NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sullivan and Peters Introduce Resolution to Preserve Independent USPS

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan

    03.28.25

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) introduced a bipartisan resolution to support the independence and critical public service mission of the United States Postal Service, emphasizing the essential role the Postal Service has played in connecting and serving Americans, especially in rural communities. Sens. Sullivan and Peters were joined in introducing the resolution by U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.).

    “In a state as vast as ours, with many remote communities only accessible by air or water, the USPS serves as an essential government agency that keeps postal services affordable for Alaskans,” Senator Sullivan said. “The Bypass Mail program—a lifeline for Rural Alaska that I have fought for since becoming a senator—allows the USPS to fulfill its universal service obligation to deliver goods and services to even the most remote parts of our state. I will forcefully oppose any action that threatens that program. I am glad to work with my colleagues from other rural states on this resolution to oppose the privatization of the Postal Service and ensure that this critical agency remains focused on its statutory requirement to reliably deliver mail to every household, no matter how remote.”  

    “Federal statute has long recognized that the Postal Service’s core purpose is ‘to bind the Nation together through the personal, educational, literary, and business correspondence of the people.’ In Alaska, where most communities are unconnected by road and where internet connectivity—when available—is often unreliable or prohibitively expensive, we rely on the USPS to deliver vital basic necessities, whether that is food, medicine, election ballots, spare parts, store inventory, or subsistence supplies,” said Senator Murkowski. “I am proud to co-sponsor this resolution again to reaffirm the significance of the United States Postal Service as an independent establishment of the Federal Government and to reject its privatization.”

    “For more than 250 years, the Postal Service has been a cornerstone of our nation, connecting every household and business across the country,” said Senator Peters. “Any efforts to undermine the Postal Service’s independence or privatize it would jeopardize affordable, universal mail service and harm the millions of Americans—especially veterans, small business owners, and rural communities—who rely on the Postal Service every day. This resolution reaffirms our commitment to keeping the Postal Service independent and self-sustaining, ensuring it continues to serve as a vital lifeline for all Americans.”

    “The privatization of the United States Postal Service would be devastating to Alaskans not only in remote communities, but throughout the state. The Postal Service currently serves all Alaskans, regardless of where they live. It serves many areas of the state that are not profitable for other shippers. If the Postal Service is privatized, it will significantly increase shipping costs throughout the state and be devastating to Alaska’s economy. All Alaska letter carriers of the National Association of Letter Carriers stands by Senator Sullivan in his efforts to keep the Postal Service a public service to all Alaskans,” said Chris Crutchfield, Alaska State Chair for the National Association of Letter Carriers.

    The full text of the resolution can be found here.

    BACKGROUND

    Since 1775, the United States Postal Service and its dedicated postal workforce have performed the essential government function of “providing postal services to bind the Nation together through the personal, educational, literary, and business correspondence of the people” and “rendering postal services to all communities” (39 USC 101). Across the nation today, 630,000 postal employees deliver the mail to more than 168 million residential and business customers, six days a week. The Postal Service is consistently the highest-rated government agency in nonpartisan opinion polls. It also plays a crucial role in our national security, protecting us from mail-borne threats.

    In support of the Postal Service, this bipartisan resolution expresses the sense of the Senate that Congress should take all appropriate measures to ensure the Postal Service remains an independent establishment of the Federal Government and is not subject to privatization. The resolution also recognizes:

    • The Postal Service is at the center of the $1.9 trillion mailing industry, which employs 7.9 million people in the United States.
    • The Postal Service is a self-sustaining, independent establishment that relies on revenue derived from the sale of postal services and products, not on taxpayer funds.
    • The Postal Service maintains an affordable and universal network, connecting rural, suburban, and urban communities.
    • Postal Service employees, including over 73,000 military veterans, are dedicated public servants who serve as the eyes and ears of our communities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Charges 260 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct in Arizona This Week

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – During this week of enforcement operations from March 22, 2025, through March 28, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 260 defendants. Specifically, the United States filed 96 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 155 aliens for illegally entering the United States.  In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States also filed 9 cases against 9 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. 

    These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

    Recent matters of interest include:

    United States v. Greiby Melissa Barcelo-Velasquez: On March 25, 2025, Greiby Melissa Barcelo-Velasquez, a Columbian national, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for Conspiracy to Encourage and Induce an Alien to Unlawfully Enter the United States. Since approximately June 2023, Barcelo-Velasquez coordinated the smuggling of over 100 illegal aliens from Columbia to the United States using her travel company, Baul Travel SAS. This case is the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha. Case No. CR-24-00392-PHX-JJT.

    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-044_March 28 Immigration Enforcement

    # # #

    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Garamendi, IAM Union Join Together at Mare Island to Call for Revitalization of U.S. Shipbuilding Industry

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    VALLEJO, Calif. – Today, U.S. Rep. John Garamendi joined the IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) at a press conference at the Mare Island Dry Dock, where they called for a revitalization of the U.S. shipbuilding industry.   

    See photos from the event here.

    Watch the full press conference here.

    “Today, I am honored to stand with American U.S. shipbuilding and maritime industry workers as they fight the heavily subsidized foreign shipyards and unfair trade practices of the People’s Republic of China. American shipbuilders have been hampered by unfair trade practices by the Chinese government. While I’m glad that the federal government is stepping up, more must be done to protect our workers and national security. This is why I, alongside Senator Mark Kelly, Senator Todd Young, and Representative Trent Kelly, introduced the SHIPS for America Act, representing the most substantial and comprehensive approach to rebuilding America’s shipbuilding industry and empowering American workers. American workers in commercial shipyards are essential to supporting our economy and national security. I applaud the IAM and other union representatives as they continue fighting for American shipbuilding jobs,” U.S. Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.)  

     “Since 2001, when the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) labeled shipbuilding as a ‘strategic industry,’ there has been a laundry list of China’s unfair, unreasonable, and discriminatory practices. While we support the USTR’s actions so far, more must be done to assure the long-term health of the domestic shipbuilding industry and U.S. economic and national security. Our IAM Union members are ready to build and maintain our 21st century naval and commercial fleet and we remain steadfast in our devotion to that goal.” said IAM Eastern Territory General Vice President David Sullivan.   

    “I’m proud to lead California’s greatest and most historic shipyards, and I stand by the IAM in their fight to revitalize the U.S. Maritime Industry. The contributions of our shipyard workers are the reason for the success of our shipyard, and right now, they are hampered by unfair trade practices by the Chinese government – this must stop. I stand by the IAM Union and Congressman John Garamendi in their fight to uplift and grow our industry,” said Mare Island Dry Dock CEO Stephen DiLeo.     

    “IAM is on the front lines in U.S.’s fight against China’s unfair trade practices and I’m proud to help lead that fight with my entire union by my side. Unions like the IAM aren’t only critical for California’s economy, they are essential in supporting our national economy. Shipyards were once the main path to the middle class; after years of divestment, we can all work together to turn the tide and bring our shipyards back to their past glory,” said IAM Local S25 Chief Steward Kyle March.   

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Polis Signs Bills Into Law Administratively

    Source: US State of Colorado

    DENVER – Governor Polis signed the following bills into law administratively. 

    • HB25-1077 – Backflow Prevention Devices Requirements, sponsored by Representatives Sheila Lieder and Naquetta Ricks, and Senators Dylan Roberts and Janice Rich.
    • HB25-1041 – Student Athlete Name Image or Likeness, sponsored by Representative Lesley Smith, and Senators James Coleman and Judy Amabile. Read Governor Polis’s Signing Statement regarding HB25-1041.
    • SB25-039 – Agricultural Buildings Exempt from Energy Use Requirements, sponsored by Senators Jeff Bridges and Byron Pelton, and Representatives Matthew Martinez and Dusty Johnson.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Hassan Statement on Trump Administration’s Move to Attack Collective Bargaining Rights for Many Federal Workers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan issued the following statement in response to the Trump Administration’s announcement that it is unilaterally ending collective bargaining for many hard-working employees across the federal government:

    “When unions can engage in collective bargaining, the middle class grows. The President could spend his time on efforts to lower costs for families. Instead, he keeps attacking the hard-working federal employees, many of whom are veterans, who provide critical services and keep Americans safe. It’s wrong, and it can’t stand.”

    Approximately 30 percent of federal employees are veterans. Senator Hassan helped introduce the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, which strengthens federal laws that protect workers’ right to join a union and bargain for higher wages and better benefits.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Hassan Recognizes Kenneth Chapman of Woodstock as March’s Granite Stater of the Month

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan recognized Kenneth Chapman as March’s Granite Stater of the Month. Kenneth retired this year after 50 years of service as Woodstock’s town moderator.

