.
    • Independent State of Papua New Guinea implemented a comprehensive activity series including regulatory workshops and violence prevention initiatives.
    • South Pacific coordinated a joint release with regional partners while launching the WHO South Pacific LinkedIn platform.
    • Solomon Islands celebrated maternal and child health achievements with medical workers and ministry officials.
    • Socialist Republic of Viet Nam partnered with the Young Physicians Association for a Hanoi event with strategic opinion pieces in the national media.

    Worldwide actions exemplified above, among many others, generate a strong response to the global call issued by UN agencies on World Health Day, raising alarm on the threat of major backsliding of maternal and newborn health.

    World Health Day 2025 marks WHO’s 77th birthday and kicks off a year-long campaign on maternal and newborn health. WHO urges governments and the health community to ramp up efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths, and to prioritize women’s longer-term health and well-being.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Boilermakers organizing nets a win and a setback

    Source: US International Brotherhood of Boilermakers

    The Boilermakers union welcomed 145 new members in March after workers in the machine shop micro-unit at BWXT, Lynchburg, Virginia, voted in favor of unionizing. According to Northeast Area organizer John Bland, workers contacted Local 45 Business Manager/Secretary-Treasurer Kevin Battle in late December seeking information and help organizing.

    He said workers were fed up with working conditions and constantly changing rules. The Boilermakers and other unions had attempted at least three prior organizing efforts at BWXT since 2008, so some of the machinists had heard the message about how unionizing could provide a voice for them on the job. The time was right to organize.

    “As soon as Kevin got the call, everyone got moving on it,” Bland said. M.O.R.E. Work Investment funds helped support the Boilermakers’ organizing efforts.

    Workers inside the unit were especially key in communicating and ultimately making the campaign a success. Because BWXT is a secured nuclear operation, the massive facility is not accessible to visitors, such as union organizers. For security purposes, even inside the facility some units, areas and workers are off-limits to one another.

    “The workers took charge early on,” agreed IR Tim Tolley, who was part of the IBB organizing team. “These guys were shot out of a cannon and came to us organized and ready to go forward. You could tell they were fed up. It was a perfect storm for organizing.”

    He echoed that the biggest catalyst for the workers to unionize was the “constantly moving goal post” as the company continuously changes rules and conditions. While wages usually are an issue, at BWXT it was more about the way workers were being treated and disrespected at work.

    “This time organizing worked because we had more people that were tired of being bullied. They wanted true change,” said Chris Davis, who’s been a BWXT machinist for 19 years. “I’m most looking forward to getting a contract and a set of rules.”

    Tolley said the machinists are set to elect their bargaining committee in early April so they can get to work on their first contract.

    “The things they’re asking for are attainable,” he said. “We told them we couldn’t promise anything but a seat at the table, and that’s exactly what they’re looking for. Now, they’re looking forward to negotiating their first contract.”

    Unfortunately, a vote in March at Siemens Mobility in Sacramento, California, was a no-go to unionize—at least for now. For more than a year, Boilermakers had been working with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers as “Siemens Workers United” to organize more than 1,600 workers who manufacture light rail vehicles for a variety of transit agencies. Siemens is a global company headquartered in Germany. While the company is generally union-friendly in Germany, many of Siemens’ North American operations have resisted unionization.

    Workers interested in unionizing in Sacramento rallied around issues such as inadequate health and welfare benefits, low pay, pay disparity, gender inequality, safety and poor working conditions, such as extreme heat.

    Lawrence Garcia, a four-year employee who works in the coach weld shop, said the wages are too low, especially considering cost of living in the area.

    “I know guys who work 12-hour days or 10-hour days just to keep buying rent. I even know guys who work two jobs, just to keep from going on the streets,” he said. “The pay is not worth it.” Until recently, welders at Siemens were paid less than the $20/hour McDonald’s worker wage dictated by California.

    Alan Scovill, a weld inspector who’s worked for Siemens for a decade, told The Sacramento Bee that he hadn’t been to a doctor in three years. He pays $500 month from his paycheck for his family’s health insurance coverage, and he can’t afford the medical co-pays.

    While reasons to unionize were plentiful, the campaign faced some unique challenges. In addition to the usual union-busting tactics from the company, organizers also had a daunting task to reach workers on a massive campus – 60 acres, 11 buildings and many different departments – plus, communicating to workers in six languages and with multiple cultural nuances.

    Organizers from the Boilermakers and IBEW worked daily, building allies, dispelling myths, answering questions, knocking on doors and deploying myriad tactics to help workers understand what unions are and how unionizing gives workers a voice and a seat at table through collective bargaining.

     The M.O.R.E. Work Investment Fund provided organizing support and communications resources, including billboards, signage, fliers, digital ads and social media presence, and materials were translated into multiple languages. The unions also gained support from global unions IG Metall and IndustriALL, the California Federation of Labor Unions, State Building and Construction Trades Council of California and prominent local and state congress members. At the end of the day, it wasn’t enough to overcome Siemens Sacramento’s anti-union tactics and secure the 50% “yes” vote. This time.

    The unions must wait a full 12 months before petitioning for another union vote. That’s time to continue building positive momentum and for those who voted “no” this time to see if Siemens will live up to the promises they made in fighting against the unions.

    “If Siemens chooses now to make positive changes for workers, it’s because of the courage of workers standing together,” said organizer Pablo Barrera.

    “Although we didn’t win the vote, we are amazed by the courage of the hundreds of workers who stood together for a better future for their colleagues and their families,” said IVP-Western States J. Tom Baca. “This is not the end. It’s just the beginning, and the fight goes on.”

    Read a December 2024 Boilermaker Reporter article about earlier Siemens organizing work

    Read more

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Federal Court Permanently Shuts Down Ohio Tax Preparer

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Note: View order here.

    A federal court in Ohio yesterday permanently enjoined a Columbus, Ohio, tax preparer from preparing returns for others and from owning or operating any tax return preparation business in the future. According to the court’s order, Michael Craig, both individually and doing business as Craig’s Tax Service, consented to the entry of the injunction.

