NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: Graves Opens Application Process for Service Academy Nominations

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Sam Graves (6th District of Missouri)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06) announced that he is currently accepting applications from North Missouri students interested in attending the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, U.S. Military Academy, or U.S. Naval Academy.

    “It’s always an honor to nominate the best and brightest from North Missouri to attend our nation’s service academies,” said Graves.“Each year, numerous outstanding young men and women from North Missouri go through the application process. It’s not an easy process, but it is certainly rewarding. Every student who has interest in attending a service academy should definitely consider applying.”

    Individuals interested in applying for a service academy nomination can do so by contacting Congressman Graves’ Kansas City District Office at 816-792-3976 after opening an application with their desired service academy. To be eligible to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, U.S. Military Academy, or U.S. Naval Academy, you must:

    Be at least 17 years old, but not have passed the 23rd birthday (25 for the Merchant Marine Academy).

    Be a U.S. Citizen, and a permanent resident of Missouri.

    Be unmarried, not pregnant, and have no legal obligation to support children or other dependents.

    Meet the medical, physical, and academic requirements of the Academy.

    Be of good moral character.

    Have a valid Social Security Number.

    The deadline for applications for the nomination process is 5:00 pm, October 10, 2025. 

    The U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, U.S. Military Academy, and U.S. Naval Academy all have extremely high admission standards and the nomination process is very competitive. Applicants are evaluated and interviewed by the Academy Nomination Review Board comprised of service academy graduates, veterans and citizens of Missouri’s 6th Congressional District before final recommendations are made to Congressman Graves.

     

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bipartisan Steil-Hill Legislation, the STABLE Act, Clears Committee

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Bryan Steil (Wisconsin-1)

    Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Bryan Steil (WI-01), Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill (AR-02), and their colleagues on the Financial Services Committee voted to pass the Stablecoin Transparency and Accountability for a Better Ledger Economy (STABLE) Act in a full committee markup. Congressman Steil introduced the STABLE Act in March of this year. Following passage, Congressman Steil issued the following statement:

    “I’d like to thank Chairman French Hill for his partnership on this legislation and my colleagues on the Financial Services Committee for their commitment to securing the Golden Age of digital assets,” said Steil.  “Digital assets are already impacting American families every day and their roll is continuing to grow. The STABLE Act protects consumers while cementing the U.S. Dollar as the world’s reserve currency and promoting the next generation of Web3 businesses here in the United States.”

    Background:

    • In February, Steil and Hill introduced a discussion draft establishing a framework for the issuance and operation of dollar-denominated payment stablecoins in the United States, and last week introduced the full proposal  which is cosponsored by Representatives Hill, Torres, Emmer, Huizenga, Meuser, Kim, Downing, Moore, Gottheimer, Haridopolos, Liccardo, Timmons, Lawler, Nunn, Rose, Stutzman.
    • Today, the STABLE Act passed through the House Financial Services Committee markup hearing by a vote of 32-17.
    • Over the past six weeks, members and stakeholders have provided feedback to improve the initial draft, including during separate hearings in both the Digital Assets, Financial Technology, and Artificial Intelligence Subcommittee and the full Financial Services Committee.
    • Yesterday, the Washington Times published The Golden Age of Stablecoins, an Op-Ed written by Congressman Steil.
    • This bill is now eligible to move to the House Floor for a vote.
    • President Trump recently reiterated support for stablecoin legislation to pass through Congress and come to his desk before the August recess. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch, Padilla Probe AI Chatbot Apps on Safeguards for Children 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    Senators:“ In light of recent reports of self-harm associated with this emerging application category… policymakers, parents, and their kids deserve to know what your companies are doing to protect users.” 
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) are raising concerns regarding the mental health and safety risks posed to children using character- and persona-based AI chatbot and companion apps that have surged in popularity in recent years. In letters to the CEOs of three leading AI chatbot companies, Character.AI (C.AI), Chai, and Replika, the Senators are pushing the companies to ensure their products do not contribute to self-harm or suicide of young users.  
    The letters come after recent reports have tied self-harm to use of these AI chatbot applications, including the tragic suicide of a 14-year-old boy in Florida who had extensive interactions with C.AI’s chatbot in the lead up to his death, resulting in multiple lawsuits. Since 2023, at least two individuals have died by suicide following extensive conversations with AI chatbots. Chai and Replika have also recently been named in consumer protection complaints, highlighting the safety risks of these products. C.AI recently announced new safety features, and Chai added crisis-intervention features, but the reliability of these systems is unclear. 
    “The synthetic attention users receive from these chatbots (e.g., streams of expressive messages, sycophantic and agreeable responses, AI-generated selfies, and convincing voice calls) can, and has already, led to dangerous levels of attachment and unearned trust stemming from perceived social intimacy,” wrote Senators Welch and Padilla. 
    “This unearned trust can, and has already, led users to disclose sensitive information about their mood, interpersonal relationships, or mental health, which may involve self-harm and suicidal ideation—complex themes that the AI chatbots on your products are wholly unqualified to discuss,” continued the Senators. “Therefore, it is critical to understand how these models are trained to respond to conversations about mental health.” 
    The Senators concluded by asking for information on the implementation, adoption, and efficacy of safety measures, including the data used to train their models and the treatment of strategic personnel involved in these efforts.  
    “Given that young people are accessing your products—where the average user spends approximately 60-90 minutes per day interacting with these AI chatbots—policymakers, parents, and their kids deserve to know what your companies are doing to protect users from these known risks,” concluded the Senators. 
    Full text of the letters to Character.AI, Chai, and Replika are available here, here, and here, respectively. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Supports Sanders’ Resolution to Block Certain Offensive Weapons Sales to Israel

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today voted to block certain offensive weapons sales to Israel. The Joint Resolutions of Disapproval (JRD), offered by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), would block the Trump Administration’s sale of more than $8 billion in offensive weaponry—including 2,000-pound bombs and weapons that have killed civilians—to the Government of Israel. The U.S. Department of State bypassed Congressional approval to supply military assistance, invoking an emergency declaration, giving Congress insufficient time to review the sale. 
    Senator Welch posted a video before voting for the Joint Resolutions of Disapproval, saying: 
    “The war in Gaza that started on October 7th is now in its 18th horrifying month. Israeli hostages are still in Gaza. The death toll of Palestinians innocent Palestinians has exceeded 50,000 people—women and children, including journalists, aid workers. There’s no end in sight,” said Senator Welch. “We had a ceasefire that is now over, and the violence is continuing. The Trump Administration wants to send arms, including 2,000-pound bombs, to the Netanyahu government. I opposed these offensive weapons sales to Israel during the Biden Administration. I will oppose these offensive weapons sales to the Israeli government. During the Trump Administration, I will join Senator Sanders in voting to block the sale of these offensive weapons to Israel. Sending more offensive weapons, particularly these 2,000-pound bombs, will not make Israelis or Palestinians safer or get us closer to a peaceful resolution.” 
    View Senator Welch’s video here: 
    Read more about S.J.Res 33 and S.J.Res 26 here

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth Statement Slamming President Trump’s Newly Announced Tariffs That Will Raise Prices for Americans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    April 02, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement after President Donald Trump unveiled his latest round of tariffs—which will raise prices for Illinois families and farmers, disrupt supply chains and jeopardize American jobs:

    “I have always pushed and will continue pushing for robust trade enforcement actions that level the playing field for American workers—but tariffs should be targeted to the actors and behaviors that threatens our economy. Instead, Trump’s latest blanket tariffs will unleash economic chaos—leaving middle-class families and small businesses across our nation paying the price. Illinois is the nation’s third largest agricultural exporter, and the consequences of Trump’s chaotic, sweeping tariffs will substantially hurt our economy and be disastrous for our state’s farmers—not only making it more difficult for them to sell their products overseas but also making it harder for us to import essential commodities and foods. Whether it is automobiles, groceries and everyday essentials or the imports our farmers rely on to have a successful season, Trump’s tariffs and reckless trade wars will accomplish little other than raising costs for American consumers—costing families an extra $6,000 a year. That means he’s harming the same the middle-class families he campaigned on protecting, all while putting American jobs at risk and damaging our relationships with our allies in the process.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján, Padilla, Warnock Lead Group Demanding Reversal of Mass Firings of Head Start, Office of Child Care Employees

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)

    Luján and Warnock are the only two Head Start alumni to serve in the U.S. Senate

    Senators to Secretary Kennedy: “The termination of staff is alarming and will compound the challenges already facing these programs and services…with no clear planning nor considerations for how early childhood services will be impacted”

    Washington, D.C. — This week, U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) led 25 Senators in condemning the Trump Administration’s mass firings of federal employees at the Office of Head Start (OHS) and the Office of Child Care (OCC), and demanding Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. immediately reinstate these employees. The sweeping firings of staff from these critical HHS offices will severely restrict access to child care for working-class families and limit OHS and OCC’s ability to administer and conduct oversight of nearly $25 billion in federal investments in early childhood programs.

