NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Dina Titus Leads Reintroduction of Armenian Genocide Education Act

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

    Congresswoman Dina Titus (NV-01) today led Reps. Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Ted Lieu (CA-36) and David Valadao (CA-22) in reintroducing the Armenian Genocide Education Act to promote accurate and effective education about the Armenian Genocide during which the lives of 1.5 million Armenians and hundreds of thousands of Assyrians, Greeks, Syriacs, Arameans, Maronites, and other Christians were lost at the hands of the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th Century.

    The Armenian Genocide Education Act establishes a new program in the Library of Congress tasked with developing resources, including digital resources, to foster understanding of why and how the Armenian Genocide happened. These resources will be incorporated into curricula at schools across the country. The bill authorizes $2 million annually for the program over five years and allows the Library of Congress to supplement this funding with private donations.

    “By equipping students with educational resources to understand the Armenian Genocide, this bill combats genocide denialism while honoring the memory of the victims,” said Rep. Titus. “This bill is a commitment to truth, justice, and the power of education to build a more informed and compassionate world for future generations.”

    “Our darkest moments as a human race have come during times when those who knew better stood silently, making excuses for passivity and allowing injustice and persecution to reign. We must acknowledge the atrocities of the past so that we might hopefully prevent them in the future,” said Rep. Bilirakis. “One of the best ways to achieve this goal is through education and awareness, which is why I am proud to co-lead the Armenian Genocide Education Act again.

    “The Armenian Genocide caused the loss of over 1.5 million lives at the hands of the Ottoman Empire, and it’s crucial that dark chapter isn’t forgotten,” said Rep. Valadao. “Teaching Americans about this tragedy is essential, and as the co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, I’m proud to support this effort to strengthen educational efforts and reaffirm our commitment to truth and remembrance.”

    “The Armenian Genocide was a horrific manifestation of evil,” said Rep. Lieu. “Though we cannot go back 110 years to prevent the senseless killing of roughly 1.5 million Armenians, we can use education to ensure the victims are never forgotten. The horrors of this atrocity have left a lasting impact on Armenia and its diaspora. It is imperative that we ensure future generations learn about this massacre so nothing like it can ever happen again. I am pleased to join Congresswoman Titus and my Congressional colleagues in co-leading the Armenian Genocide Education Act to provide resources for Armenian Genocide education.”

    “We welcome today’s reintroduction of the Armenian Genocide Education Act – a much-needed measure to ensure that American students learn the truth about the Armenian Genocide and the enduring lessons of this still unpunished crime against humanity,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.

    “As we solemnly remember the Armenian Genocide of 1915 and tirelessly work to reverse the Artsakh Genocide of 2023, we stand with Armenians worldwide in thanking Congresswoman Titus for her leadership in spearheading this Act and in expressing our appreciation to Representatives Bilirakis, Lieu, and Valadao for joining with her in this bipartisan genocide education and prevention initiative.”

    Background

    Between 1915 and 1923, 1.5 million Armenians, and hundreds of thousands of Assyrians, Greeks, Syriacs, Arameans, Maronites, and other Christians were systematically slaughtered at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. Millions more were displaced and forced to start anew. For more than a century, nations failed to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide because of their relationship with Turkey. As of 2023, 31 United Nations member states had formally recognized the genocide, along with Pope Francis and the European Parliament. On April 24, 2021, President Joe Biden declared the United States’ formal recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King: “Looming Threat” of Arctic Aggression Must Be National Priority

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), Co-Chair of the Senate Arctic Caucus, in a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, questioned General Christopher Cavoli, Commander of the United States European Command and Supreme Allied Commander Europe, about the United States’ position as an Arctic nation — and the importance of bolstering our nation’s presence in an emerging strategic hotspot amid rising tensions with Arctic adversaries. Senator King made the point that Russia and China are currently positioning themselves more strategically than the U.S. in the High North, through investments in military installations and icebreakers — which directly threatens American security. During the exchange, Senator King and General Cavoli agreed the U.S. needs to be paying closer attention to the Arctic as a new domain for potential conflict.
    Senator King began,” Please discuss Russian and Chinese activities in the Arctic. Strikes me this is a looming threat area we should be addressing. The reason it is becoming so important is the melting of the arctic ice which has something to do with climate change. 70% of the Arctic ice has disappeared in the last 40 years. Talk to me about the strategic importance of the Arctic.”
    “Absolutely, Senator. From the U.S. perspective, the most important thing to understand is the shortest distance from Russian airfields to the U.S. is over the polar cap,” responded General Cavoli.
    “They are building up those airfields, are they not,” asked Senator King.
    “They are. They were before the war at a fast-paced. It has slowed down a little bit during the war, but they are still opening airfields and repairing existing ones. The other thing that comes out of the arctic is the northern fleet in Murmansk comes up, sails down through the Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom (GIUK) gap, and tries to break into the Atlantic from which they could hold key U.S. targets at risk with sub-launched cruise missiles among other weapons,” said General Cavoli.
    “We should be paying particular attention to the arctic as a new domain of potential conflict,” questioned Senator King.
    General Cavoli replied, “And I think we are. U.S. Northern Command has the primary U.S. responsibility for it. Of course, Strategic Command has activities up there. European Command also has activities up there because so much of the activity is in my area of responsibility (AOR). And the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), of course. Almost all the nations in the Arctic Council are NATO. The only one that is not is Russia. We have been sponsoring tabletop exercises to make sure we understand the details of command and control and coordination of operations there.”
    As Co-Chair of the U.S. Senate Arctic Caucus, Senator King is an advocate for Maine and America’s interests in the North Atlantic and Arctic region — as Maine is the first port in the contiguous 48 states that will see increased traffic via activity in northern waters. Along with Caucus co-chair Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), King introduced the Arctic Commitment Act  in 2022 to improve America’s posture and opportunities in the Arctic. He has been calling for the appointment of an Arctic Ambassador since 2015, and pushed for the confirmation of the first Arctic Ambassador last year. King also laid out the challenges and opportunities of a warming arctic in an article in the Wilson Quarterly, and in last year’s National Defense Authorization Act, he successfully secured the inclusion of provisions including funding authorizations for University of Maine to increase America’s activity and opportunities in the Far North.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King Statement on Vote Against Blocking Weapons Sales to Israel

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King, a member of the Senate Armed Services (SASC) and Intelligence Committees (SSCI) released the following statement after the Senate voted on two joint resolutions to block weapons sales to Israel:
    “While I have been sharply critical of Israel’s bombing campaign in Gaza, and, in fact, voted in favor Senator Sanders’ prior resolution which would have restricted the supply of offensive weapons, I could not do so today. 
    “My concern was that a positive vote from the Senate today would actually prolong the conflict and the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza by encouraging Hamas to resist the negotiations that are essential to bringing an end to this awful war and the release of the remaining hostages.
    “Today’s resolutions were especially troubling in their timing. At this moment, active negotiations are underway in the region and my judgement was that the resolutions, if passed, could and probably would derail those critical discussions.
    “My highest priority is an end to this conflict as soon as possible and a release of the hostages and I could not cast a vote that I believe was likely to undermine that goal.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Beyer, Bacon Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Response to Rise in Hate Crimes

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

    U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA) and Don Bacon (R-NE) today introduced the Improving Reporting to Prevent Hate Act, bipartisan legislation to strengthen the credible and accurate reporting of hate crimes to better respond to the national rise of these bias-driven incidents. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) most recent 2023 Hate Crimes Statistics report documented 11,862 hate crime incidents – the highest number ever reported by the agency, with a sharp increase in antisemitic and anti-Black incidents.

    The FBI has acknowledged however, that hate crimes data is incomplete and underreported. Their 2023 Hate Crimes Statistics report includes data from just 16,009 law enforcement agencies nationwide, meaning that more than 2,000 jurisdictions did not report any data at all.  Of the jurisdictions that did participate, nearly 80 percent reported zero hate crimes.

    “As many communities across the country are seeing an alarming increase in hateful rhetoric and violence, there is much more we can do in Congress to better address the increase in hate crimes,” said Rep. Don Beyer. “Our legislation would ensure we improve the credibility and accuracy of our data, allowing us to make well-informed decisions to better allocate resources with the goal of preventing as many hate crimes as possible in American communities. Violence and discrimination are never acceptable, and our legislation is an important and necessary step forward in addressing the rise of hate.”

    “Antisemitic incidents are underreported across the nation, and we need to ensure communities are accurately reporting them as well as other hate crimes,” said Rep. Don Bacon. “This bill will enable the Department of Justice to determine if communities are accurately reporting these instances. If left unchecked, these hate crimes will continue to go unreported and the crimes will continue to rise.”

    “While FBI data showed 1,832 reported antisemitic crimes in 2023, a 63% increase from the prior year, this is only a portion of the crimes committed against the Jewish community as hate crimes are widely underreported. To effectively address antisemitism in the United States, we must understand the true degree to which hate-based violence exists,” said Ted Deutch, CEO of American Jewish Committee (AJC). “The American public overwhelmingly agrees – American Jewish Committee’s (AJC’s) State of Antisemitism in America 2024 Report found more than nine in 10 say it is important that law enforcement be required to report hate crimes to a federal government database. AJC thanks Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA) and Don Bacon (R-NE) for reintroducing the Improving Reporting to Prevent Hate Act, a necessary first step in understanding the real extent to which anti-Jewish crimes occur in the United States.”