    The court’s order requires Craig to send notice of the injunction to each person for whom he prepared federal tax returns or refund claims after Jan. 1, 2022. According to the government’s complaint, many tax returns that Craig prepared made false and fraudulent claims, including:

    • Reporting losses for fictitious Schedule C businesses;
    • Claiming costs of goods sold (COGS) for types of businesses that cannot legitimately claim COGS and without supporting documentation;
    • Inventing or inflating expenses for otherwise legitimate Schedule C businesses; and
    • Taking deductions for both cash and non-cash charitable deductions that are either exaggerated or completely fabricated.

    According to the complaint, the IRS estimated a tax loss of more than $3.1 million in 2022 alone from tax returns prepared by Craig.

    The Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.

    Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers guidance on the credentials and qualifications that taxpayers should seek from their return preparer.

    In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. John’s — RCMP NL warns of dangerous counterfeit pharmaceutical substances in circulation

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP NL is warning the public of the presence of counterfeit pharmaceuticals recently seized in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has confirmed a number of toxicity (overdose) deaths, involving youth that have ingested these substances.

    In recent cases, substances disguised as Xanax and Dilaudid have been seized as part of drug overdose investigations. Xanax, which is benzodiazepine (alprazolam), is medically prescribed to treat anxiety disorders. Dilaudid is a strong opioid composed of hydromorphone and is medically prescribed for pain management. The counterfeit substances seized, represented as Xanax and Dilaudid, contained non-medicinal drugs/substances.

    The counterfeit Xanax seized was comprised of bromazolam, methamphetamine and MDMA (ecstasy/molly). Bromazolam, while rarely fatal by itself, can cause significant health risks when combined with opioids. This combination can lead to respiratory depression and coma.

    The counterfeit Dilaudid seized was comprised of protonitazine, an opioid that is more than 20 times more potent than fentanyl. Protonitazine is extremely toxic, even to experienced drug users who have developed tolerance to other opioids.

    Images of the substances are attached. Parents and guardians are encouraged to speak with their children about the associated dangers of substance use.

    RCMP officers throughout the province are equipped with Naloxone kits, which are also readily available for free for the general public through Gov NL’s Health Services. Naloxone kits are only effective for suspected opioid overdose situations and are not effective for those under the influence of other drugs/substances (such as cocaine). Information on how to obtain a Naloxone kit can be found here:

    Naloxone Kit Distribution Sites – Health and Community Services

    If you suspect someone is experiencing a drug overdose, please call 911 immediately and obtain medical support. Residents are reminded of the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act, which offers some legal protections to those experience or witness a drug overdose death. More information on the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act can be found here:

    About the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act – Canada.ca

    Those who are suffering from drug addiction are encouraged to reach out for support. More information on available supports can be found here:

    Mental Health and Addictions – Health and Community Services

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Church Rock Man Faces Federal Charges for Shooting Two Navajo-Nation Members

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – An 18-year-old Gallup man is facing federal charges following a shooting that left one Navajo-Nation member dead and another seriously injured.

    According to court records, in the early morning hours of April 6, 2025, a shooting occurred at a Church Rock, New Mexico residence. A resident of the home awoke to gunshots and, along with a second resident, entered 16-year-old Jane Doe’s bedroom, where the residents discovered 18-year-old John Doe deceased on the floor, Jane Doe suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, and the suspect, Mario Israel Barraza.

    Barraza—identified by both residents as Jane Doe’s former boyfriend—fled the scene immediately after the shooting. Investigators found evidence of forced entry through Jane Doe’s bedroom window, shell casings inside and outside the bedroom, and spent rounds resembling a bullet later extracted from Jane Doe during surgery. Security footage corroborated witness accounts of Barraza fleeing the scene, while Jane Doe confirmed she heard Barraza and John Doe arguing prior to the shooting and that he had a history of entering her bedroom through her window.

    Jane and John Doe are enrolled members of the Navajo Nation. Barraza is not an enrolled member of any federally recognized Tribe.

    Barraza stands charged with murder and assault with a dangerous weapon. He will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Barraza faces up to life in prison.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Ramah-Navajo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tillis, Blumenthal Lead Bipartisan Legislation to Provide Service Dogs to Eligible Veterans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) introduced the Service Dogs Assisting Veterans (SAVES) Act, bipartisan legislation that would establish a program to award grants to nonprofit organizations to assist them in carrying out programs to provide service dogs to eligible veterans. Joining Senators Tillis and Blumenthal were Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), and Angus King (I-ME). The SAVES Act builds on the Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers (PAWS) for Veterans Therapy Act that was introduced by Senator Tillis and signed into law. 

    “Long after the fighting on the battlefield ends, too many of the courageous servicemembers come home and continue to battle against enemies that many consider just as insidious as those with guns, grenades, and rockets. That is why in 2021, I introduced the PAWS Act that created a pilot program to provide canine training to eligible veterans, but it is clear we must continue to build on that effort to ensure this program is expanded to veterans in need,” said Senator Tillis. “The SAVES Act will allow more veterans who are struggling with the invisible wounds of war to receive service dogs that could ultimately save their lives. We must repay the debt to the men and women who served our country, I hope congress quickly passes this legislation to provide them with his important resource.” 

    “Service dogs provide vital support to our brave servicemembers struggling with PTSD and other service-related injuries after they return from the battlefield,” said Senator Blumenthal. “Military men and women are often fighting invisible battles when they return home from service, and these canine companions are able to offer them comfort and ease their transition back into civilian life. The SAVES Act ensures that nonprofits have the necessary resources to provide our nation’s heroes with access to the essential and even life-saving assistance of service dogs.”

    “Service dogs have a proven track record of providing life-saving assistance to Veterans in critical need,” said Bill McCabe, Vice President of Government & External Affairs, K9s For Warriors. “The SAVES Act will ultimately put more service dogs in the hands of Veterans with visible and invisible disabilities, allowing them to regain their independence and reintegrate into civilian life. We applaud this bipartisan, bicameral effort and urge Congress to pass this important legislation without delay.”