    After Kenneth was asked to moderator a special town election in 1975, he realized his passion for upholding democracy and continued to serve as Woodstock’s town moderator for 50 years, including through the 2025 town meeting season. During his service, Kenneth helped Woodstock grow and adapt to new technology while ensuring that Woodstock voters are able to freely and civilly participate in elections and town meetings.

    Kenneth’s half-century commitment to upholding the democratic process is an excellent reflection of New Hampshire’s commitment to safeguarding free and fair elections – the foundation of our democracy. His devotion to serving his community is why Senator Hassan named him March’s Granite Stater of the Month.

    Senator Hassan launched the “Granite Stater of the Month” initiative in 2017 to recognize outstanding New Hampshire citizens who go above and beyond to help their neighbors and make their communities stronger. To nominate a New Hampshire citizen to be a “Granite Stater of the Month,” constituents can complete the nomination form here.

    To read Senator Hassan’s statement for the Congressional Record, see below.

    I am honored to recognize Kenneth Chapman of Woodstock as March’s Granite Stater of the Month. Kenneth recently retired after serving as Woodstock’s town moderator for 50 years.

    Kenneth was raised to believe that service to his community and to others needed to be a priority. After settling in Woodstock as a young adult, Kenneth began attending school board meetings and joined different town committees. Kenneth enjoyed the ways in which the small town allowed him to directly feel the impact of his efforts to give back to his community. After being asked to moderate a special town election in 1975, Kenneth realized that he had a passion for upholding democracy and ran for the official role of town moderator. He continued to serve in this all-important role through this year’s town meeting season, marking fifty years in service to Woodstock.

    During his half century of service, Kenneth has had a tangible impact on his community. He has seen the town grow and adapt to new technology, personally overseeing the switch to more modern voting machines, even as he has continued to ensure that Woodstock voters freely and civilly participated in countless elections and town meetings. Over the years, Kenneth also helped his community as a nationally registered paramedic, as an incorporator and trustee of the North Country Center for the Arts, as a member of the Western White Mountains Chamber, and as a member of the Lincoln-Woodstock Cooperative School Board.

    Kenneth’s commitment to service as town moderator is an excellent reflection of New Hampshire’s commitment to safeguarding free and fair elections – the foundation of our democracy. And his devotion to serving the Woodstock community in countless other ways as well is a great example of the way Granite Staters take it upon themselves to work with their friends and neighbors to solve problems. I am proud to name Kenneth Chapman as March’s Granite Stater of the Month.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DMV Senators Announce MERIT Act to Reinstate Recently Terminated Probationary Federal Employees

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

    WASHINGTON – Today, Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined Sens. Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) in introducing the of the Model Employee Reinstatement for Ill-advised Termination (MERIT) Act. This timely legislation would reinstate recently terminated probationary federal employees and provide them back pay.

    “The Trump administration’s ongoing attacks on the federal workforce have hit Virginians especially hard. Not only have these senseless cuts and layoffs caused unnecessary pain for the federal workforce, but they are making us less safe in the process. Congress must act to undo this damage by reinstating federal employees who were unjustly fired and giving them the back pay they deserve,” said Sen. Warner. 

    “Trump and Musk’s illegal cuts to the nonpartisan civil service have disrupted government’s basic operation and disproportionately impacted veterans in Virginia and across the country,” said Sen. Kaine. “Reinstating these professional civil servants is critical for our economy and national security. That’s why I’m cosponsoring the MERIT Act, and will keep doing all that I can to fight for the patriotic Americans who have dedicated their lives to serving our communities through public service.”

    “This bill protects and restores the meritorious civil servants shamefully attacked by Donald Trump and Elon Musk. If DOGE were serious about rooting out unqualified workers, they’d focus on their own disastrous cabinet nominees: be it a Secretary of Defense who is leaking classified war plans, or a Secretary of Labor who isn’t clear on collective bargaining agreement enforcement, or a Secretary of Health and Human Services who believes our race should determine our vaccine schedules. We have a duty to stand by the patriotic civil servants who work day and night on behalf of the American people. Our bill is an important step towards restoring the full suite of services that our federal employees provide to the American people,” said Sen. Alsobrooks.

    “The Trump-Musk Administration’s illegal purge of federal employees is not only hurting our hard-working public servants — it is wreaking havoc on important services for all Americans. As we support efforts in the courts to reverse these dangerous attacks on federal employees and the work they do, we’re also fighting in Congress. This legislation will allow our federal workers to get back on the job so they can continue serving the American people,” said Sen. Van Hollen.

    “NFFE is fully supportive of the MERIT Act to reinstate illegally terminated federal employees, allowing them to return to work and continue delivering critical services for the American people,” said NFFE National President Randy Erwin. “These are dedicated public servants who care for our veterans, maintain our military readiness, protect our communities from natural disasters, and so much more. Congress must reverse the President’s unlawful and dangerous attempts to dismantle the civil service. Thank you to Senator Alsobrooks for her commitment to federal workers.”

    “Our union applauds Senator Alsobrooks for leading this bill to reinstate thousands of highly qualified federal employees who have been unjustly terminated as part of a Trump-Musk effort to dismantle federal agencies and public services. Not only were these mass firings a reckless misuse of taxpayer dollars and public resources, but these actions have been judged illegal by federal courts. So many of these talented federal workers are veterans, and experienced professionals who were recently promoted, but all of them were hired as federal civil servants due to their qualifications and their competency for the job,” said International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) President Matt Biggs.

    “The MERIT ACT is greatly needed at a time when so many in our federal workforce have been unjustly fired, and when thousands more, including SEIU members, are doing their jobs in the hostile, chaotic environment created by this administration and DOGE. Federal workers who provide critical services to our communities from agencies such as Veterans Affairs, the Department of Education and the Environmental Protection Agency are navigating through massive job layoffs while scrambling to pay rent, keep the lights on, and feed their families. SEIU is proud to support this bill that will reinstate DOGE-fired workers and ensure that they have backpay they’re due, so they can continue to provide vital services in good and bad times.” said SEIU President April Verrett. 

    The MERIT Act would reinstate federal employees, including probationary workers who were recently promoted or hired, who were fired from federal agencies and departments as part of the ongoing mass layoffs. The bill would provide back pay, treat the employees as “involuntarily separated without cause,” and require the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to submit to Congress a report on the number of workers fired and other information about the layoffs. 

    The MERIT Act has been endorsed by: 

    American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE)

    International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE)

    National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE)

    National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU)

    Service Employees International Union (SEIU)

    The American Federation of Labor (AFL)

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Individuals Charged with Illegal Re-Entry and Other Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three individuals were indicted by a federal grand jury in separate cases this week for illegally re-entering the United States after they were previously deported.

    Mexican National Indicted for Illegal Reentry

    According to an indictment returned this week, Jesus Enriquez-Vasquez, 32, who was previously removed from the United States on January 24, 2019, was charged with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien.  He has never applied to the Attorney General of the United States and/or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security for permission to reenter the United States.  On March 3, 2025, he was found voluntarily back in the United States.

    Guatemalan National Charged in Indictment

    In addition, Victor Hugo Vasquez Perez, 31, a citizen of Guatemala residing in Independence, Mo.,  was found illegally present in the United States and charged with possession of a fraudulent immigration document, possession of identification documents unlawfully produced, and improper entry.  

    Honduran National Charged in Indictment

    In addition, Noe Alberto Hernandez-Perez, 31, a citizen of Honduras residing in Kansas City, Mo.,  was charged with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien and resisting and impeding an officer.

    According to the indictment, Hernandez-Perez was previously removed from the United States on June 12, 2015. He has never applied to the Attorney General of the United States and/or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security for permission to reenter the United States. On March 16, 2025, he was found voluntarily back in the United States.   

    The charges contained in these indictments are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

    These cases were investigated by ICE Homeland Security Investigations.

