NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI This Week: Rep. Meeks Calls for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to Resign and Meets with Local Advocacy Groups

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

    March 28, 2025

    ICYMI This Week: Rep. Meeks Calls for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to Resign and Meets with Local Advocacy Groups 
    Congressman Meeks Discusses the Signal Security Breach on CNN 

    In a shocking revelation by The Atlantic, we learned that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other top administration officials discussed classified information on Signal, an unsecure messaging app, on a group chat that unknowingly included a reporter. This reckless behavior could have put American lives in danger. I joined CNN’s Laura Coates to discuss my call for an investigation into the Signal security breach and why Secretary Hegseth must resign or be fired.
    Airport Minority Advisory Council Comes to Washington 
     

    It was great connecting with Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC) to discuss the emerging challenges the Trump administration is imposing on the “Disadvantaged Business Enterprise” (DBE) program at JFK airport. Programs like this create opportunities, drive economic growth, and provide jobs for thousands in my district. I will continue to be a strong advocate for them during the 119th Congress.
    Congressman Chats with Delta 4 Women in Action  

    It was a pleasure meeting with Delta 4 Women in Action of Queens in my D.C. office to discuss ways to improve civic engagement outreach, the Republican cut to Medicaid and how the elimination of the U.S. Department of Education will hurt our students and communities.
    Rep. Meeks Meets with ICSC New York 

    I had a great meeting with ICSC’s New York representatives to discuss the future of the marketplaces industry, revitalizing our towns and cities, driving job growth, and boosting investment across New York. 
    Share Your Story: How Have You Been Impacted by President Trump’s Executive Orders?

    I’d like to hear from my constituents about how the Trump administration’s actions have affected you and your loved ones. Over the past few months, we’ve witnessed mass layoffs across government agencies, executive orders impacting various issues, threats against immigrants, potential tariffs on neighboring countries, and much more. 

     
    My office is working with state and local officials to learn more about how these actions could affect our district and provide resources for people who have been affected. 

    Please complete the form here to explain how these actions are affecting you and the organizations, nonprofits and businesses you support.  

    Sign up for my newsletter to get updates on this issue and others!

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Meeks Statement on Trump Administration’s Unconstitutional Abolishing of USAID

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

    Washington, DC – Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today issued the following statement condemning the Trump administration for unilaterally shutting down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) without Congressional approval.

    “For two months, the Trump administration has chaotically gutted USAID, ignoring Congress and leaving urgent questions unanswered, and now has notified that it plans to subsume the agency under State. Nothing about this process has been genuine or in good faith. 

    “The consequences of this reckless decision are already evident; China and Russia are already filling in the gaps created by this administration’s reckless assault on U.S. foreign assistance. While the administration claims it will retain some global health and humanitarian assistance functions, it is jettisoning critical work USAID has been doing – at Congress’s direction – for decades in sectors such as education, good governance, crisis stabilization, agriculture, and economic growth. Furthermore, these plans violate the law, which requires that USAID exist as a separate entity. Presidents are not kings, and if the administration wishes to change the law, the GOP, which controls both the House and Senate, should pass one.  

    “By firing all USAID employees and kneecapping the programs that remain, this administration lays bare its true intention: to withdraw the United States from its global leadership role with as much cruelty and disruption as possible.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Gregory W. Meeks Condemns Cuts to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05) signed onto a letter, led by Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05) to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy condemning the cuts to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that include terminating 10,000 employees and dismantling or consolidating several health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The HHS is integral to protecting the health of Americans and providing critical services and resources, including Medicare and Medicaid, food and drug safety, and medical.

    “My constituents are calling my offices every day outraged by the ridiculous firings under the Trump administration, including from those unfairly dismissed after years of dedicated public service,” Rep. Meeks said. “It is clear that President Trump, Elon Musk, and Secretary Kennedy are indifferent to the harmful impact these funding cuts will have on Americans. The Department of Health and Human Services was created to protect public welfare—not to undermine access to quality health care.” 

    The 10,000 HHS workers being fired include the removal of 3,500 full-time employees from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 2,400 employees from the CDC, 1,200 employees from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and 300 employees from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

    Congressman Meeks calls for the reversal of these firings and dismantling of the existing agencies within HHS.

    The members wrote in the letter:

    “Make no mistake, we have no faith that these drastic cuts will benefit the American people. We are concerned that this will ultimately lead to slowdowns in service, approvals, and research, and impacts to public health response capabilities.”

    “Millions of Americans rely on Medicare, Medicaid, and other healthcare services and funding provided by HHS and its affiliates. Any delay in these services and funding would have drastic consequences for our most marginalized communities. Despite claims that FDA layoffs will not impact inspectors or drug, medical device, or food reviewers, prior layoffs by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to the FDA are reported to already have caused staff to struggle to meet deadlines.”

    “As Black and brown communities continue to face severe healthcare disparities, it is crucial that access to affordable healthcare is not reduced in any way, but rather prioritized and improved, and research is undertaken to develop tailored solutions to these problems Moreover, in light of pervasive attempts to restrict access to sexual and reproductive healthcare for women, LGBTQ+ communities, and people of color, and increasing racial gaps in maternal health outcomes, your efforts to further deprioritize these offices is likely to further deprive our constituents of healthcare targeted to their needs, including HIV/AIDS care, maternal healthcare, minority healthcare, and women’s healthcare.”

    “Given the Trump Administration’s broad intentions to eviscerate civil rights protections to harm Black and brown communities, as well as proposals to slash funding for social safety net programs, we have no faith that this restructure will result in improved protections for our constituents’ civil rights or their hard-earned and critically needed medical coverage.”

    The letter was signed by the following members: Rep. Donald Beyer (VA-8), Rep. Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (MO-5), Rep. Steve Cohen (TN-9), Rep. Danny Davis (IL-7), Rep. Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Rep. Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Rep. Jared Huffman (CA-2), Rep. Henry Johnson (GA-4), Rep. Julie Johnson (TX-32), Rep. Summer Lee (PA-12), Rep. Lucy McBath (GA-7), Rep. Sarah McBride (DE-at large), Rep. Betty McCollum (MN-4), Rep. James McGovern (MA-2), Rep. LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Rep. Eleanor Norton (DC-at large), Rep. Brittany Pettersen (CO-7), Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-2), Rep. Delia Ramirez (IL-3), Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-7), Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), Rep. Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rep. Bennie Thompson (MS-2), Rep. Jill Tokuda (HI-2), and Rep. Nydia Velázquez (NY-7).

    Read the full letter here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Meeks Testifies at Appropriations Subcommittee Member Day Hearing

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

    Washington, DC – Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, delivered the following testimony today before the National Security and Department of State Appropriations Subcommittee “Member Day” hearing. Ranking Member Meeks argued in favor of maintaining and strengthening the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Congressional appropriations, and raised alarm over the unprecedented flouting of the law and of congressional prerogatives by the Trump administration:

    “Chairman Diaz-Balart, Ranking Member Frankel, thank you for the opportunity to testify at today’s Member Day hearing. I appreciate this annual opportunity to share my priorities for the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Bill.  

    “If this were any other year, I would focus my testimony on the specific programs we have worked together to support. But this is no ordinary year. We are dealing with an administration that has shown an unprecedented and reckless disregard for Congress’s constitutional power. This includes our power of the purse and the clear guardrails we establish through appropriations law, as well as other directions of congressional intent and authorizations of Executive Branch agencies and programs. 

    “Within this subcommittee’s jurisdiction, the most damaging example of the Trump-Musk onslaught against our federal government—and Congress’ role—is the dismantling of USAID. The President’s sudden freeze of foreign assistance caused utter chaos. Food assistance Congress appropriated sat rotting on shelves. Clinics we funded sat closed and unable to distribute their stocks of lifesaving medicines, leading to unnecessary deaths and babies born with HIV. And now, despite court orders challenging the legality of their actions, the administration boasts that 83% of foreign assistance programs are already shuttered, and what remains of USAID is now being folded into the State Department. 

    “Similarly, President Trump disregarded existing statutes and terminated by decree the U.S. Agency for Global Media, resulting in grant terminations to its subsidiaries, including Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia. These broadcasters delivered trusted information to audiences in heavily censored countries starved of independent media and flooded with propaganda from our adversaries. 

    “And the most recent egregious flouting of the law was DOGE’s hostile takeover of the U.S. Institute of Peace, which Congress created as a nonpartisan, independent nonprofit organization. USIP has had broad bipartisan support, working successfully under seven administrations to prevent violent conflicts and broker peace around the world. 

    “The Trump administration has done all this outside of the law, without consulting Congress and in stark contradiction of the appropriations law and other bills we have passed that are now the law of the land. 

    “Regardless of whether we are Democrats or Republicans, we must, as Members, stand up for our prerogatives as the legislative body of this democracy and a co-equal branch of government.  

    “Because this is ultimately about our ability to stand up for our constituents. And the programs this subcommittee funds are critical to our national security; they help ensure the United States can successfully achieve our foreign policy goals, compete with our rivals, and prevent regional crises from escalating into armed conflict.  These programs allow us to respond to humanitarian emergencies and the development needs of our partners, preventing diseases from becoming pandemics that reach our shores.  All these objectives and more are achieved through a well-resourced State Department and related agencies and programs, with the support from Congress that they need to effectively wield our soft power. The world is far too small and interconnected for us to hide behind our borders, pull back our tools, and hope the next conflict or epidemic won’t impact us here at home. 

    “This subcommittee has recognized the value of all these efforts, as evidenced by the strong, bipartisan support for its work over many years. Of course, each administration has the right to review policy.  And our job is not to defend the status quo over modernization. But President Trump and Elon Musk do not have the right to unilaterally eliminate programs that Congress has deemed essential. The legislative branch after debate and deliberation—and in consideration of the executive’s position – creates the body of the law the Executive must indeed execute. That is the right way to ensure improvements and reforms. 

    “It is critically important that the next National Security Appropriations bill maintain and strengthen the investments that safeguard our national security at no less than the FY24 level. But whatever Congress decides, it is even more essential that we ensure that the FY26 law is implemented by the administration—because in America, we believe in the rule of law, not of kings.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Meeks Condemns Rubio’s Failure to Prevent Uyghur Deportations

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

    Washington, DC – Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today released the following statement on Thailand’s deportation of 40 Uyghur from Thailand to China, a move that will almost certainly result in their imprisonment, torture, or worse.  

    “That a U.S. ally like Thailand chose to appease Beijing over heeding U.S. warnings exposes the fecklessness of the Trump administration. The lawlessness of this administration, marked by its own extrajudicial deportations and hollow ‘America First’ rhetoric have undermined U.S. credibility on human rights and our influence abroad. 

    “The visa restrictions announced by the administration on March 14 targeting ‘current or former officials from the Government of Thailand’ are nothing more than a weak symbolic gesture that does nothing to protect the remaining Uyghurs still at risk. Secretary Rubio must make clear to Thailand that the U.S. will impose significant consequences for any future repatriations. I also call on the administration to provide refugee and resettlement options in the United States for all Uyghurs fleeing persecution. We have a responsibility to help Uyghurs seeking to escape genocide. Congress must immediately pass the bill I’ve re-introduced – the Uyghur Human Rights Protection Act (H.R. 2349) – alongside Representative Suhas Subramanyam to help Uyghurs escape the atrocities they face in China.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Polis: It’s Not ‘Liberation Day’ But Sadly Recession Day as Trump Creates Biggest Tax Hike in U.S. History

    Source: US State of Colorado

    DENVER – Colorado Governor Jared Polis released a statement on President Trump’s latest tariff tax hike. 

    “I am deeply saddened by this Trump tax hike that increases costs on everything while also increasing the size of government by charging people more. These deeply damaging tariffs are sending the market in a downward spiral, hurting businesses, devastating manufacturing, and damaging our economy, which will lead to more inflation and recession fears,” said Governor Polis. “I urge Colorado’s members of Congress on both sides of the aisle to reject these tariffs, which will raise the cost of groceries, housing, and much more for hardworking Coloradans.” 

    Gov. Polis has been an outspoken opponent of the President’s tariffs, urging the federal government to focus on free trade and expanding American-made products. Gov. Polis hosted a Colorado-Canada friendship day with the state’s largest trading partner.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Graves and Mann Introduce Legislation to Provide Reliable & Affordable Energy to Missouri, Kansas Families

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

    WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06) and Rep. Tracey Mann (KS-01) have introduced legislation to help provide stable energy rates and a reliable energy grid to states in the Southwestern Power Administration (SWPA), including Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas.

    “Missouri’s rural electric cooperatives and municipal utilities have worked with the Southwestern Power Administration (SWPA) to provide affordable and reliable electricity to Missouri families for over 80 years,” said Rep. Graves. “But the way SWPA is set up, droughts and other disruptions can cause rate spikes that are passed on to co-ops and municipalities that have no choice but to increase electric rates on Missouri families. This common sense legislation creates a revolving fund to fix that problem—giving SWPA the stable funding necessary to avoid costly rate spikes, and lower customer rates.”

    “For more than eight decades, the Southwestern Power Administration has allowed rural electric cooperatives and municipal utilities to provide reliable, affordable energy to Kansans,” said Rep. Mann. “Under the current funding structure, SWPA has not had the flexibility to make necessary investments into their infrastructure. As a result, when natural disasters and bad weather limit the Administration’s ability to produce power, replacement power has to be purchased, and that cost is absorbed by everyday Kansans. Establishing a revolving fund for SWPA ensures that they can continue to invest in their infrastructure while providing safe, reliable, and affordable energy to Kansas families and rural communities like those in the Big First.”

    The SWPA, part of the Department of Energy, markets power produced by federal hydropower projects, including Clarence Cannon Dam and Harry S. Truman Dam, to electric cooperatives and municipal utilities in Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. The Southwestern Power Administration Fund Establishment Act would give the SWPA the authority to operate on a self-funding, revolving Treasury fund to help provide long-term stability to SWPA. This would provide the certainty and stable funding SWPA needs to avoid drastic and unnecessary spikes in power rates charged to electric cooperatives and municipal utilities in an extreme or multi-year regional drought. 

    The Southwestern Power Administration Fund Establishment Act is supported by the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives, Missouri Public Utilities Association, Southwestern Power Resources Association, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and American Public Power Association.

    “Missouri’s rural electric cooperatives thank Congressman Graves for leading this effort to provide more reliable and affordable electricity for Missouri families. When no one else would, Missouri’s electric cooperatives answered the call to provide power to every farm and every home in every corner of this state. Now, this bill ensures we can keep providing affordable, reliable electric service to Missouri families for decades to come.” – Caleb Jones, CEO/Executive Vice President of the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives

    “MPUA commends Congressman Graves for championing this forward-thinking legislation, which preserves Missouri’s legacy of affordable, renewable energy, while strengthening its future. The Southwestern Power Administration Fund Establishment Act is a foundational step in modernizing federal hydropower and ensuring its long-term reliability. This bill will help secure cost-based power for generations to come. We look forward to collaborating with Congressman Graves to advance this important legislation. – Steven Stodden, President & CEO, Missouri Public Utilities Association

    “Federal hydropower is a vital, reliable renewable energy source for the state of Missouri and throughout the region.  We are grateful for Congressman Graves’ support for this legislation that will help cut unnecessary red tape and keep energy prices affordable for the members we serve.” – Brian Ackermann, SPRA Board President and Vice President of Portfolio Management at Associated Electric Cooperative

    “Federal hydropower is a reliably renewable generation resource. This legislation recognizes the value of protecting that resource throughout the six-state region, making sure that these important assets are maintained. This legislation would go a long way toward ensuring grid reliability and affordably throughout the region for millions of homes, farms and small businesses. I thank Congressman Graves for introducing this important bill that represents good business sense.” – Nicki Fuller, Executive Director, Southwestern Power Resources Association 

    “NRECA supports the Southwestern Power Administration Fund Establishment Act. The self-financed revolving loan fund authorized by this bill would allow the Southwestern Power Administration to better manage infrastructure needs while being more responsive to market conditions and electric demands created by extreme weather events.” – National Rural Electric Cooperative Association

    “The American Public Power Association applauds the introduction of the Southwestern Power Fund Establishment Act. Since 1943, not-for-profit public power utilities and rural electric cooperatives have successfully partnered with the Southwestern Power Administration (SWPA) to bring reliable hydropower produced at Army Corps dams to millions of customers in Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. While SWPA customers pay all costs of generating and transmitting the electricity in their power rates, a complicated funding process has increasingly failed to provide the financial certainty necessary to steady power rates to customers during drought and extreme weather events. The Southwestern Power Fund Establishment Act would streamline this process in a manner that would help avoid rate spikes and economic hardship for communities served by public power utilities and rural electric cooperatives while continuing to ensure that SWPA customers pay all costs associated with generating and transmitting hydropower produced at Corps dams. It is a win-win for the federal government and communities served by not-for-profit electric utilities.” – American Public Power Association

    You can find the full text of the legislation here.

     

     

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Graves Named “Most Effective Legislator of 118th Congress”

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

    WASHINGTON, DC – The Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL) at the University of Virginia announced yesterday the release of their Legislative Effectiveness Scores for the 118th Congress (2023-2024). The group announced that Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06) topped their list this year with a Legislative Effectiveness Score seven times higher than the average member of the House. 

    “Our analysis found that Representative Graves ranked as the most effective Republican House Member in the last Congress. In addition, he ranked as one of the most effective Representatives in terms of having their sponsored standalone bills substantially incorporated into the laws of other members of Congress. We congratulate the Representative for his hard work and setting an example for promoting the importance of effective lawmaking,” according to the Center for Effective Lawmaking.

    Legislative Effectiveness Scores are based on “the bills that each member of Congress sponsors, how far they move through the lawmaking process, and how substantial their policy proposals are.” Graves sponsored 17 bills in the last Congress, 8 of which passed the House, and 4 of which became law as stand-alone measures.

    “I have always strived to get things done for Missouri in Congress. You can accomplish a lot by working hard to push legislation forward. That’s why it is an absolute honor to be recognized as the most effective lawmaker of the 118th Congress by the Center for Effective Lawmaking,” said Rep. Graves. “It’s an honor to work for the people of North Missouri and I look forward to getting more accomplished this year!” 

    Major bills from the 118th Congress sponsored by Graves and signed into law, whether as stand-alone measures or as part of other bills, included the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, the Water Resources Development Act of 2024, the E-BRIDGE Act, and the Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2023. 

    Graves serves as Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and also sits on the House Armed Services Committee. 

    You can learn more about the Legislative Effectiveness Scores here.

     

     

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES STATEMENT ON ICE ARRESTS

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

    Know Your Immigration Rights

    If you or a loved one encounter immigration enforcement officials, it is essential that you know your rights and have prepared your household for all possible outcomes.

    Ask for a warrant: The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution protects you from unreasonable search and seizure. You do not have to open your door until you see a valid warrant to enter your home or search your belongings.

    Your right to remain silent: The Fifth Amendment protects your right to remain silent and not incriminate yourself. You are not required to share any personal information such as your place of birth, immigration status or criminal history.

    Always consult an attorney: You have a right to speak with an attorney. You do not have to sign anything or hand officials any documents without speaking to an attorney. Try to identify and consult one in advance.

    The New York City Office of Civil Justice and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) support a variety of free immigration legal services through local nonprofit legal organizations. To access these resources, dial 311 and say “Action NYC,” call the MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline at 800-354-0365 Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or visit MOIA’s website.

    Learn more here: KNOW YOUR IMMIGRATION RIGHTS  – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES STATEMENT ON TRUMP GUTTING UNION RIGHTS

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

    Boston, MA – Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries released the following statement:

    Donald Trump and House Republicans promised to stand up for working class Americans. They lied. Instead of lowering the high cost of living, Republicans are attacking everyday Americans and crashing the economy in real time. 

    The freedom to negotiate, join a union and collectively bargain for a living wage is a central part of achieving the American dream for many in this country. We will defend at all times the right to organize. 

    The late-night decision by Donald Trump to gut workers rights and union-bust makes clear that Republicans are hell bent on undermining the quality of life of working class Americans. As a direct result of the Republican assault on the federal workforce, tax refunds, veterans benefits and Social Security checks will be delayed or wrongfully halted. 

    Republicans are driven by their intense desire to reward Elon Musk and their billionaire donors with a massive tax cut and then stick working class Americans with the bill. House Democrats will continue to stand with everyday Americans, including our hardworking government employees, and oppose the far-right extreme agenda in Congress and in the Courts.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES: “THE VOTERS REJECTED DONALD TRUMP, THEY REJECTED ELON MUSK AND THEY REJECTED THE RAPIDLY DETERIORATING REPUBLICAN BRAND”

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

    Washington, DC – Yesterday, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell where he emphasized that Democrats will continue to stand up for everyday Americans and push back against Republican efforts to break Social Security in order to give tax breaks to Elon Musk and their billionaire donors.

    LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: Joining us now is House Democratic Leader, Hakeem Jeffries. Thank you very much for joining us tonight. There is so much to talk about. Let’s begin as we wait for a victory speech in Wisconsin with what you’re seeing in those special elections in Florida for two House seats?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, good evening, Lawrence. Great to be with you. It was an incredible overperformance by the two Democratic candidates in two ruby-red districts, Florida-1, which Donald Trump won by 37 points and Florida-6, where Joshua Weil ran a great campaign in a district that Donald Trump had just won by 30 points. And what we’re seeing, of course, is something that we’ve seen all across the country since the early special elections that began in late January, and that is Democratic energy and overperformance, coupled with Independent swing voters and even moderate Republicans breaking for the Democratic candidate and rejecting the extremism, the outrageous behavior of this administration and their effort to harm everyday Americans.

    LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: As you look at the Wisconsin result, this was something I did not expect to be discussing with you during this hour tonight. We expected this to be a closer race. We expected the call to come much later in the evening. We saw Elon Musk personally go out there. We saw him hand million dollar checks to voters trying to literally buy the election right there in Wisconsin. What does it tell Republican Members of the House of Representatives who were counting on Elon Musk to get them re-elected?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: It’s time for them to walk away from this unelected, unpopular, unhinged and un-American billionaire puppet master. Elon Musk was just rejected decisively by the voters of Wisconsin. He tried to spend his unlimited resources to buy a state Supreme Court seat in Wisconsin, and it failed spectacularly. The voters rejected Donald Trump. They rejected Elon Musk, and they rejected the rapidly deteriorating Republican brand. We have to continue as Democrats to make it clear to everyday Americans that we are fighting to build an affordable economy and to drive down the high cost of living, while at the same time pushing back against Republican extremism and their efforts to cut Social Security, cut Medicare, cut Medicaid and undermine our democracy and the American way of life. Clearly, the American people are with us as it relates to what they are seeing in Washington, D.C., and we’ve now seen this in special elections in January, in February, in March, just recently in Pennsylvania and now, of course, decisively in April in Wisconsin.

    LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: I want to ask you about what feels like a related event, especially at this hour, a related event to what voters are saying in these elections tonight. And that is what happened in the United States Senate today. And I worked in the Senate for many years, seven or eight years. And I can say that the Democratic Leader of the House of Representatives, never once set foot in the Senate chamber when I was there. All House Members, of course, as we know, have Floor privileges in the Senate. They can come in whenever they want to. It was extremely rare to see a House Member there. You were there today. Why did you decide to go there today? And what did it feel like to witness what turned out to be the history that Senator Cory Booker made in the Senate chamber today?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: It was a very powerful experience. I had the opportunity to visit the Senate chamber twice, initially earlier in the day, just to express my support and solidarity for Cory, who I’ve known a long time, we got started in politics around the same period of time, him in Newark, New Jersey, and myself across the river in Brooklyn, New York. We were in law school around the same time. And I’ve long admired him. But today was really Senator Cory Booker taking it to the next level on behalf of the American people. And indeed, I would argue, Lawrence, the free world. And so it was powerful to be on the Senate Floor with him earlier today. But then when it became clear that he had a chance to break Strom Thurmond’s record, I decided to change my schedule so I could be back on the Senate Floor to witness that history. Because here you have this incredible juxtaposition of Strom Thurmond having previously delivered the longest speech in Senate history in defense of Jim Crow and racial oppression, and Cory Booker, an African American man, defending democracy and the American way of life in the face of Trump’s extremism. Breaking that record was just powerful to witness. And, you know, Senator Booker’s speech was strong. It was substantive. But perhaps what was most touching about it was that it was soulful. It was authentic. It came from his heart. Of course, the brilliance of his mind. But it came from his heart.

    LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: Yeah. It was the most fully authentic Cory Booker that I’ve ever seen. And I think there’s something about that 25 hours that wears as a person down and he was standing out there with no defenses that you might bring to other sort of public speaking events. And it was really an astonishing thing to watch. One of the things he was concentrating on, and one of the things that he was getting and all the emails that are being sent to him from around the country, was fear of what Elon Musk and Donald Trump are going to do to Social Security, and that is a fear that is as powerful as a voter could have in terms of an attachment to an important public program, the most popular public program in American governing history. I gotta think, even when you get to judicial elections in Wisconsin, if people are afraid of what’s going to happen to Social Security. They’re not going to be voting for the side that’s trying to knock it down.

    LEADER JEFFRIES: That’s absolutely correct. And this is an area where there’s a clear distinction between what Democrats are all about and Republicans. We want to protect and strengthen Social Security. It’s an earned benefit. The American people have paid into Social Security throughout their entire working life. And the nerve of these Republicans, led by Donald Trump and Elon Musk, who want to take a chainsaw to Social Security, the most important anti-poverty program for older Americans ever invented, which also happens to be this earned benefit. And why they want to decimate Social Security? Because they want to actually give massive tax cuts to their billionaire donors, people like Elon Musk. And so I thought what Senator Booker did today was incredibly powerful in speaking to this issue. And as you know, Lawrence, in the House, we had a Democratic-led hearing on Social Security, the threats that it is under and our commitment as Democrats to protect it.

    LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: And you did—I watched some of that hearing. And you did something at that hearing—I know you were present at the hearing—that Republicans would never do. You actually listened to Social Security recipients and people whose lives could not work without their Social Security check. There was a woman who testified. I saw her testifying that her Social Security check is $1,500 a month, $1,500 a month. And without that, she would be homeless and the stakes identified by the actual beneficiaries in that hearing were as clear and as powerful as you could ask for.

    LEADER JEFFRIES: That’s absolutely right. It’s one thing to say, and it is in fact true that there are a little over 70 million people who rely on Social Security as a major source of income, half of whom live by themselves here in the United States of America. But when you actually hear from people whose very life will be impacted and short-changed, possibly just cut short, in terms of their ability to live with the dignity and respect that every American deserves is very powerful. Republicans have no interest in these Americans telling their stories, which is why, as House Democrats, we will continue week after week to hold hearings. This is the third in a series of hearings that we’ve held. Initially it was on Medicaid. Last week we had a hearing on nutritional assistance and the fact that Republicans are literally trying to rip food out of the mouths of babies and children in this country. Today, Social Security and we’re going to continue to stay on this case.

    LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: I mean, on the subject of Social Security. I would have to think that it was a factor in the results we’re seeing in those congressional races, those House races in Florida tonight.

    LEADER JEFFRIES: There’s no doubt about it. You know, Elon Musk was also very involved in these Florida races. And notwithstanding the fact that these are safe Republican districts, the results that we have seen can be interpreted, we believe, as a rejection of him and his extremism as well. This is somebody who has said he wants to take a chainsaw to Social Security, and he’s called Social Security a Ponzi scheme. It’s not a Ponzi scheme, Elon. He’s a living, breathing Ponzi scheme. Project 2025 is a Ponzi scheme. And that’s what the voters clearly believe increasingly all across the country. One point, Lawrence, that should have my Republican colleagues quaking in their boots—in the Florida-6 race, which was a Trump plus 30 district where margin was cut in half and we’ll see where it ultimately lands. But we know at minimum, it was cut in half to around 15 or 16 points. There are 60 Republicans in the House of Representatives who currently represent districts where Trump did worse than 15 or 16 points, and every single one of those districts, there’s now a target on the backs of those House Republicans.

    LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, thank you very much for joining us on this important night, I really appreciate it.

    Full interview can be watched here. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES: “WE ARE STANDING TOGETHER IN OPPOSITION TO THE GOP TAX SCAM”

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

    Washington, DC – Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a press availability with Senate Democratic Leader Schumer and House and Senate Democratic leaders where they made clear that Democrats are united in pushing back against the reckless Republican tax scheme.

    Leader Jeffries: We just completed a very good meeting between House Democratic leadership and Senate Democratic leadership. We are standing together in defense of the American people. House Democrats and Senate Democrats are fighting hard to build an affordable economy that works for everyday Americans and drives down the high cost of living in this country. At the same period of time, Donald Trump and House Republicans promised to lower the high cost of living. But costs aren’t going down, they are going up. Inflation is going up under the Republicans here in the Congress and the Trump administration, while at the same time the stock market is collapsing, eroding the retirement security of the American people.

    Democrats are focused on driving down the high cost of living. Republicans are crashing the economy in real time and driving us toward a recession. House and Senate Democrats are united in defending Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, veterans benefits and nutritional assistance for our children and our families, while Republicans are trying to take these things away, stealing taxpayer dollars so they can jam a massive tax break for Elon Musk and their billionaire donors down the throats of the American people. We are standing together in opposition to the GOP tax scam and in defense of the American people.

    Full press availability can be found here. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES: “REPUBLICANS ARE CRASHING THE AMERICAN ECONOMY IN REAL TIME AND DRIVING US TO A RECESSION”

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

    Washington, DC – Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a press conference where he emphasized that House Democrats will continue to push back against far-right extremism, including Donald Trump’s reckless tariffs which will increase costs on the American people.

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Good morning everyone. From the very beginning of this Congress, House Democrats have continued to make clear that we are fighting hard to build an affordable economy that drives down the high cost of living for everyday Americans because the cost of living in America is too high. Housing costs are too high, grocery costs are too high, childcare costs are too high, utility costs are too high and insurance costs are too high. America is too expensive. Donald Trump and House Republicans aren’t doing anything about the affordability crisis in the United States of America.

    We were told that grocery costs were going to go down on day one of the Trump presidency. Costs aren’t going down in America, they’re going up. And the Trump tariffs are going to make things more costly in the United States of America. House Republicans, Senate Republicans and Donald Trump haven’t done a single thing to lower the cost of living in this country. Not a single bill. Not a single executive order. Not a single administrative action has been done by Donald Trump, House Republicans or Senate Republicans to lower the high cost of living in the United States of America. In fact, Republicans are crashing the American economy in real time and driving us to a recession. This is not Liberation Day. It’s Recession Day in the United States of America. That’s what the Trump tariffs are going to do—crash the economy, which has been happening since January 20 of this year. And the American people are taking note of it in community after community after the community.

    But it gets worse. Not only have Republicans failed to do anything to drive down the high cost of living in the United States of America, they are trying to take healthcare away from the American people and end Social Security as we know it. Our response to that Republican effort: not on our watch. We’re working hard to save Medicaid and strengthen and protect Social Security from Donald Trump, Elon Musk and the extreme MAGA Republicans who are on the run. They’re on the run on the economy. They’re on the run legislatively. Yesterday, they got out of town before sundown cause they have no agenda to make life better for the American people. And they’re on the run politically, which as Democrats we’ve been saying since January and now apparently other people are starting to catch up.

    Full press conference can be watched here. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dingell Condemns Trump Attack on Federal Workers’ Right to Collective Bargaining

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

    Dingell Condemns Trump Attack on Federal Workers’ Right to Collective Bargaining

    Washington, March 28, 2025

    Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06), co-chair of the Congressional Labor Caucus, today released the following statement condemning Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at ending the collective bargaining rights of hundreds of thousands of federal employees.

    “This is a blatant attack on workers’ rights and organized labor everywhere. Federal employees work as firefighters, nurses, doctors, law enforcement and public safety officials and more, and this president clearly does not care about their service. This administration cannot intimidate us into giving up the protections so many have fought for decades to secure. We will stand in solidarity and fight against every effort to roll back workers’ rights.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dingell, Tlaib, Carson Introduce Resolution Recognizing Eid al-Fitr

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

    Dingell, Tlaib, Carson Introduce Resolution Recognizing Eid al-Fitr

    Washington, March 28, 2025

    Representatives Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), and André Carson (IN-07) this week introduced a resolution recognizing Eid al-Fitr, the observance of the conclusion of Ramadan, and offering solidarity and support to all Muslims for a reflective observance.
     
    “As the holy month of Ramadan comes to a close, this is a time for us all to remember the importance of compassion, justice, and generosity,” Dingell said. “This year, as we mark Eid al-Fitr, I am proud to recognize the contributions of Muslim Americans to every part of our society, and I am praying for peace for those in our community and around the world.”
     
    “Ramadan is a time of deep spiritual reflection and Eid al-Fitr brings a celebration of renewal and resilience,” said Tlaib. “As we end this holy month of fasting, may we remember the people around the world who are unable to feed their families or celebrate with their children. My prayer is that this Eid al-Fitr brings justice and human dignity for all people.”
     
    “Muslim Americans are part of the fabric of our country,” said Carson. “Our bill is about recognizing and uplifting these important holidays, but I also hope it sends a clear message to all Muslim Americans – you belong, and our community values you. Millions of Americans have spent Ramadan reflecting and recommitting ourselves to our values, and now we come together in celebration and joy.” 

    Text the resolution is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Warren, Gillibrand Urge Expanded Investigation into State Oversight of Care Provided to Seniors in Assisted Living Facilities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    April 02, 2025
    Ranking Members of Senate Finance, Banking, and Aging committees say a new report is needed for “a stronger understanding of why assisted living facilities were so rarely held accountable for neglecting the safety of their residents”
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) today demanded a new investigation into the quality of care provided at assisted living facilities to establish whether the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and state Medicaid agencies have improved their ability to protect hundreds of thousands of seniors and people with disabilities in assisted living facilities that participate in Medicaid.   
    “A new GAO report could provide legislators and the American public with a stronger understanding of why assisted living facilities were so rarely held accountable for neglecting the safety of their residents,” the senators wrote the Government Accountability Office (GAO). 
    In 2018, GAO reported on this issue, revealing that the majority of state Medicaid agencies did not track serious health and safety issues at assisted living facilities participating in Medicaid. The report also found state agencies defined critical incidents in different ways, limiting the collection of information. GAO concluded that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services may be unaware of widespread problems affecting Medicaid beneficiaries at assisted living facilities due to a lack of clear federal guidance on reporting issues. 
    Since this initial report, The Washington Post revealed that since 2018, thousands of assisted living residents have “wandered away…or been left unattended for hours outside,” leading to nearly 100 documented deaths and even more residents unaccounted for as a result of “failures by administrators and front-line caregivers” to prevent these incidents.
    “Given GAO’s previous findings on the need for improved oversight of assisted living facilities, and new findings about residents’ health and safety, we request that GAO provide an update on this issue,” concluded the senators. 
    The lawmakers asked for details into the GAO’s investigation, highlighting how oversight of the facilities has changed since the 2018 report, what deficiencies and critical incidents have been identified at the facilities in recent years, how the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is implementing the updated monitoring and reporting requirements for state Medicaid programs, and what additional oversight in these facilities is necessary. 
    Wyden is the Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee. Warren is the Ranking Member of the Senate Banking Committee. Gillibrand is the Ranking Member of the Senate Aging Committee.
    Full text of the letter is here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King Releases Statement on New Tariff Proposals, Emergency Tariffs on Canadian Goods

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, U.S. Senator Angus King released the following statement after the White House announced sweeping new tariffs, and the Senate voted on a resolution dissolving the national emergency at the northern border imposing tariffs placed on Canada in February. The bill passed the Senate in a 51-48 vote:
    “Today, the White House announced sweeping new tariffs that will upend our economy, increase the cost of consumer goods, and isolate the United States on the global stage. The announcement comes on the same day as the Senate voted in a bipartisan manner to undo a demonstrably false national emergency on the northern border which the President used to impose tariffs on our northern neighbor.
    “Canada is not only our neighbor, but it is also our ally and strategic economic partner. As Maine people, we have family, friends and business associates across the border that we work and socialize with in our daily lives.
    “The partnership between our two nations supports countless industries, creates millions of jobs and helps ensure our shared economic successes. In fact, annually, Maine exports more than $1.8 billion in goods to Canada and provides $233 million in services to our close neighbors. That is a significant part of our state’s economy.
    “The Senate vote today underlines the lack of any basis for asserting a national emergency on our northern border. The claim that these tariffs are a retaliation against drug trafficking doesn’t pass the straight face test – fentanyl seizures at the United States-Canada border make up a tenth of a percent of Customs and Border Protection seizures of this dangerous drug. To make things worse, a tariff hike based on a false narrative would have drastic costs for American households, especially those closest to the border. Launching a trade war with Canada will harm Maine families and many key industries our state relies upon like the lobster fishery and agriculture.
    “As co-chair of the bicameral, bipartisan American-Canadian Economy and Security (ACES) Caucus, I will always vote to protect our economy and partnership with Canada. But I’m also committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to protect Maine people and Americans from harmful policies that threaten existing relationships with our strongest allies.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen: Extreme Trump Tariffs on All Imported Goods Amount to a National Sales Tax That Will Punish Granite State Families and Small Businesses

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) released the following statement in response to President Trump imposing 10 percent tariffs on all imported goods, with far higher taxes on many more countries:  
    “President Trump’s extreme, sweeping tariffs amount to a national sales tax—which may be the largest tax increase during peacetime in U.S. history—that will indeed punish Granite State families, consumers and small businesses the most. Instead of focusing on how to lower costs for families who are struggling to make ends meet, the President is insistent on starting an unnecessary trade war.  
    “Make no mistake: hardworking Americans—not foreign nations—will be forced to pick up the tab. And in the President’s own words, he ‘couldn’t care less’ if prices go up. 
    “If the impact here at home wasn’t enough, the President’s reckless tariffs will harm our global standing – weakening our national security and fueling China’s growth. To punish families with higher prices while driving our trading partners towards one of our top adversaries is simply putting America Last. 
    “Families will foot the bill so that the administration can pay for tax cuts for billionaires. The President must immediately reverse course before he isolates America further and runs our economy into the ground.” 
    Economists and business leaders alike have said broad tariffs could stoke further inflation, worsen the risk of a recession and raise prices on consumers. 
    In recent weeks, Senator Shaheen has traveled across the Granite State to hear from multiple small business owners—including C&J, DCI Furniture, Mount Cabot Maple and American Calan Inc.—about how President Trump’s threat of sweeping tariffs has already harmed their ability to maintain current operations, let alone grow and compete. 
    Last month, Shaheen invited Rebecca Hamilton, the co-owner and co-CEO of Badger in Gilsum, New Hampshire, to be her guest for President Trump’s Joint Address to Congress. Badger is one of many New Hampshire small businesses that will be badly hit by today’s tariffs. A day prior, Shaheen took to the Senate floor to call for unanimous consent to pass her legislation—the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes on Imported Goods Act. If Republicans had not blocked passage, Shaheen’s bill would have shielded American consumers and businesses from rising prices and higher taxes caused by President Trump’s tariffs on Canada and Mexico. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement of U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner on Trump Tariffs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement on the widespread tariffs announced by Donald Trump today:
    “These tariffs are nothing more than an enormous tax hike on American consumers, who will soon be left footing the bill as they pay more for groceries, electronics, clothes, and cars. Tariffs should be targeted wisely, not applied to practically all goods in a way that eliminates jobs, alienates our closest partners, and evaporates the retirement savings of hardworking Americans. I look forward to a vote tonight on our Senate resolution to remove misguided tariffs against Canada and take a strong first step towards reasserting Congressional authority over trade policy.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Announces $32.4 Million for Hurricanes Ida, Laura Relief 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    Grant Awarded
    Recipient
    Project Description
    $1,515,421.77
    Lake Charles Harbor and Terminal District
    This grant will provide federal funding for equipment replacement at Hewitt-Robbins Ship Loader #1 damaged by Hurricane Laura.
    $1,725,740.10
    West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital
    This grant will provide federal funding for permanent repairs to hospital buildings damaged by Hurricane Laura.
    $6,209,552.39
    Terrebonne Parish School Board
    This grant will provide federal funding for management costs associated with recovery projects following Hurricane Ida.
    $1,312,558.39
    Orleans Levee District Non-Flood Protection Asset Management Authority
    This grant will provide federal funding for permanent repairs to South Shore Harbor facilities damaged by Hurricane Ida.
    $13,358,873.33
    St. John the Baptist Parish
    This grant will provide federal funding for debris removal operations following Hurricane Laura.
    $1,562,359.50
    Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
    This grant will provide federal funding for debris removal operations following Hurricane Ida.
    $5,286,570.30
    Terrebonne Parish School Board
    This grant will provide federal funding for repair costs resulting from Hurricane Ida.
    $1,415,716.20
    Jefferson Parish School Board
    This grant will provide federal funding for repair costs resulting from Hurricane Ida.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: $TOCKHOLDER ALERT: The M&A Class Action Firm Urges Shareholders of FNA, BECN, QTRX, PLYA to Take Action

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Monteverde & Associates PC (the “M&A Class Action Firm”), has recovered millions of dollars for shareholders and is recognized as a Top 50 Firm in the 2024 ISS Securities Class Action Services Report. We are headquartered at the Empire State Building in New York City and are investigating:

    • Paragon 28, Inc. (NYSE: FNA), relating to the proposed merger with Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. Under the terms of the agreement, Zimmer Biomet will acquire all outstanding shares of Paragon 28 common stock for $13.00 per share. Paragon 28 shareholders will also receive a non-tradeable contingent value right entitling holders to receive up to $1.00 per share in cash if certain revenue milestones are achieved.

    ACT NOW. The Shareholder Vote is scheduled for April 16, 2025.

    Click here for more https://monteverdelaw.com/case/paragon-28-inc-fna/. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

    • Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. (NASDAQ: BECN), relating to the proposed merger with QXO, Inc. Under the terms of the agreement, Beacon shareholders will receive $124.35 per share in cash.

    ACT NOW. The Tender Offer expires on April 14, 2025.

    Click here for more https://monteverdelaw.com/case/beacon-roofing-supply-inc-becn/. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

    • Quanterix Corporation (NASDAQ: QTRX), relating to the proposed merger with Akoya Biosciences. Under the terms of the agreement, Akoya shareholders will receive 0.318 shares of Quanterix common stock for each share of Akoya common stock owned. Quanterix shareholders will own approximately 70% of the combined company.

    Click here for more https://monteverdelaw.com/case/quanterix-corporation-qtrx/. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

    • Playa Hotels & Resorts N.V. (NASDAQ: PLYA), relating to the proposed merger with Hyatt Hotels Corporation. Under the terms of the agreement, Hyatt will acquire all outstanding shares of Playa for $13.50 per share in cash.

    ACT NOW. The Tender Offer expires on April 25, 2025.

    Click here for more https://monteverdelaw.com/case/playa-hotels-resorts-n-v-plya/ It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

    NOT ALL LAW FIRMS ARE THE SAME. Before you hire a law firm, you should talk to a lawyer and ask:

    1. Do you file class actions and go to Court?
    2. When was the last time you recovered money for shareholders?
    3. What cases did you recover money in and how much?

    About Monteverde & Associates PC

    Our firm litigates and has recovered money for shareholders…and we do it from our offices in the Empire State Building. We are a national class action securities firm with a successful track record in trial and appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. 

    No company, director or officer is above the law. If you own common stock in any of the above listed companies and have concerns or wish to obtain additional information free of charge, please visit our website or contact Juan Monteverde, Esq. either via e-mail at jmonteverde@monteverdelaw.com or by telephone at (212) 971-1341.

    Contact:
    Juan Monteverde, Esq.
    MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIATES PC
    The Empire State Building
    350 Fifth Ave. Suite 4740
    New York, NY 10118
    United States of America
    jmonteverde@monteverdelaw.com
    Tel: (212) 971-1341

    Attorney Advertising. (C) 2025 Monteverde & Associates PC. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Monteverde & Associates PC (www.monteverdelaw.com).  Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Acceleware Ltd. Reports Fourth Quarter 2024 Financial and Operating Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Acceleware® Ltd. (“Acceleware” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: AXE), a leading innovator of transformative technologies targeting the decarbonization of industrial process heat, today announced its financial and operating results for the year ended December 31, 2024 (all figures are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted). Acceleware’s results reflect contributions from the Company’s two business units, radio frequency (“RF”) heating for industrial applications using the Company’s proprietary Clean Tech Inverter (“CTI”) including enhanced oil recovery (“RF XL”), and scientific high-performance computing (“HPC”). This news release should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited financial statements and the accompanying notes for the year ended December 31, 2024 and management’s discussion and analysis (“MDA”) with respect thereto, all of which are available on Acceleware’s website at www.acceleware.com or on www.sedarplus.ca.

    HIGHLIGHTS

    Financial highlights for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024:

        Three Months Ended Twelve Months Ended
        Dec 31, 2024 Dec 31, 2023 Dec 31, 2024 Dec 31, 2023  
    Revenue $ 1,918,077 43,590 5,233,033 279,011  
    Comprehensive income/ (loss)   851,242 617,748 2,001,685 (2,045,373 )
    Gross R&D expenditures   581,071 684,437 2,872,982 2,872,982  
    Government assistance   – 2,064,434 1,227,929 2,618,242  
     

    Acceleware is piloting RF XL at its commercial-scale RF XL pilot project at Marwayne, Alberta (the “RF XL Pilot”). During 2024, the RF XL Pilot was shut down awaiting redeployment of upgraded subsurface components designed to address limitations encountered in the first phase of heating. Please refer to the RF XL PILOT UPDATE section below for more information, and to the MDA for a complete RF XL Pilot update.

    Based on results to date, Acceleware remains confident that RF XL will become viable as a differentiated technology in the effort to reduce production costs and decarbonize heavy oil and oil sands production. In 2024, the Company’s operations team continued data analysis, “history-matching” simulations and other analyses of operational data from tests in 2022. The analysis provides evidence that the operation of the RF XL Pilot resulted in sustained heating of the formation around the heating well prior to the pause in operations for maintenance and inspection. In particular, the Company successfully injected RF power into the heating well for over 200 days — a significant milestone and something that has never been achieved before. Also of note is that the CTI successfully operated for seven consecutive months at a variety of power levels and operating conditions during this time.

    In the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company worked closely with industry partners to refine the next iteration of the RF XL subsurface system to address technical issues that were illuminated during the first phase of heating at the RF XL Pilot. This redesign work is now complete and ready for manufacturing and deployment. During 2024 the Company confirmed that the expected cost to redeploy the upgraded design at Marwayne would be approximately $5 million including contingency. In December 2024, the Company announced that it had secured a total of up to $1.3 million in non-dilutive funding from the Clean Resource Innovation Network (“CRIN”) for the next phase of the RF XL Pilot, contingent on the Company sourcing the remaining $3.7 million. To this end, the Company also secured an RF XL consulting contract from an oil and gas operator (whose identity remains confidential), the net proceeds of which will be applied to RF XL development. The Company has identified several additional industry and government potential funders and is in discussions with them. The purpose of the next phase of the RF XL Pilot is to enable higher power to be distributed in the reservoir for a sustained period, resulting in higher reservoir temperatures and oil production, to advance the potential commercial viability of RF XL technology.

    In addition to development work, and with results gained from RF XL deployment in Marwayne to date, Management has also initiated a strategic review of the commercialization plan for RF XL. The process involved analyzing various heavy oil and bitumen reservoirs in western Canada, considering RF XL test results and analyses conducted to date, with the goal of determining the optimal resources for the demonstration of commercial viability of RF XL. These reservoirs included not only the vast McMurray oil sands, but also heavy oil plays including the Clearwater in north-central Alberta, the Bluesky in west-central Alberta, and the Mannville Stack in eastern Alberta and western Saskatchewan. The review process has led Management to conclude that heavy oil plays offer the greatest near-term potential for commercializing RF XL, due to lower initial capital cost per well, ability to scale from one-to-many heating wells, lower operating cost to effectively decrease viscosity, and the potential for significant incremental production and ultimate recovery to make uneconomic resources economic. Once proven in heavy oil, Management believes the oil sands will offer significant market expansion potential.

    In Q1 2025, Acceleware’s board of directors approved a Management proposal to investigate (in parallel with continued effort to progress a second phase of heating at Marwayne) the opportunity for Acceleware, as an operator, to acquire a suitable heavy oil property, and thereafter apply RF XL as a secondary recovery method to improve the property’s production, cashflow, ultimate recovery and asset valuation. Should this investigation ultimately lead to a decision to “green light” an undertaking of this nature based on its economic merits, Acceleware would benefit from the valuation enhancement brought about by RF XL. Management has commenced its investigation as of the date of this news release.

    Beyond enhanced recovery of heavy oil, Acceleware believes EM Powered Heat and the CTI can economically decarbonize many industrial heating verticals through electrification. Immediate application of electrification in industrial heating is critical in the clean energy transition. Acceleware has established initiatives, and is in discussions to pursue other initiatives, to develop CTI powered prototypes for applications in industries such as mining and mineral processing, concrete, carbon capture, agri-food drying, hydrogen and other clean fuels production.

    Acceleware continues to work toward securing a contract to complete Phase 3 of a potash ore drying project from the International Minerals Innovation Institute (“IMII”). The findings of Phase 2 were presented to IMII in July 2024, and the Company continues to conduct paid testing with the system. Phase 3 of the project would include the design, construction and testing of a larger shop-scale demonstration dryer. IMII, a non-profit organization jointly funded by industry and government, is committed to developing and implementing innovative education, training, research and development partnerships to support a world-class minerals industry. IMII’s minerals industry members include BHP, Cameco Corporation, Fission Uranium Corp., The Mosaic Company and Nutrien Ltd.

    The Company has 28 patents granted or allowed to protect various proprietary technologies and 32 patent applications pending or under development. The Company uses an integrated strategy for IP protection involving a combination of patenting and trade secrets, working closely with the patent offices and intellectual property advisors.

    RF XL PILOT UPDATE

    Consistent with the last update, Acceleware plans to continue a second phase of heating after completing a proposed significant subsurface design upgrade to address the moisture ingress issue. Prior to the next phase of heating, all RF XL subsurface components will be removed, refurbished, or upgraded, and then redeployed. This plan was developed in consultation with industry partners and service providers and among the alternatives examined, it is expected to have the highest probability of achieving higher power injected into the reservoir for a sustained period. During 2024 the engineering team worked to solidify plans and estimate costs. An estimated additional $5 million of funding is required to complete the redeployment including contingency, and Acceleware is actively working to raise these funds. Acceleware has secured $1.3 million partial funding for the redeployment conditional on securing the balance of the funds from industry partners or other sources. The final timing and cost of the redeployment and subsequent heating is uncertain and remains primarily dependent on financing, partner investment, the time required to source the remaining financing, and the successful deployment of repairs and components. Planned upgrades have been specifically designed to eliminate the moisture ingress issue. In addition, measures will be taken to add resilience to the system to ensure long-term operation if moisture does return. Upgrades will also be made to enhance the performance of the CTI function, including providing more accurate monitoring of broadband voltage, current and power.

    Total direct funding received for the first phase of the RF XL Pilot was $24.4 million and included $5.9 million from Alberta Innovates, $5.5 million from Sustainable Development Technology Canada (“SDTC”), $5.0 million from Emissions Reduction Alberta (“ERA”), $3.0 million from CRIN and $5.0 million in aggregate from three oil sands operators. See discussion below in Financial Summary. In exchange for funding, the oil sands operators received exclusive access to detailed technical data and test results, prioritized rights to host a subsequent test, preferred pricing on pre-commercial products and preferred access to RF XL products. These major oil sands producers represent well over one million barrels of oil sands and heavy oil production per day.

    QUARTER IN REVIEW

    Revenue of $1.9 million was recorded in the three months ended December 31, 2024 (“Q4 2024”) compared to $44 thousand in the three months ended December 31, 2023 (“Q4 2023”) and $3.3 million in the previous quarter ended September 30, 2024 (“Q3 2024”). Revenue in Q4 2024 included $1.9 million related to the RF XL Pilot. Deferred revenue related to a contract with one oil sands producer was recognized when all deliverables were provided.

    Total comprehensive income for Q4 2024 was $0.9 million compared to a comprehensive income of $0.8 million for Q4 2023 and comprehensive income of $1.2 million for Q3 2024. Comprehensive income in Q4 2024 and Q3 2024 was higher due to revenue related to the RF XL Pilot, while positive comprehensive income in Q4 2023 was due to higher government assistance for R&D. Finance expenses in Q4 2024 and Q4 2023 include interest expense on notes payable which are funding the Company’s working capital. Comprehensive income in all periods was impacted by changes in value of the derivative financial instruments embedded within the convertible debenture. The changes in derivative value are driven primarily by the fluctuation in the Company’s share price.

    Gross R&D expenses incurred in Q4 2024 were $0.6 million compared to $0.7 million in Q4 2023 and $0.5 million in Q3 2024. R&D spending in Q4 2024 was principally related to the IMII dryer for potash ore and included lab engineering, designing and testing, data analysis, and partner consultations. R&D spending in Q4 2023 was related to the RF XL Pilot. There was $nil government assistance received in Q4 2024 and $2.1 million in Q4 2023 and $0.7 million in Q3 2024. The Company received the final CRIN payment of $0.3 million in Q3 2024 and the final ERA holdback payment of $0.2 million. The Government of Alberta’s Innovation Employment Grant (“IEG”) to support research and development was effective January 1, 2021 and provides a grant of up to 20% of eligible R&D expenses incurred in Alberta. This new grant effectively replaced Alberta’s 10% scientific research and experimental development refundable tax credit that was eliminated as at December 31, 2019. The Company met the eligibility criteria, claimed eligible R&D expenditures and received $0.3 million in Q3 2024 related to 2023 eligible expenditures, received $0.1 million in the three months ended September 30, 2023 related to 2022 eligible expenditures, and $0.4 million in the three months ended March 31, 2023 related to 2021 eligible expenditures. Government assistance is recorded as a reduction of R&D expenses.

    G&A expenses incurred in Q4 2024 were $315 thousand compared to $579 thousand in Q4 2023 and $446 thousand in Q3 2024. There were lower non-cash payroll related costs incurred in Q4 2024 due to the timing of option grants and lower salaries as the Company continues to prioritize cost control given uncertain economic conditions.

    YEAR IN REVIEW

    Revenue of $5.2 million was recorded for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to $279 thousand for the year ended December 31, 2023. Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2024 included $4.75 million services revenue related to the RF XL Pilot and $322 thousand in services revenue related to the potash drying project. Revenue was recognized for the RF XL Pilot as all milestones were completed under Project Funding Agreements for two oil sands producers while a third oil sands producer terminated its Project Funding Agreement triggering revenue recognition of previously received milestone payments.

    Total comprehensive income for the year ended December 31, 2024 was $2.0 million compared to comprehensive loss of $2.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The increase was due to higher revenue as noted above, despite lower government assistance for R&D. There were fluctuations in both periods related to changes in fair value of the derivative financial instruments embedded in convertible debentures.

    Gross R&D expenses for the year ended December 31, 2024 were $2.3 million compared to $2.9 million incurred during the year ended December 31, 2023 due to higher R&D activity in the first half of 2023 related to the final on site activities associated with the RF XL Pilot. Federal and provincial government assistance of $1.2 million was recognized in the year ended December 31, 2024. This was lower than the $2.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 when the RF XL Pilot on-site activities wrapped up. R&D net of government assistance was $1.0 million in the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to $255 thousand in the year ended December 31, 2023.

    General and administrative (“G&A”) expenses incurred during the year ended December 31, 2024 were $1.6 million compared to $2.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, due to lower salaries and professional fees. The Company continues to prioritize cost management, while it works on sourcing financing alternatives.

    As at December 31, 2024, Acceleware had negative working capital of $3.4 million (December 31, 2023 – negative working capital of $2.0 million) including cash and cash equivalents of $272 thousand (December 31, 2023 – $1.0 million). The increase in negative working capital is attributable to the decrease in cash as well as an increase in short term notes payable, and an increase in deferred management compensation.

    In the interests of matching cash requirements with a combination of cash generated from operations, external funding, and capital raising activities, the Company actively manages its cash flow and investments in new products. Acceleware intends to maximize cash generated from operations through several initiatives which include continuing to focus on higher gross margin software products that are marketed through a combination of direct and reseller models; minimizing operating expenses where possible; and limiting capital expenditures. As the Company continues to develop its RF Heating technology, new R&D investments will be financed through a combination of internal cash flow from the HPC business, project funding agreements, government assistance and external financing, when available.

    ABOUT ACCELEWARE:

    Acceleware is an innovator of clean-tech decarbonization technologies comprised of two business units: Radio Frequency Heating Technology and Seismic Imaging Software.

    Acceleware is piloting RF XL, its patented low-cost, low-carbon production technology for heavy oil and oil sands that is materially different from any heavy oil recovery technique used today. Acceleware’s vision is that electrification of heavy oil and oil sands production can be made possible through RF XL, supporting a transition to much cleaner energy production that can quickly bend the emissions curve downward. With clean electricity, Acceleware’s RF XL technology could eliminate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with heavy oil and oil sands production. RF XL uses no water, requires no solvent, has a small physical footprint, can be redeployed from site to site, and can be applied to a multitude of reservoir types. Acceleware is also actively developing partnerships for RF heating of other industrial applications using the Company’s proprietary CTI.

    Acceleware and Saa Dene Group (co-founded by Jim Boucher) have created Acceleware | Kisâstwêw to raise the profile, adoption, and value of Acceleware technologies. The shared vision of the partnership is to improve the environmental and economic performance of the energy sector by supporting ideals that are important to Indigenous peoples, including respect for land, water, and clean air.

    The Company’s seismic imaging software solutions are state-of-the-art for high fidelity imaging, providing the most accurate and advanced imaging available for oil exploration in complex geologies. Acceleware is a public company listed on Canada’s TSX Venture Exchange under the trading symbol “AXE”.

    NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND OTHER ADVISORIES

    This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information generally means information about an issuer’s business, capital, or operations that are prospective in nature, and includes disclosure about the issuer’s prospective financial performance or financial position. 

    The forward-looking information in this press release can be identified by terms such as “believes”, “estimates”, “plans”, “potential”, and “will”, and includes information about, the expected commercialization of RF XL, the expected cost of the RF XL Pilot, the timing of the execution of the RF XL Pilot and the redeployment, expected financing required for the RF XL Pilot redeployment, and the anticipated economic and societal benefits of the RF XL technology. Acceleware assumes that current cost estimates are accurate, current timelines will not be delayed by either internal or external causes, that research and development effort including the commercial-scale test plans will result in commercial-ready products, and that future capital raising efforts will be successful.

    Actual results may vary from the forward-looking information in this press release due to certain material risk factors. These risk factors are described in detail in Acceleware’s continuous disclosure documents, which are filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. 

    Acceleware assumes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking information in this press release, unless it is required to do so under Canadian securities legislation. 

    This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described in this release in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”), or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. 

    DISCLAIMER

    Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    For more information:
    Geoff Clark
    Tel: +1 (403) 249-9099
    geoff.clark@acceleware.com

    Acceleware Ltd.
    435 10th Avenue SE
    Calgary, AB, T2G 0W3
    Canada
    Tel: +1 (403) 249-9099
    www.acceleware.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’: why the US is on a war footing over tariffs and mass deportations

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By David Smith, Associate Professor in American Politics and Foreign Policy, US Studies Centre, University of Sydney

    US President Donald Trump’s foreign policy is doing little to enhance his country’s standing abroad. But it is helping to reinforce his political authority at home.

    Congress and the courts are typically deferential to the president on foreign policy – and, in particular, issues related to national security. By putting most of his agenda under the banner of foreign policy, Trump is now taking advantage of that deference to minimise challenges to his power.

    Trump has claimed for decades that US domestic problems can be solved with a more aggressive foreign policy.

    This focus certainly helps him deal with his political problems, allowing him to attack his enemies and evade accountability under the guise of “saving the country”.

    Trump has even gone so far as to call April 2 – when sweeping new tariffs are imposed on foreign goods – “Liberation Day”.

    This is a term usually used to celebrate the end of long wars rather than the beginning of them.

    Congress ceded its foreign policy powers

    We are used to thinking of the US president as having almost unlimited power over US foreign policy. But the Constitution actually gives a lot of that power to Congress.

    For example, Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution gives Congress, not the president, the power to declare war. It also gives Congress the power to “collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises”, which include tariffs.

    Given these shared responsibilities, the legal scholar Edward Corwin described the Constitution as “an invitation to struggle for the privilege of directing American foreign policy.”

    Since at least the Second World War, the president has been decisively winning that struggle. Or more accurately, Congress has been declining invitations to use its power.

    For example, American wars no longer begin with declarations. The US has not declared war since 1941, even though the country has been at war almost every year since then. Presidents instead initiate and escalate military conflict in other ways, nearly always with Congressional approval. That approval usually remains in place until a war goes badly wrong.

    Congress also passed legislation in 1934 giving the president power to negotiate trade agreements and adjust tariffs. That power expanded significantly with an act in 1962 that authorised the president to impose tariffs if imports threaten “national security”.

    Although Trump claims tariffs will bring economic prosperity back to the US by reviving manufacturing, his administration justifies them on national security grounds. For example, it is currently using another federal act passed in 1977 that allows tariffs in response to an international emergency as justification for its tariffs on Canada and Mexico.

    Given the dubiousness of these justifications and the economic damage tariffs might do, Congress could try to reassert its constitutional power to set tariffs.

    But this isn’t likely to happen soon, given the loyalty of Republicans to Trump. Members of Congress are also reluctant to be seen standing in the way of the president if national security is at stake.

    One revelation of “Signalgate” was the fact the US bombed Yemen without even the pretext of an urgent national security reason. But the Congressional grilling of Trump’s intelligence leaders, predictably, did not address this.

    The courts are no better

    The courts are supposed to review the constitutionality of government actions. But on foreign policy, the courts have been deferential to the president even longer than Congress.

    In a sweeping judgement in 1918, the Supreme Court wrote that foreign relations counted as a “political power” of the executive and legislative branches, not subject to judicial review.

    The Supreme Court has rarely ruled on foreign policy questions since then. When it does, it nearly always supports the president against anyone challenging his right to make foreign policy, including Congress.

    A federal judge recently complained the Trump administration ignored his order blocking deportation flights of alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador.

    Trump invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to justify deporting the Venezuelans, even though some have no criminal record.
    And Secretary of State Marco Rubio argued the deportations were a “foreign policy matter”, and “we can’t have the judges running foreign policy”.

    Mass deportation is one of Trump’s most popular policies. If he is going to pick fights with the judiciary, it makes political sense to do it on an issue where public opinion is on his side – even if the law is not.

    Rubio’s comment is also a likely preview of the arguments Trump’s lawyers will make when cases about immigration reach the Supreme Court.

    Similarly, the Trump’s administration is relying on the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act to deport protesters who have committed no crimes. This law allows the secretary of state to deport non-citizens if their presence in the US has “potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences”.

    Deportations under both acts are going to face legal challenges. But the Trump administration is betting the Supreme Court will take Trump’s side, given its conservative members generally hold an expansive view of executive power.

    A Supreme Court win would be a major political victory for Trump. It would encourage him to focus even more on using deportation as a political weapon, and making foreign policy justifications for legally dubious acts.

    War as a political tool

    Trump is effectively putting the US on a war footing. He is justifying his executive actions by recasting allies as enemies who menace national security with everything from illegal drugs to unfair subsidies, and by labelling millions of foreign nationals as “invaders”.

    Many Americans don’t believe him. But as long as he can make threatening foreigners the main focus of American politics, he can find political and legal support for almost anything he wants to do.

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

    – ref. Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’: why the US is on a war footing over tariffs and mass deportations – https://theconversation.com/trumps-liberation-day-why-the-us-is-on-a-war-footing-over-tariffs-and-mass-deportations-252808

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Big win for Alberta and Canada: Statement from Premier Smith

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wagner, Hill Commend SEC on Recent Rule Rollback, Encourage Commission to Review Further Harmful Rules

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO-02)

    House Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill (AR-02), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Capital Markets Ann Wagner (MO-02), and all Republican members of the Subcommittee on Capital Markets, sent a letter to Acting Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Mark Uyeda commending the Commission for its recent decision to rescind Staff Legal Bulletin (SLB) No. 14L. The lawmakers also used the letter to highlight additional challenges that remain within the Rule 14a-8 framework. 

    In the letter, Hill, Wagner, and Republican members of the Subcommittee stated, “The SEC’s core mission is to protect investors, maintain fair and efficient markets, and facilitate capital formation. The recent rescission of SLB 14L is a commendable action aligned with this mission. We encourage the Commission to build upon this progress by pursuing further reforms to Rule 14a-8 that will promote a shareholder proposal process that is both fair and focused on enhancing long-term shareholder value.

    Read the full letter here or below.

    Dear Acting Chair Uyeda,

    We write to commend the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for its recent decision to rescind Staff Legal Bulletin No. 14L through the issuance of Staff Legal Bulletin No. 14M on February 12, 2025. This action marks a significant step toward restoring balance in the shareholder proposal process and ensuring that proposals included in proxy statements are pertinent to shareholder value.

    However, despite this positive development, challenges remain within the Rule 14a-8 framework. The politicization of the proxy process continues to place a substantial burden on public companies, drive up unnecessary costs for shareholders, and undermine the broader attractiveness of U.S. public markets. When shareholder proposals are driven by social and political agendas rather than issues directly tied to corporate performance, they erode investor confidence and divert resources away from long-term value creation. This not only harms the companies targeted but also retail investors, pension funds, and other market participants who rely on fair and efficient capital markets.

    In addition to the broader politicization of the proxy process, the unchecked influence of proxy advisory firms, such as Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis, continues to distort voting outcomes with little transparency or accountability. By imposing arbitrary voting thresholds, these firms override shareholder intent, disenfranchising the majority of investors who support management proposals. Despite their outsized influence, proxy advisory firms often issue blanket recommendations that fail to account for company-specific circumstances. Worse, their recommendations are rarely grounded in a substantive analysis of whether a given proposal serves the economic interests of shareholders, further eroding confidence in the process.

    These challenges underscore the need for the SEC to take decisive action in regulating the proxy process. Given the ongoing litigation surrounding the SEC’s proxy advisor rules and the conflicting decisions from various circuit courts, we urge the SEC to reengage in defending its interpretation that proxy voting advice constitutes a “solicitation.” Reinforcing the agency’s authority to regulate proxy advisory firms is critical to ensuring accountability and restoring trust in the proxy process.

    To further enhance the effectiveness and fairness of the shareholder proposal process, we urge the SEC to undertake a formal rulemaking to:

    1. Restore the Shareholder Proposal Rule’s Original Intent by Keeping Politics Out of Proxy Statements: The SEC should formally recognize that corporate proxy statements are not the appropriate forum for partisan ideological debates. The shareholder proposal rule was designed to facilitate engagement on matters directly tied to a company’s business and financial performance, not as a tool for advancing broader social or political agendas. To restore this original intent, the SEC should amend Rule 14a-8 to clarify that companies may exclude shareholder proposals that do not directly relate to core business operations and financial performance.

    2. Eliminate the Significant Policy Exception: The SEC should eliminate the so-called “significant policy exception” under Rule 14a-8(i)(7), a provision not explicitly stated in the rule but created through Commission-level guidance and SEC staff interpretation. This loophole allows activists to compel companies to include shareholder proposals on controversial political and social issues, even when they are not meaningfully tied to a company’s operations. The exception has increasingly been exploited to advance special interest agendas, resulting in an influx of proposals that detract from corporate governance and impose unnecessary costs on businesses and shareholders. Removing this loophole would help refocus the shareholder proposal process on issues that promote long-term shareholder value, rather than allowing it to become a tool for divisive political activism.

    3. Increase Resubmission Thresholds: Raising the resubmission thresholds would prevent the recurrence of proposals that have been consistently rejected, ensuring that only those with substantial shareholder support are reconsidered.

    4. Enhance Oversight of Proxy Advisory Firms: Establishing greater transparency and accountability standards for proxy advisory firms would ensure that their recommendations are accurate, free from conflicts of interest, and in the economic interest of shareholders.

    5. End Robovoting Practices: Ensuring institutional investors conduct independent analyses before voting, rather than automatically following proxy advisory firm recommendations, is consistent with investors’ fiduciary duties and will protect shareholder interests.

    The SEC’s recent actions are a step in the right direction, but the Commission must build on this momentum by implementing durable, substantive reforms through formal rulemaking. Ensuring that the proxy process serves the interests of all shareholders—not just a vocal minority with political agendas—is critical to maintaining the integrity and competitiveness of U.S. capital markets and supporting long-term value creation. Political debates should be left to Congress, not corporate proxy statements.

    The SEC’s core mission is to protect investors, maintain fair and efficient markets, and facilitate capital formation. The recent rescission of SLB 14L is a commendable action aligned with this mission. We encourage the Commission to build upon this progress by pursuing further reforms to Rule 14a-8 that will promote a shareholder proposal process that is both fair and focused on enhancing long-term shareholder value.

    We appreciate your attention to this critical issue and look forward to working with the Commission to advance important, commonsense reforms to the proxy process.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Cleaver, Waters, Lynch Slam Trump Administration’s Reported Plans to Launch Dangerous Blockchain and Crypto Experiment Within HUD

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

    “It is unclear how these technologies, which have not been widely adopted even by the real estate industry, would help HUD meet its mission.”

    (Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee, and Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial Technology, and Artificial Intelligence, slammed the Trump Administration following reporting that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is exploring ways to implement blockchain and cryptocurrency within the operations of the agency. In a letter to HUD Secretary Scott Turner, the lawmakers warn of the risky nature of cryptocurrency, which remains an unregulated and highly volatile financial product. The lawmakers emphasize that if used in untested ways within critical federal housing programs, it could destabilize the housing market and harm hard-working families.

    “We write in response to disconcerting reports that the Trump Administration is exploring ways to broadly apply unproven uses of blockchain technology and cryptocurrency (crypto) in the operations of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD),” wrote the lawmakers. “The federal government cannot allow under-regulated financial products to infiltrate critical housing programs, especially when they have already proven to be dangerous, speculative, and harmful to working families. It is unclear how these technologies, which have not been widely adopted even by the real estate industry, would help HUD meet its mission. Applying this technology to critical operations raises serious concerns about accountability, transparency, and harm to those relying on these housing programs. Rather than gambling America’s housing, the agency should focus on getting Congressionally appropriated funds back out to communities, addressing the affordable housing supply shortage, ending homelessness for over 771,000 people, and increasing homeownership for the millions of Americans who remain locked out by rising house prices and high interest rates.”

    In the letter, the lawmakers emphasize that experimenting with crypto at HUD threatens triggering a repeat of the 2008 foreclosure crisis which was fueled by risky financial products. What’s more, following the Trump Administration’s recent actions to gut key agencies, including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), we stand at even greater risk of repeating the past and harming millions who rely on housing programs.

    In addition, the lawmakers demand HUD halt any action on cryptocurrency until Congress establishes a comprehensive federal framework to ensure proper oversight and protect our nation’s consumers. The lawmakers conclude by encouraging HUD to redirect its resources to upholding the agency’s mission and addressing the worsening housing and homelessness crisis. They request prompt responses to a series of questions on these latest plans no later than April 8, 2025.

    The official letter from lawmakers is available here.

     

    Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressmen Cleaver, Scott Hold Listening Session With Local Educators on President Trump’s Attempt to Dismantle the Department of Education

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

    (Kansas City, MO) – This weekend, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) hosted House Committee on Education and Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) in Kansas City to participate in a listening session with local educators and community leaders to discuss President Trump’s attempt to dismantle the Department of Education and to hear firsthand how cuts to public education funding and personnel will impact the communities we serve. With the support of House Republicans, President Donald Trump has announced an executive order that purports to eliminate the Department of Education, which is only possible through an act of Congress.

    “This weekend I had the privilege of hosting Ranking Member Bobby Scott in Kansas City to hear from educators throughout Missouri’s Fifth District about the devastating consequences the Trump administration’s effort to dismantle the Department of Education would have on students, teachers, and families,” said Congressman Cleaver. “It is abundantly clear: eroding this critical institution means students and teachers will suffer. Our educators, parents, and children deserve a government that invests in their success – not one that undermines their future. I’m committed to fighting to strengthen and protect every child’s right to a quality education.”

    “This weekend, I had the pleasure of traveling to Kansas City and hearing from Rep. Cleaver’s constituents. The Department of Education (ED) was founded in part to guarantee the enforcement of students’ civil rights.  And champions of public school segregation objected and campaigned for a return to ‘states’ rights.’ Moreover,  during President Trump’s first term in office, he nominated dozens of judges who during their confirmation hearings refused to say whether they thought Brown v. Board was properly decided,” Ranking Member Scott, House Committee on Education and Workforce. “Legality aside, dismantling ED will exacerbate existing disparities, reduce accountability, and put low-income students, students of color, students with disabilities, rural students, and English as a Second Language (ESL) students at risk.  I believe this executive order will be used to distract Americans from the fact that Republicans are not working to address the real problems facing students and families: widening academic achievement gaps, school shootings, and the burden of student loans.”

    Dismantling the Department of Education would mean a funding cut for every student:

    • 26 million kids across every school district – rural, suburban, and urban – will lose access to critical funding to help them get ahead.
    • 12 million students will lose access to career and technical education, including pathways to well-paying jobs through apprenticeship programs in trades or STEM
    • 10 million students from low-income families could lose access to two-and four-year colleges due to costs
    • 7.5 million students with Individualized Education Plans – accounting for 15 percent of all students nationally – will lose access to special education service funding.

    Dismantling the Department of Education means eliminating federal efforts to ensure equal educational opportunities for all, federal support to school districts, states, and institutions of higher education, civil rights enforcement in our schools, and educational research to support best practices for educational attainment at all levels. 

    A fact sheet from the event can be found here.

    Photos from the event can be found here.

    Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Cleaver’s Statement on President Trump Levying National Import Tax, Instigating Global Trade War

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

    (Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) released the following statement on President Trump’s decision, with the permission of Congressional Republicans, to instigate a global trade war, levy a new import tax on everyday goods, and raise prices on American families.

    “Tariffs are not an all-encompassing economic strategy—at least not one that is made for long-term prosperity. When used appropriately, they are a tool in America’s toolbox to protect vital industries and our national security. When used inappropriately, as I believe the president is doing with across-the-board import taxes on our allies and adversaries alike, they lead to higher prices, fewer jobs, slower economic growth, and more contentious relationships with nations around the world. With inflation already on the rise again due to previously implemented tariffs, this is a recipe for disaster.

    “Missouri families, including our farmers, are already struggling with the cost of living, but rather than focusing on lowering essentials like groceries, housing, and healthcare, President Trump has instigated a reckless trade war—and the American people will pay the price. 

    “The president has admitted himself that these new taxes will create more pain for American families, farmers, and small businesses, saying that he ‘couldn’t care less’ about the prospect of higher prices on everything from cars to groceries. Well, the American people care, and they will make their feelings known if the president does not quickly reverse course, repair the relationships that America has spent decades forging, and focus on lowering costs for the public.”

    ###

    Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cleaver, Padilla Lead 100+ Democrats to Condemn HUD Field Office Cuts

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

    (Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, and Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) led more than 100 Democrats in the House and Senate in condemning staffing cuts and potential closures to Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Field Offices across the country. In a letter to HUD Secretary Scott Turner, the lawmakers called on HUD to fully and immediately reinstate civil servants who were illegally fired from the Department and condemned reports that HUD is considering the illegal closure of nearly two-thirds of field offices nationwide. 

    “We write to express concern about reports that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is considering closing nearly two-thirds of the Department’s field offices, leaving most states and the District of Columbia without critical sites or staff,” the lawmakers wrote. “These reports follow the unlawful mass termination of probationary federal employees, HUD’s announcement that employees at GS-13 and below in the Office of Field Policy and Management would be terminated, and reports that the Department plans to cut its agency-wide workforce by at least half.”

    “We strongly urge HUD to maintain existing field offices with adequate staffing levels and to fully and immediately reinstate civil servants who have been illegally terminated,” the lawmakers continued.

    The letter was cosigned by U.S. Representatives Gabe Amo (D-RI), Becca Balint (D-VT), Nanette Barragán (D-CA), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Shontel Brown (D-OH), Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Troy Carter (D-LA), Sean Casten (D-IL), Judy Chu (D-CA), Gilbert Cisneros (D-CA), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Lou Correa (D-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), Danny Davis (D-IL), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Cleo Fields (D-LA), Shomari Figures (D-AL), Laura Friedman (D-CA), Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), Al Green (D-TX), Steven Horsford (D-NV), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Hakeem Jefferies (D-NY), Hank Johnson (D-GA), William Keating (D-MA), Robin Kelly (D-IL), Timothy Kennedy (D-NY), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Greg Landsman (D-OH), Sam Liccardo (D-CA), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-MI), Morgan McGarvey (D-KY), James McGovern (D-MA), LaMonica McIver (D-NJ), Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Frank Mrvan (D-IN), Kevin Mullin (D-CA), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Johnny Olszewski (D-MD), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Delia Ramirez (D-IL), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Deborah Ross (D-NC), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), David Scott (D-GA), Terri Sewell (D-AL), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Emilia Sykes (D-OH), Mark Takano (D-CA), Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Dina Titus (D-NV), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Ritchie Torres (D-NY), Nydia Velázquez (D-NY), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Nikema Williams (D-GA), and Frederica Wilson (D-FL).

    The letter was co-signed by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    The official letter from lawmakers is available here.

     

    Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cramer Questions Secretary of Transportation on One Federal Decision, Formula Funding

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)

    ***Click here to download video. Click here for audio.***

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee held a hearing today, officially kicking off the process for development of the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill. U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy testified before the committee, providing input on the Trump Administration’s priorities. Prior to his service as Secretary of Transportation, Duffy represented Wisconsin’s 7th district in the U.S. House of Representatives.

    [embedded content]

    U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), chair of the Senate EPW Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, questioned Duffy on the One Federal Decision framework from the first Trump administration. One Federal Decision, which was championed by Cramer and later included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), was designed to streamline the burdensome permitting process by setting deadlines and reducing duplicative reviews, allowing infrastructure projects to be built more expeditiously.

    “One of the things we did put in the current bill is codifying the One Federal Decision rule of the first Trump administration, and yet I haven’t seen a great application of that for the last four years in the permitting of a lot of these projects either,” asked Cramer.

    “We do have to streamline the process even further with One Federal Decision taking the full meaning of the legislation in the language,” responded Duffy.

    Cramer then discussed the importance of providing highway funds to States through a set formula so money is not funneled to just population hubs, an approach he worked to maintain in the BIL. He expressed support for EPW Committee Chairman Shelley Moore Capito’s (R-WV) emphasis on continuing this trusted approach in the reauthorization bill, which ensures states have consistent funding and flexibility to meet their constituents needs. Cramer also highlighted the vital role of infrastructure in rural states, which facilitates the movement of people and goods across the county. He noted without well-maintained routes like I-94, durum wheat from North Dakota would never become pasta in New York.

    “I know the political realities of it as well, but I would just be interested in you, coming from the middle of America in a pretty rural district, if you could just elaborate maybe a little bit on that commitment to formula funding in in the next bill as well, helping people understand formula funding recognizes that the miles of road are just about as important as how many people are in any particular mile of that road?” asked Cramer.

    “We can’t focus on urban centers, and forget rural America,” answered Duffy. “Making sure that again, a lot of products come from the places where we live and they might move from roads to trains to ships, but making sure that there’s a complete view of infrastructure is incredibly important. And I would share the view of this committee, I think that we have to have a holistic view of how we build out infrastructure.”

    MIL OSI USA News –