    “The therapeutic benefits service dogs provide can profoundly empower veterans to battle the invisible wounds of war and assist those facing physical challenges from mobility issues to blindness,” said Joy IIem, National Legislative Director, Disabled American Veterans. “DAV is proud to support the Service Dogs Assisting Veterans Act and thanks Sen. Tillis for championing this vital legislation to unleash the healing power of service dogs.” 

    “Service dogs don’t just change lives—they save them,” said Cole T. Lyle, Director of Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation, American Legion. “For veterans navigating the unseen scars of war, these remarkable companions are a lifeline to independence, stability, and hope. Their loyalty and unconditional love restore purpose and dignity, proving that the wounds of war can heal through the strength of the human-animal bond. However, training a service dog to meet the specialized needs of veterans comes with significant costs—often ranging from $20,000 to $40,000 per dog. This expense covers everything from intensive training to ensure the dog can assist with tasks like mobility support or PTSD mitigation, to veterinary care and matching veterans with their perfect companion. For many veterans, these costs are prohibitive and can stand in the way of accessing this life-changing support. Grants and funding initiatives, such as those provided under the SAVES Act (Service Dogs Assisting Veterans Act), play a critical role in bridging this gap. The SAVES Act provides federal grants to organizations that train and place service dogs with veterans. By alleviating the financial burden, this act ensures that veterans can access the support they need without the barrier of high costs. It represents a commitment to honoring our heroes by investing in their recovery and well-being. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Congress for their steadfast support in advancing the SAVES Act. Special thanks to Senator Tillis, Congressman Luttrell, Congressman McGarvey, and Senator Blumenthal for championing this vital legislation.”

    Background: 

    It is estimated that upwards of 20% of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans have PTSD and more than 485,000 service members have been diagnosed with at least one traumatic brain injury over the past two decades. As a result, these veterans suffer from alarmingly high rates of depression, anxiety, joblessness, homelessness, substance use disorder and other negative behaviors. Far too often, they resort to taking their own lives – roughly 20 veterans die by suicide each day, nearly one an hour.

    Under the SAVES Act, nonprofit organizations would be required to submit an application to the Secretary that includes a description of the training that will be provided by the organization to eligible veterans; the training of dogs that will serve as service dogs; the aftercare services that the organization will provide for the service dogs and eligible Veteran; the plan for publicizing the availability of service dogs through a marketing campaign; the committee of the organization to have humane standards or animals. Nonprofit organizations would also need to certify that they are accredited by Assistance Dogs International or another widely recognized accreditation organization. 

    Full text of the legislation is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Lung Screening Program Expands to Eastern Nova Scotia

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    More lives will be saved from lung cancer as the Lung Screening Program expands to Cape Breton and the eastern mainland.

    The program, which targets people at very high risk of developing lung cancer, is now available in Nova Scotia Health’s Eastern Zone, which includes all of Cape Breton and Antigonish and Guysborough counties.

    “Cancer screening saves lives, and expanding the lung screening program will improve outcomes for people by preventing or finding and treating lung cancer earlier,” said Addictions and Mental Health Minister Brian Comer, MLA for Cape Breton East, on behalf of Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson. “I encourage Nova Scotians who are eligible for the program to make that call sooner than later. Your life could depend on it.”

    Nova Scotians aged 50 to 74 who have smoked daily for 20 years or more at any point in their lives can contact the program. Primary care providers may also refer patients to the program.

    People who meet the initial program criteria are offered a clinical assessment to determine their personal risk of lung cancer and whether they would benefit from a low-dose computerized tomography (CT) chest scan. Everyone who calls the program receives information about lung health and, if applicable, supports available to stop smoking.

    People can contact the Lung Screening Program by calling 1-833-505-LUNG (5864).

    To date, more than 2,700 people have called or been referred to the program, which launched in the central health zone (Halifax Regional Municipality and West Hants) in January 2024. It will continue to be rolled out across the province over the next year.

    Quotes:

    “More Nova Scotians die of lung cancer than all other cancers combined, and there is a lot of shame associated with it. Many people believe that they bring it on themselves because they smoke, but smoking is an addiction, and we are here to help. This is why the Lung Screening Program offers tobacco cessation supports to anyone interested in quitting. However, a person does not have to stop smoking to qualify for lung screening. Our job is to help Nova Scotians prevent lung cancer when we can or find it earlier when treatment works better.”
    — Dr. Daria Manos, Medical Director, Lung Screening Program

    “Screening programs put the power of prevention and early detection into the hands of our people. This is especially true for lung cancer, which is often diagnosed at late stage when treatment is less effective. The Lung Screening Program is changing this by finding lung cancer before there are warning signs or symptoms and making it more treatable. By expanding the Lung Screening Program to Eastern Zone communities – where incidence of lung cancer is high – we’re making early detection more accessible for people who are at high risk for the disease.”
    — Valerie Nugent, Director, Cancer Care, Eastern Zone, Nova Scotia Health

    Quick Facts:

    • lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in Nova Scotia; each year, about 1,000 Nova Scotians are diagnosed and 700 die of the disease
    • to date, more than 1,500 people have had a telephone assessment in the screening program, including:
      • 403 people who asked to be referred to smoking cessation counselling
      • 385 people who were determined to be at very high risk for lung cancer received free nicotine replacement therapy to help them stop smoking
      • 41 patients were found to possibly have lung cancer and were referred to a lung specialist for a diagnostic assessment
    • the government will invest about $3 million annually in the Lung Screening Program once fully implemented across the province

    Additional Resources:

    Lung Screening Program website: https://www.nshealth.ca/lungscreening

    Other than cropping, Province of Nova Scotia photos are not to be altered in any way

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Cleaver Introduces Legislation to Raise Minimum Wage

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

    The Raise the Wage Act would gradually raise the minimum wage to $17 by 2030 and give roughly 22 million Americans a long-overdue raise

    (Washington, D.C.) – This week, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) joined Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, along with 141 other House Democrats, to introduce the Raise the Wage Act of 2025. According to the Economic Policy Institute, the Raise the Wage Act would gradually raise the minimum wage to $17 by 2030 and give roughly 22 million Americans a long-overdue raise. In Missouri, the average working family will have $1,228 more to spend per year in the local economy.