    The cuts included the closure of and termination of all staff at five of the 10 regional offices in San Francisco, Boston, New York, Chicago, and Seattle. The Senators emphasized that these indiscriminate firings did not factor in employee performance and failed to plan for inevitable disruptions to children, families, child care providers, and Head Start programs.

    “This attack on employees at a time when children, families, child care providers, and early educators are relying on critical early childhood programs undermines the Department’s role in administering and conducting oversight of early childhood programs, including Head Start programs and child care assistance for working-class families across the country,” wrote the Senators. “We are deeply concerned by reports of a high number of employees at OHS and OCC who have been fired across the country who provide critical support to Head Start programs and help make child care safer and more affordable. The termination of staff is alarming and will compound the challenges already facing these programs and services, including the lack of timely and transparent information, with no clear planning nor considerations for how early childhood services will be impacted.”

    The Head Start program currently serves nearly 800,000 children, providing comprehensive services to help children receive health care and insurance, while offering parents job training, education, housing support, and nutrition services. OCC administers the Child Care Development Fund, which includes the Child Care Development Block Grant that provides an average of over 1.3 million children from nearly 800,000 low-income families with child care subsidies each month.                      

    The Senators stressed that these cuts are especially alarming as child care programs have become increasingly unaffordable and harder to access. According to a recent survey of more than 10,000 early childhood educators, 55 percent of programs were underenrolled compared to their preferred capacity, citing affordability and staffing challenges as the primary concerns as opposed to a lack of demand.

    “The Administration’s decision to reduce staff comes at a time when it is increasingly expensive to run child care and early learning programs, the cost of child care continues to be out of reach for many working-class families, and the demand for quality child care continues to far outpace the supply,” continued the Senators. “We are deeply concerned about the exacerbation of these issues for child care providers and children and families as a result of the Administration’s termination of a large portion of OHS and OCC staff, including the sudden closure of five of the ten Regional Offices and RIFs.”

    In addition to Senators Luján, Padilla, and Warnock, the letter was also signed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

    The letter was endorsed by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), National Women’s Law Center, MomsRising, the Center for Law and Social Policy, Zero toThree, and Child Care For Every Family Network.

    Earlier this year, Senators Luján, Padilla, and Warnock joined Senator Kaine in expressing concerns about the threats to Head Start programs across the country as a result of the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) memo that imposed a government-wide funding freeze.

    Full text of the letter is available here and below:

    Dear Secretary Kennedy,

    We write to express our serious concern regarding the recent decision to fire federal employees at the Office of Head Start (OHS) and Office of Child Care (OCC) in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and we ask that you immediately reinstate these employees to full work status. Between the firing of probationary employees and the recent RIFs, these offices have been gutted and the ability for the federal government to support children and families and carefully oversee nearly $25 billion in federal investments in early childhood programs will be extremely hampered. It appears these firings occurred without regard to employee performance, input from career civil servants, or planning against disruptions to understand the impact on children, families, child care providers, and Head Start programs.

    This attack on employees at a time when children, families, child care providers, and early educators are relying on critical early childhood programs undermines the Department’s role in administering and conducting oversight of early childhood programs, including Head Start programs and child care assistance for working-class families across the country. We are deeply concerned by reports of a high number of employees at OHS and OCC who have been fired across the country who provide critical support to Head Start programs and help make child care safer and more affordable. The termination of staff is alarming and will compound the challenges already facing these programs and services, including the lack of timely and transparent information, with no clear planning nor considerations for how early childhood services will be impacted.

    The federal Head Start program currently serves nearly 800,000 children across the nation with comprehensive services to ensure children receive age-appropriate health care, dental care, and health insurance, and they provide referrals to other critical services for parents, such as job training, adult education, nutrition services, and housing support. For the last several years, there has been broad, bipartisan support in Congress to recognize the longstanding program’s important work by providing increased appropriations. Head Start and Early Head Start grant recipients deliver services in every state and territory, farm worker camps, and over 155 Tribal communities. OHS provides Head Start programs with federal policy guidance, training, and technical assistance and administers grants in accordance to the Head Start Act. These federal employees play an important role to ensure that programs use their grant funds efficiently and effectively. Terminating OHS and Regional Office employees reduces the capacity to support and allow Head Start programs to use permissible flexibilities to effectively use their federal grant to best serve children in their communities.

    Further, OCC administers the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF), which includes the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) that provides an average of over 1.3 million children from nearly 800,000 families with low-income with child care subsidies monthly. The federal child care program is also central to states’ efforts to ensure the health, safety, and quality of nearly every child care program in the country. OCC staff across the country support states in ensuring federal funds are used effectively to improve affordability, quality, and supply of child care options for families. These drastic terminations will weaken the ability to support states and oversee federal law, transparent information for families, professional development, and the timeliness and consistency of payment for child care providers.

    The Administration’s decision to reduce staff comes at a time when it is increasingly expensive to run child care and early learning programs, the cost of child care continues to be out of reach for many working-class families, and the demand for quality child care continues to far outpace the supply. According to a recent survey of more than 10,000 early childhood educators by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, more than half of programs indicated they were unable to serve their preferred number of children relative to their preferred capacity, with affordability and staffing challenges cited as the top reasons, rather than a lack of demand. We are deeply concerned about the exacerbation of these issues for child care providers and children and families as a result of the Administration’s termination of a large portion of OHS and OCC staff, including the sudden closure of five of the ten Regional Offices and RIFs.

    We ask that you immediately reinstate these employees to full work status, and we request your responses to the following questions by April 11, 2025:

    • To date, how many staff have been terminated within OHS and OCC, both in the Central office and in each Regional office? Please share the reasoning behind the closure of offices in regions 1, 2, 5, 9, and 10 (Boston, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Seattle), and what information and planning were used to decide which and how many of these offices would be closed?
    • Who decided which probationary and non-probationary employees within OHS and OCC were to be terminated and under what cause?
    • What assessment was done about the impact of the RIFs on children and families served by the programs? What are the steps being taken to minimize disruptions and continue the administration of Head Start programs and CCDF?
    • Was a review conducted to determine the impact of terminating OHS and OCC staff on early childhood programs, the impact on health and safety in care settings, the stewardship of nearly $25 billion in taxpayer dollars, the ability to meet the purposes of the federal statutes, and the impact on children, families, and communities?
    • Are there plans for additional staff terminations in the months ahead, and if so, how many and what offices? Regional office staff are the first point of contact for Head Start programs and State and Tribal child care agencies. Who are the new points of contact for programs? If this work has been reassigned to remaining regional offices, how will doubling their workloads create a system that is responsive to pressing program needs?
    • What percent of the Office of Grants Management team responsible for Head Start and Child Care programs have been fired since January? Can you guarantee that once a grant is awarded that grant recipients can draw down their awards?
    • Can the Secretary guarantee that funds will be awarded on time for Head Start grant recipients that are due to receive a new or continuing award on May 1st, and subsequent awards? If there are lapses in awarding grants, how long will they last and what communication will be done to support programs in the interim?

    Thank you for your attention to this critical issue, and we look forward to your response.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Labrador Tells Court that Prisoners Have No Constitutional Right to Sex-Change Surgeries

    Source: US State of Idaho

    [BOISE] – Attorney General Raúl Labrador leads a 24-state amicus brief with Attorney General Todd Rokita of Indiana, defending an executive order by President Trump setting new guidelines affecting federal inmates claiming to experience gender dysphoria.  Federal and state authorities are operating well within the boundaries of the U.S. Constitution when they deny inmates’ requests for sex-change surgeries or hormone treatments, Attorney General Labrador told a U.S. district court in Washington D.C. this week in Kingdom v. Trump.
    The American Civil Liberties Union and Transgender Law Center have sued the Trump Administration, claiming the executive order constitutes “cruel and unusual punishment” in violation of the Eighth Amendment.
    “Across the country, there are growing numbers of incarcerated inmates claiming gender dysphoria at rates that far eclipse occurrences in general society,” said Attorney General Labrador.  “The Constitution leaves policy choices about best medical practices to policymakers, and there is nothing in the text or history of the Eighth Amendment which would allow prisoners to demand whatever medical intervention they desire.”
    The executive order — titled “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government” — prohibits inmates in federal prisons and immigration detention centers from obtaining taxpayer-funded sex-change procedures.
    Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming joined the Idaho and Indiana-led amicus brief.
    The brief in defense of President Trump’s executive order can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Strengthening New York’s Gun Safety Laws

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today signed three new laws to strengthen New York’s gun violence prevention efforts and keep New Yorkers safe. The Governor also unveiled new data showing a 53 percent decline in gun violence year-to-date, when compared to pandemic-era highs. As part of this year’s Budget, Governor Hochul is proposing a significant $370 million investment to fight gun violence and keep driving down crime.

    “We’re taking action to drive down gun violence in the State of New York — protecting our communities and making our streets safer,” Governor Hochul said. “Public safety is my number one priority, and by giving law enforcement additional tools to stop gun violence in its tracks, we’re building on our promise to put the safety of New Yorkers first.”

    In 2025, shootings have declined 53 percent year-to-date when compared to pandemic-era highs three years ago: from 497 shootings statewide from January to March of 2022 to 236 shootings statewide from January to March of this year. Earlier this year, Governor Hochul announced that gun violence declined to the lowest levels on record in the 28 communities participating in the State’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative — including Rochester, Syracuse and Yonkers — and the NYPD announced declines in shootings in New York City as well.

    Legislation S.744/A.436 will ensure there are penalties for using “pistol converters,” which are rapid-fire modification devices that can be easily attached to semi-automatic pistols to make them even deadlier by allowing rapid fire with one pull of the trigger.

    State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal said, “Rapid-fire modification devices are capable of transforming firearms into fully automatic machine guns and are not permitted in New York State. These rapid-fire modification devices include a wide range of gun modification devices including bump stocks, trigger cranks, and burst trigger systems. The legislation Governor Hochul is signing today makes it explicitly clear that pistol converters, also known as auto-sears, which can be used to make traditional pistols fire as many as 15 rounds in under two seconds, are a subset of rapid-fire modification devices and should be treated as such under New York State Law. I’m grateful to Governor Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins and my colleagues throughout the Legislature who once again are standing up to the gun lobby to make New York a safer place.”

    Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon said, “New Yorkers are sick of weapons manufacturers ignoring their role in the gun violence epidemic. For decades, Glock has known that its pistols can be easily and cheaply converted into illegal fully-automatic machine guns. It’s time to put people over profit. My first-in-the-nation bill has been signed into law, holding Glock and Glock-like gun manufacturers accountable for failing to prevent this easy conversion to illegal machine guns. Thank you to Governor Hochul for signing my bill, my partner Senator Hoylman-Sigal, and the advocates for working to prevent gun violence.”

    Legislation S.745/A.439 will strengthen the law that the Governor signed last year that requires credit and debit card issuers to use the merchant category code (MCC) for firearms and ammunition retailers by ensuring that it captures retailers whose bulk sales come from firearms, ammunition and firearms accessories.

    State Senator Zellnor Myrie said, “Since 2019, New York has been a national leader in taking on gun violence- and the laws Governor Hochul is signing today continues that progress. While the federal government turns a blind eye to the gun crime plaguing our communities, New York can show the way forward by passing new laws to stop the sale of weapons that can be converted into machine guns, centralize our gun violence prevention efforts, and standardize our response to mass shooting incidents wherever they occur.”

    Assemblymember Michaelle Solages said, “With today’s signing, Governor Hochul is taking a bold step to protect New Yorkers from gun violence. By requiring the use of merchant category codes for firearm and ammunition purchases, we are equipping financial institutions with a critical tool to help detect suspicious activity before it becomes a tragedy. This is a smart, data-driven approach to public safety, and I’m proud to lead the way with Senator Myrie and dedicated advocates.”

    Legislation S.743/A.437 strengthens the law the Governor signed last year that requires firearms dealers and gunsmiths to post and distribute at the time of sale information about the availability of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and warnings about the dangers of gun ownership, including increased risk of suicide, death during domestic disputes and unintentional death of children, household members and others. By providing consumers with this Surgeon General style warning, the law aims to promote the health and safety of the general public by educating and informing gun owners and potential buyers of the risks the weapons pose.

    State Senator Michael Gianaris said, “Education and information are key to responsible gun ownership, which will prevent injury and improve public safety. I am proud to have shepherded this proposal through the Senate and to now see it enacted into law.”

    Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz said, “It is without question that there are enormous risks associated with gun ownership. By requiring firearm dealers and licensing officers to provide clear and accessible warnings about the heightened risks of suicide, domestic violence, and unintentional deaths, we are aiding people in becoming fully informed about the dangers of gun ownership while at the same time taking measures to help safeguard our communities. The inclusion of a prominently displayed 988 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline will make it easier for those in distress to access avenues of assistance when they are at their most vulnerable. I want to thank Governor Hochul for signing this entire package of bills into law and my colleague, Senator Mike Gianaris, for partnering with me on this legislation which demonstrates New York’s commitment to promoting responsible firearm ownership while protecting public health and safety.”

    Assemblymember Harvey Epstein said, “It is critical that we address the gun violence epidemic in our state and nation. So many lives have been lost as a result of our failure to pass common-sense gun regulations. Today I am happy to join Governor Hochul as we pass this package of legislation that will make our state safer.”

    Assemblymember Tony Simone said, “We are in the midst of a mental health crisis and a gun violence epidemic, and we must do everything in our power as lawmakers to combat it. We can begin by passing common-sense anti gun-violence measures, which a vast majority of gun owners support and want, which is what these three bills signed today are. I am proud to stand with Governor Hochul and my colleagues in the legislature in our resoluteness to solve these epidemics playing out in our communities.”

    The $370 million investment to reduce and prevent gun violence and strengthen communities disproportionately impacted by crime includes, but is not limited to, the following programs and initiatives administered by DCJS:

    • $50 million through the Law Enforcement Technology grant program, which provides funding so police departments and sheriffs’ offices can purchase new equipment and technology to modernize their operations and more effectively solve and prevent crime.
    • $36 million for GIVE, which funds the 28 police departments and district attorneys’ offices, probation departments and sheriffs’ offices in 21 counties outside of New York City.
    • $21 million for the SNUG Street Outreach Program, which operates in 14 communities across the state: Albany, the Bronx, Buffalo, Hempstead, Mount Vernon, Newburgh, Niagara Falls, Poughkeepsie, Rochester, Syracuse, Troy, Utica, Wyandanch and Yonkers. The program uses a public health approach to address gun violence by identifying the source, interrupting transmission, and treating individuals, families and communities affected by the violence.
    • $18 million in continued support for the State’s unique, nationally recognized Crime Analysis Center Network, and $13 million in new funding to establish the New York State Crime Analysis and Joint Special Operations Command Headquarters, a strategic information, technical assistance and training hub for 11 Centers in the State’s network and enhance existing partnerships and expand information sharing with the New York State Intelligence Center operated by the State Police, the locally run Nassau County Lead Development Center and the State’s Joint Security Operations Center, which focuses on protecting the State from cyber threats.
    • $20 million for Project RISE (Respond, Invest, Sustain, Empower) in 10 communities to support mentoring, mental health services, restorative practices, trust building, employment and education support and youth development activities, among other programs and services that address trauma resulting from long-term exposure to violence, build resilience and strengthen youth, families and neighborhoods.

    The New York State Police, the State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, the State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance and the State Office of Victim Services also will receive funding through that $370 million allocation.

    Other public safety initiatives outlined in Governor Hochul’s FY26 Executive Budget include $35 million for the next round of the Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes grants to increase safety and security of organizations at risk of hate crimes or attacks because of their ideology, beliefs or mission; or investments that expand support for victims and survivors of crime, including doubling funding for rape crisis centers to $12.8 million.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Krishnamoorthi Demands Investigation Into Trump National Security Adviser Waltz’s Exposure Of Sensitive Information Over Signal

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

    SCHAUMBURG, IL – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, a senior member of the House Intelligence Committee, issued the following statement today in response to new revelations regarding National Security Adviser Mike Waltz’s extensive use of the insecure Signal messaging app for official government communications related to international crises:

    “The latest revelations that Mike Waltz and his team routinely used the Signal app for discussing sensitive national security matters are deeply troubling and must be fully investigated to prevent American lives from being needlessly threatened or lost. This confirms what we feared during last week’s Signal scandal: the potential security breaches by top Trump Administration officials extend far deeper.

    I am calling for a full investigation into whether the extensive use of Signal by senior Trump Administration officials has included the sharing of sensitive and classified information. Signal is an insecure, unauthorized platform to transmit this type of information, and the mishandling of such information endangers our national security, our secrets, and the lives of those who serve our country in uniform.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Krishnamoorthi Blasts Latest Trump Tariffs For Hiking Prices On Working Families And Sending Country Toward Recession

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

    SCHAUMBURG, IL — Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi issued the following statement today in response to President Trump’s announcement of his “Liberation Day” tariffs:

    “Donald Trump’s blanket tariffs are a tax on working families so that he can cut taxes for the wealthiest Americans. These latest so-called ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs are reckless and self-destructive, inflicting financial pain on Illinois at a time when people are already struggling to keep their small businesses afloat and put food on the table.

    Don’t listen to Trump – these do nothing to strengthen our economy or national security. These tariffs isolate the United States on the global stage, alienate our allies, and empower our adversaries – all while forcing America’s seniors and working families to bear the brunt of higher prices. I urge all Americans to join me in calling on President Trump to end his disastrous tariff policies before he sends our country into a recession.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Former Puerto Rico police officer sentenced for child exploitation following ICE San Juan investigation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico sentenced Luis Javier Pérez-Badillo, a 50-year-old man from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, March 25 to 11 years in prison and five years of supervised release following an investigation by ICE San Juan’s Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force.

    Pérez-Badillo, a former officer with the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, pleaded guilty to transportation of child pornography on Oct. 9, 2024.

    From on or about Oct. 11, 2023, through Feb. 21, 2024, Pérez-Badillo used a cellular phone with internet capabilities to knowingly transport images of child pornography.

    “The defendant, who was entrusted by the community to serve and protect, violated that trust by committing these crimes. As this case demonstrates, those who exploit children will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and prosecute individuals who exploit minors for sexual purposes.”

    “The actions of this individual are a disgrace to the amazing men and women of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau. As law enforcement officers, we are entrusted with the responsibility to protect and serve, not to harm. While no sentence can ever truly undo the harm caused to the victim, it is our duty to ensure that justice is served. This 11-year sentence clearly conveys that no one, regardless of their position, is above the law. We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure the safety and well-being of our children, “ said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Rebecca González-Ramos.

    For more information about ICE HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit Project iGuardian | ICE and Know2Protect | Homeland Security, or to report suspicious activity in Puerto Rico call 787-729-6969 or the ICE tip line at 1-866-347-2423.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Department of Aging Announces Increased Transparency to Keep Older Pennsylvanians Safe, Showcases How New Approach is Increasing Compliance Rates Across the Commonwealth

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    April 03, 2025 – Greensburg, PA

    Department of Aging Announces Increased Transparency to Keep Older Pennsylvanians Safe, Showcases How New Approach is Increasing Compliance Rates Across the Commonwealth

    The Pennsylvania Department of Aging (PDA) today followed through on a promise to boost transparency of its oversight of county Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), announcing the public can now see information that shows how quickly those agencies are conducting investigations of suspected elder abuse.

    Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich made the announcement at the Westmoreland County Area Agency on Aging, further highlighting how the Department’s new, overhauled approach to AAA support and oversight has led directly to increased compliance rates across Pennsylvania for the time it takes a local agency to complete an investigation.

    Thanks to the Department’s increased efforts with AAAs, Westmoreland County AAA more than tripled its compliance rate for timely determinations in older adult protective services – from 29% in 2024 to 97% in 2025. That means older adults in Westmoreland County are receiving the assistance and care they need faster and more efficiently than before.

    “I commend the Westmoreland AAA leadership and the entire protective services team for their hard work and dedication to improving their performance,” said Secretary Kavulich. “With our Department’s assistance, Westmoreland AAA is showing how the Shapiro Administration’s approach of making supportive change is generating measurable results. While working steadily on a much-needed major overhaul of the Department’s performance monitoring system, we have also worked closely with AAAs to make sure they have the tools they need to improve. It is evident that our work is leading to real-world results that benefit and protect older Pennsylvanians.”

    Speaker list:
    Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich
    Carrie Nelson, Executive Director, Westmoreland County Agency Area on Aging
    Westmoreland County Commissioner Douglas Chew

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Spurring Innovation: Shapiro Administration Celebrates Historic Investment in GSK’s Growth in Pennsylvania

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    April 03, 2025 – Marietta, PA

    Spurring Innovation: Shapiro Administration Celebrates Historic Investment in GSK’s Growth in Pennsylvania

    The Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Rick Siger highlighted Pennsylvania’s $21 million investment in GSK at a groundbreaking ceremony for the global biopharma company’s expansion. GSK’s $800 million project, announced by Governor Josh Shapiro in October, will create at least 200 new jobs and retain 4,622 employees while boosting the life sciences industry in the Commonwealth.

    GSK is growing its R&D (research and development) and manufacturing footprint at its existing Lancaster County operation – building new facilities to manufacture lifesaving vaccines and medications. Currently, one in four Americans are administered a vaccine supplied from the company’s Marietta location, which will increase in size and capacity.

    In addition to its historic expansion in Lancaster County, GSK will retain at least 4,622 jobs statewide and keep its U.S. headquarters in Philadelphia.

    Speakers in Order:
    Matteo Leardini – Site Director, GSK
    Regis Simard – President Global Supply Chain, GSK
    Rudy Rosolen – Senior Vice President, Vaccines Manufacturing, GSK
    Rick Siger – Secretary, PA Dept. of Community & Economic Development (DCED)

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: LANCASTER COUNTY – Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum To Celebrate 100th Anniversary, Kick Off Year-Long Celebration of PA Agriculture

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    April 04, 2025 – Lancaster, PA

    ADVISORY – LANCASTER COUNTY – Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum To Celebrate 100th Anniversary, Kick Off Year-Long Celebration of PA Agriculture

    Andrea Lowery, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC) and Lisa Graybeal, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, will visit Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the site’s 100th anniversary and kick off a year-long celebration of Pennsylvania’s rich agricultural and rural history.

    WHO:
    Andrea Lowery, Executive Director, PHMC
    Deputy Secretary Lisa Graybeal, Department of Agriculture
    Melissa Mann, Director, Bureau of Historic Sites & Museums
    Shawn Gladden, Site Administrator, Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum
    Liz Ackerman, Executive Director, Northern Lancaster Chamber of Commerce

    WHEN:
    TOMORROW, Friday, April 4, 2025, at 1:00 PM

    WHERE:
    Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum
    2451 Kissel Hill Rd.
    Lancaster, PA 17601

    RSVP:
    Press who are interested in attending please RSVP to jlosiewicz@pa.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden Asks Dr. Oz to Honor His Commitment to Come to Eastern Oregon

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    April 03, 2025
    With Dr. Oz confirmed today as Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Oregon senator suggests dates when Dr. Oz could join him in Malheur County
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today invited Dr. Mehmet Oz to honor his recent commitment to join him for a Malheur County town hall so the Trump appointee could hear directly about Medicaid’s importance in the county with the state’s highest share of residents enrolled in the federal-state program that helps seniors, children, families and more cover medical and nursing home costs — known in Oregon as the Oregon Health Plan.
    Citing Dr. Oz’s March 14 confirmation hearing last month with the Senate Finance Committee in today’s written invitation, Wyden’s letter followed today’s Senate floor vote to confirm Dr. Oz as Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.  
    “I know you will honor your commitment to Oregonians to visit Malheur County so you can hear directly from citizens and dedicated health care workers how devastating proposed Medicaid cuts by the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans would be to one of Oregon’s poorest counties,” wrote Wyden, Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee. “The importance of Medicaid in Malheur County cannot be overstated. With more than half of its residents enrolled in the Oregon Health Plan, it has the highest share among Oregon’s 36 counties”.
    Wyden, who has held 1,110 open-to-all  town halls throughout Oregon in keeping with his commitment to hold at least one such town hall each year in each of Oregon’s 36 counties, reminded Dr. Oz just how vital the Oregon Health Plan is for residents of this rural county.
    “The Oregon Health Plan is a lifeline for seniors, children, people with disabilities, and farmworkers in Malheur County. It is what allows families to place their aging loved one in a local nursing home,” wrote Wyden, who voted against the nomination of Dr. Oz in the Finance Committee as well as today on the Senate floor. “The Oregon Health Plan helps kids have access to counseling at school, support they would not receive otherwise. It allows kids and adults with disabilities to go to school, go to work, and thrive at home, in their communities, because they have access to home-based care. And it is what guarantees life-saving treatment for the sickest Oregonians, in their darkest hours.”
    “Not only that, the Oregon Health Plan is the economic lifeblood of Malheur County,” Wyden wrote. “Malheur County boasts one hospital, one nursing home, and a community-based mobile crisis team, operating 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year for people who experience a behavioral health crisis. These pillars of the community offer stable employment for doctors, nurses, aides, counselors, janitors, and administrators, among others.”
    Wyden told Dr. Oz he could schedule a town hall with him on April 23 in Malheur County during the Senate’s upcoming state work period, or between June 19-21 during the June state work period.
    The entire letter is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley Pushes Social Security Administration for Answers and Accountability on $718 Million in Alleged Improper Payments

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is pressing the Social Security Administration (SSA) for answers and corrective action to address the agency’s failure to confront verification issues that have resulted in millions, and perhaps billions, in improper Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. Grassley has pushed the SSA about improper payments for over two decades. He is a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and currently chairs the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions, and Family Policy.  
    “Every dollar lost to improper payments is one less dollar for recipients entitled to benefits. It’s imperative the Social Security Administration use available tools to weed out improper payments, sooner rather than later,” Grassley said of his most recent oversight push.
    The Access to Financial Institutions (AFI) application is a secure verification tool that allows SSA to automatically request and receive certain financial information from banking institutions to verify bank account balances for recipients and applicants. Social Security Office of Inspector General (IG) reports have shown that failures to fully utilize the AFI process can prevent accurate SSI determinations. Based on sample results, its September 2024 report estimated that 198,960 recipients received $718 million in improper payments due to undisclosed financial account funds.
    “Based on its findings, the IG recommended SSA expand use of this verification tool to catch these occurrences. Previous IG reports have also recommended more frequent use of this tool during the lifecycle of an SSI case to combat improper payments. In both cases, SSA has resisted making changes until completion of a long-delayed study. In the interest of government efficiency and substantial taxpayer savings, SSA must give a full accounting of its progress and plans to pursue an expanded use of this tool,” Grassley wrote.
    Grassley noted that verifications only occur at the initial SSI claim and at “redeterminations,” reviews for non-medical eligibility factors, including financial resources. The time between these can be substantial, allowing undiscovered improper payments to pile up. For most recipients, a redetermination occurs every one to six years, according to SSA.
    “A 2018 IG report found that SSA had not completed eligibility determinations for approximately 1.1 million SSI recipients in over 10 years. The IG estimated that, in fiscal year 2021, SSA could have prevented approximately $1.4 billion in overpayments due to financial accounts had it performed AFI searches between the initial application and redetermination,” Grassley continued.
    Grassley also outlined the cost of SSA’s self-imposed limitation on AFI’s usage for applicants or recipients who report having less than $400 in liquid assets. 
    “This policy effectively exempts a significant number of cases from AFI verification and increases SSA’s reliance on self-reported information … [An IG report] evaluated AFI data in 140 cases where no verification had taken place … It found that, of the 140 cases sampled, SSA made inaccurate SSI resource determinations for 27 recipients, paying them $130,430 in payments they were not eligible for … The IG report also highlighted earlier studies, from SSA itself, demonstrating the need for change on the issue,” Grassley wrote.
    Read Grassley’s full letter HERE.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Cortez Masto Move to Crack Down on Criminal Digital Transactions

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today introduced the bipartisan Combatting Money Laundering in Cyber Crime Act to enhance the Secret Service’s investigative authority over criminal digital asset transactions.
    “As money laundering schemes continue to evolve, so must our capacity to combat them,” Grassley said. “By enhancing Secret Service’s authority to investigate criminal digital assets, our bill significantly improves law enforcement’s ability to effectively anticipate, identify and prevent cybercrime.”
    “Dangerous criminals are constantly changing their tactics and using new technology to avoid detection,” Cortez Masto said. “Our law enforcement agencies need to adapt to keep communities safe. I will continue to fight to pass this bipartisan legislation that would help the Secret Service more effectively combat cybercrime.”
    Find bill text HERE.
    Background: 
    The Treasury Department and Justice Department have long warned that digital assets like cryptocurrencies are being used for money laundering, drug trafficking, ransomware attacks, theft and fraud schemes, terrorist financing and other crimes. While the Secret Service investigates a variety of cybercrimes, crimes perpetrated through unlicensed money transmitting businesses are currently outside of the agency’s jurisdiction.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Thune, Colleagues Urge Trump to Authorize Nationwide, Year-Round Sale of E15

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and a bipartisan group of Senate colleagues in urging President Trump to permit the nationwide sale of E15 fuel through the 2025 summer driving season and beyond. The move would enhance America’s energy security and lower fuel costs for consumers while leveraging American agriculture.
    “To meet our nation’s energy needs and decrease the cost of fuel, we must deploy an all-of-the-above energy strategy, which includes leveraging domestic biofuels,” the senators wrote. “As affirmed by the actions you took to first allow year-round E15 in 2019, and those approved for the summers afterward, the sale of higher blends of biofuels like E15 through the summer months supports the domestic fuel supply, reduces consumer costs, and promotes American biofuels and agriculture feedstocks.
    “Utilizing American ethanol year-round is a direct solution to reinforcing our energy supply and reducing consumer costs, and the issuance of a nationwide waiver for the 2025 summer driving season is a clear path toward these shared goals,” the senators continued.
    The senators’ bipartisan letter requests that President Trump use the nationwide temporary waivers provided under the Clean Air Act to extend the Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) waiver through the 2025 summer driving season.
    Additional cosigners include Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.).
    Background:
    On the first day of his second term, President Trump directed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to explore the benefits of making E15 available year-round through his Executive Order Declaring a National Energy Emergency.
    Grassley has long-championed year-round E15:
    April 2024: Welcoming the EPA’s announcement permitting summertime E15 sales in eight Midwestern states
    December 2023: Pushing the Biden administration to quickly finalize a summertime waiver, helping retailers prepare for summer 2024 sales
    May 2021: Introducing legislation to restore integrity to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS)
    May 2019: Leading the effort to encourage the first Trump administration to approve year-round E15
    October 2018: Authoring an op-ed with Sen. Ernst in support of year-round E15
    October 2010: Welcoming the EPA’s decision first authorizing E15 usage
    Full text of the letter to President Trump is available HERE.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Colleagues Push to Expand Telehealth Access, Make Telehealth Flexibilities Permanent

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined a bipartisan group of 60 senators in reintroducing the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act. The legislation will expand coverage of telehealth services through Medicare, make telehealth flexibilities permanent and make it easier for patients to connect with their doctors. Current flexibilities are set to expire on September 30 unless Congress extends them. 
    “Again and again, Iowans have shared stories with me about their difficulties accessing medical care. Temporary telehealth policies have helped Americans across the country, especially in our rural communities. The CONNECT for Health Act will update out-of-date laws to make recent telehealth innovations permanent, empowering patients and providers,” Grassley said.
    The CONNECT for Health Act would:
    Permanently remove all geographic restrictions on telehealth services and expand originating sites to the location of the patient, including homes;
    Permanently allow health centers and rural health clinics to provide telehealth services;
    Allow more eligible health care professionals to utilize telehealth services;
    Remove unnecessary in-person visit requirement for telemental health services;
    Allow for the waiver of telehealth restrictions during public health emergencies; and
    Require more published data to learn how telehealth is being used, telehealth’s impact on quality of care, and how it can be improved to support patients and health care providers.
    The bill is led by Sens. Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.). 
    Additional cosponsors include Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), along with Sens. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Angus King (I-Maine.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and John Boozman (R-Ark.).
    The CONNECT for Health Act has the support of more than 150 organizations, including the American Medical Association, AARP, American Hospital Association, National Association of Community Health Centers, National Association of Rural Health Clinics and American Telemedicine Association.
    Background:
    This legislation was first introduced in 2016 and is considered the most comprehensive legislation on telehealth in Congress. Since 2016, several provisions of the bill have been enacted into law or adopted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, including provisions to remove restrictions on telehealth services for mental health, stroke care and home dialysis.
    In 2020, as then-chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Grassley helped make mental telehealth services a permanent benefit under Medicare.
    The full text of the bill is?available here.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: AGF Reports March 2025 Assets Under Management and Fee-Earning Assets

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, April 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AGF Management Limited reported total assets under management (AUM) and fee-earning assets1 of $52.1 billion as at March 31, 2025.

                         
    AUM
    ($ billions)    		 March 31,
    2025    		   February 28,
    2025    		   % Change
    Month-Over-
    Month    		   March 31,
    2024    		   % Change
    Year-Over-
    Year    		  
    Total Mutual Fund $29.8   $31.1       $26.7      
    Exchange-traded funds + Separately managed accounts $3.0   $2.9       $1.7      
    Segregated accounts and Sub-advisory $6.2   $6.6       $7.4      
    AGF Private Wealth $8.5   $8.6       $8.0      
    Subtotal
    (before AGF Capital Partners AUM and fee-earning assets1)    		 $47.5   $49.2       $43.8      
    AGF Capital Partners $2.5   $2.5       $2.7      
    Total AUM $50.0   $51.7   -3.3 % $46.5   7.5 %
    AGF Capital Partners fee-earning assets1 $2.1   $2.1       $2.1      
    Total AUM and fee-earning assets1 $52.1   $53.8   -3.2 % $48.6   7.2 %
                         
    Average Daily Mutual Fund AUM $30.1   $31.2       $26.5      
    1 Fee-earning assets represent assets in which AGF has carried interest ownership and earns recurring fees but does not have ownership interest in the managers.
       
    Mutual Fund AUM by Category
    ($ billions)    		 March 31,
    2025    		   February 28,
    2025    		   March 31, 2024  
    Domestic Equity Funds $4.4   $4.5   $4.2  
    U.S. and International Equity Funds $18.1   $19.3   $15.7  
    Domestic Balanced Funds $0.1   $0.1   $0.1  
    U.S. and International Balanced Funds $1.7   $1.7   $1.7  
    Domestic Fixed Income Funds $2.0   $2.0   $1.7  
    U.S. and International Fixed Income Funds $3.2   $3.2   $3.1  
    Domestic Money Market $0.3   $0.3   $0.2  
    Total Mutual Fund AUM $29.8   $31.1   $26.7  
                 
    AGF Capital Partners AUM and fee-earning assets
    ($ billions)    		 March 31,
    2025    		   February 28,
    2025    		   March 31, 2024  
    AGF Capital Partners AUM $2.5   $2.5   $2.7  
    AGF Capital Partners fee-earning assets $2.1   $2.1   $2.1  
    Total AGF Capital Partners AUM and fee-earning assets $4.6   $4.6   $4.8  
                 

    About AGF Management Limited

    Founded in 1957, AGF Management Limited (AGF) is an independent and globally diverse asset management firm. Our companies deliver excellence in investing in the public and private markets through three business lines: AGF Investments, AGF Capital Partners and AGF Private Wealth.

    AGF brings a disciplined approach, focused on incorporating sound, responsible and sustainable corporate practices. The firm’s collective investment expertise, driven by its fundamental, quantitative and private investing capabilities, extends globally to a wide range of clients, from financial advisors and their clients to high-net worth and institutional investors including pension plans, corporate plans, sovereign wealth funds, endowments and foundations.

    Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, AGF has investment operations and client servicing teams on the ground in North America and Europe. With over $52 billion in total assets under management and fee-earning assets, AGF serves more than 815,000 investors. AGF trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol AGF.B.

    AGF Management Limited shareholders, analysts and media, please contact:

    Nick Smerek
    VP, Financial Planning & Analysis
    416-865-4337, InvestorRelations@agf.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Diversified Royalty Corp. Announces April 2025 Cash Dividend

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Diversified Royalty Corp. (TSX: DIV and DIV.DB.A) (the “Corporation” or “DIV”) is pleased to announce that its board of directors has approved a cash dividend of $0.02083 per common share for the period of April 1, 2025 to April 30, 2025, which is equal to $0.25 per common share on an annualized basis. The dividend will be paid on April 30, 2025 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on April 15, 2025.

    About Diversified Royalty Corp.

    DIV is a multi-royalty corporation, engaged in the business of acquiring top-line royalties from well-managed multi-location businesses and franchisors in North America. DIV’s objective is to acquire predictable, growing royalty streams from a diverse group of multi-location businesses and franchisors.

    DIV currently owns the Mr. Lube + Tires, AIR MILES®, Sutton, Mr. Mikes, Nurse Next Door, Oxford Learning Centres, Stratus Building Solutions and BarBurrito trademarks. Mr. Lube + Tires is the leading quick lube service business in Canada, with locations across Canada. AIR MILES® is Canada’s largest coalition loyalty program. Sutton is among the leading residential real estate brokerage franchisor businesses in Canada. Mr. Mikes operates casual steakhouse restaurants primarily in western Canadian communities. Nurse Next Door is a home care provider with locations across Canada and the United States as well as in Australia. Oxford Learning Centres is one of Canada’s leading franchisee supplemental education services. Stratus Building Solutions is a leading commercial cleaning service franchise company providing comprehensive janitorial, building cleaning, and office cleaning services primarily in the United States. BarBurrito is the largest quick service Mexican restaurant food chain in Canada.

    DIV’s objective is to increase cash flow per share by making accretive royalty purchases and through the growth of purchased royalties. DIV intends to continue to pay a predictable and stable monthly dividend to shareholders and increase the dividend over time, in each case as cash flow per share allows.

    Forward Looking Statements

    Certain statements contained in this news release may constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. The use of any of the words “anticipate”, “continue”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend”, “may”, “will”, ”project”, “should”, “believe”, “confident”, “plan” and “intends” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking information, although not all forward-looking information contains these identifying words. Specifically, forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements made in relation to: the amount and timing of the April 2025 dividend to be paid to DIV’s shareholders; DIV’s objective to continue to pay predictable and stable monthly dividends to shareholders; and DIV’s corporate objectives. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events, performance, or achievements of DIV to differ materially from those anticipated or implied by such forward-looking information. DIV believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information included in this news release are reasonable but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. In particular there can be no assurance that: DIV will be able to make monthly dividend payments to the holders of its common shares; or DIV will achieve any of its corporate objectives. Given these uncertainties, readers are cautioned that forward-looking information included in this news release are not guarantees of future performance, and such forward-looking information should not be unduly relied upon. More information about the risks and uncertainties affecting DIV’s business and the businesses of its royalty partners can be found in the “Risk Factors” section of its Annual Information Form dated March 24, 2025 and in its most recent Management’s Discussion and Analysis, copies of each of which are available under DIV’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com.

    In formulating the forward-looking information contained herein, management has assumed that, among other things, DIV will generate sufficient cash flows from its royalties to service its debt and pay dividends to shareholders; the business and economic conditions affecting DIV and its royalty partners will continue substantially in the ordinary course, including without limitation with respect to general industry conditions, general levels of economic activity and regulations. These assumptions, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect.

    All of the forward-looking statements made in this news release are qualified by these cautionary statements and other cautionary statements or factors contained herein, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, DIV. The forward-looking information included in this news release is presented as of the date of this news release and DIV assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by applicable law.

    THE TORONTO STOCK EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR THE ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

    Additional Information

    Additional information relating to the Corporation and other public filings, is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com.

    Contact:
    Sean Morrison, President and Chief Executive Officer
    Diversified Royalty Corp.
    (236) 521-8470

    Greg Gutmanis, Chief Financial Officer and VP Acquisitions
    Diversified Royalty Corp.
    (236) 521-8471

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: World News in Brief: Israeli military escalation in Syria, Nicaragua rights probe, South Sudan talks

    Source: United Nations 2

    Peace and Security

    The UN Special Envoy for Syria has condemned the repeated and intensifying military escalations by Israel in the country, including airstrikes that have caused civilian casualties.

    “Such actions undermine efforts to build a new Syria at peace with itself and the region, and destabilize Syria at a sensitive time,” Geir Pedersen said on Thursday in a statement.

    He called on Israel to cease these attacks which could amount to serious violations of international law, to respect Syria’s sovereignty and existing agreements, and to cease unilateral actions on the ground.

    The Special Envoy urged all parties to prioritize diplomatic solutions and dialogue to address security concerns and prevent further escalation.

    Nicaragua: Rights report names 54 officials for alleged violations    

    Top independent experts reporting to the Human Rights Council on Thursday named dozens of Nicaraguan officials who they say are responsible for grave violations, abuses and crimes.

    The Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua was established by the Council following the deadly suppression of protests in 2018 against President Daniel Ortega, who is serving his fourth term, currently with his co-president and wife Rosario Murillo.

    The experts – who are not UN staff – have previously alleged that the Central American country has become an authoritarian State by means of a “tightly coordinated system of repression”, from the President down to local officials.

    On 27 February, one day before the Group presented its latest report, Nicaragua announced its withdrawal from the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

    The independent experts maintain that 54 government, military and party officials played key roles in rights violations including arbitrary detention, torture, extrajudicial executions and persecution of civil society and the media.

    The investigators have previously accused the Nicaraguan authorities of “widespread and systematic” repression and “weaponizing” every branch of government to strengthen their grip on power.

    “These are not random or isolated incidents – they are part of a deliberate and well-orchestrated State policy carried out by identifiable actors through defined chains of command,” said Ariela Peralta, one of the three experts. 

    The list of names has been shared with the Nicaraguan government, which has previously rejected allegations of rights abuses and refuses to cooperate with the experts.

    South Sudan talks aim to avert further escalation

    High-level talks are underway in South Sudan to try and prevent further escalation between forces aligned with the two main parties to the 2018 peace deal, the UN reported on Thursday.

    Meetings are being held in the capital, Juba, between South Sudan’s political leaders and regional Heads of States as well as the African Union Panel of the Wise, comprising highly respected personalities who have contributed to peace, security and development on the continent.

    During a discussion with the Panel, the Head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Nicholas Haysom, stressed the importance of urgent collective engagement by regional and international partners to help end the hostilities, prevent a relapse into widespread violence and secure a return to the peace agreement.

    He also highlighted the need for political detainees to be released and for new measures to build trust and confidence between the parties.

    South Sudan is the world’s youngest country, having gained independence from neighbouring Sudan in July 2011. Conflict broke out in December 2013 between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and opposition forces led by his rival Riek Machar, leaving hundreds of thousands dead.

    The 2018 peace agreement ended the fighting, but the current crisis threatens to tip the country back into civil war.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ‘Silencing Voices, Erasing History’: Ranking Member Pingree Slams Trump Admin for Humanities Grants Purge

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)

    Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, released a scathing statement in response to the Trump Administration’s mass termination of National Endowment for the Humanities grants:

    The abrupt termination of National Endowment for the Humanities grants across the country—executed under the guise of bureaucratic ‘efficiency’ by Elon Musk and DOGE—is devastating and outrageous.

    For weeks, the Trump Administration has led a disturbing campaign to dismantle our country’s cultural and historical infrastructure: ousting experienced leadership and staff, installing political loyalists, censoring exhibitions, and all but eliminating the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Now, communities like ours in Maine are paying the price.

    Let’s be clear: these grants were already awarded and use funds already appropriated by Congress on a bipartisan basis. The notion that these terminations are justified by a sudden shift in ‘federal priorities’ is nonsense. This is ideological targeting—pure and simple. And it is happening with no input from Congress or the public.

    These actions directly endanger state humanities councils—like the exceptional Maine Humanities Council—that serve rural communities, support teachers and students, and keep our history alive. Shaker Village, the last active Shaker community in the world, has lost funding for a major restoration project currently in progress. The University of Maine is now stalled out on a critical project to digitize Franco American archival collections that speak to the history of countless Mainers. And those are just a couple examples. We risk losing irreplaceable cultural institutions forever.

    This isn’t just fiscal mismanagement, it’s a deliberate campaign to silence voices, erase history, and dismantle the public’s access to culture and education.

    As Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee responsible for funding the NEH and NEA, I will continue to demand answers, and I will not stand by while this administration wages a political war on our nation’s cultural fabric.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Faults Beneath the Salton Sea: Assessing Past and Future Earthquake Behavior along Southern San Andreas Fault

    Source: US Geological Survey

    North-to-south (N2S) rupture simulations with oblique (−45°; panels a–d) and left-lateral (0°; panels e–h) normal fault (NF) pre-stress. In the left column (panels a, b, e, and f), the San Andreas (SSAF) ends at the intersection with the NF, while in the right column (panels c, d, g, and h), the San Andreas (SSAF-EXT) “extends” south of the SSAF-NF intersection.

    New research conducted by a team including USGS uses sophisticated modeling to better understand faults beneath the Salton Sea, providing critical clues about the SSAF’s past and future activity.

    Fault Interactions Below the Salton Sea

    At the southern end of the SSAF near Bombay Beach, California, a dense network of smaller faults has been identified beneath the Salton Sea. These so-called normal faults experience vertical movement—in which the block above the fault moves downward relative to the block below—rather than the sideways motion typical of the San Andreas Fault. Seismic reflection data indicates that these normal faults have been active within the last 2,000–3,000 years. Notably, at least four of these events may have coincided with major ruptures along the SSAF, suggesting that they could act as indirect records of past San Andreas earthquakes.

    To explore this connection, researchers developed computer models simulating how the SSAF interacts with a representative normal fault beneath the Salton Sea. Their simulations successfully reproduced fault displacements similar to those observed in real-world data, reinforcing the idea that these normal faults could be triggered by activity on the SSAF.

    Key Findings and Earthquake Implications

    One of the study’s most significant discoveries is that the direction of a San Andreas rupture plays a role in triggering the normal faults. The models suggest that if the SSAF breaks north-to-south, it is much more likely to cause vertical displacement on these faults than if it ruptures in the opposite direction.

    This has major implications for earthquake forecasting. If normal fault movements beneath the Salton Sea are linked to past SSAF ruptures, they could provide valuable insight into earthquake cycles and rupture patterns in the region. Additionally, understanding how stress transfers between these faults could help improve hazard assessments for Southern California.

    Looking to the Future

    With the SSAF overdue for a major event, scientists continue to study its complex interactions with surrounding faults. This new research suggests that even faults buried beneath the Salton Sea could offer critical insights into the region’s seismic history and future risks. As earthquake science advances, these findings could play a key role in refining predictions of seismic activity and improving preparedness strategies for communities along the San Andreas Fault. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Report charts path to addressing mature assets in Alberta

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DOE Identifies 16 Federal Sites Across the Country for Data Center and AI Infrastructure Development

    Source: US Department of Energy

    GOLDEN, COLORADO—The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced plans to help ensure America leads the world in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and lower energy costs by co-locating data centers and new energy infrastructure on DOE lands. DOE has released a Request for Information (RFI) to inform possible use of DOE land for artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure development to support growing demand for data centers. DOE has identified 16 potential sites uniquely positioned for rapid data center construction, including in-place energy infrastructure with the ability to fast-track permitting for new energy generation such as nuclear.

    In accordance with President Trump‘s Removing Barriers to American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence and Unleashing American Energy Executive Orders, DOE is exploring opportunities to accelerate AI and energy infrastructure development across the country, prioritizing public-private partnerships to advance the use of innovative technologies and strategies.

    “The global race for AI dominance is the next Manhattan project, and with President Trump’s leadership and the innovation of our National Labs, the United States can and will win,” Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said. “With today’s action, the Department of Energy is taking important steps to leverage our domestic resources to power the AI revolution, while continuing to deliver affordable, reliable and secure energy to the American people.”

    “President Trump is committed to ensuring American leadership in artificial intelligence and Secretary Wright is delivering,” said White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios. “The Trump Administration will unleash Federal resources to build out the data resources needed for an AI-powered future.”

    The Department is seeking input from data center developers, energy developers, and the broader public to further advance this partnership. The information collected will be used to inform development, encourage private-public partnerships and enable the construction of AI infrastructure at select DOE sites with a target of commencing operation by the end of 2027.

    The sites also offer the industry a chance to partner with DOE’s world-class research facilities co-located on the sites, furthering advancements in both the power systems design needed to run the centers and developing next-generation data center hardware. Publicly available information about each site, including location, available acreage, and other characteristics is provided in appendices to the RFI.

    Additionally, the RFI aims to gather information on potential development approaches, technology solutions, operational models, and economic considerations associated with establishing AI infrastructure.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Natural Gas Services Group, Inc. Announces the Appointment of Anthony Gallegos to its Board of Directors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Midland, Texas, April 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Midland, Texas, April 3, 2025 – Natural Gas Services Group, Inc. (“NGS” or the “Company”) (NYSE: NGS), a leading provider of natural gas compression equipment, technology, and services to the energy industry, announced that its Board of Directors (the “Board”) appointed Anthony Gallegos to the Board on April 1, 2025. Mr. Gallegos fills the position vacated by David Bradshaw in connection with his retirement from the Board in December 2024.

    “On behalf of the entire team at NGS, we are excited to welcome Anthony Gallegos to the Board of Directors,” said Justin Jacobs, Chief Executive Officer. “Anthony brings a wealth of experience from his distinguished career in the energy sector where he has consistently demonstrated exceptional operational expertise. His deep understanding of our industry, along with his vast network, will be invaluable as we navigate the next phase of growth at NGS. The Board and I are eager to collaborate with Anthony as we focus on driving shareholder value and advancing our mission to deliver innovative natural gas compression solutions.”

    Commenting on his appointment, Mr. Gallegos stated, “I am excited to work alongside the Directors and executive team of Natural Gas Services Group, and I look forward to leveraging my experiences and expertise to help drive shareholder value. The company has done an extraordinary job driving innovation, growing its fleet, and expanding both its customer base and pipeline for future growth. It is my goal to work together to uncover new ways of driving growth and profitability and an improved customer experience.” 

    Stephen Taylor, Chairman of the Board added, “We are delighted to add someone of Anthony’s background and experience to our Board of Directors as he brings exceptional expertise in the oilfield services industry and across various functional areas of our business. His knowledge will serve our company, our customers, and our shareholders well as we continue to execute our long-term growth plans.”

    Mr. Gallegos has more than 30 years of experience in the offshore, international, and US land drilling business. He currently serves as President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Independence Contract Drilling, Inc. (ICD), positions he has held since October 2018.  Prior to his role with ICD, Anthony held various executive positions with Sidewinder Drilling Company, a company he co-founded in 2011, until Sidewinder’s merger with ICD in October 2018. Previously, Anthony held various leadership positions in the areas of operations, marketing, and corporate planning with Scorpion Offshore Ltd., Transocean Offshore, Atwood Oceanics, and Ensco, all publicly listed companies. 

    Mr. Gallegos began his career working as a roughneck on offshore drilling rigs in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. He is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers and the International Association of Drilling Contractors. He is also a veteran of the U.S. Army and holds a B.B.A. from Texas A&M University and an M.B.A. from Rice University.

    About Natural Gas Services Group, Inc. (NGS): NGS is a leading provider of natural gas compression equipment, technology, and services to the energy industry.  The Company rents, operates and maintains natural gas compressors for oil and gas production and processing facilities. In addition, the Company designs and assembles compressor units for rental to its customers and provides aftermarket services in the form of call-out services on customer-owned equipment as well as commissioning of new units for customers. NGS  is headquartered in Midland, Texas, with a fabrication facility located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a rebuild shop located in Midland, Texas, and service facilities located in major oil and natural gas producing basins in the U.S. Additional information can be found at www.ngsgi.com.

    For More Information, Contact:
    Anna Delgado, Investor Relations
    (432) 262-2700
    ir@ngsgi.com www.ngsgi.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hagerty, Gallego Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation Supporting Increased Use of Non-Lethal Weapons for Law Enforcement

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty

    Bipartisan bill would allow law enforcement officers to use new non-lethal technologies to de-escalate interactions

    WASHINGTON—United States Senators Bill Hagerty (R-TN) and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) today reintroduced the bipartisan Innovate to De-Escalate Modernization Act, legislation that would give law enforcement the resources they need to responsibly crack down on crime.

    Current law discourages law enforcement from utilizing important new less-than-lethal technologies, such as long-range tasers, by failing to clearly distinguish these devices from traditional firearms. The Innovate to De-Escalate Modernization Act is a technical fix, adding a “less-than-lethal projectile device” category to federal law and creating a statutory test to classify these devices. The new legislation supports law enforcement and community safety by permitting only true less-than-lethal devices, while screening out devices not intended to be less-than-lethal.

    “It is crucial that police officers and sheriff’s deputies are equipped with the best available technology to keep Americans safe,” said Senator Hagerty. “Our brave law enforcement officers put their lives in danger every shift, and I’m pleased to introduce this legislation that will ensure they have access to the most effective tools to de-escalate dangerous situations.”

    “Giving law enforcement the tools they need to safely de-escalate situations is important to keeping both our officers and communities safe,” said Senator Gallego. “Right now, red tape is making it harder for police departments, especially smaller ones, to access less-than-lethal technology, making encounters more dangerous and potentially deadly. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan bill to give police departments of all sizes the technology to protect communities without resorting to deadly force.”
    The Law Enforcement Innovate to De-Escalate Modernization Act provides:

    • Law enforcement with effective, less-than-lethal alternatives to firearms in high-risk situations. When officers have access to the full range of response options American innovators have created, they are better equipped to de-escalate confrontations without taking undue risks.
    • An effective means of response for law enforcement to save lives while ensuring that communities are not exposed to unnecessary risks.

    The legislation is endorsed by:

    • Fraternal Order of Police
    • African American Mayors Association
    • Major City Chiefs Association
    • Major County Sheriffs
    • National Organization of Black Law Enforcement
    • Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association 
    • California Peace Officers Association

    Full text of the legislation can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fischer Ranked in Top 10 Most Effective GOP Senators

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer

    U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) was ranked 6th in effectiveness out of 49 Republican senators during the 118th Congress by the Center for Effective Lawmaking.

    Last Congress, Fischer championed and successfully passed nine bills into law, outlined below. Several more of Senator Fischer’s bills received action in committee. Fischer also secured more than three dozen provisions in the Fiscal Year (FY) 24 and FY25 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This included improving the Department of Defense’s management of electronic warfare capabilities, establishing a program of record for the nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile, and establishing programs to help resolve our munitions production crisis.

    “I’ve been elected and re-elected to the Senate three times to get things done for Nebraska. That’s exactly what I did last Congress by passing bills to support law enforcement, restore land to local ownership, strengthen America’s nuclear deterrent, and more. I pledge to continue championing commonsense solutions to make life better, safer, and more prosperous for Nebraskans and our great nation,” said Fischer.

    Here is a summary of the bills Fischer successfully passed into law during the 118th Congress:

    Recruit and Retain Act:
    Addresses staffing shortages nationwide by enhancing law enforcement agencies’ access to federal hiring tools.

    Veteran Improvement Commercial Driver License Act of 2023:
    Creates a path for military veterans to obtain their commercial driver’s licenses more easily, helping them transition from military service to civilian careers.

    Restoring American Deterrence Act of 2024:
    Overhauls U.S. nuclear preparedness and enacts key updates to America’s strategic posture. Contains multiple provisions to ensure that the U.S. can continue to deter China and Russia.

    REEF Act:
    Protects railroad employees by ending government mandated cuts to their unemployment and sickness benefits once and for all.

    Advanced Aviation Act:
    Establishes an Advanced Aviation Steering Committee to improve rulemaking and better coordinate new technologies entering the aviation space.

    Sustain Regional Air Travel Act:
    Directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to evaluate the pilot shortage’s impact on rural, regional carriers and recommend concrete ways to address the constraints.

    Winnebago Land Transfer Act:
    Transfers approximately 1,600 acres of land back to the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska that was seized in the 1970s by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

    Swanson and Hugh Butler Reservoirs Land Conveyance Act:
    Transfers the Bureau of Reclamation (BoR) Swanson Reservoir land to Hitchcock County and the BoR Red Willow Reservoir land to Frontier County.

    National Advisory Committee on Indian Education Improvement (NACIE) Improvement Act:
    Gives Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) greater input over federal funding discussions that impact them by requiring at least one of NACIE’s members be the president of a Tribal College or University.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins, Bipartisan Group Urge Administration to Reverse Course on LIHEAP Staffing Cuts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Jack Reed (D-RI), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), led ten of their Senate colleagues, including Senator Angus King, in sending a letter to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., urging the Trump Administration to reverse course on the recently reported elimination of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) workforce. As a result of the Administration’s reduction of about 10,000 employees from HHS, the entire staff running the $4.1 billion LIHEAP, which helps millions of American households afford their heating and cooling bills, has reportedly been cut.

    The federally funded LIHEAP is a crucial lifeline that helps 6.2 million low-income households and seniors on fixed incomes afford their energy bills, including those who use natural gas, propane, electricity, and home heating oil. Without this assistance, many Americans may not be able to afford their utility bills and could end up falling victim to extreme weather.

    “We are concerned that the reported staff terminations will undermine the HHS’s ability to deliver this critical funding to low-income seniors and families,” the Senators wrote. “We are also concerned that the local community action agencies that help enroll qualified beneficiaries could be weakened by other actions and funding cuts being undertaken by HHS and the Department of Government Efficiency.”

    The Senators also highlighted that the termination of the entire staff that oversees LIHEAP could hold up hundreds of millions of dollars in funding that Congress already appropriated to assist low-income Americans.

    “As you know, our states are expecting HHS to release nearly $400 million in FY25 funding later this month.  Any delay in providing this funding will set back efforts to provide summer cooling grants, weatherize low-income homes, and plan for the next winter heating season,” the Senators continued.

    HHS has already released 90 percent of those federal funds to state partners. The remaining 10 percent, almost $400 million, used by states to pay for summer cooling, and emergency funding for households that need additional assistance and weatherization, cannot be released until HHS determines the state-by-state allocation. Now, it’s unclear how the remaining funds could be disbursed to the states.

    “Access to affordable home energy is a matter of health and safety for many low-income households, children, and seniors. To that end, we urge you to reverse course on any staffing or funding cuts that would jeopardize the distribution of these funds to our constituents,” the Senators concluded.

    Senators Collins, Reed, and Murkowski led the successful effort to provide a total of $4.1 billion for LIHEAP this fiscal year, with $4 billion through appropriations and $100 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds.

    In addition to Senators Collins, Reed, Murkowski, and King, the letter was signed by Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Christopher Coons (D-DE), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Edward Markey (D-MA) Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM).

    The complete text of the letter can be read here.

    MIL OSI USA News –