    Operation Take Back America

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen, Cramer Introduce Legislation to Enhance Patient Advocacy for Rural Veterans

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) introduced the Strengthening VA Patient Advocacy for Rural Veterans Act to enhance the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) patient advocate program to better support veterans receiving care in rural communities outside of the medical center setting – such as community outpatient clinics and other providers. The patient advocate serves as a bridge, working directly with VA staff to facilitate resolutions on behalf of all veterans. The measure also contains reporting provisions to enhance accountability and Congressional awareness of the issues veterans face when seeking care. 
    “Far too many veterans in rural parts of Nevada face barriers to receiving the VA medical care and support they deserve,” said Senator Rosen. “Our bipartisan legislation would help improve access to care and resources by establishing VA patient advocates specifically for rural veterans, helping to make sure that they can fully benefit from the VA and get any issues resolved no matter where they live.”
    “Patient advocates really play an important role in helping our veterans navigate the incredible VA red tape, it’s just outlandish, as it is with most bureaucracies,” said Senator Cramer. “What our bill does is it recognizes the unique challenges that are faced by particularly rural veterans, and then it provides targeted support through dedicated patient advocates to ensure they are able to access the healthcare they’ve earned, both in and from their more rural homes.”
    The Strengthening VA Patient Advocacy for Rural Veterans Act is supported by several organizations, including the Disabled American Veterans, the American Legion, and America’s Warrior Partnership. 
    Senator Rosen has been working to deliver for Nevada’s veterans. She has sent letters demanding that the VA reverse harmful plans to reduce its workforce, calling on the VA to permanently reverse layoffs, and pushing for answers regarding mass employee terminations at the VA. Earlier this month, Senator Rosen helped introduce legislation to reinstate veterans wrongfully fired by President Trump and Elon Musk. She also took to the Senate floor to oppose the actions of the Trump Administration and Musk to mass fire employees working at the VA. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin Demands for USDA to Not Take Food Away from Food Banks and Hungry Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and a group of her colleagues are demanding answers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) about the cancellation of previously approved funding through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) for food banks and other emergency food providers. This cancellation would take food away from hungry Wisconsinites already facing high grocery prices and further hurt Wisconsin farmers who are being squeezed by tariffs and other cuts to domestic markets.

    “A cancellation of these funds could result in $500 million in lost food provisions to feed millions of Americans at a time when the need for food shelves is extremely high due to costly groceries and an uncertain economy,” wrote Baldwin and the lawmakers in a letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins.

    “These cuts will deprive Americans of food assistance, emergency food providers of necessary support to carry out their work, and American farmers of vital domestic markets,” Baldwin and the Senators continued.

    TEFAP provides Wisconsinites with three to five days of free food assistance, and in 2024 alone, Wisconsin distributed over 21 million pounds of food through the program, serving over 618,000 households across 353 distribution sites statewide. The loss of this program would impact Wisconsinites across the state, and particularly those in rural, tribal, and low-income communities who are facing food insecurity and rely on this critical funding. 

    The letter was led by Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and co-signed by 24 other Senate colleagues.

    A full version of this letter is available here and below.

    Dear Secretary Rollins:

    We write regarding the reported cancellation of hundreds of millions of dollars in previously approved funding for food banks and other emergency food providers through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). A cancellation of these funds could result in $500 million in lost food provisions to feed millions of Americans at a time when the need for food shelves is extremely high due to costly groceries and an uncertain economy. If true, this major shift in a program utilized by emergency food providers in every state in the nation will have a significant and damaging impact upon millions of people who depend upon this program for critical food assistance.

    In addition, this program consists of purchases of U.S. commodities at a time when America’s growers and producers are struggling due to tariffs, proposed tariffs, animal disease and many other challenges.

    According to recent statistics, nearly one in every seven Americans have faced food insecurity. Many of these households turn to community and emergency relief organizations such as food banks and food pantries to help them obtain sufficient nutrition. In 2023 alone, 50 million Americans turned to emergency food providers, according to a report from Feeding America, America’s largest network of food banks. While food banks rely on a variety of sources (including private) to obtain food for distribution through their networks, federally purchased commodities are a key part of how they provide nutritious meals to Americans. 

    Due to this reported change, a number of us have heard that trucks delivering American-grown foods may not arrive. These trucks represent hundreds of thousands of nutritious meals containing poultry, fruits, vegetables, and dairy. If confirmed, the cancellation of this previously announced funding also comes on top of the cancellation of Local Food for School Program and the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program funding, which also helps farmers deliver nutritious foods to schools and food banks. These cuts will deprive Americans of food assistance, emergency food providers of necessary support to carry out their work, and American farmers of vital domestic markets.

    To help us understand USDA’s actions and their impact on communities around the country, we ask that you answer the following questions.

    1. Has USDA cancelled previously approved purchases of food provided through TEFAP? If so, what level of funding has been cancelled thus far and when will state agencies be notified of any cancelled TEFAP purchases?
    2. Does USDA plan to cancel additional purchases of food provided through TEFAP?
    3. Has USDA paused any TEFAP food orders or purchases? If so, what is the current status of those orders or purchases? Does USDA intend to un-pause these funds? 
    4. Please provide information on what types of funding, by commodity, have been cancelled and the financial impact of those cancellations on producers such as pork, chicken, turkey and dairy farmers.
    5. Is the funding announced on October 1, 2024 and detailed in the implementation memo that the Food and Nutrition Service sent to state agencies on December 2 rescinded?
    6. Does USDA intend to use Commodity Credit Corporation funds in Fiscal Year 2025 for future purchases that will be distributed through TEFAP? 

    We ask for a prompt response to these questions by the end of the week.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Trump Forcing Law Firms to Give Millions to His Political Organization

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Recently, the Trump Administration issued multiple Executive Orders targeting individual law firms that have in the past represented clients opposing the administration or that have employed lawyers involved in investigations against President Trump and his billionaire friends. Trump’s message is clear: pledge allegiance and loyalty to Trump or be driven out of business. One law firm has already pledged $40 million in free legal services to causes chosen by Trump and his billionaire cronies in exchange for Trump rescinding the executive order targeted at that law firm. 

    The impact of these executive extortions extends beyond the targeted firms. They create a chilling effect on the entire legal profession, potentially deterring lawyers from representing clients or causes that may oppose the administration.

    “A $40 million fine payable to the U.S. government is oppression. But, $40 million payable to Trump’s political organization constitutes extorting a bribe,” said Congressman Brad Sherman. “Trump claims his political organization will help fight for veterans and against antisemitism, but then says ‘other projects’ – so the $40 million will go to whatever political effort Trump favors.”

    This coercion sets a dangerous precedent for future administrations. If left unchecked, it could lead to a system where legal representation is contingent upon political allegiance, fundamentally undermining the impartiality of our justice system.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Kehoe Announces Judicial Appointment

    Source: US State of Missouri

    MARCH 28, 2025

    Jefferson City — Today, Governor Kehoe appointed a new Associate Circuit Judge to the 32ndJudicial Circuit.

    Amy Trueblood, of Cape Girardeau, was appointed as Associate Circuit Judge for Cape Girardeau County in the 32nd Judicial Circuit.

    Mrs. Trueblood earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law and holds a Bachelor of Arts in environmental science and public policy and economics from Harvard University. She is licensed to practice law in Virginia, Illinois, and Missouri. Mrs. Trueblood currently serves as a judicial law clerk to Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh for the United States District Court in Cape Girardeau. In addition to her legal career, she is an active member of the Federalist Society, Harvard Club of St. Louis, and the Cape Girardeau County Bar Association. Mrs. Trueblood also served on the Cape Girardeau Public Library Board of Trustees, including terms as President and Vice President.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Cedar Rapids Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution Near School

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A man who distributed fentanyl near a school pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

    D’quon Morrow, age 27, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of distribution of at least 40 grams of fentanyl near a protected location.  

    In a plea agreement, Morrow admitted that between February 2024 and July 2024, in Cedar Rapids, he agreed with others to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.  In March 2024, he distributed 6.50 grams of fentanyl and fluorofentanyl to another person.  In April 2024, he sold a firearm to another person.  At the time, Morrow had a felony conviction for eluding.  In May 2024, he distributed 20.75 grams of fentanyl to another person.  In June 2024, he distributed 48.60 grams of fentanyl to another person near Madison Elementary School in Cedar Rapids.  In July 2024, law enforcement searched Morrow’s residence and recovered two firearms, ammunition, and over 1,000 fentanyl pills.    

    Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Morrow remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Morrow faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 80 years’ imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center.  

    This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 25-CR-4.

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Forest City Man Sent to Federal Prison on Multiple Counts of Firearm Possession by a Drug User and Making False Statements to Purchase Firearms

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A former Forest City man who possessed firearms as a drug user and made false statements during the purchase of firearms was sentenced to 45 months in Federal Prison.