    “While C-suite executives and corporate CEOs have seen their pay continue to rise to astronomical levels, working class Americans have continued to get the short end of the stick, failing to receive fair compensation for the work they do to ensure these massive corporations grow their record-breaking profits,” said Congressman Cleaver. “It’s not right—and it’s about time Congress took action provide these hardworking Americans a fair pay raise, which will stimulate local economies nationwide. I’m proud to support legislation that would give that long-overdue raise to working class Americans in my congressional district and every community across the country.”

    “No person working full-time in America should be living in poverty. The Raise the Wage Act will increase the pay and standard of living for nearly 22 million workers across this country. Raising the minimum wage is good for workers, good for business, and good for the economy. When we put money in the pockets of American workers, they will spend that money in their communities,” said Rep. Scott.

    The Raise the Wage Act would:

    • Gradually raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $17 by 2030.
    • Index future increases in the federal minimum wage to median wage growth to ensure the value of minimum wage does not once again erode over time.
    • Guarantee tipped workers are paid at least the full federal minimum wage by phasing out the subminimum wage for tipped workers, which will ensure decent, consistent pay without eliminating tips.

    A fact sheet on the Raise the Wage Act is available here.

    Official text of the Raise the Wage Act is available here.

     

    Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Labor Leaders Introduce Bill to Raise Minimum Wage

    Source: {United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bobby Scott (3rd District of Virginia)

    Headline: Labor Leaders Introduce Bill to Raise Minimum Wage

    The Raise the Wage Act of 2025 would gradually raise the minimum wage to $17 by 2030 and give roughly 22 million Americans a long-overdue raise.

    As originally released by the Committee on Education and Workforce, Democrats

    WASHINGTON – Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, introduced the Raise the Wage Act of 2025.  According to the Economic Policy Institute, the Raise the Wage Act would gradually raise the minimum wage to $17 by 2030 and give roughly 22 million Americans a long-overdue raise.

    After more than fifteen years with no increase in the federal minimum wage—the longest period in U.S. history—millions of our nation’s workers are working full-time jobs but are still struggling to make ends meet.  The Raise the Wage Act is good for workers, good for business, and good for the economy.  When we put money in the pockets of workers, they will spend that money at local businesses. 

    “No person working full-time in America should be living in poverty.  The Raise the Wage Act will increase the pay and standard of living for nearly 22 million workers across this country.  Raising the minimum wage is good for workers, good for business, and good for the economy.  When we put money in the pockets of American workers, they will spend that money in their communities,”said Scott.

    “The $7.25 an hour minimum wage is a starvation wage. It must be raised to a living wage – at least $17 an hour,” Sanders said. “In the year 2025, a job should lift you out of poverty, not keep you in it. At a time of massive income and wealth inequality, we can no longer tolerate millions of workers trying to survive on just $10 or $12 an hour. Congress can no longer ignore the needs of the working class of this country. The time to act is now,”said Sanders.

    TheRaise the Wage Act of 2025would:

    • Gradually raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $17 by 2030.
    • Index future increases in the federal minimum wage to median wage growth to ensure the value of minimum wage does not once again erode over time.
    • Guarantee tipped workers are paid at least the full federal minimum wage by phasing out the subminimum wage for tipped workers, which will ensure decent, consistent pay without eliminating tips.
    • Guarantee teen workers are paid at least the full federal minimum wage by phasing out the rarely used subminimum wage for youth workers.
    • End subminimum wage certificates for workers with disabilities to provide opportunities for workers with disabilities to be competitively employed and participate more fully in their communities.

    The Raise the Wage Act of 2025 has 142 original House co-sponsors, including Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Greg Casar (TX-35), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Alma S. Adams (NC-12), Gabe Amo (RI-01), Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Becca Balint (VT-00), Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44), Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Donald S. Beyer (VA-08), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02), Shontel M. Brown (OH-11), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Salud O. Carbajal (CA-24), André Carson (IN-07), Sean Casten (IL-06), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), James E. Clyburn (SC-06), Herbert Conaway (NJ-03), Gerald E. Connolly (VA-11), Joe Courtney (CT-02), Angie Craig (MN-02), Jason Crow (CO-06), Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Rosa L. DeLauro (CT-03), Suzan K. DelBene (WA-01), Christopher R. Deluzio (PA-17), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Cleo Fields (LA-06), Bill Foster (IL-11), Valerie P. Foushee (NC-04), Laura Friedman (CA-30), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), John Garamendi (CA-08), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Al Green (TX-09),  Steven Horsford (NV-04), Steny Hoyer (MD-05), Val T. Hoyle (OR-04), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Julie Johnson (TX-32), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Bill Keating (MA-09), Robin L. Kelly (IL-02), Timothy M. Kennedy (NY-26), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Rick Larsen (WA-02), Summer Lee (PA-12), Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-03), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Seth Magaziner (RI-02), John W. Mannion (NY-22), Doris O. Matsui (CA-07), Lucy McBath (GA-06), Sarah McBride (DE-At Large), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Morgan McGarvey (KY-03), James P. McGovern (MA-02), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Robert Menendez (NJ-08), Grace Meng (NY-06), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Joseph D. Morelle (NY-25), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Frank J. Mrvan (IN-01), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Joe Neguse (CO-02), Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-At Large), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Frank Pallone Jr. (NJ-06), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19),Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Deborah K. Ross (NC-02), Patrick Ryan (NY-18), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Linda T. Sánchez (CA-38), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Janice D. Schakowsky (IL-09), Bradley Scott Schneider (IL-10), Terri A. Sewell (AL-07), Brad Sherman (CA-32), Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Darren Soto (FL-09), Melanie A. Stansbury (NM-01), Haley M. Stevens (MI-11), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), Thomas R. Suozzi (NY-03), Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Mark Takano (CA-39), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Dina Titus (NV-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill N. Tokuda (HI-02), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Lori Trahan (MA-03), Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Maxine Waters (CA-43), Nikema Williams (GA-05), and Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24).

