NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cotton Statement on the Army’s Limited Reintegration of the Caisson into Military Funerals

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton

     

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    Contact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353
    April 9, 2025

    Cotton Statement on the Army’s Limited Reintegration of the Caisson into Military Funerals

    Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today released the following statement after the Army announced the limited reintegration of the caisson into funeral services at Arlington National Cemetery:

     “The Old Guard has a long tradition of ensuring our nation’s fallen heroes are interred with the highest honors. I am encouraged by the Army’s announcement that limited caisson services will resume, and I look forward to the Caisson Platoon returning to full-time duty at Arlington National Cemetery soon. America’s service members, their families, and their loved ones deserve nothing less.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Tools like Apple’s photo Clean Up are yet another nail in the coffin for being able to trust our eyes

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University

    Apple Clean Up highlights photo elements that might be deemed distracting. T.J. Thomson

    You may have seen ads by Apple promoting its new Clean Up feature that can be used to remove elements in a photo. When one of these ads caught my eye this weekend, I was intrigued and updated my software to try it out.

    The feature has been available in Australia since December for Apple customers with certain hardware and software capabilities. It’s also available for customers in New Zealand, Canada, Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States.

    The tool uses generative artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse the scene and suggest elements that might be distracting. You can see those highlighted in the screenshot below.

    Apple uses generative AI to identify elements, highlighted here in red, that might be distracting in photos. It then allows users to remove these with the tap of a finger.
    T.J. Thomson

    You can then tap the suggested element to remove it or circle elements to delete them. The device then uses generative AI to try to create a logical replacement based on the surrounding area.

    Easier ways to deceive

    Smartphone photo editing apps have been around for more than a decade, but now, you don’t need to download, pay for, or learn to use a new third-party app. If you have an eligible device, you can use these features directly in your smartphone’s default photo app.

    Apple’s Clean Up joins a number of similar tools already offered by various tech companies. Those with Android phones might have used Google’s Magic Editor. This lets users move, resize, recolour or delete objects using AI. Users with select Samsung devices can use their built-in photo gallery app to remove elements in photos.

    There have always been ways – analogue and, more recently, digital – to deceive. But integrating them into existing software in a free, easy-to-use way makes those possibilities so much easier.

    Using AI to edit photos or create new images entirely raises pressing questions around the trustworthiness of photographs and videos. We rely on the vision these devices produce in everything from police body and traffic cams to insurance claims and verifying the safe delivery of parcels.

    If advances in tech are eroding our trust in pictures and even video, we have to rethink what it means to trust our eyes.

    How can these tools be used?

    The idea of removing distracting or unwanted elements can be attractive. If you’ve ever been to a crowded tourist hotspot, removing some of the other tourists so you can focus more on the environment might be appealing (check out the slider below for an example).

    But beyond removing distractions, how else can these tools be used?

    Some people use them to remove watermarks. Watermarks are typically added by photographers or companies trying to protect their work from unauthorised use. Removing these makes the unauthorised use less obvious but not less legal.

    Others use them to alter evidence. For example, a seller might edit a photo of a damaged good to allege it was in good condition before shipping.

    As image editing and generating tools become more widespread and easier to use, the list of uses balloons proportionately. And some of these uses can be unsavoury.

    AI generators can now make realistic-looking receipts, for example. People could then try to submit these to their employer to get reimbursed for expenses not actually incurred.



    Read more:
    Can you spot a financial fake? How AI is raising our risks of billing fraud

    Can anything we see be trusted anymore?

    Considering these developments, what does it mean to have “visual proof” of something?

    If you think a photo might be edited, zooming in can sometimes reveal anomalies where the AI has stuffed up. Here’s a zoomed-in version of some of the areas where the Clean Up feature generated new content that doesn’t quite match the old.

    Tools like Clean Up sometimes create anomalies that can be spotted with the naked eye.
    T.J. Thomson

    It’s usually easier to manipulate one image than to convincingly edit multiple images of the same scene in the same way. For this reason, asking to see multiple outtakes that show the same scene from different angles can be a helpful verification strategy.

    Seeing something with your own eyes might be the best approach, though this isn’t always possible.

    Doing some additional research might also help. For example, with the case of a fake receipt, does the restaurant even exist? Was it open on the day shown on the receipt? Does the menu offer the items allegedly sold? Does the tax rate match the local area’s?

    Manual verification approaches like the above obviously take time. Trustworthy systems that can automate these mundane tasks are likely to grow in popularity as the risks of AI editing and generation increase.

    Likewise, there’s a role for regulators to play in ensuring people don’t misuse AI technology. In the European Union, Apple’s plan to roll out its Apple Intelligence features, which include the Clean Up function, was delayed due to “regulatory uncertainties”.

    AI can be used to make our lives easier. Like any technology, it can be used for good or bad. Being aware of what it’s capable of and developing your visual and media literacies is essential to being an informed member of our digital world.

    T.J. Thomson receives funding from the Australian Research Council. He is an affiliated researcher with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making & Society.

    – ref. Tools like Apple’s photo Clean Up are yet another nail in the coffin for being able to trust our eyes – https://theconversation.com/tools-like-apples-photo-clean-up-are-yet-another-nail-in-the-coffin-for-being-able-to-trust-our-eyes-253942

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Feenstra Votes to Restore Constitutional Separation of Powers and Rein In Power of District Court Judges

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Randy Feenstra (IA-04)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) voted for, and the U.S. House of Representatives passed, the No Rogue Rulings Act, which would restore the constitutional balance of powers and limit the ability of district court judges to issue nationwide injunctions.

    “Since the beginning of the Trump administration, district court judges have issued nationwide injunctions preventing President Trump from advancing his America First agenda. More than 77 million Americans voted for his pro-America policies and want to see them implemented quickly. There is no reason that activist judges whose authority does not extend nationally should be allowed to completely stop President Trump’s agenda,” said Rep. Feenstra. “I voted to rein in the power of district court judges because our Constitution limits federal courts to resolving specific ‘cases’ and ‘controversies.’ Nationwide injunctions violate that limitation and empower these judges to render far-reaching decisions with a single ruling. The will of the American people matters, and the American people voted to restore prosperity and greatness unhindered by far-left court decisions.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China urges US to stop maliciously linking China to Panama Canal issue

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China urges the United States to stop spreading rumors, causing trouble and maliciously associating China with the Panama Canal issue to excuse its own control over the canal, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry said in Beijing on Wednesday.

    Spokesperson Lin Jian made the comments at a daily news briefing, responding to remarks made by the U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during his recent visit to Panama.

    Hegseth reportedly said that China has carried out espionage activities in Panama by controlling key infrastructure in the Panama Canal area, endangering the security, prosperity and sovereignty of Panama and the United States.

    Lin expressed firm opposition to the malicious attacks on China from senior U.S. officials, which he said have discredited and undermined China-Panama cooperation, once again exposing the United States as a bully nation.

    “Everyone knows who wants to control the Panama Canal,” he said, adding that the United States should look in the mirror to see who is threatening the sovereignty, security and development interests of other countries.

    “Compromise and concession will never secure sovereignty or respect; they will only fuel the arrogance of bullies,” he said. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Peters & Fong Reintroduce Bill to Protect California’s Iconic Giant Sequoias from Catastrophic Wildfires

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representatives Scott Peters (D-CA-50) and Vince Fong (R-CA-20) introduced the Save Our Sequoias (SOS) Act, a bipartisan initiative to give land managers the tools to save the iconic giant sequoia and reduce the severity of wildfires that contribute to climate change.

    This bill would enhance interagency coordination, accelerate forest restoration efforts, and provide important resources to land managers to guard these ancient trees from further destruction. The SOS Act would reverse the damage caused by catastrophic wildfires and restore the resilience of Giant Sequoia groves, providing critical ecological, scientific, and cultural benefits.

    “For generations, the majestic giant sequoia has provided innumerable cultural, environmental, and recreational benefits to humans,” said Rep. Peters. “Unfortunately, insufficient land management and climate change have led to increasingly severe fires that threaten the survival of giant sequoias and the stability of the climate. In just one year, the California wildfires that threaten the Sequoias contributed more to climate change than the state’s entire power sector. Our Save Our Sequoias Act charts a new path forward in federal forest and wildfire policy to combat climate change and ensure the giant sequoias stand safely in their natural habitat for years to come.”

    “California’s Giant Sequoias are a symbol of our state’s natural heritage,” said Rep. Fong. “We cannot afford to stand by as continued forest mismanagement destroys our natural resources. It is essential we enact legislation that enforces proactive forest management, and harnesses the power of science, collaboration, and expedited action to protect the remaining Giant Sequoias, return resilience to our forests, and ensure these trees endure for generations.”

    Representative Peters originally introduced the SOS Act in 2022 with former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman, and again in 2023.

    Representative Peters and Chairman Westerman are also the authors of the Fix Our Forests Act, a comprehensive bill to reduce the procedural challenges that slow fire prevention work on high-risk areas. The bill also provides resources to improve community resiliency to megafires, like assistance with removing hazardous brush near homes and prepositioning firefighting resources during high fire risk times.

    “Save the Redwoods League and our federal, state, and tribal partners led significant efforts to restore resilience to the giant sequoias in the past year, yet the existential threat across the range remains severe. It is critically urgent that the National Park Service and USDA-Forest Service have the tools and sustained/permanent funding necessary to implement near-term restoration actions and long-term stewardship of the Giant Sequoia ecosystem. Ensuring a robust future of this iconic species is among the League’s highest priorities,” said Kirsten Tobey, interim president and CEO of Save the Redwoods League. “We welcome the opportunity presented by the reintroduction of the Save Our Sequoias Act to work with Congress to secure the necessary resources and flexibility for our partners to do this critical work, comprehensively and sustainably. The League applauds the leadership of Congressman Fong, Congressman Peters and all the bill’s supporters for their commitment to giant sequoia conservation.”

    “The “Save Our Sequoias Act” is a long overdue effort to empower resourceful experts and stewards to employ critical resiliency efforts to combat the very real threat of fire that plagues roughly 70 Sequoia groves as drought conditions increase,” said Shine Nieto, Chairman, Tule River Tribe. “We recognize that there are currently few long-term drought solutions in place in the area to protect our forest and lands – so we must work together to save our sequoias. The Tule River Tribe is proud to support the passage of the Save the Sequoias Act.

    Over the last century, fire suppression practices and forest mismanagement have led to a dangerous build-up of fuels, which, in combination with increasingly intense wildfires, has caused the unparalleled destruction of Giant Sequoia groves. For 800 years, we lost no Sequoias due to fire, but in the last few years alone, there has been a nearly 20% loss of these trees.

    The SOS Act will provide the following key measures to address this crisis:

    • Reforestation Strategy: Establish a comprehensive reforestation strategy to regenerate Giant Sequoias in groves destroyed by recent wildfires, helping to ensure the long-term survival of these majestic trees.
    • Expedited Emergency Procedures: Declare an emergency to codify existing emergency procedures, streamline environmental reviews, and maintain robust scientific analysis to accelerate necessary forest treatments.
    • Enhanced Coordination: Strengthen collaboration between federal, state, tribal, and local land managers through shared stewardship agreements and the creation of the Giant Sequoia Lands Coalition, a partnership between current Giant Sequoia managers.
    • Health and Resiliency Assessment: Establish a Giant Sequoia Health and Resiliency Assessment to prioritize forest management projects, track progress, and ensure ongoing study of the trees’ health and resiliency over time.
    • Hazardous Fuels Reduction Funding: Provide funding and create a new grant program to support hazardous fuels reduction treatments in and around Giant Sequoia groves, mitigating the risk of wildfires.

    Speeding up science-based forest treatments will boost resilience, improve air and water quality, reduce carbon emissions, and protect vital habitats. Giant Sequoias, the world’s largest trees, are found in 70 groves across 37,000 acres in California, where nearly one-fifth have been destroyed since 2015. The time to protect these irreplaceable pieces of history for future generations is now.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Republicans Shoot Down Peters’ Amendments to Eliminate Phony Math from Republican Budget and Boost NIH Funding

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Scott Peters (CA-50) filed two amendments to the Republican budget blueprint, which extends $4.5 trillion in temporary tax cuts that add to the national debt and cuts vital programs like Medicaid to offset the cost. His first amendment would strike a provision that allows Republicans to pretend that extending these tax cuts skewed toward the wealthy costs nothing. Non-partisan experts at the Committee for a Responsible Budget have estimated that this Republican gimmick alone could explode the national debt by an additional $3.4 to $4.6 trillion. His second amendment would stop Republican attempts to cut the National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget and instead boost it by billions of dollars. Republicans on the House Rules Committee refused to consider Rep. Peters’ amendments.

    “As Trump’s tariffs drive up the cost of living for American households, Republicans in Congress double down on a reckless budget that blows up the national debt at the expense of hard-working Americans,” said Rep. Scott Peters. “I’ve stood with some of my Republicans colleagues to call out our national debt in the past, but now these same people are poised to dramatically increase it. My amendment would have forced Republicans to face the truth: their budget is cruel and not at all fiscally conservative.”

    “Countless families around the country are desperate for cures to Alzheimer’s, cancer, and other diseases that depend on government funded research,” said Rep. Peters. “It is both cruel and wasteful to stop these clinical studies and trials as be forced to throw out their data. New cures to these diseases will save the government money in the long run as we move patients from expensive long-term care to healthy lives. We should invest more, not less in NIH and other basic scientific research.”      

    Representative Peters is the author of the Fiscal Commission Act, legislation to establish a bipartisan, bicameral, and open-doored commission to tackle our nation’s long-term debt, help us avoid automatic and across-the-board cuts to Social Security and Medicare, and secure a more prosperous future for our children. This approach stands in stark contrast to the partisan bill Republicans are advancing, which will only make our debt problems worse.

    San Diego is home to one of the country’s largest life sciences ecosystems, including world-class public and private research institutions and private companies that turn discoveries into therapies and cures. Rep. Peters’ district receives nearly $1 billion in NIH grant funding every year, more than any other district in California.

    In February, the Trump Administration announced a cap on all NIH grants for expenditures like lab space, utilities, IT, and equipment. These investments are integral to the work researchers do, and the proposed cuts will result in an estimated $800 million cut in funding in California alone. The NIH funding cap will devastate the development of life-saving research, inhibit patient access to life-saving treatments and clinical trials, and cede American dominance in biomedical research to our foreign competitors like China and Russia for years to come. In response, Rep. Peters led a letter demanding the Trump Administration preserve NIH funding. In March, Rep. Peters brought Dr. James B. Brewer, MD, PhD, medical professor and chair of the Department of Neurosciences at the University of California, San Diego, as his guest to the President’s Joint Address to Congress to highlight the devastation of these cuts. While federal courts have blocked the President’s across-the-board cuts, the administration is already looking for other ways to cut NIH grant funding. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES: “REPUBLICANS ARE SETTING IN MOTION THE LARGEST MEDICAID CUT IN AMERICAN HISTORY”

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

    Washington, DC – Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke on the House Floor in opposition to the reckless Republican budget which would enact the largest Medicaid cut in American history and raise cuts on hardworking American taxpayers. 

    Leader Jeffries: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me also thank the distinguished gentleman from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Representative Boyle who’s doing a tremendous job leading House Democrats on the Budget Committee.

    Mr. Speaker, yesterday, I urged you to join me on the House Floor to debate this reckless budget one-on-one, so we would have an opportunity to fully air—in a transparent way—before the American people, Democratic values and Republican values, the Democratic perspective on this budget and the Republican perspective. I’m on the House floor right now. We’re ready to debate, one-on-one, prepared to yield to you for a colloquy at any time, so we can discuss the Democratic vision for building an affordable economy, that lowers costs and makes life better for the American people and the Republican budget proposal that would enact the largest Medicaid cut in American history in order to pass massive tax breaks for your billionaire donors like Elon Musk. Mr. Speaker, I’m ready to yield. I’m ready to debate one-on-one on this House Floor. And I promise not to rebuke you in the name of Jesus.

    Here in America, we were told—we were told by Donald Trump and House Republicans that you were going to lower the high cost of living for everyday Americans. In fact, we were told that you were going to do it on day one, and it hasn’t happened. President Trump and House Republicans told us that you were going to deliver the golden age of America. But over the last several months, we haven’t witnessed the golden age of America. We’ve witnessed a rotten age. You are crashing the economy in real time, driving us toward a Republican recession that’s going to hurt children, hurt families, hurt seniors, hurt everyday Americans, hurt veterans and hurt people across the land.

    You haven’t done anything to address the high cost of living. As Democrats, we recognize that America is too expensive. The cost of living in this great country is far too high. Housing costs are too high. Grocery costs are too high, insurance costs are too high, utility costs are too high and childcare costs are too high. America is too expensive. We should be working to lower the high cost of living. Far too many people in this country can’t get ahead, and they can barely get by, struggling to make ends meet, living paycheck to paycheck. We should be acting decisively to address the high cost of living. President Trump promised costs would go down on day one. Costs aren’t going down, they’re going up. Inflation is going up. Consumer confidence is coming down. And these reckless policies, including the Trump tariffs, are driving us toward a recession. And on top of it all, you are presenting a budget that’s going to make things worse.

    So we stand here today in strong opposition to this reckless Republican budget. It’s a cruel budget. It’s a budget that will have catastrophic consequences on everyday Americans. It’s an assault on the economy, it’s an assault on Medicaid, an assault on health care, an assault on nutritional assistance to children and families, it’s an assault on older Americans, an assault on hospitals and nursing homes and Community Health Centers, it’s an assault on veterans, which is why we reject it, because we’re going to stand on the side of the American people.

    Now, there are so many different problems with this budget resolution, but let’s begin with the fact that Republicans are setting in motion the largest Medicaid cut in American history. That’s going to hurt people all across this country, in small-town America, in urban America, in rural America, in the heartland of America, in Appalachia. All across this country, people will be hurt. Health care will be taken away from children, pregnant women, everyday Americans with disabilities, older Americans, people in nursing homes, people who are receiving long-term care. Nursing homes will close. That will impact everybody in a given community. Hospitals will shut down in rural America, in small-town America, all across America. The largest Medicaid cut in American history. It’s completely and totally unacceptable.

    At the same period of time, targeting nutritional assistance for children, infants, women, families, veterans, older Americans—literally taking food out of the mouths of babies in the United States of America, the wealthiest country in the history of the world. This is why we say it’s a cruel budget. It’s a callous budget. It’s a budget that will have catastrophic consequences. Veterans will be hurt—people who have served this country admirably. They stood up for us. We should always stand up for them, not target them, as will be the case in this reckless Republican budget.

    And so, we’re here to make it clear. Hands off Medicaid. Hands off the health care of the United States of America. Hands off nutritional assistance. Hands off veterans. Hands off everyday Americans struggling to make ends meet. Republicans do nothing to lower the high cost of living. In fact, you’re making the affordability crisis in America worse, not better, then you target earned benefits and things that are important to the American people, like Medicaid, to visit upon it such an extreme cut. And what are you doing it for? What is it in service of? All to pass massive tax breaks for your billionaire donors like Elon Musk. The president himself has made that clear. At the end of the day, that’s what this is all about. How extraordinary is that? As Democrats, we support tax cuts for everyday Americans, tax cuts for small businesses, tax cuts for family farmers, tax cuts for those who need relief, not tax cuts for the wealthy, the well-off and the well-connected. And so, we stand in strong opposition to this GOP tax scam.

    The reason why, Mr. Speaker, I’ve said, let’s debate this on the House Floor, directly, through a colloquy, transparently, to make it clear to the American people where we stand and where Republicans stand at such a fragile moment with so many people in this country struggling to make ends meet. And so, as House Democrats, we’re going to continue to stand on the side of the American people. We’re going to stand on the side of our children, of our families, of our veterans, of older Americans, of everyone aspiring to achieve the American dream. Stand up in defense of Medicaid, stand up in defense of veterans benefits, stand up in defense of nutritional assistance, stand up in defense of economic opportunity and a fair tax code that is designed to build an economy that actually works for everyday Americans, as opposed to an economy of the billionaires, by the billionaires and for the billionaires. That is why we strongly oppose this reckless Republican budget resolution and we will not rest until we bury it in the ground, never to rise again. I yield back.

    Full speech can be watched here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Beyer Eviscerates Trump Tariff Policy In Hearing With U.S. Trade Representative

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)

    Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) today ripped the “logic” of President Trump’s insane tariff regime to shreds today during a House Ways and Means Committee hearing on Trump’s trade policy with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

    During the course of his testimony, Greer repeatedly advocated for increased tariffs on top U.S. trading partners – tariffs Trump abruptly paused during the hearing. Greer, who ostensibly serves as Trump’s top adviser on trade policy, obliviously continued to defend the paused tariffs to members of the Committee for some time until he was informed of the sudden change.

    Video of Beyer’s exchange can be viewed here. Some of his comments to Ambassador Greer: 

    “Ambassador Greer, you have a most awful job: to try to convince us and the people we represent that the President’s trade policies are wise and measured when the truth is they are stupid and bad.”
    …
    “I want to quickly run through a few of the ways the logic behind the Trump tariffs makes no sense. You got the math wrong, according to the people whose research you cited. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record a New York Times article by former Treasury official Brent Neiman titled, ‘The Trump White House Cited My Research to Justify Tariffs. It Got It All Wrong.’ This math error had the effect of quadrupling the tariffs Trump applied to some of our biggest trading partners.

    “Trump exempted some goods – notably oil – but not others, including things we simply cannot produce in the United States. Why tariff bananas? Why tariff cocoa? Why tariff coffee? We don’t have the capacity to produce these things at a scale that meets domestic demand.

    “Trump logic equates any trade deficit with ‘cheating,’ in fact he called it ‘rape.’ But even this stupid logic didn’t help Australia or Brazil or Singapore, all countries with whom we have a trade surplus. How does Australia negotiate an end to a trade deficit that doesn’t exist?

    “Some countries have a deficit because we import things we want but they are too poor to afford our exports. A perfect example is Madagascar. We buy something like 60 percent of our vanilla from Madagascar, but they have one of the lowest GDP-per-capita rates in the world, and they just can’t afford many of our products. We just hit them with a 47% tariff.

    Trump is hinting that maybe if countries lower tariffs on us he might drop tariffs on them, a little bit or some or possibly. But Vietnam, knowing that Trump was coming, massively cut their tariffs on the U.S. to appease him ahead of his announcement last week. Instead you slapped a 46% tariff on them anyway. So what are the Vietnamese supposed to do?

    “Trump declared a phony national emergency and imposed tariffs on Canada to punish our closest ally for ‘fentanyl smuggling,’ despite the fact that our own government says the amount of smuggling at the northern border is vanishingly small, less than one percent. How does Canada get out of tariffs imposed for something we admit they’re not doing?

    “Trump is risking our economy to bring back factory jobs that pay far less than the 8 million jobs listed in the JOLTS report right now, 8 million jobs available in America, that pay far more in fast-growing like health care, clean energy, or data science.

    “The Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, is on television raving about shifting millions of Americans to work on, and I quote, “screwing in little screws to make iPhones.”

    “You guys are blasting nearly every product from nearly every country with these tariffs, Senator Tillis yesterday called it ‘a trade war on all fronts.’ It hurts our alliances, it is hurting our economy, it hurts our ability to make and keep free trade agreements – which is supposedly your job.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Amo Shares Rhode Islander’s Story to Defend Medicaid from Planned Republican Cuts

    Source: US Congressman Gabe Amo (Rhode Island 1st District)

    Al of East Providence shared his fears at Amo’s town hall last week about the possible impact of Republican’s budget plans

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Gabe Amo (RI-01), a member of the House Budget Committee, once again slammed the latest Republican budget resolution, which threatens devastating cuts to critical programs. In his remarks, Amo spoke about the story of Al, a 74-year-old resident of East Providence who relies on Medicaid and Medicare to make ends meet.

    “Despite the overwhelming majority crying out for everyday Americans over the whims of billionaires, clearly Republicans don’t care about the facts or figures. So maybe they’ll listen to my constituent Al,” said Congressman Gabe Amo, a member of the House Committee on Budget, on the House Floor. “Al is a 74-year-old resident of an assisted living facility in East Providence. He is petrified that Republican cuts will force him on the street. Al needs Medicare and Medicaid to make ends meet. Even with assistance, he lives on $120 a month — $30 a week. It’s not fear mongering to say Republican plans would hurt Al.”

    Watch Congressman Amo’s remarks HERE

    BACKGROUND
    Congressman Amo serves on the House Committee on the Budget to fight for budget priorities that reflect Rhode Island values and the needs of working families across the country. The committee is also the first step in the reconciliation process the Republican House majority is using to push the Trump Tax Scam 2.0 — a plan that could cut key programs like SNAP and Medicaid.

    On February 25, 2025, Congressman Amo took to the House Floor to slam the Republican budget resolution that threatens devastating cuts to critical programs.

    On February 24, 2025, Congressman Amo submitted two amendments to the House Committee on Rules to protect SNAP and affirm that Medicaid is a critical program for more than 306,000 Rhode Island residents.

    On February 19, 2025, Congressman Amo visited the Barrington Peck Center for Adult Enrichment where he spoke about his support for critical programs like Medicare and Medicaid. There, Congressman Amo discussed his work on the Budget Committee to protect these programs from Republican cuts.

    On February 20, 2025,Congressman Gabe Amo joined Dean Ashish Jha of Brown University’s School of Public Health to reaffirm his support for funding health care facilities that provide comprehensive primary care to medically underserved communities, as well as his work to protect critical funding for medical research and public health programs under threat due to cuts by the Trump administration.

    During the House Budget Committee markup on February 13, 2025, Congressman Amo offered two amendments to support protecting and extending Medicare’s solvency as well as protect SNAP, the Community Eligibility Provision, the School Breakfast Program, and the National School Lunch Program.

    The Republican budget resolution directs specific committees to achieve spending cuts or increases. Republicans leaked menu of options includes:

    • At least $880 billion in cuts for the Energy and Commerce Committee, which could target Medicaid, Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium assistance, and repeal Inflation Reduction Act policies.
    • At least $330 billion in cuts for the Education and Workforce Committee, which could target student loan programs, income driven repayment, and Pell grants, Head Start, and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
    • At least $230 billion in cuts for the Agriculture Committee, which could target SNAP.
    • At least $50 billion in cuts for the Oversight Committee, which could target government employee retirement benefits and changes to federal workforce.
    • At least $10 billion in cuts for the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which could target restricting Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding, Essential Air Service, increasing the “tonnage tax” on cargo, and raiding the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund.
    • At least $1 billion in cuts for the Financial Services Committee, which could target the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and funding for financial regulators.
    • At least $1 billion in cuts for the Natural Resources Committee, which could include expanded oil and gas leasing and the repeal of Inflation Reduction Act policies. 
    • Up to $4.5 trillion in new spending for the Ways and Means Committee, which could include tax cuts for the top one percent, repeal of Inflation Reduction Act policies, cuts to Temporary Assistance to Needy Families and Social Services Block Grant, cuts in Medicare payments to providers, and cuts to ACA premium assistance.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Cut Taxes for Working Americans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

     ***VIDEO AVAILABLE***

    Video of the Senator’s remarks at a press conference introducing this critical legislation is available here.

    Video download is available here.

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) led 43 of their Senate colleagues in introducing the Tax Cut for Workers Act to give millions of working Americans a much-needed tax break. Cortez Masto’s bill is part of Senate Democrats’ comprehensive plan to bring relief to the American people, and it is being introduced with the Senators’ American Families Act to permanently expand the Child Tax Credit. The Tax Cuts for Workers Act will be introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressmen Dwight Evans (D-Pa.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.).

    “With costs skyrocketing right now thanks to the Trump administration, millions of hardworking Americans need expanded tax relief to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table for their families,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “This bill is focused on those who really need a tax cut – middle-class Americans who contribute to our economy – not Donald Trump’s billionaire friends.

    “Working people need relief more than ever. The Trump Administration’s reckless tariff policy will cost the average American family upwards of $3,800 annually,” said Senator Bennet. “These tariffs, coupled with an extension of Trump’s tax cuts for his billionaire friends, are an insult to hard working Americans. Senator Cortez Masto and I are committed to passing real tax relief for middle-class families through the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit.”

    The existing Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) – the Worker Tax Cut – has been delivering tax relief for millions of workers for decades. But it’s just not enough, and Cortez Masto is determined to give more working Americans a break. Her legislation would cut taxes for working class Americans without children, who currently receive a much smaller EITC than workers with children. This expansion would include over 160,000 Nevadans by nearly tripling the average tax break many of these Americans receive from the existing EITC. It also extends eligibility for the tax cut to workers under the age of 25 and over the age of 64.

    Read the full bill here.

    Additional cosponsors include Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

    Senator Cortez Masto has consistently supported efforts to cut taxes and lower costs for hardworking Nevadans. She helped pass critical expansions to the Child Tax Credit in the American Rescue plan, and has been fighting to permanently increase this vital relief for working families. Cortez Masto also helped introduce the No Tax on Tips Act to exempt tipped wages from federal income tax. Additionally, Senator Cortez Masto supports raising the federal minimum wage and eliminating the minimum wage gap for tipped workers nationally. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto Joins Press Conference Highlighting Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Invest in Local Law Enforcement

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    FTPs for TV stations is available here.

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) spoke at a press conference to highlight the urgent need to pass her bipartisan Invest to Protect Act. She was joined by Representatives Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.-05) and John Rutherford (R-Fla.-05) who introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives, as well as by local law enforcement officers.

    “Local police departments are the backbone of public safety for communities across the Silver State, but in conversations with law enforcement officers, I have heard over and over again that they need more resources,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “This bipartisan, bicameral legislation gives small departments across the country a boost in funding for training, recruitment, and mental health support. It’s commonsense, and it’s time to get it done.”

    “The bipartisan Invest to Protect Act will make critical investments in our departments and ensure that our police officers in smaller towns across New Jersey, and our nation, have the resources and training they need to keep themselves and communities safe,” said Congressman Gottheimer. “If you want to make something better, you don’t get there by cutting or defunding. You need to make smart, targeted investments. You must invest, not defund. You can have both justice and public safety. You don’t have to pick between one or the other. This bipartisan legislation will help ensure we have both and protect our communities and officers.”

    “Small police forces are often the most resource constrained agencies and suffer the most from a lack of operational equipment and services,” said Congressman Rutherford. “As a former sheriff and career law enforcement officer, I am proud to join Congressman Gottheimer to reintroduce the Invest to Protect Act in the House to make trainings, retention tools, and mental health care resources more readily available for departments with fewer than 175 officers. It’s important we streamline the grant process for smaller law enforcement agencies to provide them with the resources they need to protect our communities nationwide.”

    The majority of law enforcement agencies in the U.S. are smaller than 175 full-time sworn officers, including all of Nevada’s rural sheriff’s departments and key suburban departments such as the Sparks Police Department. In Nevada and nationwide, these small departments often struggle to access critical resources. Cortez Masto’s bipartisan Invest to Protect Act would establish a grant program through the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program to provide $250 million specifically to help these small law enforcement agencies make meaningful investments in their officers and communities. This bill is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police and the National Association of Police Organizations.

    As the former top law enforcement official in Nevada, Senator Cortez Masto has been a leading advocate in the Senate for our police officers and is part of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus. She has secured historic funding for the Byrne JAG grant program, the leading source of criminal justice funding in the country. Her bipartisan bills to combat the crisis of law enforcement suicide and provide mental health resources to police officers have been signed into law by presidents of both parties. Her BADGES for Native Communities Act, to support the Bureau of Indian Affairs with law enforcement recruitment and retention, passed the Senate last Congress.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto Demands Trump Administration Provide Plan to Address Impact of Trump Tariffs, Other Executive Action on Tourism

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik, U.S. Department of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, National Economic Council (NEC) Director Dr. Kevin Hassett, and Ambassador Jamieson Greer (USTR) demanding they provide their plan to mitigate the economic stress caused by the implementation of President Donald Trump’s tariffs and other executive actions. The Senator especially expressed concern about these efforts and their harms to the Nevada, and broader U.S., travel and tourism industry.

    Nevada is one of the top five states most visited by international travelers, and the industry makes up nearly 16 percent of the state’s economy, generating $23.6 billion in total income. As of 2024, more than 300,000 Nevadans are employed by our tourism industry, including more than 60,000 union members.

    “Among the Trump Administration’s unclear executive orders, actual and threatened executive actions, and the work of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), there has been no transparency about the negative impacts these actions will have on the United States,” wrote the Senator. “These efforts have resulted in damaging trade policies, frozen federal funding, a gutted federal workforce, and have extended Presidential authority beyond legal limits, all creating real consequences for working families, small businesses, and industries. I cannot stress enough the need for the Trump Administration to seriously consider the devastating impacts your actions are having on our nation’s tourism economy.”

    Cortez Masto listed a handful of policies that are having a detrimental impact on the tourism industry, including:

    • the threats and application of tariffs to nations including America’s allies;
    • the increasingly aggressive – and questionably legal – procedures being utilized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection;
    • the freezing or eliminating of federal funding supporting transportation infrastructure, National Parks, and cultural sites;
    • and the firing of employees across the federal government.

    “Because of the lack of transparency regarding the negative impacts of the Trump Administration’s actions, I am writing to underscore a concern about these efforts and their harm on our nation’s travel and tourism sector, request information on how you are mitigating the economic stress, and offer solutions,” continued the Senator. “It is a fact that the travel industry is seeing a noticeable decrease in room bookings, business travel, and recreational visits from both domestic and international travel. This sector is fundamental to my home state of Nevada and its hundreds of thousands of hardworking men and women who work in events, entertainment, and hospitality.”

    The travel and tourism industry represents 2.5 percent of the national Gross Domestic Product and supports over 15 million American jobs. Travel experts estimate the number of people arriving to the U.S. from abroad to decline by 9.4% in 2025 and travel spending to fall 12.3%, resulting in a $22 billion annual loss nationally. The domestic travel industry has seen devastating impacts as well – in February, U.S. consumer spending on air travel dropped 10 percent and spending on hotels dropped 6 percent relative to a year ago.

    Read the full letter here.

    Senator Cortez Masto has continued to push the Trump Administration to address the impacts of Trump’s tariffs on working families. Earlier today, during a Senate Finance Committee hearing, Cortez Masto pressed U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer about the impacts of President Trump’s blanket tariffs on Nevadans, particularly those employed in the tourism and hospitality industry. Earlier this month, the Senator introduced the Tariff Transparency Act to require the U.S. International Trade Commission to investigate how Donald Trump’s recent tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada will impact the American people and make that information public. Senator Cortez Masto also wrote a letter to Secretary of Defense Hegseth and Secretary of Treasury Bessent demanding answers on the national security impacts on President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen Unveils New Legislation Prohibiting Special Government Employees’ Companies from Receiving Federal Contracts or Grant Payments

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a top member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services and Appropriations Committee, is introducing new legislation that would prevent federal contracts or grant payments to companies owned or controlled by any person who became a Special Government Employee (SGE) on or after January 1, 2025.  

    “Those who step up to serve our country should do so because they want to contribute to the betterment of our nation – not because they stand to benefit from their public service at the expense of taxpayers,” said Shaheen. “I’m introducing legislation to prohibit anyone named a Special Government Employee from raking in federal dollars in government contracts and grant payments and prevent the clear conflicts of interests this arrangement could pose.” 

    Senator Shaheen’s legislation utilizes the beneficial ownership framework that is also used by the Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to companies traded on stock exchanges, and the agency uses this framework to disclose the true owners of companies whose ownership would otherwise be obscured or hidden by shell companies. Hence, if an SGE owns 5% or more of a company, that company would be ineligible to contract with or receive payment from the federal government.  

    Shaheen’s bill provides a route for such companies to again be eligible for payments and contracts. If the SGE whose beneficial ownership triggers the payment and contract prohibition quits being an SGE, the company would then be eligible to receive both. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy reintroduces bill to stop online exploitation of America’s children

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today reintroduced the Targeting Child Predators Act to help stop children from being exploited online. 
    “Innocent children are uniquely vulnerable to wicked people who commit one of the worst crimes imaginable in the internet’s shadows. Law enforcement should have every resource at their disposal to stop and punish child predators, and this bill delivers a critical tool for the good guys,” said Kennedy. 
    Current law gives suspected predators opportunity to evade prosecution and criminal accountability when electronic communication service (ECS) providers alert them to potential law enforcement investigations. 
    When law enforcement investigates online child exploitation cases, they typically match an IP address to a suspected predator. Officials may then use this evidence to obtain a subpoena to collect the name of the person attached to the IP address from an ECS provider.
    ECS providers comply with these subpoenas, but often inform users of the search—in these cases, suspected child predators—of the request. Suspects who discover that law enforcement is investigating them regularly erase their internet search footprints, which can make prosecuting online child predators nearly impossible.
    The Targeting Child Predators Act would allow law enforcement to block ECS providers from notifying suspected child predators that they are being investigated for at least 180 days if law enforcement certifies that doing so is necessary to prevent destruction of evidence, flight and other misconduct.
    Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) cosponsored the bill.
    “We live in a digitally dominated world and while there are many positive benefits that come with that, there’s also a dark underbelly. This legislation would support law enforcement’s efforts to mitigate the dangerous threats that lurk behind the screens we look at daily and safeguard Texas children from harm,” said Cornyn. 
    The Targeting Child Predators Act does not expand what type of evidence law enforcement can collect and allows for judicial review of a nondisclosure requirement attached to a subpoena.
    The Child Rescue Coalition, Raven, Major County Sheriffs of America and the National Fraternal Order of Police support the Targeting Child Predators Act. 
    “The TCPA will streamline data access for law enforcement in child exploitation cases, without compromising their investigations, or repeatedly burdening the Judiciary, enabling quicker investigations to protect and rescue victims from online predators,” said Greg Schiller, CEO, Child Rescue Coalition.
    “This bill will prevent tech companies from notifying child predators of subpoena service which will keep vital evidence from being destroyed and increase law enforcement’s ability to rescue victims,” said Jennifer Dunton, Director of Legislative Affairs at Raven.
    “MCSA commends Senator Kennedy for introducing the Targeting Child Predators Act. If those who target and exploit children are tipped off when a criminal investigation is underway, they can destroy evidence and as a result complicate the recovery of evidence. This bill would help to minimize this possibility and improve our chances of putting them behind bars. We encourage Congress to act on this important legislation,” said Sheriff Bill Brown, President, Major County Sheriffs of America. 
    “The ‘Targeting Child Predators Act’ makes a common-sense change that ensures that law enforcement has the necessary time to conduct thorough investigations and build strong cases against offenders. This change would ultimately help remove predators from our neighborhoods and make our internet communities safer for children and families,” said Patrick Yoes, National President, National Fraternal Order of Police. 
    The full bill text of the Targeting Child Predators Act is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy blasts NYC public school system for promoting antisemitic toolkit: “Still in disbelief”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

    Watch Kennedy’s comments here.

    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) questioned why the New York City public school system published an antisemitic newsletter that encouraged students to attend a “rage week” against Israel in a speech on the U.S. Senate floor.

    Key excerpts of the speech are below: 

    “I’m still in disbelief. . . . The New York public schools publish a monthly newsletter. It is called the Office of Student Pathways Newsletter. . . . In the latest newsletter they blasted out, they had one of those bullet points that they made in the newsletter that is kind of—when you look at it on the internet, it is kind of pale blue. You can click on it, and it sends you to another site. 

    “The bullet point on the newsletter that the public schools of New York sent out was called: ‘Guidelines for teaching about genocide.’ And if you clicked on this phrase in the newsletter, it sent you to another site. Do you know what the site was? ‘Stop Gaza Genocide Toolkit.’ The administration of the New York public schools, the largest in the country, is sending this out to its teachers and its students and to the world. If you take a look and you say, ‘What is in this toolkit, this Stop Gaza Genocide Toolkit?’ It contains the biggest bunch of antisemitic rot you can imagine.”

    . . .

    “But then the article goes on to say that it has been discovered that a similar version of the toolkit—this oversight—was published in the newsletter in the prior month. It was in the Oct.-Nov. 2024 newsletter. That document called on all the teachers and all the students in the New York public schools—and everybody else reading the newsletter—it called on them to participate in ‘rage week’ and ‘resist genocide’ by mobilizing on Saturday, Oct. 5, for a ‘day of action’ ahead of the anniversary of Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. That was the date of the terrorist attack on Israel, which apparently the administration of the public schools wants to celebrate.”

    Watch Kennedy’s speech here.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy announces $1.1 million for generators in Red River Parish

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $1,055,556 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants for generators in Red River Parish, La.

    “When disaster strikes, Louisianians rely on back-up power to stay safe. This $1.1 million will help Red River Parish cover these costs and prepare for the next storm,” said Kennedy.

    The FEMA aid will fund the following:

    • $1,000,000 for the purchase and installation of 21 permanent generators, switches, foundation pads and security fencing in Red River Parish.
    • $55,556 for management costs associated with generator purchase and installation in Red River Parish.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Scott Statement on South Carolina Workers’ Key Role in Economic Growth

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) issued the statement below emphasizing the crucial role South Carolina’s dedicated workers play in driving the state’s and the nation’s positive economic growth:

    “I’m committed to supporting President Trump’s America First agenda and ensuring our trading partners aren’t taking advantage of us. The truth is simple: the men and women of South Carolina are some of the smartest and hardest working people in the world. This is why BMW has chosen to invest billions of dollars in the Upstate, which has a significant positive economic impact on the state of South Carolina and our nation. Any suggestions to the contrary are ridiculous.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Polis Visits Southern Colorado to Discuss Colorado’s Leadership in Aerospace, Public Safety, Workforce Development & Saving Coloradans Money

    Source: US State of Colorado

    SOUTHERN COLORADO – Today, Governor Polis was in Colorado Springs and Pueblo focusing on Colorado’s nation-leading aerospace industry, and Colorado’s efforts to save people money, improve public safety, and strengthen the state’s workforce.

    Governor Polis attended the 2025 Space Symposium conference highlighting Colorado’s leadership in the aerospace sector and speaking with industry and business leaders from around the world. At the symposium, the Governor joined with Swisspod to announce their expanded presence in Colorado, including X new jobs. He also signed a Memorandum of Collaboration with New Zealand’s Space Minister Juidth Collins to strengthen the partnership between Colorado and New Zealand around aerospace, quantum and geothermal technology.

    “In Colorado, we are focused on our nation-leading work in the Aerospace industry, creating new pathways for Aerospace businesses to thrive and grow in our state, and maintaining mission readiness to ensure national security. Despite Trump’s reckless tariffs, which are threatening Colorado’s aerospace industry, workforce and military readiness, we continue working to ensure that Colorado remains the best in the nation for aerospace. I am glad  to be joined by leaders from around the world to discuss innovative ways to utilize and strengthen the aerospace economy and protect our robust space ecosystem in Colorado,” said Governor Polis.

    Earlier in the week, Lt. Governor Dianne Primvavera and co-chair of Colorado Space Coalition also toured the symposium and spoke with business and industry leaders.

    “Colorado is proud to be a national leader across national security, civil, and commercial space. From advancing space exploration to ensuring our national security in the space domain, space touches every aspect of American life,” said Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera. “We are thrilled to once again welcome the global space community to Colorado Springs for the Space Symposium—an event that showcases the groundbreaking work being done right here in our state. As this ecosystem continues to grow, the Polis-Primavera administration remains committed to fostering innovation and collaboration.”

    Colorado is first in the nation for the concentration of aerospace jobs, and second nationally for total aerospace employment with more than 55,000 employees at over 2,000 Colorado aerospace companies. Colorado is also proud to be home to key national security space missions, including U.S. Space Command, U.S. Space Force Space Operations Command, and the majority of operational U.S. Space Force deltas as well asNORAD, where members of the Canadian Armed Forces are stationed and work closely alongside American counterparts to protect North American aerospace and maritime security. All of which is threatened by Trump’s tariffs. Colorado in 2024 exported $500 million in aerospace, spacecraft and related parts, accounting for roughly 4.8% of all Colorado exports. The European Union, Brazil, France, Canada and Mexico were the top five export destinations, accounting for 63% of Colorado’s aerospace exports. In 2024, Colorado imported $1 Billion of aerospace, spacecraft and related parts, accounting for roughly 6.2% of all Colorado imports. Switzerland, the EU, Germany, Canada, and France were the top five import sources, accounting for over 90% of Colorado’s aerospace imports.

    The Governor also visited Safe Passage, an accredited Children Advocacy Center in Colorado Springs. Safe Passage gives abused children and adults a voice and enables the healing process by acting as the single source of contact for medical, investigative, and legal services. Colorado is committed to increasing public safety for everyone, and creating more pathways for children to get the necessary resources needed to heal.

    “No child deserves to endure abuse or mistreatment, which is why in Colorado we are working to increase public safety and invest in more resources for victims and survivors. The caretakers at Safe Passage are doing incredible work to support victims and guide them through the healing process to a brighter future,” said Governor Polis.

    Governor Polis made two visits in Pueblo, the first focused on Colorado’s work to strengthen the state’s healthcare workforce through Opportunity Now.

    The Office of Economic Development and International Trade’s (OEDIT) Opportunity Now program has invested $1.4 million to help Coloradans train as nurses at CSU-Pueblo through the Southern Colorado Partners Leading Advancement in Nursing Track (PLANT). This effort serves 15 counties in Southern Colorado and is focused on reducing the infant mortality rate and improving quality of care for Coloradans over the age of 65.

    “In Colorado, we are committed to investing in our healthcare workforce to help save Coloradans more money on healthcare. Creating avenues where Colordans can earn the skills necessary to fill gaps in our rural healthcare system is crucial to expanding coverage for families, and older adults in Southern Colorado to receive the necessary care they deserve,” said Governor Polis.

    Next, Governor Polis visited with AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) members in Pueblo who are working to help Coloradans file taxes for free and take advantage of tax credits that save people money. This effort is supported by United Way of Pueblo county, and partially funded by the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment’s Economic Mobility program. The AmeriCorps team began their work in January and will serve through April 11.The AmeriCorps NCCC team also spends one day a week supporting food security in Pueblo with Rocky Mountain Service, Employment and Redevelopment.

    “We want every Coloradan to take advantage of the tax credits available in our state, and this team of Americorps members, as well as others around the state, are helping to make that possible and they’re doing it for free. Their service is breaking through the hassle that doing taxes can be, and we appreciate their service,” said Governor Jared Polis.

    ###
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Global Bodies – Parliamentarians champion social development and justice at Tashkent Assembly – IPU

    Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)

    The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has successfully concluded its 150th Assembly in Tashkent, hosted by the Parliament of Uzbekistan. This landmark Assembly gathered nearly 1400 delegates, including some 740 members of parliament from approximately 130 countries.

    The presence of over 100 Speakers and Deputy Speakers of Parliament underscored the increasing recognition of parliamentary diplomacy as a vital complement to traditional international relations, especially at a time of significant geopolitical tensions.

    Highlighting the importance of the event, the President of Uzbekistan, Mr. Shavkat Mirziyoyev, addressed the Assembly in a special plenary session.

    Women MPs comprised over 37% of the parliamentarians at the Assembly, their highest representation at an IPU Assembly since 2022.

    The Tashkent Declaration: A call for social development and justice

    The global parliamentary community adopted the Tashkent Declaration on Parliamentary action for social development and justice, emphasizing the need for renewed efforts on social development to address ongoing and emerging challenges.

    The declaration highlights that the global social development agenda, initiated 30 years ago, has only been partially realized. It calls for a policy reset to balance market demands with the needs of the people, focusing on three key areas:

    investing in people to lift them from poverty to prosperity;
    democratizing the economy to benefit those who historically have been deprived of their fair share, particularly women and youth; and
    strengthening institutions, including through broad participation in the regulation of digital technologies such as artificial intelligence.

    Parliaments are urged to develop national plans for social development and engage in debates ahead of the Second World Summit for Social Development in Qatar in November 2025.

    Gender equality takes centre stage

    The IPU celebrated 40 years of its Forum for Women Parliamentarians, a unique platform driving significant advancements in gender equality and women’s empowerment.

    Against the backdrop of challenges to women’s rights and the stagnation of female parliamentary representation at 27.2%, the IPU launched its new gender campaign for 2025, Achieving gender equality: Action by action.

    The campaign aims to mobilize the global parliamentary community to accelerate progress in achieving gender equality in politics and society.

    Other outcomes and meetings

    The Assembly adopted two critical resolutions:

    The role of parliaments in advancing a two-State solution in Palestine: This resolution emphasizes the role of parliaments in promoting a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on international law. It calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the lifting of blockades, and the release of hostages, as well as urging support for humanitarian efforts and compliance with international law. It also urges parliaments to use their legislative powers to reinforce support for a two-State solution, ensuring the recognition of both Israel and Palestine as independent sovereign States.

    Parliamentary strategies to mitigate the long-lasting impact of conflicts, including armed conflicts, on sustainable development: This resolution addresses how conflicts hinder progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. It highlights the role of parliaments in mitigating the negative effects of conflicts, promoting peace, and ensuring the protection of infrastructure and humanitarian principles. The resolution stresses the importance of human rights, environmental considerations, and inclusive governance in post-conflict reconstruction.

    The Assembly also featured sessions on various topics, including the role of the BRICS in international relations, tackling weapons of mass destruction, preventing illegal adoptions, addressing the effects of armed conflict on children, advocating for climate action and reducing methane emissions.

    Elections

    Several new nominations and elections were also announced, including Ms. Gabriela Morawska-Stanecka (Poland) as IPU Vice-President, Ms. Noor Abugoush (Jordan) as President of the Bureau of Young Parliamentarians, and a second term for Ms. Cynthia López Castro (Mexico) as President of the Bureau of Women Parliamentarians.

    Quotes

    President of the 150th IPU Assembly and Chairperson of the Senate of Uzbekistan, Ms. Tanzila Narbaeva, said: “This Assembly underscores Uzbekistan’s parliamentary leadership on the international stage and reflects confidence in the country’s reform agenda. The Tashkent Declaration will serve as a roadmap for global social progress and justice.”

    IPU President, Dr. Tulia Ackson, said: “From the get-go, this Assembly has carried a sense of significance with the commemoration of the 150 occasions where the world’s parliamentarians have come together. This Organization has stood the test of time. But I would also like to say that our mission remains of profound importance, perhaps more so today than ever before. The world needs parliamentary diplomacy. We look forward to the next 150 IPU Assemblies, and to the generations they will serve.”

    IPU Secretary General, Mr. Martin Chungong, said: “Many delegates have pointed out that they come to IPU Assemblies not just to hear views that chime with their own, but to hear all sides of the argument. To be challenged, to break free of their echo chambers, to look at the world through different eyes. And although parliamentarians may not always agree, they are still enriched by what they have learned along the way thanks to the IPU.”

    The IPU is the global organization of national parliaments. It was founded in 1889 as the first multilateral political organization in the world, encouraging cooperation and dialogue between all nations. Today, the IPU comprises 182 national Member Parliaments and 15 regional parliamentary bodies. It promotes peace, democracy and sustainable development. It helps parliaments become stronger, younger, greener, more innovative and gender-balanced. It also defends the human rights of parliamentarians through a dedicated committee made up of MPs from around the world.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Delegation Welcomes $25 Million FAA Investment in Alaska Aviation Safety

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan

    04.09.25

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski, and Congressman Nick Begich (all R-Alaska) today welcomed a $25 million investment in Alaska aviation safety by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as part of the FAA’s Don Young Alaska Aviation Safety Initiative (DYAASI). This investment is a result of a Sullivan provision in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 authorizing $25 million annually for DYAASI from FY 2025 through 2028. The initiative was established by the FAA in response to a 2020 National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report on Alaska’s high rates of aviation accidents and fatalities, and focuses on prioritizing funding for the most safety critical systems.

    Additionally, in accordance with the requirements of the FAA legislation, the FAA recently announced it will be expanding the FAA’s use of satellites in Alaska—growing from four testing sites to 16—to help support connectivity at weather monitoring sites, particularly in the more remote parts of the state.

    “In Alaska, aviation is absolutely essential. Yet many of our rural communities either have poorly maintained safety and telecommunications infrastructure, or lack it altogether, leaving them without vital weather data,” said Sen. Sullivan. “This amplifies the risks in a state that already has unacceptably high rates of aviation accidents and fatalities. As a member of the Commerce Committee overseeing the FAA, I worked hard to secure many provisions in the recent FAA reauthorization requiring the agency to focus on and robustly invest in Alaska aviation safety. That work is paying off today with this significant down payment on new technologies and updates to the vital systems we need to make flying in Alaska safer and more reliable. In the absence of Congress executing a full year’s appropriations bill, this is an example of how long-term strategy and working with the administration can produce positive, sustainable results. I very much appreciate Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Acting Administrator Chris Rocheleau for recognizing the unique challenges our state faces and for their strong commitment to Alaska.”

    “Don Young spent his 49-year career fighting to make aviation safer for Alaskans – and we continue to build on that legacy,” said Sen. Murkowski. “Last summer, I convened a summit of government agencies and companies responsible for maintaining the Automated Surface Observing Systems (ASOS) in Yakutat to collaborate on better practices to reduce flight delays and bolster safety for travelers. The $25 million that I fought to include in appropriations for the Don Young Alaska Aviation Safety Initiative will pave the way for significant progress towards that goal by investing in critical upgrades to our aviation weather reporting systems. I commend the FAA for following through on this objective and partnering with the delegation to make this investment a reality, and I appreciate that Secretary Duffy has made this an early priority. Our state has an all-too tragic history of fatal air crashes, and I’m committed to doing everything in my power to ensure that we are able to confidently, and safely, take off and land at any airport in Alaska. This announcement today helps make aviation safer for all.”

    “Alaska must be the gold standard in aviation safety. It is critically important to ensure that every flight is backed by the technology, data, and the resources needed to make aviation safer in Alaska and throughout our nation. That is what we owe the people of Alaska,” said Congressman Begich. “This $25 million investment through the Don Young Alaska Aviation Safety Initiative is an important step toward modernizing the infrastructure that so many Alaskans rely on every day, and I commend the FAA for their continued efforts to make aviation safety a priority for Alaska. As a member of the House Aviation Subcommittee, I will continue to work with President Trump and Secretary Duffy on the Administration’s broader vision to modernize our national airspace system.”

    Background on DYAASI

    A February 2020 NTSB report identified a recent 10-year period during which the total accident rate in Alaska was 2.35 times higher than the rest of the United States. During the same period, the fatal accident rate in Alaska was 1.34 times higher. One critical aspect of safety, as referenced in the 2020 report, is access to reliable weather data.

    The FAA’s DYAASI is an effort to respond to the February 2020 NTSB report and the Alaska Aviation Safety Summit. DYAASI identifies safety improvements and investments for the Alaska Region, and aims to make progress on the effort and for the FAA and Department of Transportation (DOT) to take a holistic view of DOT programs. This effort was codified and strengthened in the 2024 FAA reauthorization.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Introduces Bill to Strengthen Taxpayer Protections Against IRS Abuses

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) today introduced the Small Business Taxpayer Bill of Rights Act, which would strengthen taxpayer protections against improper targeting and abuse by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS):

    “Each year, Tax Day reminds us that small business owners must spend thousands of hours conforming to IRS requirements instead of boosting the economy and creating jobs,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This bill lowers the compliance burden, strengthens taxpayer protections, and ensures small businesses are not targeted for additional scrutiny based on their politics.”

    U.S. Congressman David Kustoff (TN-08) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

    Background:

    The Small Business Taxpayer Bill of Rights Act would strengthen taxpayer protections by:

    • Prohibiting secret conversations between IRS employees and the IRS Independent Office of Appeals when discussing a taxpayer’s case and makes a violation of this prohibition a fireable offense;
    • Prohibiting the IRS Independent Office of Appeals from raising new issues or theories during a conference with taxpayers and the IRS, ensuring Appeals will be a neutral party;
    • Requiring taxpayers’ consent before allowing IRS Counsel or compliance officials to participate in Appeals conference;
    • Increasing the penalty on rogue IRS agents who commit extortion, fraud, or bribery;
    • And adding additional protection against unnecessary lien foreclosures on a taxpayer’s home.

    The legislation would protect taxpayers from improper IRS targeting by:

    • Making it a fireable offense for the development or use by an IRS employee of any methodology that applies disproportionate scrutiny to any applicant who is applying for tax-exempt status based on the ideology expressed in the name or purpose of the organization;
    • Requiring the Inspector General to review and consult with the IRS on any criteria it uses to select tax returns for audit, assessment, or any heightened scrutiny or review, to ensure that the criteria does not discriminate against taxpayers on the basis of race, religion, or political ideology;
    • And requiring the IRS Commissioner to fire any IRS employee who violates taxpayers’ Constitutional rights, including their First Amendment rights.

    The legislation would compensate taxpayers for IRS abuses by: 

    • Allowing more small businesses to petition for attorney’s fees when a court determines the IRS’s legal actions are not substantially justified;
    • Increasing the amount of civil damages and providing more time that small businesses can be awarded when the IRS recklessly or intentionally disregards the law or its own regulations;   
    • Increasing the amount of civil damages a taxpayer can be awarded when their tax return information is unlawfully disclosed by the IRS;
    • And compensating individuals for burdensome “No Change” National Research Program (NPP) audits.

    Lastly, the legislation would lower the compliance burden for taxpayers by:

    • Creating a new alternative dispute resolution procedure program that would allow taxpayers to request mediation by an independent, neutral party not employed by the IRS, allowing for a speedier and less costly resolution of audits;
    • Giving small businesses the opportunity to become compliant without going out of business or firing workers because of the economic hardship faced by paying a harsh levy;
    • And improving taxpayer access to the Offer-in-Compromise program by repealing partial payment requirement.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, Peters, Fallon, Khanna Introduce Bill to Bolster Defense Cybersecurity, U.S. Supply Chains

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Gary Peters (D-MI) and Representatives Pat Fallon (TX-04) and Ro Khanna (CA-17) today introduced their Securing America’s Federal Equipment (SAFE) in Supply Chains Act, which would protect America’s cybersecurity by ensuring the Department of Defense (DoD) does not unintentionally acquire counterfeit electronics or those from unauthorized sellers:

    “As the world grows increasingly reliant on technology, we must take steps to defend against a potential cyberattack by shoring up our vulnerable domestic supply chains,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This legislation would prevent the Department of Defense from unintentionally purchasing counterfeit electronics to strengthen national security and ensure the integrity of our military’s digital infrastructure.”

    “Securing the Department of Defense’s information technology supply chains is a critical step to protecting against cybersecurity threats that endanger our national security,” said Sen. Peters. “Our nation’s adversaries are increasingly targeting vulnerabilities across technologies, which can disrupt operations and steal sensitive data. This bipartisan legislation helps strengthen our national defense by ensuring that the Department of Defense is purchasing reliable technologies like software and cloud computing services from trusted sellers.”

    “The proliferation of artificial intelligence has allowed US adversaries to conduct offensive cyber-operations with alarming speed and impact, creating the possibility of a devastating attack on our nation’s most sensitive networks,” said Rep. Fallon. “Simultaneously, our adversaries have been targeting our hardware and software systems by selling the US government counterfeit products through what are known as ‘grey market’ sellers. These products, although marketed as genuine hardware, allow our adversaries to gain access to US government systems, making it far easier to conduct subsequent cyber-attacks. This is unacceptable.”

    “It is vital we work to protect American data from collection by our adversaries Russia, China, and Iran,” said Rep. Khanna. “Our bill will require the federal government to purchase technology hardware exclusively from trusted sources — guarding access to our telecommunications network and preventing the exploitation of American data.”

    Background:

    Due to increased cyberattacks on vulnerable supply chains and federal agencies, including the Department of Defense (DoD), it is vital that when purchasing information technology products, the DoD only purchase these electronics from Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) or their authorized resellers. Under the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations (DFARs), in order for businesses to contract with the U.S. military, they are required to only acquire electronic products from these OEMs or authorized sellers. However, there are still many cases of federal government employees purchasing technology from grey-market sellers rather than authorized sellers. Grey-market sellers may circumvent trusted supply chains and provide counterfeit technology that could harm security networks within the DoD. These counterfeit devices are often older and may contain unsafe and unreliable components, causing technology to malfunction or completely fail, leading to significant damage to networks and operations.

    The Securing America’s Federal Equipment (SAFE) in Supply Chains Act would:

    • Prohibit the DoD from using a covered product from an entity other than an original equipment manufacturer or authorized seller;
    • Allow the Secretary of Defense to waive the prohibition of a covered product, upon written notice to the Congressional Defense Committees, if they determine the waiver is necessary in the interest of national security;
    • Require written notice on justification for waivers and any security mitigations that have been implemented and a plan of action to avoid future waivers for similar future purchases; and
    • Require the DoD to submit a report to Congress that lists the number and types of covered products for which a waiver was granted and why.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Requests Full Retroactive Payments for Texans Under Social Security Fairness Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) sent a letter with a group of his Senate colleagues to Social Security Administrator (SSA) Leland Dudek requesting that SSA review agency policy and grant maximum retroactive payments to all qualified spouses under the Social Security Fairness Act (SSFA). The SSFA, which Sen. Cornyn voted for, restores earned Social Security benefits for millions of employees and their spouses by repealing the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset. The SSFA also provided for retroactive payments to January 2024.

    The Senators wrote: “Over the past few weeks, several constituents have contacted our offices regarding the retroactivity of their spousal benefits under the Social Security Fairness Act. The law provides for retroactivity to the year the bill was introduced, first being applied to the January 2024 payment.”

    “We ask SSA to review the agency’s policy and grant maximum retroactivity payments to all spouses who were protected on prior applications and wrongly advised by employees of SSA not to apply for spousal benefits when they first inquired.” 

    “We appreciate your swift implementation of the law and SSA’s progress in adjusting more than 2 million records to date. We look forward to continuing to work together on behalf of those who have been affected by this error.”

    The full text of the letter is available here and below. The letter was led by Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and also signed by Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and John Fetterman (D-PA).

    April 1, 2025

    The Honorable Leland Dudek

    Acting Commissioner

    Social Security Administration

    6401 Security Boulevard

    Baltimore, MD 21235

    Dear Acting Commissioner Dudek,

    We write to you concerning an issue related to the Social Security Fairness Act (Public Law No:118-273). Over the past few weeks, several constituents have contacted our offices regarding the retroactivity of their spousal benefits under the Social Security Fairness Act. The law provides for retroactivity to the year the bill was introduced, first being applied to the January 2024 payment. These spouses, including widows and widowers, have shared with me that when they contacted the Social Security Administration (SSA) years ago inquiring into spousal benefits, they were told by SSA employees that their spousal benefits would be reduced to $0 due to the Government Pension Offset; and therefore, there was no need to file an application for spousal benefits. Now, these same spouses are being told to file a claim for spousal benefits yet are only being granted a maximum of six months retroactivity from their most recent date of contact with the SSA. According to SSA policy, GN00204.010A5 if the spouse was protected on the worker’s application and never properly closed out, the protective filing remains open indefinitely. Subsequently, per GN00204.025B1, the claimant should be given the opportunity to elect the earlier filing date to allow for maximum retroactivity.

    As noted, we have assisted spouses who have contacted our offices questioning the retroactivity. They have shared that even if they question the retroactivity with the SSA employees during their recent appointment to apply for benefits, the applicants are only granted six-months retroactivity from the most recent contact date. We ask SSA to review the agency’s policy and grant maximum retroactivity payments to all spouses who were protected on prior applications and wrongly advised by employees of SSA not to apply for spousal benefits when they first inquired.

    Thank you for taking the time to address this important matter. We appreciate your swift implementation of the law and SSA’s progress in adjusting more than 2 million records to date. We look forward to continuing to work together on behalf of those who have been affected by this error.

    Sincerely,

    /s/

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance

    Source: The White House

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

    Section 1.  Purpose.  The commercial shipbuilding capacity and maritime workforce of the United States has been weakened by decades of Government neglect, leading to the decline of a once strong industrial base while simultaneously empowering our adversaries and eroding United States national security.  Both our allies and our strategic competitors produce ships for a fraction of the cost needed in the United States.  Recent data shows that the United States constructs less than one percent of commercial ships globally, while the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is responsible for producing approximately half.
    Rectifying these issues requires a comprehensive approach that includes securing consistent, predictable, and durable Federal funding, making United States-flagged and built vessels commercially competitive in international commerce, rebuilding America’s maritime manufacturing capabilities (the Maritime Industrial Base), and expanding and strengthening the recruitment, training, and retention of the relevant workforce.

    Sec. 2.  Policy.  It is the policy of the United States to revitalize and rebuild domestic maritime industries and workforce to promote national security and economic prosperity.

    Sec. 3.  Maritime Action Plan.  (a)  Within 210 days of the date of this order, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA), in coordination with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the United States Trade Representative (USTR), and the heads of executive departments and agencies (agencies) the APNSA deems appropriate, shall submit a Maritime Action Plan (MAP) to the President, through the APNSA and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB Director) to achieve the policy set forth in this order.
    (b)  The OMB Director, in coordination with the APNSA, shall be responsible for all legislative, regulatory, and fiscal assessments related to the MAP.  
    (c)  The MAP shall, to the extent permissible and consistent with applicable law, including the Buy American Act (41 U.S.C. 8301–8305), reflect actions taken pursuant to sections 4 through 21 of this order.

    Sec. 4.  Ensure the Security and Resilience of the Maritime Industrial Base.  Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall provide to the APNSA and the OMB Director for inclusion in the MAP an assessment of options both for the use of available authorities and resources, such as Defense Production Act Title III authorities, and for the use of private capital to the maximum extent possible to invest in and expand the Maritime Industrial Base including, but not limited to, investment and expansion of commercial and defense shipbuilding capabilities, component supply chains, ship repair and marine transportation capabilities, port infrastructure, and the adjacent workforce.  The Secretary of Defense shall pursue using the Office of Strategic Capital loan program to improve the shipbuilding industrial base.  As part of their assessment, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall:
    (a)  identify key maritime components in the supply chain that are essential for rebuilding and expanding the Maritime Industrial Base and that should be prioritized for investment;
    (b)  ensure that their recommendations of public and private investments are made according to a clear metric, derived in consultation with the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, of return on invested capital for the United States taxpayer and to the economic and national security of the United States; and
    (c)  ensure that their recommendations take into consideration the projected increases to commercial and defense capabilities, the projected growth in economic activity, and the projected benefits for taxpayers and the workforce.

    Sec. 5. Actions in the Investigation of the PRC’s Unfair Targeting of Maritime, Logistics, and Shipbuilding Sectors. (a)  With respect to the actions, if any, that the USTR determines to take consistent with the USTR’s notice of public hearing entitled Proposed Action in Section 301 Investigation of the PRC’s Targeting of the Maritime, Logistics, and Shipbuilding Sectors for Dominance, 90 Fed. Reg. 10843 (February 27, 2025), the USTR shall:
    (i)   coordinate with appropriate agencies to collect additional information, as appropriate and to the extent permitted by law, in support of administering such actions; and 
    (ii)  coordinate with the Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security to take appropriate steps to enforce any restriction, fee, penalty, or duty imposed pursuant to such actions.
    (b)  Based on the USTR’s determinations arising out of its Section 301 investigation into the PRC’s targeting of the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors, the USTR shall also consider taking all necessary steps permitted by law to propose the following actions:
    (i)   tariffs on ship-to-shore cranes manufactured, assembled, or made using components of PRC origin, or manufactured anywhere in the world by a company owned, controlled, or substantially influenced by a PRC national; and
    (ii)  tariffs on other cargo handling equipment.

    Sec. 6.  Enforce Collection of Harbor Maintenance Fee and Other Charges.  In order to prevent cargo carriers from circumventing the Harbor Maintenance Fee (HMF) on imported goods through the practice of making port in Canada or Mexico and sending their cargo into the United States through land borders, and to ensure the collection of other charges as applicable, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall take all necessary steps, including proposing new legislation, as permitted by law to:
    (a)  require all foreign-origin cargo arriving by vessel to clear the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) entry process at a United States port of entry for security and collection of all applicable duties, customs, taxes, fees, interest, and other charges; and
    (b)  ensure any foreign-origin cargo first arriving by vessel to North America clearing the CBP process at an inland location from the country of land transit (Canada or Mexico) is assessed applicable customs, duties, taxes, fees (including the HMF), interest, and other charges plus a 10 percent service fee for additional costs to the CBP, so long as the cargo being shipped into the United States is not substantially transformed from its condition at the time of arrival into the country of land transit (with the discretion for such decisions to be determined by CBP).

    Sec. 7.  Engage Allies and Partners to Align Trade Policies.  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the USTR, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce, shall engage treaty allies, partners, and other like-minded countries around the world with respect to their potential imposition of any actions taken pursuant to sections 5 and 6 of this order.  The USTR shall deliver an engagement plan and progress report on these engagements to the President.

    Sec. 8.  Reduce Dependence on Adversaries through Allies and Partners.  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, shall recommend to the APNSA and the OMB Director for inclusion in the MAP all available incentives to help shipbuilders domiciled in allied nations partner to undertake capital investment in the United States to help strengthen the shipbuilding capacity of the United States.

    Sec. 9.  Launch a Maritime Security Trust Fund.  In conjunction with the formulation of the President’s Budget, the OMB Director shall, in coordination with the Secretary of Transportation, develop a legislative proposal, which shall be described in detail in the MAP, to establish a Maritime Security Trust Fund that can serve as a reliable funding source to deliver consistent support for MAP programs.  This proposal shall consider how new or existing tariff revenue, fines, fees, or tax revenue could further the goal of establishing a more reliable, dedicated funding source for programs support by the MAP.

    Sec. 10.  Shipbuilding Financial Incentives Program.  In conjunction with the formulation of the President’s Budget and consistent with the findings of the report required under section 12 of this order, the Secretary of Transportation shall submit a legislative proposal to the APNSA and the OMB Director, which shall be described in detail in the MAP, that establishes a financial incentives program with broad flexibility to incentivize private investment in the construction of commercial components, parts, and vessels; capital improvements to commercial vessel shipyards; capital improvements to commercial vessel repair facilities and drydocks through grants; and Federal Credit Reform Act-compliant loans and loan guarantees.  Such proposal may augment or replace existing programs with similar purpose including the Small Shipyard Grant Program and the Federal Ship Financing (Title XI) Program.

    Sec. 11.  Establish Maritime Prosperity Zones.  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Commerce, in coordination with the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall deliver a plan to the President through the APNSA for inclusion in the MAP that identifies opportunities to incentivize and facilitate domestic and allied investment in United States maritime industries and waterfront communities through establishment of maritime prosperity zones.  The proposal shall: (a) model these maritime prosperity zones on the opportunity zones established pursuant to section 13823 of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (Public Law 115-97, 131 Stat. 2054), which I signed into law during my first Administration;
    (b) include stipulations for appropriate regulatory relief in the establishment of such zones; and
    (c) provide for zones that are outside of traditional coastal shipbuilding and ship repair centers and are geographically diverse, including river regions as well as the Great Lakes.

    Sec. 12.  Report on Maritime Industry Needs.  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Transportation, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security and the heads of other agencies as appropriate, shall deliver a report to the OMB Director and APNSA for inclusion in the MAP that inventories Federal programs that could be used to sustain and grow the supply of and demand for the United States maritime industry.  The report and inventory shall include:
    (a)  any Federal programs that provide financial and regulatory incentives for United States shipping, shipbuilding, and shipbuilding supply chains, including the training of shipbuilders and United States-credentialed mariners; 
    (b)  Maritime Administration programs such as the Tanker Security Program, Cable Security Fleet, Maritime Security Programs, Maritime Environmental and Technical Assistance Program, Title XI, Assistance to Small Shipyards, Port Infrastructure Development Program, the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), and programs that support the State Maritime Academies;
    (c)  existing domestic cargo preference laws, including the Military Cargo Preference Act of 1904, as amended, (10 U.S.C. 2631) and the Cargo Preference Act of 1954, as amended, (46 U.S.C. 55304), and whether and how they can be used to ensure that United States cargo is transported on United States-built and flagged vessels, including a review of the existing waiver process and all current waivers to ensure they are consistent with the promotion of American domestic shipping;
    (d)  other available means that could further support the industry, including modifications of existing programs, establishment of new programs, and tax and regulatory relief; and
    (e)  in coordination with the National Security Council and the Office of Management and Budget, the costs and benefits of increased cargo preference rates, including on liquid cargo carriers, tankers, and military useful vessels, and options for increasing cargo preference compliance and directing open market procurement of shipping to meet urgent military needs for maritime vessels.

    Sec. 13.  Expand Mariner Training and Education.  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Education, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall deliver a report to the President through the APNSA for inclusion in the MAP with recommendations to address workforce challenges in the maritime sector through maritime educational institutions and workforce transitions.  
    (a)  In preparing their report, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Education, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall consult, as needed, with industry stakeholders including private industry and labor organizations. 
    (b)  The report shall:
    (i)    include the current number of credentialed mariners and estimate the additional credentialed mariners required to support the policies described in this order;
    (ii)   analyze the impact of establishing new and expanding existing merchant marine academies as a means of educating, training, and certifying the additional credentialed merchant mariners estimated under subsection (b)(i) of this section;
    (iii)  identify any requirements for credentialing mariners that are unnecessary, insufficient, or unduly burdensome and provide recommendations for reform;
    (iv)   inventory existing educational and technical training grants and scholarships to colleges and vocational-technical training institutions for critical shipbuilding specialties and other maritime studies, and provide recommendations for enhancement; and
    (v)    assess the United States Coast Guard credentialing program applicability to United States Navy Active Duty and Reserve sailors to increase opportunities for sailors to transfer into the Merchant Marine with validated skills.
    (c)  Consistent with the findings of the report and in conjunction with the formulation of the President’s Budget, the Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Education, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall deliver a legislative proposal to the APNSA and the OMB Director that:
    (i)    reflects the recommendations of the report required under this section;
    (ii)   establishes national maritime scholarships to send promising maritime experts abroad to learn cutting edge techniques and subjects, such as innovative maritime logistics, clean fuels and advanced nuclear energy, human-machine teaming, and additive manufacturing and other advanced technologies; and
    (iii)  offers scholarships to maritime experts from allied countries to teach at United States institutions. 

    Sec. 14.  Modernize the United States Merchant Marine Academy.  
    (a) The Secretary of Transportation shall: 
    (i) within 30 days of this order consistent with applicable law and available appropriations, take action to hire the necessary facilities staff and reprogram budgetary resources needed to execute urgent deferred maintenance projects and any other mission critical repair works at the USMMA;
    (ii) take immediate action to finalize a long-term master facilities plan (LMFP) for the modernization of the USMMA campus and submit such plan to the APNSA and OMB Director for concurrence; and
    (iii) within 90 days of the concurrence described in subsection (a)(ii) of this section, in consultation with the Department of Government Efficiency, submit a 5-year capital improvement plan (CIP) consistent with the LMFP to the APNSA and OMB Director that includes capital project budgets, schedules, and sequencing, as well as an inventory of deferred maintenance items necessary to sustain campus operations through completion of the CIP.
    (b) All actions taken pursuant to this section shall be detailed in the MAP.

    Sec. 15.  Improve Procurement Efficiency.  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of the National Science Foundation shall develop a proposal for improved acquisition strategies processes for United States Government vessels and submit such proposal to APNSA and the OMB Director for inclusion in the MAP.  The proposal shall:      (a) have as its objective providing American shipbuilders with market forecasting needed to justify investments in infrastructure, workforce, and intellectual property to meet United States demand;
    (b) include reforms recommended by the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security related to:
    (i) staff structure and innovations in acquisition strategies that will improve Federal vessel procurement; and
    (ii) reductions of the layers of approval needed to execute, build, and improve the vessel acquisition process, including by utilizing commercial acquisition and modular design practices that reduce complexity and prevent frequent changes to ship designs;
    (c) identify for elimination excessive requirements, including the number of Government reviews and onerous regulations that add to ship design and acquisition delays; and
    (d)  consider use of broad industry standards and American-made readily available parts and components to drive up production volume while shrinking the iterative design process, which historically has led to delays and cost increases.  

    Sec. 16.  Improve Government Efficiency.  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Department of Government Efficiency shall begin a separate review of the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security vessel procurement processes and deliver a proposal to the President, through the APNSA for inclusion in the MAP, to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of these processes.   

    Sec. 17.  Increase the Fleet of Commercial Vessels Trading Internationally under the flag of the United States.  Within 180 days of the date of this order, in conjunction with the formulation of the President’s Budget and consistent with the findings of the report required under section 12 of this section, the Secretary of Transportation shall in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, deliver a legislative proposal to the APNSA and OMB Director for inclusion in the MAP that:
    (a)  is designed to ensure that adequate cubed footage and gross tonnage of United States-flagged commercial vessels can be called upon in times of crisis, while limiting the likelihood of Government waste;
    (b)  provides incentives that will:
    (i)   grow the fleet of United States built, crewed, and flagged vessels that serve as readily deployable assets for national security purposes; and
    (ii)  increase the participation of United States commercial vessels in international trade; and
    (c)  enhances existing subsidies to include coverage of certain construction or modification costs in a manner designed to enhance incentives for the commercial shipping industry to operate militarily useful ships that trade internationally under the flag of the United States.

    Sec. 18.  Ensure the Security and Leadership of Arctic Waterways.  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Commandant of the Coast Guard shall develop a strategy that identifies the vision, goals, and objectives necessary to secure arctic waterways and enable American prosperity in the face of evolving arctic security challenges and associated risks, and deliver it to the APNSA for inclusion in the MAP.

    Sec. 19.  Shipbuilding Review.  Within 45 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall conduct a review of shipbuilding for United States Government use and submit a report to the President with recommendations to increase the number of participants and competitors within United States shipbuilding, and to reduce cost overruns and production delays for surface, subsurface, and unmanned programs.  This report must include separate itemized and prioritized lists of recommendations for the United States Army, Navy, and Coast Guard and shall be included in the MAP.

    Sec. 20.  Deregulatory Initiatives.  Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall conduct a review of their regulations, and implementation thereof, across all components pertaining to the domestic commercial maritime fleet and maritime port access to determine where each agency may be able to deregulate within the framework of Executive Order 14192 of January 31, 2025 (Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation), to reduce unnecessary costs and clear barriers to emerging technology and related efficiencies.  Each agency will submit a report of its findings to the OMB Director and to the APNSA for inclusion in the MAP.

    Sec. 21.  Inactive Reserve Fleet.  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense shall conduct a review and issue guidance on the funding, retention, support, and mobilization of a robust inactive reserve fleet.  This review and guidance shall be delivered to the APNSA for inclusion in the MAP. 

    Sec. 22.  Coordination.  Unless otherwise specified in this order, the plans, reports, reviews, and recommendations that are required to be submitted to the President by this order shall be developed through interagency coordination in accordance with National Security Presidential Memorandum 1 of January 20, 2025 (Organization of the National Security Council and Subcommittees), or its successors.

    Sec. 23.  Severability.  If any provision of this order, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this order and the application of its provisions to any other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.

    Sec. 24.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
    (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
    (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
    (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
    (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

    THE WHITE HOUSE,
        April 9, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Addressing Risks from Susman Godfrey

    Source: The White House

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

    Section 1.  Background.  Lawyers and law firms that engage in activities detrimental to critical American interests should not have access to our Nation’s secrets, nor should their conduct be subsidized by Federal taxpayer funds or contracts.  My Administration must also take appropriate and necessary measures to guard against the actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest that arise when the Government funds, engages with, or otherwise devotes resources to law firms and their clients that engage in conduct undermining critical American interests and priorities.
    I have determined that action is necessary to address the significant risks, egregious conduct, and conflicts of interest associated with Susman Godfrey LLP (Susman).  Susman spearheads efforts to weaponize the American legal system and degrade the quality of American elections.  Susman also funds groups that engage in dangerous efforts to undermine the effectiveness of the United States military through the injection of political and radical ideology, and it supports efforts to discriminate on the basis of race.
    Susman itself engages in unlawful discrimination, including discrimination on the basis of race.  For example, Susman administers a program where it offers financial awards and employment opportunities only to “students of color.” My Administration is committed to ending such unlawful discrimination perpetrated in the name of “diversity, equity, and inclusion” policies and ensuring that Federal benefits support the laws and policies of the United States, including those laws and policies promoting our national security and respecting the democratic process.  Those who engage in blatant discrimination and other activities inconsistent with the interests of the United States should not have access to our Nation’s secrets nor be deemed responsible stewards of any Federal funds.

    Sec. 2.  Security Clearance Review.  (a)  The Attorney General, the Director of National Intelligence, and all other relevant heads of executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall immediately take steps consistent with applicable law to suspend any active security clearances held by individuals at Susman, pending a review of whether such clearances are consistent with the national interest. 
    (b)  The Office of Management and Budget shall identify all Government goods, property, material, and services, including Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities, provided for the benefit of Susman.  The heads of agencies providing such material or services shall, to the extent permitted by law, expeditiously cease such provision. 

    Sec. 3.  Contracting.  (a)  To prevent the transfer of taxpayer dollars to Federal contractors whose earnings subsidize, among other things, activities that are not aligned with American interests, including racial discrimination, Government contracting agencies shall, to the extent permissible by law, require Government contractors to disclose any business they do with Susman and whether that business is related to the subject of the Government contract. 
    (b)  The heads of agencies shall review all contracts with Susman or with entities that disclose doing business with Susman under subsection (a) of this section.  To the extent permitted by law, the heads of agencies shall:
    (i)   take appropriate steps to terminate any contract, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, including the Federal Acquisition Regulation, for which Susman has been hired to perform any service; and
    (ii)  otherwise align their agency funding decisions with the interests of the citizens of the United States; with the goals and priorities of my Administration as expressed in executive actions, especially Executive Order 14147 of January 20, 2025 (Ending the Weaponization of the Federal Government); and as heads of agencies deem appropriate.  Within 30 days of the date of this order, agencies shall submit to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget an assessment of contracts with Susman or with entities that do business with Susman effective as of the date of this order and any actions taken with respect to those contracts in accordance with this order. 

    Sec. 4.  Racial Discrimination.  Nothing in this order shall be construed to limit the action authorized by section 4 of Executive Order 14230 of March 6, 2025 (Addressing Risks from Perkins Coie LLP).  

    Sec. 5.  Personnel.  (a)  The heads of agencies shall, to the extent permitted by law, provide guidance limiting official access from Federal Government buildings to employees of Susman when such access would threaten the national security of or otherwise be inconsistent with the interests of the United States.  In addition, the heads of agencies shall provide guidance limiting Government employees acting in their official capacity from engaging with Susman employees to ensure consistency with the national security and other interests of the United States.
    (b)  Agency officials shall, to the extent permitted by law, refrain from hiring employees of Susman, absent a waiver from the head of the agency, made in consultation with the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, that such hire will not threaten the national security of the United States. 

    Sec. 6.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
    (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
    (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
    (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
    (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

    THE WHITE HOUSE,
        April 9, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Modernizing Defense Acquisitions and Spurring Innovation in the Defense Industrial Base

    Source: The White House

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

    Section 1.  Purpose.  As Chief Executive and Commander in Chief, I am committed to ensuring that the United States military possesses the most lethal warfighting capabilities in the world.  America’s defense industrial base is central to this effort.  Similarly, the defense acquisition workforce is a national strategic asset that will be decisive in any conflict, where the factory floor can be just as significant as the battlefield.
    Unfortunately, after years of misplaced priorities and poor management, our defense acquisition system does not provide the speed and flexibility our Armed Forces need to have decisive advantages in the future.  In order to strengthen our military edge, America must deliver state‐of‐the‐art capabilities at speed and scale through a comprehensive overhaul of this system.

    Sec. 2.  Policy.  It is the policy of the United States Government to accelerate defense procurement and revitalize the defense industrial base to restore peace through strength.  To achieve this, the United States will rapidly reform our antiquated defense acquisition processes with an emphasis on speed, flexibility, and execution.  We will also modernize the duties and composition of the defense acquisition workforce, as well as incentivize and reward risk-taking and innovation from these personnel.

    Sec. 3.  Acquisition Process Reform.  Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the President a plan to reform the Department of Defense’s acquisition processes that, to the maximum extent possible, incorporates the following:
    (a)  Utilization of existing authorities to expedite acquisitions throughout the Department of Defense, including a first preference for commercial solutions and a general preference for Other Transactions Authority, application of Rapid Capabilities Office policies, or any other authorities or pathways to promote streamlined acquisitions under the Adaptative Acquisition Framework.  Starting upon issuance of this order, and during the formation of the plan, the Secretary of Defense shall prioritize use of these authorities in all pending Department of Defense contracting actions and require their application, where appropriate and consistent with applicable law, for all Department of Defense contracting actions pursued while the plan directed by this section is under consideration. 
    (b)  A detailed process review of each functional support role within the acquisition workforce to eliminate unnecessary tasks, reduce duplicative approvals, and centralize decision-making.  These reviews should also include evaluations of program managers, contracting officers, engineering authorities, financial managers, cost estimators, and logisticians.
    (c)  A detailed process by which the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, Service Acquisition Executives, and Component Acquisition Executives can effectively manage risk for all acquisition programs through a formal steering board known as a Configuration Steering Board. 

    Sec. 4.  Internal Regulations Review.  The Secretary of Defense shall oversee the review of and, as appropriate, propose revisions to relevant Department of Defense instructions, implementation guides, manuals, and regulations relating to acquisition to: 
    (a)  Eliminate or revise any unnecessary supplemental regulations or any other internal guidance, such as relevant parts of the Financial Management Regulation and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement.
    (b)  Promote expedited and streamlined acquisitions.  Where new supplemental regulations or internal guidance is proposed, the Secretary of Defense shall apply the ten-for-one rule as described in Executive Order 14192 of January 31, 2025 (Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation).

    Sec. 5.  Acquisition Workforce Reform.  Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of the Air Force, and Component Acquisition Executives, shall develop and submit to the President a plan for consideration to reform, right-size, and train the acquisition workforce that includes the following components:
    (a)  The restructuring of performance evaluation metrics for acquisition workforce members to include the ability to demonstrate and apply a first consideration of commercial solutions, adaptive acquisition pathways through the Adaptive Acquisition Framework, and iterative requirements based on the perspective of the end user.
    (b)  An analysis of acquisition workforce staff levels required to develop, deliver, and sustain warfighting capabilities.   
    (c)  The establishment of field training teams by the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, led by senior acquisition executives or managers with expertise in innovative acquisition authorities and commercial solutions, and modeled after field training teams authorized by section 832 of Public Law 118-159 (10 U.S.C. 1749).  These teams should provide hands-on guidance, deliver templates and case studies of successful approaches for implementing innovative acquisition authorities, and should assist integrated functional program teams in completing acquisition and sustainment tasks.
    (d)  The development and implementation of policies, procedures, and tools to incentivize acquisition officials to, in good faith, utilize innovative acquisition authorities and take measured and calculated risks.

    Sec. 6.  Major Defense Acquisition Program Review.  (a)  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Deputy Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of the Air Force, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, and Component Acquisition Executives, shall complete a comprehensive review of all major defense acquisition programs (MDAPs), as defined in section 4201 of title 10, United States Code, to determine if any such programs are inconsistent with the policy objectives set forth in section 2 of this order.  As part of the review of all MDAPs:
    (i)   any program more than 15 percent behind schedule based on the current Acquisition Program Baseline (APB), 15 percent over cost based on the current APB, unable to meet any key performance parameters, or unaligned with the Secretary of Defense’s mission priorities, will be considered for potential cancellation.  The Secretary of Defense shall submit the potential cancellation list to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for future budget determinations.
    (ii)  the Secretary of Defense shall provide a listing of all MDAPs contracts, along with performance against original and approved Government cost estimates to the Director of OMB for review within 90 days from the date of this order.
    (b)  Following this comprehensive review of MDAPs, the Secretary of Defense shall provide the Director of OMB with a plan for reviewing all remaining major systems, as defined in section 3041 of title 10, United States Code, that are not MDAPs.

    Sec. 7.  Requirements.  The Secretary of Defense, acting through the Deputy Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of the Air Force, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, shall complete a comprehensive review of the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System within 180 days of the date of this order, with the goal of streamlining and accelerating acquisition.

    Sec. 8.  Definitions.  For purposes of this order:
    (a)  The term “Adaptive Acquisition Framework” means the series of acquisition pathways that enable the workforce to deliver “effective, suitable, survivable, sustainable, and affordable solutions to the end user in a timely manner,” as stated in Department of Defense Instruction 5000.02. 
    (b)  The term “Acquisition Program Baseline” means the formally established cost, schedule, and performance baselines of a program, as described in Department of Defense Instruction 5000.85.
    (c)  The term “commercial solutions” means any of the methods for procurement of a commercial product or service described in part 12 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, subpart 212.2 of the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement, or subpart 212.70 of the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement; or other industry solutions funded by private investment that meet military needs.  
    (d)  The term “Configuration Steering Board” means an annual review of potential requirements changes, critical intelligence parameter changes, and any significant technical configuration changes as described in Department of Defense Instruction 5000.85.
    (e)  The term “innovative acquisition authorities” means Other Transactions Authority, commercial solutions, application of Rapid Capabilities Office policies, or any other authorities or pathways to promote streamlined acquisitions under the Adaptive Acquisition Framework. 
    (f)  The term “Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System” means the formally established Department of Defense process used to identify, assess, and prioritize joint military capability requirements across the Department of Defense.
    (g)  The term “Other Transactions Authority” means the ability of the United States Government to enter into contracts other than standard contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements.
    (h)  The term “Rapid Capabilities Office” means the Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office, Naval Air Warfare Rapid Capabilities Office, Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, or Space Force Rapid Capabilities Office. 

    Sec. 9.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
    (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
    (ii)  the functions of the Director of OMB relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
    (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
    (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

    THE WHITE HOUSE,
        April 9, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Addressing Risks from Chris Krebs and Government Censorship

    Source: The White House

    class=”has-text-align-center”> MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES

    The Federal Government has a constitutional duty and a moral responsibility to respect and promote the free speech rights of Americans. Yet in recent years, elitist leaders in Government have unlawfully censored speech and weaponized their undeserved influence to silence perceived political opponents and advance their preferred, and often erroneous, narrative about significant matters of public debate. These disgraceful actions have taken the form of coercive threats against the private sector — including major social media platforms — to suppress conservative or dissenting voices and distort public opinion. Much of this censorship took place during a Presidential election with the apparent purpose of undermining the free exchange of ideas and debate.

    Christopher Krebs, the former head of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), is a significant bad-faith actor who weaponized and abused his Government authority. Krebs’ misconduct involved the censorship of disfavored speech implicating the 2020 election and COVID-19 pandemic. CISA, under Krebs’ leadership, suppressed conservative viewpoints under the guise of combatting supposed disinformation, and recruited and coerced major social media platforms to further its partisan mission. CISA covertly worked to blind the American public to the controversy surrounding Hunter Biden’s laptop. Krebs, through CISA, promoted the censorship of election information, including known risks associated with certain voting practices. Similarly, Krebs, through CISA, falsely and baselessly denied that the 2020 election was rigged and stolen, including by inappropriately and categorically dismissing widespread election malfeasance and serious vulnerabilities with voting machines. Krebs skewed the bona fide debate about COVID-19 by attempting to discredit widely shared views that ran contrary to CISA’s favored perspective.

    Abusive conduct of this sort both violates the First Amendment and erodes trust in Government, thus undermining the strength of our democracy itself. Those who engage in or support such conduct must not have continued access to our Nation’s secrets. Accordingly, I hereby direct the heads of executive department and agencies (agencies) to immediately take steps consistent with existing law to revoke any active security clearance held by Christopher Krebs.

    I further direct the Attorney General, the Director of National Intelligence, and all other relevant agencies to immediately take all action as necessary and consistent with existing law to suspend any active security clearances held by individuals at entities associated with Krebs, including SentinelOne, pending a review of whether such clearances are consistent with the national interest.

    I further direct the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with any other agency head, to take all appropriate action to review Krebs’ activities as a Government employee, including his leadership of CISA. This review should identify any instances where Krebs’ conduct appears to have been contrary to suitability standards for Federal employees, involved the unauthorized dissemination of classified information, or contrary to the purposes and policies identified in Executive Order 14149 of January 20, 2025 (Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship). As part of that review, I direct a comprehensive evaluation of all of CISA’s activities over the last 6 years, focusing specifically on any instances where CISA’s conduct appears to have been contrary to the purposes and policies identified in Executive Order 14149. Upon completing these reviews, the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall prepare a joint report to be submitted to the President, through the Counsel to the President, with recommendations for appropriate remedial or preventative actions to be taken to fulfill the purposes and policies of Executive Order 14149.

    This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Addressing Risks Associated with an Egregious Leaker and Disseminator of Falsehoods

    Source: The White House

      MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES  

    Miles Taylor was entrusted with the solemn responsibility of Federal service, but instead prioritized his own ambition, personal notoriety, and monetary gain over fidelity to his constitutional oath.  While serving as an administrative staff assistant at the Department of Homeland Security, Taylor stoked dissension by manufacturing sensationalist reports on the existence of a supposed “resistance” within the Federal Government that “vowed” to undermine and render ineffective a sitting President.  He illegally published classified conversations to sell his book under the pseudonym “Anonymous,” which is full of falsehoods and fabricated stories.  In so doing, Taylor abandoned his sacred oath and commitment to public service by disclosing sensitive information obtained through unauthorized methods and betrayed the confidence of those with whom he served.  Where a Government employee improperly discloses sensitive information for the purposes of personal enrichment and undermining our foreign policy, national security, and Government effectiveness –- all ultimately designed to sow chaos and distrust in Government — this conduct could properly be characterized as treasonous and as possibly violating the Espionage Act, and therefore makes such employee ineligible for access to national secrets.

    In his former position, Taylor relied upon various colleagues to facilitate his unethical laundering and release of sensitive Government data to advance his false narratives.  It is therefore against America’s interests to allow those associated with Taylor to access our Nation’s secrets. 

    Accordingly, I direct the Attorney General, the Director of National Intelligence, and all other relevant executive department and agency (agency) heads to immediately take all action as necessary and consistent with existing law to suspend any active security clearances held by Miles Taylor, in addition to individuals at entities associated with Taylor, including the University of Pennsylvania, pending a review of whether such clearances are consistent with the national interest.

    I further direct the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with any other relevant agency heads, to take all appropriate action to review Miles Taylor’s activities as a Government employee.  This review should identify any instances where his conduct appears to have been contrary to suitability standards for Federal employees, and where his conduct appears to have involved the unauthorized dissemination of classified information.  Upon completing this review, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall prepare a report to be submitted to the President, through the Counsel to the President, with recommendations for appropriate remedial or preventative actions to be taken to protect America’s interests.

    This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairwoman McClain and Rep. Issa Statements on House Passage of Bill to Limit District Judges’ Power, Uphold Constitutional Checks and Balances

    Source: US House of Representatives Republicans

    The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –

    Chairwoman McClain and Rep. Issa Statements on House Passage of Bill to Limit District Judges’ Power, Uphold Constitutional Checks and Balances

    Washington, April 9, 2025

    WASHINGTON—The U.S. House of Representatives passed the No Rogue Rulings Act (NORRA) of 2025, Representative Darrell Issa’s bill that would limit the power of district judges to issue nationwide injunctions. 

    House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) and Rep. Issa (R-Calif.) released the following statements:

    “House Republicans prevented activist judges from stalling the American people’s agenda,” Chairwoman McClain said. “Rep. Issa’s bill ensures rogue judges can’t block the lawful exercise of executive power. We upheld the constitutional authority of checks and balances and protected the integrity of our democracy.”

    “There is a major malfunction of judicial activism in our federal courts. Practically every week, another federal judge issues yet another nationwide injunction in yet another gambit to stop President Trump from exercising his Constitutional powers and carrying out the policies he promised the American people he would make a reality. This isn’t even close to a legal disagreement involving standing, statute, or precedent – it is the Trump Resistance in Robes. The No Rogue Rulings Act is the comprehensive solution we need to stop these abuses and ensure proper and appropriate balance in our federal courts,” Rep. Issa said. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: [Video] Smarter Living at a Touch: Five Ways Samsung’s Screen-Based Appliances Make Daily Life Easier

    Source: Samsung

    At the heart of Samsung Electronics’ user-friendly and safe AI Home lies one game-changing feature — the screen.
     
    In a 2024 survey1 conducted by Samsung with 1,443 participants across five countries, the most preferred AI appliance experience was “easier and more natural voice control” (32%) followed by “integrated touchscreens on appliances” (30%).
     

     
    Samsung first introduced a 21.5-inch screen on its Family Hub refrigerator in 2016. Since then, the company has incorporated a variety of screen sizes — including 4.3-inch, 7-inch and 32-inch displays — across its home appliance lineup. Samsung further broadened the scope this year to include both combined and standalone washers and dryers, as well as induction cooktops. Notably, a 9-inch screen has been added to the refrigerator lineup for the first time — offering consumers even more choice.
     
    How have screen-equipped appliances changed users’ daily lives? Samsung Newsroom highlights five ways Samsung’s Bespoke AI screen-equipped appliances help users get more out of their homes.
     
     
    1. Personalized Information at a Glance With Daily Board

     
    The dashboard-style Daily Board2 allows users to easily view personalized information right from the kitchen. Introduced for the first time this year, the feature is available on various screen-equipped refrigerators including Samsung’s new refrigerator with 9-inch AI Home screen.
     
    As users head to the kitchen for a glass of water in the morning, they can check the weather, view their schedule and even get recipe suggestions using ingredients stored inside the fridge — all from the screen. For a personal touch, they can also leave notes for family members.
     
    The upgraded AI voice assistant Bixby3 recognizes individual voices and offers tailored support from displaying schedules to helping users find their smartphones.4

     
     
    2. From Recipe to Oven: Orchestrating Meals With Ease

     
    Samsung’s screens go beyond controlling individual home appliances — they enhance the entire home experience through seamless device connectivity.
     
    AI Vision Inside5 now recognizes up to 37 types of fresh ingredients stored in the refrigerator and automatically creates a food list on the screen. The newly introduced AI Food Manager can also recommend up to 50 frequently used processed or packaged items based on usage patterns.6 From the screen, users can receive personalized recipe suggestions tailored to available ingredients. These recipes can then be sent to connected cooking appliances — such as ovens and induction cooktops — via SmartThings, making meal preparation smooth and convenient.

     
     
    3. Control the Entire Smart Home From One Screen

     
    With the Map View feature, users can monitor and control all their connected home appliances from a single screen.7 Everything can be managed remotely, from adjusting modes and changing temperatures to managing other key settings. Whether in the kitchen or living room, users can answer phone calls, monitor visitors or unlock doors — all through the screen.
     
    Notably, this year’s new models8 feature upgraded screens that go beyond basic control — now, they serve as smart home hubs capable of connecting to and managing a wide range of devices. In addition to Wi-Fi, the appliances support Zigbee, Matter and Thread for more compatibility with various smart home and Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystems.9

     

    4. Just a Simple Tap To Enjoy Home Entertainment

     
    Samsung’s AI appliances make it easy to enjoy entertainment — either by mirroring content from a smartphone or directly accessing the internet or apps like YouTube and Spotify from the screen. For example, users can cook while watching a mirrored video on the refrigerator screen or use the washing machine’s screen to search YouTube for laundry tips and set the appropriate wash mode.
     
     
    5. Energy Use Monitoring and Smart Maintenance Tips

     
    One of the biggest advantages of Samsung’s large screens is their ability to intuitively visualize and manage energy consumption and maintenance tasks.
     
    With SmartThings Energy, users can track energy use and reduce consumption through AI Energy Mode. They can also access the Optimal Scheduling feature10 that suggests ideal times to run appliances based on periods of high carbon emissions. After each wash or dry cycle, the screen displays a graph that breaks down the time spent and energy used.
     
    To extend the appliance’s lifespan and ensure safety, the screen regularly checks device status and notifies users when filters need changing or cleaning. Bixby can even visually and audibly provide maintenance instructions on the screen when users ask.11
     
    Under its “Screens Everywhere” vision, Samsung continues to expand its lineup of screen-equipped appliances — designed to understand and support users’ daily lives. To explore how the 2025 Bespoke AI lineup delivers a differentiated, AI-enhanced experience through screen innovation, watch the video below.
     

    * Product images shown in the video may vary by region and differ from actual usage.
     
     
    1 Online survey allowing multiple responses, conducted from August 30 to September 9, 2024. Participants included men and women aged 20 to 59 from South Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, Mexico and Vietnam — all within the top 50% household income bracket and identified as key decision-makers or users in home appliance purchases. Of the 2,283 respondents, 1,443 expressed purchase intent for the accessibility concept — AI appliances that can be easily and conveniently controlled from anywhere in the home.2 The 2025 Bespoke AI refrigerator with 9-inch AI Home screen, the 32-inch Family Hub and select 2024 refrigerator models are scheduled to receive this update via Smart Forward in phases. Smart Forward updates are available for software only, and for models released after 2017 that are equipped with standardized OCF protocol. Adequate hardware specifications may be required for certain updates. Available on Android and iOS devices. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required.3 Bixby availability may vary depending on the country. Bixby only recognizes certain accents and dialects of English (U.K.), English (U.S.), English (India), French (France), German (Germany), Italian (Italy), Korean (South Korea), Mandarin Chinese (China), Spanish (Latin America), Spanish (Spain) and Portuguese (Brazil). Voice ID will be available starting May of 2025 through Smart Forward update. Launch date may differ according to region and country. To activate Bixby, a Samsung Account is required. Up to six accounts can be registered per device. To increase the accuracy of identifying each voice, it is recommended for you to register your voice in quiet surroundings. Voice ID is done based on the tone of voice used during registration process. Any change or modification to your voice may lead to misidentification.4 This update is planned for release in the first half of 2025 via Smart Forward. Once Bixby recognizes a user’s voice, it switches to the Samsung account linked with the Family Hub and provides personalized information such as schedules (compatible with Google and Microsoft Calendar apps), phone location, photos and more. This Bixby voice recognition feature is supported on screen-equipped appliances running Tizen OS but not on washer and dryer models with 4.3-inch screen running Tizen Lite OS.5 Available on select T-Type and French Door refrigerator models. As of April 2025, AI Vision Inside can recognize 37 food items like fresh fruits and veggies. If the food is not recognizable, it may be listed as an unknown item. AI Vision Inside cannot identify or list any food items in the fridge door bins or freezer. It recognizes food items based on deep learning models, which may be updated periodically to improve accuracy.6 AI Vision Inside will recognize and recommend that users save processed food items that have been placed inside multiple times, allowing up to 50 items to be saved with the designated name. Processed foods are limited to those that keep a certain packaged form. AI Home recommends saving the item after it has been input more than 4 times during 30 days.7 A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required. Third-party devices must be SmartThings compatible.8 Availability of the hub function in Samsung’s screen-equipped appliances may vary by model and region. It is applied to products such as the 32-inch and 9-inch screen refrigerators, as well as the 7-inch screen washers and dryers (excluding standalone models). A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required. All products must be connected to SmartThings. Only 3rd party devices that are compatible with SmartThings can be registered.9 Update times vary by product and each protocol.10 Features and availability of services may vary by region.11 Bixby can answer troubleshooting- and usage-related questions based on the appliance’s user manual.

    MIL OSI Economics –