    Brian Lee Byers, age 39, from Forest City, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 7, 2024, guilty plea to 4 counts of possession of a firearm by an unlawful drug user and 4 counts of making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.

    Evidence showed Byers admitted that between July of 2019 and February of 2020, in Cero Gordo County, Iowa, Black Hawk County, Iowa, Winnebago County, Iowa, Grundy County, Iowa and Hancock County, Iowa he possessed multiple firearms while using marijuana and methamphetamine. He admitted that on July 25, 2019, November 9, 2019, February 22, 2020, and February 24, 2020, he stated on federal forms he was not a drug user while he purchased multiple firearms

    Byers was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Byers was sentenced to 45 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    Byers is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results.

    This case was investigated by the Mason City Police Department, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin Fletcher and Jack Lammers. 

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 23-CR-3018.  

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Spencer Man Pleads Guilty to Meth Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Dylan Halbur, 32, from Spencer, Iowa, pled guilty March 28, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. 

    At the plea hearing, evidence showed that on August 26, 2024, law enforcement searched a camper in Spencer, Iowa, where Halbur was known to reside and store items.  Inside, law enforcement located 45 grams of pure methamphetamine, $2,900 in cash, marijuana, a digital scale and other indicia of drug use and distribution.  Halbur admitted the methamphetamine was his and that he intended to distribute some or all of the methamphetamine to another.  

    Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Halbur remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  The penalties for this offense are a sentence of up to 20 years’ imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Spencer Police Department, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa DCI Laboratory.  

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 24-4077.  

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: CEO of Company that Owned Rights to Notorious Drug Lord’s Name Extradited to United States to Face Fraud, Money Laundering Counts

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – A Swedish national was extradited from Spain and was arraigned today on a 115-count federal indictment alleging he licensed the rights of the late Colombian narcoterrorist Pablo Escobar and defrauded investors by marketing and selling products – including flamethrowers and cellphones – that he never delivered.

    Olaf Kyros Gustafsson, 31, a.k.a. “El Silencio,” arrived in Los Angeles this morning after Spanish authorities extradited him. Gustafsson is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, nine counts of wire fraud, three counts of mail fraud, one count of conspiracy to engage in money laundering, 41 counts of money laundering, 35 counts of international money laundering, and 25 counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity.

    Gustafsson was arrested in Spain in December 2023 and was arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Gustafsson pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. A May 20 trial date was scheduled. A federal magistrate judge scheduled an April 3 detention hearing. Gustafsson remains in federal custody. 

    According to the indictment, Gustafsson was the CEO of Escobar Inc., a corporation registered in Puerto Rico that held successor-in-interest rights to the persona and legacy of Pablo Escobar, the deceased Colombian narcoterrorist and head of the Medellín Cartel. Escobar Inc. used Pablo Escobar’s likeness and persona to market and sell purported consumer products to the public.

    From July 2019 to November 2023, Gustafsson identified existing products in the marketplace that were being manufactured and sold to the public. He then used the Escobar persona to market and advertise similar and competing products purportedly being sold by Escobar Inc., advertising them at a price substantially lower than existing counterparts being sold by other companies.

    Gustafsson then purportedly sold the products – including an Escobar Flamethrower, an Escobar Fold Phone, an Escobar Gold 11 Pro Phone, and Escobar Cash (marketed as a “physical cryptocurrency”) – to customers, receiving payments via PayPal, Stripe, Coinbase, among other payment processors.

    Despite receiving customer payments, Gustafsson did not deliver the Escobar Inc. products to paying customers because the products did not exist.

    In furtherance of the scheme, Gustafsson sent crudely made samples of the purported Escobar Inc. products to online technology reviewers and social media influencers to attempt to increase the public’s demand for them. For example, Gustafsson allegedly sent Samsung Galaxy Fold Phones wrapped in gold foil and disguised as Escobar Inc. phones to online technology reviewers to attempt to induce victims who watched the online reviews into buying the products that never would be delivered.

    Also, rather than sending paying customers the actual products, Gustafsson mailed them a “Certificate of Ownership,” a book or other Escobar Inc. promotional materials so there was a record of mailing from the company to the customer. When a paying customer attempted to obtain a refund when the product was never delivered, Gustafsson fraudulently referred the payment processor to the proof of mailing for the Certificate of Ownership or other material as proof that the product itself was shipped and that the customer had received it so the refund requests would be denied.

    Some of the victims include residents of Los Angeles, Gardena, and Commerce.

    Gustafsson allegedly also caused bank accounts to be opened under his name and entities he controlled to be used as funnel accounts – bank accounts into which he deposited and withdrew proceeds derived from his criminal activities. The purpose was to conceal and disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the proceeds. The bank accounts were located in the United States, Sweden, and the United Arab Emirates.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    IRS Criminal Investigation, the FBI, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General are investigating this matter, with assistance from the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the United States Marshals Service, and the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation.

    Assistant United States Attorney Joshua O. Mausner of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pfluger Fly-By: March 28, 2025

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

    Pfluger Fly-By: March 28, 2025

    Washington, March 28, 2025

    March 28, 2025

    Friend,

    Welcome back to the weekly Pfluger Fly-By, a collection of events and happenings to keep you updated on everything I am doing week by week to represent you in Congress.

    This week, I was honored to have my good friend and fellow wingman, Colonel Shurtleff, testify on behalf of my legislation, the ACES Act, I joined Mornings with Maria on Fox Business to discuss a wide variety of topics, I chaired a Committee on Homeland Security’s Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence legislative markup that included two of my bills, I questioned the President and CEO of ERCOT on grid reliability in Texas, and much more!

    I have included some photos and highlights from the week. You can also find information on how my office can help you with any federal problems you may be having. As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office if we can ever be of assistance.

    Best,

    Colonel Shurtleff Testifies Before Congress on the ACES Act

    This week, I was honored to have my good friend and fellow wingman, Colonel Andy “Pablo” Shurtleff, testify before the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs on the need for my legislation, the ACES Act, which addresses cancer incidence in military aviators. Colonel Shurtleff is actively battling cancer as a result of his service in the cockpit.

    When brave men and women volunteer for our nation, they shouldn’t face a second battle against cancer without proper government support. The ACES Act directs the VA to partner with the National Academies of Sciences to study cancer prevalence among military aviators and identify service-connected factors, ultimately saving lives through earlier detection, developing targeted screening protocols, and ensuring our veterans receive the specialized care they’ve earned.

    As an Air Force fighter pilot with over 20 years of service, I’ve witnessed firsthand the incredible dedication, bravery, and resilience of our nation’s aviators. But I’ve also seen many of my brothers and sisters fight their toughest battles not in the air but in hospital rooms against cancer. I thank Colonel Shurtleff for his brave testimony before Congress on this crucial issue on behalf of military aviators. Please join me in praying for Colonel Shurtleff and his family as he continues his treatment.

    Watch my full line of questioning with Colonel Shurtleff here or by clicking the image below.

    Goodfellow Vietnam War Commemoration Ceremony

    Today, I was delighted to be back in TX-11 where I had the honor of attending the United States of America 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War Commemoration Welcome Home and Pinning Ceremony at Goodfellow Air Force Base. This ceremony has taken place for over 10 years in San Angelo and is an incredible way to recognize and honor Vietnam War veterans with an official commemorative lapel pin.

    This year’s ceremony coincided with the 50th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon and the end of the Vietnam War. Honoring our nation’s heroes is of the utmost importance to me. I’d like to thank the Goodfellow AFB Heritage Committee, the Heritage Chapter – Freedom Through Vigilance Association, the EC-47 History Site, and all of the Command Staff at Goodfellow AFB for putting together such a meaningful event. I was extremely honored to participate in this today and share a few remarks.

    Counterterrorism Subcommittee Markup

    As Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security’s Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, I led the subcommittee’s first legislative markup of the 119th Congress. The markup included ten critical pieces of legislation to counter terror threats and transnational repression in the United States, two of which were my bills, the Generative AI Terrorism Risk Assessment Act and the Countering Transnational Repression Act of 2025.

    Transnational repression, the act of foreign governments or their proxies targeting individuals in another country using various coercive tactics, has become an increasingly concerning issue in the United States. Midlander Bob Fu is a victim of transnational repression. He has testified in the Homeland Security Committee about his experiences being targeted by the Chinese Communist Party.

    The Countering Transnational Repression Act of 2025 would require the Department of Homeland Security to create a dedicated transnational repression office to ensure that the federal government takes steps to counter threats from foreign authoritarian regimes.