    The Raise the Wage Act of 2025 has been endorsed by 85 organizations including, AFL-CIO, American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), American Council of the Blind, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), American Friends Service Committee, American Public Health Association, Americans for Democratic Action (ADA), Autistic People of Color Fund, Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, California LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network, Care in Action, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), Center for LGBTQ Economic Advancement & Research (CLEAR), Clearinghouse on Women’s Issues, Coalition on Human Needs, Communications Workers of America (CWA), Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd U.S. Provinces, the Council for Global Equality, Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR), Demos, Economic Policy Institute (EPI), Equal Pay Today, Family Values @ Work, Feminist Majority Foundation, First Focus Campaign for Children, Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), The General Board of Church and Society of The United Methodist Church, Gig Workers Rising, Indivisible, Institute for Policy Studies’ Poverty Project, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), Justice for Migrant Women, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Legal Momentum, Milwaukee Area Service & Hospitality Workers Union, MomsRising, Movement Advancement Project (MAP), National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities, National Association of Social Workers, National Black Worker Center, National Center for Law and Economic Justice (NCLEJ), National Coalition for the Homeless, National Council of Jewish Women, National Disability Institute, National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA),  National Education Association (NEA), National Employment Law Project (NELP), National Employment Lawyers Association, National Immigration Law Center (NILC), The National Partnership for Women & Families, National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, New Disabled South, Oasis Legal Services, One Fair Wage, Oxfam America, Patriotic Millionaires, People Power United, Popular Democracy in Action, Pride at Work AFL-CIO, Public Advocacy for Kids, Public Justice Center, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Southern Poverty Law Center, Union for Reform Judaism, UNITE HERE, United Autoworkers (UAW), United Church of Christ, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), United for Respect, United Steelworkers (USW), Voices for Progress,  Worker Justice Center of New York, Workers’ Injury Law & Advocacy Group, Working Partnerships USA, Workplace Fairness, Workplace Justice Lab, and Worksafe.

    To read the bill text for the Raise the Wage Act of 2025, click here.

    To read the fact sheet on the Raise the Wage Act of 2025, click here.

    To read the section-by-section Raise the Wage Act of 2025, click here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scott Slams Republican Budget Resolution

    Source: {United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bobby Scott (3rd District of Virginia)

    Headline: Scott Slams Republican Budget Resolution

    WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), a member of the House Budget Committee, spoke during floor debate ahead of a vote on the Trump-Republican budget resolution.

       

    “Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition to this resolution, yet again. We hear speech after speech from the other side about the deficit and debt and, here, we see this resolution which increases the deficit. Let’s start with some facts. Every single Democratic presidential administration since Kennedy has left for their Republican successor a better deficit situation than they inherited. And every Republican president since Nixon, their administration has left for the Democrats a WORSE deficit situation than they inherited. All without exception.

    “So here we are again. A Republican president following a Democratic president. And once again we have a budget that will explode the deficit and national debt just like clockwork with their tax cuts for corporations and the top 1%. Trump’s first term added over $7 trillion to the national debt. And he wants to double down, and do it all over again.

    “As the Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and Workforce, I am particularly outraged that Republicans want to partially fund tax cuts for corporations and billionaires by making cuts to education programs and child nutrition programs. And this resolution will direct them to cut Medicaid, ripping health care away from millions of Americans.

    “There is nothing fiscally responsible about this budget. It will add to the deficit and the resolution wants to further inflict pain on working families and the middle class.

    “Mr. Speaker, I would ask my colleagues to oppose this resolution for the damage it will do to the economy and to the deficit. Thank you, I yield back.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Democrats Demand McMahon Reverse Abrupt Policy Change Halting Funding for Schools Nationwide

    Source: {United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bobby Scott (3rd District of Virginia)

    Headline: Democrats Demand McMahon Reverse Abrupt Policy Change Halting Funding for Schools Nationwide

    Top authorizers and appropriators press Trump’s Department of Education for details about its’ abrupt halt of funding for state governments and school districts that adds a bureaucratic hurdle to reimbursement and will harm student recovery following the pandemic.

    As originally released by the Committee on Education and Workforce, Democrats

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, led a letter to Secretary Linda McMahon demanding a reversal of a new policy the Department of Education announced recently that suddenly upended departmental policy and imposed new red tape on states, which will prevent them from accessing pandemic relief funds they are counting on to support students’ learning.

    In their letter, the lawmakers press McMahon for immediate reversal of the Department’s revision to its longstanding liquidation extension policy for COVID-19 education recovery funding—warning that the Department’s change, along with the myriad other harmful actions taken at ED recently, seriously jeopardizes students’ learning and growth.

    “We write to request the immediate reversal of the Department of Education’s recent March 28, 2025, action to revise the liquidation extension policy for COVID-19 relief funds,”write the lawmakers. “Just over a month ago, the Department announced a policy change to the longstanding extension policy that imposed an additional step for processing of extension reimbursements. … However, on March 28, 2025, with many state extension requests having been approved more than six months ago, the Department suddenly announced on March 28 that ‘the Department is modifying the liquidation period to end on March 28, 2025,’ the very same day as the announcement.”

    “In short,”the lawmakers state, “the Department changed the spending rules it affirmed just one month ago, without providing any notice, and imposing more federal red tape.”

    The lawmakers continue: “This abrupt and chaotic revision of policy is not helpful to students whose states, school districts, or institutions of higher education are uncertain about the Department’s commitments to implementing federal funding designed to support students. The March 28th decision is an imposition of an unauthorized layer of bureaucratic red tape on the expenditure of resources passed by Congress to support learning recovery for our nation’s students.”

    The lawmakers note that the abrupt change—coupled with the mass firings at ED—seriously threaten the ability of schools to support students’ learning: “When combined with the massive reduction in force announced earlier this month, the Department jeopardizes an estimated $4 billion from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 and American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 in nearly all of our states and outlying areas and roughly 1,000 school districts nationwide. This action is particularly harmful to rural school districts that faced the greatest disruptions during the authorized program period. This will also have a disproportionate impact on $800 million reserved for identification and support for students experiencing homelessness, which was implemented slowly in many states. The March 28th decision of the Department improperly imposes its will on state and local budget decisions in a manner not contemplated by Congress.”

