NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: Latta, DeGette, Crenshaw and Dingell Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Reauthorize Improved Access to Over-the-Counter Medicines

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green Ohio)

    Recently, Congressman Bob Latta (OH-5), Congresswoman Diana DeGette (CO-1), Congressman Dan Crenshaw (TX-2) and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-6) introduced the Over-the-Counter Monograph Drug User Fee Amendments (OMFUA), a bipartisan bill to reauthorize the Over-the-Counter Monograph User Fee Act that has improved access to over-the-counter medicines.   

    “The over-the-counter monograph drug user fee program (OMUFA) allows consumers to manage their own care safely and affordably. Five years ago, as the original sponsor of this legislation, my colleagues and I modernized how the FDA regulates most over-the-counter medicines by enacting OMUFA. These reforms transformed a 40-year-old system, making it more efficient, transparent, and open to innovation. I’m proud to lead the reauthorization of this critical program,” Latta said.  

    “Millions of Americans rely on over-the-counter medications every day, and FDA’s over-the-counter medicines program ensures those products are safe, effective, and accessible. I was proud to play a role in creating OMUFA and to see it through its first five years. Now, as we approach reauthorization, it’s time to build on that success and continue giving FDA the tools it needs to deliver trusted medicines to Amerians’ shelves,” DeGette said.

    “This bipartisan bill empowers the FDA to review over-the-counter medicines quickly and efficiently — without compromising safety. It ensures Americans can trust that the products on their shelves are backed by the latest science, and spares the taxpayer a new obligation,” Crenshaw said.    

    “Nearly nine out of ten Americans regularly use over the counter medications to quickly, easily, and effectively manage a range of conditions. The Over-the-Counter Monograph Safety, Innovation, and Reform Act has been highly successful in improving OTC drug availability and safety. I’m leading this reauthorization with my bipartisan colleagues to ensure consumers continue to have safe access to the OTC products they depend on, and the U.S. remains a global leader in health and innovation,” Dingell said.  

    Today, Congressman Latta joined the Health Subcommittee hearing on legislative proposals to maintain and improve the public health workforce, rural health, and over the counter drugs, to discuss his bill, OMUFA. Watch the Congressman’s remarks here. 

    The OMUFA bill is endorsed by the Consumer Healthcare Products Association:   

    “CHPA applauds Representatives Latta, DeGette, Crenshaw and Dingell for their leadership in introducing this important reauthorization and for their continued support of self-care,” said CHPA President & CEO Scott Melville. “As the industry works to deliver safe, effective, and innovative OTC products to consumers, we look forward to working with Congress on refinements to the bill to ensure the final legislation maximizes the potential of monograph reform and can continue to provide savings and innovation to consumers. That includes inserting provisions into OMUFA to clarify how FDA evaluates the Generally Recognized as Safe and Effective (GRASE) standard, creating a clearer path for early agreement on data needs, and improving the efficiency of making product improvements while maintaining strong safety standards.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bacon Lauds Progress on FY26 Defense Policy Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Don Bacon (2nd District of Nebraska)

    Bacon Lauds Progress on FY26 Defense Policy Bill

    Washington – Late Tuesday evening, Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE-02) Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee’s (HASC) Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation Subcommittee (CITI), voted in favor of advancing H.R. 3838, the Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery and National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026. The bill was reported out of committee by a vote of 55 – 2. The annual legislation, which contains multiple amendments and provisions authored by Rep. Bacon, authorizes defense spending and sets the policy and priorities for the Armed Forces. 

    “Once again, the People’s House proves that bipartisan progress is possible where it matters most,” said Chairman Bacon after completing his ninth annual full-committee markup of the NDAA. “When it comes to national security, the American people expect us to work across the aisle to provide for the common defense. It’s been a long couple of months, but I am proud of what we produced and look forward to advancing this important legislation in the House.”     

    Highlights from the committee’s FY 2026 bill include:

    • Sets major reforms to the defense acquisition system to speed development and fielding of modern technologies while reducing bureaucracy 
    • Preserves development of the U.S. Air Force E-7 advanced airborne warning and control system
    • Preserves U.S. force posture in Europe and authorizes additional security assistance to Ukraine 
    • Fully funds modernization of the U.S strategic nuclear deterrent including development of the Sea-Launched Cruise Missile – Nuclear

    In addition, the committee’s bill contains numerous legislative proposals sponsored by Rep. Bacon, including: 

    • Directs the Secretary of Defense to prepare an implementation plan to establish a Joint Task Force Cyber for the Indo-Pacific area of operations
    • Directs the Secretary of the Air Force to provide an acquisition and fielding strategy for the F-47 advanced fighter aircraft program
    • Directs the Secretary of Defense to provide an independent assessment of toxic exposure in the AF ICMB community
    • Directs the Secretary of Defense to provide an implementation plan to reform Department of Defense (DoD) casualty assistance programs 
    • Directs the Secretary of Defense to establish the Civil Reserve Manufacturing Network 
    • Directs significant security upgrades to DoD mobile telecommunications
    • Directs the major defense acquisitions programs to prepare digital manufacturing transition plans for critical components 
    • Directs the Secretary of Defense to establish the Center for Strategic Deterrence and WMD Studies at the National Defense University
    • Directs the Secretary of Defense to improve cancer detection and prevention measures for DoD firefighters 
    • Directs updates on the U.S. Space Force Satellite Control Network

    Watch Rep. Bacon’s remarks here and see full remarks as delivered below:

    “Thank you, Chairman Rogers. I want to begin by thanking all the members of the subcommittee for their dedication and thoughtful work in creating a strong, bipartisan, Cyber, IT and Innovative Subcommittee print. The subcommittee’s package advances departments’ cyber and innovation ecosystems and conducts critical oversight. I also want to thank our great subcommittee staff, led by Sarah Moxley. Every member of the staff are professional experts on both sides of the aisle.

    “The subcommittee’s mission is to ensure that warfighters are armed with the most innovative technologies that improve lethality and increase U.S. capabilities. Modern technology is fast paced, so ensuring the department of Defense is at the leading edge of technology is imperative to deterring adversaries. Warfighters must have the tools to fight across all domains on the battlefield, in cyberspace, now and in the future.

    “I’m looking forward to continuing to optimize these efforts as the committee considers the FY 26 NDAA. The FY 26 CITI subcommittee print prioritizes the continued improvement of testing and evaluation through digital processes, supports the research and development of novel technologies, and improves the department’s cyber practices. This package brings flexibility for research and development across the department to ensure rapid innovation.

    “The print achieves this through the empowering of the undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, and improving the ability to do developmental prototyping, creating a bridge over the Valley of Death. It also directs the use of digital engineering and modern software practices to create a more agile and accurate testing and evaluation process. 

    “Additionally, the subcommittee print directs the department to use modern technology to improve processes and cyber practices, provisions leverage AI to bolster cybersecurity skills, create new lines of efforts for using generative AI, and continue to lay out the framework for the department’s adoption of AI. The subcommittee print supports the continued research and development of hypersonic programs and modernization and expansion of hypersonic testing and evaluation. Finally, the print includes several recommendations from the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology.

    “These provisions give the department tools to optimize the military use of biotechnology, to guarantee that the U.S. remains the world’s leader in biotechnology innovation. Overall, the subcommittee print ensures the U.S. remains status as the most lethal warfighting force in the world. Lastly, I want to thank Ranking Member Khanna for his bipartisanship and dedication to producing the subcommittee print.

    “We believe this package will continue to give the department the flexibility and tools needed to deliver the most modern technology to the hand of the warfighters. And with that, I yield back.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Dina Titus Introduces Bill to Assure Benefits for Atomic Veterans

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

    Congresswoman Dina Titus (NV-01) today introduced legislation to eliminate bureaucratic barriers atomic veterans face when they apply for benefits they are entitled to after being exposed to toxic radiation. 

    The Congresswoman introduced the Providing Radiation Exposed Servicemembers Undisputed Medical Eligibility (PRESUME) Act to prohibit the VA from requiring evidence of a certain dose of radiation to determine if a veteran is considered radiation-exposed for the purposes of “presumptive benefits.”

    “Like anyone on the battlefield, cold warriors at the Nevada Test Site put themselves in harm’s way in service to our country. We cannot leave any of them behind. The bureaucratic barriers to care can be easily fixed through my legislation,” said Rep. Titus. “Our country’s atomic veterans helped win the peace during the Cold War, and they must be able to access the highest standard of care available.”

    Currently, to receive care for what the VA has categorized as “presumptive diseases” due to radiation exposure, a veteran must provide proof of on-site participation as well as radiation dose estimates from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. Radiation dose estimates have historically been unreliable, leaving many exposed veterans unable to obtain the compensation they have earned.

    “Our atomic veterans should be treated the same way as civilians exposed to atomic radiation,” Rep. Titus said. “They have been wrongfully subjected to a double standard and have not received the care they deserve for treatment of cancer and pulmonary diseases. The PRESUME Act would fix this.” 

    The PRESUME Act has been endorsed by Disabled American Veterans, The Invisible Enemy, National Association of Atomic Veterans, Military-Veterans Advocacy, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and the Union of Concerned Scientists.

    “For far too long, veterans exposed to radiation have faced an uphill battle for VA health care and benefits. The diseases they develop, which often manifest decades after their military service, after radiation exposure. DAV is proud to support the PRESUME Act, which would remove outdated VA regulations and provide equity with other government programs by removing the radiation dose estimate requirements. We thank Rep. Titus for her leadership in reintroducing this critical legislation to ensure those exposed to radiation while in service get the care and benefits, they have rightfully earned,” said Jim Marszalek, National Service Director for Disabled American Veterans.

    “‘Veterans are a uniting issue for America as they are the protectors of our freedom. For many veterans, ionizing radiation is a significant issue and is the focus of our advocacy at The Invisible Enemy. Rep. Titus’ bill to remove the dosage requirement is very important as dosage is often impossible to prove but the impact of that exposure on veteran’s lives is significant. The Invisible Enemy 100% supports Rep. Titus on her effort to help our brothers and sisters in their quest for the benefits so deserved and earned,” said Dave Crete, Chairman of the Las Vegas-based The Invisible Enemy.

    “The National Association of Atomic Veterans is pleased to support the Presume Act. The legacy of Nuclear tests is riddled with Veterans not having proper Personal Protective Equipment and/or failure of monitoring radiation levels. Few of the Veterans were issued radiation badges and of those that had them, there were high failure rates due to environmental factors. Further, these badges only measure external gamma rays, X-rays, and high-energy beta radiation. They do not measure alpha, neutron, or low energy beta radiation. Additionally, none of the monitoring methods measure internal radiation doses of any form. Requiring a veteran to prove the level of exposure places an unreasonable burden of proof upon them,” said Keith Kiefer, National Commander for the National Association of Atomic Veterans.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Larsen Secures $2 Million for Snohomish County to Improve Everett Rail Yard

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)

    The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded a $2,000,000 grant to Snohomish County for its Everett Intermodal Yard and Curve Improvements project. The project will improve rail shipping capability, safety, and reliability for freight and intercity passenger service at the Everett Intermodal Yard. These improvements will benefit both BNSF freight trains and Amtrak Cascades service, and improve the county’s solid waste management system. 

    DOT awarded the funding through Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant program, which enables communities of all sizes to carry out road, rail, transit and other surface transportation projects with significant local or regional impact.  

    Larsen and Snohomish County Leaders Applaud BUILD Grant 

    Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02), the top Democrat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, requested funding for the project in the Fiscal Year 2026 spending bill.   

    “Thanks to the hard work of Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers and Public Works Director Kelly Snyder, Snohomish County has the funding it needs to increase the capacity of its rail yard and reduce delays,” said Rep. Larsen. “In Northwest Washington state, infrastructure means jobs. I will continue to support federal investments in roads, bridges, highways and transit in our region that relieve congestion, improve safety and spur economic growth in local communities.” 

    Dave Somers and Kelly Snyder celebrated the grant announcement and emphasized the importance of the funding to the community. 

    “This vital rail project will improve safety and reliability for workers, passengers, and freight at the Everett Intermodal Yard while allowing us and our rail partners to continue a sustainable, low-impact operation for residents,” Somers said. “I am grateful for the BUILD award to help move this important work forward.” 

    “Snohomish County Public Works is thankful for Congressman Larsen’s support in obtaining a U.S. DOT BUILD award. These funds will help improve and expand Delta intermodal yard in north Everett to keep up with safety, efficiency and growing demand,” said Snyder. “We value every dollar that sustains the regions infrastructure and keeps services moving along unabated. This BUILD grant is a vital source of funding that will help us continue to efficiently meet the needs of Snohomish County residents and visitors.” 

    Larsen Has Secured $105.9 Million in BUILD Grants for WA-02 Since 2022 

    Larsen has secured eight BUILD grants totaling $105,906,000 for local communities since the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was signed. In addition to the $2 million grant for Snohomish County, Larsen has helped deliver: 

    • $25 Million for Lynnwood’s Poplar Way Bridge – In August 2022, DOT awarded the City of Lynnwood a $25 million RAISE grant to construct a new six-lane, multimodal bridge over I-5 in Lynnwood, between the intersections of 196th Street SW (State Route 524)/Poplar Way and 33rd Avenue W/Alderwood Mall Boulevard. 

    • $25 Million for Whatcom County’s Lummi Island Ferry – In August 2022, DOT awarded Whatcom County a $25 million RAISE grant to replace the 60-year-old Lummi Island ferry with an electric-battery hybrid ferry and build related infrastructure. 

    • $17.9 Million for Port of Bellingham’s Shipping Terminal Rail Connection Project – In June 2024, DOT awarded the Port of Bellingham a $17,931,000 RAISE grant to renovate a shipping terminal site, returning the site to a fully functioning multimodal terminal with more efficient loading and unloading of railcars on the terminal. 

    • $2 Million for Lynden’s Pepin Creek FASST Design Project – In January 2025, DOT awarded the City of Lynden a $2 million RAISE grant to complete planning for its project to relocate Pepin Creek, which runs in deep roadside ditches that overflow and flood the area during winter storms when large quantities of water flow across the U.S.-Canada border. 

    • $19.5 Million for Skagit Transit’s Maintenance, Operations, and Administration Facility – In January 2025, DOT awarded Skagit Transit a $19.5 million RAISE grant for the agency to continue renovating its Maintenance, Operations, and Administration Facility in Burlington. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Griffith Holds Legislative Hearing to Consider Public Health, Rural Health Care Bills

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA)

    U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, held a legislative hearing entitled “Legislative Proposals to Maintain and Improve the Public Health Workforce, Rural Health, and Over-the-Counter Medicines.” Some of the proposals considered during the hearing reauthorize public health programs, contribute to rural health care access and help rural communities.

    Following the hearing, Chairman Griffith issued the following statement:

    “Congress is determined to reauthorize vital programs that provide rural communities critical access to health care.

    “As the Health Subcommittee moves forward, I will continue to dedicate my Chairmanship to advancing policies that enable access to telehealth services, bolster our health care workforce, help administer health care to rural communities, like those in Southwest Virginia, and improve health care delivery to the nation.”

    Congressman Griffith’s opening remarks in the hearing can be seen here or below.

    Rep. Griffith’s questions to witnesses in the hearing can be seen here.

    BACKGROUND

    This July, Representative Griffith was named Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health.

    In his first public actions after being named Chairman, Representative Griffith visited multiple rural health care providers in Southwest Virginia.

    H.R. 2493, Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act of 2025, continues existing programs that include direct funding to rural underserved populations.

    H.R. 3419, To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the telehealth network and telehealth resource centers grant programs, preserves and promotes the use of telehealth and telemedicine in the treatment of patients.  

    Another proposal reauthorizes programs related to health professions education. This bill helps fund the education, training and preparation of prospective health professionals.

    Expiration of these public health programs will occur at the end of Fiscal Year 2025.

    These bills will continue to be examined before potential consideration by the full House.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 3339, Equal Opportunity for All Investors Act of 2025

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    H.R. 3339 would require the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to develop an exam and certify people who pass as “accredited investors,” which would allow them to make investments for which they are not currently eligible. Under current law, accredited investors are defined as people or entities with sufficient financial sophistication and resources to sustain the risk of loss, including banks, broker-dealers, and investment companies. Accredited investors may participate in investment opportunities not available to nonaccredited investors, such as purchasing securities that are exempt from registration with the SEC.

    Based on the cost of similar provisions, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 3339 would cost $1 million in both 2026 and 2027. CBO expects that the SEC would need three employees, at an average annual cost of $330,000 for each employee, to establish the examination and amend the current rules on accredited investors. Because the SEC is authorized to collect fees each year to offset its annual appropriation, CBO expects that the net effect on discretionary spending over the 2025-2030 period would be negligible, assuming appropriation actions consistent with that authority.

    If the SEC increases annual fees to offset the costs of implementing provisions of H.R. 3339, it would increase the costs of an existing private-sector mandate on entities required to pay those fees. CBO estimates that the incremental cost of the mandate would be small and would fall well below the annual threshold established in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) for private-sector mandates ($206 million in 2025, adjusted annually for inflation).

    The bill contains no intergovernmental mandates.

    The CBO staff contacts for this estimate are Aurora Swanson (for federal costs) and Rachel Austin (for mandates). The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 3357, Enhancing Multi-Class Share Disclosures Act

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    H.R. 3357 would direct the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to issue rules requiring securities issuers with multi-class stock structures to disclose to all shareholders information about the shares of all classes of securities owned by and the voting power of particular shareholders specified in the bill. A multi-class stock structure is one in which a company offers two or more classes of securities with different voting rights in an election of directors.

    Using information about the cost of similar rulemakings, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 3357 would cost $1 million over the 2025-2030 period. CBO expects the commission would need three employees, at an average annual cost of $330,000 for each employee, to issue rules over one year. Because the SEC is authorized to collect fees each year to offset its annual appropriation, CBO expects that the net effect on discretionary spending over the 2025-2030 period would be negligible, assuming appropriation actions consistent with that authority.

    If the SEC increased fees to offset the costs for rulemaking as required by the bill, H.R. 3357 would increase the cost of an existing mandate as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) on private entities required to pay those fees. CBO estimates that the incremental cost of the mandate would be small and would fall well below the annual threshold for private-sector mandates established in UMRA ($206 million in 2025, adjusted annually for inflation).

    The bill would not impose any intergovernmental mandates.

    The CBO staff contacts for this estimate are Aurora Swanson (for federal costs) and Rachel Austin (for mandates). The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Former Maryland Police Officer Sentenced for Excessive Force Conviction

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    Former Fairmont Heights, Maryland, Police Officer Philip Dupree was sentenced today following his conviction at trial on June 17, 2024. Dupree was sentenced to six years and two months in prison.

    During the weeklong jury trial, the evidence established that Dupree was on duty as a Fairmont Heights Police Officer on Aug. 4, 2019, when he conducted a traffic stop in the District of Columbia. After detaining a man, Officer Dupree pepper sprayed the man while he was handcuffed and seated in Dupree’s police car. The jury found that Dupree’s use of force constituted excessive force by a law enforcement officer.

    The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Sanjay Patel of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Howland for the District of Columbia prosecuted the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Former Maryland Police Officer Sentenced for Excessive Force Conviction

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    Former Fairmont Heights, Maryland, Police Officer Philip Dupree was sentenced today following his conviction at trial on June 17, 2024. Dupree was sentenced to six years and two months in prison.

    During the weeklong jury trial, the evidence established that Dupree was on duty as a Fairmont Heights Police Officer on Aug. 4, 2019, when he conducted a traffic stop in the District of Columbia. After detaining a man, Officer Dupree pepper sprayed the man while he was handcuffed and seated in Dupree’s police car. The jury found that Dupree’s use of force constituted excessive force by a law enforcement officer.

    The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Sanjay Patel of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Howland for the District of Columbia prosecuted the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoyle, Houchin, LaLota Lead Bipartisan Effort to Get Fire Fighters the Parkinson’s Care They Need

    Source: US Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04)

    July 16, 2025

    For Immediate Release: July 16, 2025 

    WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, U.S. Representatives Val Hoyle (OR-04), Erin Houchin (IN-09), and Nick LaLota (NY-01) introduced the bipartisan Parkinson’s Protection for Fire Fighters Act of 2025 to provide medical coverage and increased support for federal fire fighters who develop symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. 

    Despite clear evidence linking fire fighting to an increased risk for developing Parkinson’s, the federal government has yet to officially recognize the connection. As a result, fire fighters living with Parkinson’s face needless bureaucratic barriers when seeking thecare they need. This bill would change that by formally recognizing Parkison’s as a job-related illness for fire fighters to access the care they have earned and deserve.

    “Fire fighters are exposed to significantly more toxins than the civilian population. They put their lives on the line to protect and serve our communities. It is our responsibility to ensure that the medical issues that disproportionately arise as a result of their service are covered. Fire fighters shouldn’t have to fight to prove the link between their service and Parkinson’s disorders, given the data. This is the least we can do to those who dedicated their lives to protecting and serving us,” Rep. Hoyle said.

    “Our fire fighters put their lives on the line every day, facing extreme risks most of us will never fully understand. The science is clear—chemical exposure and head trauma from fire fighting significantly increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease. The Parkinson’s Protection for Fire Fighters Act ensures these heroes aren’t left to fight this battle alone. This bill is about honoring their service with the care and support they’ve earned,” Rep Houchin said.

    “The risks fire fighters face don’t end when the fire is out, and the science is clear: repeated exposure to toxic chemicals on the job significantly increases their risk of developing Parkinson’s. That’s why I support federal legislation to establish a presumptive link. Our fire fighters deserve more than praise—they deserve care, support, and the full backing of the country they serve,” said Rep. LaLota.

    “The research is clear: fire fighters face an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease due to frequent, repeated exposure to toxins on the job. That’s why the Parkinson’s Protection for Fire Fighters Act is so important. This bipartisan legislation will help ensure fire fighters have access to the care and support needed following a Parkinson’s diagnosis,” said International Association of Fire Fighters General President Edward Kelly. “The IAFF is proud to endorse this bill, and we’re grateful to Reps. Hoyle, Houchin, and LaLota for their leadership on this critical issue.”

    “The sacrifices made by federal fire fighters extend far beyond the immediate risks of responding to fires and other emergencies,” said NFFE National President Randy Erwin. “Many suffer from job-related injuries and illnesses, including Parkinson’s, long after their federal service ends. NFFE is proud to endorse the Parkinson’s Protection for Fire Fighters Act to ensure these brave men and women receive the workers’ compensation benefits they deserve should they be diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Thank you to Representatives Hoyle, Houchin, and LaLota for their leadership on this important issue.”

    “Fire fighters are exposed to numerous neurotoxic chemicals as they do their vital work. The American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) is proud to endorse Representative Hoyle’s efforts to support fire fighters who develop Parkinson’s disease as they bravely protect our communities,” said Rebecca Gilbert, MD, PhD, Chief Mission Officer, APDA.

    The Parkinson’s Protection for Fire Fighters Act of 2025 is also cosponsored by U.S. Representatives Carbajal (CA-24) and Neguse (CO-02).

    The bill is also supported by 6 organizations including the: International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE), American Parkinson Disease Assocation, Davis Phiney Foundation for Parkinson’s Power Over Parkinson’s, National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, and Power Over Parkinson’s.

    Background

    Parkinsonism (PD) is a term used to describe a group of disorders that impacts movements and motor controls. Studies show that certain consistent chemical exposures and head injuries are linked to increased risk of PD. 

    Fire fighters are routinely exposed to chemicals such as carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide through their service, both of which have well documented links to developing PD.

    Fire fighters are also at greater risk of concussions, which has been shown toincreased risk of developing PD.

    The Bill

    The Parkinson’s Protection for Fire Fighters Act of 2025 would officially establish PD as one of the “certain illnesses and diseases deemed to be proximately caused by employment in fire protection activities.”

    Adding PD to the list of diseases linked to fire fighting would make it easier for fire fighters with PD to get medical coverage, care, and benefits without each individual fire fighter having to prove their occupation caused it.

    The bill helps to ensure that current and future generations of federal fire fighters get the protection, support, and care they earned and deserve.

    The full text of the bill can be found here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI— Hagerty Joins Mornings with Maria on Fox Business to Discuss Rescissions Package, GENIUS Act, Trump’s Strategy on Russia

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty

    WASHINGTON—Yesterday, United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Banking and Appropriations Committees and former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, joined Mornings with Maria on Fox Business to discuss Senate action on the rescissions package, his stablecoin legislation to strengthen digital asset regulation, and President Donald Trump’s strategy to end the war in Ukraine through tough secondary sanctions on Russia’s trading partners.

    *Click the photo above or here to watch*

    Partial Transcript

    Hagerty on the rescissions package and fiscal responsibility: “It’s amazing what we found when we looked into it, and the amount of this rescissions package is just a start. I think your interview with the Speaker [of the House Mike Johnson] was absolutely wonderful in terms of laying out the fact that we’re on a progression to bring fiscal responsibility back to America. It’s going to take several steps, but this rescissions package that’s coming before us this week is an incredibly important first step. What we’re going to see is a cutback on programs that have been wildly mismanaged. If you think about the way these programs have been allowed to grow– I mean, we’re funding lesbian programs in Canada. That’s absolutely ridiculous that U.S. taxpayers should be on the hook for these types of boondoggles. This is a major first step. I’m looking forward to getting it passed this week and continuing down the path of fiscal responsibility.”

    Hagerty on digital asset legislation and American innovation: “The most important thing to understand is the fact that the United States is turning the tide. The Biden administration did everything it could to wage war on the crypto industry in America, to shove that sort of innovation offshore. We’ve taken major steps with this legislation to bring it back, to create a regulatory framework that actually works here in America. I’m the author of the stablecoin legislation. I’ve had great assistance from our chairman Sen. Tim Scott, from Sen. Cynthia Lummis, and members of the Banking Committee. [Representative] French Hill and his team in the House have been absolutely wonderful to work with. And we’ve put together something on stablecoins that the president will be ready to sign at the end of this week. Stablecoins are a new payment system. It puts us into the digital asset arena, and it takes us off of a system that was designed in the 1970s and 80s– very clunky, sometimes taking five to 10 days to clear– and moves it onto the blockchain. It’s far more efficient, far more secure, and it sets the groundwork for the entire crypto industry to thrive here in America. That’s what the Clarity Act is about. That’s what the Anti-Central Bank Digital Currency Act is about. It’s moving this technology forward here in America and making certain we own this innovation going forward.”

    Hagerty on reinforcing the U.S. dollar and countering surveillance: “It [The GENIUS Act] will make it easier to move dollars, which again reinforces the U.S. dollar as the reserve currency. Each of these digital dollars is going to be backed one-for-one by U.S. Treasury securities. That’s going to stimulate demand for U.S. Treasurys, and the increased demand will bring rates down, which will be very positive for our borrowing cost right now at a time when we need it. There are many reasons to love this bill– the working capital it brings back into the system, the immediate access for small and mid-sized businesses. But importantly, we’re going to see this technology thrive here in America. There is a large number of my colleagues here in the Senate, like Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the leader of this group, who are proponents of central bank digital currencies, meaning they’d like to be able to surveil every transaction Americans make. I don’t think Americans want that at all. They’ve seen Operation Choke Point take many different forms. We do not want to empower the federal government to do that yet again.”

    Hagerty on President Trump’s Russia-Ukraine strategy: “I think it’s a very positive development. President Trump has gotten to the end of his rope dealing with Vladimir Putin and [Volodymyr] Zelensky, trying to resolve this conflict in Ukraine. And what he’s done is taken a major step forward, demonstrating his resolve, but he’s done it in a way that takes the American taxpayer off the hook. He’s putting the Europeans on the front line. He’s going to be depleting their stockpiles, not America’s, and they’re going to be paying for it. That moves us in the direction he’s been articulating for some time.”

    Hagerty on the 50-day deadline for Russia: “He’s issued a 50-day timeline. Just ask the Iranians– when President Trump issues a timeline, he expects it to be followed. And if it’s not, the consequences can be serious when he talks about sanctions at this level. I worked on imposing secondary sanctions in the first Trump administration. My job was to work on the Iranian regime and to stop countries around the world from buying Iranian crude oil. I got that done in Japan. It happened around the world. We brought Iran to its knees. And had it not been for voices like John Kerry pleading with them to wait until after the election to see if Joe Biden might win, we’d have had a very different situation in the Middle East. We’re coming back to that strategy now. President Trump has more than three years ahead of him to impose these sanctions, and they’re going to be crippling. The Russians understand this, and most importantly, they know President Trump means business.”

    Hagerty on restoring U.S. sanctions enforcement: “I can’t underscore this enough: Putin knows, and President Trump has demonstrated, that 50 days means 50 days. And if he violates that timeline, the consequences will be severe. Now, under [Treasury] Secretary Scott Bessent, we finally have the capacity to enforce our sanctions. Under Joe Biden, sanctions enforcement went away. That’s sad, because we had capable people at the U.S. Treasury who were responsible for doing this, and they were told to stand down. Now, Secretary Bessent is bringing in a team that understands exactly how to do this. We’re going to see real results.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI—Hagerty Joins America Reports on Fox News to Discuss Politicization of the U.N., Hearing with U.N. Ambassador Nominee Mike Waltz

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty

    WASHINGTON—Yesterday, United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, joined America Reports on Fox News to discuss concerns with the United Nations and the qualifications of President Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Representative Mike Waltz.

    *Click the photo above or here to watch*

    Partial Transcript

    Hagerty on the current state of the United Nations: “I think that [Representative] Mike Waltz did a good job in the hearing. He’s taking on a very challenging organization–that’s the United Nations. If you think about it, the original charter of the U.N. was about bringing peace, justice, and human rights to the world. And it’s so far divorced now from what it was originally intended to be. Today, it’s a completely politicized organization, very often working counter to the interests of the United States and our allies. Frankly, far too often, it’s been captured by authoritarian regimes to do their bidding. The United Nations has a lot of room to improve.”

    Hagerty on U.N. bias and October 7 attacks: “One of the most egregious examples that came up a couple of times during the hearing with Mike Waltz was what happened on October 7, 2023. At that point, Hamas was assisted by U.N. personnel in attacking Israelis. The United Nations has done everything to dismiss that. Yet, at every turn, their leadership seems to want to criticize Israel. There are real problems at the U.N., and I think it’s an opportunity to send a leader in to make quite a difference for the United States. We need to make certain, as stewards of taxpayer dollars, that our dollars are being spent in a way that’s effective and works well for the American people, not being abused in the way they have been up to this point by the leadership of the United Nations.”

    Hagerty on the Signal chat controversy: “As he [Waltz] said, and as many people have said, the information that was passed was not classified. Would I have done it that way? Would you have done it that way? In retrospect, perhaps not. I think there was a serious mistake made–a glitch, if you will– in how the name roster was managed and the fact that somebody was there in the wrong spot. But with all that said, there wasn’t classified information involved. I don’t believe it’s disqualifying in any respect.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Video: Kaine Speaks on Senate Floor to Slam Republican Defunding of Faith-Based Organizations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    BROADCAST-QUALITY VIDEO IS AVAILABLE HERE.

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last night, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC), spoke on the Senate floor slamming President Trump and congressional Republicans’ rescissions package, which includes massive cuts to funding for faith-based organizations that provide important services, such as implementing foreign assistance and national security programming overseas and supporting refugee resettlement in the United States. The Republican rescissions bill, which Kaine opposes, cancels $9.4 billion in federal funding previously appropriated by a bipartisan majority in Congress for public broadcasting and national security programs.

    A transcript of Kaine’s speech is below:

    Mr. President.

    I wish I could tell you my speech will be short. I don’t think it will be long, but I will try to make it interesting. I want to tell you a story, and it’s not a story about anything that’s happened in this building. It’s a story about a very humble Catholic parish in Northside Richmond, Virginia called St. Elizabeth of Hungary.  

    It’s a very humble parish. It’s a small parish. It’s slightly over 100 years old. It’s the church where my wife and I were married more than 40 years ago, where all three of our children were baptized, where we attended Mass just this last Sunday to hear the Gospel reading, the story of the Good Samaritan.

    The church was founded more than 100 years ago in an unusual way.

    There were Italian and German immigrants in Richmond who felt looked down upon because of where they had come from and because of the accents that they spoke with and that their English wasn’t so good. And in the aftermath of World War I, people looked at German Americans and Italian Americans with some suspicion. German language was being criminalized in some of our states in the aftermath.

    And these immigrant refugee Catholics decided that they wanted a place where they could feel welcomed, loved, and safe as they worshipped in accord with the American value of freedom to worship. And so they set up this little parish in the Highland Park neighborhood of Northside Richmond, Virginia, where they could go and be together and feel safe.

    They chose an interesting name: St. Elizabeth of Hungary. St. Elizabeth of Hungary lived 1,000 years ago. She was a teenager and queen in a time of great poverty, and against the wishes of her husband and other officials, she would take bread and put the bread inside of her garments and go out and distribute it to the poor.

    And once she was caught and she was made to open her garment—and when she did open her garment, the bread had turned into roses—and that’s the miracle attributed to her. She lived only a short time and died, but she was made a saint by the Catholic Church.

    And these immigrants who started my parish chose that name because they felt like that was what was needed in the world—people who would try to serve others in need.

    100 years later, we celebrated the centennial of my church, Mr. President, a couple of years ago. And I was sitting there—I’ve now been a member of the parish for 40 years—and I was looking around, and I realized times change, and they don’t.

    Catholic Relief Services, which is one of the largest agencies in the United States that helps settle refugees who are legal immigrants—refugees are legal immigrants—about 15 years ago, settled a Congolese family into my church who had been in a refugee camp after fleeing violence in the Congo. Catholic, French, and Swahili-speaking. One Congolese family came to my church.

    And then over time, Catholic Relief Services decided, ‘well, this family likes St. Elizabeth, and they feel welcomed here.’ And other families started to come to my church. And so by now, as we were celebrating our centennial and I’m looking around the parish where I go, this small, very humble parish, it is sizably a Congolese refugee population—legal immigrants to the United States who have been settled through the Catholic Relief Service—and they’ve come to a place where they feel loved and cared for and safe and welcome.

    The color of their skin, the accent that they use, the fact that they’re unfamiliar with American culture might make them feel not so welcome in other venues, but in my church, they feel welcome.

    And it made me realize, as we celebrated that centennial, that my church looks real different in some ways than when it was founded 100 years ago, but in other ways it’s exactly the same. It’s a haven for people who are legal immigrants to the United States, but need a place where they can gather with others and feel welcome.

    Why do I tell that story? How is it connected to the rescission bill that we’re going to be voting on tomorrow?

    President Trump has sent a bill to Congress, and one of the pillars of that bill is to rescind the funding for refugee resettlement programs in the United States—run by churches.

    Seven of the ten organizations that resettle refugees in the United States are faith-based organizations. The largest two are the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops operating through Catholic Relief Services and the Evangelical organization World Vision. But it’s not just them. Church World Service, Lutheran Social Services, the Episcopal Church of the United States, World Relief. Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society—founded more than 100 years ago to try to bring Jews, at that point, from Europe to the United States and make sure that as legal immigrants, yes, they would be allowed to be here legally, but they needed someone to teach them about American culture and integrate into American life.

    The practice of American religious organizations assisting in legal immigration goes back more than a century, and President Trump’s rescissions package that is before us wipes out funding to a dramatic degree for virtually all of them.

    Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society has had to lay off hundreds of staff.

    World Relief said this, ‘President Trump said he will defend persecuted Christians, but the U.S. refugee resettlement program is one of the primary ways that the U.S. government protects Christians and others fleeing persecution.

    The Episcopal Church of the United States has had to end its long standing refugee resettlement program because of President Trump’s budget cuts.

    Lutheran Social Services has … struggled to make payroll. They’ve had to lay off so many people. They’ve reduced the services that they’re able to provide, especially to Afghan allies who were in the United States because they worked with the United States military in Afghanistan to protect our troops.

    Catholic Charities has laid off all kinds of staff.

    The families at my church, they come up to me after Mass on Sunday, and they’re so frightened about what might happen because many of them have families still in refugee camps who might want to come here as legal refugees, as legal immigrants.

    I don’t know of a president who has attacked religious organizations—Catholic, Evangelical, Jewish—that have been doing this work, in many instances for more than a century, in such an orchestrated, intentional, and calculated way as President Trump.

    Matthew: I was a stranger and you welcomed me in. I was sick and you cared for me. I was hungry and you fed me.

    This is a bedrock belief of our nation’s religious organizations. That they will follow the law—legal refugee program—but they will help the person who is accessing legal refugee programs to be able to integrate into a society so they can live with some sense of dignity and have some chance of success.

    Why cut these programs? Why look in the face of these religious organizations that, out of a motivation of conscience, for decades, even a century, have decided that they will try to smooth that path, to integrate people into American life who are here lawfully. Why cut their funding? Why force them to be laid off? Why debilitate their ability to provide services?

    It’s an attack on the religious organizations so that they cannot do the work that their faith in their Creator compels them to do.

    I’m not surprised that President Trump would propose this. The language and the rhetoric and the behavior that he has exhibited toward even legal refugees, legal immigrants to this country, lead me to not be surprised that this important funding is on the chopping block in the bill that he sent to the Senate.

    But I have to admit that I am surprised that it seems to be just moving on a path to being accepted. It was accepted in the House without much drama, including by a whole lot of people who go to churches just like me and hear sermons preached about the Good Samaritan, just like I do every Sunday.

    And we’ll have an opportunity tomorrow to grapple with it here. I intend to, at least, offer an amendment to try to strip this piece of the bill out so that the bill will not be an attack on religious organizations doing what they feel compelled by their faith to do.

    And it is my prayer that the entire rescission bill fail for the reasons my colleagues have said. A deal is a deal, and we shouldn’t backtrack on it.

    But if we can’t defeat the entire rescission bill, it is my hope that we will allow organizations like Catholic Relief Services and the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society and the Episcopal Church and World Vision and World Relief and Lutheran Social Services. It is my hope that we will at least allow them to practice the faith they sincerely believe and do it in a way consistent with what their practices have been for decades and in some cases, even more than a century.

    And so that’s what I’m going to be praying for tonight, that there’s a bit of a an epiphany in this body, and we realize that the work that these church-based organizations are doing isn’t bad. This work isn’t something that should be slashed and cut with these valuable faith workers laid off.

    My hope is that the Senate will realize this is good work that is really at the core of who we are as Americans. And tiny little parishes like St. Elizabeth of Hungary or synagogues or other churches all over this country who pride themselves on offering a welcoming environment for people who are here lawfully and want to make a way in America will be able to continue to do just that.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Unanimously Passes Peters’ Bipartisan Bill to Advance U.S. Manufacturing Policy and Competitiveness

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters

    WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Senate unanimously passed bipartisan legislation authored by U.S. Senator Gary Peters(MI) to establish a National Manufacturing Advisory Council at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Peters’ National Manufacturing Advisory Council Act would establish the National Manufacturing Advisory Council as a key component in developing federal manufacturing policy to help strengthen U.S. leadership in global manufacturing. 

    “To support manufacturers in Michigan and throughout the United States, we need our industry partners, economic developers, lawmakers, and workers reading from the same playbook,” said Senator Peters. “A National Manufacturing Advisory Council would help bring together and amplify the voices of manufacturers, workers, and industry experts to strengthen our federal manufacturing policy. In doing so, we can proactively address rising challenges in the industry and better seize opportunities that will propel American manufacturing to new heights in the coming decades.”

    Peters’ bipartisan legislation – which he introduced with U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) – would establish a National Manufacturing Advisory Council made up of manufacturing, labor, and education leaders to advise both Congress and the Secretary of Commerce on how best to ensure the United States remains the top destination globally for investment in manufacturing. It would serve as a bridge between the manufacturing sector and federal government to improve communication and collaboration, and better support the industry and its workforce.

    The National Manufacturing Advisory Council would meet at least twice a year to advise the Secretary of Commerce on policies and programs that impact U.S. manufacturing. It would also propose solutions to challenges and problems facing manufacturers in the United States. The Advisory Council would be required to: 

    • IDENTIFY AND ASSESS the effects of technological developments, production capacity, skill availability, investment patterns, and emerging needs for United States manufacturing competitiveness.  
    • SOLICIT INPUT from the public and private sectors – including businesses and labor groups – as well as academia on emerging trends in manufacturing. 
    • PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS to the Secretary addressing global and domestic manufacturing trends threatening the U.S. manufacturing sector, including supply chain interruptions, logistical challenges, and technological changes. The Advisory Council would also advise the Secretary on ways to increase federal attention with respect to manufacturing – as well as matters relating to the U.S. manufacturing workforce such as the impact of new technology and worker training and education priorities.  
    • IDENTIFY REGULATORY ISSUES encountered by the domestic manufacturing sector and provide advice on how to mitigate issues through a favorable environment for manufacturers, workers, and consumers.  

    “This initiative, the National Manufacturing Advisory Council Act, is designed to improve the resources and support for our nation’s small and medium-size manufacturers, which are a truly vital driver of our economy. I applaud Senator Peters for his steadfast, unwavering commitment to American manufacturing,” said Ingrid Tighe, President of the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center, the Michigan representative of the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program, part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).  

    “We applaud Senator Gary Peters for introducing this bill to improve the federal government’s planning and coordination of efforts to strengthen domestic manufacturing,” said Scott Paul, President of the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM). “Recent supply chain disruptions have made clear that it is time for the United States to shore up its critical manufacturing capabilities, which will not only better prepare us for the next crisis but also create jobs and boost the economy. This increased coordination between the many programs designed to support our manufacturers and their workers is an important step towards rebuilding our industrial base. We are grateful to Senator Peters for his efforts to bolster American manufacturing.”  

    “The Association of Equipment Manufacturers applauds Senator Gary Peters and Senator Marsha Blackburn for their continued leadership on behalf of the manufacturing sector and for introducing legislation that will prioritize a national strategy focused on ensuring American manufacturing policy can rapidly respond to changes in the global marketplace,” said Kip Eideberg, American Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), Senior Vice President of Government and Industry Relations. “Our economic prosperity and national security depend on a strong manufacturing sector, and establishing a National Manufacturing Advisory Council will help unleash innovation and mobilize a comprehensive, coordinated, and competent national effort in support of the manufacturing sector and its workforce.”    

    “We commend Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) and Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) for introducing legislation to establish a National Manufacturing Advisory Council,” said Ana Meuwissen, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs for Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA), The Vehicle Suppliers Association. “This council will be a forum for manufacturers and other key stakeholders to provide input to the Department of Commerce (DOC) on important long-range issues such as workforce, supply chain, technology, and defense industrial base. The NMAC legislation would also foster better coordination of federal manufacturing policy in the DOC and across the federal government. When this legislation is enacted, it will be an asset to assist in retaining U.S. competitiveness in critical manufacturing sectors like motor vehicle parts.”    

    Peters’ National Manufacturing Advisory Council for the 21st Century Act is also supported by the American Small Manufacturers Coalition (ASMC).   

    Peters has consistently prioritized strengthening domestic manufacturing and supply chains. Peters helped author and pass into law the CHIPS and Science Act to boost U.S. manufacturing of semiconductor chips, strengthen critical domestic supply chains, and create good-paying American jobs. The CHIPS and Science Act additionally increased funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program, which has been a priority for Peters. In May, Peters’ bipartisan Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act passed the Senate, which builds upon the Chips and Science Act to strengthen federal efforts to attract investment in U.S. semiconductor manufacturers and supply chains.

    Peters additionally supported and helped pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which will strengthen domestic manufacturing, onshore our supply chains, combat the climate crisis, and create millions of American jobs.  

    In May 2024, the Senate unanimously passed Peters’ bipartisan Strengthening Support for American Manufacturing Act to bolster federal efforts supporting U.S. manufacturing and American workers. Last year, the Senate also unanimously passed Peters’ bipartisan legislation to strengthen federal efforts to expand domestic manufacturing of semiconductor chips.   

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Moskowitz, Blumenthal, Raskin, Stansbury Introduce New Bill to Rein in Potential Corruption Through Presidential Library Donations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    July 16, 2025

    Special interests seemingly seeking favors from Donald Trump have funneled hundreds of millions of dollars into Trump’s presidential library 

    Recent Paramount settlement, $400M Qatari jet gift raise questions about potential influence-peddling

    Bill Text (PDF) | Bill One-Pager (PDF)

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, along with Representatives Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) unveiled the Presidential Library Anti-Corruption Act to close loopholes that allow presidential libraries to be used as tools for corruption and bribery.

    Giant corporations, at least one foreign government, and other entities have promised donations collectively worth hundreds of millions of dollars to President Donald Trump’s future library while he has the power to impact those same entities’ futures, from mega-merger approvals, to the preservation of the U.S. military base in Qatar, to Big Tech regulation, and more. The contributions, many in the form of settlements to Trump-filed lawsuits, raise serious ethics concerns about potential bribery and influence-peddling.

    “Companies like Paramount and Meta and foreign governments like Qatar may be paying off Donald Trump in plain sight — and right now, there are no rules to stop them,” said Senator Warren. “I’m leading the fight to rein in this avenue for corruption. Government should work for the American people, not just whichever giant company or foreign government can dump the most money into the president’s future library.”

    “President Trump’s acceptance of an extravagant plane from the Qatari government for eventual use in his Presidential Library is corruption plain and simple. Without any restrictions on donations to Presidential Libraries, other foreign governments can potentially extract policy favors from the White House in exchange for gifts and benefits. Our bill closes these loopholes for good so that Presidential Libraries cannot be used as backdoor tools for influence and corruption,” said Senator Blumenthal.

    “Presidential libraries are an incredible resource for American families to learn about our history and the people who shaped it—but it’s also important we know who’s funding that history. Right now, these libraries are a black box, allowing for anonymous donors and even foreign governments to give unlimited amounts of money,” said Representative Moskowitz. “This bill reforms the process so presidents of all parties are subject to commonsense ethics rules. I led this effort last Congress and am doing it again now because the American people deserve the transparency created under this bill, and all presidents should be subject to it.” 

    “I’m proud to co-lead this legislation, which would impose commonsense safeguards on fundraising for presidential libraries,” said Representative Raskin. “Our bill would ensure that presidential libraries are tools for teaching and preserving presidential history, and not just another corrupt self-enrichment scheme for the president. Our bill would ban the use of library donations for personal expenses, ensure quarterly disclosures of contributions made while the president is still in office, and prevent presidential library donations from being used as a backdoor tool by powerful corporations, lobbyists and foreign governments to influence the president and foreign and domestic policy.”

    Unlike presidential campaigns or inaugural committees, Presidential Libraries are subject to almost no restrictions on donations. Presidents can raise funds for their libraries, even while still in office, and accept donations from anyone — including foreign nationals, lobbyists, people seeking presidential pardons, and corporations with matters before federal agencies. These donations can be unlimited and donor names do not have to be disclosed. 

    Just weeks ago, Paramount settled President Trump’s seemingly meritless lawsuit for $16 million — with the money funneling straight into Trump’s future library. Paramount is currently vying for the Trump administration’s approval of its proposed mega-merger with Skydance. In May 2025, President Trump announced that he would accept a free luxury jet — worth about $400 million — from the government of Qatar, and that the jet would be donated to his Presidential Library after he leaves office. 

    Senator Warren this week published a new analysis revealing that companies seeking favorable outcomes from the Trump administration have pledged to funnel at least $63 million into Trump’s future presidential library. Other gifts and in-kind donations — including the luxury Qatari jet, expensive candlelight dinners at Mar-a-Lago, leftover inauguration donations, revenue from sales of Trump-themed merchandise, and more — bring the total value of gifts flowing into Trump’s library to roughly half a billion dollars. 

    The Presidential Library Anti-Corruption Act would:

    • Ban fundraising while the President is in office, with a carveout for nonprofits: Require that Presidential Libraries wait until the President leaves office before fundraising or accepting donations, except from 501(c)(3) organizations (mirroring the standard adopted by the Obama Foundation).
    • Establish a contribution cap: For 501(c)(3) organizations that can donate while a president is still in office, limit donations to $10,000 total.
    • Impose a cooling-off period for donations from foreign nationals, lobbyists, contractors, individuals seeking pardons: For an additional 2 years after the President leaves office, prohibit donations from foreign nationals or foreign governments, registered lobbyists, federal contractors, and individuals seeking presidential pardons.
    • Ban conversion of donations to personal use: Bar the use of Library donations for personal expenses or unrelated financial obligations.
    • Mandate quarterly disclosures: During the President’s time in office and for 5 years after, require all donations of $200 or more to be disclosed to the National Archives each calendar quarter. Publish donor information (including name, employer, and date and amount of the donation) online in a searchable, downloadable format.
    • Prohibit straw donations: Make it illegal to donate in someone else’s name, or to knowingly allow your name to be used for a straw donation.

    The following senators joined as cosponsors: Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

    The bill is also cosponsored by Representatives Andre Carson (D-Ind.), Emmanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), Dwight Evans (D-Pa.), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Dave Min (D-Calif.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), and Nikema Williams (D-Ga.). 

    The bill is endorsed by the following: Project On Government Oversight (POGO), Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), Democracy Defenders Action (DDA), Campaign Legal Center (CLC), Freedom of the Press Foundation, Public Citizen, Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations, Demand Progress, and American Governance Institute.

    “The Presidential Library system was created by FDR to be a gift to the people and posterity – not a grift for a greedy president or a conduit for favor-seekers and influence peddlers. The Presidential Library Anti-Corruption Act turns off this firehose of corruption and restores Presidential Libraries to their original mission: to enable the American people to access presidential papers so they can learn from the past and build a better future,” said Jon Golinger, Democracy Advocate at Public Citizen.

    “For far too long, presidential libraries have operated without sufficient transparency or guardrails. Recent reporting that the Trump administration plans to accept a luxury jet from the Qatari government to be donated to President Trump’s presidential library foundation raises significant concerns regarding the use of gifts from foreign actors to curry favor with the president,” said Debra Perlin, Vice President for Policy at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). “Senator Warren’s Presidential Library Anti-Corruption Act of 2025 would bring urgently needed reform to presidential libraries by prohibiting presidents from fundraising or accepting most donations until after they leave office and impose an additional two year ban on any donations from foreign nationals, lobbyists, contractors or individuals seeking pardons. CREW enthusiastically endorses this legislation and urges the Senate to pass it expeditiously.”

    “There are already too many ways for powerful interests to game the system, peddle influence and capture institutions,” said Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette, Vice-President of Policy and Government Affairs at the Project On Government Oversight (POGO). “The fact that it appears as though presidential libraries have become yet another vector of potential corruption and pay-to-play is deeply disturbing. It only makes sense to enact some commonsense guardrails and rules around how donations to presidential libraries can be made, when, in what amounts and by who, similar to campaign finance rules. Senator Warren and her colleagues should be commended for introducing this bill and leading the way on these anti-corruption reforms.” 

    “The American people deserve to know which self-interested corporations, billionaires and foreign nationals are funneling millions of dollars to the president. The Presidential Library Anti-Corruption Act is a commonsense reform that brings needed transparency to the legal wild west of presidential library donations. We thank Sen. Warren for working to stop this corruption and for holding presidents of both parties accountable,” said Emily Peterson-Cassin, Corporate Power Director of Demand Progress.

    “Donations to presidential libraries are the soft belly of political corruption, providing an opportunity for foreign nations and unscrupulous actors to bribe sitting presidents with gifts of unlimited funds for their post-presidential projects. The Presidential Library Anti-Corruption Act provides critical limits and accountability to reign in corrupt practices that have besmirched presidents for decades,” said Daniel Schuman, Executive Director of the American Governance Institute.

    “Campaign Legal Center (CLC) strongly supports the Presidential Library Anti-Corruption Act and thanks its sponsors for introducing this vital legislation,” said Erin Chlopak, Senior Director of Campaign Finance at Campaign Legal Center. “Presidential libraries are supposed to be about our nation’s history. However, donations to these institutions are increasingly being used as a loophole for wealthy special interests, corporations, and even foreign governments to seek favor with the president and gain undue influence. Because existing laws that regulate money in politics don’t extend to presidential libraries, new rules are needed to prevent them from becoming another avenue for corruption that undermines trust in our government. CLC urges Congress to pass this legislation and safeguard the integrity of our democracy without delay.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ricketts Discusses Importance of Snapback Sanctions Against Iran with U.N. Ambassador Nominee Michael Waltz

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) discussed the importance of our allies enacting snapback sanctions against Iran with Michael Waltz, nominee for Ambassador to the United Nations.
    “It’s absolutely critical that the E3 do those snapback sanctions.  Will you [Waltz] commit to working with them to push them to get that snapback in place?” said Ricketts.  “One of the things that Iran always says is that they want this program for peaceful means, yet there’s no reason they need an enrichment program.  23 other nations have nuclear power without enrichment facilities.  The only way we can ensure they don’t have a nuclear program, is if they don’t have any enrichment facilities.”
    Ricketts also discussed anti-Semitism at the United Nations.
    “You mentioned in your opening remarks the anti-Semitism that is rampant in the United Nations.  You gave the statistic that there were more resolutions targeting Israel than all other nations combined—by double,” said Ricketts.  “I have seen nothing from the U.N. calling on Hamas to surrender.  That is exactly how this conflict would end.  The people in Gaza would be able to start looking for a better way of life once that terrorist organization surrenders.”
    Click here to watch more.
    The hearing considered the nominations of John Arrigo, to be Ambassador to Portugal; Christine Toretti, to be Ambassador to Sweden; and Michael Waltz, to be Ambassador to the United Nations.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed: Instead of Lowering Prices, Trumponomics is Increasing Inflation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC — As Trump’s irresponsible tariff taxes and reckless trade wars cause inflation to surge and continue to push up the price of many goods – including clothing, furniture, groceries, and large appliances, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) issued the following statement:

    “President Trump is forcing Americans to pay higher costs for everyday goods.  His senseless decision to ramp up tariffs on nearly every good entering the U.S. has created a de facto national sales tax and his chaotic policy decisions are dragging down American family finances.  He should reverse course and work on a bipartisan basis to help bring down costs, lower prices, and strengthen our economy.

    “His so-called 90 deals in 90 days hasn’t materialized, but his trade war rhetoric has already driven up costs for Main Street businesses and those price hikes are passed along to consumers. 

    “I urge the president to curb his tariff taxes, senseless attacks on the independence of the Federal Reserve, and pressure campaign to lower interest rates for political expedience, which would only turbocharge inflation.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray Slams Republicans’ Rescissions Package on Senate Floor

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    FACT SHEET: Trump’s Rescission Package Would Shutter Local Public Radio, TV Stations Across America

    FACT SHEET: Trump’s Rescission Package Would Gut Bipartisan Foreign Policy Investments

    ICYMI: Vought Refuses to Rule Out More Illegal End-Runs Around Congress & Refuses to Detail How Trump Will Execute Cuts If Rescissions Bill Passes

    ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s floor remarks***

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor slamming Senate Republicans for moving forward with President Trump’s devastating rescissions package and continuing to urge a no vote on final passage:

    [LAUGHABLE CLAIMS OF “FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY”]

    “Two weeks ago, Republicans were jamming through the most expensive bill in the history of the country. And now, they say they are worried about the debt.

    “Two weeks ago, Republicans said four trillion bucks in tax cuts for the richest people in the world was nothing—literally. And now, they are saying a truly tiny fraction of that for rural radio is just too much.

    “So, I have to ask: Is this a joke? Are they really that bad at math?

    “First, Republicans were saying trillions in tax cuts were free. Get real.

    “And now, they are pretending to be fiscal hawks by shutting down local news, and letting epidemics go unchecked around the world.

    “Well, here’s another math lesson for my colleagues, Republicans could cut every dollar ever spent on the Corporation for Public Broadcasting since it was created—down to the last dime—and it still would not cover the cost of the bill Republicans just jammed through.

    “Republicans could actually cut every dollar we have spent on foreign aid since World War II—and that would still fall short compared to the cost of the Republican tax cuts.

    “Republicans could even cut the amount in this first rescissions bill—every single day for a year—and it still would not equal their tax cuts to help their rich donors.

    “So, make no mistake, if Republicans choose to do Trump’s bidding, if they push through this package to rip away funding for emergency alerts and global health programs, it is not because they take the debt seriously.

    [MORE REQUESTS COMING]

    “And that will be just as true for the next package, because let’s be clear, if Republicans go along with this package, despite the fact they clearly have issues with it, and despite the fact Russ Vought has refused to answer the most basic questions—even from the Republican Chair of the Appropriations Committee—about which programs he is going to cut.

    “If all of that is not enough to give Republicans just some pause, and they let Russ Vought steamroll them through this package, don’t be surprised when he sends more cuts down the pike.

    “It could be medical research, and after school programs, maybe heating assistance, workplace safety, road maintenance. Everything is going to be on the chopping block. And all of our time here in the Senate is going to be spent on those requests.

    [SPENDING PRIORITIES]

    “And here’s the kicker—no matter how many rescissions Russ Vought sends, no matter how many rescissions Republicans roll over and let pass, they will never offset the trillions in tax cuts they just passed without blinking an eye.

    “Because you could rescind the entire FY25 spending bill—twice over—and it still would not cover the four trillion in tax cuts Republicans just showered on the richest people in this country.

    “So, however this vote goes, expect to hear more from me on this every time Republicans try to pretend we don’t have money for child care, or medical research, or other programs that our families rely on.

    “Now, M. President. I’ve said a lot about how patently absurd it is for Republicans to pretend they are passing these cuts because they care about the debt. But I do not want to lose sight of the larger issues. It’s not just that Republicans’ play acting about the debt is absurd, the bigger problem here is that these cuts would be devastating for our communities and for American interests around the globe.

    [SHUTTING DOWN LOCAL STATIONS]

    “When it comes to local news, these cuts could force local stations that people know and trust—know and trust—off the air. This isn’t just about a program or two taking a haircut. Trump wants to slash every penny of federal funding that supports over 1,500 local TV and radio stations.

    “Those stations, and those funds, reach 98% of all Americans. And they are especially crucial for serving our rural areas and Tribal communities. Dozens of these stations rely on these investments for half of their funding, some rely on it for as much as 99 percent!

    “If these cuts go through, these stations go dark. Weather forecasters communities have turned to for years, news anchors that are trusted voices, local reporters who track down answers their communities need and hold their officials to account, will be sent packing. And those stations will go silent.

    “Do we want our farmers to have good local coverage of weather, and market conditions? Do we want our tribal communities to know what is going on at the state capitol? Do we want families to have updates about the local school board, or community events?

    “Because this package of cuts throws all of that in jeopardy.

    “To say nothing of emergency alerts. These stations can be a lifeline when disaster strikes. They are a trusted source of information, and sometimes the only source people have access to.

    “When the devastating wildfires hit southern California earlier this year, public radio broadcasts let millions of people know how to stay safe. When Hurricane Helene battered North Carolina, a local public radio station was the only source of information for many people.

    “And, in fact, many stations use their towers to actually deliver emergency alerts to people’s cell phones when cell towers go down. This funding supports stations who play an integral role in many states’ emergency planning.

    “Do you think our communities should have less warning in an emergency? Do you want to leave folks back home with less information when they are in harm’s way?

    Well, I guess you vote for this bill if that’s how you feel. Want you to know, I’m a hard no.

    [SIDE DEAL TO ROB PETER TO PAY PAUL]

    “And let’s not pretend a secret deal from Trump and Vought, to reallocate $10 million dollars, is somehow a serious fix to this. It is a tiny drop in the bucket compared to the massive cuts being pushed through here. In fact, it’s less than 1% of the overall funding that this package would rip away for public broadcasting and those alerts.

    [KIDS PROGRAMMING]

    “And don’t forget, these cuts are going to impact some of our kids’ and parents’ favorite educational shows. Sesame Street, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Daniel Tiger, PBS Kids has a long track record of creating shows that are beloved.  

    “Not just because they keep kids entertained, but because they are thoughtfully crafted to help them learn and grow, to stoke their curiosity, to teach them caring and empathy. Any parent will tell you that is a worthwhile investment.

    “And any parent will also warn you, if you take away shows like this that gets kids engaged and gets them thinking, take that away, then there is an avalanche of brain-rot television that’s waiting to fill that void. Content that is crafted, not to get kids thinking, but to keep them watching at all costs.

    “We have to save Sesame Street. We have to tell Trump and Vought, Big Bird is not on the chopping block in this country. And we have to send this rescissions package to Oscar’s place—AKA the trash can.

    [AMERICAN INTERESTS ABROAD]

    “And M. President, I want to talk as well about the devastating cuts this package proposes to foreign assistance. I thought America’s leadership was important to Republicans?

    “But apparently, they want to penny pinch when it comes to keeping our commitments across the world, apparently, they want to save money by letting families starve, and kids die of preventable diseases. Because that is what this package will do.

    “And this isn’t some thought exercise—we have already seen how the first round of reckless DOGE cuts are working out.

    “There’s already a growing death toll and a huge leadership void that our competitors are racing to fill, people who needed health care—but Elon Musk shut down the only clinic for miles, kids contracting diseases like HIV and Malaria—because Trump totally upended our global health response, and let’s not forget, they’re going to destroy contraceptives we’ve already purchased rather than distribute them.

    “And people are starving to death while food supplies from American companies are sitting rotting in ports. That’s another part of why America’s farmers are coming out in opposition to this bill by the way.

    “This week, 500 tons of high energy biscuits expired. Food that we already paid for. Food that was meant to save lives. And because Trump and Elon Musk blasted USAID to smithereens and couldn’t be bothered to fix the mess that they caused, this food is now going to be incinerated—even as people we promised to help watch their kids starve.

    “That is outrageous, and it is infuriating.

    “Is that what Republicans think of as world leadership? Is it leadership to Republicans when Trump fires thousands of State Department workers who keep our nation safe, and make our voice heard in the world?

    “Is it leadership to Republicans when we pull investments out of international organizations, and create a void that our adversaries like China will be all too happy to fill?

    “We already know the DOGE cuts were devastating. We know that! What I don’t know is why on earth Republicans are getting ready today to double down and codify them by passing this bill. And no—‘because Trump said so’—is not a good answer.

    “Especially when it’s clear Russ Vought is the one steering this particular ship. I’m not even sure Trump knows what a rescission is! But I’m sure Republicans know better than to think these cuts will make our nation strong.

    “I know that because we passed these investments in a bipartisan way. And because I have heard them speak out about how much they hate these cuts. You can go back and watch our hearing on this, many of our colleagues across the aisle during that hearing voiced deep concern with these cuts, that they now intend to pass today.  

    “Because we all know these investments benefit American businesses who help feed the world.

    “They help stop outbreak, they stop diseases abroad before they spread and threaten us here at home. They help promote stability and avoid chaos and conflict that can put our interests—and our servicemembers—in harm’s way.

    “They help us advance America’s interests and keep our country safe and prosperous.

    “That’s the smart thing to do. It’s the smart thing to do. And of course, it is also the right thing to do.

    “So, it’s worth saying, cutting these investments is just down right wrong.

    “We should not be voting to let children starve or die from preventable diseases. We should not be voting to go back on our word to the world.

    Saving a couple pennies is not worth losing our credibility or causing millions of needless deaths across the globe.

    “It is not even close.

    [DOESN’T NEED TO BE THIS WAY]

    “And M. President. I want to impress upon one final point. And that’s this, it did not have to be this way, and it still does not have to be this way.

    “In fact, if Republicans come to their senses, and vote this thing down, we still can go a different route. We can do what we have always done and consider bipartisan rescissions as part of our annual appropriations process. That offer has always been on the table. And it still is.
    “I’ve heard Republicans say they don’t like this package, in fact they are trying to dial it back the tiniest bit. I’ve also heard that they don’t want to spend the next several months processing these requests out here on the floor, instead of focusing on our annual funding bills—or any number of other pressing priorities.

    “So: don’t vote for it!

    “Work with us to write bills that make targeted rescissions on a bipartisan basis. You don’t work for Donald Trump. You don’t work for Russ Vought. You actually work for your constituents. You can put them first. And you can vote this package down.

    “That has some real benefits compared to going down the path of this unprecedented—unprecedented— partisan rescissions.

    “I am serious—I want my Republican colleagues to think about that. And I mean really think about it.

    “For one thing, if we do things the normal, bipartisan way, you get to assert your say as a Senator about what is getting targeted, it’s not just ‘this is what Russ Vought says—take it or leave it.’ You can actually be a part of the discussion and speak out for what is important to you.

    “For another thing: If we go the bipartisan route, you don’t have to get jammed by this deadline. 

    “Instead of rushing through cuts this week without fully getting to consider and debate them, instead of being told ‘No, you can’t change this, we don’t have time.’ We can all sit down, make thoughtful decisions, and maybe even worthwhile changes as we go.

    “And here’s an important point, if we do rescissions together through our appropriations bills, instead of just letting Trump and Russ Vought jam through whatever they want, my colleagues would actually know what in the world they are voting for.

    [NO INFORMATION ON WHAT WILL BE CUT]

    “Because let’s get one thing straight, Republicans don’t actually know what programs are going to get cut if they pass this package.

    “We don’t know! It’s one of the great outrages of this package. Russ Vought is just outright refusing to tell us what programs he is going to cut if this package passes.

    “At our hearing with him, he refused to go into detail. He stonewalled us. We asked and we asked. The Chair, the Republican Chair, even asked him about this.

    “But OMB would not tell us! The question is: What will you cut? The answer has been: Pass it, we’ll see.

    “That is why the Republicans decided to protect just a handful of programs without actually reducing the funding associated with them, because they do not know the impact.

    “So, they preserve funding for Jordan, Egypt, and a few university partnerships. What about our allies in the Indo-Pacific? What about the implementers of these programs in our states?

    “None of us should accept not having those answers. And I’m sure my colleagues were told their priorities won’t be impacted, but Director Vought cannot keep that promise given the scale of these cuts. The math simply does not add up!

    “Even if you believe we should make cuts, you should be joining us to demand we actually know what is being cut. And, if we do this the right way, the bipartisan way, we would know. Because we would be writing the bill.

    “Now, doesn’t that sound a lot better, than just passing this pandora’s box, and finding out later what got cut?

    [IMPLICATIONS FOR THE SENATE]

    “Finally, I have said this before, several times, but I want to warn my colleagues once again, if you keep going down this path you are going to further undermine our bipartisan process. 

    “We have never, never before seen bipartisan investments, slashed through a partisan rescissions package. Do not start now. Not when we are working, at this very moment, in a bipartisan way to pass our spending bills.

    “As I said earlier, bipartisanship doesn’t end with any one line being crossed, it erodes, it breaks down bit by bit, until one day there is nothing left.

    Sure, a few members may be willing to stick it out and work as hard as they can to get a result.

    “But this Senate doesn’t work off a few members—it works off consensus building. And the more bridges you burn, the fewer paths you leave to get things done.

    “So, M. President, why go down this partisan path? Why vote to spend the next many weeks considering more of these packages? And why do it for a set of cuts that are so damaging? A set of cuts, many of you have serious concerns with?

    “We are at the table right now, the Appropriations Committee, writing bipartisan spending bills. And we can and absolutely discuss bipartisan rescissions.

    “Why don’t you join us and make that work easier, instead of making that work harder by passing this bill and setting a very painful new precedent.

    “I urge my colleagues to join me in voting NO.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate & House Education Leaders Statement on Trump Admin Illegally Moving Department of Education Programs to DOL as Part of Its Efforts to Dismantle the Department

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ICYMI: Murray, DeLauro, Scott, Baldwin Call on Department of Education to Immediately Cease Illegal Plan to Transfer Career and Technical Education Program Responsibilities to Labor Department

    Washington, D.C. — Today, Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Appropriations Committee; Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP); Ranking Member Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education; Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce; and Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03), House Appropriations Committee and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee, issued the following statement after the Department of Education (ED) and Department of Labor (DOL) announced plans to transfer career and technical education and adult education programs from ED to DOL. 

    “The Court’s ruling to allow the Trump administration to dismantle the Department of Education as litigation continues sets a troubling precedent. Congress authorized and appropriated funds to the Department of Education to carry out career and technical education programs. The law of the land has not changed. If this administration is able to do this, no education program that our teachers, parents, and children rely on is safe from an administration more interested in executing its extreme agenda than helping students.  

    “Let’s be clear: this is not about cutting through red tape or returning education to the states. This is about dismantling the Department of Education and attacking our public education system. This is yet another illegal action by this administration that ignores the rule of law. This comes as the Administration is already illegally withholding nearly $7 billion in education funding, including for the Adult Education programs tied up in this illegal transfer. 

    “Republicans should join Democrats to stand up for our teachers, parents, and students and prevent further destruction of our public education system.”

    The Department of Education is the agency best fit to administer these workforce development programs. The primary goal of the adult education program is to help adults achieve reading, writing, math, and English language proficiency. Many of the career and technical education (CTE) programs authorized under Perkins V are a part of secondary school curricula that help expose students to career opportunities.  Most CTE students end up enrolling in postsecondary education, not getting a job right out of high school.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NYS DEC to Assist With Colorado Wildfires

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced that 11 New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers and Lands and Forests staff are traveling to Colorado to support ongoing efforts to contain wildland fires raging in the state. Wildland firefighters were deployed this week for an anticipated two-week assignment.

    “New Yorkers are always ready to volunteer when other states need our help,” Governor Hochul said. “We’re fortunate to have well-trained incident command and wildland firefighting experts in New York State to lend emergency assistance and support. I thank all the responders working the fires for their efforts and look forward to their safe return.”

    New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, “DEC firefighters are among the most highly trained wildland firefighters in the country. Along with expert firefighting, Forest Rangers are trained to support and lead Incident Command during coordinated wildfire response missions. In addition, our expert Lands and Forest staff will support efforts to contain these raging wildfires to ensure safe operations for the response crews and the people of Colorado affected by these wildfires. I know our staff will make DEC proud.”

    New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “Wildfire smoke is particularly concerning for those most vulnerable to negative health impacts from unhealthy air quality including those with heart conditions or lung disease, as well as the very young, those over 65 years old, and pregnant people. We are grateful to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation firefighters and other responders working to put out fires in Colorado, reduce the smoke in those areas and protect public health.”

    Six Forest Rangers and four Lands and Forests staff members are assigned to the Pagosa Ranger District on the San Juan National Forest in Pagosa Springs. They will support the initial attack during a period of high fire danger and expected lightning. One Forest Ranger is assigned to the South Rim Fire in Gunnison National Park, which has burned more than 3,600 acres of land and is zero percent contained.

    New York State regularly deploys highly trained wildland firefighters to help battle fires and support incident response in other states and nations as part of interstate and international firefighting compacts.

    In 1979, New York sent its first firefighting crew to assist western states with large wildfires. On average, one or two crews are deployed as needed to assist with wildfires every year. In addition to helping contain wildfires and minimize damage to people and property, these crews gain valuable experience that will be utilized fighting wildfires and managing incidents in New York State.

    All personnel and travel expenses for the New York crews are either paid directly by the U.S. Forest Service or reimbursed to New York State based on a mutual aid agreement between states and federal land agencies.

    New York State recently issued Air Quality Health Advisories due to the impact of smoke from wildfires in Canada. These conditions are especially dangerous for vulnerable New Yorkers with medical conditions such as asthma and/or heart disease. DEC and the State Department of Health (DOH) issue Air Quality Health Advisories when DEC meteorologists predict levels of pollution, either ozone or fine particulate matter, are expected to exceed an Air Quality Index (AQI) value of 100. Recent advisories are due to fine particulate matter carried by the wind from the wildfires. Ozone production can also be enhanced by the presence of wildfire smoke. The AQI was created as an easy way to correlate levels of different pollutants to one scale, with a higher AQI value indicating a greater health concern.

    The latest AQI Forecast and current advisories in effect can be viewed here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NY Leads in Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit Use

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced that New York State led the nation in the use of State and Federal Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits to improve landmark buildings across the state in 2024. Recent data from the National Park Service reports that 154 individual building rehabilitation projects in the state were completed, are currently under construction, or in the planning phase in 2024, totaling $2.8 billion of economic activity. The number of New York State rehabilitation projects was more than double and the total economic activity was more than three times that of the next leading states (Ohio and Texas respectively). Vg.

    “The State’s landmark buildings continue to find new life through the support of Federal and State incentives for historic properties,” Governor Hochul said. “New York State’s rehabilitation tax credit programs are attracting strong private investment to these properties, spurring much-needed quality, affordable housing and bringing new life to our communities.”

    A significant growth in the Federal and State rehabilitation programs has been the adaptive reuse of historic properties that create new affordable housing units, or in many cases, rehabilitate existing units. Since 2022, there have been 106 affordable housing projects that have used the historic tax credit programs, creating 1,757 new units and revitalizing 2,412 existing units. All told, New York since federal fiscal year 2019 has made strong use of the program, with 491 property owners completing projects and a total of $5.06 billion investment in the state — ahead of other states by wide margins.

    New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Randy Simons said, “The historic rehabilitation tax credit has a strong record of helping to revitalize notable buildings, foster job growth, create more housing, and renew a sense of pride among New Yorkers for our state’s heritage. We are thrilled to see the growth in use of the historic tax credit programs to address New York’s housing crisis and we look forward to working with program partners to continue making the state more livable and affordable for all New Yorkers.”

    New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, “New York is a leader in preserving landmark buildings and architectural gems, and repurposing them in innovative ways that address our housing shortage and strengthen communities. The historic rehabilitation tax credit program is investing in more than 4,000 affordable homes, creating billions in economic activity, and revitalizing neighborhoods. The program is a vital tool in our toolbox as we address the affordable housing crisis. Thank you to Governor Hochul for your vision and commitment to creating the housing New York needs.”

    New York State Tax Department Executive Deputy Commissioner Michael Shollar said, “We’re pleased to be part of the team administering historic rehabilitation tax credits. The tax credits associated with this program offer important incentives for the preservation of historic buildings and help revitalize communities.”

    Preservation League of New York State President Jay DiLorenzo said, “Historic rehabilitation tax credits have proven transformational for communities and Main Streets throughout New York State. Reusing our existing buildings creates local construction jobs, provides space for small businesses, creates much-needed housing, and keeps demolition debris out of our landfills. Enhancements to the New York State program spearheaded by Governor Hochul means that even more communities will benefit from this powerful economic development tool.”

    In further support of the State’s affordable housing creation and preservation goals, the Governor’s Enacted Budget expands the use of historic tax credits for affordable housing efforts. Use of the New York State rehabilitation tax credit was previously restricted to properties in census tracts at or below the state family median income; however, the restriction has been lifted if the rehabilitation is for the purpose of creating affordable housing. Additionally, technical amendments to the law have been made to increase the opportunity for investors to participate in the program.

    Owners of income-producing real properties listed on or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places may be eligible for a 20 percent federal income tax credit and a 20 to 30 percent state credit for the substantial rehabilitation of historic properties. The final credit amount is based on the cost of the rehabilitation. Property owners must be approved for the federal credit in order to be eligible for the state’s credit. The state’s credit is capped at $5 million per building rehabilitation, which is generally restricted to eligible census tracts for commercial uses but now is available statewide for the purposes of creating affordable housing.

    For more information on the tax credit program visit https://parks.ny.gov/shpo/tax-credit-programs/

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Celebrating the opening of Halifax’s new Marine Container Examination Facility

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    July 16, 2025                       Halifax, Nova Scotia                        Canada Border Services Agency

    Today, the Honourable Darren Fisher, Member of Parliament for Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, on behalf of the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety, along with senior officials from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the Halifax Port Authority and the Africville community, celebrated the opening of the new Marine Container Examination Facility (MCEF) in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  

    This new examination facility, constructed by the Halifax Port Authority with funding from Transport Canada’s National Trade Corridors Fund and funding from the CBSA, represents an investment into Canada’s future, and a commitment to the safety and security of Canadians. In addition to allowing for improved flow of supply chains and secure trade, it enables Canadian businesses to compete and grow in international markets, improves efficiency and safety for CBSA employees and operations, and contributes to continued growth for port operations in Halifax.

    Halifax’s new Marine Container Examination Facility is home to the CBSA’s Container Examination Team and Waterfront Cargo Inspection Unit, and is located on the shores of the Bedford Basin, adjacent to the PSA Halifax Fairview Cove Terminal near the former Africville community. The 2,700 square-metre Envision-Verified Certified building replaces the former MCEF warehouse located in the Burnside Industrial Park, which required shipping containers to be transported across the MacKay Bridge for examination.

    The work taking place at the new MCEF is critical to protecting Canadian communities and trade partner communities from the impacts of transnational organized crime, while facilitating the smooth flow of Canada’s critical supply chains via the Port of Halifax, one of Canada’s most vital marine gateways.

    High-risk shipping containers are referred for examination at the MCEF by the CBSA’s National Targeting Centre, as well as the CBSA’s Waterfront Cargo Inspection Unit in Halifax. CBSA officers based at the facility then conduct comprehensive examinations of the containers and cargo to look for drugs, weapons, stolen vehicles and other dangerous contraband being imported to or exported from Canada. Officers also ensure compliance with Canada’s food, plant, and animal regulations.

    Large quantities of illicit drugs and stolen vehicles are regularly intercepted by CBSA officers at the Marine Container Examination Facility. From March 1, 2024 to July 1, 2025, CBSA officers at the Marine Container Examination Facility intercepted 189 stolen vehicles, 1957kg of cannabis leaving Canada, and $208M worth of narcotics.

    The facility’s name, Africville Seasides, honours the history, vibrancy and resiliency of the people of Africville. Africville community members selected the building’s name in honour of their hockey team, the Africville Seasides, which played in the first and only all-Black men’s ice hockey league in Canada and won two championships in the early 1900s.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: New wildland provincial park in Alberta

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Rural and Remote Health Minister Continues Summer Tour Through Eastern Saskatchewan

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on July 16, 2025

    Rural and Remote Health Minister Lori Carr is continuing her Saskatchewan summer tour through the eastern part of the province. Minister Carr will meet with local leadership and health care staff while visiting health facilities in Nokomis, Wynyard and Foam Lake.

    “It has been a wonderful opportunity to travel throughout the province over the past months and meet with dedicated health professionals in each community,” Minister Carr said. “Our government remains committed to ensuring high quality healthcare for residents close to home, and safe, modern facilities to attract the best healthcare professionals to this province.”

    As part of its capital funding plan, Government provided $760,000 in 2024-25 for roof repairs at Foam Lake Jubilee Home which will take place in 2025-26 and has budgeted an additional $150,000 this year to replace the facility’s air conditioning system. 

    Additionally, over the past three years, the Nokomis Health Centre received upgrades including a new kitchen HVAC exhaust system, new shingles and a nurse call system for a total cost of $281,000.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Norcross Secures Priorities to Invest in South Jersey, Increase National Defense Innovation as NDAA Advances

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

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee’s Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee and Member of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, Congressman Donald Norcross (D-NJ), advanced the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) out of committee and secured priorities that invest in South Jersey and increase national defense innovation. This is the 65th year that the NDAA, the largest authorization bill in Congress with a budget of $882.6 billion, passed out of committee, continuing the tradition of bipartisan cooperation on this bill.   

    “The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that was passed out of committee is a commitment to our nation’s security and a steadfast investment in the courageous men and women in our armed forces. It ensures that we have what every commander wants for their troops: that they are manned, trained, and equipped with the best to carry out our nation’s mission and return home safely. It provides a $3.8% pay raise to all servicemembers and it cuts down on red tape to make certain that our men and women in uniform have the resources they need to keep our country safe,” said Congressman Donald Norcross. “This bipartisan legislation strengthens our industrial base, reinforces Buy American principles, supports our allies, and includes the Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery (SPEED) Act to streamline procurement and decision-making. As ranking member of the Tactical Air and Land Subcommittee, I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to strengthen our national defense, continue investing in our industrial base, and deliver for South Jersey.”

    The FY26 NDAA improves military readiness and strengthens American industry by cutting red tape, fixing outdated systems, and supporting defense innovation. The FY26 NDAA also includes a 3.8% pay raise for all servicemembers and a 60 percent increase in the Family Separation Allowance which increases the monthly allowance to military families separated due to mission requirements.  

    Rep. Norcross authored an amendment that was adopted in a bipartisan vote to protect Department of Defense employees by restoring their collective bargaining rights after President Trump illegally issued an executive order that stripped these rights away.  

    Fiscal Year 2026 NDAA Priorities Secured by Rep. Norcross: 

    • Over $618 million for CH-47 helicopters, which will be manufactured by South Jersey workers. 
    • Over $2.5 billion for the KC-46 refueler aircraft, which flies out of Joint Base McGuire-Dix Lakehurst.  
    • $5 million to Rowan University for research, development, and engineering to enable rapid entry and sustainment in the Arctic and other cold regions being conducted. 
    • Protected Buy American principles, American jobs, and manufacturing by making sure defense programs continue using U.S.-made parts and materials, keeping our industrial base strong 
    • Required a detailed Pentagon briefing on how it will spend reconciliation funds to strengthen and modernize the munitions industrial base, holding the Pentagon accountable for how it will use the funds. 
    • Required a DoD study on the state of the skilled trade workforce essential to Navy shipbuilding to strengthen the training and workforce pipeline and increase our shipbuilding capacity. 
    • Protected the E-7 Wedgetail program from cancellation, ensuring $800 million in continued investment in this critical airborne warning and control capability. 
    • $9.9 million investment to enhance Army command and control for unmanned systems and their defense which will be developed by South Jersey workers.  
    • $10 million for research and development of man-portable doppler radars for Army Network Command, Control, Communication, and Intelligence (C3I) Technology. 
    • $50 million to support U.S.-Israel anti-tunneling cooperation. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Washington state sues Trump administration for unlawfully cutting billions in disaster mitigation funding

    Source: Washington State News

    SEATTLE — Attorney General Nick Brown today led a coalition of 20 states in suing the Trump administration over its decision to illegally shut down the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) bipartisan Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, designed to protect communities from natural disasters before they strike.  

    For the past 30 years, the BRIC program has provided communities across the nation with resources to proactively fortify against natural disasters. By focusing on preparation, the program has protected property, saved money that would have otherwise been spent on post-disaster costs, reduced injuries, and saved lives. 

    The impact of the BRIC program’s termination has been devastating, with communities across the country being forced to delay, scale back, or cancel hundreds of mitigation projects depending on this funding. Projects that have been in development for years, and in which communities have invested millions of dollars are now threatened. And now, Americans from coast to coast face a higher risk of harm from natural disasters.

    “This illegal cut endangers the communities most vulnerable to natural disasters,” Brown said. “Communities and states face devastating consequences when the federal government doesn’t meet its obligations to the public, and I will hold the Trump administration accountable for abandoning their safety.”

    Responding to the catastrophic losses resulting from Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, Congress passed a law stating FEMA must protect communities through four interrelated functions — mitigation, preparation, response, and recovery. The BRIC program is the core of FEMA’s pre-disaster mitigation efforts. A recent study concluded that every dollar FEMA spends on mitigation saves an average of six dollars in post-disaster costs. 

    The BRIC program supports often difficult-to-fund projects, such as constructing evacuation shelters and floodwalls, safeguarding utility grids against wildfires, protecting wastewater and drinking water infrastructure, and fortifying bridges, roadways, and culverts. 

    Over the past four years, FEMA has selected nearly 2,000 projects to receive roughly $4.5 billion in BRIC funding nationwide. In Washington state, there are 27 open BRIC projects that total $182 million and nearly three quarters of that funding goes to small towns and rural communities. This money funds projects like constructing levees and floodwalls in Aberdeen and Hoquiam and generating electricity in Klickitat County for hospitals and school districts if the power goes out during wildfires and severe weather.

    The coalition of attorneys general argue that FEMA’s decision to abruptly terminate the BRIC program is in direct violation of Congress’s decision to fund it. The executive branch has no lawful authority to unilaterally refuse to spend funds appropriated by Congress. They also assert that shutting down the BRIC program violates Separation of Powers and the Administrative Procedure Act, and violates the Appointments Clause because Cameron Hamilton, who acted as FEMA Administrator and gave the directive to terminate the BRIC program, was never appointed by the President or confirmed by the Senate and therefore was acting as an administrator unlawfully. 

    With this lawsuit, the coalition of attorneys general are seeking a preliminary injunction to prevent the Trump administration from spending BRIC funds for other purposes and a permanent injunction to reverse the termination of the BRIC program and require the restoration of these critical funds to the communities relying on them.  

    Joining Washington state in filing this lawsuit, are attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin, and the governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

    The complaint can be found here.

    -30-

    Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

    Media Contact:

    Email: press@atg.wa.gov

    Phone: (360) 753-2727

    General contacts: Click here

    Media Resource Guide & Attorney General’s Office FAQ

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Why drones and AI can’t quickly find missing flood victims, yet

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Robin R. Murphy, Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University

    The landscape In the aftermath of a flood makes it challenging to spot victims. AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

    For search and rescue, AI is not more accurate than humans, but it is far faster.

    Recent successes in applying computer vision and machine learning to drone imagery for rapidly determining building and road damage after hurricanes or shifting wildfire lines suggest that artificial intelligence could be valuable in searching for missing persons after a flood.

    Machine learning systems typically take less than one second to scan a high-resolution image from a drone versus one to three minutes for a person. Plus, drones often produce more imagery to view than is humanly possible in the critical first hours of a search when survivors may still be alive.

    Unfortunately, today’s AI systems are not up to the task.

    We are robotics reseachers who study the use of drones in disasters. Our experiences searching for victims of flooding and numerous other events show that current implementations of AI fall short.

    However, the technology can play a role in searching for flood victims. The key is AI-human collaboration.

    Drones have become standard equipment for first responders, but floods pose unique challenges.
    Eric Smalley, CC BY-ND

    AI’s potential

    Searching for flood victims is a type of wilderness search and rescue that presents unique challenges. The goal for machine learning scientists is to rank which images have signs of victims and indicate where in those images search-and-rescue personnel should focus. If the responder sees signs of a victim, they pass the GPS location in the image to search teams in the field to check.

    The ranking is done by a classifier, which is an algorithm that learns to identify similar instances of objects – cats, cars, trees – from training data in order to recognize those objects in new images. For example, in a search-and-rescue context, a classifier would spot instances of human activity such as garbage or backpacks to pass to wilderness search-and-rescue teams, or even identify the missing person themselves.

    A classifier is needed because of the sheer volume of imagery that drones can produce. For example, a single 20-minute flight can produce over 800 high-resolution images. If there are 10 flights – a small number – there would be over 8,000 images. If a responder spends only 10 seconds looking at each image, it would take over 22 hours of effort. Even if the task is divided among a group of “squinters,” humans tend to miss areas of images and show cognitive fatigue.

    The ideal solution is an AI system that scans the entire image, prioritizes images that have the strongest signs of victims, and highlights the area of the image for a responder to inspect. It could also decide whether the location should be flagged for special attention by search-and-rescue crews.

    Where AI falls short

    While this seems to be a perfect opportunity for computer vision and machine learning, modern systems have a high error rate. If the system is programmed to overestimate the number of candidate locations in hopes of not missing any victims, it will likely produce too many false candidates. That would mean overloading squinters or, worse, the search-and-rescue teams, which would have to navigate through debris and muck to check the candidate locations.

    Developing computer vision and machine learning systems for finding flood victims is difficult for three reasons.

    One is that while existing computer vision systems are certainly capable of identifying people visible in aerial imagery, the visual indicators of a flood victim are often very different compared with those for a lost hiker or fugitive. Flood victims are often obscured, camouflaged, entangled in debris or submerged in water. These visual challenges increase the possibility that existing classifiers will miss victims.

    Second, machine learning requires training data, but there are no datasets of aerial imagery where humans are tangled in debris, covered in mud and not in normal postures. This lack also increases the possibility of errors in classification.

    Third, many of the drone images often captured by searchers are oblique views, rather than looking straight down. This means the GPS location of a candidate area is not the same as the GPS location of the drone. It is possible to compute the GPS location if the drone’s altitude and camera angle are known, but unfortunately those attributes rarely are. The imprecise GPS location means teams have to spend extra time searching.

    How AI can help

    Fortunately, with humans and AI working together, search-and-rescue teams can successfully use existing systems to help narrow down and prioritize imagery for further inspection.

    In the case of flooding, human remains may be tangled among vegetation and debris. Therefore, a system could identify clumps of debris big enough to contain remains. A common search strategy is to identify the GPS locations of where flotsam has gathered, because victims may be part of these same deposits.

    A machine learning algorithm identified piles of debris large enough to contain bodies in an aerial image of a flood aftermath.
    Center for Robot-Assisted Search and Rescue and University of Maryland

    An AI classifier could find debris commonly associated with remains, such as artificial colors and construction debris with straight lines or 90-degree corners. Responders find these signs as they systematically walk the riverbanks and flood plains, but a classifier could help prioritize areas in the first few hours and days, when there may be survivors, and later could confirm that teams didn’t miss any areas of interest as they navigated the difficult landscape on foot.

    Robin R. Murphy receives funding from the National Science Foundation. She is affiliated with the Center for Robot-Assisted Search and Rescue.

    Thomas Manzini is affiliated with the Center for Robot Assisted Search & Rescue (CRASAR), and his work is funded by the National Science Foundation’s AI Institute for Societal Decision Making (AI-SDM).

    – ref. Why drones and AI can’t quickly find missing flood victims, yet – https://theconversation.com/why-drones-and-ai-cant-quickly-find-missing-flood-victims-yet-261035

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Alberta leads with health care aide regulation

    Alberta’s 40,000 health care aides play a vital role in the health system, providing hands-on support to Albertans who need a high level of care, including seniors and those with chronic or acute illnesses. Starting Feb. 2, 2026, health care aides in Alberta will be regulated under a professional college – just like many other front-line health professionals.

    To practise and use the health care aide title, individuals will need to meet approved education requirements, follow standards of practice, commit to ongoing learning and abide by a professional code of ethics.

    “This is a major step forward in strengthening Alberta’s health care system. It gives Albertans confidence that the care they receive is safe and that health care aides have the proper training and oversight.”

    Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services

    The College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta will become the College of Licensed Practical Nurses and Health Care Aides of Alberta and will be responsible for registering health care aides, setting practice and conduct standards, ensuring continued professional development and responding to complaints. This work builds on the college’s experience regulating licensed practical nurses in Alberta.

    “The College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta is ready to take on the work of regulating health care aides in a manner that protects the public. We are leveraging our experience as a trusted regulator of licensed practical nurses to prepare health care aides and our partners for this transition. The CLPNA is confident that the interests of Albertans will be served through our oversight of registration, practice, conduct and continuing competence.”

    Kurtis Kooiker, president, College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta

    Health care aides who meet the requirements are eligible for enrolment in the Alberta Health Care Aide Directory. Those enrolled in the directory immediately before regulation comes into force will be transferred to a health care aide register with the college and issued a practice permit.

    As of Feb. 2, 2026, individuals who meet the requirements for registration as a health care aide, who intend to provide health care aide services to the public, and who want to use the health care aide title must apply for registration with the College of Licensed Practical Nurses and Health Care Aides of Alberta. Going forward, only registered health care aides will be allowed to use the health care aide title, and all registered health care aides will be required to renew their practice permits annually.

    In the weeks ahead, regulatory changes to support implementation will be finalized. The college will also continue working with health care aides, employers, post-secondary institutions and other partners to support a smooth transition.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Africville Seasides Marine Container Examination Facility

    Source: Government of Canada News

    July 16, 2025                 Halifax, Nova Scotia     

    Construction on the new Marine Container Examination Facility (MCEF) began in summer 2022 and was completed in early April 2025. Operations started on April 7, 2025.

    The new facility offers many benefits including:

    • Improves the efficiency, safety, security and operations for Canada Border Services (CBSA) employees
    • Reduces port congestion through operational efficiencies
    • Allows continued growth for the Halifax Port Authority
    • Increases supply chain effectiveness
    • Enables Canadian businesses to compete and grow in international markets
    • Reduces container truck traffic and emissions as the new MCEF is located directly on Port of Halifax property

    Facility description

    The 2,700 square-metre building is owned and operated by the Halifax Port Authority, and is used by the Canada Border Services Agency.

    The facility has 10 examination bays used by CBSA officers to examine high-risk shipping containers near the terminal. Large quantities of drugs and stolen vehicles are regularly intercepted by border services officers.

    The facility includes a truck gate with electronic scanners to help keep track of containers and their cargo.

    The Marine Container Examination Facility is an Envision-Verified infrastructure project, scoring 26% above industry standards under the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure rating system. The building has many sustainable features including:

    • A solar photovoltaic system
    • A rainwater harvesting system
    • Development of a Construction Sustainability Checklist that all contractors were required to submit as part of their tender submission
    • Development of a Contractor Tracking Tool for earthworks, materials, energy use, and water use, motion-activated LED fixtures
    • In-floor radiant heating
    • Building generator for backup power
    • Security fence rear compound for holding all containers marked for examination
    • EV charging stations

    Funding

    The Halifax Port Authority and the Government of Canada have invested approximately $25 million in the new facility. Transport Canada invested $7 million under the National Trade Corridors Fund. The CBSA invested $879,000 for :

    • CCTV hardware and installation
    • Furniture
    • IT equipment
    • Signage
    • Detection equipment
    • Audio Visual equipment
    • Building WIFI and Network equipment and installation
    • Tooling and storage cabinets

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Severe Thunderstorm Watch 518

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Note:  The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports.
    SEL8

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 518
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    1235 PM CDT Wed Jul 16 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
    Northern Illinois
    Far Northwest Indiana
    Lake Michigan

    * Effective this Wednesday afternoon and evening from 1235 PM
    until 800 PM CDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible
    Isolated large hail events to 1 inch in diameter possible
    A tornado or two possible

    SUMMARY…Scattered thunderstorms are forecast to develop in a
    north-south band and move east across the Watch. A couple of the
    stronger thunderstorms may acquire transient supercell
    characteristics. Scattered damaging gusts are the primary hazard,
    but an isolated risk for large hail will accompany the stronger
    storms and a tornado cannot be ruled out.

    The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 75
    statute miles east and west of a line from 40 miles east northeast
    of Rockford IL to 20 miles south southeast of Marseilles IL. For a
    complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline
    update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU8).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
    favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
    Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
    weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
    warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
    tornadoes.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 517…

    AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
    1 inch. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A few
    cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector
    24025.

    …Smith

    SEL8

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 518
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    1235 PM CDT Wed Jul 16 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
    Northern Illinois
    Far Northwest Indiana
    Lake Michigan

    * Effective this Wednesday afternoon and evening from 1235 PM
    until 800 PM CDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible
    Isolated large hail events to 1 inch in diameter possible
    A tornado or two possible

    SUMMARY…Scattered thunderstorms are forecast to develop in a
    north-south band and move east across the Watch. A couple of the
    stronger thunderstorms may acquire transient supercell
    characteristics. Scattered damaging gusts are the primary hazard,
    but an isolated risk for large hail will accompany the stronger
    storms and a tornado cannot be ruled out.

    The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 75
    statute miles east and west of a line from 40 miles east northeast
    of Rockford IL to 20 miles south southeast of Marseilles IL. For a
    complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline
    update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU8).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
    favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
    Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
    weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
    warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
    tornadoes.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 517…

    AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
    1 inch. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A few
    cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector
    24025.

    …Smith

    Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
    SAW8
    WW 518 SEVERE TSTM IL IN LM 161735Z – 170100Z
    AXIS..75 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF LINE..
    40ENE RFD/ROCKFORD IL/ – 20SSE MMO/MARSEILLES IL/
    ..AVIATION COORDS.. 65NM E/W /34NW ORD – 29SSW JOT/
    HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..1 INCH. WIND GUSTS..60 KNOTS.
    MAX TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 24025.

    LAT…LON 42418691 41098709 41098997 42418985

    THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
    COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
    FOR WOU8.

    Watch 518 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.

    Note:  Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes

    Probability of 2 or more tornadoes

    Low (20%)

    Probability of 1 or more strong (EF2-EF5) tornadoes

    Low (5%)

    Wind

    Probability of 10 or more severe wind events

    Mod (40%)

    Probability of 1 or more wind events > 65 knots

    Low (20%)

    Hail

    Probability of 10 or more severe hail events

    Low (20%)

    Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches

    Low (10%)

    Combined Severe Hail/Wind

    Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events

    Mod (60%)

    For each watch, probabilities for particular events inside the watch (listed above in each table) are determined by the issuing forecaster. The “Low” category contains probability values ranging from less than 2% to 20% (EF2-EF5 tornadoes), less than 5% to 20% (all other probabilities), “Moderate” from 30% to 60%, and “High” from 70% to greater than 95%. High values are bolded and lighter in color to provide awareness of an increased threat for a particular event.

    MIL OSI USA News –