    Watch my remarks in support of my legislation here or by clicking the image below.

    Mornings with Maria on Fox Business

    I joined Mornings with Maria on Fox Business to discuss the Republican Study Committee’s efforts to codify President Trump’s executive orders into law, President Trump signing my legislation to repeal the natural gas tax into law, President Trump and Secretary Hegseth’s announcement of the contract to build the next generation F-47 that will be the most lethal aircraft the U.S. Air Force has ever seen, and much more.

    You can watch the full interview here or by clicking the image below.

    Keeping the Lights On in Texas

    As a member of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, I joined my colleagues in questioning witnesses on energy grid reliability. Pablo Vegas, President and Chief Executive Officer for the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Inc. (ERCOT), was among the witnesses called to testify.

    I believe in the ‘best of the above’, not ‘all of the above’ approach to energy production. This is why, during the hearing, I questioned Mr. Vegas on the pressing need to invest in long-duration, dispatchable resources to support grid reliability in Texas. As the demand for electricity continues to rise, we must invest in secure and reliable resources to power the future.

    You can watch my full line of questioning here or at the link below.

    Meeting with Texas-11 in Washington

    This week, I met with several community leaders and partners in Washington, which is always a pleasure. Thank you all for taking the time to discuss how we can implement smart, commonsense policies to strengthen Texas-11!

    2025 Congressional Art Competition

    My office is accepting submissions for the 2025 Congressional Art Competition. This competition gives high school students from across Texas-11 the opportunity to have their artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building.

    This year’s theme is ‘Texas to Me’ and students will have until April 21st to submit their artwork. Information on the Congressional Art Competition, including how to apply, can be found on the Congressman’s website by clicking here.

    RULES

    · Artwork must be two-dimensional and original in concept, design, and execution. Art must follow the theme of ‘Texas to Me.’

    · The artwork’s dimensions can be no larger than 26 inches high, 26 inches wide, and 4 inches deep. Accepted mediums for the two-dimensional artwork are as follows:

    · Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.

    · Drawings: colored pencil, pencil, ink, marker, pastels, charcoal (It is recommended that charcoal and pastel drawings be fixed.)

    · Collages: must be two-dimensional

    · Prints: lithographs, silkscreen, block prints

    · Mixed Media: use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, watercolor, etc.

    · Computer-generated art

    · Photographs

    Students are highly encouraged to review the competition’s complete rules and regulations on our congressional website or contact Carol Cunningham in the Llano District Office at Carol.Cunningham@mail.house.gov with any questions.

    REMINDER: If you are in need of assistance with a federal agency, my office is here to help. For more information, please visit our website HERE.

    Thank you for reading. It is the honor of my lifetime to serve you in Congress. Please follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) for daily updates.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Rep. Pfluger Joined Maria Bartiromo on Mornings with Maria

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

    Today, Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) joined Maria Bartiromo on Mornings with Maria to discuss President Trump signing his legislation to repeal the natural gas tax into law, President Trump and Secretary Hegseth’s announcement of the F-47 fighter jet contract, the importance of reliable electricity sources to support American energy independence, and much more.

    Read highlights of the conversation below, or click HERE to watch the full interview.

    On Rep. Pfluger’s CRA to repeal former President Biden’s harmful natural gas tax being signed into law:

    “Last week, I had the honor of being in the Oval Office with President Trump signing into law just the second piece of legislation that was signed into law, which repealed the methane tax, the natural gas tax that President Biden did to assault the industry, and that’s just the beginning. We’re going to keep going on this. What President Trump did on day one by enacting a national emergency for our energy security sector, was to unleash American energy to make sure that we could cut the red tape, that we could use the resources that we have right here underneath our feet, and that we could lower the cost of energy for every single American. So again, being in the Oval Office to sign into law, to codify into law, his executive orders last Friday to repeal the natural gas tax was a huge honor.”

    On President Trump and Secretary Hegseth’s announcement of the F-47 fighter jet contract:

    “This one is near and dear to my heart. I spent a tremendous amount of time in my professional career flying the F-22 and have advocated very vocally for this next-generation air dominance, called the sixth-generation platform, which allows us to move into the next phase where we have deterrence, where we can hold China at bay. Look at our Air Force right now. It’s no secret that we are the smallest. We’ve grown to the least capable that we’ve been in decades. So with President Trump, this is promises made, promises kept. He said he was going to recapitalize our military. He said he was going to bring our military back to prominence. That’s exactly what the F-47 represents. I’m so proud that he and Secretary Hegseth made this decision. It’s the right choice, and it will bring our military back into a position where we can deter actors, like the Chinese Communist Party, who have come a long way in their weapons systems and their technology. We know that they don’t just have a regional goal for hegemony. They actually have a worldwide goal. So the F-47 represents American power, and American ability to deter. It is near and dear to my heart, so I am very proud that they’ve made this decision.”

    On the importance of reliable electricity sources to support American energy independence:

    “We had a hearing on this this week in the Energy and Commerce Committee. It’s something that the Republican Study Committee is looking at as well. We know that what the Biden administration did by picking winners and losers in unreliable energy sources has led us to a deficiency of electricity, and we know that in the coming years, just in three to five years in fact, there may be a 50% to 100% increase in the demand for electricity. So every source that we have is going to have to play a role, but obviously, reliable sources like nuclear, like natural gas, are going to play an increasingly more important role. What President Trump is doing to bring businesses, manufacturing, and industry back to the United States is the right call, but it requires affordable, reliable electricity. That is something that this country has to get our arms around. You mentioned permitting reform – we’re going to have to do that as well to allow the transmission of electricity to businesses. And just look at Texas, where we have a tremendous amount of industry that has flocked to our pro-business state in the last four years.”

    Background:

    On the CRA: In the 119th Congress and alongside President Trump, Rep. Pfluger is committed to restoring American energy dominance and championing legislation that will directly benefit the incredible energy workers in the Permian Basin and across America. Earlier this month, President Trump signed Rep. Pfluger’s Congressional Review Act (CRA) to reverse Biden’s ill-conceived natural gas tax into law. This is just the beginning.

    On the F-47: Rep. Pfluger is also the only fifth-generation fighter pilot in Congress with hundreds of hours of combat experience in the F-22. He founded the MACH-1 caucus which focuses on AirPower and maintaining our competitive advantage in air superiority.

    On reliable electricity sources: Earlier this week, Rep. Pfluger participated in the House Energy and Commerce Committee Energy Subcommittee Hearing titled, “‘Keeping The Lights On’ Examining The State Of Regional Grid Reliability.” During his line of questioning, ERCOT’s President and CEO, Mr. Vegas, confirmed to Rep. Pfluger that there is a pressing need to invest in long-duration, dispatchable resources to support the Texas grid reliably.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gillibrand Slams Trump Administration Attempts To Close Social Security Offices, Limit Phone Support

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand

    So-Called “Department Of Government Efficiency” Listed 47 Social Security Administration Offices for Closure – Including 2 in New York

    DOGE’s Attacks on the SSA Have Resulted in Skyrocketing Wait Times and Website Crashes

    Trump Administration Official Claims That Only “Fraudsters” Would Complain About Missing Social Security Checks 

    Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand held a press conference slamming the Trump administration’s plans to make it harder for seniors to access the Social Security benefits they have earned.

    The Social Security Administration (SSA) has already announced plans to cut 7,000 staff, despite the fact that SSA staffing is already at a 50-year low. Now, the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” plans to limit phone support for seniors, forcing them to file certain claims online – a challenge for many older adults – or visit a Social Security Administration office in person, even though appointments for these visits can only be made over the phone. DOGE is simultaneously planning to shutter Social Security Administration offices across the country, including two in New York. These changes will decimate the Social Security system and deny seniors their hard-earned benefits. 

    “President Trump and Elon Musk are playing games with your retirement,” said Senator Gillibrand. “They are cutting the phone services that seniors rely on to apply for benefits, firing staff, and closing down the field offices—including the White Plains and Poughkeepsie offices right here in New York–where seniors go for help. These changes mean that you may not get your checks in time to pay your bills and that there may not be anyone at your local Social Security office to turn to for help. This is a cut to benefits in everything but the name, and I will be doing everything in my power to stop it.”

    Gillibrand was joined by New York Governor Kathy Hochul, State Senator Pat Fahy, Acting Director of the NYS Office for the Aging Greg Olsen, and Executive Director of the Association on Aging in New York Rebecca Preve.

    “After a lifetime of paying into the system, Americans count on Social Security to be there when they need it,” said Governor Kathy Hochul. “We won’t let the Trump administration—or an unelected billionaire—jeopardize access to a benefit New Yorkers have earned without a fight. I’m proud to stand side-by-side with Senator Gillibrand to stand up for our seniors and continue the fight to protect Social Security for generations to come.”

    “DOGE’s plans to slash physical office capacity at SSA should be seen for what they are — part of a systematic effort to gut federal services and rob the American people so President Trump can provide more tax breaks for Elon Musk and his billionaire donors,” said Representative Paul Tonko. “These actions will lead to longer wait times over the phone and a reduced ability to accommodate in-person office visits, leaving millions of Americans unable to access the benefits they’ve earned. This attack on Social Security is just one more step in Trump and Musk’s cynical ploy to use the guise of ‘efficiency’ to dismantle the essential programs and services American families rely on.”

    “Over four million New Yorkers rely on social security,” said State Senator Patricia Fahy. “This will put the lives of millions of aging and disabled Americans at risk, as well as their families. Many New Yorkers have worked hard and served their communities for decades, and are now living in constant fear of having their benefits cut by an unelected billionaire. As Chair of the Senate Disabilities Committee I will continue to work hard to ensure that disabled New Yorkers continue to have their needs met in order to live full and happy lives.”

    “Cuts to Social Security threaten aging New Yorkers’ lives and livelihoods,” said New York Assemblymember Gabriella A. Romero. “These are people who’ve spent their adult lives working and making our communities great places to live – they’ve planted roots, raised families, and shaped our neighborhoods. The Trump administration has taken a chainsaw to essential federal programs and departments, and we can’t stand back and let families and aging New Yorkers pay the price. I’ll never back down from fighting for New Yorkers and the benefits they deserve.”

    “Our seniors deserve easy, reliable access to their Social Security benefits without any unnecessary hurdles,” said Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy. “Forcing them to file claims online creates barriers for many who have limited internet access and digital literacy. We must protect phone and in-person services in order to ensure every senior gets the support they need.”

    “Vulnerable New Yorkers and Americans are suffering from these callous and heartless choices,” said Albany County Legislature Chairwoman Joanne Cunningham. “There are immediate and dire consequences from these sorts of decisions made by those in power. Over and over again, we see that those who bear the heaviest burdens are the powerless. Plus, the pain is always felt across party lines. In Albany County, we will continue to ensure that services remain robust and available to all and that belief and hope don’t succumb to ideology and ignorance.”

    “This is yet another short-sighted move by the Trump administration and DOGE that will be detrimental to the American people,” said Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan. “Americans work hard as they pay into Social Security, and they should be able to rely on their money to help keep food on the table, a roof over their head, and the lights and heat on. Limiting access to the Social Security Administration will be disastrous to older Americans living on fixed-incomes and I thank Senator Gillibrand for calling on the federal government to reverse course before those catastrophic impacts take hold.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Denver removes man wanted in El Salvador

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    DENVER – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed Salvadoran national and foreign fugitive Jose Eduardo Moran-Garcia, 28, to El Salvador via air transportation, March 28. Moran is wanted in his home country for aggravated homicide, displacement of individuals, unlawful groupings and aggravated robbery.

    “Today, justice prevails. The successful removal of this fugitive is a testament to the unwavering cooperation between our nations and the relentless dedication of our law enforcement agencies,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Denver Field Office Director Robert Guadian. “This operation sends a clear message — no criminal is beyond the reach of justice.”

    Moran entered the United States on an unknown date and location without inspection by U.S. Immigration Officers. He was arrested Oct. 16, 2023, in Whittier, California, and was transferred to the Denver Contract Detention Facility, Aurora, Colorado, until his removal from the United States.

    This operation was successfully completed with the assistance of ERO El Salvador and the Security Alliance for Fugitive Enforcement taskforce.

    Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ERO Denver’s mission to increase public safety in your community on X, @ERODenver.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Celebrates Early Win Halting the Destruction of the CFPB

    Source: US State of California

    Friday, March 28, 2025

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued the following statement in response to a court granting a preliminary injunction in National Treasury Employees Union v. Vought, a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s efforts to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The decision prevents the Trump Administration from further demolishing the agency vital to federal consumer protections while litigation in this case proceeds. Last month, Attorney General Bonta joined a coalition of attorneys general in submitting an amicus brief arguing that the shuttering of the CFPB would cause catastrophic harm to consumer protections nationwide and leave state agencies with the sole responsibility to protect consumers from conduct regulated by the CFPB. 

    “The CFPB is the top cop protecting American families who want to buy a home and people who want to borrow money to buy a car or attend college. The CFPB is for everyone. This agency fights for hardworking people who don’t want to get cheated by big banks and predatory lenders and protects a level playing field where businesses can succeed on merit rather than by cutting corners and cheating their customers,” said Attorney General Bonta. “The court order today prevents the Trump Administration from continuing its illegal attempt to destroy the agency looking out for consumers across the country. I celebrate this early win and will continue to use the power of my office to advocate for essential consumer protections nationwide.”

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Purpose Investments Inc. Announces 2025 First-Quarter Distributions for Purpose Specialty Lending Trust

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, March 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Purpose Investments Inc. is pleased to announce the 2025 first-quarter distributions for Purpose Specialty Lending Trust.

      Ticker
    Symbol    		 Distribution
    per
    share/unit    		 Ex
    Distribution
    Date    		 Record
    Date    		 Payable
    Date
    Purpose Specialty Lending Trust – Class A Unlisted $0.1215 03/31/2025 03/31/2025 04/22/2025
    Purpose Specialty Lending Trust – Class F Unlisted $0.1255 03/31/2025 03/31/2025 04/22/2025
    Purpose Specialty Lending Trust – Class U Unlisted US $0.1665 03/31/2025 03/31/2025 04/22/2025
    Purpose Specialty Lending Trust – Class A1, Series 2 Unlisted $0.1405 03/31/2025 03/31/2025 04/22/2025
    Purpose Specialty Lending Trust – Class F, Series 3 Unlisted $0.1455 03/31/2025 03/31/2025 04/22/2025

    About Purpose Investments Inc.

    Purpose Investments Inc. is an asset management company with more than $23 billion in assets under management. Purpose Investments has an unrelenting focus on client-centric innovation, and offers a range of managed and quantitative investment products. Purpose Investments is led by well-known entrepreneur Som Seif and is a division of Purpose Unlimited, an independent technology-driven financial services company.

    For further information please contact:
    Keera Hart
    Keera.Hart@kaiserpartners.com
    905-580-1257

    Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investment fund investments. Please read the prospectus and other disclosure documents before investing. Investment funds are not covered by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government deposit insurer. There can be no assurance that the full amount of your investment in a fund will be returned to you. If the securities are purchased or sold on a stock exchange, you may pay more or receive less than the current net asset value. Investment funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pressley Slams Trump’s Attack on Unions, Collective Bargaining Rights for Federal Workers

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

    “They know that an organized workforce is a threat to unchecked power, which is why they want to rip away the collective bargaining rights for hundreds of thousands of federal employees and continue firing them at will.”

    Pressley, a Consistent and Strident Champion for Workers and Organized Labor, Spoke Out Against the GOP’s Union-Busting Efforts Earlier This Week

    Video (YouTube)

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) issued the following statement slamming Trump’s executive order to end collective bargaining rights for hundreds of thousands of federal employees. As a parent, caregiver, and former hotel worker, Congresswoman Pressley has been a dedicated champion for workers and organized labor, and she has consistently advocated for policies that bolster workers’ rights and strengthen labor unions.

    “Trump and Musk are attacking our labor unions because they don’t want workers to have power. They know that an organized workforce is a threat to unchecked power, which is why they want to rip away the collective bargaining rights for hundreds of thousands of federal employees and continue firing them at will. This is shameful and yet another attempt by this hostile administration to completely dismantle our democracy and harm the people who keep our country running.

    “Unions have long been the backbone of this country – helping families thrive by winning better wages, benefits, and safer working conditions. Now more than ever, I’ll keep standing with our siblings in the labor movement and fight this every step of the way, because our destinies are tied and this attack on labor is an attack of all of us.”

    Rep. Pressley has been a committed voice for federal workers pushing back against the Trump-Musk administration’s efforts to decimate federal agencies. In a House Oversight Committee hearing earlier this week, Rep. Pressley slammed Republicans for attempting to gut federal unions and weaken worker protections.

    A full transcript of the Congresswoman’s remarks, as delivered, is available below and the full video is available here.