    The lawmakers note their alarm about the Department’s lack of recognition of the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on students, with the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores showing national scores are below pre-pandemic levels in all grades and subjects. “We are alarmed by your lack of a recognition of the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our nation’s students,” write the lawmakers. “Years after the COVID-19 pandemic, our schools and communities still have much work to do to help students recover and the Department’s termination of the remaining resources Congress passed for that purpose will only serve to delay and undermine our students’ recovery.”

    They also note Congress provided flexibility when providing the funding to ensure it best supports communities across the country: “Congress intended the Secretary to support states and districts in their use of the flexibility under the law to ensure the unique needs of their communities were met and to implement evidence-based learning loss interventions. The Department is now trying to change the spending rules and impose an administrative hurdle by stating ‘the Department will consider an extension to your liquidation period on an individual project-specific basis.’…We are astonished by the amount of hypocrisy here from an administration that has repeatedly said it wants to return education to the states, including your recent statement that ‘Education is fundamentally a state responsibility. Instead of filtering resources through layers of federal red tape, we will empower states…’ Now, it appears the Department is turning its back on states by arbitrarily imposing more federal red tape.”

    The lawmakers also called out that while the Trump administration works to cut off this funding for schools, it is pushing to pass new tax cuts for billionaires: “Let’s be very clear: The abrupt change in the liquidation extension policy is yet another way this administration is seeking to strip educational opportunities for students in order to pay for tax cuts for billionaires and large corporations. President Trump and Congressional Republicans are intent in claiming any savings they can in the federal budget that they intend to use to pay for their tax cuts for billionaires and large corporations.”

    “We believe there is a better way,” they conclude.“We urge you to immediately rescind your March 28 revision to the longstanding liquidation extension policy. Further, we believe you should work with us to start properly executing our federal education laws as Congress intended.”

    In addition to Representatives Scott and DeLauro, the letter was signed by Alma Adams (D, NC-12), Donald Beyer (D, VA-08), Suzanne Bonamici (D, OR-01), Julia Brownley (D, CA-26), Shontel Brown (D, OH-11), André Carson (D, IN-07), Greg Casar (D, TX-35), Sean Casten (D, IL-06), Joaquin Castro (D, TX-20), Steve Cohen (D, TN-09), Joe Courtney (D, CT-02), Danny Davis (D, IL-07), Diana DeGette (D, CO-01), Chris Deluzio (D, PA-17), Mark DeSaulnier (D, CA-10), Sarah Elfreth (D, MD-03), Veronica Escobar (D, TX-16), Adriano Espaillat (D, NY-13), Dwight Evans (D, PA-03), Shomari Figures (D, AL-02), Jesús García (D, IL-04), Sylvia Garcia (D, TX-29), Vicente Gonzalez (D, TX-34), Jahana Hayes (D, CT-05), Chrissy Houlahan (D, PA-06), Jonathan Jackson (D, IL-01), Hank Johnson (D, GA-04), Robin Kelly (D, IL-02), Timothy Kennedy (D, NY-26), John Larson (D, CT-01), Summer Lee (D, PA-12), Lucy McBath (D, GA-06), Sarah McBride (D, DE-01), Jennifer McClellan (D, VA-04), Betty McCollum (D, MN-04), Kristen McDonald Rivet (D, MI-08), Jim McGovern (D, MA-02), LaMonica McIver (D, NJ-10), Donald Norcross (D, NJ-01), Johnny Olszewski (D, MD-02), Chellie Pingree (D, ME-01), Mark Pocan (D, MI-02), Andrea Salinas (D, OR-06), Linda Sánchez (D, CA-38), Terri Sewell (D, AL-07), Mikie Sherrill (D, NJ-11), Lateefah Simon (D, CA-12), Darren Soto (D, FL-09), Haley Stevens (D, MI-11), Mark Takano (D, CA-39), Dina Titus (D, NV-01), Rashida Tlaib (D, MI-12), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D, NY-12), Frederica Wilson (D, FL-24), and Eleanor Holmes Norton (D, DC-01) in the House.

    In addition to Senators Murray, Sanders, and Baldwin, the letter was signed by Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-MO), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) in the Senate.

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

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Education Leaders Demand Answers on Trump’s Attempts to Dismantle Museum and Library Services

    Source: {United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bobby Scott (3rd District of Virginia)

    Headline: Education Leaders Demand Answers on Trump’s Attempts to Dismantle Museum and Library Services

    As originally released by the Committee on Education and Workforce, Democrats

    WASHINGTON – House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) and Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee Ranking Member Alma S. Adams (NC-12) are demanding answers from Institute of Museum and Library Sciences (IMLS) Acting Chair Keith Sonderling following President Trump’s executive order to unilaterally eliminate the agency. 

    “We write seeking document and information from the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences (IMLS) about its response to recent actions by President Trump dismantle the agency, actions which threaten the ability of libraries and museums across the country to serve their communities,”wrote the Members.  “Libraries provide not only books and reference materials but serve as a natural hub for a multitude of community services including early and adult literacy programs, workforce development opportunities, broadband and technology access, and resources for individuals with disabilities. 

    The Members continued, “IMLS has a legal responsibility to continue administering all grants authorized and appropriated by Congress, and we urge you to take this responsibility seriously, and others mandated under MLSA.” 

    On Friday, March 14, President Trump issued Executive Order 14238 (EO), “Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy.” This EO purportedly eliminated IMLS within the bounds of the law.  However, subsequent actions taken by IMLS have been inconsistent with the EO. 

    As the sole federal agency supporting museum and library services, the letter follows reports of IMLS grants canceled without cause and the subsequent quiet placement of employees on administrative leave with device access revoked.  

    To read the full letter, click here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New study on the economics of public land treatments reveals treatment characteristics influence costs

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Limited information exists on the costs of public land treatments, such as controlling flammable weeds and conducting prescribed burns, but managers can pair cost information with effectiveness data to improve decision making. In a new study, researchers used data from the BLM/USGS Land Treatment Digital Library to develop land treatment cost estimates.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Assessing the Global Climate in March 2025

    Source: US National Oceanographic Data Center

    March Highlights:

    Temperature

    The March global surface temperature was 2.36°F (1.31°C) above the 20th-century average of 54.9°F (12.7°C), making it the third-warmest March on record. According to NCEI’s Global Annual Temperature Outlook, there is a 6% chance that 2025 will rank as the warmest year on record. 