    “The Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community has historically been targeted and scapegoated and experienced significant increases in hate-motivated verbal and physical attacks during the COVID-19 pandemic. But even now, community surveys indicate that a staggering 49% of AANHPIs nationwide were targeted by acts of hate in 2024,” said Sim Singh Attariwala, Director of Anti-Hate Program at Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC). “Anti-Asian sentiment remains a top safety concern for many AANHPIs, especially in major metropolitan areas. For decades hate crimes have been underreported by law enforcement. Consistent, credible and accurate data is critical to developing policies that prevent hate crimes and protect all communities. We welcome initiatives that improve efforts to increase accountability and counter hate and discrimination.” 

    “Hate crimes nationwide have surged to historic levels, with antisemitic incidents reaching their highest point in decades,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). “We know that many incidents go unreported, and so even these record-breaking numbers fail to reflect the true scale of hate crime incidents across the country. We thank Reps. Beyer and Bacon for continuing to champion this bipartisan effort to incentivize law enforcement’s accurate and robust participation in hate crime reporting.”

    “As dire as the data on hate crimes and bias incidents in our country is, the unfortunate truth is that the reality is likely worse: Each year, thousands of law enforcement agencies do not report any such crimes and incidents to the FBI, leaving huge gaps in our knowledge about the lived experiences of marginalized communities,” said Mannirmal Kaur, Federal Policy Manager for the Sikh Coalition. “Mandating the reporting of hate crimes and bias incidents is one of the strongest policy steps that the federal government could take towards truly understanding the scope of hate-motivated violence and crimes. Doing so will in turn allow us to effectively diagnose where we most urgently need to strengthen laws and statutes, invest in front-end prevention, and take other actions to make our communities safer.”

    “Over the past few years, the FBI has reported increasing levels of hate violence, especially against Black people,” said Sakira Cook, Federal Policy Director for the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). “Despite this documented rising trend, we know that incomplete reporting to the FBI is a persistent problem. This bipartisan legislation is designed to address the fact that thousands of federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies did not report any data to the FBI in 2023, and 80% of the 16,000 agencies that did participate affirmatively reported zero (0) hate crimes, including about 60 agencies serving populations of over 100,000 people.  We cannot effectively confront this national problem without more accurate and complete data and an inclusive and intersectional approach to countering all forms of hate. We applaud the leadership of Reps. Don Beyer and Don Bacon for introducing the Improving Reporting to Prevent Hate Act and look forward to working together to ensure its passage.”

    “At National Council of Jewish Women, we believe that every person has the right to live free from hate and violence,” said Darcy Hirsh, Senior Director of Government Relations and Advocacy for the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW). “Yet the Jewish community and our neighbors in countless other communities are living in fear every day, with hate crimes continuing to threaten our safety. In 2023, the number of reported hate crimes – including anti-Jewish hate crimes – reached an all-time high, an urgent reminder that inaction hurts individuals and families. The Improving Reporting to Prevent Hate Act will ensure that law enforcement agencies around the country are accurately reporting hate crimes, creating a clearer picture of the threats communities face so that we can develop meaningful, effective solutions. We are grateful to Representatives Beyer and Bacon for championing this essential bipartisan legislation to protect all of our communities”

    “Sikh Americans continue to be one of the most targeted religious groups in hate crimes per capita. Unfortunately, we know that these numbers do not account for the true scope of hate nationally, as often law enforcement agencies under-report, or sometimes fail to report the number of hate crimes in their region” said Kiran Kaur Gill, Executive Director of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF). “As SALDEF works to combat hate crimes, it is crucial to have access to accurate and credible data. By mandating local governments report hate crime data in order to be eligible for federal funding, the federal government takes an important step in addressing hate in America. SALDEF commends the Offices of Representatives Beyer and Bacon for their leadership efforts in safeguarding our communities.”

    The Improving Reporting to Prevent Hate Act would require the Department of Justice (DOJ) to develop a system to assess whether localities are reporting credible and accurate data on hate crimes. If a locality is found to not be reporting credible data or fails to provide any data at all, it would be required to conduct community education and awareness initiatives to maintain eligibility for certain federal funding allocations.

    Text of the Improving Reporting to Prevent Hate Act is available here.

    Beyer is the author of the bipartisan, bicameral Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act, signed into law by President Biden in 2021 as part of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Josh Stein and NCDHHS Secretary Dev Sangvai Hold Roundtable in Nash County on NC Medicaid in Rural Communities

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Josh Stein and NCDHHS Secretary Dev Sangvai Hold Roundtable in Nash County on NC Medicaid in Rural Communities

    Governor Josh Stein and NCDHHS Secretary Dev Sangvai Hold Roundtable in Nash County on NC Medicaid in Rural Communities
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Today, Governor Josh Stein and North Carolina Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai joined rural health providers and community leaders for a roundtable discussion on how access to health care coverage through NC Medicaid is a lifeline for rural communities. With Congress considering cuts to the program, leaders noted rural communities would be particularly hard hit.  

    “NC Medicaid is an innovative and fiscally responsible program that has thrived with bipartisan support and helps keep North Carolinians healthy, especially in rural communities,” said Governor Josh Stein. “We must protect this life-changing health care that gives more than 3 million North Carolinians peace of mind and that strengthens our rural hospitals.”

    In some rural counties, more than half of the population has affordable health coverage through NC Medicaid. In addition, Medicaid is a major source of funding for the state’s rural hospitals, many of which are struggling financially. When more people have health care coverage, hospitals have a lower burden for covering the cost of care for those who remain uninsured, better supporting financial stability.

    Access to health care makes North Carolinians healthier – more than 230,000 people in rural communities enrolled in Medicaid under expansion and can now get check-ups, prescriptions and other services they need. Across the state, Medicaid covers 3 million people, or 1 in 4 North Carolinians, including children, older adults, people living with disabilities and working adults.

    “NC Medicaid saves lives by providing preventive screenings, care during and after pregnancy, mental health support, substance use treatment, low cost prescriptions and so much more,” said Secretary Sangvai. “North Carolinians know the value and importance of what NC Medicaid does for communities and our state.”

    The roundtable was hosted by UNC Health Nash, a non-profit hospital authority in Nash County that serves patients from several rural counties in eastern NC. The discussion falls at a critical time for the Medicaid program, as federal proposals threaten to harm the program and the people it serves. Despite widespread support for Medicaid, Congress is proposing massive cuts that will hurt North Carolina. Current proposals could take health coverage away from 640,000 working North Carolinians overnight, worsen health outcomes, take billions from our economy, disproportionately harm rural communities, and drive up costs for everyone, including employers.

    “Hospitals like Nash see first-hand every single day how Medicaid provides patients with access to critical services that keep them healthy and able to work and contribute to society,” said L. Lee Isley, president and CEO of UNC Health Nash. “Any cuts to Medicaid or the direct payment programs that reimburse hospitals for their services to these patients would have catastrophic and unintended consequences. Not only would these cuts significantly limit patient access to healthcare, but they would force rural hospitals to shutter services that are essential to the health of a community.”

    Other roundtable participants included: 

    • Dr. L. Lee Isley, FACHE, President and CEO, UNC Health Nash
    • Reuben Blackwell, CEO, OIC Family Medical Center, Rocky Mount City Council
    • Dr. Joanna Dauber, DO, NCMP, Family Medicine and Primary Care Provider, UNC Health Nash
    • Tyronda “Ty” Whitaker, Regional Long Term Care Ombudsman, Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments 
    Apr 3, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Co-Leads Multistate Lawsuit Against Trump Administration Over Unlawful Executive Order Seeking to Impose Sweeping Voting Restrictions

    Source: US State of California

    10th lawsuit against Trump Administration asserts that voting restrictions are not authorized by U.S. Constitution or Congress

    SACRAMENTO — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced that he is leading, with Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, a coalition of 19 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against President Donald J. Trump, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, the federal Election Assistance Commission, and other Trump Administration officials over Executive Order No. 14248 (the Elections Executive Order), an unconstitutional, antidemocratic, and un-American attempt to impose sweeping voting restrictions across the country. Among other things, the Elections Executive Order attempts to conscript State election officials in the President’s campaign to impose documentary proof of citizenship requirements when Americans seek to register to vote. It also seeks to upend common-sense, well-established State procedures for counting ballots — procedures that make it easier for peoples’ voices to be heard. 

    The President has no constitutional power to rewrite State election laws by decree, nor does the President have the authority to modify the rules Congress has created for elections. The coalition’s lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, explains that the power to regulate elections is reserved to the States and Congress, and that therefore, the Elections Executive Order is ultra vires, beyond the scope of presidential power, and violative of the separation of powers. The attorneys general ask the court to block the challenged provisions of the Elections Executive Order and declare them unconstitutional and void.

    “Day after day, we continue to witness President Trump’s utter disdain for the rule of law. Let me remind him: He is not a king,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “When he took office, he swore to ‘preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.’ He also has a constitutional obligation to ‘take care that the laws be faithfully executed,’ and that doesn’t involve rewriting them however he sees fit. My fellow attorneys general and I are taking him to court because this Executive Order is nothing but a blatantly illegal power grab and an attempt to disenfranchise voters. Neither the Constitution nor Congress authorize the President’s attempted voting restrictions. We will not be bullied by him. We will fight like hell in court to stop him.”

    “I stand with Attorney General Bonta and the 18 other state attorneys general that have filed a lawsuit to challenge President Trump’s unconstitutional executive order which, if left unfettered, will compromise critical state and local election processes and disenfranchise millions of American voters. This executive order is an illegal attempt to trample on the states and Congress’s constitutional authority over elections,” said California Secretary of State Shirley Weber. “Throughout history, people have tried to make voting more difficult through oppressive means such as poll taxes, literacy tests, improper voter roll purges, strategic polling place closures, and voter intimidation tactics. The progress this nation has made over the past 60 years since the passage of the Voters Rights Act cannot be minimized and should not be erased.”

    In their lawsuit, the attorneys general assert that provisions of the Elections Executive Order will cause imminent and irreparable harm to the States if they are not enjoined. The challenged provisions include:

    • Forcing the Election Assistance Commission (the Commission) to require documentary proof of citizenship on the Federal mail registration form (the Federal Form). The Commission is an independent, bipartisan, four-member body established by Congress. It is responsible for developing the Federal Form, in consultation with the chief election officers of the States, for the registration of voters for elections for Federal office. In their lawsuit, the attorneys general underscore that Congress has never required documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote using the Federal Form. 
    • Forcing States to alter their ballot counting laws to exclude “absentee or mail-in ballots received after Election Day.” Consistent with federal law, members of the multistate coalition have exercised their constitutional and statutory authority to determine how to best receive and count votes that are timely cast by mail in federal elections. Many of the Plaintiff States provide for the counting of timely absentee and mail ballots received after Election Day. For example, California law provides that ballots returned by mail are timely if postmarked by Election Day and received within seven days. 
    • Requiring military and overseas voters to submit documentary proof of citizenship and eligibility to vote in state elections. The Federal Post Card Application form is used by voters in the military or living abroad to register to vote in federal elections. Federal law unequivocally grants them the ability to register and cast a ballot “in the last place in which the person was domiciled before leaving the United States” — there is no requirement that this form demand documentary proof of citizenship or proof of current eligibility to vote in a particular state.
    • Commanding the head of each state-designated Federal voter registration agency to immediately begin “assess[ing] citizenship prior to providing a Federal voter registration form to enrollees of public assistance programs.” This aspect of the Elections Executive Order commandeers State agencies and their personnel, forcing States to participate in the President’s unlawful and unnecessary agenda. 
    • Threatening to withhold various streams of federal funding to the States for purported noncompliance with the challenged provisions. In so doing, the Elections Executive Order seeks to control Plaintiff States’ exercise of their sovereign powers through raw Executive domination, contrary to the U.S. Constitution and its underlying principles of federalism and the separation of powers. 

    In filing today’s lawsuit, Attorneys General Bonta and Ford are joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.

    A copy of the complaint can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Alien Smuggler Admits Role in Fatal Crash Following High-Speed Pursuit

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – Sergio Josue Palomera of Chula Vista pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he was transporting two undocumented immigrants who died when he crashed his car while fleeing U.S. Border Patrol at speeds exceeding 110 mph.

    Border Patrol agents using remote video surveillance saw Palomera loading the two aliens—a man and a woman—into his car near the U.S.–Mexico border in Otay Mesa on October 22, 2024. An agent responded to the location and saw the car traveling west on State Route 905. The agent activated his lights and sirens to pull the car over.

    According to his plea agreement, Palomera initially slowed down and began to move over onto a highway offramp, as if yielding to the Border Patrol agent’s attempt to pull him over. Palomera then quickly accelerated, drove through a red traffic light, and re-entered the highway in an attempt to flee. Palomera was traveling over 110 miles per hour in a 65-mph zone.

    Within about one minute, Palomera lost control of the car on State Route 905, and it rolled over. The smuggled woman was ejected from the car and died instantly. The smuggled man suffered a traumatic head injury and died later that evening in the hospital.

    Palomera’s sentencing is scheduled for July 2, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Todd W. Robinson.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Fawcett.

    DEFENDANT                                                           Case Number: 24cr2466                               

    Sergio Josue Palomera                                               Age: 23                       Chula Vista, CA

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Transportation of Certain Aliens Resulting in Death – Title 8, U.S.C., Section 1324(a)(1)(A)(ii) and (B)(iv)

    Maximum penalty: Death or life in prison; $250,000 fine

    INVESTIGATING AGENCY

    United States Border Patrol

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican Citizen Sentenced to Over 4 Years for Cocaine Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Eli Torres-Banos, 37, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 51 months in federal prison for possessing 5 kilograms or more of cocaine intended for distribution. Torres-Banos pleaded guilty to this charge on January 14, 2025.

    In late November 2023, Torres-Banos was indicted for illegally reentering the United States after deportation or removal, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. On December 6, 2023, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials arrested Torres-Banos in Ixonia, Wisconsin. Torres-Banos was in a car parked next to a blue Ford Explorer. During the transfer process to the U.S. Marshals that same day, Torres-Banos was allowed to make a phone call to a person he identified as his wife. During the call, an ICE agent overheard Torres-Banos tell the person in Spanish that drugs were in the trunk of a vehicle. The ICE agent immediately notified authorities in Jefferson County. Jefferson County Drug Task Force officers had observed Torres-Banos driving the blue Ford Explorer the day prior. Officers then searched the Explorer and found approximately 8 ½ kilograms of cocaine.

    On June 4, 2024, Judge Peterson sentenced Torres-Banos to one year in federal prison on his conviction for illegal reentry.

    At sentencing on the cocaine trafficking charge, Judge Peterson said this was a serious drug crime, involving a large quantity of cocaine, which arose from his arrest for another crime. Judge Peterson noted that Torres-Banos’ criminal history, which included a prior federal conviction for cocaine trafficking, was quite aggravating. However, Judge Peterson also recognized that Torres-Banos had already served a 12-month sentence on his illegal reentry conviction.

    The charges against Torres-Banos were the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, ICE, Jefferson County Drug Task Force, and the Watertown Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven P. Anderson and Steven C. Ayala prosecuted this case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Previously Deported Six Times Convicted of Illegal Possession of a Firearm After Confrontation in Downtown Shreveport

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

    Shreveport, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a federal jury in Shreveport returned a guilty verdict yesterday against Jose Ismael Ramirez-Gonzalez, 37, of Mexico for possession of a firearm by an illegal alien and illegal re-entry into the United States after being removed. United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote presided over the trial. It took less than an hour for the jury to find Ramirez-Gonzalez guilty of the crimes.

    According to evidence presented at trial, on August 4, 2024, Shreveport police officers responded to a 911 call in the 400 block of Commerce Street in downtown Shreveport regarding an armed, Hispanic male. The Hispanic male was determined to be Ramirez-Gonzalez, who was intoxicated and earlier had pointed a loaded Ruger pistol at a woman over an apparent confrontation about parking. Officers arrested Ramirez-Gonzalez for driving under the influence of alcohol and having no driver’s license.

    Evidence at trial also established that Ramirez-Gonzalez is a citizen of Mexico and was illegally present in the United States after being deported on six prior occasions between 2008 and 2018.

    “The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to make our communities safe for all of our citizens.” said Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook. “This conviction should send a clear message that anyone in the United States illegally who chooses to violate our laws will be prosecuted to the maximum extent.”

    Ramirez-Gonzalez faces a sentence of up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for the firearms conviction. He also faces up to two years in prison for illegally re-entering the United States.

    “Getting guns out of the hands of criminals is an essential element of the fight against violent crime and securing our neighborhoods,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “The sentence imposed today sends a message to the community that illegal aliens possessing firearms will be held accountable as we work to keep our neighborhoods safe as a top priority to ensure public safety for ATF.”

    The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Enforcement & Removal Operations), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Shreveport Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Cheyenne Y. Wilson and Allison L. Duncan.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ricketts Celebrates New Sustainable Beef Facility: “This is What Value-Added Agriculture Looks Like”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), celebrated the new Sustainable Beef processing facility. Ricketts spoke at the ribbon-cutting ceremony last week. He made the following comments while on a conference call with Nebraska media:
    “Sustainable Beef is a huge win for North Platte, for Nebraska, and for the entire beef industry,”Ricketts said. “Local businesses in North Platte are expanding. More families are moving in. This is what happens when we invest in agriculture. This is what value-added agriculture looks like. It’s taking our products and processing them to capture more of the economics.”
    “The COVID-19 pandemic showed us how dangerous it is to depend upon Communist China for critical supply chains,” Ricketts continued. “Without our farmers and ranchers, America would depend on other countries for the food we eat. That’s why facilities like Sustainable Beef are so important. They strengthen our economy, defend our way of life, and protect our domestic food supply chain. With the dedication of Nebraska’s producers, the future of our beef industry is bright.”
    [embedded content]
    Watch the video here
    TRANSCRIPT:
    Senator Ricketts: “Agriculture is the heart and soul of what we do in Nebraska. 
    “One in four jobs in Nebraska is related to agriculture. 
    “We’re the Beef State. Beef is essential to our state’s economy.  
    “Last year, Nebraska led the nation with over $2 billion in beef exports. 
    “We also led the nation in commercial cattle slaughter, with nearly 6.9 million head processed.  
    “You know, we have about three cows for every person in Nebraska. 
    “Nebraska ranchers help feed the world. 
    “Our beef industry is not just a part of our economy. It is a part of our way of life. 
    “Recently, we celebrated a major win for our state’s beef industry. 
    “I joined over 1,000 people in North Platte for the ribbon-cutting of the new Sustainable Beef processing plant. 
    “This facility will process about 1,500 head of cattle per day when it’s fully operational. 
    “It will create about 850 good-paying jobs. 
    “It will also add $1 billion a year to the local economy. 
    “This is the power of Nebraskans coming together to solve problems. 
    “The journey to that day started years ago. 
    “When I was Governor of Nebraska, I led a trade mission to Japan and Vietnam. 
    “On that trip, I spoke with Nebraska cattle producers about the challenges they faced. 
    “They shared their concerns about the prices cow-calf operators were getting for their cattle. 
    “I told them the answer was competition. 
    “That conversation led a group of Nebraska ranchers to come together and launch Sustainable Beef. 
    “Now, their vision is a reality. 
    “Sustainable Beef is a huge win for North Platte, for Nebraska, and for the entire beef industry. 
    “Local businesses in North Platte are expanding. 
    “More families are moving in. 
    “This is what happens when we invest in agriculture. 
    “This is what value-added agriculture looks like. 
    “It’s taking our products and processing them to capture more of the economics. 
    “This new plant will also be proof that we can grow our economy while protecting our natural resources and our economy. 
    “Nebraska ranchers already lead the way in sustainability. 
    “They know how to take care of their cattle and their land. 
    “Sustainable Beef will continue that tradition by focusing on responsible production practices that respect our environment. 
    “Food security is national security. 
    “The COVID-19 pandemic showed us how dangerous it is to depend upon Communist China for critical supply chains. 
    “Without our farmers and ranchers, America would depend on other countries for the food we eat. 
    “That’s why facilities like Sustainable Beef are so important. 
    “They strengthen our economy, defend our way of life, and protect our domestic food supply chain. 
    “With the dedication of Nebraska’s producers, the future of our beef industry is bright.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ricketts on Senate Floor: President Trump’s Anti-Fentanyl Policies Are Already Having an Impact: “They are Working”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) highlighted the positive impact President Donald Trump’s policies are already having in reducing the flow of deadly drugs like fentanyl into our country. 
    “When Canada eased up on some of its visa restrictions, the cartels saw their advantage and started moving operations to Canada to transport both people illegally across the border and fentanyl,” saidRicketts. “In fact, 60 Minutes just did a story where they talked to one of these cartel drug smugglers about what he was doing. And he said that this one smuggler was responsible for moving 30 kilograms of fentanyl across the border from Canada into the United States every month. That’s enough to kill 15 million Americans and he was doing it every month. And that was one smuggler. Now he also said that lately, it had been quiet. They hadn’t been moving as much fentanyl. And again, that gets back to President Trump taking a stand to get our neighboring countries to start enforcing their border, to put more resources there, and to start blocking this fentanyl before it gets into our country.”
    “These policies are having an impact . They are working. We need Canada and Mexico to continue to do more,” closed Ricketts. “We are here standing up for secure borders, standing up for American families, standing up for those families who have lost loved ones already to this terrible scourge. We cannot afford to return to an open borders policy. We have to have secure borders. President Trump is leading the fight to secure our border and stop the flow of this horrible drug into our country. And I am proud to support him in doing that.”
    [embedded content]
    Watch the video HERE
    TRANSCRIPT:
    “Senator Ricketts: “I rise today to join my colleagues in talking about the fentanyl crisis that Joe Biden created in our country.
    “Joe Biden had four years of open border policies. Millions of people crossed illegally into our country. But on top of that, we saw a surge of fentanyl coming into our country – fentanyl that is killing our young people.
    “My colleague from Florida just referenced 70,000 people dying from fentanyl. Fentanyl is the leading cause of death among our young people, age 18 to 45. That fentanyl starts in Communist China, where the precursors are made, and they get shipped to Mexico. The cartel is turned into that final product and bring it across the border.
    “And we saw the impact in Nebraska. In 2019 law enforcement Nebraska took 46 pills, just 46 pills, laced with fentanyl, off of our streets. But after Joe Biden got elected, in just the first six months of 2021, that number jumped to 151,000 pills. And it wasn’t just the numbers, it was the human cost.
    “Taryn Lee Griffin, a young mom, two children, she took a pill she thought was Percocet, but it was laced with fentanyl. She died that night. Now her children are going to have to learn about their mom from stories, from pictures, because they don’t have their mom anymore. Sadly, that story is being told all across this country because of the Fentanyl crisis that we have.
    “President Trump was elected to stop this crisis.
    “Think about it, if we’d had 70,000 Americans killed in a terrorist attack, we’d be up in arms. It’s more than are dying from car accidents or from heart disease, and that age bracket. And yet, Joe Biden did nothing, and President Trump got elected to stop it, to make a difference, to end this catastrophe.
    “One of the ways he’s doing that is by putting tariffs on the countries that are allowing this to shift their countries, across their borders.
    “I already mentioned how Communist China and Mexico are linked to this.
    “There was The Daily podcast [by] the New York Times that talked about how President Trump’s policies were having an impact in Mexico.
    “Some people have said, wait, ‘using tariffs that’s creating a trade war.’ That is absolutely not the case. The case is, this is a drug war, and the President is using the tool of tariffs to get a handle on to shut off the flow of fentanyl.
    “In just one month, under Joe Biden, law enforcement intercepted 1400 pounds of fentanyl coming into our country. One month. That’s enough to kill 300 million Americans. President Trump is using his powers to bring that to an end.
    “Now, some people said, ‘well, that’s fine, we get at Mexico, but what about Canada?’
    “Canada is not the problem here, but our northern border is also exposed when Canada released its or eased up on some of its visa restrictions, the cartels saw their advantage and started moving operations to Canada to transport both people illegally across the border and fentanyl.
    “In fact, 60 Minutes just did a story where they talked to one of these cartel drug smugglers about what he was doing. And he said that this one smuggler was responsible for moving 30 kilograms of fentanyl across the border from Canada into the United States every month. That’s enough to kill 15 million Americans, and he was doing it every month. And that was one smuggler.
    “Now, he also said that, lately, it had been quiet. They hadn’t been moving as much fentanyl. And again, that gets back to President Trump taking a stand to get our neighboring countries to start enforcing their border, to put more resources there, and to start blocking this fentanyl before it gets into our country.
    “These policies are having an impact. They are working. We need Canada and Mexico to continue to do more.
    “President Trump is using his powers to be able to help stop that flow of fentanyl.
    “We are here standing up for secure borders, standing up for American families, standing up for those families who have lost loved ones already to this terrible scourge. We cannot afford to return to an open borders policy. We have to have secure borders.
    “The stakes are too high. Too many lives have already been lost. President Trump is leading the fight to secure our border and stop the flow of this horrible drug into our country. And I am proud to support him in doing that.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Saskatchewan Welcomes new Collective Agreement with Teachers

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on April 3, 2025

    An agreement between the Government-Trustee Bargaining Committee (GTBC) and the Teachers’ Bargaining Committee has been signed by both parties.

    The GTBC, comprised of representatives from the Government of Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan School Boards Association and the Teachers’ Bargaining Committee reached the new collective agreement following discussions after the release of an arbitrator’s report in March. 

    “We appreciate the work and collaboration of the bargaining committees to achieve this result and are pleased to have a new agreement that provides certainty for teachers, students and their families,” Education Minister Everett Hindley said. “Our government recognizes the important role of teachers and we look forward to working on common goals in support of Saskatchewan’s education system.”

    The agreement will be in effect retroactively from September 1, 2023, to August 31, 2026. 

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: International Women of Courage Awards, April 1, 2025

    Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)

    “True courage is born from a deep commitment to others, showing that love fuels the call for justice.”
    — First Lady Melania Trump, International Women of Courage Awards, April 1, 2025

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6wSFTdhXlE

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: BREAKING: President Trump Reveals $5 Million Gold Card While Flying Aboard Air Force One 🇺🇸 ✈️

    Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtyPtYCMtOo

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: President Trump Gaggles with Press On Air Force One, Apr. 3, 2025

    Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)

    Air Force One

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaWx82C2jd4

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Lawler Champions Access to Youth Sports Ahead of Little League Season

    Source: US Congressman Mike Lawler (R, NY-17)

    Pearl River, N.Y. – 4/3/2025… Today, Congressman Mike Lawler (R-NY) introduced the Home Run for Kids Act, legislation aimed at supporting families with the cost of organized youth sports. With Little League Opening Day this weekend, it is paramount to ensure every child, no matter their parents’ income, has the option to participate. 

    The Home Run for Kids Act offers a tax credit of up to $200 to help families pay for sports equipment for kids who are involved in organized sports activities. The credit is available to families who earn up to $150,000.

    “Sports like baseball give kids more than just a chance to stay active – they teach them important life lessons about teamwork, discipline, and community. As someone who grew up playing Little League here in the Hudson Valley, I know firsthand the positive impact sports can have. This bill is all about making it easier for families in New York and across the country to give their kids that same opportunity,” said Congressman Lawler. 

    “Let’s enjoy the season and get out there to support our kids – and, of course, ‘Go Yankees!’ You never know – the next MLB stars could be stepping up to the plate at their local ballpark right now.” Congressman Lawler concluded.

    Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.

    ###

    The full text of the bill can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Salinas Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Increase Access to Specialty Care in Rural Communities

    Source: US Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06)

    Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (OR-06) announced her bipartisan, bicameral bill to increase rural communities’ access to specialty care providers. Modeled on a successful Oregon pilot program, the Ensuring Access to Specialty Care Everywhere (EASE) Act authorizes the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) to create a virtual specialty care provider network that rural patients can access through telehealth.

    Salinas joined her Republican colleague, Rep. Jodey Arrington (TX-19), in introducing the EASE Act in the House. U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

    “People with chronic conditions depend on specialty care to stay healthy, yet many rural communities do not have sufficient access to these services,” said Rep. Salinas. “The bipartisan EASE Act is based on a successful pilot program from Oregon that used telehealth to connect rural patients with specialty care providers, reducing wait times and improving coordination between providers. I’m proud to introduce this critical legislation that would expand access to specialty care for millions of Americans.” 

    “We won’t have the next generation of ag and energy producers providing our country with food security and energy independence if we don’t ensure their families have access to quality care,” said Rep. Arrington. “The lack of specialty care for rural Americans has resulted in worse outcomes and higher costs. I’m proud to introduce the EASE Act, which leverages technology to close the health care gap in rural and underserved communities with greater access to specialty and integrated care.”

    “Everyone deserves access to quality, efficient health care. However, people in rural communities often face unacceptable barriers to care, including unsustainably high wait times and impossibly long drives to connect with specialists,” said Sen. Padilla. “Our bipartisan EASE Act would expand telehealth capabilities so rural communities can access specialty care, allowing for earlier intervention and reducing unnecessary emergency visits.”

    “Rural communities are disproportionately impacted by clinician shortages, an aging population, and transportation hurdles, which can make it tough to access specialty care,” said Sen. Mullin. “Harnessing the power of telehealth will help address these needs and expand access to essential health care services of which many patients are in desperate need. I am glad to join my colleagues in introducing this bill to ensure access to quality health care regardless of a patients’ zip code.”

    Specifically, the EASE Act would:

    • Authorize CMMI to enter into an agreement with a provider network comprised of nonprofit entities including federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics, critical access hospitals, or rural emergency hospitals, at least half of which are located in rural areas.
    • Patients eligible for participation in this program must be located in rural and underserved areas and be enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP.

    The legislation is endorsed by the following organizations: National Rural Health Association (NRHA), American Telemedicine Association (ATA), ATA Action, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Providence, OCHIN, The Libre Initiative, and the Texas Organization of Rural & Community Hospitals.

    “The National Rural Health Association applauds Representatives Arrington, Salinas, and LaHood and Senators Mullin and Padilla for the introduction of the EASE Act. A shortage of health care providers in rural areas means that patients can often have long wait times and challenges accessing needed specialty care. The EASE Act is an innovative piece of legislation that would leverage virtual technologies to reduce wait times, overcome geographic barriers, and improve care for rural Americans,” said Alan Morgan, Chief Executive Officer of the National Rural Health Association.

    “We need to rethink how we ensure Rural America’s access to specialty care. The EASE Act is an innovative and cost-effective way to provide reliable and integrated access to specialists. OCHIN applauds Reps. Arrington and Salinas for championing bi-partisan solutions that will redesign how high-quality care is delivered,” said Jennifer Stoll, Chief External Affairs Officer at OCHIN.

    “The EASE Act seeks to remove barriers health care access for families in underserved areas who can face delays of 30 to 70 days just to access basic specialty care. By empowering local clinics with virtual tools and better care coordination, the EASE Act would help communities take control of their health, empower patients, and strengthen local health networks,” said Isabel Soto, Policy Director for The LIBRE Initiative.

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

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sens. Moran, Cantwell Reintroduce Bill to Help U.S. Host Cities Bolster Local Infrastructure Ahead of 2026 World Cup, 2028 & 2034 Olympics

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas – Jerry Moran
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) – members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation – reintroduced the Transportation Assistance for Olympic and World Cup Cities Act to provide federal funding for local communities to prepare for transportation demands and ensure the successful movement of fans, workers and goods during the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, the 2028 Summer Olympics and the 2034 Winter Olympics that will all be held in the United States.
    “It was a tremendous feat to secure a spot as a host city during the 2026 World Cup, and I have no doubt that Kansas City will be a welcoming community for hundreds of thousands of soccer fans from around the world,” said Sen. Moran. “Preparations are already underway for the games, and this legislation will support local community and agency efforts to improve infrastructure to connect fans with businesses, hotels, the airport and other host cities during the World Cup.”
    “With less than 500 days until Seattle hosts its first 2026 World Cup game, we need the Department of Transportation to get in the game and support host cities as they work to showcase the best of American innovation and hospitality,” said Sen. Cantwell. “This bill will help ensure the hundreds of thousands of fans visiting Seattle can get to and from games safely and efficiently by improving coordinated transportation planning across the Pacific Northwest.”
    The United States, Canada and Mexico were selected to host the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, and 11 U.S. cities are preparing to host World Cup matches, including Kansas City, Seattle, Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Transportation demands will increase greatly as host cities and surrounding communities are expecting hundreds of thousands of additional visitors from across the globe during the games. Los Angeles will host the 2028 Olympics and Salt Lake City was selected to host the 2034 Winter Olympics.
    This legislation would create a grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to provide host cities with funding for projects that improve transportation in the region during World Cup or Olympic games. Grants would support permanent transportation projects – building new roads, expanding light rail, purchasing new buses, creating bike lanes, improving existing roads or highways, or making airport terminal improvements. 
    The Transportation Assistance for Olympic and World Cup Cities Act would:
    Provide resources to host cities through grant funding for projects that improve transportation in the region during World Cup or Olympic games, which could include acquiring buses, improving airports, or building roads.
    Allow DOT to provide technical and planning assistance to host cities, states, and tribes within 100 miles of a World Cup or Olympic event to help improve coordination and prepare regional transportation systems for the influx of fans.
    Allow DOT to facilitate sharing public transportation equipment, such as buses, between host cities and other cities, helping reduce costs while meeting transportation demand.
    Direct the Department of Commerce to study the economic impact hosting the World Cup and the Olympics has on travel and tourism in the United States.
    “We are pleased to see this important transportation assistance legislation introduced in support of Kansas City’s World Cup efforts,” said Pam Kramer, Chief Executive Officer of KC2026. “Senator Moran continues to be a leader in transportation, mobility, safety and security in the Kansas City region. This legislation will give much needed support to our efforts to ensure safe and efficient transportation of people and goods throughout the region during the World Cup. More importantly, these investments and support will help us create sustained and lasting impact beyond the World Cup, improving mobility in the region well beyond 2026.”
    “On behalf of the KCATA, we are grateful that Senator Jerry Moran is demonstrating his foresight and leadership by introducing bipartisan legislation that will help us, and other host cities effectively host these games and move people to where they need to be,” said Frank White III, President and CEO of the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA). “The Senator’s outreach and understanding of our needs to serve both visitors and residents will help us with effective planning and preparation to host sizable crowds on our transit systems next summer.”
    “We are excited for the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup to take place in the United States,” said Cindy Parlow Cone, U.S. Soccer Federation President. “We appreciate Senators Moran and Cantwell for introducing legislation to provide the 11 U.S. cities hosting World Cup matches, and the dozens more cities hosting team base camps, fan fests and other events and activities, with the resources they will need to welcome the hundreds of thousands of people that will travel here from around the world.”
    “The USOPC strongly supports the Transportation Assistance for Olympic and World Cup Host Cities Act, and we thank Senators Moran and Cantwell for their leadership on this issue. This legislation is crucial to ensuring the United States is prepared to host the decade of sport ahead, from the 2026 FIFA World Cup to the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles and the 2034 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Salt Lake City. This bill will make it possible for cities to enhance their infrastructure and provide a seamless experience for athletes and fans alike. The essential transportation assistance set forward in this bill will help make these global events a success and demonstrate American excellence on the world stage.” – The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.
    “From ferries to trains, buses to highways, the World Cup will undoubtedly put Washington state’s transportation system to the test,” said Peter Tomozawa, CEO, Seattle FIFA World Cup 26 Organizing Committee. “We appreciate Senator Cantwell’s leadership to provide transportation agencies the support they need so we’re ready to showcase Washington to the world in 2026.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: In the year of the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations, Dmitry Chernyshenko honored the memory of Cuba’s national heroes

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    April 3, 2025

    The Russian delegation headed by Dmitry Chernyshenko visited memorable historical sites in the city of Santiago de Cuba as part of a working visit to the Republic of Cuba.

    2025 marks the 65th anniversary of the restoration of bilateral diplomatic relations between Russia and Cuba.

    A Russian delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Co-Chairman of the Intergovernmental Russian-Cuban Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation Dmitry Chernyshenko paid a working visit to the city of Santiago de Cuba.

    As part of it, the delegation visited a number of memorable historical sites. Thus, Dmitry Chernyshenko honored the memory of Cuban national heroes at the Santa Iphigenia cemetery, the Frank Pais Mausoleum of the Second Eastern Front, and the Moncada barracks.

    The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that the visit is being carried out on the instructions of President Vladimir Putin, and also noted the symbolism of the beginning of the program in the city of Santiago de Cuba.

    The year 2025 marks the 65th anniversary of the restoration of bilateral diplomatic relations between Russia and Cuba, the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, and the 510th anniversary of the city of Santiago de Cuba, the hero city and cradle of the revolution.

    “It is a great honor to be here and honor the memory of the heroes who gave their lives for the sake of sovereignty and happiness of future generations. It is extremely important to remember this and raise our children in the spirit of respect and gratitude for everything they have done for us. Russia will support Cuba, helping the republic achieve its sovereignty. I wish you economic well-being and prosperity,” the Russian Deputy Prime Minister said.

    The Santa Iphigenia Cemetery is the largest in the city of Santiago de Cuba and the entire eastern part of the island and has the status of a national monument. There, the Deputy Prime Minister and members of the delegation laid flowers at the monument to the leader of the Cuban revolutionary movement, José Martí, national heroes Carlos Manuel de Céspedes and Mariana Grajales, as well as at the burial site of the remains of Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz.

    “Russia and Cuba are a long-standing friendship and common values and principles – to defend national interests and strengthen sovereignty. The Republic has gone through many difficulties, in overcoming which Cubans have always shown fortitude and strength of spirit! I am grateful to the leadership of Santiago de Cuba for this opportunity to honor the memory of the heroes and leaders of the nation of the Island of Freedom! Russia, know that it is with you forever!” – wrote Dmitry Chernyshenko in the book of honored guests.

    In addition, during a working visit to the Republic of Cuba, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Chernyshenko held a working meeting with the Governor of the Province of Santiago de Cuba Manuel Falcon Hernandez.

    In the future, the delegation headed by the Russian Deputy Prime Minister will visit the capital of Cuba, Havana, where it will take part in the 22nd meeting of the Intergovernmental Russian-Cuban Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Virginia Tangvald’s Ghosts of the Sea opens in Quebec theatres on May 9 after screenings on the festival circuit

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    March 27, 2025 – Montreal – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

    Virginia Tangvald’s documentary Les enfants du large (Ghosts of the Sea), a family investigation shot all over the world, opens in Quebec theatres on May 9. The theatrical release will follow the film’s festival tour, first in Quebec and then in Toronto at the prestigious Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, in the Canadian Spectrum Competition. The filmmaker will be attending several screenings of her documentary on the tour.

    The film is a Canada-France co-production, produced by micro_scope with the NFB and Urban Factory, distributed by the NFB in Canada and Reservoir Docs internationally.

    Watch the trailer

    About the film

    Les enfants du large (Ghosts of the Sea) by Virginia Tangvald (micro_scope/NFB/Urban Factory, 97 min)

    While searching for clues about the death of her brother Thomas, who was lost at sea, the filmmaker embarks on a fascinating investigation into her family’s dark secrets. Calling into question the idyllic life of her father, legendary sailor Peter Tangvald, her quest dismantles the myth of absolute freedom. The film won the TV5 Audience Award for best French-language film at the Festival du nouveau cinéma last October.

    In 2024, Virginia Tangvald published her autobiographical story, Les enfants du large, alongside the launch of Ghosts of the Sea, her first feature documentary. A true literary success, the novel has sold more than 25,000 copies in France and Quebec, winning the Discovery of the Fall prize awarded by the French literary organization Société des gens de lettres.

    Festival tour – dates

    • Vues sur mer – Festival du cinéma documentaire de Gaspé
      Thursday, April 10, 9:15 p.m.
      Screening

    – 30 –

    Stay Connected

    Online Screening Room: nfb.ca
    NFB Facebook | NFB Twitter | NFB Instagram | NFB Blog | NFB YouTube | NFB Vimeo
    Curator’s perspective | Director’s notes

    About the NFB

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AI screening for opioid use disorder associated with fewer hospital readmissions

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 2

    News Release
    Thursday, April 3, 2025

    NIH-supported clinical trial shows AI tool as effective as healthcare providers in generating referrals to addiction specialists.
    An artificial intelligence (AI)-driven screening tool, developed by a National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded research team, successfully identified hospitalized adults at risk for opioid use disorder and recommended referral to inpatient addiction specialists. The AI-based method was just as effective as a health provider-only approach in initiating addiction specialist consultations and recommending monitoring of opioid withdrawal. Compared to patients who received provider-initiated consultations, patients with AI screening had 47% lower odds of being readmitted to the hospital within 30 days after their initial discharge. This reduction in readmissions translated to a total of nearly $109,000 in estimated healthcare savings during the study period.
    The study, published in Nature Medicine, reports the results of a completed clinical trial, demonstrating AI’s potential to affect patient outcomes in real-world healthcare settings. The study suggests investment in AI may be a promising strategy specifically for healthcare systems seeking to increase access to addiction treatment while improving efficiencies and saving costs.
    “Addiction care remains heavily underprioritized and can be easily overlooked, especially in overwhelmed hospital settings where it can be challenging to incorporate resource-intensive procedures such as screening,” said Nora D. Volkow, M.D., director of NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). “AI has the potential to strengthen implementation of addiction treatment while optimizing hospital workflow and reducing healthcare costs.”
    In a clinical trial, researchers at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, compared physician-led addiction specialist consultations to the performance of their AI screening tool, which had been developed and validated in prior work. Researchers first measured the effectiveness of provider-led consultations at the University Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin, between March to October 2021 and March to October 2022, whereby healthcare providers conducted ad hoc addiction specialist consultations for opioid use disorder. They then implemented the AI screening tool between March to October 2023 to assist the healthcare providers and remind them throughout hospitalization of a patient’s need for an addiction specialist’s care. From start to finish, the trial screened 51,760 adult hospitalizations, with 66% occurring without deploying the AI screener and 34% with the AI screener deployed hospital-wide. A total of 727 addiction medicine consultations were completed during the study period.
    The AI screener was built to recognize patterns in data, like how our brains process visual information. It analyzed information within all the documentation available in the electronic health records in real time, such as clinical notes and medical history, to identify features and patterns associated with opioid use disorder. Upon identification, the system issued an alert to providers when they opened the patient’s medical chart with a recommendation to order addiction medicine consultation and to monitor and treat withdrawal symptoms.
    The trial found that AI-prompted consultation was just as effective as provider-initiated consultation, ensuring no decrease in quality while offering a more scalable and automated approach. Specifically, the study showed that 1.51% of hospitalized adults received an addiction medicine consultation when healthcare professionals used the AI screening tool, compared to 1.35% without the assistance of the AI tool. Additionally, the AI screener was associated with fewer 30-day readmissions, with approximately 8% of hospitalized adults in the AI screening group being readmitted to hospital, compared to 14% in the traditional provider-led group.
    The reduction in 30-day readmissions still held after accounting for patients’ age, sex, race and ethnicity, insurance status, and comorbidities, as calculated via an odds ratio. When analyzing the results using the odds ratio, the researchers estimated a decrease of 16 readmissions by employing the AI screener. A subsequent cost-effectiveness analysis indicated a net cost of $6,801 per readmission avoided for the patient, healthcare insurer, and/or the hospital. This amounted to an estimated total of $108,800 in healthcare savings for the eight-month study period in which the AI screener was used, even after accounting for the costs of maintaining the AI software. The average cost of a 30-day hospital readmission is currently estimated at $16,300.
    “AI holds promise in medical settings, but many AI-based screening models have remained in the development phase, without integration into real-world settings,” said Majid Afshar, M.D., lead author of the study and associate professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “Our study represents one of the first demonstrations of an AI screening tool embedded into addiction medicine and hospital workflows, highlighting the pragmatism and real-world promise of this approach.”
    While the AI screener showed strong effectiveness, challenges remain, including potential alert fatigue among providers and the need for broader validation across different healthcare systems. The authors also note that while the various study periods – spanning multiple years – were seasonally matched, the evolving nature of the opioid crisis may have introduced residual biases. Future research will focus on optimizing the AI tool’s integration and assessing its longer-term impact on patient outcomes.
    The opioid crisis continues to strain healthcare systems in the U.S., with emergency department admissions for substance use increasing by nearly 6% between 2022 to 2023 to an estimated 7.6 million. Opioids are the second leading cause of these visits after alcohol, but screening for opioid use disorder in hospitals remains inconsistent. As a result, hospitalized patients with opioid use disorder frequently leave the hospital before seeing an addiction specialist, a factor linked to a tenfold increase in overdose rates. AI technology has emerged as a novel, scalable tool to potentially overcome these barriers and improve opportunities for early intervention and linkage to medications for opioid use disorder, but more research is needed to understand how AI can be used effectively in healthcare settings. 
    If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. To learn how to get support for mental health, drug or alcohol conditions, visit FindSupport.gov. If you are ready to locate a treatment facility or provider, you can go directly to FindTreatment.gov or call 800-662-HELP (4357).
    About the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): NIDA is a component of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIDA supports most of the world’s research on the health aspects of drug use and addiction. The Institute carries out a large variety of programs to inform policy, improve practice, and advance addiction science. For more information about NIDA and its programs, visit www.nida.nih.gov.
    About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
    NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health®

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AFSCME’s Saunders: Patients who depend on Medicare and Medicaid deserve better than Dr. Oz

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

    WASHINGTON – AFSCME President Lee Saunders released the following statement after the Senate confirmed Dr. Mehmet Oz to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS):

    “At a time when our population is growing older and the need for access to home care, nursing homes, affordable prescription drugs, and quality medical care has never been greater, Americans deserve better than a snake oil salesman leading the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

    “Dr. Mehmet Oz has been shilling pseudoscience to line his own pockets. He can’t be trusted to defend Medicare and Medicaid from billionaires who want to dismantle and privatize the foundation of affordable health care in this country.

    “AFSCME members – including nurses, home care and child care providers, social workers and more – will be watching and fighting back against any effort to weaken Medicare and Medicaid. The 147 million seniors, children, Americans with disabilities, and low-income workers who rely on these programs for affordable access to health care deserve nothing less.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Pillen Comments on Trump Trade Plan

    Source: US State of Nebraska

    . Pillen Comments on Trump Trade Plan

     

    LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen released the following statement regarding President Trump’s Liberation Day announcement of his fair-trade plan.

      “Our farmers and ranchers feed the world and produce the best. We lead on trade – and Nebraska is tired of being duped by takers around the world. President Trump is taking bold action to combat decades of cheating and unfair trade practices. In a phone call last night with Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, I told her that Nebraska is in this for the long haul. As a pork producer, I totally understand the short-term economic challenges we’re all feeling. But we’re working hard through this period, and I will do my best to ensure that Nebraska’s interests are heard during this time.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ecuadorian National Pleads Guilty to Illegally Entering the US After a Prior Removal

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PORTLAND, Maine: An Ecuadorian national pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to illegally entering the U.S. after a prior removal.

    According to court records, on February 4, 2025, agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and the FBI conducted surveillance at a South Portland residence. After observing William Ariel Tamay Guaman, 23, get into a van, agents followed Tamay Guaman and conducted a traffic stop. An ERO agent familiar with Tamay Guaman approached the driver and asked for their name. Tamay Guaman provided a false name and was directed to step out of the vehicle. After briefly fleeing on foot and resisting arrest, he was taken into custody. He was positively ID’d by fingerprints.

    Tamay Guaman, who entered the country in or before 2019, was charged in the Cumberland County Unified Criminal Docket in March 2023 with two counts of reckless conduct involving a minor for offenses that occurred between 2020 and 2021. He was convicted and sentenced to 364 days of imprisonment on one count, to be followed by an additional, fully suspended 364 days and probation. In a separate proceeding, an immigration judge ordered Tamay Guaman to be removed from the United States, and he was deported in September 2023.

    Tamay Guaman faces a maximum prison term of two years and a fine up to $250,000. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    ICE-ERO investigated the case with assistance from the FBI.

    Operation Take Back America: This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. McGarvey, Barr Reintroduce White Oak Resilience Act to Support Bourbon Industry

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Morgan McGarvey (Kentucky-03)

    April 03, 2025

    Congressmen Morgan McGarvey (KY-03) and Andy Barr (KY-06), Co-chairs of the Congressional Bourbon Caucus, introduced the White Oak Resilience Act today, bipartisan legislation that promotes the long-term health of the American white oak – a keystone species essential to forest ecosystems and a critical component of Kentucky’s signature bourbon industry.

    Without decisive action, the American white oak population is projected to decline substantially within the next 10 to 15 years, with even steeper losses anticipated in the decades ahead. Congressman Barr’s bill takes a proactive approach to combat this threat, emphasizing collaboration between federal agencies, the private sector, and land grant institutions.

    “It’s crucial we take action to grow more white oak trees now – it’s good for our planet, our economy, and our signature bourbon industry, which cannot exist without white oak barrels,” said Congressman Morgan McGarvey. “I’m proud to join Congressman Barr, my fellow Co-Chair of the Congressional Bourbon Caucus, on this bipartisan legislation to protect Kentucky’s white oak tree population for decades to come.”

    “The White Oak Resilience Act is not just about saving a species of tree,” said Congressman Andy Barr. “It’s about conserving biodiversity, strengthening rural economies, and protecting Kentucky’s bourbon industry, which depends on white oak barrels to deliver the distinct flavor that defines our world-famous product. This legislation is a smart, forward-looking investment in our economy, our environment, and our cultural heritage.”

    “The lumber industry and the bourbon barrel manufacturing industry have employed generations of southeastern Kentuckians. White oak logs are the iconic staple of the staves that are used to make the 53-gallon bourbon barrels that are made in Kentucky and shipped around the world. The white oak is also a substantial habitat and food source for our wildlife. So, I am proud to join my Kentucky colleague Rep. Andy Barr to protect the future of our essential white oak trees to focus on restoration and regeneration in our national forests,” said Congressman Hal Rogers.

    “I’m proud to cosponsor the White Oak Restoration Act, which would implement collaborative strategies to sustain White Oak forestry for the future,” said Congressman Brett Guthrie. “This bill is vital to protect Kentucky’s environmental resources and grow our economy. Taking the necessary steps to restore the regeneration of White Oak will ensure our ability to bolster industries in Kentucky.”

    “Without white oak trees, there is no Kentucky bourbon. To protect and enhance our white oak forests, I’m proud to be joining Representative Barr and my colleagues today in introducing the White Oak Resilience Act. White oak is the backbone of the bourbon industry, and our bipartisan legislation will ensure Kentucky’s world-class distilleries continue to have access to this critical resource. I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this bill to the President’s desk,” said Congressman James Comer.

    “While there are plenty of white oak trees out there right now, the data clearly shows that regeneration isn’t happening at the levels we’ve historically seen, and soon this will be a serious problem for everything from the American bourbon industry to native plants and wildlife if we don’t act today,” said Jason Meyer, Executive Director of the White Oak Initiative. “Fortunately, this bill proposes much-needed measures to rejuvenate our white oak forests, promoting biodiversity and supporting the hard-working folks who rely on them.”

    The bill empowers the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service to lead white oak restoration projects and establishes a White Oak Restoration Fund to support public-private partnerships focused on regeneration, reforestation, and long-term sustainability.

    Kentucky’s $9 billion bourbon industry depends on new, charred white oak barrels to age its products – making the health of white oak forests not just an environmental concern, but an economic one.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Helps Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Eliminate Taxes on Military Retirement Pay

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) helped introduce a bipartisan bill to provide financial relief for veterans and their families. The bipartisan Tax Cuts for Veterans Act would eliminate federal taxes on military retirement pay.
    “Veterans in Nevada and across our nation have made huge sacrifices to keep our nation safe, and the least we can do is ensure they can keep all of their retirement pay,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m proud to have helped introduce this bipartisan bill to make military retirement tax-free, giving the courageous men and women who served in uniform greater financial relief and stability.”
    Senator Rosen has been fighting for Nevada’s veterans. She has sent letters demanding that the VA reverse harmful plans to reduce their workforce, calling on the VA to permanently reverse layoffs, and pushing for answers regarding mass employee terminations. Last month, she helped introduce legislation to reinstate veterans wrongfully fired by President Trump and Elon Musk. She also took to the Senate floor to oppose the actions of the Trump Administration and Musk to mass fire employees working at the VA. Senator Rosen also demanded the VA provide answers regarding mass employee terminations.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FACT SHEET: Trump Imperils Program to Help Working Americans Heat and Cool Their Homes

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Trump and RFK Jr. fired entire staff running LIHEAP—putting program that helps 6 million American households heat and cool their homes in grave jeopardy
    $378 million due to go out to help Americans avoid sweltering heat this summer now at risk
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, responded to President Trump and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. firing the entirety of the staff who run the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps 6 million American households with the tightest budgets afford to heat and cool their homes.
    6 MILLION HOUSEHOLDS SERVED BY LIHEAP ANNUALLY
    In a statement, Senator Murray said:
    “As he raises costs for American families by $3,800 and works to give billionaires like himself new tax breaks, Trump has now also fired all the staff in charge of helping over 6 million American households heat and cool their homes.
    “If the idea here is to prevent federal funding from reaching working class families who are counting on help to cool their homes this summer, Trump and RFK Jr. are on to something—because who exactly is supposed to ensure this funding gets out now? In a matter of weeks, HHS is due to send states hundreds of millions of dollars in new resources ahead of the summer heat—who is going to ensure that happens? When HHS has to quickly turn around new appropriations in October to release funding to states ahead of the winter cold, who is going to ensure that is done quickly and correctly?
    “Even a brief delay could ruin the finances of working families who are hanging on by a thread if this money doesn’t get out—and leave seniors stranded in deadly heat waves this summer. If there are serious errors with calculations that end up shortchanging communities, we have Trump and RFK Jr. to thank for firing the very people who keep this program running.
    “Donald Trump and Elon Musk would like us to believe that our country cannot afford to pay the salaries of the people who help working people across America heat and cool their homes—but that we can afford over $5 trillion in new tax breaks for billionaires like themselves. It is as absurd as it is offensive—and it is working people across the country who will suffer the consequences of their recklessness.”
    LIHEAP helps 6 million households in every state and territory afford to heat and cool their homes with $4.1 billion in assistance for fiscal year 2025. The program is particularly important in ensuring working class Americans and vulnerable populations like seniors are not left in deadly heat waves or winter freezes. Each year, extreme heat causes more deaths than any other weather events.
    Approximately $378 million in fiscal year 2025 funding to help Americans cool their homes this summer has yet to go out. Without it, Americans will lose out on a lifeline that saves them money each month and allows them to stay cool.
    A state-by-state breakdown of LIHEAP funding in jeopardy because Trump and RFK Jr. fired the entirety of the staff that run the program is below:
    STATE
    FUNDING
    HOUSEHOLDS SERVED
    Alabama
    $61,827,868
    80,636
    Alaska
    $12,514,996
    4,737
    Arizona
    $34,579,159
    27,788
    Arkansas
    $38,052,625
    69,242
    California
    $252,804,332
    222,271
    Colorado
    $60,504,810
    88,951
    Connecticut
    $80,405,772
    101,181
    Delaware
    $14,532,965
    11,431
    District of Columbia
    $12,663,494
    14,893
    Florida
    $118,510,347
    106,968
    Georgia
    $93,715,302
    137,619
    Hawaii
    $8,322,955
    8,349
    Idaho
    $23,198,387
    34,439
    Illinois
    $197,224,161
    172,841
    Indiana
    $84,494,967
    122,931
    Iowa
    $58,755,595
    83,353
    Kansas
    $40,143,968
    39,185
    Kentucky
    $60,361,460
    119,407
    Louisiana
    $61,891,569
    103,858
    Maine
    $41,291,192
    41,195
    Maryland
    $82,939,890
    96,798
    Massachusetts
    145,506,393
    152,011
    Michigan
    $179,606,815
    431,842
    Minnesota
    $125,243,116
    133,166
    Mississippi
    $38,710,989
    46,243
    Missouri
    $87,476,893
    130,057
    Montana
    $23,598,855
    17,254
    Nebraska
    $35,797,133
    41,270
    Nevada
    $17,014,767
    12,273
    New Hampshire
    $30,873,308
    29,669
    New Jersey
    $135,718,896
    241,888
    New Mexico
    $21,859,849
    43,592
    New York
    $400,902,563
    1,162,529
    North Carolina
    $114,199,252
    201,988
    North Dakota
    $23,610,179
    14,633
    Ohio
    $171,388,890
    265,455
    Oklahoma
    $43,138,184
    112,440
    Oregon
    $44,165,847
    57,454
    Pennsylvania
    $215,460,689
    312,789
    Rhode Island
    $26,802,894
    26,052
    South Carolina
    $53,276,376
    48,638
    South Dakota
    $21,292,485
    23,787
    Tennessee
    $75,921,984
    118,073
    Texas
    $197,192,608
    120,725
    Utah
    $28,641,042
    24,344
    Vermont
    $23,140,644
    26,695
    Virginia
    $103,773,588
    118,347
    Washington
    $66,214,242
    84,654
    West Virginia
    $35,191,790
    56,108
    Wisconsin
    $112,736,789
    189,941
    Wyoming
    $11,065,033
    7,615
    TOTAL
    $4,115,400,000
    5,939,605
    Funding listed is the full FY24 allocation released to states by HHS. FY25 allocations are not yet final or fully disbursed. [HHS DATA]
    Households served is the number of households served by LIHEAP in FY23—the latest data on record. [HHS DATA]

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Honors Travis Parker of Enterprise as April “Veteran of the Month”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)

    WASHINGTON – Today,U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) released a video honoring U.S. Army Medical Corpsman Travis Parker as the April “Veteran of the Month.”

    Excerpts from Sen. Tuberville’s remarks can be found below, and his complete remarks can be found here.

    “We learn a lot about a person by seeing where they choose to spend their time. For Medical Corpsman Travis Parker, he has chosen to give the last fifty years giving back to Alabama’s veterans.

    After being drafted into the Army, Travis chose to become a medic. He was passionate about combining his medical training with helping soldiers harmed overseas. After completing his training at Fort Sam Houston, Travis was assigned to finish his tour at Fort Rucker. It was there that Travis saw the scars of war firsthand, as he treated soldiers returning home from the Vietnam War.

    This experience left a lasting impact on Travis that led him to devote his time serving other veterans and raising awareness to the challenges they face. He decided to make Enterprise his permanent home and has contributed to the Wiregrass in so many ways that it’s hard to name them all.”

    Senator Tuberville recognizes a different Alabama veteran each month for their service and contribution to their community. Constituents can nominate an Alabama veteran and submit their information to Senator Tuberville’s office for consideration by emailing press_office@tuberville.senate.gov. 

    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Speaks with Commanders of AFRICOM & EUCOM

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
    WASHINGTON – Today,U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) participated in a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing focused on the posture of United States European Command (EUCOM) and United States Africa Command (AFRICOM). During the hearing, Senator Tuberville spoke with General Michael E. Langley, Commander of AFRICOM, about shortfalls in the region and the rise of terrorism in Africa. Additionally, Senator Tuberville spoke with General Christopher G. Cavoli, Commander of EUCOM, about the current state of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
    Read Senator Tuberville’s remarks below and watch on YouTube and Rumble.

    AFRICOM
    TUBERVILLE: “Good morning. Thank you, gentlemen, for your service and good luck after retirement, but you’re not done yet. 
    General Langley, AFRICOM has historically suffered from shortfalls and manpower and ISR and security and all those things. [It] sounds like, from your testimony, that Africa is in trouble – 40% rise in terrorism. What’s your most pressing need, that you can tell us, for what we can help you with?”
    GEN. LANGLEY: “Senator, thanks for that question. My number one operational priority is protection of the force. So, as I stipulated in my opening statement, I focused on matching capabilities to the threat. We match capabilities to the threat—first calls for Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD), and it calls for ISR.
    And a number of our platforms would add to the capacity and capability of protecting the force. In close session, I would be able to elaborate with more specificity, but all commanders always ask for those aforementioned-type platforms.”
    TUBERVILLE: “Yeah, thank you.”
    EUCOM
    TUBERVILLE: “General Cavoli, how much closer today is Ukraine from this time last year, winning this war against Russia?”
    GEN. CAVOLI: “They’re in a much better position not to lose it, Senator Tuberville. They have shored up their defenses. They’ve assumed very strong defenses, and they’ve improved their force generation capability. So, they’re in a much better position than they were. Depending on what the objective is, of course, which has always been the question in this chamber as well as others, it would be hard for them to accomplish some things, but they’re doing a good job of what they’re trying to do now, which is hold their line.”
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Canada announces new countermeasures in response to tariffs from the United States of America

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    Yesterday, the United States administration announced a series of unwarranted and unjustified tariffs that will fundamentally change the international trading system. While some important elements of the Canada U.S. trade relationship have been preserved, new tariffs on automobiles have now entered into force. These are on top of the previously announced tariffs, including those on steel and aluminum, which remain in place.

    The U.S. tariffs will do harm to American workers and businesses, but Canada will also be impacted, with every Canadian feeling the effects. The Government of Canada’s position has always been clear: we will fight these tariffs, protect our workers, and build the strongest economy in the G7.

    The Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, today announced new countermeasures to protect Canadian workers and businesses and defend Canada’s economy. These countermeasures include:

    • Twenty-five per cent tariffs on non-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.
    • Canada’s intention to develop a framework for auto producers that incentivizes production and investment in Canada.

    Most importantly, every single dollar raised from these tariffs will go directly to support our auto workers.

    These measures build on the Government of Canada’s previously announced supports to Canadian workers and business, including:

    • Temporarily waiving the one-week employment insurance (EI) waiting period.
    • Suspending rules around separation for a six-month period, so workers don’t have to exhaust severance pay before collecting EI.
    • Making it easier to access EI by increasing regional unemployment rate percentages.
    • Deferring corporate income tax payments and GST/HST remittances from April 2 to June 30, 2025, providing up to $40 billion in liquidity to businesses.
    • Deploying a new financing facility for businesses.
    • Providing more funding to Canada’s regional development agencies, so they can better support businesses.

    In a crisis like this, it’s important to come together and act with strength, purpose, and force – and that’s exactly what we’re doing.

    Quote

    “The global economy is fundamentally different today than yesterday. We must respond with purpose and force and take every step to protect Canadian workers and businesses against the unjust tariffs imposed by the United States, including on automobiles. We will never cease to defend the interests of Canadians, safeguard our workers and businesses, and continue our pursuit to build the strongest economy in the G7.”

    Quick Facts

    • Canada and the United States have the world’s most comprehensive and dynamic trading relationship, which supports millions of jobs in both countries. US$2.5 billion worth of goods and services cross the border every day.
    • On March 4, 2025, U.S. tariffs of 25 per cent on Canadian goods and 10 per cent on energy and potash exports from Canada to the U.S. came into effect. On March 12, 2025, the U.S. imposed tariffs of 25 per cent on Canadian steel and aluminum products.
    • On April 3, U.S. tariffs of 25 per cent on Canadian automobiles came into effect, targeting the auto industry and the more than 500,000 Canadians this industry supports across the country.
      • The U.S. also intends to apply 25 per cent tariffs on certain automobile parts before May 3. Under the U.S. tariffs certain exclusions linked to U.S. content may be available, specifically, the application of the 25 per cent tariff only to the value of the non-U.S. content in automobiles and auto parts that qualify for preferential tariff treatment under CUSMA.
    • Canada has responded to the U.S. imposition of tariffs on Canadian goods by introducing a suite of countermeasures designed to compel the U.S. to remove the tariffs as soon as possible. These countermeasures include:
      • Imposing tariffs of 25 per cent on a valued $30 billion in goods imported from the U.S., effective March 4, 2025.
      • Launching a public comment period on potential counter tariffs on additional imports from the U.S.
      • Imposing, as of March 13, 2025, 25 per cent reciprocal tariffs on a list of steel products worth $12.6 billion and aluminum products worth $3 billion, as well as additional imported U.S. goods worth $14.2 billion, for a total of $29.8 billion to match U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum dollar-for-dollar.

    Associated Links

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