    Transcript: Rep. Pressley’s Statement on Trump Revoking Collective Bargaining Power for Most Federal Employees
    U.S. House of Representatives
    March 25, 2025

    Make no mistake, the bills we are considering today are a coordinated and shameful attack on federal workers and labor unions. 

    This is not about efficiency. This is not about accountability. This is about silencing workers and stripping away their rights in the name of unchecked power. 

    Let me be plain about what’s happening here. 

    These bills would gut federal unions, weaken worker protections and strip employees of their rights to fight for fair wages, safe workplaces and the basic dignity they deserve. 

    They are meant to intimidate, isolate and disempower the very people who keep our country running – the people who inspect our food, protect our veterans, process Social Security checks, and uphold services that millions of people use. 

    It’s union busting. 

    But instead of targeting corporations, Republicans are targeting our very own public servants. Let’s talk about what these bills actually do. 

    Republicans want to eliminate official time – a tool that allows workers to report fraud, waste and abuse without fear of retaliation. Just to be clear, this would make it harder for workers to blow the whistle on corporate corruption and inefficiency. That doesn’t sound like it protects taxpayers to me. 

    Republicans want to give the president unchecked power to tear up collective bargaining agreements at will, making every worker’s contract essentially meaningless. 

    Imagine signing a contract for a mortgage only to have the bank come back six months later and say, “Never mind, we’re changing the terms, and you have no say in it.” That’s what they want to do to federal workers. 

    Republicans also want to ban federal workers from deducting union dues from their paychecks, even though it’s completely voluntary and no different from deductions for retirement funds, health care or charitable donations. 

    They are singling out unions here, not because it saves money, but because they don’t want workers to have power. 

    So no, this isn’t about efficiency, and it certainly isn’t about protecting the taxpayer. 

    If it were, the Republicans wouldn’t be rolling back whistleblower protections or forcing unions to provide representation for free. 

    In reality, it’s about giving more power to Co-Presidents Trump and Musk, dismantling the one force that stands up against abuse and injustice in the workplace – unions. 

    The right to unionize is not just about making a living – it’s about making a life, and a good one at that. 

    In my district, MA-07, from Cambridge to Roxbury, median income drops by $50,000. we can’t address long standing inequities like this if workers aren’t empowered. 

    Throughout our history, unions have fought for and won better wages and benefits and safer working conditions against the greed of big corporations and special interests. 

    I’ve witnessed many of these victories firsthand from my early days on the picket lines with my mother – may she rest in power – who taught me early on that workers rights are human rights, and economic justice is workers justice. That truth has not changed. 

    Now, more than ever, we need to support unions in protecting their workers. 

    I’ll continue to do just that, and I urge my colleagues to vote against this bill. 

    I yield back. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: At Roxbury Town Hall, Pressley Offers Message of Hope, Vision for Fighting Cruel Musk-Trump Agenda

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

    Conversation with Constituents Covered Her Support for Federal Workers and Immigrants, Social Security and Medicaid, and How Community Members Can Join the Fight

    ROXBURY – At a town hall at Roxbury Community College, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) offered constituents a message of hope and laid out her blueprint for how Democrats and community members should fight the cruel and harmful Musk-Trump agenda.

    The Congresswoman, who was joined by Massachusetts State Senator Liz Miranda and ACLU of Massachusetts Executive Director Carol Rose, took questions and discussed her support for our federal workers and immigrant neighbors, her defense of essential programs like Medicaid and Social Security, and more.

    Congresswoman Pressley also outlined the key ingredients essential to any successful movement: imagination, strategy, and stamina.

    A transcript with highlights from the Congresswoman’s remarks are available below (edited lightly for clarity), and video is available here.

    Transcript: At Roxbury Town Hall, Pressley Offers Message of Hope, Vision for Fighting Cruel Musk-Trump Agenda
    Roxbury Community College
    March 22, 2025

    From Rep. Pressley’s Opening Remarks: 

    It’s good to be home. Look, y’all don’t know how to be anybody else but me, so let me just be transparent and a little vulnerable. As much as I have been looking forward to today to come in here and to be here in community with all of you, I’ve also been unsettled. Unsettled in my spirit, because these are deeply unsettling times, and because I know that so many of you are carrying with you into this room, fear, uncertainty, fear for your children, for your neighbors, for yourselves. 

    I feel that too in my own life and in my own family, and although it is a deep blessing and honor to be your Congresswoman. It is a tremendous responsibility as well, and as I thought about sharing the space before you today, in light of what we’re facing, I was worried that what I would offer would fall woefully short of what you actually need in this moment, because the people of this district demand and deserve the very best, truly you do. 

    I wake up every day humbled to serve in Congress in this role. I wake up every day pressing through adversity to do everything I can to do right by this district in ways big and small. I continue, in the midst of the chaos and the cruelty, to choose community, which is why we’re here today. 

    Now we’re dealing with a hostile administration that seeks to divide us and impose wholesale harm. Daily, there is an executive order or horrifying headline and attacks on vulnerable and marginalized people, some days attacks that reverberate in the lives of every person who calls this country home, but I keep returning to the words of Dr King. “Where do we go from here? Chaos or Community?” 

    Donald Trump has made it clear that this election was never about improving your quality of life or lowering the cost of your groceries, your rent or your pursuit of higher education. It was always about one thing: power. Gaining power, wielding power, abusing power, and ripping away our hard-won civil rights, our economic freedoms. 

    They are coming after Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid.

    They are coming after our neighbors in the LGBTQ+ community.

    Black folks, they are coming after us. This administration is anti-Blackness on steroids. 

    They are coming after our immigrant neighbors, undocumented or not. 

    They are coming after our bodily autonomy. 

    They are coming after our federal workers who administer essential services to our communities. 

    Hell, Donald Trump is attacking everything but the one thing he said he would, and that’s the high cost of groceries.

    Massachusetts 7th, these are unprecedented times. I don’t know about y’all, I’m ready for some precedented times, but these are unprecedented times in our nation’s history. Because, yes, our democracy is at stake. 

    Republicans in Congress do not care about how this will hurt the American people, and they are co-conspirators, complicit in the harm.

    As your Congresswoman, I promise to continue to fight like hell, because my district and our country depend on it, and you deserve it. 

    Now, look, I don’t have all the answers, but I’ll work hard every day to find them. 

    Let me be clear about what we do next. Democrats need to exhaust every lever and tool that is available to us when we have it. I believe we lost this election for so many reasons, but one of the reasons we’re in this situation is because the Democrats move with scared power. When we have it, we don’t use it. 

    We cannot allow elected officials to squander moments like the leverage we had in the Senate on that government funding vote.

    We have to fight with everything we have, and while daunting, we are winning in the courts, and that is why I asked Carol Rose to be here today to relay how essential a tool that is in our resistance and in our defensive strategy. 

    When an unelected billionaire, Elon Musk, is raiding the private information of the American public—that doesn’t sound like a democracy to me.

    As a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, Republicans have blocked our request to have Elon testify in front of our committee for accountability and transparency—that doesn’t sound like justice to me. 

    They are more concerned with dragging Democratic mayors to Washington to make a spectacle and instead it reaffirmed what we already knew, that Boston is one of the safest cities in the country, and our mayor is doing us proud.

    When Trump is sending ICE to Chelsea, East Boston or Mattapan, demanding our neighbors prove they are in our country legally, and detaining people like Mahmoud Khalil for exercising his first amendment right to protest—that doesn’t sound like freedom to me. 

    When Trump calls for impeaching a sitting federal judge because one of his executive orders violated the law—that doesn’t sound like democracy to me. 

    These are instead the acts of a dictator. And what do you meet a dictator with? Defiance.

    So indeed, I have been and I will continue to fight back. 

    From Rep. Pressley’s Closing Remarks

    In determining how to go forward, I keep looking back, because we are still very much in the Civil Rights Movement. And so I keep going back to a blueprint laid out for us in the early chapter of the Civil Rights Movement. 

    And in every successful movement, you need three things, imagination. So we want to do radical work, but we have to still radically dream. We still need a North Star. People were saying to me, why are you still talking about reparations? Why are you still talking about universal childcare? Why are you still talking about paid leave? Why are you still talking about Medicare for All? Because at the end of the day, our argument cannot be just “we ain’t them.”

    While we are doing the work of blunting the harms of this hostile administration, in the midst of this hostile government takeover, we still need to advance an affirmative vision for the more equitable and just world we all believe is possible. 