    Land and Ocean Temperature Percentiles for March 2025 (°C). Red indicates warmer than average and blue indicates colder than average.

    It was the second-warmest March for the global land air temperature and the second-warmest March for the global ocean surface temperature. Europe and Oceania had their warmest Marches on record, and Africa ranked third warmest.

    March temperatures were above average across much of the global land surface, particularly over the Arctic, Alaska, the eastern U.S., most of Europe, northwest Africa, and Australia. Much of central Canada and eastern Asia were much colder than average, and a few other areas such as southern Africa were slightly below normal. Sea surface temperatures were above average over most areas, while parts of the eastern tropical Pacific and parts of the Southern Ocean were below average.

    Surface Temperature Departure from the 1991–2020 Average for March 2025 (°C). Red indicates warmer than average and blue indicates colder than average.

    Snow Cover

    The Northern Hemisphere snow cover extent in March was well below average, ranking seventh smallest on record. Snow cover over North America and Greenland was below average (by 170,000 square miles), and Eurasia was also below average (by 550,000 square miles). A lack of snow cover was particularly obvious over the United States and Europe.

    Sea Ice

    Global sea ice extent was the second smallest in the 47-year record at 6.60 million square miles, which was 780,000 square miles below the 1991–2020 average. Arctic sea ice extent was below average (by 340,000 square miles), ranking lowest on record and Antarctic extent was below average (by 440,000 square miles), ranking fourth lowest on record.

    Map of the Arctic (left) and Antarctic (right) sea ice extent in March 2025.Map of the Arctic (left) and Antarctic (right) sea ice extent in March 2025.Map of the Arctic (left) and Antarctic (right) sea ice extent in March 2025.Map of the Arctic (left) and Antarctic (right) sea ice extent in March 2025.

    Tropical Cyclones

    Eight named storms occurred across the globe in March, which was slightly above the long-term average of six. A record five named storms occurred in the southwestern Indian Ocean while four occurred in the Australian region (one storm traversed the two basins).

    For a more complete summary of climate conditions and events, see our March 2025 Global Climate Report or explore our Climate at a Glance Global Time Series.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Labrador Warns Phone Providers Regarding Unlawful Robocall Traffic

    Source: US State of Idaho

    [BOISE] – Today, Attorney General Raúl Labrador and the 51 attorneys general of the Anti-Robocall Multistate Litigation Task Force notified nine voice service providers that they may be violating state and federal laws by continuing to route allegedly unlawful robocalls across their networks. These warning letters include information about the task force’s investigation and analysis of each provider’s illegal and/or suspicious robocall traffic.
    “We will go after network providers that continue to allow illegal robocalls to plague Idaho consumers,” said Attorney General Labrador. “My Consumer Protection Division regularly hears from Idahoans who receive scam jury duty, Medicare cancellation, and utility shut-off calls, just to name a few.  If bad actors continue to disregard the law, we will hold them accountable.”
    Many of the traced scams included government and financial imposters and impersonations, Social Security imposters, Amazon suspicious charges, credit card interest rate reductions, Medicare scams, Chinese package delivery scams, cable discount scams, utility disconnect scams, COVID financial relief, and student loan forgiveness.
    In addition to sending these warning notices demanding that these companies stop transmitting illegal robocalls, the task force has also shared its concerns about providers with its federal law enforcement partners, including the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
    The task force sent warning letters to the following companies: Global Net Holdings, All Access Telecom, Lingo Telecom, NGL Communications, Range, RSCom Ltd., Telcast Network, ThinQ Technologies, and Telcentris (Voxox).
    Copies of the warning letters are available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NCDHHS Urges North Carolinians to “Fight the Bite” to Prevent Tick- and Mosquito-Borne Diseases

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: NCDHHS Urges North Carolinians to “Fight the Bite” to Prevent Tick- and Mosquito-Borne Diseases

    NCDHHS Urges North Carolinians to “Fight the Bite” to Prevent Tick- and Mosquito-Borne Diseases
    hejones1

    As warmer weather approaches, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is urging North Carolinians to “Fight the Bite” by taking measures to reduce their risk of tick- and mosquito-borne diseases. In 2024, more than 900 cases of tick- and mosquito-borne illnesses were reported statewide. 

    April is Tick and Mosquito Awareness Month and NCDHHS is announcing the return of the “Fight the Bite” campaign to increase awareness about the dangers of vector-borne diseases. Students in grades K-12 were invited to submit educational posters for the annual campaign contest. NCDHHS, local health departments and K-12 schools will use these illustrations to educate residents about measures they can take to protect themselves. Winners will be announced at the end of April on the NCDHHS “Fight the Bite” webpage.

    “Vector-borne diseases are on the rise in North Carolina,” said Emily Herring, Public Health Veterinarian. “We encourage all North Carolinians to protect themselves from tick and mosquito bites by wearing long sleeves and pants, using EPA-approved repellents, and checking for ticks after spending time outdoors.”

    Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases can cause fever, headache, rashes, flu-like illness and other symptoms that can be severe. Lyme disease accounted for 33% of all tick-borne diseases reported last year. Ehrlichiosis, which can cause symptoms similar to Lyme disease, accounted for 38% of all tick-borne diseases in 2024. These diseases are treatable with antibiotics, and early treatment can prevent severe illness from developing. If you feel ill after you have been bitten by a tick, it is important to see your health care provider as soon as possible.

    Ticks live in wooded, grassy and brushy areas, and frequenting these areas can put you in contact with ticks and increase your potential exposure to vector-borne diseases. To reduce exposure to ticks: 

    • Use an EPA-approved repellent, such as those containing DEET or picaridin, on exposed skin and treat clothing with a pesticide called permethrin (0.5%). Use caution when applying insect repellent to children.
    • Check yourself and your children for ticks if you have been in a tick habitat and remove them promptly.
    • Reduce tick habitats around your house with selective landscaping techniques such as pruning shrubs and bushes, removing leaf litter and keeping grass cut short.

    The mosquito-borne diseases most often acquired in North Carolina are West Nile virus, eastern equine encephalitis and La Crosse encephalitis. Nationally, North Carolina was second to only Ohio in reported cases of infections from La Crosse virus between 2003 and 2023. Most reported mosquito-borne diseases — including cases of malaria, dengue, chikungunya and Zika — are acquired while traveling outside the continental United States. To reduce exposure to mosquitoes: 

    • Use an EPA-approved mosquito repellent, such as those containing DEET or picaridin, when outside. Use caution when applying to children.
    • Consider treating clothing and gear (such as boots, pants, socks and tents) with 0.5% permethrin.
    • Install or repair screens on windows and doors and use air conditioning if possible.
    • “Tip and Toss” to reduce mosquito breeding: empty standing water from flowerpots, gutters, buckets, pool covers, pet water dishes, discarded tires and birdbaths at least once a week.
    • Talk with your primary care provider or local health department if you plan to travel to an area where exotic mosquito-borne diseases occur and always check your destination to identify appropriate prevention methods, including vaccines.

    For more information on tick- and mosquito-borne diseases in North Carolina, please visit the NCDHHS Vector-Borne Diseases webpage.

    A medida que se acerca el clima más cálido, el Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte urge a los habitantes de Carolina del Norte a “combatir la picadura” y tomar medidas para reducir el riesgo de enfermedades transmitidas por garrapatas y mosquitos. En 2024, se informaron más de 900 casos de enfermedades transmitidas por garrapatas y mosquitos en todo el estado.

    Abril es el Mes de Concientización sobre las Garrapatas y los Mosquitos y el Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte (NCDHHS, por sus siglas en inglés) anuncia el regreso de la campaña “Combate la picadura” para aumentar la conciencia sobre los peligros de las enfermedades transmitidas por vectores. Se invita a los estudiantes de grados kínder a 12 a enviar pósters educativos para el concurso anual de la campaña. NCDHHS, los departamentos de salud locales y las escuelas de grado K a 12 utilizarán estas ilustraciones para educar a los residentes sobre las medidas que pueden tomar para protegerse. Los ganadores se anunciarán a finales de abril en la página web de NCDHHS “Combate la picadura” (NCDHHS “Fight the Bite”).

    “Las enfermedades transmitidas por vectores están en aumento en Carolina del Norte”, dijo Emily Herring, veterinaria de Salud Pública. “Alentamos a todos los habitantes de Carolina del Norte a protegerse de las picaduras de garrapatas y mosquitos usando mangas largas y pantalones, repelentes aprobados por la EPA y verificando si tiene garrapatas después de pasar tiempo al aire libre”.

    La fiebre manchada de las Montañas Rocosas, la enfermedad de Lyme y otras enfermedades transmitidas por garrapatas pueden causar fiebre, dolor de cabeza, erupciones cutáneas, enfermedades similares a la influenza (gripe) y otros síntomas que pueden ser graves. La enfermedad de Lyme representó el 33% de todas las enfermedades transmitidas por garrapatas informadas el año pasado. La erliquiosis, que puede causar síntomas similares a la enfermedad de Lyme, representó el 38% de todas las enfermedades transmitidas por garrapatas en 2024. Estas enfermedades se pueden tratar con antibióticos, y el tratamiento temprano puede prevenir el desarrollo de enfermedades graves. Si se siente enfermo después de haber sido picado por una garrapata, es importante que consulte a su proveedor de atención médica lo antes posible.

    Las garrapatas viven en áreas boscosas, cubiertas de hierba y arbustos, y frecuentar estas áreas puede ponerlo en contacto con garrapatas y aumentar su posible exposición a enfermedades transmitidas por vectores. Para reducir la exposición a las garrapatas: 

    • Use un repelente aprobado por la EPA, como los que contienen DEET o picaridina, en la piel expuesta y aplicar un plaguicida a la ropa con un pesticida llamado permetrina (0.5%). Tenga cuidado al aplicar repelente de insectos a los niños.
    • Revisese a sí mismo y a sus hijos en busca de garrapatas si ha estado en un entorno de garrapatas y retírelas de inmediato.
    • Reduzca los entornos de garrapatas alrededor de su casa con ciertas técnicas de jardinería, como podar arbustos y arbustos, eliminar los residuos de hojas y mantener el césped corto.

    Las enfermedades transmitidas por mosquitos que se contraen con mayor frecuencia en Carolina del Norte son el virus del Nilo Occidental, la encefalitis equina oriental y la encefalitis de La Crosse. A nivel nacional, Carolina del Norte ocupó el segundo lugar después de Ohio en casos reportados de infecciones por el virus La Crosse entre 2003 y 2023.  La mayoria de las enfermedades transmitidas por mosquitos reportadas, incluidos los casos de malaria, dengue, chikungunya y Zika, se adquieren mientras las personas viajan fuera de los Estados Unidos continentales. Para reducir la exposición a los mosquitos: 

    • Use un repelente de mosquitos aprobado por la EPA, como los que contienen DEET o picaridina, cuando esté afuera. Tenga cuidado cuando aplique el repelente a los niños.
    • Considere tratar la ropa y el equipo (como botas, pantalones, calcetines y carpas) con permetrina al 0.5%.
    • Instale o repare mosquiteras en ventanas y puertas y use aire acondicionado si es posible.
    • “Verter y hechar” para reducir la reproducción de mosquitos: vacíe el agua estancada de las macetas, canaletas, cubos, cubiertas de piscinas, platos de agua para mascotas, neumáticos desechados y baños para pájaros al menos una vez a la semana.
    • Hable con su proveedor de atención primaria o departamento de salud local si planea viajar a una zona donde se encuentra enfermedades exóticas transmitidas por mosquitos y siempre consulte con personas a donde va a llegar para identificar los métodos de prevención apropiados, incluso las vacunas.

    Para obtener más información sobre las enfermedades transmitidas por garrapatas y mosquitos en Carolina del Norte, visite la página web NCDHHS Vector-Borne Diseases. 

    Apr 10, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –