NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI Security: Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant was previously charged by state authorities for assault and battery and subsequently released from state custody

    BOSTON – A Guatemalan national pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.

    Domingo Valentin Solis-De Leon, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for June 10, 2025. Solis-De Leon was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2025.

    On Jan. 8, 2014, United States Border Patrol arrested Solis-De Leon near Hidalgo, Texas after entering the United States illegally. Solis De-Leon was ordered removed and was sent back to his home country of Guatemala. On Jan. 6, 2024, immigration authorities learned that Solis-De Leon was present in the United States following his arrest by the Lynn Police Department. According to court documents, Solis-De Leon was arrested on state charges for assault and battery on family or household member and the matter is currently pending in Lynn District Court. He was subsequently released from state custody and Solis-De Leon  was arrested by immigration authorities on Jan. 28, 2025 in Lynn, Mass.

    The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant will be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Alectra Utilities committed to seeking increased procurement of Canadian goods and materials for its electricity distribution operations

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, April 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Alectra Utilities (Alectra) announced today its commitment to prioritizing Canadian businesses, suppliers, and vendors through its procurement processes for equipment and services for its electricity grid.

    Alectra Utilities is the largest municipally owned electricity utility in Canada based on the number of customers served, totalling approximately 1.1 million homes and businesses and a population of approximately three million people. In 2024, Alectra Utilities invested more than $297 million in net distribution capital, including labour and materials, with approximately 86.2 per cent of these purchases directed to Canadian providers.

    Looking ahead, Alectra plans to more than double its capital spending by 2031. This will fund essential grid renewal and replacement of aging equipment, grid expansion to accommodate increases in electricity demand caused by organic growth, and modernization to expedite remote power restoration operations and communications to customers during outages. This increase in capital spending provides an opportunity to seek and prioritize Canadian vendors where possible and where the reliability and safety of the distribution system will be maintained.

    “With the current increases to United States trade tariffs and the economic uncertainties that these changes are causing, it is more important than ever to strengthen our domestic supply chains where we can,” said Brian Bentz, President and Chief Executive Officer, Alectra Inc. “We are committed to cost-effective procurement that prioritizes Canadian suppliers, strengthens our economy, and supports the well-being of our communities. By sourcing Canadian whenever possible, Alectra Utilities is reinforcing its commitment to helping build a resilient supply chain while continuing to deliver safe, reliable, and affordable electricity to our customers.”

    “$11 trillion has been wiped from the stock markets since the U.S. President’s inauguration–a key indicator that we need to continue to stand up against Trump’s unjustified tariffs and bolster a Team Canada approach to strengthen our economy here at home,” said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and Mines. “Ontario has what the world needs and we are leading the way, with full support of the energy sector including Alectra, stepping up with a Canada-First procurement policy. I have made clear to utilities across Ontario to buy Canadian and prioritize domestic supply chains, creating more Canadian jobs and helping us in the fight against unfair U.S. tariffs.”

    For more information about Alectra Utilities, visit www.alectrautilities.com.

    About Alectra Utilities

    Serving more than one million homes and businesses and approximately three million people in Ontario’s Greater Golden Horseshoe area, Alectra Utilities is the largest municipally-owned electric utility in Canada, based on the total number of customers served. We contribute to the economic growth and vibrancy of the 17 communities we serve by investing in essential energy infrastructure, delivering a safe and reliable supply of electricity, and providing innovative energy solutions. Our mission is to be an energy ally, helping our customers and the communities we serve to discover the possibilities of tomorrow’s energy future.

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/alectranews
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alectranews/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alectranews/?hl=en
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/16178435/admin/
    Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/alectranews.bsky.social
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/alectranews

    Media Contact

    Ashley Trgachef, Media Spokesperson, ashley.trgachef@alectrautilities.com
    Telephone: 416.402.5469 | 24/7 Media Line: 1-833-MEDIA-LN

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b1984d37-b767-4dfe-8f6d-9879a122ad12

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairwoman Laurel Lee Delivers Opening Remarks at Subcommittee Hearing Revisiting the 2024 Election

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Laurel Lee – Florida (15th District)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Chairwoman Laurel Lee (FL-15) opened today’s Subcommittee on Elections Hearing titled, “Revisiting the 2024 Election with Secretaries of State.”

    Rep. Lee’s opening remarks as prepared for delivery:

    Thank you, Ranking Member Sewell, members of the committee, and our witnesses for participating in today’s hearing. 

    Recent elections have produced record high turnout, and in turn, these elections become the most challenging for election officials to administrate and process.  

    Presidential, primary, general, and special elections occur around the clock across states, requiring efficient administration to provide Americans with free and fair elections.  

    As a former Secretary of State, I am glad to welcome our witnesses today for an important review of our nation’s most recent Presidential election. 

    Voters across America went to the polls in record high numbers in 2024 to exercise one of their most fundamental rights 

    According to our Constitution, the states are responsible for prescribing the “Times, Places and Manner of holding elections for Senators and Representatives.”  

    The role of Congress in elections is to provide oversight and to support states in their efforts. 

    The purpose of our hearing today is to revisit the 2024 election and hear from the Secretaries of State who conducted their states’ elections this past November. 

    Specifically, we will be looking at what went well, and what lessons we can learn from each of the Secretaries in administering free and fair elections, and how we can continue to protect and promote voter confidence.  

    I thank all of our witnesses for coming before the Committee today to share your knowledge and expertise on this matter. 

    During the 2024 election cycle, over one hundred and fifty-five (155) million Americans cast their ballots in races for the White House, the Senate, the House of Representatives, governor’s mansions, state legislatures, state Supreme Courts, and more.  

    Even with record high turnout, many states were able to report their results on election night for the Presidency. 

    However, some states were significantly delayed in calling races for the Senate and the House of Representatives for days, and in some cases, weeks. 

    Something I was very proud of as Florida’s former Chief Elections Official was how quickly our state was able to call elections with the utmost confidence in our results. 

    Undoubtedly, States with laws on the books for pre-processing of mail-in ballots, regularly enforced receipt deadlines for Election Day, and consistent post-election audits of voter rolls are in the best position to administer their elections without undue delay and to report results on election night, which helps instill voter confidence.  

    Many states across the country, including most of the states the Secretaries here today represent, have taken initiative in enhancing their election security laws.  

    When Americans feel that their vote will count, they are more inclined to take the time to cast a ballot. 

    Americans must know that their vote will not be misplaced, damaged, or otherwise interfered with, but instead it will be counted in a timely manner. Americans must also know that a noncitizens vote will not cancel out their legal vote. 

    Strengthening our voting laws increases voter confidence and leads to higher turnout in our elections. 

    This most recent election was proof of that. 

    In Alabama, Louisiana, Idaho, and Ohio, successful election integrity measures have been implemented.  

    Each of these states are evidence of how enhancing election integrity and security can help to manage high voter turnout, voter access, and the rapid process of ballots to certify results on Election Night. 

    While States are the primary authority on how elections are conducted, it is our role here in Congress to assist in any way we can. 

    One way we will be able to help provide resources to States is by passing the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility, or the SAVE Act.  

    This bill would bring critical reform to the National Voter Registration Act that would help prevent noncitizens from being added to voter rolls.

    It would also provide states with free access to the DHS SAVE program and the Social Security Death Database, which will help states to remove noncitizens who may be on voter rolls.  

    In doing so, the SAVE Act would codify many of the measures included in President Trump’s recent executive order to strengthen election security and integrity.  

    Running a successful and uneventful election is no easy task.  

    I am looking forward to learning from each of you about how you successfully ran elections in each of your States in 2024, and how Congress can assist in future elections.  

    Thank you for being here today, and I look forward to our conversation. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Strickland Leads Bipartisan Letter on Impact Aid and Education Department Cuts

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10)

    Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) sent a letter with 40 of her colleagues to the Department of Education expressing deep concern for the disbursement of Impact Aid. The letter addresses the impact on school districts and how the program fills funding gaps.

    “We demand the immediate reversal of any Executive Orders that would halt the disbursement of Impact Aid funds through the Department of Education,” said the lawmakers.

    In the letter, the lawmakers added, ” Students are our nation’s future leaders. It is the federal government’s job to ensure the needs of all students are met so that public education can remain a stable and accessible foundation for everyone to succeed, no matter their background or where they live.”

    House members who signed onto the bipartisan letter are: Rep. Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02), Rep. Julia Brownley (CA-26), Rep. Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Rep. Ed Case (HI-01), Rep. Joe Courtney (CT-02), Rep. Danny Davis (IL-07), Rep. Donald Davis (NC-01), Rep. Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Christopher Deluzio (PA-17), Rep. Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), Rep. Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Rep. Dwight Evans (PA-03), Rep. John Garamendi (CA-08), Rep. Robert Garcia (CA-42), Rep. Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Rep. Jared Huffman (CA-02), Rep. Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Rep. Julie Johnson (TX-32), Rep. Greg Landsman (OH-01), Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02), Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-03), Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49), Rep. Sarah McBride (DE At-Large), Rep. Betty McCollum (MN-04), Rep. Scott Peters (CA-50), Rep. Emily Randall (WA-06), Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Rep. Patrick Ryan (NY-18), Rep. Bradley Schneider (IL-10), Rep. Kim Schrier (WA-08), Rep. Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), Rep. Adam Smith (WA-09), Rep. Greg Stanton (AZ-04), Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Rep. Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Rep. Paul Tonko (NY-20), Rep. Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-52), and Rep. George Whitesides (CA-27).

    You can read the full letter here or below:

    The Honorable Linda McMahon
    Secretary
    United States Department of Education
    400 Maryland Avenue, SW
    Washington, DC 20202

    April 8, 2025

    Dear Secretary McMahon, 

    We write to you with deep concern about how the President’s recent Executive Order to dismantle the Department of Education will affect the disbursement of Impact Aid. As you know, public schools are funded through state and local property taxes. However, in school districts where there is a significant amount of federal land, schools lose funding because federal lands are exempt from paying state and local property taxes.

    Recognizing the importance of public education as the foundation of our society and to ensure that all students receive a fair education, the Impact Aid program was signed into law by President Harry Truman in 1950. It is the nation’s oldest K-12 federal education program.

    As established by law, funds are appropriated by Congress and administered by the Department of Education. Impact Aid is one of the only major federal education programs that is not forward funded, meaning that funds are used in real time to pay staff and keep schools operating.

    Impact Aid is disbursed to over 1,000 school districts across the country, and it reaches nearly 8 million students. School districts that have military installations, Indian Trust and Treaty lands, federal low-rent housing facilities, Veterans Affairs facilities, national parks, and other U.S. government-owned properties located within their bounds miss out on thousands of taxpayer revenue every year, and Impact Aid helps to fill these gaps. 

    We are seeking clarification on how this program will be affected by the recent mass Reduction in Force (RIF) at the U.S. Department of Education, signed by the President on March 20, 2025. The reality is that the President has no right to eliminate the Department of Education as he is attempting to do without Congressional approval. These major staffing changes and potential disruption in program funding will adversely impact the educational outcomes of all students.

    Impact Aid dollars are especially necessary for our nation’s military families. The U.S. maintains at least one military installation in all 50 states. While supplemental Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Impact Aid is distributed separately, DoDEA relies on data provided by the Federal Impact Aid Program at the Department of Education. For these military-connected school districts, class sizes will rapidly increase, and low-income students and students with disabilities will be stripped of the resources they need to learn if funding is no longer distributed in a timely manner. 

    As stated in the President’s Executive Order, the intention of dismantling the Department of Education is to “return education authority to the States.” Impact Aid is a prime example of a federal program that skips bureaucratic tape as money is sent directly to school districts for their discretion to target funds wherever needs are the greatest. Ending this program or preventing its implementation directly contradicts the President’s intentions to give local communities and states more flexibility and freedom. 

    We are also concerned that the Department’s recent RIF saw a near total elimination of staff at the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), which the Impact Aid office relies upon to generate annual Local Contribution Rates (LCR). Without this data, recent progress in paying out final payments in a timely manner could be erased, with final payments possibly delayed by several fiscal years.  

    We demand the immediate reversal of any Executive Orders that would halt the disbursement of Impact Aid funds through the Department of Education. 

    Additionally, we request your answer to the following questions: 

    1. Have Impact Aid staff through the Department of Education been let go? If so, who plans to oversee the Impact Aid program in their absence? 
    2. Once the Department of Education is no longer operational, will Impact Aid be moved to the jurisdiction of another federal department? 
    3. School districts currently have to apply for Impact Aid through the Department of Education. If the Department is closed, where will districts send their applications? 
    4. Where will DoDEA get their data from for the Supplemental Impact Aid Program to eligible Local Education Agencies (LEAs) since they’ve previously relied on the Department of Education for this information? 
    5. When will FY 2025 funds be made available to the Impact Aid Program Office to disburse directly to eligible school districts?  
    6. FY 2026 grant applications were submitted with a deadline of January 31, 2025. How will the International Activities Program (IAP) receive the LCR data that NCES provides to determine how much funding school districts will receive?  

    Students are the future leaders of our nation. It is the federal government’s job to ensure the needs of all students are met so that public education can remain a stable and accessible foundation for everyone to succeed, no matter their background or where they live. We look forward to your prompt response and explanation of how Impact Aid will continue to serve its important mission for students across the country.

    Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. She is Whip of the New Democrat Coalition, Secretary of the Congressional Black Caucus, and is one of the first Korean-American women elected to Congress.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Advancing cancer care and organ tissue services

    Alberta’s government is ensuring key health care services are well supported within the new refocused health care system. Significant progress has been made to achieve the goal of providing better care to all Albertans no matter where they live. Three of the four provincial health agencies are now operational: Primary Care Alberta, Acute Care Alberta and Recovery Alberta. Assisted Living Alberta will be operational later this year.

    As the work to transition AHS to a hospital-based service provider under the oversight of Acute Care Alberta continues, Alberta’s government is taking additional steps to ensure Alberta’s health care system has the proper oversight in place to support the newly formed integrated system. This includes transferring emergency health services from AHS to Acute Care Alberta and establishing a shared services entity to support provincial health agencies and service providers.

    Later this year, Alberta’s government intends to move cancer care and organ and tissue donation and transplantation services out of AHS and under the purview of Acute Care Alberta.

    “Integrating cancer care and organ and tissue services under Acute Care Alberta helps ensure Albertans receive the high-quality, coordinated care they deserve – delivered when and where they need it most.”

    Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Health

    Creating specialized focus for cancer care and organ and tissue donation and transplantation will ensure the best care in these key areas that are important for a high-functioning health care system.

    “I’m pleased to see these next steps moving forward to support efforts to refocus the health care system to better meet the needs of Albertans. Acute Care Alberta will ensure improved and dedicated access to the best health care possible.”

    Dr. Chris Eagle, interim president and CEO, Acute Care Alberta

    Half of all Albertans will have cancer during their lifetime. Alberta’s government is committed to ensuring the best quality care for those dealing with the disease, and recently invested $800 million over eight years in a cancer innovation value partnership with Siemens Healthineers and the Alberta Cancer Foundation. This investment will help replace and update oncology treatment equipment, leverage artificial intelligence, create two centres of excellence in cancer care and establish a medical research and innovation fund to attract and retain global talent in Alberta.

    “This is an exciting opportunity to set a compelling vision for cancer care. We remain committed to working with our partners to accelerate innovation in cancer care to benefit patients and their loved ones.”

    Wendy Beauchesne, CEO, Alberta Cancer Foundation

    Acute Care Alberta will oversee cancer care services in Alberta by enabling Cancer Care Alberta to focus solely on providing timely, cutting-edge treatment and services for those with cancer. Cancer Care Alberta will have enhanced oversight and responsibility for managing its workforce and capital and operational funding related to cancer care. Cancer Care Alberta will also establish a dedicated process to address complaints.

    “This underscores the critical importance of cancer care for all Albertans. This approach will enable us to address the issues facing cancer care in Alberta today and grow a best-in-class cancer system that ensures Albertans receive the cancer care they expect and deserve.”

    Brenda Hubley, chief program officer, Cancer Care Alberta

    Each year, hundreds of Albertans receive an organ or tissue transplant. A single organ or tissue donor can save or improve the lives of up to 75 people. Having policy and oversight for organ and tissue donation and transplantation under Acute Care Alberta will streamline current processes, allowing for a dedicated plan, program development and vision for these critical life-saving services.  Clinical services will remain with AHS.

    “We applaud the establishment of an integrated provincial organ and tissue donation and transplantation service. This transformational change will positively impact thousands of Albertans into the future – saving lives and improving quality of life.”

    Linda Powell, chair, Alberta ORGANization Group

    Proposed legislative changes that would support completing the work to refocus the health care system are expected to be tabled this spring.

    Throughout the refocusing work, Albertans are accessing health care as they always have and there has been no impact to front-line health care workers and their continued dedication to delivering excellent health care to Albertans.

    Related news

    • Refocusing emergency services (March 10, 2025)
    • Refocusing continuing care for the future (Jan. 30, 2025)
    • Refocused health care: Continuing the conversation (Jan. 9, 2025)
    • Refocusing acute care leadership for the future (Jan. 8, 2025)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Norcross, Hirono Introduce Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Donald Norcross (1st District of New Jersey)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Representative Donald Norcross (D-NJ) and Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) reintroduced the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, bicameral legislation to guarantee the right of public sector employees to organize, act concertedly, and bargain collectively in states that currently do not afford these basic protections. The lawmakers were joined by Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Chris Deluzio (D-PA) in introducing the legislation.

    “I know the power of collective bargaining because I’ve lived it,” said Congressman Norcross, a union electrician, member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and co-chair of the Congressional Labor Caucus. “I spent decades at the negotiating table standing up for working families—fighting for fair pay, safer jobs, and better benefits like health care and retirement. This bill ensures public-sector workers across the country have the same rights to a voice on their job and a seat at the table.”

    “Public sector workers teach our children, protect our safety, and keep our communities moving forward—they deserve the right to organize,” said Senator Hirono. “The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act will help ensure that millions of public sector workers across our country have the federal protections they deserve as they fight for fair wages, benefits, and improved working conditions. Private sector workers are already guaranteed the right to organize under federal law, it should be common sense that public sector workers are afforded those same rights. As President Trump works to gut our public sector workforce, this bill is crucial to protect workers’ freedom to organize and bargain collectively. I’m proud to lead this important legislation with Representative Norcross to help ensure that every public employee has their voice heard in the workplace.”

    “No matter where they live, American workers in every sector should have the ability to form and join a union, or to collectively bargain to improve their workplace,” said Congressman Deluzio. “Public servants should have this right, just like other workers. Now is the time for solidarity: let’s come together and stand with hardworking Americans, defend the union way of life, and pass the bipartisan Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act.”

    “Passing this legislation has never been more urgent — especially now, as federal workers face unprecedented attacks on their collective bargaining rights,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “We believe, as most Americans do, that every worker deserves a union — no matter who they work for. This bill is about something fundamental: respect. Respect for the public service workers who’ve devoted their careers to serving their communities. And respect means the freedom to negotiate.”

    “When workers stand together in a union, their jobs and lives improve. But in half of the country, the people who keep our cities and towns running are banned from collectively bargaining for a good union contract. Every day, the attacks on the fundamental freedoms of workers who keep our streets and water clean, our public transportation moving, and our children learning are increasing from the highest level of government. We need federal law to protect their rights to form a union and negotiate fair contracts that allow them to continue to do the work that is so essential to our communities. We call on every member of Congress to stand with working people and support the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler.

    “For years now, the rights of workers like nurses, librarians, educators, and all our essential public servants who dedicate themselves to our communities have been chipped away at, despite their dedication and selfless service to their communities,” said Claude Cummings Jr., president of the Communications Workers of America. “That’s why the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act is so vital. It protects public sector workers’ fundamental right to join together, bargain for fair pay, and stand up for decent working conditions. Congress needs to step up and pass this now and push back against efforts trying to undermine these essential rights.”

    “As education, healthcare and public service workers, our members make a difference in the lives of others every day. But too many states don’t allow the people who do the work to have a voice,” said Randi Weingarten, President of AFT. “The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act would change that, ensuring public servants, no matter where they reside, have a means to influence their own lives. Whether it’s higher wages, safer working conditions, or a secure retirement, the ability to organize a union and bargain collectively lifts working families, students, patients, and entire communities up. That’s why we enthusiastically support this legislation and are committed to moving it forward.”

    The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act would establish baseline federal protections to ensure all public service workers can join a union and negotiate workplace conditions—regardless of state law. The bill comes at a critical time, as recent federal actions have renewed attention on the collective bargaining rights of public employees, including those serving in national security-related agencies.

    Specifically, The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act would set a minimum nationwide standard of collective bargaining rights that states must provide, including allowing public service workers to join together and have a voice on the job to improve both working conditions and the communities in which they live and work. The legislation gives public service workers the freedom to:

    • Join together in a union selected by a majority of employees;
    • Collectively bargain over wages, hours and terms and conditions of employment;
    • Access dispute resolution mechanisms;
    • Use voluntary payroll deduction for union dues;
    • Engage in concerted activities related to collective bargaining and mutual aid;
    • Have their union be free from requirements to hold rigged recertification elections; and
    • File suit in court to enforce their labor rights.

    Read the full bill text here. 

    The bill is supported by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); the Communications Workers of America (CWA); American Federation of Teachers (AFT); AFL-CIO; Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU); Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE); International Brotherhood of Teamsters; International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM); International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE); International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE); International Union of Police Associations (IUPA); International Union of Painters & Allied Trades (IUPAT); Laborer’s International Union of North America (LiUNA); National Education Association (NEA); National Nurses United; Service Employees International Union (SEIU); Transport Workers Union of America (TWU); UNITE HERE!; United Autoworkers; United Steelworkers (USW).

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schweikert Scrutinizes Senate’s “Completely Unserious” Budget Resolution

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David Schweikert (AZ-06)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — “With just $4 billion in cuts— equal to less than a single day’s worth of borrowing— the Senate budget resolution is more business as usual at a time when that’s exactly what we’re trying to avoid,” said Arizona Congressman David Schweikert in a statement responding to Saturday’s release of the Senate’s Budget Resolution.
    During his weekly House Floor speech, Rep. Schweikert went even further by expressing his disappointment with his colleagues in the Senate’s willingness “to avoid doing what was difficult,” leaving the House to do the serious policy work. Ultimately, the Senate budget resolution functionally adds another $6.9 trillion in deficits— including $1.1 trillion dollars
    of interest— but only allows $4 billion in spending reductions over a ten-year period. Click on the video to view the full speech or click on any of the following blue boxes to view other excerpts from the speech.

    [embedded content]

    “So, this is what some of you hear a number of us fussing about — we can’t figure out what the Senate was thinking. Were they just in avoidance, saying, “We don’t want to tell anyone we’re going to try to do something,”? It shouldn’t even be that hard. Remember, [baseline is] $86 trillion in spending. The House was just trying to do $2 trillion, and I thought that $2 trillion was absolutely anemic— we should have covered all $4.5 trillion. One of the hardest votes I’ve made in my decade+ here was standing right there and swallowing, saying, “I’m going to vote for this, but I’m really unhappy because we are capable of doing more,” and if we don’t start to telegraph to the bond markets that we’re going to do something serious, at what moment do the bond markets say, “Screw these people— they’re just not serious. They’re consuming the world’s capital. Let’s charge them more.” Do you really think the United States, with our exorbitant privilege of having the world’s reserve currency — being the country that people want to come and do their business in, move to, put their capital in — do you think that’s our birthright? Remember, up until World War II, it was Great Britain that had the world’s reserve currency. We are squandering our place in the world. And people are running around saying, “Well, we need to push down the value of the dollar!” You have trillions and trillions of dollars around the world held by people — and you’re going to push down the value of their holdings? Just understand: every time someone says something like that, you can actually start to see the full faith in the United States start to taper away.”

    Key Quote: “And you wonder why some of us are cranky when our colleagues down the hall basically give us crap to work with.“

    “When we all got elected this last November, United States sovereign debt [held by the public] was around $28 trillion. When we finish this 10-year cycle, we’re going to add another $28 trillion if we do what the Senate sent us. What took us 240 years to build up, we’re going to double in the next ten budget years. Go team; that’s the morality of this place. “But it’s hard, David,” to explain to people that we need to modernize; we need to change the way we deliver services; we need to use technology. And some programs — we should just stop, because they’ve been outdated for decades. This is important here. This is all without any disaster aid, without the potential economic slowdown, and without a war. I mean, just using what are actually optimistic numbers over the next ten-year tax receipts — what we’re talking about doing right now, over the next ten years, is doubling what took us 240 years to build up in debt. Does anyone care about your retirement? Does anyone have kids? Think of this. It may be insane — and my wife’s my age — I have a nine-year-old daughter, and a functionally two-and-a-half-year-old little boy we’ve adopted. And yes, they’re brother and sister. When my little boy is functionally 24 or 25 years old, every tax in the United States — every single tax — would have to double just to maintain baseline services. That’s the morality here: we are raising kids who would be part of the first generation to be structurally poorer than their parents. Because when you borrow money — it is a tax. It just means you’re going to let someone else pay it, with interest. It’s not free money; It’s a tax.”

    “Functionally, 32.7 percent of the next decade— what they gave us— is borrowing… additional borrowing. They basically decided, over the next decade, “Let’s add another third of debt!” What are we going to do? For those of us in the House, who give these beautiful speeches about how it’s immoral to do this to our kids and crush people’s future retirements… what are we going to do? Are we going to step up and say, “Look, Republicans have priorities. The White House has priorities. We just have to find ways to finance them.” Are we that terrified to tell the truth?“

    Back to News

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: IAM Mourns Loss of TCU/IAM Legislative Leader, Rail Labor Activist Tony Padilla

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    The IAM is mourning the passing of Tony Padilla, TCU/IAM’s retired Assistant National Legislative Director.

    Padilla enjoyed a remarkable 43-year career in the rail industry, retiring in December 2009.

    His journey began in February 1967 as a General Clerk Freight and Passenger Agent with Southern Pacific Railroad. Padilla continued his dedication to the industry as an Amtrak Passenger Agent in both San Antonio and Austin, Texas. 

    He became a member of TCU Local 2503 in 1967 and transferred to Local 2512 in 1995. Padilla served as TCU Texas State Legislative Representative before working full-time for the TCU Grand Lodge. In 1991, he was named TCU Assistant National Legislative Director.

    Padilla was a force for TCU/IAM on Capitol Hill. His relentless advocacy, passion, and ability to work with any and all elected officials made him one of the most successful labor lobbyists in DC.

    “It was often said that Tony Padilla made TCU/IAM ‘punch above its weight’ in Washington,” said TCU/IAM National President Artie Maratea. “All of our members and retirees are better off – their retirement protected – because of the work Tony did. We lost a legend today.”

    “TCU/IAM members benefited from Tony’s relationships and knowledge on Capitol Hill,” said IAM International President Brian Bryant. “We truly appreciate the work he did for the membership. Our thoughts and condolences are with his family.” 

    Padilla’s efforts included keeping Amtrak funded and solvent during turbulent political times, and he helped spearhead legislative efforts to push through Railroad Retirement reform legislation that gave railroaders their “60, 30” retirement. 

    “Despite Tony retiring several years ago, across Washington DC people still to this day hear ‘TCU/IAM’ and think Tony Padilla,” said TCU/IAM National Legislative Director Dave Arouca. “Tony was a friend and a mentor to so many in DC, including me.” 

    Padilla’s willingness to mentor others across Capitol Hill and the labor movement left a sizeable legacy for those who came after. 

    The entire labor movement will remember and honor Padilla.

    “When I first arrived on Capitol Hill over 20 years ago, I didn’t know anything about the rail industry,” said IAM National Legislative and Political Director Hasan Solomon. “Tony Padilla, my brother, taught me everything I needed to know to be an effective lobbyist for the IAM and TCU/IAM.”

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo Statement at Hearing on President’s 2025 Trade Policy Agenda

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

    Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) delivered the following remarks at a hearing entitled, “The President’s 2025 Trade Policy Agenda.” 

    As prepared for delivery:

    “Members and the public have questions and concerns about the recent tariff actions.  That’s ok.  We should think about tariff impacts and ask questions.  Thoughtful and respectful debate on the issues is good and why we call hearings, like this one, with the United States Trade Representative, Ambassador Jamieson Greer. 

    “We need to think strategically about tariff policy, including how to minimize unnecessary costs on American families.  I also recognize that although it is easy to see the costs arising from tariffs, it is far more difficult to assess the cost of denied market access opportunities. 

    “Tariffs can advance American interests in market access.  In the first Trump Administration, we used tariff threats to stop France from imposing discriminatory digital services taxes. 

    “Tariffs also forced China to discuss the systemic challenges between our two nations.  Frankly, every enforcement action—whether it is a WTO dispute, a Section 301 investigation or a preference program review—ultimately relies on the threat of tariffs to secure objectives.

    “Accordingly, it is important to contextualize the tariffs in the design of the larger policy.  The real headline then becomes the fundamental shift in trade policy since President Trump’s inauguration—where the United States actually plans to do trade again. 

    “My colleagues and I in Congress want to pursue a real trade policy.  That was put on hold during the Biden years.   We now have a President who will partner with us in that effort.  Together, we will enforce our rights; we will negotiate again; and we will expand opportunities for Americans. 

    “This Administration is not deliberating endlessly over whether ‘trade can be a force for good,’ like the past Administration.  Trade today is the centerpiece of our international economic engagement and we have plenty of substantive trade ideas to discuss. 

    “Businesses want certainty from good policies that will continue so they can invest confidently in prospects that create jobs and wealth. 

    “That is one of the primary reasons that I am working so hard to make the Trump Tax Cuts permanent—to provide businesses with the certainty they need to make long-term investments, to drive growth and to increase prosperity across all segments of the economy.

    “Contrast this kind of certainty and forward thinking on trade with that of the last four years, where the only ‘certainty’ was that you were going to lose ground because your government fundamentally rejected free markets, free enterprise and free trade. 

    “The last Administration turned to industrial policy because it was certain that the free market failed in delivering what government planners believed necessary for climate and social agendas. 

    “Indeed, China’s central planners saw their own strategic thinking in the Inflation Reduction Act’s approach of bestowing massive subsidies to stimulate investments that the market would not.

    “We can restore faith in free markets by making it easier than ever to do business in America.  The President’s Executive Order last week to assist major investors to navigate our regulatory system efficiently is a good start.  We plan to do more.

    “The Biden Administration provided us with only the “certainty” that in the face of a foreign government’s discriminatory policies, like digital services taxes, data localization or other non-tariff barriers, it would not stand up for its citizens because it believed that the so-called ‘right to regulate’ trumped the principle of free enterprise. 

    “Respectfully, democratic governments do not have rights—they exist to secure them for their citizens.

    “One immediately welcome change, under the Trump Administration, appeared last week in USTR’s National Trade Estimate.

    “Last year, the Biden Administration deliberately cut from the Estimate a number of discriminatory measures imposed by foreign governments on American businesses because it sided with those governments over our citizens.  This year’s Estimate is exhaustive because the Administration carefully identified all of the ways Americans lose out in the global marketplace.

    “Finally, the validity of free trade will be seen again.  The last Administration did not pursue market access in its negotiations.  Instead, it demanded governments to undertake a number of social and environmental commitments, even ones Congress did not approve domestically.  Not surprisingly, our partners did not put their trust in such negotiations. 

    “While tariffs inherently may be seen at odds with free trade, we must also acknowledge that many of our trading partners deploy barriers that have gone unchallenged for too long.  Free trade, by definition, must be reciprocal.  We do not have it if others can impose barriers on us unchallenged.

    “Our failure to enforce our rights over the last four years lost a lot of ground for us.  This cannot continue because what I am certain about is American goods and services are innovative, high quality and globally competitive. 

    “Senior Administration officials say that a number of countries are ‘coming to the table’ to engage with USTR.  We look forward to hearing about this engagement and the steps toward better opportunities for Americans.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AFSCME and union partners join with members of Congress to reintroduce bill to expand workers’ freedoms

    Source: American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Union

    As workers face unprecedented attacks despite support for labor unions remaining at near-historic highs, the bipartisan Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act is needed to protect and expand the freedom of public service workers to collectively bargain.

     

     

    WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and a coalition of union partners joined together with Senator Mazie Hirono and Representatives Donald Norcross, Brian Fitzpatrick and Chris Deluzio to introduce the bipartisan Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act. First introduced in 2019, this legislation would set a minimum nationwide standard of collective bargaining rights that states must provide – a right that public service workers are currently denied in 25 states.

    In the face of unprecedented, billionaire-led attacks on public service workers and their jobs, leaders and union members from AFSCME, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Communications Workers of America (CWA) and the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) spoke at a press conference about the importance of advancing this popular, pro-union legislation.

    “Passing this legislation has never been more urgent — especially now, as federal workers face unprecedented attacks on their collective bargaining rights,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “We believe, as most Americans do, that every worker deserves a union — no matter who they work for. This bill is about something fundamental: respect. Respect for the public service workers who’ve devoted their careers to serving their communities. And respect means the freedom to negotiate.”

    “Because we were able to pass a bill to expand collective bargaining in Maryland, my co-workers and I negotiated a strong contract which will help us keep up the rising cost of living, effectively address issues in the workplace, and better serve the children of Howard County and their families,” said Eliana Holgate, an AFSCME Council 3 member and children’s instructor and research specialist in Maryland. “We should not have to rely on a patchwork of laws nationwide. Workers like our nurses, school bus drivers and library workers should have the freedom to join a union and have the union we choose recognized.”

    “When workers stand together in a union, their jobs and lives improve,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. “But in half of the country, the people who keep our cities and towns running are banned from collectively bargaining for a good union contract. Every day, the attacks on the fundamental freedoms of workers who keep our streets and water clean, our public transportation moving, and our children learning are increasing from the highest level of government. We need federal law to protect their rights to form a union and negotiate fair contracts that allow them to continue to do the work that is so essential to our communities. We call on every member of Congress to stand with working people and support the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act.”

    “Public sector workers teach our children, protect our safety, and keep our communities moving forward—they deserve the right to organize,” said Senator Hirono. “The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act will help ensure that millions of public sector workers across our country have the federal protections they deserve as they fight for fair wages, benefits, and improved working conditions. Private sector workers are already guaranteed the right to organize under federal law, it should be common sense that public sector workers are afforded those same rights. As President Trump works to gut our public sector workforce, this bill is crucial to protect workers’ freedom to organize and bargain collectively. I’m proud to lead this important legislation with Representative Norcross to help ensure that every public employee has their voice heard in the workplace.”

    “I know the power of collective bargaining because I’ve lived it,” said Congressman Norcross, a former union electrician, member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and co-chair of the Congressional Labor Caucus. “I spent decades at the negotiating table standing up for working families — fighting for fair pay, safer jobs, and better benefits like health care and retirement. This bill ensures public-sector workers across the country have that same right to a voice on the job and a seat at the table.” 

    “No matter where they live, American workers in every sector should have the ability to form and join a union, or to collectively bargain to improve their workplace,” said Congressman Chris Deluzio. “Public servants should have this right, just like other workers. Now is the time for solidarity: let’s come together and stand with hardworking Americans, defend the union way of life, and pass the bipartisan Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act.”

    “For years now, the rights of workers like nurses, librarians, educators, and all our essential public servants who dedicate themselves to our communities have been chipped away at, despite their dedication and selfless service to their communities,” said Claude Cummings Jr., president of the Communications Workers of America. “That’s why the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act is so vital. It protects public sector workers’ fundamental right to join together, bargain for fair pay, and stand up for decent working conditions. Congress needs to step up and pass this now and push back against efforts trying to undermine these essential rights.”

    “As education, healthcare and public service workers, our members make a difference in the lives of others every day,” said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. “But too many states don’t allow the people who do the work to have a voice.  The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act would change that, ensuring public servants, no matter where they reside, have a means to influence their own lives. Whether it’s higher wages, safer working conditions, or a secure retirement, the ability to organize a union and bargain collectively lifts working families, students, patients, and entire communities up. That’s why we enthusiastically support this legislation and are committed to moving it forward.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Oregon Department of Human Services launches Brain Injury Program

    Source: US State of Oregon

    he Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) launched a new Oregon Brain Injury Program. The program is designed to help individuals with brain injuries navigate and access the services and supports available to them. Services are free and available to anyone in Oregon affected by a brain injury, including family members or others seeking information.

    Free help is available through a toll-free phone line that accepts calls Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Services provided include:

    • One-on-one, free and confidential support.
    • Personalized referrals to resources specific to brain injury recovery and management.
    • Comprehensive resource information to help navigate available services and options.

    Brain injuries are occurring at more frequent rates in Oregon, according to data published on the Oregon Traumatic Brain Injury Safety Dashboard. In 2023 alone, there were 38,718 brain injuries that required hospital or emergency department intervention and 1,177 fatal brain injuries in Oregon.

    “Oregon’s Brain Injury Program is a step forward in ensuring people in Oregon are supported at every level of need and through every stage of life,” said Nakeshia Knight-Coyle, Director of the ODHS Office of Aging and People with Disabilities. “This program will improve access to services for people with brain injuries and take the burden off families who are trying to find support.”

    The Brain Injury Program serves people with brain injuries through four key areas:

    • Advocacy: Helping people advocate for their needs and access essential supports.
    • Options Counseling: Offering guidance on understanding and comparing available services and programs.
    • Resource Navigation: Connecting individuals to the right resources, whether medical, therapeutic or social.
    • Service Coordination: Facilitating connections between different service providers to ensure coordinated care and support.

    Services are tailored to the needs of each person, ensuring they receive the help that best fits their situation.

    The program also reduces barriers that exist as people seek help. Assistance and supports to people with brain injuries are not centralized under one government agency or program. Case managers or social workers who serve as guides for the people they serve are in short supply. The Brain Injury Program helps address these issues by helping people access services across agencies and programs.

    “Without a resource like the Brain Injury Program help line, many individuals struggle to access services and resources that are available to them. Our goal with the program was to address the gaps,” said Jane-ellen Weidanz, Deputy Director of Policy for the ODHS Office of Aging and People with Disabilities.

    Oregon’s Brain Injury Program was developed as a result of Senate Bill 420 (2023). Oregon’s Brain Injury Advocate Coordinator at the Center on Brain Injury Research and Training (CBIRT) at the University of Oregon was among many advocates and organizations behind development and adoption of Senate Bill 420. “This new program would not exist without the incredible dedication and hard work of hundreds of Oregonians throughout the state who fought tirelessly to make this program a reality. Oregon’s Brain Injury Program represents their commitment to making a better future for all of Oregon’s brain injury survivors, their families, loved ones, and caregivers,” said David Kracke, Oregon’s Brain Injury Advocate Coordinator at CBIRT.

    The bill also calls for creation of a Brain Injury Program Advisory Committee, which will advise on the development of programs and activities to address the needs of individuals with brain injuries across the state. The Advisory Committee will be made up of 12 people who have knowledge and experience in brain injuries and who represent all of the geographic areas of Oregon. At least one-third of the members must have experienced a brain injury. Recruitment for the Advisory Committee is open now. Individuals can apply by submitting an application.

    More information:

    • Brain Injury Program phone number: 1-833-685-0848 (toll-free). Interpreting services are available at no cost for people who need help in a language other than English. The Brain Injury Program accepts TTY calls by dialing 711.
    • Hours of operation: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
    • Learn more on the Brain Injury Program webpage

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Vice Chair Ezell’s Cormorant Relief Bill Highlighted in House Natural Resources Subcommittee Hearing

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mike Ezell (Mississippi 4th District)

    Vice Chair Ezell’s Cormorant Relief Bill Highlighted in House Natural Resources Subcommittee Hearing

    Today, Congressman Mike Ezell’s (MS-04) bipartisan bill, the Cormorant Relief Act of 2025 (H.R. 2293), was formally discussed during a legislative hearing held by the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries, where he serves as Vice Chair. 

    “Today’s hearing made clear what Mississippi’s fish farmers and coastal communities have been saying for years — unchecked cormorant populations are hurting our economy and threatening our way of life,” Ezell said. “The Cormorant Relief Act is a commonsense, bipartisan solution that gives aquaculture producers the tools they need to manage this growing problem while maintaining conservation efforts.”

    Ezell questions Chris McGlawn, President, Catfish Farmers of Mississippi

    The hearing focused on legislation addressing key threats to American fisheries, aquaculture, and wildlife management. Ezell’s bill drew strong interest from both parties’ members as it addresses the overpopulation of double-crested cormorants — predatory birds that have significantly harmed fish populations and caused damage to Mississippi’s catfish farmers and aquaculture operations.

    Background on H.R. 2293, the Cormorant Relief Act of 2025:

    The bill would reinstate previously authorized U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regulations, streamlining the permitting process for lethal and non-lethal management of cormorants in areas where they are damaging fish stocks or aquaculture operations.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Rep. Becca Balint Joins Bicameral Spotlight Hearing to Hold Trump Accountable

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Becca Balint (VT-AL)

    Washington, D.C. –  On Monday, Rep. Becca Balint (VT-AL), a member of the House Judiciary Committee, joined Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, for a bicameral spotlight hearing to demand answers on the Trump Administration’s attacks on the rule of law. Rep. Balint questioned the witnesses on Trump’s attacks on the American legal system, the importance of judicial independence and the dangers of Trump’s authoritarian actions. 

    “It’s important to understand that Trump’s actions – while based on his personal grievances – are not only petty, they are designed to remove the checks on unlimited power, the guardrails that protect our democracy,” said Rep. Becca Balint. 

    “Trump and all his enablers in Congress seem to think laws do not apply to them. They don’t care about the Constitution, they don’t care about the rule of law, and they certainly don’t care about our rights. We need more courage like yours in order to stand up to this,” Rep. Balint concluded in her statement to the witnesses. 

    “ While my GOP colleagues passively watch Trump punish his critics and take a jack hammer to the work of anti-corruption fighters at the Department of Justice, Democrats are lifting up the tough Americans who are standing strong against the corruption and lawlessness of Trump,” said Ranking Member Raskin.

    Witnesses included: 

    • Ryan Crosswell, Former Trial Attorney, Public Integrity Section, Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice
    • Liz Oyer, Former Pardon Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice
    • Rachel Cohen, Former Senior Associate, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP 
    • Stacey Young, Former Senior Trial Attorney, DOJ Civil Rights Division, and Founder and Executive Director, Justice Connection

    Watch Rep. Becca Balint’s full remarks here. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ranking Members Frost and Connolly Launch Investigation Into Elon Musk’s Rampant Conflicts of Interest at NASA

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Maxwell Frost Florida (10th District)

    April 07, 2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL-10), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs, and Congressman Gerald E. Connolly (VA-11), Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent a letter to Iris Lan, Chief Legal Officer at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), requesting documents, information, and answers as to how NASA is ensuring Elon Musk is not exploiting NASA to enrich himself and his companies in violation of federal ethics rules. As Elon Musk and his DOGE lackeys gut and terminate Americans’ vital programs and services under the guise of “efficiency,” he has conveniently ignored the potential waste, fraud, and abuse stemming from his own companies’ lucrative contracts worth billions in taxpayer dollars. Ethics laws prevent political appointees, including Special Government Employees (SGEs), from taking part in any matter that might impact their personal finances.  

    “At NASA, where Mr. Musk has both benefited from significant contracts and has the potential to receive vast amounts of new business, his defiance of recusal laws and control of operations directly benefit his businesses,” wrote the Ranking Members. “The known conflicts of interest presented by this arrangement … are illegal and must be addressed immediately.”

    As of February 2025, Mr. Musk and his companies have received a combined total of at least $38 billion in contracts, loans, subsidies, and tax credits from the federal government and state governments. In fact, Mr. Musk’s businesses have been more reliant on government funds than many of his competitors.  

    Financial Benefits to Musk’s Companies from NASA include: 

    • Mr. Musk’s space exploration company, SpaceX, has received more than $15 billion in funding from NASA, making SpaceX the agency’s largest private sector contractor. 
    • NASA has obligated more than $525 million to SpaceX since President Trump took office, including contracts NASA awarded to SpaceX in February with a combined value of approximately $400 million. On March 28, 2025, NASA also added an additional SpaceX rocket to an existing contract.  
    • Mr. Musk has criticized the Space Launch System (SLS), a multibillion-dollar project led by Boeing, one of SpaceX’s competitors. The White House reportedly plans on cancelling the SLS program to free up funding that can instead be allocated to Mr. Musk’s priority of sending people to Mars. 

    In addition to these financial gains, Mr. Musk reportedly personally selected his friend and business partner, Jared Isaacman, to be President Trump’s nominee for NASA Administrator.  Mr. Isaacman’s personal stake in the contracts between SpaceX and the Polaris Program – his private spaceflight program launched in partnership with SpaceX – is valued at more than $50 million.  Notably, the extent of Mr. Musk’s own interests in Mr. Isaacman’s businesses has not been reported because the Trump Administration has not required Mr. Musk to file a public financial disclosure.

    Furthermore, reporting indicates that individuals in Mr. Musk’s orbit are operating at the highest levels within NASA. For instance, a longtime Tesla engineering manager is reportedly part of the DOGE team at NASA and has participated in conversations regarding mass layoffs at the agency.     

    In order to ensure that NASA is complying with federal ethics and other relevant laws with respect to Elon Musk, the Ranking Members requested that NASA provide information, documents, and answers by April 21, 2025.  

    Click here to read the letter to NASA Chief Legal Officer Iris Lan.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Maxwell Frost Statement on Homeless Services Network’s Latest Report Revealing Rise in Homelessness

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Maxwell Frost Florida (10th District)

    April 08, 2025

    New Data from Orlando HSN Reveals More than 40 Percent of Those Experiencing Homelessness Are Children and Seniors

    ORLANDO, FL — Today, Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL-10) released a statement on Homeless Services Network’s (HSN) new report which has found that more than 40% of Central Florida’s homeless population are children and seniors, 55 years and older. The data comes from HSN’s annual point-in-time count, a census that takes place in communities across the country, which Congressman Frost participated in back in February. 

    This was the first Point-in-Time count to take place following Florida’s new state law banning public camping and public sleeping.  

    In a statement, Rep. Frost says:

    “The latest report from Homeless Services Network revealing that 40% of our homeless population are children and seniors should alarm everyone. It’s unacceptable that in one of the richest countries in the world, thousands of children and seniors are sleeping on the street.    

    “This report comes at a time when Donald Trump and Elon Musk want to gut Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid, and food programs that our most vulnerable children and seniors count on to survive. For so many folks, these benefits are the difference between making rent and sleeping on the street. And while this Administration paves the way to make the rich richer, countless folks in Orlando and across the country have nowhere to sleep at night—and are even criminalized for it.

    “We have to address the homelessness crisis in our region with the urgency it demands— and the answer isn’t criminalizing homelessness or taking away federal funds from organizations like the Homeless Services Network. It’s finding and investing in solutions that lift people out of poverty and ensuring everyone has the dignity of having a safe place to call home.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Maxwell Frost Statement on Trump Admin. Kidnapping UF Student

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Maxwell Frost Florida (10th District)

    April 07, 2025

    UF Student Detained By ICE, Being Held at Krome Detention Facility Has Not Been Heard from Since April 1st

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL-10) slammed Donald Trump and his Administration’s cruelty as a University of Florida student has become the latest victim in ICE’s kidnapping spree. 

    Felipe Zapata Velasquez is a 27 year old, third-year international student attending the University of Florida on an F-1 visa. On March 28th, he was stopped by Gainesville Police for a traffic violation and was arrested and later detained by ICE. Zapata Velasquez’s family has not heard from him since April 1st after he was taken to the Krome Detention Center in Miami-Dade.

    In a statement, Rep. Frost says:

    “Donald Trump and ICE are running a government-funded kidnapping program. Showing up in unmarked vans, with plain clothes officers, they are kidnapping people off the streets and jailing them inside of detention centers without due process and with little cause.

    “Felipe Zapata Velasquez is just the latest victim of Trump’s disgusting campaign against immigrants. What should have been a routine traffic stop, resulted in a nightmare as Felipe is now forced to live in the hell on Earth that is the Krome Detention Center while he awaits deportation orders.

    “Donald Trump ran on the promise of deporting violent criminals and gang members. Instead we’ve seen him kidnap and detain American citizens, legal visa holders like Felipe, and anyone who has spoken out against this Administration. 

    “Donald Trump wants us to believe that deporting every single immigrant in this country will solve our problems and make us safer. But there’s only one criminal responsible for the harm happening to the American people every day, and that’s Donald Trump.

    “As a Member of the Oversight Committee, I vow to use every tool at my disposal to hold this Administration accountable.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Young Kim Bill to Promote Cost Transparency Passes Committee

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Young Kim (CA-39)

    Washington, DC – Today, the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed out of markup the Hotel Fees Transparency Act of 2025 (H.R. 1479), a bipartisan bill to improve cost transparency for stays in short-term lodging, such as hotels, motels, and inns. 

    The Hotel Fees Transparency Act of 2025 prohibits unfair or misleading price advertising for places of short-term lodging and requires accurate price listings that include all mandatory and resort fees. 

    Reps. Kim and Castor introduced this bill in the 118th Congress, which passed the House in June 2024. 

    “Deceptive fees add up and create more pain for families already struggling to make ends meet due to rising living costs. The last thing Americans need when planning a trip are costly, unexpected fees,” said Rep. Young Kim. “The Hotel Fees Transparency Act makes costs transparent so families can better budget. I thank the House Energy and Commerce Committee for supporting this bill, and I’ll keep fighting to get this through the finish line so we can make life more affordable.” 

    “Families shouldn’t have to play a guessing game when planning a trip. Sneaky hidden fees are a burden. They drive up costs and leave families frustrated at checkout,” said Rep. Castor. “Our bipartisan Hotel Fees Transparency Act will rein in out-of-control junk fees and lower costs, ensuring that the price you see for hotel stays is the price you pay—no hidden fees, no surprises. It’s about fairness, transparency and saving hardworking families both time and money so they can focus on making memories together, not worrying about unexpected charges. As a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, I am happy to see this bill get passed and look forward to championing its passage on the House Floor.” 

    “Those planning a vacation shouldn’t be blindsided by hidden hotel fees when they check out,” said Congressman Russell Fry. “The Hotel Fees Transparency Act is about basic fairness—making sure the price you see is the price you pay. This legislation will give travelers the clarity they need and is a smart, commonsense solution that supports both consumers and businesses. I’m glad to see the House Energy and Commerce Committee supporting this effort to bring greater transparency and accountability to the tourism industry.” 

    “Families have to budget carefully for travel, and they deserve to know how much resort fees and taxes will add up before booking accommodations,” said Rep. Kevin Mullin, CA-15. “I co-led the Hotel Fees Transparency Act because consumers have a right to know what they’ll be paying for upfront and not get caught off guard with hidden fees. As a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, I am pleased this bipartisan, common-sense bill is moving forward.” 

    Read the bill here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Canada announces entry into force of countermeasures against auto imports from the United States

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    April 8, 2025 – Ottawa, Ontario – Department of Finance Canada

    The Minister of Finance, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, today confirmed that Canada’s new countermeasures announced last week in response to the unjustified tariffs imposed by the United States on the Canadian auto industry will come into force at 12:01 a.m. EDT on April 9.

    As the Prime Minister indicated on  April 3, this includes:

    • Twenty-five per cent tariffs on non- Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) compliant fully assembled vehicles imported into Canada from the United States.
    • Twenty-five per cent tariffs on non-Canadian and non-Mexican content of CUSMA compliant fully assembled vehicles imported into Canada from the United States.

    A remission framework for auto producers that incentivizes production and investment in Canada, and helps maintain Canadian jobs, will also be implemented. Further details of this framework will be announced shortly.

    Minister Champagne also announced that the government has granted a special exemption from previous tariff countermeasures on U.S. consumer and household products to the residents of Campobello Island, New Brunswick. This special exemption is in recognition of the island’s unique situation, which is only accessible by road via the United States year-round.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: RCMP officers charged with dangerous driving

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: UBC’s new biomedical engineering building will advance health, biotech

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    From the University of British Columbia:
    https://news.ubc.ca/2025/04/ubc-opens-gordon-b-shrum-biomedical-engineering-building/

    On April 8, 2025, the University of British Columbia officially opened the doors to the Gordon B. Shrum Building, the new home for the School of Biomedical Engineering (SBME). As Canada’s first purpose-built facility for biomedical engineering, the new building brings together researchers, students, and industry partners under one roof to advance biomedical research, education, and innovation.

    The five-storey, 158,000-square-foot facility includes specialized labs, collaborative research spaces, and teaching facilities to support biomedical engineering and life-sciences innovation. Researchers will use the space to develop new medical devices, artificial intelligence-driven diagnostics, and lifesaving treatments. Meanwhile, students will gain hands-on training experience to prepare them for careers in B.C.’s rapidly growing life sciences sector.

    The $139.4-million project was funded through $25 million from the Government of B.C., $114.4 million from UBC, and more than $30 million in philanthropic support for SBME from donors, including the Gordon B. Shrum Charitable Fund, the Conconi Family Foundation, United Therapeutics Corporation, Dr. Jim McEwen, and Paul and Nicole Geyer.

    The building is named in honour of the philanthropic legacy of Gordon B. Shrum, who graduated from UBC in 1958. Shrum, who passed away in 2018, supported novel approaches to addressing community needs. He left nearly all of his estate to charity, leading to gifts with transformational impact on health care, the environment, education, and social justice.

    “We are grateful to the Government of British Columbia and our generous donors for helping make this building a reality,” said Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon, UBC’s president and vice-chancellor. “B.C.’s life sciences sector has emerged as a global leader, and the Gordon B. Shrum Building will play a central role in supporting critical research and the next generation of biomedical engineers who will fuel the sector’s continued growth and bring innovative health solutions to Canadians.”

    Anne Kang, Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, said: “This is much more than a building. This is an important milestone in medical innovation and reflects our government’s commitment to improving health care in our province. I am excited for students and the future workers of our medical technology sector to use these state-of-the-art spaces to develop and design the groundbreaking treatment therapies and life-changing medical devices that will improve health outcomes for all British Columbians.”

    Bowinn Ma, Minister of Infrastructure, said: “This world-class facility will play a crucial role in shaping the future of biomedical engineering. We’re making record investments like these that drive innovation, support industry and create important jobs right here in British Columbia.”

    Designed by Canadian architecture firm Patkau Architects, the building provides a dedicated home for SBME, replacing its previously scattered locations across UBC’s Vancouver campus.

    “The School of Biomedical Engineering has been transforming health care through cutting-edge research, education, and partnerships since it was established in 2017,” said SBME Director Dr. Peter Zandstra. “This state-of-the-art facility allows us to take our work to the next level—creating an environment where our faculty and partners can collaborate seamlessly and create transformative new health technologies.”

    Complementing forward-looking architecture and collision spaces, the building’s visual centerpiece is a four-storey mural by biomedical artist Jen Ma.  The artwork represents the multiscale nature of SBME’s research, illustrating how biology, medicine, and engineering intersect—from molecular to cellular to systems levels—to advance human health.

    The new facility includes:

    • biomechanics labs that have robots and machinery for crash-testing research to study how head, spine, and hip injuries happen. This research, led by Dr. Peter Cripton, will help develop new ways to prevent serious trauma from falls, sports, and vehicle accidents;
    • the Conconi Family Biodevice Foundry, a first-of-its-kind in Western Canada, made possible by a donation from the Conconi Family Foundation, which provides tools for designing and testing medical devices. Here, Dr. Govind Kaigala and his team are developing lab-on-a-chip devices, miniature medical tools that allow researchers and doctors to detect and diagnose diseases faster;
    • state-of-the-art digital labs where researchers are using the power of artificial intelligence to improve diagnostic accuracy to enhance treatment outcomes. Here, Dr. Ali Bashashati is advancing AI in medical imaging to improve cancer diagnoses, helping doctors detect diseases earlier and with a greater degree of accuracy;
    • wet labs with specialized equipment and advanced microscopes provided by industry partnerships, where researchers like Dr. Nika Shakiba are working in stem-cell engineering to better understand diseases like cancer and diabetes, potentially leading to new cell-based therapies for these conditions;
    • the Jim McEwen Zone for Innovators, Creators, and Entrepreneurs — supported by UBC double alum Dr. Jim McEwen — a space equipped with 3D printers, prototyping tools, and electronic testing equipment, where students and researchers can prototype and develop new medical technologies.

    Philanthropic support is also enabling SBME to recruit research expertise through the Sir Magdi Yacoub Professorship in Tissue Regeneration, made possible by a donation from the United Therapeutics Corporation. This position will drive collaborative research, education, and training in cell differentiation and tissue regeneration, with the goal of making transplantable organs and organ alternatives accessible to everyone who needs them.

    With the opening of the Gordon B. Shrum Building, UBC is growing its impact in B.C.’s life sciences sector — making room for up to 10 new UBC spin-off ventures each year through SBME Innovates at the Biomedical Research Centre. SBME has already secured $10.2 million in partnership funding and helped launch several biomedical start-ups, including ScopeSys and SeraGene.

    “By fusing the fields of medicine, biology and engineering, SBME is bringing new perspectives and a solutions-focused mindset to some of society’s greatest medical challenges,” said Dr. Dermot Kelleher, Vice-President of Health and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine. “This new facility will elevate B.C.’s biotech sector to new heights, shaping the talent, research, intellectual property and partnerships needed to translate discoveries into lifesaving medicines.”

    Dr. James Olson, Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science, said: “This building is more than just a space for education and research — it’s an engine for innovation that will drive life-altering solutions. By providing cutting-edge facilities and fostering deep industry partnerships, we are empowering our SBME community to bring new health technologies from concept to reality, creating a healthier and more equitable future for all.”

    For Sogand Golshahian, a fourth-year biomedical engineering student specializing in cellular bioengineering and bioinformatics, the new facility represents new opportunities to bridge classroom learning with hands-on experience in biomedical innovation.

    Through SBME’s co-op and research opportunities, Golshahian has been able to apply her skills to real-world projects, from machine learning applications in neuroscience to designing a muscle spasm detection system for intensive care patients in Tanzania.

    “Biomedical engineering offers a unique blend of creativity, innovation, and impact in health care,” she said. “This new facility will provide students with even more opportunities to work at the forefront of medical technology and collaborate with researchers and industry partners to solve global health challenges.”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: List of vehicle products from the United States subject to 25 per cent tariffs effective April 9, 2025

    8703.22.00

    Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons (other than those of heading 87.02), including station wagons and racing cars.

    – Other vehicles, with only spark-ignition internal combustion piston engine: Of a cylinder capacity exceeding 1,000 cc but not exceeding 1,500 cc

    8703.23.00

    Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons (other than those of heading 87.02), including station wagons and racing cars.

    – Other vehicles, with only spark-ignition internal combustion piston engine: Of a cylinder capacity exceeding 1,500 cc but not exceeding 3,000 cc

    8703.24.00

    Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons (other than those of heading 87.02), including station wagons and racing cars.

    – Other vehicles, with only spark-ignition internal combustion piston engine: Of a cylinder capacity exceeding 3,000 cc

    8703.31.00

    Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons (other than those of heading 87.02), including station wagons and racing cars.

    – Other vehicles, with only compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi-diesel): Of a cylinder capacity not exceeding 1,500 cc

    8703.32.00

    Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons (other than those of heading 87.02), including station wagons and racing cars.

    – Other vehicles, with only compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi-diesel): Of a cylinder capacity exceeding 1,500 cc but not exceeding 2,500 cc

    8703.33.00

    Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons (other than those of heading 87.02), including station wagons and racing cars.

    – Other vehicles, with only compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi-diesel): Of a cylinder capacity exceeding 2,500 cc

    8703.40.10

    Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons (other than those of heading 87.02), including station wagons and racing cars.

    – Other vehicles, with both spark-ignition internal combustion piston engine and electric motor as motors for propulsion, other than those capable of being charged by plugging to external source of electric power: Of a cylinder capacity not exceeding 1,000 cc

    8703.40.90

    Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons (other than those of heading 87.02), including station wagons and racing cars.

    – Other vehicles, with both spark-ignition internal combustion piston engine and electric motor as motors for propulsion, other than those capable of being charged by plugging to external source of electric power: Other

    8703.50.00

    Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons (other than those of heading 87.02), including station wagons and racing cars.

    – Other vehicles, with both compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi-diesel) and electric motor as motors for propulsion, other than those capable of being charged by plugging to external source of electric power

    8703.60.10

    Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons (other than those of heading 87.02), including station wagons and racing cars.

    – Other vehicles, with both spark-ignition internal combustion piston engine and electric motor as motors for propulsion, capable of being charged by plugging to external source of electric power: Of a cylinder capacity not exceeding 1,000 cc

    8703.60.90

    Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons (other than those of heading 87.02), including station wagons and racing cars.

    – Other vehicles, with both spark-ignition internal combustion piston engine and electric motor as motors for propulsion, capable of being charged by plugging to external source of electric power: Other

    8703.70.00

    Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons (other than those of heading 87.02), including station wagons and racing cars.

    – Other vehicles, with both compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi-diesel) and electric motor as motors for propulsion, capable of being charged by plugging to external source of electric power

    8703.80.00

    Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons (other than those of heading 87.02), including station wagons and racing cars.

    – Other vehicles, with only electric motor for propulsion

    8703.90.00

    Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons (other than those of heading 87.02), including station wagons and racing cars.

    – Other

    8704.21.90

    Motor vehicles for the transport of goods.

    – Other, with only compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi-diesel): g.v.w. not exceeding 5 tonnes: Other

    8704.31.00

    Motor vehicles for the transport of goods.

    – Other, with only spark-ignition internal combustion piston engine: g.v.w. not exceeding 5 tonnes

    8704.41.90

    Motor vehicles for the transport of goods.

    – Other, with both compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi-diesel) and electric motor as motors for propulsion: g.v.w. not exceeding 5 tonnes: Other

    8704.51.00

    Motor vehicles for the transport of goods.

    – Other, with both spark-ignition internal combustion piston engine and electric motor as motors for propulsion: g.v.w. not exceeding 5 tonnes

    8704.60.00

    Motor vehicles for the transport of goods.

    – Other with only electric motor for propulsion

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Moore and Senator Lee Introduce Legislation to Protect Stay-at-Home-Parents

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

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Riley M. Moore (R-WV) and Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced the Fairness for Stay at Home Parents Act, which closes a loophole in the Family and Medical Leave Act to ensure employers can’t claw back the cost of health insurance premiums from an employee should he or she choose not to return to work after the birth of a child.

    With health insurance premiums for family coverage averaging $25,000 per year, this current loophole can compel parents to return to work even if they feel unready or would prefer to stay home. 50% of mothers who return to work after the birth of their child experience feelings of guilt about not being with their newborn. This bill strengthens families by giving new parents the option to raise their children without having to worry about their employer clawing back their healthcare premiums.

    The legislation has been endorsed by the American Principles Project, the Bull Moose Project, and the Human Coalition.

    Congressman Moore issued the following statement:

    “Being pro-life means being pro-family. That means ensuring families aren’t penalized for deciding to have a parent stay home with their new baby.

    “Our bill ensures families won’t face a huge bill for insurance premiums simply for choosing what’s best for their family.”

    Senator Mike Lee added:

    “Our legislation rectifies a problem with the Family and Medical Leave Act that unfairly impacts mothers who decide to stay home with their newborns after maternity leave. Each additional financial burden we can remove from growing American families is a victory, and this bill will make it easier for hundreds of thousands of new parents to care for their kids.”

    Brad Wilcox, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Family Studies, further added:

    “Family policy should give parents the choice to care for their young children. The Fairness for Stay-at-Home Parents Act does this, which is why I think it is a smart idea.”

    This story was first covered by the Daily Wire. Read more here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Dems Demand that President Trump Abandon National Sales Tax on the American People, Work with Congress to Lower Costs

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

    Today, following President Trump’s decision to institute sweeping taxes on American consumers and businesses and engage in a global trade war with every single ally and trading partner, New Dems wrote to President Trump and his top advisors imploring the administration to change course on his erratic and unilateral tariff strategy. 

    The letter from New Democrat Coalition Chair Brad Schneider, Economic Growth and Cost of Living Working Group Chair Chrissy Houlahan, and Trade Task Force Chair Don Beyer reads in part: 

    Rather than engaging in an erratic and unilateral tariff strategy, we urge you to pursue a strategic and sustainable approach that strengthens our alliances, upholds international trade rules, and ensures fair competition through robust enforcement mechanisms. We urge you to focus on bringing down prices and implementing policies that support U.S. manufacturing, build supply chain resilience, and strengthen relationships with our trading partners. 

    Since President Trump announced this national sales tax, global markets have crashed, companies have begun laying off workers, small businesses are considering closing their doors, and American consumers are seeing higher prices on everything from groceries to electronics and more. 

    You can read the letter here or below: 

    Dear President Trump,

    As Members of the New Democrat Coalition, we write to express our deep concerns regarding your Administration’s approach to trade policy, particularly the imposition of sweeping tariffs on imports that are already raising costs for American consumers and businesses, undermining American competitiveness, and creating uncertainty that is stifling business investment and threatening jobs. We write on behalf of our constituents who were previously struggling to make ends meet and will now be forced to pay more for groceries, for new cars, for home appliances, and so much more. We can expect consumers to pause purchases, big and small, which will be a drain on our economy and diminish our children’s future prospects. 

    When used thoughtfully, strategic and targeted tariffs can be a tool to protect American workers, ensure fair trade practices, and defend U.S. economic interests. Unfortunately, your latest announcement of capricious and sweeping universal and reciprocal tariffs undermines these goals, and in fact, moves us in the opposite direction. American workers, families, and businesses will pay the price. 

    Tariffs function as taxes on American consumers and businesses, raising the costs of goods and materials essential for domestic manufacturing and production. Industries that rely on global supply chains, including agriculture, technology, and manufacturing, have already reported higher costs due to the tariffs in addition to increased sourcing challenges—both factors that are leading to price increases for American consumers. Many small businesses have made the difficult decision to pass these costs, which are a direct result of new tariffs, on to their customers and face significant challenges that will impact their ability to operate. Additionally, retaliatory tariffs from our trading partners have further restricted market access for American products, uniquely harming exporters and rural economies that depend on foreign markets to sell world class products. 

    The unpredictability of your Administration’s trade agenda, characterized by on-again, off-again tariffs imposed on our closest allies in violation of trade agreements that your own administration negotiated has created an environment of uncertainty for American businesses. Businesses of all sizes depend on certainty to thrive. That certainty comes in the form of policy continuity, a clear regulatory framework, and an equitable and transparent system to resolve trade disputes. Absent this certainty, businesses cannot invest in innovation, American workers, or expanding their operations to international markets. Make no mistake, your Administration’s trade agenda is slowing economic growth and job creation, weakening U.S. global leadership, and increasing the cost of doing business with the United States. 

    Rather than engaging in an erratic and unilateral tariff strategy, we urge you to pursue a strategic and sustainable approach that strengthens our alliances, upholds international trade rules, and ensures fair competition through robust enforcement mechanisms. We urge you to focus on bringing down prices and implementing policies that support U.S. manufacturing, build supply chain resilience, and strengthen relationships with our trading partners. 

    The Constitution clearly states that no president, Democrat or Republican, has the power to raise taxes on the American people without the consent of Congress. We call on your administration to engage in meaningful consultation with Congress to ensure that trade policy reflects the interests and values of the American people. Given the dire consequences of an escalating trade war, we underscore Congress’s constitutional role in trade policy and respectfully request a meeting with the United States Trade Representative, Ambassador Jamieson Greer, to discuss your Administration’s trade strategy. We urge your administration to focus on policies that advance American interests without burdening consumers, isolating our trusted trading partners, and harming U.S. global leadership. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Speaker Johnson: No Time to Waste in Delivering on the Trump Agenda

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

    WASHINGTON — This morning, at the weekly House Republican Leadership press conference, Speaker Johnson discussed the Senate budget resolution, Congressional Republicans delivering on the full Trump agenda through budget reconciliation, and House Republicans’ efforts to prevent noncitizens from voting in American elections. 

    Watch Speaker Johnson’s full remarks here.

    On the Senate Budget Resolution:
      
    I want to make four important points about the Senate’s amendment to our house resolution: 1) The budget resolution is not the law. All this does is it allows us to continue the process begin drafting the actual legislation. It really counts, and that’s the one big, beautiful bill. 2) The Senate amendment makes no changes to the reconciliation instructions that we put into the budget resolution, so our objectives remain intact. 3) Any final reconciliation bill has to include historic spending reductions that we included in our resolution while also safeguarding essential programs. And you’ve heard a commitment from us over and over that that will happen, and the President has said it himself over and over as well. 4) Reconciliation will be a collaborative process between the House and Senate. 
     
    You’re going to see the Republican Party in both chambers working together as one team. I know that’s a rare occasion, and people don’t really know what that looks like, but we’re actually going to do it this time. The House is not going to participate in an us versus them charade. We won’t do it to secure and accomplish our mission. We’ve got to be working together and rowing in the same direction. And I’m fiercely committed to doing that and so is leader Thune and our members on both sides. 
     
    On delivering on the full Trump agenda:
      
    Republicans have a historic, once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver relief to hard working families and set our country back on the path of prosperity. The American people desperately need us to take this action, and we will. As we wrote in a letter to our conference this weekend, time really is of the essence. There’s a lot of pressure points that are outside of our control that are forcing this action. 
     
    We’re months away from the X date on the debt limit. The border security resources are being diminished. Markets are unsettled, and the largest tax increase in American history is set to hit families and businesses at the end of this year if we do not act. And for all those reasons, we have no luxury of complacency, and we really don’t have time to dither on this thing. So, we’ll be moving that forward, and you’ll see that action this week. 
     
    On the SAVE Act:
      
    Polling shows that nearly 90% of the American people believe that proof of citizenship should be required to vote. There are few issues in American politics that enjoy that level of bipartisan support. This should pass with a massive bipartisan margin, but watch, it won’t. The Democrats are contorting themselves into a pretzel trying to justify some sort of vote against this. Last year, they argued we were too close to a federal election to make voting changes. And then they said that non-citizens don’t actually vote, and then they said the SAVE Act will somehow result in voter suppression. All that was total nonsense. 
     
    Now they’re claiming that the SAVE Act disenfranchises married women who change their last names. I mean, it’s absurd. What they’re trying to do is protect the ability of noncitizens to participate in our elections. Plain and simple, that’s what this is about. And we know it’s a crisis because the last administration, as we all well know, opened the border wide, and we had by some counts 20 million illegal aliens come into the country. There’s no mechanism in federal law, in current law, that requires states to prove citizenship. So even though it is currently against the law, only US citizens should decide US elections. There’s no way to make sure that’s actually happening. The SAVE Act is so critically important, it follows common sense, and the American people are with us. The Democrats, I predict, will not be, and they’re going to have to answer for that. 
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine & Banks Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Support Mental Health Care and Substance Use Disorder Recovery

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Jim Banks (R-IN), members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, introduced the Providing Empathetic and Effective Recovery (PEER) Support Act, bipartisan legislation to support mental health care and substance use disorder recovery. Specifically, the bill would elevate peer support specialists—individuals with lived experience with a mental health condition or substance use disorder who are certified to assist individuals and their families in recovery through advocacy, relationship and community building, resource sharing, mentorship, goal setting, and more. Although peer support specialists have been shown to decrease substance use for individuals with substance use disorders and reduce re-hospitalization for individuals with mental health conditions, they often face significant barriers to entering or staying in the profession. The PEER Support Act would help remove these barriers, address workforce shortages in the field, and support access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment.

    “Peer support specialists play an important role in mental health and substance use disorder treatment teams, and provide valuable support to individuals in recovery,” said Kaine. “At a time where we need to expand access to mental health care and substance use disorder treatment, this bipartisan legislation is critical to helping peer support specialists enter the field.”

    “As millions of Americans struggle to overcome addiction, access to peer support specialists saves lives. This bipartisan bill helps better connect these experts—who have overcome addiction themselves—to those in recovery,” said Banks.

    “Fifty-two million adults in the U.S.—or 1 in 5 adults—have a mental health condition, and we lack the workforce to help provide much-needed services. The Bipartisan Policy Center has recommended policies advancing peer support specialists and boosting recovery services, and we believe the reintroduction of the PEER Support Act is a critical step toward addressing the shortage of behavioral health workers in this country,” said Michele Stockwell, President of Bipartisan Policy Center Action.

    “Trained peer supporters make an incredible difference in helping people recover, and this bill positions peer support specialists to be a lifeline throughout the behavioral health care system,” said Bruce Curser, Executive Director of Mental Health America of Virginia.

    “I’m both excited and incredibly grateful to see the reintroduction of the PEER Support Act, as it highlights the real and significant barriers faced by Peer Recovery Specialists in our communities. For many of us, including myself, entering this workforce can be an unnecessarily difficult challenge after overcoming the obstacles created by our lived experiences with substance use and mental health diagnoses. The PEER Support Act is essential in creating more job opportunities, fostering professional growth, ensuring recognition as equal professionals, and enabling the collection of crucial data that supports this evidence-based practice,” said Rachel Alderman, AAS, RPRS, CCHW, Community Health Center of the New River Valley (Christiansburg, Virginia).

    “I am more than happy to see advocates stepping up to support Peer Recovery Specialists in this way. Having personally faced barriers in this field due to past charges, I know how discouraging it can be to be turned away from a position despite a commitment to recovery and helping others. I almost gave up, but I am so grateful for the opportunity to prove that a past does not define one’s future. Peer support is built on connection, understanding, and lived experience—showing others that recovery is not only possible but sustainable. This bill is vital to ensuring that those who have walked the path of recovery can continue to uplift and guide others on their own journeys,” said Kellie Simpkins, CPRS, Community Health Center of the New River Valley (Christiansburg, Virginia).

    Specifically, the PEER Support Act would:

    • Codify the Office of Recovery in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to
      • Train, educate, and support the professional development of peer support specialists.
      • Research and publish best practice recommendations for the training, certification, and supervision of peer support specialists for entities that employ these professionals.
      • Recommend career pathways for peer support specialists.
      • Provide leadership in the identification of new and emerging issues related to recovery support services.
    • Instruct the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) to conduct a study to research states’ screening processes for prospective peer support specialists that may pose undue barriers to their certification, and provide evidence-based recommendations for overcoming those barriers. Some prospective peer support specialists cannot get a license because of their past interactions with law enforcement related to their substance use disorder (such as convictions for possession of drugs that occurred prior to recovery).
    • Direct the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to revise the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system to recognize peer support specialists as a profession, which would help ensure accurate data reporting on the field.

    The PEER Support Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    The PEER Support Act is supported by American Association for Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work, American Association on Health and Disability (AAHD), American Association of Suicidality, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), American Psychological Association Services (APA Services), Anxiety & Depression Association of America, Ballad Health, Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD), Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, Face and Voices of Recovery, Fountain House, International Society for Psychiatric Mental Health Nurses, Lakeshore Foundation, Mental Health America (MHA), Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance (MMHLA), NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), National Association for Peer Supporters (NAPS), National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD), National Council for Mental Wellbeing, National Federation of Families, Overdose Prevention Initiative, Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health, Psychotherapy Action Network, RI International, SMART Recovery, and Trust for America’s Health (TFAH).

    Full text of the PEER Support Act is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine, Schumer, and Wyden Demand House Vote on Senate-Passed Tariff Legislation Ending Trade War with Canada

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee Ron Wyden (D-OR) sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson demanding that he schedule a vote in the House of Representatives on Senate Joint Resolution 37, legislation led by Kaine to reverse President Trump’s tariffs on Canada, which amount to a 25 percent tax on imported goods. S.J. Res. 37 passed in the Senate last week by a 51-48 vote.

    “Plain and simple, the Trump Trade War is a Trump Tax on families, raising their costs by nearly $4,000 per year and devastating small businesses, forcing them to raise prices or lay off staff. It is a dangerous, foolish exercise that is wreaking havoc on the American economy and could tee up a recession,” wrote the senators.

    The senators continued, “Now that the Senate has weighed in, members of the House should have the opportunity to vote on whether to continue President Trump’s wrongheaded tariffs on Canada.”

    “Canada is the United States’ second largest trading partner and longtime ally,” the senators wrote. “This absurd and dangerous trade war has needlessly fractured the relationship between our two countries, thrown integrated manufacturing supply chains into disarray, and raised costs for American families and small businesses. The Senate has acted. The House should follow and schedule a vote without delay.”

    Full text of the letter is available here and below:

    Speaker Johnson:

    We call on you to move without delay to schedule a vote in the House of Representatives on Senate Joint Resolution 37, which would terminate President Trump’s foolish and misguided trade war with our ally, Canada.

    Plain and simple, the Trump Trade War is a Trump Tax on families, raising their costs by nearly $4,000 per year and devastating small businesses, forcing them to raise prices or lay off staff. It is a dangerous, foolish exercise that is wreaking havoc on the American economy and could tee up a recession. If the president doesn’t back off, Congress must take action – the Senate has already taken action to provide relief from tariffs on Canada, and the House should follow immediately.

    On February 2, President Trump declared a so-called emergency with regard to the flow of illicit drugs from Canada, despite evidence from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that less 0.2 percent of fentanyl comes from our northern ally.

    This was clearly a pretext to abuse the emergency authorities under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to start a trade war with one of our closest allies and biggest trading partners. Situations like this are exactly why Congress created a privileged process to rescind emergencies under IEEPA.

    Last week, the Senate exercised this authority and voted on a bipartisan basis to rescind the president’s emergency and end this ridiculous trade war. The House of Representatives already sidestepped this responsibility once in March, taking extraordinary steps to avoid the question of the legitimacy of the president’s declared emergency. Now that the Senate has weighed in, members of the House should have the opportunity to vote on whether to continue President Trump’s wrongheaded tariffs on Canada.

    Canada is the United States’ second largest trading partner and longtime ally. This absurd and dangerous trade war has needlessly fractured the relationship between our two countries, thrown integrated manufacturing supply chains into disarray, and raised costs for American families and small businesses.

    The Senate has acted. The House should follow and schedule a vote without delay.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McConnell Comments on Colby Nomination

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) issued the following statement today on the nomination of Elbridge Colby to be Under Secretary of Defense for Policy:

    “Preparing to deter or defeat an historic alignment of adversaries must be the top priority for the United States and the West. But the more we indulge the fiction that these threats are not linked, and the longer we delay overdue investments in the national defense, the more difficult the task of restoring our credibility, our military capability, and our industrial capacity will become.

    “Elbridge Colby’s long public record suggests a willingness to discount the complexity of the challenges facing America, the critical value of our allies and partners, and the urgent need to invest in hard power to preserve American primacy. The prioritization that Mr. Colby argues is fresh, new, and urgently needed is, in fact, a return to an Obama-era conception of a la carte geostrategy. Abandoning Ukraine and Europe and downplaying the Middle East to prioritize the Indo-Pacific is not a clever geopolitical chess move. It is geostrategic self-harm that emboldens our adversaries and drives wedges between America and our allies for them to exploit.

    “Mr. Colby’s confirmation leaves open the door for the less-polished standard-bearers of restraint and retrenchment at the Pentagon to do irreparable damage to the system of alliances and partnerships which serve as force multipliers to U.S. leadership. It encourages isolationist perversions of peace through strength to continue apace at the highest levels of Administration policymaking.

    “As I have expressed repeatedly, I remain committed to supporting national security nominees whose records and views make them assets, not liabilities, in the restoration of U.S. hard power. As he gets to work, Mr. Colby will need to work swiftly to advance policy that conforms to the President’s recognition of U.S. interests from Europe to the Middle East to the Indo-Pacific. I hope he will come to appreciate the essential role our allies play in advancing our collective interests, the urgent need for enduring investments in our national defense, and the linked and simultaneous challenges we face.

    “Make no mistake: America will not be made great again by those who are content to manage our decline.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McConnell in Wall Street Journal: Executive Order Invites Leftwing Election Takeover

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) submitted the following op-ed to The Wall Street Journal, printed in today’s edition, on voting and election integrity:

    Easier to vote, harder to cheat. That was the pitch the last time Washington passed major updates to the way America votes.

    After 2000 saw one of the closest presidential elections in American history, there was a bipartisan appetite to make sure states were equipped to count votes correctly. In 2002, Sen. Chris Dodd (D., Conn.) and I developed a plan to give state election authorities more resources and expert help as they navigated new technologies and reformed voting procedures. When we wrote the Help America Vote Act, we took care to reinforce—not undermine—the limits of federal involvement in America’s elections.

    As a result, HAVA and the Election Assistance Commission it created are still on the books today, and thank goodness for that. Challenges to America’s elections aren’t slowing down, they’re speeding up. The Trump administration is right to focus national attention on election-security issues that enjoy wide support, from voter roll maintenance to voter I.D. requirements.

    But the way measures like these are implemented matters. And the administration’s executive order on voting and election integrity risks setting them back.

    In the near term, Executive Order 14248 will face constitutional scrutiny. That isn’t because the citizenship requirement for participation in elections is unclear but because the delegation of authority over election administration is crystal clear. Elections may have national consequences but the power to conduct them rests in state capitols. No public mandate, real or perceived, lets Washington tamper with this authority, not even for a worthy cause like election integrity.

    In the longer term, last month’s executive order carries grave risks. The Trump administration can, and should, support state-led efforts to authenticate voter rolls, train election officials, upgrade voting technologies, and combat voter fraud. But they ought to be careful. Even a targeted federal mandate to strengthen election integrity today could make it easier for a future Democratic president and Congress to use more sweeping mandates to carry out a complete federal takeover of American elections.

    In that case, expanding Washington’s role wouldn’t be a side effect, it would be the entire point. This isn’t speculation. We know exactly what Democrats want to do because they’ve tried before.

    As it was first introduced in 2019, H.R. 1, the “For the People Act” was designed to gut state laws that upheld widely popular voter-I.D. requirements as well as open the door for rampant fraud with mandates for ballot drop boxes and unlimited ballot harvesting. It would hoover up state authority over redistricting, make it harder to clean inaccurate and duplicate voter registrations from the rolls, give the Internal Revenue Service sweeping new authority to consider political ideology in determining the tax-exempt status of advocacy groups, and turn even-split governance at the Federal Election Commission into a partisan majority.

    Over the years, Washington Democrats’ rationale for their federal takeover evolved. Initially, with President Trump’s first election still consuming the Democratic Party’s consciousness, H.R. 1 was sold as an urgent cure for a broken system. After subsequent Democratic victories, the plan was portrayed instead as preventive maintenance.

    In each iteration, it was a jaw-dropping affront to states’ authority to administer elections. We mustn’t forget how narrowly America avoided it. Had two Democratic senators not broken ranks with their party, the demise of the Senate’s legislative filibuster and the submission of American elections to the whims of unelected bureaucrats would have come as a package deal.

    Unfortunately, reasonable Americans can’t expect that sort of courage the next time a Democratic president and Congress have a chance to tilt the electoral playing field in their favor. The current administration has better ways to spend its time than laying the groundwork for a leftwing election takeover.

    Mr. McConnell, a Republican, is a U.S. senator from Kentucky.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Wyden Launch Investigation into Google, Microsoft Partnerships with AI Developers Anthropic, OpenAI

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    April 08, 2025

    “We are concerned that corporate partnerships within the AI sector discourage competition, circumvent our antitrust laws, and result in fewer choices and higher prices for businesses and consumers using AI tools.” 

    Text of Letter to Google/Anthropic (PDF) | Text of Letter to Microsoft/OpenAI (PDF)

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) wrote to cloud service providers Google and Microsoft with concerns that their respective partnerships with AI developers Anthropic and OpenAI may violate antitrust laws, leading to fewer choices and higher prices for businesses and consumers using AI tools. 

    The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warned in a January 2025 report that these types of partnerships might pose “risks to competition and consumers, such as ‘. . . locking in the market dominance of large incumbent technology firms.” The FTC and the Department of Justice have also raised concerns about these partnerships, warning that they can act as de facto mergers and allow companies to consolidate talent, information, and resources, while bypassing the traditional scrutiny associated with mergers and acquisitions. 

    These partnerships can involve minority stakes and significant investment from cloud service providers (CSPs), like Google and Microsoft, giving them access to AI developers’ talent, computing capacity, intellectual property, or business information. 

    In some cases, CSPs hire the top AI talent away from the AI developer and obtain exclusive licensing of the developer’s technology, “effectively swallowing the start-up and its main assets — without becoming the owner of the firm.” An agreement may also give the CSP a high level of control over, and stake in, the AI developer’s business decisions. In the most egregious case, individuals have held concurrent board positions with both the CSP and the AI developer, in a blatant violation of U.S. antitrust law. Partnership agreements can also lock AI developers in with particular CSPs because of the high contractual and technical cost of starting an agreement with a new CSP, limiting innovation in cases where there are better partnerships available. 

    “Partnerships between CSPs and AI developers, if left unchecked, may accelerate consolidation of the AI sector, ultimately driving up prices and choking off innovation,” wrote the senators. 

    In order to better understand the potential anticompetitive risks of these agreements, the senators requested the companies provide more information about their partnerships, including on the consolidation of computing resources, talent, and intellectual property, by April 21, 2025.  

    Senator Warren has long fought to crack down on corporate consolidation that threatens consumers and raises prices, including in the technology sector: 

    • In February 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote to Omeed Assefi, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the United States Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Antitrust Division, calling on the agency to closely scrutinize Disney’s proposed acquisition of FuboTV (Fubo).
    • In December 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) introduced the bipartisan Protecting AI and Cloud Competition in Defense Act to ensure that the Department of Defense (DoD)’s procurement of artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing tools prioritizes resiliency and competition. The bill offers meaningful regulation to limit Big Tech monopolies from elbowing out competitors in the AI and cloud computing markets.
    • In November 2024, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) sent two letters regarding the impact of private equity and large corporations in veterinary care, to JAB Holding Company (JAB) and to Mars Petcare (Mars), a subsidiary of Mars, Inc., respectively.
    • In October 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren led the reintroduction of the Stop Wall Street Looting Act, comprehensive legislation to fundamentally reform the private equity industry and level the playing field by forcing private investment firms to take responsibility for the outcomes of companies they take over, empowering workers and protecting investors. 
    • In August 2024, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), joined by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), wrote to the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC), calling on the agencies to closely scrutinize the proposed joint venture between FOX, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Disney subsidiary ESPN that would create a new streaming service named Venu Sports (Venu). 
    • In July 2024, Senators Warren, Klobuchar, Murphy, Sanders, Booker, and Blumenthal wrote a letter to the Department of Justice and Federal Communications Commission, urging them to scrutinize T-Mobile’s proposed acquisition of UScellular.
    • In July 2024, Senator Warren and Representatives Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) and John Garamendi (D-Calif.) urged the Department of Defense (DoD), FTC, and DOJ to review TransDigm Group Inc.’s acquisitions of two specialized aerospace contractors to prevent price gouging.
    • In June 2024, Senator Warren wrote to DOJ, FTC, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), calling out high health care costs due to vertically integrated insurers, private equity companies, and pharmaceutical companies that are driving health care consolidation.
    • In June 2024, Senators Warren and Markey (D-Mass.) introduced the Corporate Crimes Against Health Care Act of 2024 to root out corporate greed and private equity abuse in the health care system.
    • In May 2024, chairing a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee Subcommittee on Economic Policy, Senator Warren highlighted the impact of concentration in the food industry and its impact on prices, product, and consumer choice.
    • In May 2024, Senator Warren and Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced the bipartisan Airport Gate Competition Act, which would increase competition in the airline industry and lower prices for consumers by increasing the number of common-use gates in airports.
    • In March 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Penn.) led a group of 14 lawmakers in urging the FTC to revive enforcement of the Robinson Patman Act, a critical tool to promote fair competition in the food industry.
    • In March 2024, Senators Warren and Klobuchar led 26 lawmakers in urging the leadership of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to strike parts of the Commerce, Science, and Justice (CJS) appropriations bill that undercut DOJ’s ability to block anticompetitive mergers.
    • In February 2024, Senator Warren urged FTC to closely scrutinize Choice Hotels’ attempted hostile takeover of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, which would further consolidate the hotel market and create the largest branded hotel chain in the United States.
    • In February 2024, Senator Warren delivered the keynote address at RemedyFest, where she called out Big Tech for their anti-competitive tactics that have led to market consolidation and record profits.
    • In February 2024, Senator Warren and 12 other lawmakers called on regulators to block the Capital One-Discover Merger.
    • In December 2023, Senator Warren led 6 senators in a letter to Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael Hsu, calling on OCC to allow states to move forward with their efforts to protect consumers from harmful bank practices. The senators criticized the OCC for overstepping its preemption authority under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which the agency is abusing to block tough, state-level consumer protections.
    • In November 2023, Senators Warren and Blumenthal called out U.S. Anesthesia Partners’ (USAP) monopolistic business model and use of restrictive non-compete agreements that have reduced patients’ quality of care, increased prices, and suppressed workers’ wages.
    • In October 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) urged DOJ and FTC to carefully scrutinize UnitedHealth Group’s pending acquisition of Amedisys; and urged the agencies to scrutinize similar deals, reject behavioral or structural remedies, and oppose any health care acquisition that would threaten competition, increase prices, and reduce quality of care.
    • In September 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Becca Balint (D-Vt.), along with a bicameral group of lawmakers, submitted a public comment to the FTC and DOJ in support of the agencies’ proposed merger guidelines, endorsing the agencies’ reading of antitrust law, praising the guidelines as necessary to prevent harm to workers, consumers, and small businesses.
    • In August 2023, chairing a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee Subcommittee on Economic Policy, Senator Warren highlighted the need for regulators to implement the strongest version of bank merger review guidelines in order to ensure stability in the financial system. 
    • In July 2023, Senators Warren and Lindsey Graham unveiled comprehensive legislation that would rein in Big Tech by establishing a new commission to regulate online platforms. The commission would have concurrent jurisdiction with FTC and DOJ, and would be responsible for overseeing and enforcing the new statutory provisions in the bill and implementing rules to promote competition, protect privacy, protect consumers, and strengthen our national security.
    • In June 2023, Senator Warren sent a letter to Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter, Federal Deposit Investment Corporation (FDIC) Chairman Gruenberg, Acting Comptroller of the Currency Hsu, Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr, and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, urging regulators to promote greater competition in the banking sector by toughening their stances on bank mergers and strengthening bank merger review guidelines.
    • In May 2023, at a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, Senator Warren questioned Acting Comptroller Hsu on his decision to approve JPMorgan Chase’s purchase of First Republic Bank after its collapse. This merger allowed a large, poorly supervised bank to be swallowed by America’s largest bank, making it $200 billion larger than it was before.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Wyden, Kelly Demand Answers on Reported Social Security Benefit Disruptions

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    April 08, 2025

    “These beneficiaries are some of the most vulnerable in the nation—low-income seniors and children and adults with disabilities—and face extraordinary hardship if their benefits are delayed or disrupted.”

    “[W]e are concerned that these efforts are a precursor to attempts to make further cuts to Social Security, or privatize it entirely.” 

    Text of Letter (PDF)

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Senate Finance Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) pressed Acting Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Leland Dudek for answers after reports of recent disruptions to Americans’ Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. The new letter marks the first investigation from Senate Democrats’ Social Security War Room, a coordinated effort to protect Americans’ Social Security from Donald Trump’s and Elon Musk’s efforts to gut the agency. 

    SSI supports the most vulnerable Americans by providing monthly payments to children and adults with disabilities as well as seniors experiencing economic insecurity, and has strict income and asset restrictions for beneficiaries. This means even brief disruptions in benefits could have devastating impacts for these families. 

    “These beneficiaries are some of the most vulnerable in the nation—low-income seniors and children and adults with disabilities—and face extraordinary hardship if their benefits are delayed or disrupted,” wrote the senators. 

    In March, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) forced its way into SSA, improperly accessed taxpayers’ sensitive data, announced closures of Social Security field offices, and implemented policies making it more difficult for citizens to claim their benefits or address problems. Now, constituents have submitted disturbing reports that their SSI accounts or accounts they manage for a disabled family member display the message “currently not receiving payments,” and that payment history and data have disappeared. 

    These issues are just the latest, including increased wait times and website crashes, in the chaos caused by DOGE’s attacks meant to hollow out the agency by slashing the workforce, closing offices across the country, and cutting critical phone services.

    “This alarming episode raises fresh questions about operations at SSA and the effects of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)’s attacks on the agency, which you have helped facilitate…Indeed, we are concerned that these efforts are a precursor to attempts to make further cuts to Social Security, or privatize it entirely,” said the lawmakers. 

    To better understand the source of these benefit disruptions, the senators demanded Dudek explain why recipients’ accounts were marked as “currently not receiving benefits,” how many recipients’ benefits were interrupted, whether these interruptions were related to DOGE’s actions at the agency, and more, by April 12, 2025. 

    Senate Democrats’ Social Security War Room is a coordinated effort to fight back against the Trump administration’s attack on Americans’ Social Security. The War Room coordinates messaging across the Senate Democratic Caucus and external stakeholders; encourages grassroots engagement by providing opportunities for Americans to share what Social Security means to them; and educates Senate staff, the American public, and stakeholders about Republicans’ agenda and their continued cuts to Americans’ Social Security services and benefits.

    MIL OSI USA News –