    So that is why you all need to stay informed and engaged. Before radical work, there is a radical dream. We still need a North Star. So you need imagination. 

    The second thing you need is strategy. And we have to be innovative and nimble, and look, the rhetoric is hitting different, the policies are hitting different, we have to move different. We have to be disruptive of the status quo way of things that we’ve always done. So we have to be nimble and innovative in our strategy. 

    And this is no easy task y’all, because the Republicans have this massive communications ecosystem that billionaires are funding. So we are out-matched. We are trying to build it in real time, but social media is the new news. So we have to get into all of these spaces. 

    So imagination, strategy, and here’s the hardest essential ingredient to a successful movement, stamina. I need stamina from all of you, and I know that is challenging when you are fearful, when you are worried, when you are overwhelmed, when faith is shallow and boycotts are short lived, but we need stamina. 

    So those are the three things I would ask you to keep with you. And get involved. Look, get to know your neighbors, y’all. These are going to be some challenging times. You don’t know who you’re going need to borrow toilet tissue from. Or food or anything else.

    I’m serious. A number of people are starting to initiate having, you know, old school conversations in living rooms and organizing in that way, that’s what we’re going to have to do in this moment. 

    And then finally, I would say this, not only is the challenge before us overwhelming and daunting, y’all feel like you have to fix everything. I know I feel that responsibility and that stressor as well, but all you have to do is bring what your unique gift is. 

    Some people are going to pick up a microphone, some people are going to pick up a lawmaking pen. Some people are going to spit a rhyme or a bone. Some people are going to lead the march. Some people are going to make the signs for the people in the march. Some people are going to pack the food and make the food for people in the march. Somebody’s going to be doing the production and effect so we can make sure we’re reaching more people.

    All you have to do is bring your unique gift to this moment. But you have to bring it. You have to bring it, because we are not going to get out of this just with 436 people that have a comma and a title after their name. 

    It’s going to take all of us, and I’ll close here. Cecile Richards, I don’t know if all of you know who that is. A personal shero of mine, daughter of the great Texas governor, Ann Richards, former head of Planned Parenthood, an incredible champion and leader in the work of reproductive rights and freedom. 

    She recently died from brain cancer, and when she was in the midst of that fight, she was still showing up. She was still resisting, she was still agitating, she was still organizing. And someone came up to her and said, what are you doing here?

    And she said, the question will be asked in the future, what did you do? What did you do when everything was at stake for our country? And the only acceptable answer is everything that I could.

    Thank you everyone for being here today.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: The MAGA Minute, March 28, 2025

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

    The Trump White House MAGA’d this week.

    Hyundai, Rolls Royce, Schneider Invest Billions
    25% Tariff on Foreign Auto Imports
    Medal of Honor Heroes Honored at 1600 Penn
    Action to Make DC Safe & Beautiful Again
    MS-13 Gang Leader Captured

    Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt breaks it down in this MAGA Minute!

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

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: THE TRUMP EFFECT! 🇺🇸💰

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

    Hyundai Announces $5.8B Louisiana Investment as Part of Massive $21B Commitment to America

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17CYig5pa1k

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CLARKE ISSUES STATEMENT ON TRUMP’S HISTORIC ATTACK ON FEDERAL UNIONS

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Yvette D Clarke (9th District of New York)

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

    March 28, 2025

    MEDIA CONTACT: 

    e: jessica.myers@mail.house.gov

    c: 202.913.0126

    Washington, DC – Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) issued the following statement on the Trump Administration’s attack on federal unions:

    “There is no room for debate – our president is a proud and unrepentant union buster. Through Donald Trump’s recent executive order, his administration has committed one of the most significant and severe attacks on the labor movement in America’s history. Tragically, it stands as only the latest assault against our civil servants who have been ceaselessly insulted, threatened, and harmed by the Trump Administration since the day it came to power. And let’s be clear: the Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Health and Human Services, Justice, State and Veterans Affairs, USAID, and the EPA will each be immeasurably weakened by this order, significantly impacting the agency services millions of Americans rely on.

    “Honest people recognize that collective bargaining is the best, most effective way for workers and employers to reach a fair and mutually beneficial labor agreement. That is why America’s federal workers deserve the right to collectively bargain their conditions of employment, and why, at his core, Donald Trump fears the strength and resilience of unions – because unions will always stand as one of the last lines of defense against his illegal war on the federal workforce. 

    “I have no doubt he and his administration will not rest, yield, or back down an inch until they have broken every law and every institution necessary to steal this necessary tool from federal workers and ensure their control over every element of our government is absolute. All of Congress should condemn Donald Trump’s overreach and defend the labor movement from his disgusting attempt to dismantle their power. I stand with our federal unions when I say: we’ll see this scab president in court.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Kentucky Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by May Storms

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Kentucky of the April 23, 2025, deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, landslides and mudslides occurring on May 21-27, 2024. 

    The disaster declaration covers the counties of Allen, Barren, Bell, Boyd, Butler, Caldwell, Calloway, Carter, Christian, Clay, Crittenden, Edmonson, Graves, Grayson, Greenup, Hopkins, Jackson, Knox, Laurel, Leslie, Lewis, Logan, Lyon, Marshall, McCreary, McLean, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Owsley, Perry, Simpson, Todd, Trigg, Warren, Webster and Whitley in Kentucky, as well as Lawrence and Scioto counties in Ohio, and Campbell, Claiborne, Henry, Montgomery, Robertson, Stewart and Sumner counties in Tennessee. 

    Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises. 

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster. 

    “SBA loans help eligible small businesses and private nonprofits cover operating expenses after a disaster, which is crucial for their recovery,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “These loans not only help business owners get back on their feet but also play a key role in sustaining local economies in the aftermath of a disaster.” 

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition. 

    To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services. 

    The deadline to return economic injury applications is April 23, 2025. 

    ### 

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration 

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement From Governor Lamont, Senate President Looney, and Speaker Ritter

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont, Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, and Speaker of the House Matt Ritter today released the following joint statement:

    “Following last year’s election, we anticipated the new administration would make cuts to federal funding, something our state – like many – relies on for the healthcare of our most vulnerable, for infrastructure improvements, for public safety, and for our children’s education. What no one could anticipate was how severe these cuts would be and how quickly they would occur to vital programs, sometimes without warning.

    “Drastic reductions were always going to impact our own state budget and now we’re beginning to see the unfortunate effects. Since the beginning of this new administration, we have been modeling out potential outcomes and monitoring funding for critical programs. We will review these on a case-by-case basis to understand the impact and protect our most essential programs.

    “No state can restore every cut that comes from Washington or ignore the effects, especially on public health. However, sound fiscal practices have positioned us better than most states in the nation. If this pattern of devastating cuts continues, we will be prepared to exercise emergency powers. Although we hope that Washington reverses course, we must plan for the inevitable or unpredictable. Over the coming weeks, we will be meeting to collaboratively plan how to best protect our state’s values during this chaotic period in Washington.”

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Magaziner Introduces Bill to Incentivize Production of More Affordable Housing Using the Historic Tax Credit

    Source: US Representative Seth Magaziner (RI-02)

    WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Representative Seth Magaziner introduced legislation that requires the National Park Service (NPS) to report on how the implementation of the Historic Tax Credit (HTC) program can be improved to remove barriers to the development of affordable housing and increase production. 

    “Every Rhode Islander deserves to have a safe, affordable place they can call home, and Rhode Island’s large stock of historic buildings can be an incredible resource to create much-needed housing,” said Representative Magaziner. “My bill makes the Historic Tax Credit program  more compatible with affordable housing needs by encouraging the utilization of the program for more housing development. This will help preserve the historic character of these buildings while making more homes available for those who need them.”

    For decades, the National Park Service has successfully administered the Historic Tax Credit program, having completed 49,000 rehabilitation projects, created 3.2 million jobs, and led a program that’s produced a net benefit to taxpayers since its inception. Historic Tax Credits have served as the catalyst for decades of successful rehabilitation and adaptive reuse projects that have expanded America’s housing stock.

    Since 1976, the National Park Service has helped restore and repurpose historic buildings into housing, but inefficiencies in the Historic Tax Credit program continue to slow down development. To address these barriers, this bill requires a report on how the program is administered, including data on application processing times, approval conditions, and other common roadblocks that delay projects. The report will also identify ways to improve program standards, streamline the approval process, and provide clearer guidance on converting nonresidential buildings into housing, while preserving the historic character of these structures and expanding affordable housing development.

    Read the full bill here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –