NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto Reintroduces Bill to Protect the Ruby Mountains from Oil and Gas Drilling Pushed by the Trump Administration

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) reintroduced her legislation to expand protections for and prohibit oil and gas development in Nevada’s beautiful and pristine Ruby Mountains. Her reintroduction of the Ruby Mountains Protection Act follows the Trump administration’s decision to reopen the Rubies to speculative oil and gas drilling. Last Congress, this bill passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee with bipartisan support. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) is a cosponsor of the legislation.

    “The natural beauty of the Ruby Mountains, Nevada’s Swiss Alps, is beloved by locals and draws tourists from across the country,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Unproductive oil and gas drilling would only harm Northern Nevada’s tourism economy and keep this natural treasure from generations of future Nevadans. There’s bipartisan support for my legislation, and there is no reason not to pass it into law.”

    “Instead of taking meaningful action to bolster American energy independence, the Trump administration is taking reckless and unproductive steps that endanger Nevada lands with low likelihood of oil and gas production,” said Senator Rosen. “That’s why I’m introducing this bill with Senator Cortez Masto to fight back against President Trump’s efforts and protect the Ruby Mountains from drilling. I’ll keep pushing back against this wrongheaded approach that threatens the Ruby Mountains and other beautiful parts of our state.”

    The Ruby Mountains Protection Act would withdraw approximately 450,000 acres of National Forest land, comprising the Ruby Mountain Ranger District of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, from any eligibility for oil and gas leasing. The bill will also expand protection to the 39,926-acre Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, which is managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The Ruby Mountains Protection Act would not affect any recreational use of these pristine lands, including for hunting, hiking, and fishing. Last Congress, the Ruby Mountains Protection Act passed the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on a bipartisan basis.

    Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen have been champions for Nevada’s great outdoor spaces and public lands. They passed critical legislation to permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which protects public lands in Nevada and across the U.S. Cortez Masto’s bipartisan, bicameral legislation to restore Lake Tahoe was recently passed into law, and she delivered critical funding to protect Lake Tahoe in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Cortez Masto and Rosen also helped pass the historic Great American Outdoors Act, which was signed into law and provides robust funding to preserve and maintain public lands across the country. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEA urges Supreme Court to reject attempts to force states to fund religious charter schools

    Source: US National Education Union

    WASHINGTON—The National Education Association joined a broad-based coalition of education groups in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in Oklahoma Charter School Board v. Drummond and St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School v. Drummond. The two cases, which were added late in the court’s current term, concern whether the Oklahoma Supreme Court correctly found that a charter authorizing board’s decision to create the nation’s first religious public charter school violated the Oklahoma state constitution, the state charter school statute, and the U.S. Constitution. 

    If the U.S. Supreme Court sides with the petitioners and holds that the Free Exercise Clause bars the state from refusing to authorize religious charter schools, the decision is likely to have broad repercussions. Forty-six states and the District of Columbia currently have charter school programs, all of which define and treat charter schools as public schools by, among other things, requiring them to offer a nonsectarian education. Over 7% of K-12 students attend such schools.

    “Every student—no matter where they live, what they look like, or their religion—deserves access to a fully-funded neighborhood public school that gives them a sense of belonging and prepares them with the lessons and life skills they need to follow their dreams and reach their full potential,” said NEA President Becky Pringle. “Allowing taxpayer dollars to fund religious charter schools would put both public education and religious freedom at risk, opening the door to more privatization that undermines our public education system.”

    The lower court ruling was in response to a petition filed with the Oklahoma Supreme Court by Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, a Republican, who sought to rescind the Charter School Board’s contract with St. Isidore. Oklahoma teachers have agreed with the attorney general’s petition.

    “Our public schools and educators work tirelessly to meet the needs of each student despite the challenges placed on them by elected officials,” said Cari Elledge, a fifth-grade teacher who serves as the president of the Oklahoma Education Association. “Requiring Oklahoma to fund religious doctrine in charter school programs diminishes funding for classroom resources, educator salaries, and other supports our students need. Ultimately, it can harm our students and our public schools by funneling funding meant for all to only a select few.”

    The ramifications of allowing taxpayer money to fund religious charter schools will extend far beyond Oklahoma’s borders.

    “More than 90% of American students—and 95% of students with disabilities—learn in our public schools. And these students need more opportunities, more resources, and greater protections, not less,” added Pringle. “The Supreme Court must not radically depart from the universal legal consensus that public schools, including charter schools, must welcome all students, be accountable to the public, and remain nonsectarian. Forcing taxpayers to fund charter schools that provide a religious curriculum and demand public funds without following public rules is a direct attack on public education, threatening the very foundation of our democracy.”

    The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in the cases on April 30.

    Follow us on Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile/neapresident.bsky.social and https://bsky.app/profile/neatoday.bsky.social  

    # # #

    The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 3 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, students preparing to become teachers, healthcare workers, and public employees. Learn more at www.nea.org.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst, Grassley, Marshall Protect Family Farms, Consumers from Burdensome Government Overreach

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
    WASHINGTON – After the U.S. Supreme Court left an open invitation for Congress to strike down California’s Proposition 12, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) is leading her colleagues in ending this unjustified and burdensome regulatory overreach to protect family farms and bring down pork prices for consumers.
    The Food Security and Farm Protection Act prohibits any state or local government from interfering with commerce and agricultural practices in another state outside their jurisdiction. The bill is co-led by Ernst’s fellow Senate Agriculture Committee members Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.).
    “Proposition 12 is dangerous and arbitrary overregulation that stands in direct opposition to the livelihoods of Iowa pork producers, increases costs for both farmers and consumers, and jeopardizes our nation’s food security,” said Senator Ernst. “I’m proud to be leading the charge to strike down this harmful measure and will keep fighting to make sure the voices of the farmers and experts who know best – not liberal California activists – are heard.”
    “California’s Proposition 12, along with Massachusetts’ Question 3, are based on arbitrary, nonsensical standards and have resulted in a harmful patchwork of regulations across the 50 states. They’re a threat to Iowa, which leads the nation in pork production, and to farmers and consumers across this country. Consistent with its authorities under the Commerce Clause, it’s time for Congress to solve this problem by passing legislation. Our bill will end California’s war on breakfast and make sure delicious Iowa pork can be sold everywhere,” said Senator Grassley.
    “The United States is constantly faced with non-tariff trade barriers from protectionist countries, which hurts American agriculture’s access to new markets. The last thing we need is for states like California imposing its will on ag-heavy states like Kansas with regulations that will also restrict our ability to trade among the states,” said Senator Marshall. “Midwest farmers and ranchers who produce our nation’s food supply should not be hamstrung by coastal activist agendas that dictate production standards from hundreds of miles away, and I am proud to support this legislation that gives Kansas agriculture producers the freedom to produce safe, affordable food for all.”
    Agriculture organizations across Iowa support Ernst’s effort:
    “We appreciate Sen. Ernst fighting to protect the livelihoods of Iowa pig farmers by introducing this legislation. The Supreme Court said Congress should address California’s Proposition 12 law regulating sow housing,” said Iowa Pork Producers Association President and pig farmer from Carroll, Iowa, Aaron Juergens. “Congress must act this year to prevent a patchwork of more state regulations from being enacted into law in the future. Since this overburdensome regulation has gone into effect, it’s not only proven costly for producers but consumers as well. We hope Sen. Ernst’s colleagues will join her in supporting efforts to stop Prop 12,”
    “We thank Senator Ernst for standing up for the American pork producer, especially during these times of uncertainty. U.S. pork producers have just suffered the worst 18 months of financial losses in history, and many farm families are contemplating whether they can pass along their farm to the next generation,” said National Pork Producers Council President and Ohio pork producer, Duane Stateler. “We urge the Senate to take up this legislation immediately to provide us much-needed relief.”
    “Iowa soybean farmers are grateful for Senator Ernst’s leadership to address challenges Prop 12 creates for Iowa farmers. It’s crucial we recognize the negative consequences regulations like this create for the entire supply chain, starting with farmers and ending with increased prices for consumers. California’s Prop 12 creates a patchwork of rules that force farmers, including those in Iowa, to comply with costly regulations,” said Iowa Soybean Association President and farmer, Brent Swart. “Not only do the increased costs of compliance threaten to put pork farmers out of business, Prop 12 increases the price of pork at the grocery store by as much as 40%. Higher prices for pork dampen demand for this high-quality protein which negatively impacts market demand for soybeans used for pig feed. This legislation gives us a chance to protect our farms, our livelihoods, and ultimately, families that need affordable food.”
    “The Iowa Cattle industry has made it clear that government overreach and overregulation is incredibly burdensome to industries that provide safe, quality, and sustainable products for the world. Proposition 12 has the potential to further dismantle the livestock industry with the lack of science-based measures. Proposition 12 has already proven to be an unfunded mandate with consumers unwilling to pay premiums for the products that must be compliant with the proposition,” said Iowa Cattlemen’s Association President, Rob Medberry. “The inherent cost to become compliant is overbearing and the simple fact of dollars and cents does not add up. The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association believes that consumers have the right to buy products that fit their desires. However, ICA does not support state-by-state regulation of interstate commerce and fervently opposes proposition 12 and similar legislation that has no sound scientific backing.”
    “Turkey farmers across the nation work tirelessly to ensure the production of safe, wholesome, and nutritious turkey products. Through collaboration with veterinarians and industry experts, farmers adhere to rigorous standards and practices designed to provide optimal care for their birds. This effort includes implementing auditable systems that are continuously monitored and improved to meet evolving standards of animal welfare, food safety, and environmental responsibility,” said Iowa Turkey Federation Executive Director, Gretta Irwin. “The proliferation of varying state and local laws that attempt to regulate farming and processing practices presents significant challenges. These inconsistencies create unnecessary burdens for farmers operating across state lines, hinder efficient production, and undermine well-established, science-based practices developed in coordination with industry experts.
    “The Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) thanks Senator Ernst for her continued pushback on California’s Proposition 12,” said ICGA President and farmer from Galt, Iowa, Stu Swanson. “Iowa’s corn and pig farmers work together to provide nutritious pork to families across the U.S. With barriers like Proposition 12 cutting off our ability to supply fellow Americans with Iowa grown pork, it’s not only those families who are being affected, but also our farm families here in Iowa. As farmers, we take pride in the crops and livestock we raise, and we need support, not restrictions, as we continue supplying a safe, nutritious product to the growing world. We will continue to work with our livestock partners to see that this issue gets resolved.”
    Background:
    Since Proposition 12 passed in 2018, Ernst has been a vocal opponent of California’s attempts to regulate hardworking pork producers in Iowa and is leading the charge to strike down this harmful initiative that threatens all of American agriculture. She has secured critical support from the Trump administration to aid in these efforts.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: New York Post Ed Board Highlights Ernst’s Squeal Work

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
    WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, the New York Post Editorial Board highlighted Senate DOGE Caucus Chair Joni Ernst’s (R-Iowa) work that revealedunionized workers at the Defense Health Agency spent 87,000 hours in a two-year timespan doing union work instead of their jobs supporting the military health system.
    “This info comes in a bombshell new report unearthed by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a veteran and a fierce advocate for the troops as well as a staunch fighter against fraud and waste as head of the Senate DOGE caucus. Good: The more sunlight into government spending, the better,” the Editorial Board wrote.
    Following her years-long investigation into the absent government workforce and the impact of federal telework abuse, Ernst has cracked down on taxpayer-funded union time with her Protecting Taxpayers’ Wallet Act that would end taxpayers having to foot the bill for federal employees engaging in union activity while on the clock. She is also leading the Taxpayer-Funded Union Time Transparency Act to track the total amount taxpayers are subsidizing federal employee unions.
    Read the full editorial below:
    Public-sector workers spent 87,000 hours screwing you — just at one agency, just in two years
    By: The New York Post Editorial Board
    Unionized workers at the Defense Health Agency, tasked with overseeing benefits for US troops, spent 87,000 hours (and $3.3 million) during fiscal 2023 and 2024 doing union work instead of their actual jobs. 
    You read that right: 87,000 hours. 
    That’s equivalent to 3,625 days, almost a full man-hour decade. 
    Burned up by staffers tending to their own interests, to the detriment of the troops they’re nominally charged with helping and the taxpayers they’re answerable to: They spent those hours doing things like contract renegotiation and fringe-benefit squeeze-outs. 
    This info comes in a bombshell new report unearthed by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a veteran and a fierce advocate for the troops as well as a staunch fighter against fraud and waste as head of the Senate DOGE caucus. 
    Good: The more sunlight into government spending, the better. 
    Otherwise, there’s no way to ever know which handouts serve to advance America’s national interest and which line the pockets of powerful fiefdoms and their lords. 
    But it points to a bigger problem, i.e., that public-sector unions are bad news for everyone. 
    In the private sector, unionized workers use their collective power to win concessions from business owners. If that gums up the works too much, the company suffers and its customers and investors go elsewhere.
    Government doesn’t work that way: The dissatisfied can’t escape so easily, and it’s politicians and other officials with no personal skin in the game who make the concessions.
    And unionized government workers put the squeeze directly on you. 
    Every benefit, every pay hike, every extra comes out of the taxpayer’s pocket. 
    And by shielding the incompetent and criminal, stifling innovation and generally gumming up the works, public-sector unions screw over the people most dependent on government services. 
    That is, the poor, the disabled and the otherwise marginalized. 
    Even, in this case, the armed forces. 
    So the next time National Education Association head Becky Pringle starts in on one of her semi-comprehensible tirades about justice and equity, or any other municipal, state or federal public-union muckamuck throws a weepy, righteous temper tantrum — remember. 
    The only thing they want is to shove their hand deeper into your pocket.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Blumenthal, Connecticut Delegation Demand McMahon Reverse Abrupt Policy Change Halting Funding For Schools Nationwide

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and U.S. Representatives John Larson (D-Conn.-01), Joe Courtney (D-Conn.-02), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.-03) and Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.-05) joined 71 members of Congress in sending a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon demanding a reversal of a recently announced policy that abruptly changed department practice and imposed new red tape on states. The policy would block states from accessing pandemic relief funds they rely on to support students’ learning.
    “We write to request the immediate reversal of the Department of Education’s recent March 28, 2025, action to revise the liquidation extension policy for COVID-19 relief funds,” the members wrote. “Just over a month ago, the Department announced a policy change to the longstanding extension policy that imposed an additional step for processing of extension reimbursements. … However, on March 28, 2025, with many state extension requests having been approved more than six months ago,  the Department suddenly announced on March 28 that ‘the Department is modifying the liquidation period to end on March 28, 2025,’ the very same day as the announcement.”
    “In short,” they continued, “the Department changed the spending rules it affirmed just one month ago, without providing any notice, and imposing more federal red tape.”
    The members noted that the abrupt change—coupled with the mass firings at ED—seriously threaten the ability of schools to support students’ learning: “When combined with the massive reduction in force announced earlier this month, the Department jeopardizes an estimated $4 billion from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 and American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 in nearly all of our states and outlying areas and roughly 1,000 school districts nationwide. This action is particularly harmful to rural school districts that faced the greatest disruptions during the authorized program period. This will also have a disproportionate impact on $800 million reserved for identification and support for students experiencing homelessness, which was implemented slowly in many states. The March 28th decision of the Department improperly imposes its will on state and local budget decisions in a manner not contemplated by Congress.”
    The members criticized McMahon for undermining Congress’s intent to give states the flexibility they need to meet local needs: “Congress intended the Secretary to support states and districts in their use of the flexibility under the law to ensure the unique needs of their communities were met and to implement evidence-based learning loss interventions. The Department is now trying to change the spending rules and impose an administrative hurdle by stating ‘the Department will consider an extension to your liquidation period on an individual project-specific basis.’…We are astonished by the amount of hypocrisy here from an administration that has repeatedly said it wants to return education to the states, including your recent statement that ‘Education is fundamentally a state responsibility. Instead of filtering resources through layers of federal red tape, we will empower states…’ Now, it appears the Department is turning its back on states by arbitrarily imposing more federal red tape.”
    They concluded: “Let’s be very clear: The abrupt change in the liquidation extension policy is yet another way this administration is seeking to strip educational opportunities for students in order to pay for tax cuts for billionaires and large corporations. President Trump and Congressional Republicans are intent in claiming any savings they can in the federal budget that they intend to use to pay for their tax cuts for billionaires and large corporations. It is appalling to us that those billionaire and corporate giveaways are valued over the students in rural school districts that faced supply chain disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic that led to the districts’ need for these liquidation extensions, valued over students experiencing homelessness who have seen the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds dedicated to them spent down slowly, and valued over so many other students that will be attending schools that are already facing difficult budget choices for the next school year without the additional burden of this changed policy. That is, unless states undertake the newest burden put in place by your Department and are able to navigate the Department’s bureaucratic maze and receive funds for projects that may have been committed to years ago. We believe there is a better way.”
    U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Angus King (I-Maine), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) also signed the letter.
    U.S. Representatives Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-Va.-03), Alma Adams (D-N.C.-12), Donald Beyer (D-Va.-08), Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.-01), Julia Brownley (D-Calif.-26), Shontel Brown (D-Ohio-11), André Carson (D-Ind.-07), Greg Casar (D-Texas-35), Sean Casten (D-Ill.-06), Joaquin Castro (D-Texas-20), Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.-09), Danny Davis (D-Ill.-07), Diana DeGette (D-Colo.-01), Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.-17), Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.-10), Sarah Elfreth (D-Md.-03), Veronica Escobar (D-Texas-16), Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.-13), Dwight Evans (D-Pa.-03), Shomari Figures (D-Ala.-02), Jesús García (D-Ill.-04), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas-29), Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas-34), Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.-06), Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.-01), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.-04), Robin Kelly (D-Ill.-02), Timothy Kennedy (D-N.Y.-26), Summer Lee (D-Pa.-12), Lucy McBath (D-Ga.-06), Sarah McBride (D-Del.-01), Jennifer McClellan (D-Va.-04), Betty McCollum (D-Minn.-04), Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Mich.-08), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.-02), LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.-10), Donald Norcross (D-N.J.-01), Johnny Olszewski (D-Md.-02), Chellie Pingree (D-Maine-01), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.-02), Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.-06), Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.-38), Terri Sewell (D-Ala.-07), Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.-11), Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.-12), Darren Soto (D-Fla.-09), Haley Stevens (D-Mich.-11), Mark Takano (D-Calif.-39), Dina Titus (D-Nev.-01), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.-12), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.-12), Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.-24), and Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.-01) signed the letter as well.
    Full text of the letter is available HERE and below:
    Dear Secretary McMahon:
    We write to request the immediate reversal of the Department of Education’s (“the Department”) recent March 28, 2025, action to revise the liquidation extension policy for COVID-19 relief funds. Just over a month ago, the Department announced a policy change to the longstanding extension policy that imposed an additional step for processing of extension reimbursements. That policy stated “Beginning today, all future payments under the CARES Act, CRRSA Act, and ARP Act spent on allowable expenditures must be paid by the states in advance and then submitted to the U.S. Department of Education for reimbursement.” While the Department’s action added an unnecessary burden on states, it continued the longstanding extension policy established years ago in stating “All [COVID-19 Pandemic relief funding] expenditures must fall under the approved expenditures as outlined in guidance for ESSER, ARPA, and HEERF.”
    However, on March 28, 2025, with many state extension requests having been approved more than six months ago, the Department suddenly announced that “the Department is modifying the liquidation period to end on March 28, 2025”, the very same day as the announcement. Specifically, the Department stated that “The extension approval was issued recently, so any reliance interests developed are minimal…So you could not rely on the Department adhering to its original decision.” In short, the Department changed the spending rules it affirmed just one month ago, without providing any notice, and imposing more federal red tape.
    This abrupt and chaotic revision of policy is not helpful to students whose states, school districts, or institutions of higher education are uncertain about the Department’s commitments to implementing federal funding designed to support students. The March 28th decision is an imposition of an unauthorized layer of bureaucratic red tape on the expenditure of resources passed by Congress to support learning recovery for our nation’s students. When combined with the massive reduction in force announced earlier this month, the Department jeopardizes an estimated $4 billion from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 and American Rescue Plan Act of 2021(“ARP Act”) in nearly all of our states and outlying areas and roughly 1,000 school districts nationwide. This action is particularly harmful to rural school districts that faced the greatest disruptions during the authorized program period. This will also have a disproportionate impact on $800 million reserved for identification and support for students experiencing homelessness, which was implemented slowly in many states. The March 28th decision of the Department improperly imposes its will on state and local budget decisions in a manner not contemplated by Congress.
    Second, we are alarmed by your lack of a recognition of the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our nation’s students. The Department’s March 28 policy change asserts “Extending deadlines for COVID-related grants, which are in fact taxpayer funds, years after the COVID pandemic ended is not consistent with the Department’s priorities and thus not a worthwhile exercise of its discretion.” We are surprised to learn the Department is unaware of recent results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (“NAEP”) which show “National scores are below pre-pandemic levels (2019) in ALL tested grades and subjects.” NAEP results also reveal “Gaps are growing between higher-performing and lower-performing students.” Further, chronic absenteeism still is too high with the latest data indicating “a majority of students still attended schools with 20% or higher levels of chronic absence. This serious absenteeism is in stark contrast to 2019, when slightly over a quarter of schools experienced such high levels of chronic absence.” Years after the COVID-19 pandemic, our schools and communities still have much work to do to help students recover and the Department’s termination of the remaining resources Congress passed for that purpose will only serve to delay and undermine our students’ recovery.
    Third, Congress intended the Secretary to support states and districts in their use of the flexibility under the law to ensure the unique needs of their communities were met and to implement evidence-based learning loss interventions. The Department is now trying to change the spending rules and impose an administrative hurdle by stating “the Department will consider an extension to your liquidation period on an individual project-specific basis.” This is despite the fact that such extensions to liquidation periods were noticed more than one year ago, with some granted more than six months ago, and that states assured to the Department that “The SEA will ensure that LEAs [school districts] use ARP ESSER funds for activities allowable under section 2001(e) of the ARP.” We are astonished by the amount of hypocrisy here from an administration that has repeatedly said it wants to return education to the states, including your recent statement that “Education is fundamentally a state responsibility. Instead of filtering resources through layers of federal red tape, we will empower states…”. Now, it appears the Department is turning its back on states by arbitrarily imposing more federal red tape.
    We would be heartened if the Department’s new policy was really intended to better support students. However, actions of the past two months tell a starkly different story. The Department has cancelled hundreds of millions in teacher training grants that were at work in addressing educator shortages and improving the quality of instruction in our schools. The Department has cancelled hundreds of millions of research and evaluation contracts on critical issues like an evaluation of transition supports for students with disabilities, which was intended to provide states and school districts with high quality evidence on approaches to support students with disabilities with their transition to post-school outcomes. The Department also cancelled an evaluation of the programs that receive the largest amount of funding appropriated for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, depriving Congress and the Department of critical information about the implementation of those programs. The Department cancelled contracts for the Comprehensive Centers program, which—in addition to being statutorily required—were poised to provide effective capacity building support and technical assistance to states, school systems, and schools in addressing chronic absenteeism, and math and literacy learning, among other locally and regionally identified challenges. The Department also canceled the Long Term Trend NAEP for 17 year olds, which has been providing data on student achievement for decades. The Department has implemented a massive dismantling and reduction in staff, which has reduced the number of staff available at the Office for Civil Rights to protect the rights of all students. Finally, the massive reduction also appears to have delayed the processing of COVID-19 relief reimbursement requests prior to the announcement of the changed policy that is the subject of this letter.
    Let’s be very clear: The abrupt change in the liquidation extension policy is yet another way this administration is seeking to strip educational opportunities for students in order to pay for tax cuts for billionaires and large corporations. President Trump and Congressional Republicans are intent in claiming any savings they can in the federal budget that they intend to use to pay for their tax cuts for billionaires and large corporations. It is appalling to us that those billionaire and corporate giveaways are valued over the students in rural school districts that faced supply chain disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic that led to the districts’ need for these liquidation extensions, valued over students experiencing homelessness who have seen the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds dedicated to them spent down slowly, and valued over so many other students that will be attending schools that are already facing difficult budget choices for the next school year without the additional burden of this changed policy. That is, unless states undertake the newest burden put in place by your Department and are able to navigate the Department’s bureaucratic maze and receive funds for projects that may have been committed to years ago.
    We believe there is a better way. We urge you to immediately rescind your March 28 revision to the longstanding liquidation extension policy. Further, we believe you should work with us to start properly executing our federal education laws as Congress intended.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McConnell Supports Trump’s Executive Order on Coal

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) released the following statement today regarding President Donald Trump’s signing of an executive order to revitalize the coal industry:
    “Today’s executive order supporting coal-fired power plants will begin to roll back years of Obama-Biden regulatory overreach that targeted those who generate affordable and reliable American energy. For years, the Biden EPA’s war on fossil fuels forced more miners into early retirement, hurt rural communities, raised energy prices, and weakened our national security while China, our top strategic competitor, made massive investments in expanding coal production. The Trump Administration is taking the necessary steps to preserve an industry that is vital to the livelihoods of Kentucky families, and I’ll continue to stand firmly behind the Kentuckians and workers across coal country who keep the lights on.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: University Research – Global infant mortality will rise – in contrast to United Nations projections – Flinders

    Source: Flinders University

    A new report presented in New York on 8 April reveals that current United Nations projections on infant mortality rates are inaccurate.

    The Fragile Futures report says crucial factors missing from current United Nations projections – the impacts of climate change and population on infant mortality – will cause infant mortality to rise and children’s overall health to decline this decade.

    While current United Nations projections predict a continuing decline in infant mortality, new evidence in the Fragile Futures report shows that climate change and population dynamics in the most climate-vulnerable regions will increase infant mortality rates.

    UK-based NGO Population Matters funded the independent Fragile Futures evidence review, conducted by the Future Child Health research team at The Kids Research Institute Australia, with help from The University of Western Australia and Matthew Flinders Professor of Global Ecology Corey Bradshaw from Flinders University in South Australia.

    Representatives from Population Matters and the Future Child Health research team attended the United Nations Commission on Population Development in New York, and presented the Fragile Futures research at a side event (“A Discussion on Child Health and Climate”) on 8 April.

    Report co-author Professor Corey Bradshaw from Flinders University says that evidence revealed in the Fragile Futures report shows that infant mortality is rising.

    “Although United Nations’ projections on infant mortality show a continuing decline to 2100, recent evidence suggests that infant mortality is increasing in several countries, including the United States, France, India, Madagascar, Cambodia, Nepal, and the Philippines.”

    The report also presents evidence that climate change will increase pre-term births. “Rising temperatures are linked to a 60% increase in preterm births, a major contributor to higher rates of infant mortality and health complications later in life even in those children who survive,” says co-author Dr Melinda Judge from The Kids Research Institute Australia and The University of Western Australia.

    “The risk of pre-term birth is already higher in low- and middle-income countries. Sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia accounted for 65% of all preterm births globally in 2020, and this will increase due to more frequent and persisting heatwaves.”

    Children’s respiratory health is identified as being at increased risk. “Climate change and higher population density also causes more exposure to air pollution, increasing cases of asthma, eczema, and allergies in young children,” says co-author Professor Peter Le Souëf from The University of Western Australia and The Kids Research Institute Australia. “In Africa, air pollution was linked to 449,000 additional infant deaths in 2015.”

    The report shows that preventable deaths of women and newborns are increasing. In 2020, 287,000 women died from preventable pregnancy-related complications, and 80% of newborn deaths were due to preventable and treatable conditions. Investment in sexual and reproductive healthcare saves lives.

    Cuts to international aid budgets are also having an effect on these figures. “The withdrawal of USAID support between 2025 and 2028 is projected to result in 1,200 additional preventable maternal deaths in Afghanistan alone,” says Professor Bradshaw.

    “The total impacts of lost aid on women and children’s health remains unknown – but will be catastrophic without intervention.”

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee Observes National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Memphis, TN – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee and the Department of Justice’s Office of Victims of Crime (“OVC”) joins communities nationwide in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 6-12, 2025, and in celebrating victims’ rights, protections, and services. This year’s theme, “Kinship – Connecting & Healing,” is a call to action to recognize that shared humanity should be at the center of supporting all survivors and victims of crime. KINSHIP is a state of being with survivors that drives vital connections to services, rights, and healing. KINSHIP is where victim advocacy begins.

    Each year in April, the Department of Justice and United States Attorney’s Offices observe National Crime Victims’ Rights Week nationwide by taking time to honor victims of crime and those who advocate on their behalf. According to a report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 2023, there were approximately 20 million crime victimizations in the United States. More than 6.4 million were the result of violent crimes, including rape or sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault. Of that 6.4 million, only about 45% were reported to police.

    The United States Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime leads communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Crime Victims’ Rights Week to bring greater sensitivity to the needs and right of victims of crime.

    Here, in the Western District of Tennessee, we have a dedicated Victim Witness Coordinator who supports federal crime victims by providing victims with essential services, including referrals to counseling, securing temporary housing, assisting with access to victim’s compensation funds, and accompanying victims to court proceedings to provide support and guidance. These services provide victims with tools to reshape their futures.

    The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs provides innovative leadership to federal, state, local, and tribal justice systems by disseminating state-of-the-art knowledge and practices across the United States and by providing grants for the implementation of these crime-fighting strategies. Because most of the responsibility for crime control and prevention falls to law enforcement officers in states, cities, and neighborhoods, the federal government can be effective in these areas only to the extent that it can enter partnerships with these officers.

    Further National Crime Victims’ Rights Week resources can be found at https://ovc.ojp.gov/ncvrw2025/overview.

    ###

    For more information, please contact the media relations team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Gladstone Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Federal Prison for Abducting and Sexually Abusing a Canadian Child

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PORTLAND, Ore.— A Gladstone, Oregon man was sentenced to 50 years in federal prison today for abducting and sexually abusing a Canadian child he met through a music creation social media platform.

    Noah Madrano, 43, was sentenced to 600 months in federal prison, a $5,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release. The sum of restitution he must pay to his victim will be determined at a later date.

    “The U.S. Attorney’s Office thanks the FBI special agents and Oregon City police officers who rescued the victim in Oregon and brought the defendant to justice,” said William M. Narus, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “This sentence is a result of the extraordinary efforts of the victim, the victim’s family, their community, and law enforcement here and in Canada.”

    “The persistence with which Madrano pursued his heinous crimes – traveling internationally on multiple occasions to victimize a child he met online, and ultimately smuggling that victim across an international border, speaks to how predatory his actions genuinely were,” said FBI Portland Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Olson. “Madrano will be in his mid-nineties when he is eligible for supervised release. His removal from our communities benefits everyone.”

    According to court documents, Madrano met a child online whom he sexually exploited for more than a year. In May 2022, he traveled to Canada to meet the child in person, took the child to a hotel room, sexually abused the victim, and recorded his abuse. A few weeks later, on June 24, 2022, Madrano returned to Canada, where he abducted the child from outside a school and took the victim to another hotel room. At the hotel, Madrano sexually abused the child for several days and recorded videos of his abuse. On July 1, 2022, Madrano hid the child in the trunk of his vehicle and drove back to the United States. Once in Oregon, Madrano brought the victim to a hotel room, where he continued to sexually abuse the child.

    In the early morning of July 2, 2022, FBI special agents and Oregon City police officers entered Madrano’s hotel room and found him inside with the victim. Madrano was arrested and the child was taken into protective custody, reunited with her parents, and returned to Canada.

    On September 21, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a six-count indictment charging Madrano with sexually exploiting a child, traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, transporting a child with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and possessing child pornography.

    On January 13, 2025, Madrano pleaded guilty to sexually exploiting a child and transporting a child with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

    This case was investigated by FBI Portland’s Child Exploitation Task Force (CETF) with assistance from the Oregon City Police Department, the Gladstone Police Department, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, the Edmonton Police Service, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. It was prosecuted by Mira Chernick, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

    Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

    The FBI Child Exploitation Task Force (CETF) conducts sexual exploitation investigations, many of them undercover, in coordination with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. CETF is committed to locating and arresting those who prey on children as well as recovering and assisting victims of sex trafficking and child exploitation.

    Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Amendment to Reciprocal Tariffs and Updated Duties as Applied to Low-Value Imports from the People’s Republic of China

    Source: The White House

    AMENDMENT TO RECIPROCAL TARIFFS AND UPDATED DUTIES AS APPLIED TO LOW-VALUE IMPORTS FROM THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), section 604 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2483), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, I hereby determine and order:

    Section 1.  Background.  In Executive Order 14257 of April 2, 2025 (Regulating Imports with a Reciprocal Tariff to Rectify Trade Practices that Contribute to Large and Persistent Annual United States Goods Trade Deficits), I declared a national emergency arising from conditions reflected in large and persistent annual U.S. goods trade deficits, and imposed additional ad valorem duties that I deemed necessary and appropriate to deal with that unusual and extraordinary threat, which has its source in whole or substantial part outside the United States, to the national security and economy of the United States.  Section 4(b) of Executive Order 14257 provided that “[s]hould any trading partner retaliate against the United States in response to this action through import duties on U.S. exports or other measures, I may further modify the [Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States] to increase or expand in scope the duties imposed under this order to ensure the efficacy of this action.”  I further declared pursuant to Executive Order 14256 of April 2, 2025 (Further Amendment to Duties Addressing the Synthetic Opioid Supply Chain in the People’s Republic of China as Applied to Low-Value Imports) that duty-free de minimis treatment on articles described in section 2(a) of Executive Order 14195 is no longer available effective at 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on May 2, 2025.

    On April 4, 2025, the State Council Tariff Commission of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) announced that in response to Executive Order 14257, effective at 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on April 10, 2025, a 34 percent tariff would be imposed on all goods imported into the PRC originating from the United States.  Pursuant to section 4(b) of Executive Order 14257, I am ordering modification of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) and taking other actions to increase the duties imposed on the PRC in response to this retaliation.  In my judgment, this modification is necessary and appropriate to effectively address the threat to the national security and economy of the United States.

    Sec. 2.  Tariff Increase.  In recognition of the fact that the PRC has announced that it will retaliate against the United States in response to Executive Order 14257, the HTSUS shall be modified as follows.  Effective with respect to goods entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on April 9, 2025:  
    (a)  heading 9903.01.63 of the HTSUS shall be amended by deleting “34%” each place that it appears and by inserting “84%” in lieu thereof; and
    (b)  subdivision (v)(xiii)(10) of U.S. note 2 to subchapter III of chapter 99 of the HTSUS shall be amended by deleting “34%”, and inserting “84%” in lieu thereof.

    Sec. 3.  De Minimis Tariff Increase.  To ensure that the imposition of tariffs pursuant to section 2 of this order is not circumvented and that the purpose of Executive Order 14257 and this action is not undermined, I also deem it necessary and appropriate to:  
    (a)  increase the ad valorem rate of duty set forth in section 2(c)(i) of Executive Order 14256 from 30 percent to 90 percent;
    (b)  increase the per postal item containing goods duty in section 2(c)(ii) of Executive Order 14256 that is in effect on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on May 2, 2025, and before 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on June 1, 2025, from 25 dollars to 75 dollars; and
    (c)  increase the per postal item containing goods duty in section 2(c)(ii) of Executive Order 14256 that is in effect on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on June 1, 2025, from 50 dollars to 150 dollars.

    Sec. 4.  Implementation.  The Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the United States Trade Representative, as applicable, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, the Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, and the Chair of the International Trade Commission, are directed to take all necessary actions to implement and effectuate this order, consistent with applicable law, including through temporary suspension or amendment of regulations or notices in the Federal Register and adopting rules and regulations, and are authorized to take such actions, and to employ all powers granted to the President by IEEPA, as may be necessary to implement this order.  Each executive department and agency shall take all appropriate measures within its authority to implement this order.

    Sec. 5.  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, 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.

    DONALD J. TRUMP

    THE WHITE HOUSE,
        April 8, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Rep. Pfluger On Sunday Mornings Futures

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11)

    Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) joined Sunday Morning Futures on Fox News to discuss President Trump’s energy agenda and the vital role the Permian Basin will have in accomplishing it. Watch the full interview HERE, or read the conversation below.

    Jackie DeAngelis: We’re talking all morning about Trump’s economic agenda. Obviously, tariffs are on everyone’s mind, but energy is also a big part of this. He wants to unleash American energy once again. President Biden tried to suffocate the energy industry. Explain to me how that’s going to work in the Permian – deregulation is part of it, investment is part of it, and the companies are on board.

    Rep. Pfluger: Well Jackie, it’s great to be with you, and you’re absolutely right. Energy underpins everything we do, our entire economy, our national security sector – it’s the most important thing, and it’s foundational to everyday life. What we do in the Permian Basin, as you rightfully showed, is unleashing affordable, reliable energy, and that’s what we should be doing throughout the United States. I was proud to have a bill signed into law just a couple of weeks ago that cut the harmful natural gas tax that President Biden imposed, but that’s not it. That’s not all of it. What President Trump is now doing is cutting that red tape. He’s cutting the bureaucracy. He’s making it easier. You’re going to see lease sales both onshore and offshore. And most importantly, we have to get to a place of permitting reform so that energy companies are not competing with Uncle Sam. That you don’t have years of delays due to litigation or the red tape that the bureaucracy has imposed and I think that’s what you’re going to see. It’s going to enter us into a new era of energy and with the incoming AI data centers and the technology that you’re seeing, the demand for electricity is only going to increase. In some cases, people are predicting as much as double.

    Jackie DeAngelis: When you look at oil prices, there are a few bright spots in this market right now, even amidst the turmoil that we’re watching on the specific indices with stocks. Because you’re looking at oil prices that have come down, you’ve got OPEC, increasing supply, playing ball with President Trump, as he’s trying to modify the energy agenda, you bring those gas prices down, not only for consumers, but you bring them down for companies. And you’re talking about lower inflation.

    Rep. Pfluger: Well, there’s a sweet spot for the production of oil and gas because you want enough rigs to drill, you want the ability to be able to produce, and the supply to match the demand. And so, actually, I think what people are probably looking at across the United States is somewhere in the neighborhood of $65 to $85 and that really allows the predictability. Predictability is the word in this industry that people are looking for. They want a predictable future to invest in. And super high prices, over $100 or even $20, $30, $40 per barrel of oil is not good for the economy. What is good for it is a predictable barrel of oil price so we can compete around the world.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray, National Security Members Express Grave Concerns Over Recent Firings at NSA in Letter to Trump

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Letter from senators with jurisdiction over national security over sudden firing of key NSA leaders: “Their removals were conducted in the middle of the night with no consultation with Congress and, according to reports, at the behest of a private citizen who has a record of promoting conspiracy theories.”
    Washington, D.C. — Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joined Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee Jack Reed (D-RI), and Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense Chris Coons (D-DE), in sending a letter to President Trump regarding the firing of the Director of the National Security Agency (NSA) and Commander of U.S. Cyber Command (CYBERCOM), General Timothy Haugh, as well as the reassignment of the Deputy Director of the NSA, Wendy Noble.
    “We write with alarm at the sudden and inexplicable firing of the Director of the National Security Agency (NSA) and Commander, U.S. Cyber Command, General Timothy Haugh, as well as the reassignment of the Deputy Director of the NSA, Wendy Noble,” the senators wrote. “Not only have both dutifully served this nation for decades under both Democratic and Republican administrations, but their removals were conducted in the middle of the night with no consultation with Congress and, according to reports, at the behest of a private citizen who has a record of promoting conspiracy theories.”
    “These actions severely compromise our ability to keep Americans safe. As you are well aware, our nation currently faces serious cyber threats from foreign adversaries, such as from China’s Salt Typhoon, with near-daily attacks against our critical infrastructure,” the senators continued. “In addition, our nation’s military is engaged in ongoing operations against multiple threats, from the Houthis in Yemen to Russian aggression in Eastern Europe. Given the dangers facing the United States, it is inexplicable that the Administration would remove the senior leaders of NSA/CYBERCOM without cause or warning, and risk disrupting critical ongoing intelligence operations.”
    The senators also highlighted the impact this move would have on the dual-hat arrangement, in which a single officer leads both the NSA and CYBERCOM, and stressed that prematurely severing this agreement could put U.S. national security at risk.
    As members of the key committees tasked with conducting oversight over NSA, the senators requested written justification for why Director Timothy Haugh and Ms. Wendy Noble were removed from their posts, and asked for a Congressional briefing regarding any additional actions the administration plans to take with respect to NSA and CYBERCOM, including but not limited to the separation of the dual-hat.
    Joining Vice Chair Murray, Vice Chairman Warner, and Ranking Members Reed and Coons in this letter are Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Gary Peters (D-MI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Chris Murphy (D-CT).
    The text of the letter is below and a PDF is HERE.
    Dear President Trump,
    We write with alarm at the sudden and inexplicable firing of the Director of the National Security Agency (NSA) and Commander, U.S. Cyber Command, General Timothy Haugh, as well as the reassignment of the Deputy Director of the NSA, Wendy Noble. Not only have both dutifully served this nation for decades under both Democratic and Republican administrations, but their removals were conducted in the middle of the night with no consultation with Congress and, according to reports, at the behest of a private citizen who has a record of promoting conspiracy theories.
    These actions severely compromise our ability to keep Americans safe. As you are well aware, our nation currently faces serious cyber threats from foreign adversaries, such as from China’s Salt Typhoon, with near-daily attacks against our critical infrastructure. In addition, our nation’s military is engaged in ongoing operations against multiple threats, from the Houthis in Yemen to Russian aggression in Eastern Europe. Given the dangers facing the United States, it is inexplicable that the Administration would remove the senior leaders of NSA/CYBERCOM without cause or warning, and risk disrupting critical ongoing intelligence operations.
    Furthermore, we urge you to exercise careful consideration and consultation with Congress on any further actions that may impact NSA’s or CYBERCOM’s abilities to provide the critical intelligence and operational support to policymakers and warfighters. This includes, but is not limited to, any considerations to terminate the dual-hat arrangement. Premature termination of the dual-hat arrangement would severely degrade the speed and effectiveness of NSA’s and CYBERCOM’s abilities to execute their missions and could have dire consequence for our national security. As Congress on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis has repeatedly made clear in the National Defense Authorization Acts for Fiscal Years 2017, 2018, and 2020, clear criteria must be met before any termination can be considered and both the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs must together certify that separation will not “pose risks to the military effectiveness of the United States Cyber Command that are unacceptable to the national security interests of the United States.”
    As Members of the respective committees of oversight, we request that you formally provide in writing a justification for why Director Timothy Haugh and Ms. Wendy Noble were removed from their posts and provide a briefing to Congress on any additional actions you plan to take with respect to NSA and CYBERCOM, including but not limited to the separation of the dual-hat.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray, Rep. Houlahan Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation Strengthening Menopause Research at DoD and VA 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Senator Murray also leads major bipartisan legislation endorsed by Halle Berry to boost menopause research, expand training and awareness
    Washington, D.C. — Today, Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and Joni Ernst (R-IA), joined Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D, PA-06) and Stephanie Bice (R, OK-05) in reintroducing the Servicewomen and Veterans Menopause Research Act. This legislation requires the Department of Defense (DoD) in coordination with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to research and study the effects of menopause on women servicemembers and women veterans. This research would, for the first time ever, analyze any gaps in treatment and research for women servicemembers and veterans experiencing perimenopause or menopause, with a focus on the effect of combat roles, toxic exposure, and on overall mental health. 
    “Every woman goes through menopause—but for far too long, research that would help us better understand and treat the symptoms of menopause has been underinvested in and overlooked. I’ve been working to tackle this problem from every angle so that women can have the information and the tools they need to enter menopause with confidence and get the care that’s right for them, and our women in uniform and women veterans are no exception,” said Senator Murray. “I’m proud to join Rep. Houlahan in introducing this legislation to strengthen research at VA and DoD on menopause and mid-life women’s health—and I’ll be pushing to include it in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act.” 
    “Servicewomen and women veterans need dedicated resources and research to better understand the unique way military service impacts menopause. Not only is this a health care issue, but it is also a workforce and family-building issue. Women are going into perimenopause earlier, struggling with debilitating health conditions and being forced to leave the workforce earlier due to medical difficulties from menopause,” said Representative Houlahan. “Service members, including those in non-combat roles, face significantly more stress than their civilian counterparts, potentially leading to early onset menopause and other unique challenges. It is essential to understand the health implications through research, not only for the readiness of our force, but our broader workforce as well.” 
    Research proves that stress on the body often leads to earlier perimenopause, cutting child-bearing years short, and other physical and mental health conditions that impact women’s ability to work. Servicemembers are disproportionately affected due to the high-stress nature of their jobs. This bill will require a report and identification of gaps in health care knowledge and coverage so that DOD and VA can better serve those that serve us. With a fast-growing number of women veterans, this research is more important than ever for the readiness of our armed forces, as well as our workforce.  
    Read the full text of the bill here. 
    “Let’s Talk Menopause applauds the introduction of the Servicewomen and Veterans Menopause Research Act by Representatives Houlahan and Bice. This groundbreaking initiative shines a necessary light on the unique health challenges faced by our service members and veterans as they navigate menopause. Understanding the impact of military service on menopause is crucial for developing tailored support and treatments, ensuring our heroes receive the care they deserve,” said Donna Klassen, Co-Founder/CEO of Let’s Talk Menopause. 
    “As the population of women veterans continues to grow, it’s imperative that the VA not only continues to study our healthcare needs but also takes proactive steps to address them,” said Elisa Cardnell, President of Service Women’s Action Network. “Military service has a lifelong impact on health, and we applaud the efforts of Rep. Houlahan and Rep. Bice to determine how it may impact perimenopause and menopause.”
    “Menopause is a natural life stage that all women will encounter. This includes our nation’s service members and veterans,” said Society for Women’s Health Research President and CEO Kathryn Schubert, MPP, CAE. “Yet, as in so many areas of women’s health, we are operating with a lack of information. This new legislation from Representative Houlahan will give us important insights into menopause’s impact on our service members, including how it affects military service and combat roles. It is our hope that members of Congress will work together in a bipartisan way to quickly pass this legislation.”  
    Last Congress, Senator Murray introduced the Advancing Menopause Care and Mid-Life Women’s Health Act, new comprehensive bipartisan legislation that would be the most expansive effort so far to boost federal research on menopause and would—for the first time—coordinate the federal government’s existing programs related to menopause and mid-life women’s health. Senator Murray has always championed women’s health care and fought to boost investments in women’s health care research in particular. As the previous top Democrat on the HELP Committee, Murray led negotiations and passage of the 21st Century Cures Act in 2016, bipartisan legislation that provided $4.8 billion over the next 10 years to invests in a wide range of health priorities including with regards to women’s health care. Murray leads and has repeatedly introduced the Jeanette Acosta Invest in Women’s Health Act, which would increase women’s access to preventive and lifesaving cancer screenings. Murray has also been a strong advocate for women veterans’ health care—transforming the VA over decades to meet the needs of women veterans, whether by authoring and passing the Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act in 2010 or by delivering annual funding as an appropriator to help VA provide the necessary care for women veterans. Last year as Chair of the Appropriations Chair, Senator Murray delivered a record $900 million investment in women veterans’ health care.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As Republicans Attack Public Education, Pressley Reintroduces Bills to Invest in Safe, Nurturing Learning Environments for All Students

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

    Pair of Bills Would Address Pushout of Black Girls, Invest in Counselors and End Over-Policing of Public K-12 Schools

    Ending PUSHOUT Act | Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act

    WASHINGTON – Today, as Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Republicans attack public education, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) is leading her colleagues in reintroducing a pair of bills, the Ending PUSHOUT Act and Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act, which would collectively end the discriminatory treatment of Black and brown students, LGBTQIA+ students, and students with disabilities in schools, and invest in safe, nurturing learning environments for all students.

    “Classrooms should be a place for students to learn, grow, and thrive – not be overpoliced and criminalized. With Republicans gutting public education and attacking vulnerable students, our bills would help protect our students by promoting trauma-informed policies and investing in counselors, nurses, social workers, and other trained professionals who actually make our schools safer,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “I’m grateful to my House and Senate colleagues for their ongoing partnership and for the coalition of individuals and organizations from across the country who joined us in support of these bills. We must affirm the right for every student to learn in a setting free from fear.”

    Rep. Pressley is joined by Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) in reintroducing the Ending PUSHOUT Act, which would end the punitive pushout of girls of color from schools. 

    “Over the last 25 years, more than $1 billion in federal funds have been used to put police officers in our nation’s schools without any evidence that this funding has improved school safety or student outcomes,” said Senator Booker. “Additionally, research shows that students of color, particularly girls, are often subjected to harsher and more frequent disciplinary action compared to their white counterparts. The Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act and Ending PUSHOUT Act are critical bills that invest federal dollars in counselors, social workers, and other trauma-informed personnel to support students so we can keep create safer academic environments for all students to thrive.”

    “I want my granddaughter to learn, grow, and receive an education in an environment where she is loved and valued,” said Rep. Watson Coleman. “But we know, both from the data and our own experience, that this is not always the case for Black girls. They are disproportionately likely to face severe punishment for similar behaviors compared to their white peers and we must take action to dismantle this systemic discrimination. The school-to-prison pipeline is real, and it has specifically harmed and targeted Black girls. I’m proud to support Rep. Pressley’s End PUSHOUT Act to put an end to this injustice, and foster a learning environment where every student, regardless of race, gender, or ZIP code, has the opportunity to thrive.”

    “It’s heartbreaking but not surprising that across the country, Black girls and Indigenous girls are still being pushed out of classrooms at staggering rates. Black students in Minnesota are eight times more likely to be suspended than white students. For Indigenous students, it’s ten times,” said Rep. Omar. “The Ending PUSHOUT Act is about creating school environments where girls of color feel safe, supported, and free to learn. I’m proud to stand with Congresswoman Pressley and Congresswoman Watson Coleman to say our girls deserve better and we’re going to fight for them.”

    Rep. Pressley is joined by Congresswoman Omar (MN-05), Congresswoman Summer Lee (PA-12), and Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) in introducing the Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act, which would invest in safe and nurturing school climates that support all students and end over-policing in our nation’s public K-12 schools.

    “Every kid deserves to feel secure and supported in their classroom. But too often students, especially kids of color and students with disabilities, are arrested at school instead of getting the help that would actually address the root causes of their behavioral issues. While a number of school districts across the country have made progress by taking police out of classrooms and giving our kids the kind of support that we know leads to better results, other schools have gone back to old rules that just punish kids but don’t help them get back on track. This legislation would put more counselors and social workers in schools and make sure school districts have the resources they need to make classrooms safe for all students,” said Senator Murphy.

    “Our children deserve to feel safe, supported, and seen in their schools, not criminalized for simply being kids. Schools have increasingly relied on policing to manage behavior in our classrooms, a practice that has disproportionately harmed Black, brown, LGBTQ+, and disabled students,” said Rep. Omar. “This bill moves us toward justice by directing resources toward counselors, social workers, and the support systems our students actually need to thrive. I’m proud to join my colleagues in fighting for a future where every child has the freedom to learn in an environment that uplifts their potential instead of policing their existence.”

    “Schools should be a place our students feel safe and supported without fear of surveillance or punishment,” said Rep. Summer Lee. “Rather than increasing police presence in schools, the Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act would invest in trauma-informed counselors and social workers to create more positive learning environments. We should be bringing students in, not pushing them out—especially marginalized students disproportionately criminalized for normal childhood and adolescent behavior.”

    Across the country, the education of Black and brown students is often disrupted as a result of discriminatory and punitive discipline policies that criminalize and push them out of school. In particular, Black girls are suspended, expelled, referred to law enforcement, and arrested on school campuses at disproportionately higher rates than white girls due to unfair dress code and hair policies and a lack of understanding of the historical, social, and economic inequities such as poverty, trauma, hunger, and violence that often impact student behavior. Overall, Black girls, girls of color, LGBTQ+ students, and students with disabilities are disproportionately subjected to exclusionary school discipline policies such as suspension and expulsion, which can have long-term effects on the safety, wellbeing, and academic success of all students.

    Additionally, research shows that the presence of mental and behavioral health personnel in schools, like counselors, social workers, and psychologists, improves educational outcomes for kids, specifically by improving attendance and graduation rates while lowering the rates of suspension, expulsion and other disciplinary incidents. Meanwhile, the presence of police in schools leads to an increase in arrests of students — disproportionately students of color, LGBTQ+ students, and students with disabilities — often for common misbehavior that a school could address without the involvement of law enforcement. 

    The Ending PUSHOUT Act will work to disrupt the school-to-confinement pathway by investing in safe and nurturing school environments for all students, especially girls of color.  Specifically, the bill would:

    • Establish new federal grants to support states and schools that commit to ban unfair and discriminatory school discipline practices and improve school climate.
    • Protect Civil Rights Data Collection and strengthen the Department of Education’s (ED) Office for Civil Rights (OCR).
    • Establish a federal interagency taskforce to end school pushout and examine its disproportionate impact on girls of color.

    The Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act would:

    • Prohibit the use of federal funds for maintaining police in schools: Since 1999, the federal government has spent more than $1 billion to increase the number of police in schools. However, evidence does not show this funding has improved student outcomes and school safety. This legislation would prohibit federal funds from being used to hire or maintain police in K-12 schools, diverting that funding toward other uses related to school safety within applicable grant programs.
    • Invest billions to help schools hire counselors, social workers, and other trauma-informed support personnel necessary to create safe, supportive learning environments for all students: This legislation helps schools build safe and positive learning cultures by establishing a new $5 billion grant program to support the hiring of counselors, social workers, school psychologists, and other personnel. The grant would also help schools implement programs to improve school climate, such as school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports, as well as invest in trauma-informed services and professional development. As more schools move away from policies that criminalize students and push them out of school, this historic investment will ensure districts have the resources to provide students with the support they need to feel safe in school and thrive.

    Last year, Congresswoman Pressley, along with Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro released a groundbreaking report they requested from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), which found that across the United States, Black girls face disproportionately severe discipline compared to other girls and receive harsher punishments than their white peers for similar behaviors. These disparities are further exacerbated for Black girls with disabilities and Black girls that are part of the LGBTQIA+ community. 

    Both bills are informed by Rep. Pressley’s People’s Justice Guarantee and is a continuation of her longstanding history of working to address issues of disparate school discipline and education inequities during her tenure on the Boston City Council.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Photo & Video Chronology — April 8, 2025 — Kīlauea summit eruption episode 17

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Kīlauea’s current eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu crater within Kaluapele (the summit caldera) began on December 23, 2024. There have now been 17 episodes of fountaining separated by pauses in activity. All eruptive activity remains within Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. No significant activity has been noted along Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PHOTOS: Capito Celebrates Coal Industry at the White House with President Trump

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) today joined President Donald J. Trump at the White House as he signed Executive Orders to support the coal industry and unleash American energy. Senator Capito released the below statement following the event:

    “Not only does coal keep the lights on in America, but it is an essential natural resource that allows us to ensure energy reliability and economic stability,” Senator Capito said. “The recent series of storms that caused thousands of power outages highlighted just how important it is that we have access to affordable and reliable energy sources like coal. As it has done time and time again, coal proved to be exactly what we needed to power the country, demonstrating its importance in keeping the lights on when other resources were unavailable. These Executive Orders are welcome news for our miners and the entire industry, and I am glad we have a president that recognizes the need to support them.”

    More details on President Trump’s Executive Order can be found here.

    Photos from today’s event are included below:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: RELEASE: REP. HILL BILL TO EXPAND HSA CATCH-UP CONTRIBUTIONS

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman French Hill (AR-02)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. French Hill’s (R-AR) introduced the HSA Spouse Catch-Up Act, which he co-leads with Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL),

    Rep. Hill said, “Health savings accounts are a smart way for families to plan for medical expenses, but the current rules do not reflect how real families make decisions and manage daily life. Right now, spouses can use their HSA to pay for each other’s medical care, but they cannot make catch-up contributions to each other’s accounts. It is a ridiculous rule that needs to be changed. We need to give Americans the flexibility to plan, save, and make health care decisions that work for their families. That is why I am glad to partner with Representative Steube on this commonsense fix that will make it easier for families to support each other and take control of both their health and their finances.”

    Rep. Steube said    , “Health Savings Accounts have expanded access for millions of Americans to the quality healthcare their families deserve. However, existing laws have hamstrung the ability of families to respond to healthcare emergencies with pointless regulations blocking individuals from utilizing their HSA to cover a loved one’s medical expenses. It only makes sense for us to build upon the success of HSAs with a focus on family economics and freedom. My bill with Congressman Hill will allow Americans to make catch-up contributions to their spouse’s HSA, ensuring financial security and better healthcare outcomes by expanding freedom.”

    Further Background:

    Under current law, Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) can be used by an individual to cover qualifying medical expenses for themselves, their spouse, and their family. However, a married couple cannot contribute catch-up contributions to the same account. This inconsistency has no rational basis. The Catch-Up Act is a commonsense bill that would fix this gap by allowing married individuals to make catch-up contributions to their spouse’s HSA.

    HSAs are individual savings accounts used to pay for qualifying health care expenses. Contributions can be made by the account holder, employers, spouses, and other individuals, including family members or friends. However, only individuals aged 55 and older may make additional catch-up contributions—and those contributions can currently be made only to their own HSA. They are not permitted to make catch-up contributions to a spouse’s account, even though HSA funds can already be used to cover a spouse’s medical expenses.

    Catch-up contributions are designed to help individuals aged 55 and older set aside additional savings for future health care costs. This bill would update the contribution rules to allow families to save even more for their health care needs and provide greater flexibility and financial security in planning for the future.

    Read the bill text HERE

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dingell, McClain Reintroduce Bipartisan Great Lakes Mapping Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

    Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Lisa McClain (R-MI) reintroduced their bipartisan Great Lakes Mapping Act, legislation that would provide a better understanding of the unseen, unexplored lakebeds of America’s Great Lakes, and further our knowledge of their environmental, social, and economic impact.
     
    The Great Lakes Region provides over $6 trillion to America’s GDP, supports 51 million jobs, and is a critical shipping lifeline for much of the country with more than 200 million tons of cargo shipped through the Great Lakes. Despite the far-reaching economic, social, and environmental significance of the Great Lakes, we lack a thorough understanding of their underwater environment.
     
    “In Michigan, the Great Lakes are a way of life, and their impact is felt across our country and beyond. Protecting these waters is personal to me and to so many who call the Heartland home,” Dingell said. “Comprehensively exploring and mapping the Great Lakes will strengthen our understanding of their underwater environment so that we can better protect them and the many species they contain and continue to foster the economic prosperity they have supported for generations.”

    “Only 13 percent of the Great Lakes is mapped to modern standards. Imagine how much more these bodies of water can be used to strengthen our economy if the remaining 87 percent is utilized,” McClain said. “We have a unique opportunity to unlock the region’s economic potential. Advanced mapping will give us a deeper understanding of how we can tap into and protect one of American’s most valuable natural resources. My legislation with Rep. Dingell will take Michigan’s economy to the next level.” 

    The Great Lakes have never been fully explored. Thousands of shipwrecks lay hidden in the depths. Ancient civilizations have left their cultural imprint hundreds of feet below the surface. Marine life is crucial for Great Lakes fisheries; however, their habitats are barely understood.

    This bill would direct the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to conduct high-resolution bathymetric mapping of the lakebeds of the Great Lakes by 2030. Throughout this process, NOAA would work with consulting bodies and regional coastal observing systems, such as the Great Lakes Observing System, to map the lakebeds and then make all relevant data available to the public. 
     
    View the full bill text here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Dina Titus Reintroducing Legislation Banning Bump Stocks

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Dina Titus (1st District of Nevada)

    Congresswoman Dina Titus will reintroduce her Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act with Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick this week. This bill would permanently ban the use of bump stocks that convert rifles into machine guns and allow mass shootings like the 2017 Harvest Festival shooting in Las Vegas that claimed 60 lives.

    “Nearly eight years after the Harvest Festival massacre we still do not have a federal law banning these deadly devices,” said Congresswoman Titus. “Bump stocks continue to pose a threat to innocent lives and Congress must act. Without a federal law firmly banning them, federal regulations and court rulings could allow bump stocks on our streets and in our neighborhoods, raising the risk of more mass shootings.”

    It is important to act now because the Trump administration has already begun to roll back gun safety measures. Attorney General Bondi said Monday that the Department of Justice “believes that the 2nd Amendment is not a second-class right.” They are examining a requirement that people purchasing stabilizing braces, which convert pistols into rifles, undergo background checks, as well as another requirement that more gun sellers get federal licenses and undergo background checks.

    “The work to close the bump stock loophole and keep these dangerous devices out of the hands of criminals is critical to our mission of protecting communities from gun violence,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick, a former federal gun crimes prosecutor and FBI agent. “This bipartisan legislation strengthens law enforcement and reinforces our commitment to safety without compromising constitutional rights. I will continue working across the aisle to advance commonsense solutions that keep our neighborhoods safe while upholding the rights of responsible gun owners. Congress can and must do both.”

    The U.S. Supreme Court in June 2024 struck down a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives regulation that classified rifles equipped with bump stocks as machine guns which are illegal. Congresswoman Titus’s Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act would prohibit the sale and possession of bump stocks and other devices or modifications that convert semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic weapons. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) has companion legislation in the U.S. Senate to ban bump stocks.

    “For too long, Congress has failed to stem the onslaught of mass shootings. Our work in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act was critically important, but more must be done,” said Heinrich. “I’m introducing my BUMP Act to deliver on that unfinished work to save lives and make our communities safer. As a sportsman and gun owner, I’m committed to upholding the laws that protect responsible gun ownership, but we must do more to prevent deadly weapons from reaching those who are all too ready to turn them against our communities.”

    Congresswoman Titus’ legislation is endorsed by national gun safety organizations:

    “Guns outfitted with bump stocks fire like machine guns, and they kill like machine guns — and now Congress needs to take action and regulate these devices, just like we do with machine guns,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “We applaud Senator Heinrich and Congresswoman Titus for championing this lifesaving legislation, which would prevent potential mass shooters from being able to wreak havoc by firing up to 800 rounds per minute.”

    “As a grassroots group formed after the Sandy Hook shooting, we are committed to turning our community’s tragedy into meaningful change,” said Po Murray, Chairwoman of the Newtown Action Alliance “That’s why we strongly support the bipartisan Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act led by Representatives Titus and Fitzpatrick. Bump stocks serve only one purpose — to make guns fire like machine guns and cause mass destruction. We saw this in Las Vegas, where a shooter used a bump stock to fire over 1,000 rounds in minutes, killing 60 people and injuring hundreds more. If the Sandy Hook shooter had used a bump stock to convert his AR-15, even more lives might have been lost. The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the federal ban puts more communities in danger. Congress must act now to pass this life-saving bill and help prevent more tragedies.”

    “Devices that transform semiautomatic firearms into automatic machine guns, like bump stocks, have no place on our streets and communities,” said Mark Collins, Director of Federal Policy, Brady United. “We have seen how they have been used to destroy communities, including in the October 2017 Las Vegas shooting, where 60 people were killed and almost 500 more were shot. It is past time we take concrete action to prevent the proliferation of these dangerous tools of mass violence. Brady is grateful to Rep. Titus and Rep. Fitzpatrick for their bipartisan leadership and proud to endorse the Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act.”

    “Bump stocks turn semi-automatics into essentially machine guns— the kind that can shoot hundreds of people in minutes. These devices have already enabled unimaginable tragedy in Las Vegas, and more lives will be lost if we continue to do nothing about them,” said Emma Brown, Executive Director of GIFFORDS & GIFFORDS Law Center. “This legislation sends a clear message that our communities deserve safety. We’re grateful to Representatives Titus and Fitzpatrick, and Senators Heinrich, Collins, and Cortez Masto for taking action to keep families safe from gun crime and senseless violence.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Moore Applauds Presidents Trump’s Coal Executive Order

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Riley Moore (WV-02)

    Washington, D.C. – Congressman Riley M. Moore issued the below statement applauding President Trump’s new executive order to reinvigorate the American coal industry.

    Rep. Moore was a guest at the formal signing ceremony at the White House this afternoon.

    Congressman Moore issued the following statement:

    “President Trump is the first president in my lifetime to highlight the critical need for coal to power our economy and ensure national security. Today’s executive order confirms our new Golden Age will be coal-fired!

    “This action from President Trump sends the right message to our brave miners and the entire energy industry at a time when ‘transitioning away’ from coal and other fossil fuels has been the number one priority of the radical climate cabal.

    “We have hundreds of years of coal reserves under our feet in West Virginia, and extracting them will be critical to powering our AI revolution and continuing to provide cheap and reliable electricity for consumers.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McClellan Fights Back Against U.S. Health Agency Mass Firings

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

    Washington, D.C. – Amidst widespread firings at federal health agencies, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) calls out the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans after Elon Musk’s DOGE purged thousands of personnel from the U.S. health agencies responsible for conducting lifesaving cancer research, mitigating ongoing measles outbreaks, ensuring medication safety and efficacy, and preventing and treating opioid addiction. 

    “These drastic federal workforce cuts will delay lifesaving treatments and put more demand on state and local health agencies that are simultaneously hit with federal funding cuts,” said Congresswoman McClellan. “The Trump Administration is forcing these agencies to do more with less.”

    Recent reports indicate the Virginia Department of Health has been hit particularly hard after the Trump Administration cut billions of dollars in federal funding, resulting in reductions in community health programs and layoffs statewide for community health workers, nurses and epidemiologists.

    The Trump Administration has wreaked havoc on federal health agencies, including a rash wave of layoffs last Tuesday followed by a small portion of reinstatements after Musk’s DOGE cut key personnel by “mistake.”

    Last week, Congresswoman McClellan introduced a bill to enforce a moratorium on RIFs at HHS.

    “These federal workforce cuts and ‘mistakes’ aren’t just a line item in a budget that can be deleted,” said Congresswoman McClellan. “The Trump Administration and Musk’s DOGE are destroying the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Virginians who have dedicated their careers to developing cures for cancer and rare diseases, combating the opioid epidemic, and keeping the American people healthy. Abandoning years of tax-payer investment in research and public health programs does not foster efficiency; it puts the American people at risk.”

    Bill text for H.R. 2532 can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine & Colleagues Announce Intent to File Legislation to Challenge Trump’s Senseless Trade Wars

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR), U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) were joined by U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) in announcing their intent to file legislation to repeal the cost-raising, across-the-board tariffs President Donald Trump announced on April 2, which will cost the average American household nearly $4,000 a year and have already led to significant market declines and raised the odds of a recession. Once filed, the legislation will be privileged, meaning it will receive a vote before the full Senate.

    The announcement follows last week’s Senate passage of legislation led by Kaine and Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Mark R. Warner (D-VA) to repeal Trump’s tariffs on Canada.

    “No President has the authority to unilaterally impose such sweeping across-the-board tariffs without congressional approval,” said Kaine. “President Trump’s tariff strategy is raising costs on American families, threatening alliances our national security depends on, and creating opportunity for China and other adversaries to take advantage of global instability. The time is now for Congress to reassert its authority in matters of international trade, and I hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will join us.”

    On April 2, Trump announced tariffs on imports from all countries around the world. In response, nations are exploring aggressive countermeasures on goods imported from the U.S.

    Text of the resolution is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Colorado, It’s Showtime! Governor Polis Signs Film Festival Tax Credit Bill Into Law, Celebrates Colorado as the New Home of the Sundance Film Festival

    Source: US State of Colorado

    DENVER – Last month, Governor Polis, the Sundance Institute, Visit Boulder, and others announced that Colorado was selected to be the new home of the Sundance Film Festival starting in 2027. To support the festival’s historic move to Colorado and the many other film festivals that call Colorado home, today Governor Polis signed HB25-1005 – Tax Incentive for Film Festivals – sponsored by Representatives Monica Duran and Brianna Titone, and Senators Judy Amabile and Mark Baisley. 

    “Colorado is the best state for film and television artists, and I am thrilled today to sign this bipartisan law to support our growing film industry in Colorado that is captivating audiences, supporting hard-working Coloradans, and strengthening our tourism and economy. As the iconic Sundance Film Festival joins many successful film festivals operating across the state, we are ensuring that Colorado continues to be the top film festival state in the nation,” said Governor Polis. 

    “From original films to panel discussions with filmmakers, the Sundance Film Festival will be right at home in Boulder,” said Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge. “Since Boulder was selected as the next location for the Sundance Film Festival in 2027, we expect our small businesses, restaurants and hotels to benefit from the boost in local tourism and out-of-state visitors. The Sundance Film Festival will strengthen Colorado’s reputation as a destination for the arts and will generate new jobs in our state.” 

    “It’s an incredible honor to host the Sundance Film Festival because it will solidify our state’s reputation as a destination for the arts,” said Rep. Brianna Titone, D-Arvada. “The 2024 festival attracted 24,000 out-of-state visitors and generated $132 million in gross domestic product, and we expect to see a similar positive economic impact in Colorado. We’re proud that the world-renowned Sundance Film Festival will call Boulder home for the next ten years.” 

    “This law demonstrates our commitment to ensuring the success of the Sundance Film Festival in Colorado,” said Senator Judy Amabile, D-Boulder. “Sundance is more than just an economic driver – it will cement Colorado’s place as a global hub for the arts, creating opportunities for filmmakers and audiences alike. Our communities will benefit year-round from Sundance’s investments in expanded access to the arts, support for aspiring storytellers, and a platform for powerful narratives that have the potential to move, inspire, and change all of us.” 

    “Today’s bill signing is a tremendous win for Colorado small businesses. We welcome the Sundance Film Festival making its new home in Boulder. This will boost sales at restaurants, retailers and other small businesses throughout the region that rely on tourism, bringing much needed revenue to Colorado communities during a quiet time of year,” said Colorado Sen. Mark Baisley. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: What They’re Saying: Local Film Festivals Applaud New Law Signed by Governor Polis Supporting Film in Colorado

    Source: US State of Colorado

    DENVER – Earlier today, Governor Polis signed HB25-1005 – Tax Incentive for Film Festivals – sponsored by Representatives Monica Duran and Brianna Titone, and Senators Judy Amabile and Mark Baisley. This legislation supports Colorado’s thriving film festivals, including the Sundance Film Festival which recently announced it would be moving to Boulder beginning in 2027. 

    “We are incredibly grateful to the State of Colorado for this support, not only for the Sundance Film Festival, but also for the many film festivals that have spent decades building and nurturing a rich cultural landscape in Colorado. This investment highlights the invaluable role the state plays in cultivating creative industries that both enrich our culture and drive the economy,” said Ebs Burnough, Sundance Institute Board Chair, and Amanda Kelso, Sundance Institute Acting CEO. “We are also deeply honored as a nonprofit to be welcomed into Colorado’s thriving film festival and arts ecosystem. We look forward to the future, inviting our audiences and artists to join us in Boulder in 2027, and are excited to contribute to the vibrant arts community here in Colorado.” 

    “ACT is celebrating ten years of elevating human rights stories and inspiring audiences,” said Act Human Rights Film Festival Managing Director Beth Seymour. “At ACT we celebrate how far we have come in advancing human rights in all corners of the globe, and we also share stories that help guide us to learn more about the work that remains.” 

    “We believe film festivals are a place for audiences to be entertained, to learn and to be inspired. Through our popular youth programs, senior programs, and our signature Call2Action program, BIFF has united the community and ignited positive change. This is part of the magnificent richness of film festivals, and what has made them into an unforgettable experience,” said Robin Beeck, Boulder International Film Festival Executive Director and Kathy Beeck, BIFF Director. “BIFF has attracted audiences and filmmakers from around the state and around the world, and brings in much needed dollars to local businesses at an otherwise down time of year. We’re excited about the tax incentive bill, and Sundance Film Festival’s potential cultural and economic impact for Boulder and the State of Colorado. The bill’s support for Colorado film festivals will strengthen our ability to be epicenters of community involvement, creativity, innovation and change.” 

    “Film festivals are an integral part of Colorado’s film industry and art scene. They offer vital community forums, uplift differing perspectives, and provide entertainment you can’t beat anywhere else! The Breckenridge Film Festival is thrilled to be a part of a state that uplifts these vital cultural celebrations and we look forward to watching the Colorado film industry flourish under these new tax incentives!” said Cait McCluskie, Head of Programming and Director of Operations, Breckendridge Film Festival. 

    “As one of the first 10 film festivals in the country, Denver Film Festival has been embraced and celebrated by film lovers across our state for nearly a half century,” said Denver Film CEO Kevin Smith. “As champions of independent film and the people that bring these films to life, film festivals serve as the culmination of that discovery delivering a chance for our audiences to break out and see, experience, learn and talk through something new, something challenging, bold, entertaining or thought provoking. We proudly provide that place of discovery, and we’re excited to see that spotlight shine a little brighter on our industry and the state of Colorado with the addition of the Sundance Film Festival and the thoughtful and strategic investment and support of the arts by our business and elected leaders. Working collaboratively, we will elevate our collective body of work and strengthen Colorado’s position on the global film stage.” 

    “So happy that the new Colorado Film Festival Tax Incentive is in place. Small festivals like Durango Independent Film Festival will benefit greatly from this bill, alongside larger entities like the Sundance Film Festival. There is a pool of $5 million (paid out over 10 years) that will help rural festivals like ours support both the economics of our community and the creativity of independent filmmakers. It’s exciting,” said Carol Fleisher, Executive Director, Durango Independent Film Festival. 

    “Film festivals are a wonderful opportunity to showcase local culture as well as bring in films and ideas from across the country and around the world. Being able to come together in a theater and experience movies together as a community is more important than ever. The Junktown Film Festival makes an impact on the community of Grand Junction. Students at Colorado Mesa University and CMU Tech are able to not only have their work show (and win awards) but also help as jury for the submitted films and in promoting the festival,” said Jeff Gustafson, The Junktown Film Festival Director. 

    “At Pueblo Film Fest, our mission is to ignite an international passion for storytelling through the art of cinema as we build the next generation of filmmakers. We celebrate the diverse voices of filmmakers from around the world, from budding talents to seasoned auteurs. Our festival serves as a vibrant platform, connecting artists with audiences and fostering a sense of community. Through thought-provoking narratives, captivating documentaries, and innovative experimental works, we aim to inspire, entertain, and provoke meaningful conversations. Pueblo Film Fest is committed to nurturing the cinematic arts, promoting cultural exchange, and shining a spotlight on how to have conversations across lines of difference. The festival makes a powerful economic impact and serves to provide both representation and inspiration to Southern Colorado and beyond!” said Andee Naglich, Executive Producer of the Pueblo Film Fest. 

    “Our 11-year old festival began to really flourish when we partnered with COFTM, and we have grown by leaps and bounds in the years since. We have been impressed by the ease of accessibility to opportunities and funding. Colorado is a great place to make a home for our festival, where people are truly engaged with our programming, and the beautiful land itself plays a featured role in our festival. RIFF is looking forward to new opportunities and growth in Colorado in the coming years,” said Arielle Bielak, Ridgway Independent Film Festival Director. 

    “The Tax Incentive for Film Festivals Bill will strengthen Colorado’s creative economy by supporting statewide nonprofit arts organizations, generating jobs, and attracting tourism. By investing in film festivals, this legislation will drive economic growth and establish Colorado as a leading destination for independent film and television. SeriesFest is proud to exist in a state that recognizes the power of community building through storytelling,” said SeriesFest Co-Founder & CEO, Randi Kleiner 

    “Colorado stands at a unique crossroads of culture and commerce, with two of the most influential film festivals in the world—Telluride and Sundance Film Festival—showcasing the brilliance of cinema. Together, we amplify Colorado’s role as a cultural leader, offering a comprehensive survey of the film industry today. For 52 years, Telluride has brought world-class cinema to the far western corner of the state, and now, with the opening of our new year-round home and state-of-the-art theater, we’re investing in the future of cinema—nurturing artistic innovation with filmmaker residencies, and the creation of a collaborative hub for the theatrical experience of film. This is an exciting moment for Colorado, as the magic of cinema set against Colorado’s exquisite natural beauty—seemingly crafted by cinematic masters—creates an experience that can’t be matched,” said Julie Huntsinger, Director of the Telluride Film Festival. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican national previously deported multiple times pleads guilty to illegal re-entry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Juan Vera-Cervantes, 45, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien and was sentenced to time served by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa. He was then turned over to U.S. Border Patrol.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Testani, who handled the case, stated that on February 25, 2025, Border Patrol agents observed a white cargo van with a Tennessee license plate traveling on the I 490. A check of the license plate revealed that Vera-Cervantes was the registered owner of the vehicle, and he had been previously deported multiple times from the United States and had his final order of removal reinstated on three different occasions. During a traffic stop of the vehicle, Vera-Cervantes stated that he is a citizen and national of Mexico without immigration documents to be in the United States legally. He was then administratively detained.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

    The plea and sentence are a result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent in Charge Juan Ramirez.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: DelBene, LaHood Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Build 2 Million More Affordable Homes, 67,000 in WA

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (1st District of Washington)

    Today, Representatives Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Darin LaHood (IL-16), Claudia Tenney (NY-24), Don Beyer (VA-08), Randy Feenstra (IA-4), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), and over 100 of their bipartisan House colleagues introduced the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act, legislation that would support the financing and development of nearly 2 million more affordable homes across the country. This would include nearly 67,000 units in Washington. The bill would expand the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (Housing Credit), our nation’s most successful affordable housing program.

    Since its creation, the Housing Credit has built or restored more than 3.5 million affordable housing units, nearly 90% of all federally funded affordable housing during that time. Roughly 8 million American households have benefited from the credit, and the economic activity that it generated has supported 5.5 million jobs and generated more than $617 billion in wages.

    “Too many families are struggling to find a safe, affordable place to call home. This is a pervasive problem across the country,” said DelBene. “When people have stable housing, it has a ripple effect throughout other aspects of life. They’re better able to support their families and succeed at work. This overwhelmingly bipartisan legislation makes smart, targeted investments to increase affordable housing supply and help meet the needs of growing communities in Washington and elsewhere.”

    “As I travel throughout Illinois’ 16th Congressional District, I frequently hear how the shortage of affordable housing impacts our communities throughout central and northwestern Illinois,” said LaHood. “To address this growing crisis across the country, Congress must strengthen tools to drive investment into affordable workforce housing and expand housing options for hardworking families nationwide. I am proud to reintroduce the bipartisan Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act alongside Representatives DelBene, Tenney, Beyer, Feenstra, and Panetta to strengthen our communities and support economic development.”

    “Since 1986, the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit has supported the development of more than 8,300 units through $55M of allocations in NY-24 alone,” said Tenney. “The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act leverages private investments to increase access to affordable housing for low-income families in rural communities. It is a privilege to join my colleagues in reintroducing this legislation to ensure this vital program continues to serve those who need it most.”

    “My community, like many others around the country, is facing a crisis in affordable housing,” said Beyer. “This bill would expand and update the most effective tool for financing affordable housing, and take a big step forward in addressing the massive need for affordable housing across the nation.”

    “In rural Iowa, access to affordable housing is critical for young families looking to plant their roots, local businesses attracting employees, and the long-term growth of our economy. However, with housing costs consistently increasing and construction projects being more difficult to finance in rural areas, we need to enact smart and cost-effective strategies to expand the housing supply and bring down prices,” said Feenstra. “I’m glad to work with my Ways and Means Committee colleague, Rep. Darin LaHood, to introduce the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act to expand and improve incentives in the tax code to build more housing. This commonsense policy will pay dividends for affordable housing in rural Iowa and help our families find housing options that fit their budgets.”

    “Too many working families struggle to find affordable housing, be it in California’s 19th Congressional District or across the country,” said Panetta. “The bipartisan Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act would strengthen the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, helping finance nearly 2 million affordable homes over the next decade while creating jobs and generating economic growth.  By incentivizing the development of affordable housing through this public-private partnership, we can start to tackle the housing crisis and provide more families with the opportunity to not just work, but also to live in the same community.”

    “The reintroduction of the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act is a vital step toward addressing our nation’s housing crisis. Expanding the Housing Credit is the most effective way to increase the supply of affordable housing, leveraging public-private partnerships to build and preserve homes for working families, seniors, and vulnerable communities. At a time when rents are rising and supply is lagging, strengthening the Housing Credit will ensure that more Americans have access to safe, stable, and affordable housing,” said Ayrianne Parks and Jennifer Schwartz, Co-chairs of the ACTION Campaign. “The ACTION Campaign thanks Representatives Darin LaHood, Suzan DelBene, Claudia Tenney, Don Beyer, Randy Feenstra, and Jimmy Panetta for their leadership.”

    “The overwhelming bipartisan support for the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025 underscores the critical need to increase the supply of affordable rental homes,” said Emily Cadik, Chief Executive Officer, Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition. “We thank Congressman LaHood, Congresswoman DelBene, Congresswoman Tenney, Congressman Beyer, Congressman Feenstra, and Congressman Panetta for their leadership and the more than 100 bipartisan cosponsors for supporting this commonsense solution to expand and strengthen the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, a proven, pro-growth tool with a nearly 40-year record of leveraging private investment to fill a critical need.”

    The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act will support the financing of nearly two million new affordable homes across the country by:

    • Increasing the number of credits allocated to each state by 50 percent for the next two years and making the temporary 12.5 percent increase secured in 2018 permanent.
    • Increasing the number of affordable housing projects that can be built using private activity bonds. This provision stabilizes financing for workforce housing projects built using private activity bonds by decreasing the amount of private activity needed to secure Housing Credit funding. As a result, projects would have to carry less debt, and more projects would be eligible to receive funding.
    • Improving the Housing Credit program to serve at-risk and underserved communities, including veterans, victims of domestic violence, and rural Americans.

    More information about the legislation’s impact in Washington can be found here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘Germany is back’: 3 ways NZ can benefit from Europe’s renewed centre of power

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mathew Doidge, Senior Research Fellow, National Centre for Research on Europe, University of Canterbury

    Getty Images

    It’s unlikely many New Zealanders paid close attention to Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ statement late last year that “New Zealand and Germany are committed to enhancing their partnership”.

    Peters had been visiting Berlin two weeks after Donald Trump’s US election victory, but well before the real contours of the second Trump administration came into focus.

    The foreign minister’s diplomatic tone may have suited the less heated atmosphere of the time, but 2025 is a very different place. With the pillars of the international system New Zealand depends on crumbling, strong ties with an active Germany at the heart of Europe begin to look more important.

    Germans, too, are grappling with the same uncertainties – not least Friedrich Merz, the Christian Democratic Union party leader who is all but certain to be the new chancellor when coalition negotiations conclude.

    Among the most pro-American of Europe’s leaders, Merz will enter the Chancellery at a time when US relations are fraught. Even before the February election results were finalised, he acknowledged this new reality, calling to “strengthen Europe as quickly as possible so that […] we can really achieve independence from the USA”.

    With Trump’s reversal of US support for Ukraine, his “might is right” foreign policy and hostile trade tariffs, Germany and the European Union have begun to reassess their place in the new world order. New Zealand will be watching closely.

    Easing the ‘debt brake’

    Former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine a Zeitenwende – a watershed moment from which “the world afterwards will no longer be the same as the world before”. Trump 2.0 has only reinforced this rupture.

    Responding to events even before assuming office, Merz (supported by the Social Democratic Party and the Greens) reformed Germany’s “debt brake”, or Schuldenbremse.

    Restricting government borrowing to 0.35% of GDP, the brake was introduced by former chancellor Angela Merkel in 2009 to limit indebtedness following the global financial crisis. It achieved its aim, but contributed significantly to the current parlous state of German infrastructure and defence.

    The reform allows greater borrowing for defence and establishes a €500 billion infrastructure fund (with €100 billion for climate and economic transformation as the price for Green support).

    This is the first step in Merz’s goal to transform Germany from “a sleeping middle power to a leading middle power again”, and exercise greater leadership in the European Union alongside France and Poland.

    With Emmanuel Macron’s French presidency ending in 2027, and France’s far-right gaining strength (Marine Le Pen’s recent embezzlement conviction notwithstanding), a strong Germany at the heart of Europe is essential to the maintenance of the EU and its approach to world affairs.

    As an important – perhaps vital – partner for New Zealand and the Pacific, three key considerations stand out.

    A leading middle power: Friedrich Merz addressing Christian Democratic Union supporters in Berlin on election night, February 23.
    Getty Images

    Pacific re-engagement

    Germany’s ties with Samoa and the Pacific may be a century old, but it has recently begun looking south again, including opening an embassy in Suva in August 2023.

    Now, the Trump administration’s axing of USAID has put foreign aid in the region under a cloud. Pacific states are not eligible for German bilateral development support, but are covered by more general climate change and disaster preparedness programmes.

    Since stepping up Pacific engagement in 2022, Germany has also joined the Partners in the Blue Pacific and been an advocate for Pacific projects within the EU’s Global Gateway Initiative (a framework for global infrastructure investment).

    Importantly, Germany does not intend to establish significant independent Pacific aid projects. Rather, it sees itself as a “force multiplier”, partnering with other donors to support their efforts. New Zealand therefore has an opportunity to both strengthen relations with Germany and add impact to its own Pacific projects.

    Climate resilience

    Climate change is the single greatest security threat to Pacific island states, and yet another area the US is pulling back from. But while Germany has been a strong player on climate policy, Merz has been a critic of the Greens and environmental policy in general.

    The balance of power in the new Bundestag may now force a change of mindset. Merz’s coalition will hold just 328 seats in the 630-seat chamber, meaning Green support cannot be discounted. A more serious commitment to climate policy will be the price.

    There is a base to work from, too. Germany co-founded the UN Group of Friends on Climate and Security with Nauru in 2018, and has identified climate issues as a driving force behind its Pacific engagement. Again, this is an area where New Zealand’s interests can be served by closer engagement with Germany.

    The rules-based order

    Ultimately, the international trade system and multilateral frameworks for cooperation and conflict resolution are crucial pillars of the Germany-New Zealand relationship.

    With the US no longer a reliable backstop, Germany and the EU are also the bulwark for a rules-based order grounded in international law. Merz’s debt brake reform, seen as strengthening Europe, was framed in these terms:

    Our friends in the EU are looking to us just as much as our adversaries and the enemies of our democratic and rules-based order.

    “Germany is back,” Merz said in March. We may well see New Zealand’s foreign minister back in Germany before long, too.

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

    – ref. ‘Germany is back’: 3 ways NZ can benefit from Europe’s renewed centre of power – https://theconversation.com/germany-is-back-3ways-nz-can-benefit-from-europes-renewed-centre-of-power-253926

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed & Whitehouse Seek Answers & Return of Maryland Father Wrongfully Deported to El Salvador

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
    WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Justice admitted the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia — a father who was living legally in the United States under protected status — was an “administrative error.”  Mr. Garcia, 29, who fled El Salavador in 2006 and migrated to the U.S. in 2011, is married with a five-year old child and two step children who are all U.S. citizens.  According to USA Today: After finishing a shift working as a sheet metal apprentice and picking up his son from his grandmother’s house, Mr. Garcia was pulled over by ICE officers in several vehicles and erroneously told that his status had changed.  He was handcuffed and placed in an ICE vehicle and eventually sent to an out of state detention facility before being flown out of the country to a notorious prison in El Salvador known as the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT).
    In 2019, an immigration judge granted Mr. Garcia protection from deportation on the grounds that he might be at risk of persecution from local gangs in his home country.  ICE officials under the Trump Administration in 2019 did not object to the judge’s ruling.
    Last week, Justice Department lawyer Erez Reuveni told a federal judge that Mr. Garcia “should not have been removed.”  The judge agreed and wrote a scathing opinion finding that the Trump Administration’s actions “shocks the conscience” and that the government had acted “without any lawful authority” and was holding Mr. Garcia in “direct contravention” of U.S. law.  The judge ordered the U.S. to return Mr. Garcia to the United States.  However, the Trump Administration contended Mr. Garcia could not be returned to the U.S. because he is in Salvadoran custody and U.S. courts have no jurisdiction there, even though the U.S. is reportedly paying the El Salvadoran government $6 million to house deportees from the United States.  Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court granted the Trump Administration’s request to temporarily block a lower court order.
    Today, 25 U.S. Senators, including Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jack Reed (D-RI), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) wrote to U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Tedd Lyons urging them to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the United States. 
    In their letter, the Senators call on the Trump Administration to comply with the lower court order requiring that they facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return and ask for responses to a series of questions regarding ICE’s enforcement policies that may have led to this grave error – and what measures they will take to ensure such an incident does not occur again.
    “We write to express our concerns regarding the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador, an action which the Administration admitted in a recent court filing was an “administrative error.” It is unacceptable that anyone would be deported without proper due process, especially where an immigration judge has granted the individual protected status that explicitly prohibits his return to El Salvador. We demand that the Administration bring Mr. Abrego Garcia home immediately,” the 25 U.S. Senators wrote.
    “Per court filings, Mr. Abrego Garcia came to the United States in 2011 as a teenager fleeing gang threats in his home country of El Salvador. In 2019, ICE arrested Mr. Abrego Garcia over an unfounded and anonymous allegation that he was involved with MS-13, which placed him in deportation proceedings. The U.S. immigration judge in the case ultimately found that it was in fact Mr. Abrego Garcia who was at risk of being the victim of gang violence,” the Senators continued. “This ruling was made under the Trump Administration in 2019 and was in fact required by law under section 241(b)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act once the immigration judge made the factual determination that Mr. Abrego Garcia faced a likelihood of torture in El Salvador. At the time, the Trump Administration made no effort to appeal the judge’s ruling or pursue Mr. Abrego Garcia’s deportation further. Court filings attest that Mr. Abrego Garcia has complied with regular ICE check-ins, has no criminal charges, and has had no contact with any other law-enforcement agency since his release in 2019.
    “Mr. Abrego Garcia is currently being held at CECOT, a maximum-security prison in El Salvador notorious for human rights abuses, after being deported in violation of the law to the very country where his return was impermissible,” they noted. “And when the Administration makes a mistake as severe as sending an individual with protected status to a foreign prison, it cannot simply shrug off responsibility and allege that there is nothing it can do to reunite him with his wife and child, who are American citizens.
    “On Friday, a U.S. District Court judge in the District of Maryland ordered the government to return Mr. Abrego Garcia to the United States, and on Monday the Fourth Circuit denied the government’s motion to stay the order. The Administration should promptly comply with the district court’s order,” the Senators urged.
    In addition to Van Hollen, Reed, and Whitehouse, the letter was also signed by U.S. Senators: Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
    The Senators closed the letter with a series of questions to Secretary Noem and Acting Director Lyons:
    The standard and legal course for the government to take to deport someone with protected status would be to reopen the case, introduce evidence that grounds for terminating the protected status exist, and then allow an immigration judge to make a determination as to their status. Why was that course of action not taken in this case?  
    In the past, DHS and ICE worked to quickly return people to the U.S. who were erroneously deported. Why is DHS and ICE no longer following these well-established procedures and practices?   
    Vice President J.D. Vance and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt have both claimed that Mr. Abrego Garcia is an MS-13 gang member, but the government was unable or unwilling to provide any evidence to substantiate that claim to the court. Please provide any evidence of Mr. Abrego Garcia’s membership in MS-13.
    Given that the Administration is reportedly paying $6 million to El Salvador to detain deported immigrants at CECOT, why does it believe that there is nothing it can do to return Mr. Abrego Garcia to his family in the United States? Please provide a copy of the agreement between the U.S. and El Salvador on the detention of people deported from the U.S. in CECOT.
    Are there any other cases that the Administration is aware of in which an immigrant with protected status was illegally deported without due process? If so, identify those cases and explain what, if anything the government is doing to rectify those errors. 
    Will the Administration commit to reviewing all of the cases of its deportees to ensure that it has appropriately identified all of the errors? 
    What actions will the Administration take in the future to ensure that immigrants with protected status are afforded their appropriate due process? 
    Full text of the letter follows:
    Dear Secretary Noem and Acting Director Lyons,?? 
    We write to express our concerns regarding the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador, an action which the Administration admitted in a recent court filing was an “administrative error.” It is unacceptable that anyone would be deported without proper due process, especially where an immigration judge has granted the individual protected status that explicitly prohibits his return to El Salvador. We demand that the Administration bring Mr. Abrego Garcia home immediately.  
    According to court filings, on March 12, 2025, shortly after Mr. Abrego Garcia had picked up his son from the boy’s grandmother’s house, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) stopped Mr. Abrego Garcia, inaccurately telling him that his protected status had changed. After giving his wife a few minutes to arrive to take custody of his son, ICE arrested and detained him without any further explanation as to the reason for his arrest. ICE then transferred Mr. Abrego Garcia and other detainees to Texas, where on March 15, 2025, they were loaded onto planes and deported to El Salvador. Mr. Abrego Garcia was reportedly on the only plane that was not sent under the authority of the Alien Enemies Act but instead was transporting migrants with formal removal orders signed by a judge. This occurred despite the fact that ICE knew, as the Administration conceded in court, that his protected legal status specifically prohibited his removal to El Salvador.  
    Per court filings, Mr. Abrego Garcia came to the United States in 2011 as a teenager fleeing gang threats in his home country of El Salvador. In 2019, ICE arrested Mr. Abrego Garcia over an unfounded and anonymous allegation that he was involved with MS-13, which placed him in deportation proceedings. The U.S. immigration judge in the case ultimately found that it was in fact Mr. Abrego Garcia who was at risk of being the victim of gang violence. The judge found that Mr. Abrego Garcia and his relatives credibly testified that gang members had been trying to extort his family and recruit him and his brother to join the gang, forcing his family to move multiple times, ultimately compelling both him and his brother to flee to the United States out of fear.  
    The immigration judge agreed that Mr. Abrego Garcia would likely face persecution if deported back to El Salvador and thus granted him a form of legally mandated protection known as “withholding of removal.” Withholding of removal, which may only be granted by an immigration judge, provided Mr. Abrego Garcia the ability to stay and work in the United States despite being the subject of a deportation order. This ruling was made under the Trump Administration in 2019 and was in fact required by law under section 241(b)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act once the immigration judge made the factual determination that Mr. Abrego Garcia faced a likelihood of torture in El Salvador. At the time, the Trump Administration made no effort to appeal the judge’s ruling or pursue Mr. Abrego Garcia’s deportation further. Court filings attest that Mr. Abrego Garcia has complied with regular ICE check-ins, has no criminal charges, and has had no contact with any other law-enforcement agency since his release in 2019.  
    Mr. Abrego Garcia is currently being held at CECOT, a maximum-security prison in El Salvador notorious for human rights abuses, after being deported in violation of the law to the very country where his return was impermissible. Though the Administration has admitted in court that his deportation was a mistake, it alleges that there is nothing it can do to address this injustice, given that Mr. Abrego Garcia is now in the jurisdiction of the government of El Salvador as part of an agreement to imprison U.S. deportees in exchange for financial compensation.  
    Your unwillingness to immediately rectify this “administrative error” is unacceptable. Under multiple Democratic and Republican administrations, the Department of Homeland Security and ICE followed the rule of law and worked to quickly return people who were wrongfully deported, in the rare instances where such “administrative errors” occurred. The Administration’s mass deportation agenda does not transcend immigration law or the need for due process. And when the Administration makes a mistake as severe as sending an individual with protected status to a foreign prison, it cannot simply shrug off responsibility and allege that there is nothing it can do to reunite him with his wife and child, who are American citizens. On Friday, a U.S. District Court judge in the District of Maryland ordered the government to return Mr. Abrego Garcia to the United States, and on Monday the Fourth Circuit denied the government’s motion to stay the order. The Administration should promptly comply with the district court’s order.
    To address our concerns about this matter and to provide clarity on the Department of Homeland Security and ICE’s policy regarding the immigration enforcement actions against immigrants with protected status, we ask that your Administration answer the following questions by April 22, 2025: 
    The standard and legal course for the government to take to deport someone with protected status would be to reopen the case, introduce evidence that grounds for terminating the protected status exist, and then allow an immigration judge to make a determination as to their status. Why was that course of action not taken in this case?  
    In the past, DHS and ICE worked to quickly return people to the U.S. who were erroneously deported. Why is DHS and ICE no longer following these well-established procedures and practices?   
    Vice President J.D. Vance and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt have both claimed that Mr. Abrego Garcia is an MS-13 gang member, but the government was unable or unwilling to provide any evidence to substantiate that claim to the court. Please provide any evidence of Mr. Abrego Garcia’s membership in MS-13.
    Given that the Administration is reportedly paying $6 million to El Salvador to detain deported immigrants at CECOT, why does it believe that there is nothing it can do to return Mr. Abrego Garcia to his family in the United States? Please provide a copy of the agreement between the U.S. and El Salvador on the detention of people deported from the U.S. in CECOT.
    Are there any other cases that the Administration is aware of in which an immigrant with protected status was illegally deported without due process? If so, identify those cases and explain what, if anything the government is doing to rectify those errors. 
    Will the Administration commit to reviewing all of the cases of its deportees to ensure that it has appropriately identified all of the errors? 
    What actions will the Administration take in the future to ensure that immigrants with protected status are afforded their appropriate due process? 
    We appreciate your prompt attention to this vital matter and look forward to reviewing your fulsome, timely response. 
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Reed, Coons Lead National Security Senators in Sounding Alarm Over Recent Firings at NSA

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
    WASHINGTON, DC – Last week, without cause or justification, President Donald Trump fired the top American cybersecurity official responsible for countering foreign cyber threats, just as the U.S. is confronting the most complex, sophisticated, and sustained attacks on U.S. cyber infrastructure our nation has ever experienced. The abrupt firing of General Timothy Haugh, the Director of the National Security Agency (NSA) and Commander of U.S. Cyber Command (CYBERCOM), as well as the reassignment of Wendy Noble, the Deputy Director of the NSA, comes on the heels of the Trump Administration undermining the federal government’s election-related cyberdefenses, the mass-firing of federal cybersecurity personnel across multiple agencies, and an attempt to shift cyberdefense responsibilities onto states and municipalities.
    This week, Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee Jack Reed (D-RI), and Ranking Member on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense Chris Coons (D-DE), led 21 of their committee colleagues in a letter to President Trump regarding the still unexplained ouster of General Haugh and Deputy Director Noble and warning that the Trump Administration’s actions are exposing the U.S. to serious threats from foreign adversaries and sophisticated cybercriminals.
    “These actions severely compromise our ability to keep Americans safe. As you are well aware, our nation currently faces serious cyber threats from foreign adversaries, such as from China’s Salt Typhoon, with near-daily attacks against our critical infrastructure,” the 24 Senators wrote. “In addition, our nation’s military is engaged in ongoing operations against multiple threats, from the Houthis in Yemen to Russian aggression in Eastern Europe. Given the dangers facing the United States, it is inexplicable that the Administration would remove the senior leaders of NSA/CYBERCOM without cause or warning, and risk disrupting critical ongoing intelligence operations.”
    The senators also highlighted the impact this move would have on the dual-hat arrangement, in which a single officer leads both the NSA and CYBERCOM, and stressed that prematurely severing this agreement could put U.S. national security at risk.
    They continued, “Premature termination of the dual-hat arrangement would severely degrade the speed and effectiveness of NSA’s and CYBERCOM’s abilities to execute their missions and could have dire consequence for our national security. As Congress on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis has repeatedly made clear in the National Defense Authorization Acts for Fiscal Years 2017, 2018, and 2020, clear criteria must be met before any termination can be considered and both the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs must together certify that separation will not “pose risks to the military effectiveness of the United States Cyber Command that are unacceptable to the national security interests of the United States.”
    Joining Vice Chairman Warner and Ranking Members Reed and Coons in this letter are U.S. Senators: Patty Murray (D-WA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Gary Peters (D-MI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Chris Murphy (D-CT).
    As members of the key committees tasked with conducting oversight over NSA, the senators requested written justification for why General Timothy Haugh and Deputy Director Wendy Noble were removed from their posts, and asked for a Congressional briefing regarding any additional actions the administration plans to take with respect to NSA and CYBERCOM, including but not limited to the separation of the dual-hat.
    Full text of the letter follows:
    Dear President Trump,
    We write with alarm at the sudden and inexplicable firing of the Director of the National Security Agency (NSA) and Commander, U.S. Cyber Command, General Timothy Haugh, as well as the reassignment of the Deputy Director of the NSA, Wendy Noble. Not only have both dutifully served this nation for decades under both Democratic and Republican administrations, but their removals were conducted in the middle of the night with no consultation with Congress and, according to reports, at the behest of a private citizen who has a record of promoting conspiracy theories.
    These actions severely compromise our ability to keep Americans safe. As you are well aware, our nation currently faces serious cyber threats from foreign adversaries, such as from China’s Salt Typhoon, with near-daily attacks against our critical infrastructure. In addition, our nation’s military is engaged in ongoing operations against multiple threats, from the Houthis in Yemen to Russian aggression in Eastern Europe. Given the dangers facing the United States, it is inexplicable that the Administration would remove the senior leaders of NSA/CYBERCOM without cause or warning, and risk disrupting critical ongoing intelligence operations.
    Furthermore, we urge you to exercise careful consideration and consultation with Congress on any further actions that may impact NSA’s or CYBERCOM’s abilities to provide the critical intelligence and operational support to policymakers and warfighters. This includes, but is not limited to, any considerations to terminate the dual-hat arrangement. Premature termination of the dual-hat arrangement would severely degrade the speed and effectiveness of NSA’s and CYBERCOM’s abilities to execute their missions and could have dire consequence for our national security. As Congress on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis has repeatedly made clear in the National Defense Authorization Acts for Fiscal Years 2017, 2018, and 2020, clear criteria must be met before any termination can be considered and both the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs must together certify that separation will not “pose risks to the military effectiveness of the United States Cyber Command that are unacceptable to the national security interests of the United States.”
    As Members of the respective committees of oversight, we request that you formally provide in writing a justification for why Director Timothy Haugh and Ms. Wendy Noble were removed from their posts and provide a briefing to Congress on any additional actions you plan to take with respect to NSA and CYBERCOM, including but not limited to the separation of the dual-hat.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed & Whitehouse Seek to Raise Federal Minimum Wage to $17 by 2030

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
    WASHINGTON, DC – The last time the federal minimum wage was raised it was July of 2009 – Barack Obama had just been elected president, iPads hadn’t come out yet, and the world was experiencing a global recession.  Since then, corporate profits have risen as has the costs of goods, but the federal minimum wage — which is supposed to ensure workers can afford the basic necessities — remains stuck at $7.25 an hour.
    U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) are looking to ensure American workers can earn a living wage, drive economic growth, and reduce income inequality by raising the minimum wage to $17 by 2030 for all workers and gradually raise the minimum wage for tipped workers, workers with disabilities, and youth workers.
    Today, Reed and Whitehouse teamed up with U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), the Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), to introduce the Raise the Wage Act.  This bill would incrementally raise the federal minimum wage to $17 an hour by 2030, benefiting an estimated 64,000 Rhode Islanders.  
    Rhode Island is among 30 states and the District of Columbia that have enacted higher wage floors.  Currently, the minimum wage in Rhode Island is $15 an hour.  Servers in the restaurant industry and other hospitality workers who derive a large portion of income from tips have had their hourly wages capped at $3.89 since 2017.
    Last year, nearly one in four workers in the U.S. made less than $17 per hour. The Raise the Wage will raise the federal minimum wage to $17 over five years, eliminate the tipped subminimum wage over seven years, eliminate the subminimum wage for workers with disabilities over five years, and eliminate the subminimum wage for youth workers over seven years. According to analysis by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), passing the Raise the Wage Act of 2025 would provide raises to over 22.2 million workers across the country by 2030.
    If the federal minimum wage had increased with worker productivity over the last 57 years, it would be over $23 an hour today, not $7.25 an hour, which translates to a full-time salary of about $15,000 per year.
    “The $7.25 an hour minimum wage is a starvation wage. It must be raised to a living wage – at least $17 an hour,” Senator Sanders said. “In the year 2025, a job should lift you out of poverty, not keep you in it. At a time of massive income and wealth inequality, we can no longer tolerate millions of workers trying to survive on just $10 or $12 an hour. Congress can no longer ignore the needs of the working class of this country. The time to act is now.”
    “The federal minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25 for too long.  No one in today’s economy can make ends meet working for such meager pay.  Rhode Islanders deserve a raise and workers deserve to be fairly compensated.  Right now, those making minimum wage can’t afford housing, food, and transportation so taxpayers end up subsidizing employers that pay so little.  When all businesses have to operate on a level playing field with fair pay it helps prevent costly turnover and re-training of workers.  The Raise the Wage Act would help strengthen families, businesses, and our economy,” said Senator Reed.
    “As rising costs squeeze families across Rhode Island, it’s well past time to increase the federal minimum wage,” said Senator Whitehouse.  “Our legislation will help more Americans get a foothold in the middle class by paying them a livable wage.”
    Today, the value of the current federal minimum wage – $7.25 per hour – is the lowest it has been since 1956 and has declined by over 32 percent since it was last increased in 2009. While approximately four million tipped workers in the U.S. depend on tips for as much as half of their income or more, the tipped sub-minimum wage has remained stagnant at just $2.13 per hour since 1991. The current median wage for at least 37,000 workers with disabilities is just $3.50 per hour.
    Meanwhile, across every state in the country, a living wage for a worker in a family with two working adults and one child is greater than $17 per hour, according to the Economic Policy Institute’s (EPI) Family Budget Calculator. Many of these low-wage workers face persistent economic insecurity, struggling to put food on the table and afford basic necessities, including housing, health care, and childcare. Black and Hispanic workers disproportionately feel the burden of these low wages as compared to their white counterparts, and that disparity is even worse for women of color. Nearly 40 percent of Hispanic women and 35 percent of Black women make less than $17 per hour.
    Joining Sanders, Reed, and Whitehouse on this legislation are U.S. Senators: Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-A), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
    More than 85 organizations endorsed the Raise the Wage Act of 2025, including: Service Employees International Union (SEIU), AFL-CIO, American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, Communications Workers of America (CWA), Economic Policy Institute (EPI), Equal Pay Today, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA), National Education Association (NEA), National Employment Law Project (NELP), The National Partnership for Women & Families, National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), One Fair Wage, Oxfam America, Patriotic Millionaires, UNITE HERE, United Autoworkers (UAW), United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), United for Respect, and United Steelworkers (USW).
    Companion legislation has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-Va.), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

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